Thargoid: Difference between revisions

The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

[[File:Thargoid-Sensor-in-Space.png|thumb|250px|An Unknown Artefact/Thargoid Sensor, harbinger of the Thargoids' return]]

Humans began encountering signs of the Thargoids once again in early 3301 with the discovery of "[[Thargoid Sensor|Unknown Artefacts]]", strange devices of unknown origin found among the cargoes of secret [[Federation]] convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]] were also discovered in 3302 in the vicinity of the [[Pleiades Nebula]], but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of a Thargoid attack]]

The Second Thargoid War entered a new phase on September 26, 3303, when independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at [[Non-Human Signal Source]]s.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> Aegis began producing various experimental AX modules to fight the Thargoids on an even footing, as conventional human weapons proved useless. The Thargoids responded by deploying more powerful variants of the Interceptor over the following weeks. The arrival of Medusae Interceptors on December 14, 3303 was accompanied by crippling attacks on three [[Starport]]s in the Pleiades: Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753.<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref><ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

Over the course of 3304, the Thargoids continued to attack stations in a weekly cycle and also picked off remote [[Settlement]]s, resulting in tens of thousands of human casualties. Initially, only stations in and around the [[Pleiades Nebula]], the Thargoids' beachhead, that were hosting Aegis research labs were targeted; at the time, the labs were analyzing Thargoid Sensors and Probes in an effort to decrypt Thargoid territorial data. The attacks steadily moved towards the [[Core Systems]], however, and on February 15, 3304, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the heart of human civilization. Sightings and encounters with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]]s followed, as well as attacks on stations with no association with Aegis. In response to this crisis, Aegis unveiled a new initiative on March 9 called [[Eagle Eye]] which used an array of six [[Installation]]s to intercept and analyze Thargoid transmissions to determine their next probable targets. Independent pilots were able to concentrate their efforts in defense of the targeted systems and prevent many attacks from occurring.

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology, and descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />