Sea Emperor Leviathan: Difference between revisions

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This article is about the Sea Emperor. You may be looking for the Sea Emperor Juvenile.

Template:Class 2 Fauna

Of the specimens on record, only one survived infection with the Carar bacterium. The closest translation of their symbol for this specimen would be 'emperor'.

― PDA, Data Downloads

The Sea Emperor Leviathan is an in-development life form belonging to the fauna category.

The Sea Emperor Leviathan is the largest living species of fauna in Subnautica.

Appearance

The Sea Emperor is colossal in size, having a stocky, entirely armored body and is predominantly pale brown in color, with a few shades of green. Its tentacles are adorned with bright cyan bioluminescent spots.

The creature's head is small, and quite peculiar in shape (see "Trivia" below for more), featuring two glowing green-tipped antennae on top of its snout, two large mandibles on each side of its rather small mouth, and a glowing hollow in-between these mandibles. It seems to possess four binocular eyes.

The Sea Emperor's posterior consists of seven long, yet slim tentacles ending with large tentacular clubs, with the largest being in the center, surrounded by the other smaller ones.

Unlike the Sea Dragon Leviathan, the Sea Emperor doesn't have true graspers; Instead, its forelimbs are two massive, paddle-like arms.

Behavior

Despite its gargantuan size, the Sea Emperor's diet consists solely of micro-organisms filtered from the water.

It is suggested that in the past these creatures would have traveled in small herds, occasionally coming to the surface to feast on the microorganisms in the shallower water. When the Carar bacterium was released onto the planet, billions of creatures died, destroying the food source of the species. The Sea Emperor is capable of telepathic speech, which it will use to communicate with the player.^[1]

Upon entering the aquarium, the Sea Emperor will climb up to observe the player, then descend back down. It will also watch the player intently if they are near the Incubator Device, circling around until they come to a rest on the aquarium's floor.

Story

The captive Sea Emperor is the last remaining adult of its species. and a parent to five eggs. These eggs must be hatched at some point in the story. It is approximately one thousand six hundred years old, and is suggested to have far surpassed its natural lifespan.

Almost all of the Sea Emperors died when Carar was released as it killed off their food source, leaving the one captive adult and the eggs it was discovered with. As the only source of Enzyme 42 on Planet 4546B, the Sea Emperor and its children are the key to curing Carar.

The last surviving Sea Emperor was studied by the Precursors in hopes of finding a cure using their natural production of Enzyme 42. However, due to its weakness, possibly old age, studies conducted showed that it was not a viable source of Enzyme 42 as the enyzmes it produced were too unstable. After the Precursors could not find a way to hatch its eggs naturally, they took at least two into the dissection room of the Primary Containment Facility and experimented on them, cutting one fetus out of the egg. Though they could still find no way to cause the hatching process to trigger naturally, and juveniles born outside of the natural conditions could not produce suitable enzymes. The Precursors questioned the Sea Emperor, but it would not reveal the answer to them. They resorted to attaching the eggs them to an Incubator Device to keep the eggs alive whilst they worked on more ways to hatch them. Shortly after this, the Disease Research Facility was destroyed, releasing Carar, causing all warp gates to the facility to be closed and initiating the planetary quarantine.

How the prison looked originally is unknown, but it differed significantly to how it looks today; under the Sea Enperor's control, Peepers traveled to and fro through the Alien Pipe System, bringing flora seeds to the aquarium, and leaving with small amounts of Enzyme 42 which they distribute at the surface. This system allowed a small amount of life to survive on the planet.

After its eggs are hatched, the captive Sea Emperor will play with its children, and then escort them to a teleporter, which they will go through. However, the captive will stay behind, as it is too large to leave the facility. This is currently undecided.

Logs

<tabber> 1=

Comparing the leviathan's call with that of other indigenous species has enabled a partial translation. Transferring voice control now.

Will you... play with me?

A game played alone... cannot be won. Those that took my freedom played to live... forever. Such games can only be lost.

I want to play a game we both... can win. It is your move.

|-| 2=

The leviathan is communicating again. Translating...

I... like the way you play. I will take my move. I make a sacrifice... of trust.

I trust you with a request. I show my hand. Before you lie my young. My end is their freedom.

Those that held us here had ways of giving freedom at their whim. I ask you do the same for my young.

You have what you need to coerce or be kind. The others tried to take their prize. How will you play?

|-| 3=

In this small move, you have gained my trust. It is my move again.

