Nick Seymour Parker

Nick Seymour Parker, codename Havoc, was a GDI commando during the First Tiberium War and a former member of the Dead 6 elite unit, noted both for his competence and a characteristically bad attitude. He is the player character in Renegade.

Personality
"Where's my medal?"

- Nick "Havoc" Parker

Nick Parker had an extremely bloated ego and condescending attitude, partially caused by his expertise with weaponry, physical traits and skills in warfare. He also had numerous issues with authority, especially military, which led to him being incarcerated by the GDI military police numerous times.

Background
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania (mother was a homemaker and a full-fledged PTA member; father an Allentown steelworker), young Parker earned his nickname Havoc early on. Branded as "troubled" by school counselors and a "problem child" by neighbours who were worried about the Parker's proficiency at building small explosive devices. Parker's youth in Pennsylvania was a gritty collage of fistfights, explosions, after-school detentions, and worrying one-liners as a way of coping with it all. Eventually, he joined the United States Marine Corps.

His gruff attitude and penchant for no-bull action seemed to work in his favour. Most publicly, he wound up heading a Special Forces unit in Operation Desert Storm as part of the USMC's recon team—though that did mean flirting with dishonorable discharge on several occasions. Indeed, Havoc's "unconventional" methods, while effective enough, often proved a public relations nightmare for the Marine Corps.

He was recruited by the GDI and cycled through special forces training before being assigned to GDI's elite Dead 6 commando unit. Eventually, Havoc, due to the drawn-out anti-Nod campaign in northern Egypt, was dismissed from the unit and began operating solo, using his special forces training to fight Nod his own way, although still nominally under GDI control.

Final tour of duty
Note: All titles are mission codenames.

The Scorpion Hunters
"We're sending in a Commando."

- Locke introducing Havoc

His final tour of duty in the First Tiberium War under the command of Brigadier General Adam Locke began with assisting a reconnaissance team tasked with confirming reports on an uncharted Nod installation, when satellite scans couldn't produce a conclusive result. The convoy came under heavy fire and captain Parker was called in to assist. Following a heavy firefight, he was authorized to commandeer the damaged M1 Abrams and continue with the mission. The base's existence was confirmed and after heavy losses dealt to attacking aircraft by SAM sites, the base was obliterated by an ion cannon blast.

Rescue and Retribution
"If he survives, we'll pin a medal on him...then, we'll have him shot."

- General Locke after Havoc disobeys orders

His next 'assignment' was in a remote agricultural area in Mexico. The Black Hand, Nod's elite division, a cult within a cult almost, had religious 'conditioning' camps, and GDI had already failed to assault it once. As civilians were being herded inside, Havoc was eager to get in and stop Nod, but Locke ordered him to stand down until reinforcements arrived from General Sheppard. Havoc, in his typical methods, 'liberated' a GDI Hovercraft and made landfall, much to the irritation of Locke. Upon landing and reaching the GDI base that was near destruction, he assisted GDI forces, rescuing Captain Duncan and eventually, after leaving a Nod battalion dead with a little help from the GDI Air Force, succeeded shutting down Nod internment facilities and the religious conditioning camp in the area, freeing both civilians and GDI POWs from being forced to watch Nod propaganda constantly. Following this mission, he was put into the brig for his direct disobeyment of orders, and once released after 'cooling off', was informed of the capture of doctors Ignatio Mobius, Sydney Mobius and Elena Petrova, and dispatched to Peru to intercept them.

Armored Assault
"Conflict of interest? Heh, I have interest in conflict!"

- Havoc, upon being told about Sakura's role

Havoc aided the GDI assault in Peru considerably, eliminating Nod officers and destroying Nod military ordnance. Eventually, after sabotaging a hydroelectric dam, he managed to reach a Brotherhood airbase through a large underground cave system, which included a Tiberium meteor impact site. However, he didn't manage to save the doctors, who were just being placed on a jet plane and ferried away. He temporarily battled Nod's mercenary Carlos Mendoza before Mendoza decided that he had had enough and was airlifted out of the region.

The Plot Erupts
"Yup, she's pissed! . . . . Really pissed!"

