Catalyst (character)

This article concerns the background of the subject in Apex Legends universe. For the subject and content related to it in the main game, see Catalyst.

**Tressa Crystal Smith**, better known as **Catalyst**, is a Legend first introduced in  Season 15. A mystical terraformer from Boreas, she joined the Apex Games to gain money to support herself and her family after losing her position in the Cleo Recovery Council.

## Lore

### Background

Tressa Crystal Smith was born in 2705 on Boreas. Smith grew up rebelling against Boreas society, spending most of her time on crystals and witchcraft with her fellow misfits. She additionally transitioned during her teenage years. Smith and her found family, especially her closest friend Margo, were incredibly concerned for the state of Boreas's crumbling moon, Cleo, especially due to encroachment on it by Hammond Robotics and other corporations. They sought to do something about it in the wake of perceived inaction.

### Last Hope

In 2719, Smith and Margo broke into a facility that launched mining equipment onto the surface of Cleo. Once inside, she found a tank filled with a strange ferrofluid. Walking up to the facility's entrance with Margo, she was shocked when her friend mounted a bomb on the doors. While she protested this radical decision, the two were confronted by a Spectre. It hunted down Smith, with her eventually shoving the machine into the tank of ferrofluid, destroying it. During this fight, Margo was apprehended by the facility's guards; she then decided to detonate the bomb. Immediately after, Smith was able to escape to her home, but it was quickly surrounded by police. To protect herself and her friends, she decided to run away.

Smith soon applied to join and was accepted into the Cleo Recovery Council, helping to terraform the newly developed colony of Hope on Cleo's surface. Here, she achieved mastery over ferrofluid, using it to erect structures and protect her coworkers from debris. She additionally took up permanent residence at Hope's South Promenade, seeing the settlement on Cleo as a new hope for the moon. However, these hopes were dashed after Seer and Eduardo Silva announced their intentions to construct the newest Apex Games arena on Cleo. The services of Smith and the Cleo Recovery Council were terminated and superseded by the Mercenary Syndicate as a result.

Having lost her stability after leaving the Cleo Recovery Council, Smith entered into the Apex Games, hoping to use the prize money to support herself and her found family. Pravina and Rose, her remaining friends, helped her improve her terraforming equipment for use in the Games.

Eventually, Smith met with Rampart at her new home on Cleo and gave her a crystal reading.

### Reflections of the Moon

Smith returned from an Apex Games match with Seer and Octane, facing a protest against what the crowd perceived as Seer's actions. While walking to retrieve their winnings from a Mercenary Syndicate office, Seer was attacked by the crowd, which pelted him with cans and debris. Smith quickly stepped in to shield him, stating that violence won't solve anything. Afterward, Seer attempted to speak with Smith, but she refused, placing the blame for her displacement from Cleo squarely on him despite his efforts to explain otherwise.

Smith later met Seer at Encore, where he had retreated to after a fight with his parents. Not wishing to start an argument, Seer moved to leave, but Smith urged him to stay, wishing to talk and watch the moon. During their conversation, Seer admitted that his actions in bringing the Apex Games to Boreas were rash. He claimed that Boreas will be safer in the long term, but Smith rejects this claim, stating that she does not care about the planet that cast her out, caring more for the place where she found a community and a home.

Having agreed to disagree, the two found a new understanding of each other. They shook hands, with Edolasim stating his desire to do better, and Catalyst saying she will be there to see it.

## Appearances

**Trailers*** Eclipse Launch Trailer

**Teasers*** Season 15 Teasers (mentioned)

## Trivia

* Character
* Voice Actor
* Cultural References

* Catalyst is transgender.
* Catalyst carries a citrine gem as a good luck charm.
* Catalyst's animations display a variety of tarot cards, including:
	+ The Moon, depicting Cleo
	+ The Sun, depicting Wattson and Crypto
	+ The Magician, depicting Seer
	+ The Twins, depicting Lifeline and Octane
	+ The High Priestess, depicting Catalyst
	+ Death, depicting Revenant
	+ The Devil, depicting the Apex Predators
* Catalyst is not fond of cooking.

- Catalyst's voice actress, Meli Grant, has portrayed a variety of roles, including:
	* Misuzu Kawazoe from "Assault Lily"
	* Houston from "Azur Lane"
	* Loki from KamiKatsu
	* Quitela from Dragon Ball Super

- Catalyst's kill quip, "This witch came from the moon", references a famous line from *Destiny*.

## References

1. ↑ Meli Grant on Twitter
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/about/characters/catalyst
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Reflections of the Moon Chapter 4 - "Low Tide"
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Stories from the Outlands - Last Hope
5. ↑ Transition -  Reflection
6. ↑ Eclipse Patch Notes https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/news/eclipse-patch-notes
7. ↑ Eclipse Launch Trailer
8. ↑ Transition -  Calibration Complete
9. ↑ Reflections of the Moon Chapter 1 - "All That Is Seen"
10. ↑ Catalyst kill quips - "I have a citrine gem in my pocket for good luck. Also, I'm much better at this than you."
11. ↑ *Apex Legends: The Official Cookbook*