- This article is about the IRIS Network as a faction/group. For information regarding the reports that the IRIS Network publishes via their magazine IRIS, see IRIS Reports.The IRIS Network are the main protaganist faction and rebel organisation who work with local governments to expose the truth of the war against the DomZ, and the betrayal of key military, governmental, and corporate entities through their newspaper IRIS.
The network has a galactic presence within more than 13 different systems across the galaxy. As of late, the network is portrayed as a terrorist group by the Alpha Sections as a means to cover their tracks. Despite their lack of popularity, IRIS continues to work with government figures and reveal the truth of evil intentions and corruption inflicted by their rivals.
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“"HALT!! Access forbidden to non-residents!".” — Spoilers for Beyond Good & Evil follow. |
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IRIS Network in Hillys[]
Purpose[]
Following the DomZ invasion in 2415, a Hillyan IRIS cell was established amid suspicions of the Alpha Sections arrival and intentions on Hillys. It was not up until 2435 when the network discovered holes in the Alpha Sections' media campaign and operations, short of enough evidence to justify their accusations.
The IRIS Network gains a powerful ally with a message from the Governor of Hillys, wishing to see the truth behind her homeworld's new apparent defenders' scrutiny. She implores IRIS to further investigate a recent explosion caused by a DomZ bomb in the main canal. While the sector was immediately sealed off and everyone in the area evacuated by the Alpha Sections, not a single hospital received any victims, leading to the belief that they were kidnapped.
In conjunction with the recent disappearances, the IRIS Network has made it their newfound goal to expose the suspected connection between the Alpha Section and the DomZ. They soon begin to sway the Governor into their favour by recruiting reporters Double H and Jade to probe into the matter.
Thanks to Double H's reports, it had come to the network's attention that the Alpha Sections have been following an allegiance with the DomZ since the beginning of the war, and profited off the general chaos as cover to shuttle abducted citizens to the Nutripils Factory, then trafficking the victims to the Old Slaughterhouses, to be exported to Selene, Hillys' moon, where the DomZ have settled. IRIS then sends their agents to expose their conspiracy, to liberate the planet and restore peace and order to Hillys.
Structure[]
The network as seen on Hillys has a underworld structure; made of cells that operate under cover, using public venues to conceal their headquarters. Each one seems to made up of a collective, with leaders working together as a cooperative faction. Due to their lack of resources for direct confrontations, IRIS relies on information and distribution of media to expose their enemies as well as gaining support of national armies and government to fund and support their operations.
The Hillyan cell represents a mere fraction of the entire network, the local members consists of:
- Hahn, the lead intel provider.
- Nino, the IRIS Radio operator and transmissions specialist.
- Meï, Editor and Publisher of the IRIS newspaper.
- Peepers, Undercover talent-scout and doorguard.
- Double H, IRIS reporter and infiltrator.
- Shauni, IRIS reporter, and infiltrator
- Ming-Tzu, Distributor of the IRIS Newsflash and IRIS newspaper.
- Wild Boar, the Chief of the IRIS Cell on Hillys.
The network Cell's main base of operations lies hidden within the popular Akuda Bar's cellar.
Origins[]
Not much is known about the origins of the IRIS Network. According to Hahn, more than 13 other active cells operate within the network across the galaxy, and the DomZ and the Alpha Section are "sucking the lifeblood out of Hillys, exactly as they've done to countless others.", which seems to suggest the IRIS Network was established as a means to warn the population of an imminent 'DomZ/Alpha-invasion'. However, it is unknown whether the DomZ and the Alpha Section invade multiple systems at the same time, thus this being the sole purpose of existence seems, at his point, unlikely. More likely, the Network is an rebellion or splinter group that dispenses uncensored information regarding afflictions and injustices occuring within a planet's society or beyond. This could mean social welfare afflictions, struggles concerning the seperation of legal power (or in any way abusing them) and more.
Recruitment[]
IRIS members are not trained, rather chosen based upon natural talent. Individuals possessing a natural expertise, eyes and a passion for journalism or skills that aid with their goals are picked as candidates.
According to the small number of members, finding new members with such qualities and views are hard to come by, let alone one with the skills and expertise the group seeks out entirely. No one can willingly voluntarily join the network without these qualifications and can primarily support IRIS by purchasing their newspaper, instead of the regulated circulation of national newspapers. Potential recruits are monitored and slowly investigated by IRIS, pointing out key skills and whims during their life.
Once they decide to accept them into their collective, an IRIS agent is then sent to contact that candidate and rendezvous at an area unknown and secluded from prying eyes. There, they conduct a field trial or 'situation test' which involves a certain task such as photographing a rare creature and returning the evidence. Once satisfied, the agent returns to HQ and report the results to their peers who then reach out to invite the volunteer to meet them and join the organisation.
In the case of Beyond Good and Evil, seeing the value in Jade through the reports from Peepers, she is tested on the remote, abandoned mining island of Black Isle.
Password[]
- "Safe and sound in its shell, the precious pearl is the slave of the currents."
The IRIS network uses a short haiku as their password. A historical Japanese form of verse, haiku are traditionally characterised by nature imagery or evoking the essence of a moment or season. English versions of haiku typically follow a non-rhyming pattern of 17 syllables in lines of 5, 7, and 5. Although the IRIS poem doesn’t follow the 5-7-5 pattern, it still contains a total of 17 syllables, just distributed differently between lines.
This haiku contains a lot of symbolism for the network. The pearl is significant to both the rebellion, who rely on pearl donations to fund their cause, and the DomZ, who use pearls as a corrupted power source. The pearl is also symbolic of the people: in their shell (kept in the dark, keeping their heads down), they are subservient to the currents (agendas) of the larger powers in the propaganda war. Several IRIS agents and supporters use the phrase “coming out of your shell” to mean 'resistance'.
Post-DomZ War and Possible Return[]
It is currently unclear if the IRIS Network disbanded after the war ended, or if they will appear in the scheduled prequel, Beyond Good and Evil 2. However, because of the last cutscene at the very end of the first instalment's credits, one can assume they could return to aid Pey'j and stop a speculated DomZ infection epidemic.
Trivia[]
- It is currently unknown what the acronym IRIS stand for though their logo depicts a camera shutter, further implying their role as photographic journalists.
- Every member of the IRIS Network has an alias, though only the ones of Jade, Pey'j, 'Peepers', and Hub are known;
- Each time Jade completes a report, she receives pearl donations from the Hillyans to aid her cause;
- During the ending credits, Meï, Nino and Double H can be seen in a photograph posing with the Lighthouse kids. This indicates they actually went to Jade's place, though it is unclear if Hahn and Peepers did the same.
- In an early draft of the game the rebel organization was called SPOON. There may be a reference to this old name: when Jade recites the IRIS password to the Newsagent in the city, he asks if it's a spoonerism.
- There are even certain IRIS Network related audio files in the Beyond Good & Evil sally_clean.bf files that are named Spoon (e.g. 046_Spoon1_US.wad.pcm is the audio file used for the first time you enter the IRIS Den). These are yet few indicators.