- Havoc after Sakura blows him a kiss and shoots him down

Captain Parker immediately gave pursuit in a hijacked C-130 Hercules after a brief encounter with Carlos Mendoza, kicking Nod mercenary Sakura Obata out of the cargo hold. The mercenary gave chase in her personal RAH-66 Comanche and shot down the cargo plane, forcing captain Parker to parachute down onto a volcanic island. The commando quickly gathered his supplies and assisted the GDI assault on the island, saving Captain Soanso and his gunboat from the island defences, eventually infiltrating the base and securing information on the flight path of the plane carrying the scientist. He was once again intercepted by Sakura Obata in her RAH-66 Comanche, but managed to shoot her out of the sky. Her subsequent crash into the island's geothermal reactor caused the volcano to erupt.

Stowaway
"Asked: You're going up against the whole crew by yourself? Havoc: Just don't seem fair, does it? Maybe I'll shoot left-handed."

- Havoc

Captain Parker managed to escape the island, stowing away on a Nod submarine, arriving at a Nod freighter, commanded by Captain Stuving. The freighter was a mobile military base, acting as a staging area for AH-64 Apache gunships and other Nod military. Parker went on a rampage throughout the ship, killing most of its crew, sabotaging ordnance and equipment, killing Captain Stuving and First Mate Gilligan and liberating three GDI POWs. Eventually, he sank the freighter and escaped with the POW's on the stolen Nod submarine, reuniting them with command.

Deadly Reunion
"Ah, feels like old times, doesn't it? See you at the cathedral then."

- Deadeye to Havoc, after being assisted by the latter

With help of the data he retrieved from the island, GDI was able to pinpoint the captured scientists' location, tracking the jet to Europe.

General Locke dispatched the Dead-6 to locate and rescue them. However, their was shot down over the nearby village and they were forced to hide within the city. Captain Parker was dispatched to aid them and rescue the captured science staff. Upon his arrival at the village, he witnessed the execution of several resistance fighters by a Nod flame tank and decided to engage the Nod soldiers with his Vervack R-59 from the transport helicopter. The helicopter was promptly shot down by an Attack bike.

Captain Parker then engaged Nod in the city, aiding members of the Dead-6 along the road and saving them from Nod forces. Eventually arriving at the town's cathedral, Parker managed to kill Nod's elite Obelisk construction team as well as saving Lola Merkova, the local resistance leader from Nod interrogators. Upon repelling the Nod assault on the cathedral, he proceeded to go to the mansion alone.

The Grip of the Black Hand
"Captain Nick Parker... GDI special forces commando, codename, "Havoc", absurdly loyal to GDI, huge problem with authority figures."

- Sakura described Havoc while holding him at gunpoint.

Within the mansion, he slaughtered numerous Nod minigunners and Black Hand operatives. During his "infiltration", he gathered intel on Nod's Scorpion railguns, overhearing a conversation in the mess hall and managed to procure a laser rifle from Raveshaw's private cache. Eventually, he managed to locate the scientists in an underground research facility. There, he was ambushed by Sakura Obata and Carlos Mendoza, who acted as bodyguard to General Raveshaw. The latter ordered Sakura and Parker executed.

Mendoza's flamethrower destroyed much of the laboratory and separated Captain Parker and Doctor Sydney Mobius from the rest of the people present. General Raveshaw took this as an opportunity and ordered doctor Ignatio Mobius and Elena Petrova to be taken to the helipad and evacuated immediately. Captain Parker and Doctor Mobius managed to arrive at the helipad, but only to witness the CH-46 taking off with Petrova, Mobius and Raveshaw on board. Mendoza stayed behind to engage Parker. However, he overestimated his abilities and was defeated by Captain Parker, who shot him long enough for the napalm tanks on his back to leak and explode.

Obelisk of Oppression
"Gunner: Doesn't sound like you're coming with us, Captain. Havoc: Heh, job hazzard."

- Havoc informing the Dead-6 of his intention to aid the village despite orders to pull out with Sydney

Doctor Sydney Mobius and Captain Parker managed to escape the crumbling Black Hand fortress in a cargo truck, and returned to the town's cathedral to regroup with the Dead-6. However, their respite was short lived, as Nod launched another assault on the cathedral with a nuclear ballistic missile. Parker managed to lead the group and fight their way through the streets to reach a safe distance from the blast. When they reached the evacuation LZ, Parker stayed behind to aid the Resistance by destroying Nod's SSM Launchers and the Obelisk of Light that remained in the city. Eventually, he used a stolen "Retribution" Nuclear missile beacon to target another ballistic missile on the Obelisk.