The aliens from before tried to force this information from me. To you I give it willingly, and in a way you will understand.

I would make this move myself, but the others played their game too hard.

Do not try to win. Merely play.

|-| 4=

PDA: Translating leviathan call...

My young will swim for shallow waters. I will remain.

I enjoyed this game, even as I grow tired of it. My end is now.

Perhaps next I will play as an ocean current, carrying seeds to new land... or a creature so small it sees the gaps between the grains of sand.

</tabber>

Data Bank Entries

<tabber> Sea Emperor=

SPECIMEN SIZE CATEGORIES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED UPWARD TO ACCOMMODATE THIS SPECIES

1. (Feeding & Digestion) Despite its size this species subsists entirely on microorganisms it filters from the water. The mere presence of these microorganisms in such a restrictive environment is highly unlikely, depending as they do on a complicated ecosystem of plant and animal life.

2. (Reproduction) Since just one adult specimen of this kind has been identified, it may reproduce asexually, but it may equally be the last of its kind. Large ovary-like organs are carried in the middle section, suggesting that like other species on this planet it produces eggs, however internal scar tissue indicates probable infertility.

3. (Stomach Enzyme) The emperor is the only known source of a unique, complex enzyme which seems to play a pivotal role in protecting the ecosystem against the impacts of the bacterium. Peepers appear to have adapted to distribute the enzyme, however, its structure is unstable, and they require a constant supply to stave off uncontrollable genetic mutation.

4. (Health) Comparative analysis of size and metabolic rates indicates this specimen is approximately 1,600 years old. Extensive internal and external scar tissue suggests it has lived well in excess of the peak lifespan for its species.

Assessment: Enzyme too unstable for cure. Enzyme synthesis impossible. One possibility left open: fully vaccinate an individual with a more stable concentration of the enzyme, produced by a healthier specimen.

|-| The Sea Emperor's Lifecycle=

Available biological data has been used to synthesize the effects of the alien bacterium on the sea emperor's natural lifecycle.

This creature likely lived and moved in small herds around the planet's ocean trenches, coming to the surface to feed off the huge volumes of microorganisms in the shallower waters. Family size would be strictly limited by available food supply. Offspring would likely split off at a young age to form their own herds elsewhere.

Given their sparse population, mating and egg-laying was likely infrequent, perhaps a once in a lifetime event. The species likely had a preferred environment for egg-laying - in fact successful hatching may depend on such conditions. Given the rarity of this event, it is impossible to calculate those conditions precisely.

There is no evidence to support the assumption that all members of the species were immune from the alien bacterium. Even if this is so, there is evidence that introduction of the bacterium decimated life on the planet, and this would have had catastrophic effects on the emperors' food supply and survival rate.

The symbiotic relationship between this specimen and other lifeforms likely developed as a direct result of the bacterial infection. Those lifeforms which learnt to keep the emperor alive survived with its help. This may explain the vast tracts of lifeless ocean in a rough perimeter around the emperor's location.

|-| Bacterial Vaccine=

Analysis of the enzyme-production organs in the sea emperor species indicates that it may be possible to permanently purge the alien bacteria from a human system with a sufficiently stable enzyme sample. Unfortunately the emperor specimen contained within the alien facility is in poor health and unlikely to produce enzyme with the necessary strength. A juvenile of the species would provide a higher chance of success.

</tabber>

Future Plans

Juvenile Sea Emperor Leviathans and Sea Emperor Leviathan Eggs will be added in the future.^[2]

Gallery

<tabber> In Game=

Front view
Dorsal view
Side view
Bioluminescence
Ditto, side profile
Rear view
A developer screenshot of the Sea Emperor Leviathan
The Sea Emperor Leviathan swimming in the Emperor Aquarium.
The Sea Emperor Leviathan greeting the player when he first enters the Aquarium
The Sea Emperor Leviathan sitting in the Primary Containment Facility when the player approaches the Incubator Device

|-| Videos=

Emp leviathan idle 01

Idle animation
Emp leviathan fixes and additions 03

More animations

|-| Concept Art=

The Sea Emperor Leviathan inside the aquarium within the Primary Containment Facility.
Concept Art
Earlier, unused Concept Art for the Sea Emperor Leviathan