Regrouping at General Locke's helicopter carrier, Parker was selected as Sydney Mobius' bodyguard during her assignment to pinpoint her father's location using the Mobius suit's sensors. However, as they arrived, Captain Parker and Doctor Mobius were captured by a large detachment of Black Hand Chameleons and Stealth tanks. The commando was placed in a Nod prison camp, while Mobius was relocated to a ReGenesis research facility.

Evolution of Evil
"Havoc: Good to know you're back on the right side. Sakura: No such things as sides, Nicky, you should know that by now."

- Havoc and Sakura after Havoc breaks out of jail and reaches a Nod tech lab.

The prospect of execution was invalidated as Sakura Obata, a double agent on GDI's side, opened his cell and gave him a Vervack Commando Elite. Captain Parker, as usual, went on a rampage and eliminated most of the prison camp's staff, liberating several POWs and eventually escaping the camp, hounded by Nod reinforcements and the Black Hand. While en route to the research facility where both Mobius doctors were located, he discovered an ancient tomb, where Nod were performing excavations in an attempt to ascertain their origins. The tomb was ripe with Nod symbolism and insignia, and dated back at least 1800 BC, as Nod claimed.

Eventually, he reached the research facility and fought his way in, shutting down Nod research programs concerning Tiberium and astronomy as well as their holding cells. Infiltrating the levels beneath the structure, he entered a large network of caves and tunnels, eventually reaching one of the primary ReGenesis research facilities. Upon entering the main processing chamber, he witnessed Sydney Mobius being injected with a sedative by doctor Elena Petrova, now collaborating with Nod, as well as the captured Ignatio Mobius and Sakura Obata in holding cells. Doctor Petrova ordered Raveshaw, now transformed into a towering cybernetic giant by the Tiberium infusion, to kill Captain Parker as she left the base.

Parker managed to defeat Raveshaw, with difficulties. While he managed to save Doctor Ignatio Mobius, he lost Sydney Mobius and the damage caused to the room by the fight triggered a devastating uprising from the mutants present in the facility, who proceeded to kill and maim all non-mutant beings. Sakura Obata escaped custody, a fact Captain Parker boasted about.

All Brains, No Brawn
"As I suspected, the radio is infunctional this far down."

- Mobius after recovery of the suit and attempted use of it's radio.

He escorted Doctor Mobius to the Mobius suit, which was captured by Nod but left behind, and later to the surface, where they managed to contact GDI for evacuation after shooting their way through the large numbers of enraged Tiberium mutants such as Initiates or Acolytes, in addition to the surviving Nod soldiers attempting to contain the release of mutants and the escape of Mobius.

Tomorrow's Technology Today
"Havoc: That's all I get for back up? One little tank?! Locke: Keep it alive, and I'll have the driver give you the keys; hows that?"

- Havoc and Locke debating the worth of the GDI Mammoth Tank

Regrouping on board General Locke's carrier and learning the nature of the ReGenesis project, Captain Parker was deployed to aid the final assault on the Temple of Nod in Cairo. He contributed a great deal to the assault, knocking out all of Nod's buildings in the area, from a Hand of Nod all the way to their Construction Yard, even knocking out an Obelisk of Light single handedly; a feat even Commandos have difficulty doing. Havoc also managed to infiltrate a heavily guarded crashed alien UFO on site. Eventually, he managed to gain access to the Temple itself, and placed an Ion Beacon, leaving the Temple of Nod open to being struck by the GDI Ion Cannon.

Stomping on Holy Ground
"Havoc: You're making this up as you go along, aren't you? Kane: You have no appreciation for History, Havoc."

- Havoc and Kane after upon Havoc's discovery of Abel's tomb.

As the smoke cleared from the Ion Strike, Sakura informed Havoc that Sydney Mobius was held inside the Temple of Nod, within the lowest levels. Havoc, despite Locke's worries of lack of radio contact once he enters, entered the still-burning ruins and descended into the Temple. Inside, he made his way down into the depths of the Temple, shadowed by Kane through the security system and his EVA unit, all while Nod's best soldiers, from Black Hand to Templars, attempted to stop him, only to be slain by the commando. In the Temple, he confirmed numerous intelligence reports about what laid inside the Temples, and fought the main Templar legion stationed within the main ReGenesis lab. One of the more curious discoveries was Abel's tomb, a place referred to by Kane as the site of the original Temple of Nod. Oddly, despite it's revenant value to Nod, the tomb was left in a deep hole in the ground infested with seemingly rabid Initiates and Acolytes. However, this may actually have been more of a tribute, since the Initiates and Acolytes are considered holy by Nod due to their links with Tiberium and the tomb is only in a hole because it was originally at a very deep level.

Regardless, Captain Parker managed to reach the core of the Temple, where the altered Elena Petrova was performing forced Tiberium augmentation on Sydney Mobius. Rejecting her offer to join the Black Hand as a next generation human, Parker managed to defeat her in a long duel, interrupted regularly by Black Hand soldiers, and liberated doctor Mobius.

In retaliation, Kane ordered a nuclear missile launched from the Temple's silo against GDI command. This threat was alleviated by Sydney Mobius, who narrowly managed to engage the locking clamps on the missile and close the silo doors, despite being under fire from Black Hand soldiers. Their job done, Havoc and Doctor Mobius managed to escape the Temple before detonation.

Battle of Cairo Aftermath
"Doctor Mobius: Sydney! Thank God! Havoc: You're welcome."

- Mobius seeing Sydney again and Havoc's response

As the sun rose on the nighttime battlefield, Havoc and Sydney made their way to the ruined Nod airstrip, where General Locke arrived with Ignatio Mobius, who ran out to embrace his daughter. Locke asked if his mission was 'successful' "Could've done it left-handed."

- Havoc's answer to Locke

Later life
After the First Tiberium War, Captain Parker received a promotion to the rank of Colonel for his great accomplishments during the war and a statue erected in his honour in Washington DC and next to Doctor Giraud's research facility. After the Second Tiberium War, Parker was a prominent supporter of Joshua Mitchell and his combat group, the Steel Talons.

By 2039, Havoc had retired from public life but still appeared occasionally, commenting on current events. He reacted strongly against the retirement of the Mk. II Mammoth Walker and was a staunch supporter of the notion that Kane did indeed live after being "killed" by Michael McNeil at the end of the Second Tiberium War, often urging the GDI leadership to continue an active search mission. When the Mastodon project was completed and a new walker introduced into service in 2069, the now aging veteran was jubilant. In his later years, Parker occasionally appeared at GDI headquarters, meeting with commanders. Further details on these sessions do not exist.

Selected Quotes
"The Mark II was and continues to be one of our most powerful tools in the war against Nod fanaticism. The discontinuation of the Mark II is nothing but another disgusting example of GDI bureaucratic penny pinching and namby pamby ‘can’t we all get along’ liberalism…once again, GDI is playing right into Kane’s hands"

- Havoc, on the discontinuation of the Mammoth Mk. II and closure of the San Pedro war factory in 2039

"Bureaucratic doves, 'bout damn time!"

- Havoc, alleged response to production of the Mastodon at the reopened San Pedro war factory in 2069

"Asked: You're going up against the whole ship's crew by yourself? Havoc: Just don't seem fair, does it. Maybe I'll shoot left-handed."

- Havoc

"Well, at least he's taller"

- Havoc, Upon seeing the "Divine" Raveshaw

"Evolve me? No thanks. I like being a caveman. Looks good on you though."

- Havoc, rejecting the "Divine" Pertrova's offer to join the ReGenisis project.

"You're so dead. *gunshot* Oops."

- Havoc, upon trying and failing to kill Mendoza.

Behind the scenes
Parker wasn't the original protagonist intended for Renegade - that honor belonged to Logan Sheppard.

Appearances
Nick Parker appears in Renegade as its protagonist. He is also mentioned in Tiberium Wars and Tiberian Twilight developer diaries. Statues commemorating him are also present in some maps of the single player campaign of the Tiberium Wars.