</tabber>

Trivia

The dialogue of the Sea Emperor Leviathan suggests that they follow some form of religion. It references the idea of reincarnation by saying "Perhaps next I will play as an ocean current, carrying seeds to new land... or a creature so small it sees the gaps between the grains of sand".
Early concept art of the Sea Emperor Leviathan depicted it with large, clawed graspers on the ends of its arms, resembling those of a Sea Dragon Leviathan. This idea was later replaced by the paddle-like arms they now have.
Certain developmental notes refer to the Sea Emperor Leviathan as the "Emperor Leviathan"^[3].
- Various documents also refer to the Sea Emperor Leviathan as the "Grand Leviathan".
The Sea Emperor Leviathan closely shares many of its features to real life animals: a head shape slightly similar to that of many hammerhead sharks, and paddle-like arms, resembling those of the green sea turtles.
The databank entry suggests that the last surviving Sea Emperor Leviathan was kept alive well beyond its natural lifespan using unknown technologies, leaving heavy internal and external scarring (possibly even having led to its suggested infertility).
The Sea Emperor Leviathan is named after the closest translation the PDA could find for a Precursor symbol. This technically makes it the only creature not named by the Player/PDA.
The opening sentence of the data bank entry suggests that Sea Emperor Leviathans are the largest identified species in the Subnautica universe.
The former name for the Sea Emperor Leviathan was the Sea Emperor.

References

↑ https://trello.com/c/DeCG2FOn
↑ https://trello.com/c/l7XOXp0o/5508-baby-sea-emperor-scale-attempts Dated June 22, 2016.
↑ https://trello.com/c/37zdy3CI/4561-emperor-leviathan-animations Dated June 16, 2015.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Dev:Navbox' not found.

[1] ttps://trello.com/c/DeCG2FOn

[2] ttps://trello.com/c/l7XOXp0o/5508-baby-sea-emperor-scale-attempts Dated June 22, 2016.

[3] ttps://trello.com/c/37zdy3CI/4561-emperor-leviathan-animations Dated June 16, 2015.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Almost all of the '''Sea Emperors''' died when Carar was released as it killed off their food source, leaving the one captive adult and the eggs it was discovered with. As the only source of [[Enzyme 42]] on [[Planet 4546B]], the '''Sea Emperor''' and its children are the key to curing Carar.
-The last surviving '''Sea Emperor''' was studied by the [[Precursor Race|Precursors]] in hopes of finding a cure using their natural production of Enzyme 42. However, due to its weakness, possibly old age, studies conducted showed that it was not a viable source of Enzyme 42 as the enyzmes it produced were too unstable. After the Precursors could not find a way to hatch its eggs naturally, they took at least two into the dissection room of the Primary Containment Facility and experimented on them, cutting one fetus out of the egg. Though they could still find no way to cause the hatching process to trigger naturally, and juveniles born outside of the natural conditions could not produce suitable enzymes. The Precursors questioned the Sea Emperor, but it would not reveal the answer to them. They resorted to attaching the eggs them to an Incubator Device to keep the eggs alive whilst tjey worked on more ways to hatch them. Shortly after this, the [[Disease Research Facility]] was destroyed, releasing Carar, causing all warp gates to the facility to be closed and initiating the planetary quarantine.
+The last surviving '''Sea Emperor''' was studied by the [[Precursor Race|Precursors]] in hopes of finding a cure using their natural production of Enzyme 42. However, due to its weakness, possibly old age, studies conducted showed that it was not a viable source of Enzyme 42 as the enyzmes it produced were too unstable. After the Precursors could not find a way to hatch its eggs naturally, they took at least two into the dissection room of the Primary Containment Facility and experimented on them, cutting one fetus out of the egg. Though they could still find no way to cause the hatching process to trigger naturally, and juveniles born outside of the natural conditions could not produce suitable enzymes. The Precursors questioned the Sea Emperor, but it would not reveal the answer to them. They resorted to attaching the eggs them to an Incubator Device to keep the eggs alive whilst they worked on more ways to hatch them. Shortly after this, the [[Disease Research Facility]] was destroyed, releasing Carar, causing all warp gates to the facility to be closed and initiating the planetary quarantine.
 How the prison looked originally is unknown, but it differed significantly to how it looks today; under the Sea Enperor's control, Peepers traveled to and fro through the [[Alien Pipe System]], bringing flora seeds to the aquarium, and leaving with small amounts of Enzyme 42 which they distribute at the surface. This system allowed a small amount of life to survive on the planet.