Archon (MR)

"I am Archon. Surrender or burn."

- Archon, threatening the Pathfinder team

The Archon is a high-ranking, menacing leader of the kett contingent in the Heleus cluster and the main antagonist of Mass Effect: Andromeda. By way of introducing himself, he wants the Pathfinder team to either "surrender or burn."

Though rarely sighted, the Archon's arrival at kett installations is reportedly greeted with fearful shows of deference, the execution of dissident kett, and the presentation of valuable Remnant technology. He maintained control of the cluster for almost 75 years, reportedly through a combination of long, patient strategies and brutal subjugation. According to angaran sources, the Archon arrived in Heleus with a pantomime of diplomatic overtures that confused the angaran leadership and provoked them against one another before he ordered the conquest of their worlds.

In recent years, the Archon has taken an increasing interest in Remnant technology, ordering new dig sites and touring kett-defended Remnant structures. He is said to take many Remnant specimens aboard his flagship for study at leisure. Those who interfere are executed on the spot or hunted down by the Archon's Sword, his mysterious and feared enforcer. According to the Moshae, the Archon is focused on Meridian, the control center for the Remnant vault network. In his hands, Meridian could be used to devastate the planets of the Heleus Cluster, rendering them uninhabitable and giving him a hold over all sentient life. Though he reportedly knows its location, the Archon has been unable to develop an interfacing method, meaning the greater secrets of Remnant technology are closed to him.

The Archon, however, was killed by Scott Ryder at the battle for Meridian after almost gaining control of the facility. Though the kett are still reeling from the loss of their leader, the Primus has reportedly succeeded him and intends to pursue kett interests in Heleus.

Investigation of Habitat 7
A rather secretive and unknown anomaly, the Archon is in charge of the kett contingent in the Heleus cluster, having maintained control of the cluster for almost seventy-five years through long, patient strategies and brutal subjugation.

He officially made his first appearance on Habitat 7 after the kett's first contact with humans. Very interested to learn how Pathfinder Alec Ryder—quite deceased at that time–managed to access one of the Remnant vaults on the planet, the Archon used a drone to holographically recreate the human's movements inside the atmospheric processor. After he was unable to open the vault, the Archon redirected his attention to one Alec's next of kin.

Skirmish on Voeld
Motivated by the concept of “exaltation,” he and his cohorts sought to use kidnapped angarans to cause them to “ascend” them unto a higher plane. One of these angarans is the Moshae Sjefa. The Cardinal was infused with his DNA in order to be Exalted.

Later, the Archon's fleet intercepted the Tempest upon its arrival in the Onaon system and pinned the ship against the Scourge. The Archon demanded to know who on the ship accessed the Remnant vault. The Tempest managed to outrun his fleet, successfully navigating through the Scourge, resulting in a few kett ships being destroyed by the Scourge during the pursuit.

Later, the Archon contacted the Cardinal on Voeld at the same time Ryder and the Angara Resistance attack the Cardinal's base. The Archon ordered the Cardinal to bring Moshae Sjefa directly to him, but Ryder is able to rescue the angaran scientist before that could happen.

First encounter with the Pathfinder
The Archon later captured the salarian ark, the Paarchero, and began experimenting on some of its occupants, as well as some krogan scouts. When Scott came to their rescue, the Archon managed to immobilize the human and his squad. The Archon took a blood sample from Ryder, as well as simultaneously injecting a device into his SAM implant.

After leaving the squad, SAM kills Ryder and resuscitates the human to free the Pathfinder from the immobilization field. When Scott make it to the Archon's sanctum, where he kept a museum full of Remnant artifacts and connected with the map pointing to Meridian, the Archon via hologram, remarking that he now understands that SAM is what enables them to access Remnant technology. He was about to order his flagship to fire on the ark and Tempest in order to strand Scott, when Pathfinder Zevin Raeka set off an electromagnetic pulse, enabling both ships to escape.

In spite of Ryder's escape, the Archon had gained access to the human's memories from when they were clinically dead. However, the Primus reminded the Archon of their orders to exalt the Heleus cluster, not research the Remnant, but the Archon stated that by seizing control of Meridian, the kett would have the power to turn entire planets into wasteland, making it the perfect weapon to force their enemies to submit to exaltation.

Possible act of treason
"...the Archon has abandoned our way. Spurns tradition, defies protocol. He abuses his authority, obsesses over Remnant secrets, and keeps us cut off from home. This cannot continue. He will return to the path of right, or be destroyed. This is my promise. An Archon stands tall only while we hold him up." "Exaltation lifted our ancestors out of sorrow and tribulation. This noble gift now allows us to raise others, and share in this genetic bounty of this galaxy. But the Archon would selfishly hoard what Heleus has to offer." "The Archon does not serve kett interests, only his own. He wastes our time on the Remnant, but keeps all knowledge for himself. These are the acts of a traitor, not true kett." "The Archon believes Meridian will grant him power. He will become master of the Remnant. Its sole master. Once Heleus submits, where does the traitor turn his gaze? Think. Understand. Our home is in peril."

- The Primus's audio logs, expressing her disapproval with the Archon

Scott Ryder soon encountered infighting between two groups of kett on planet Elaaden. Later investigation reveals that a group of scientists felt that the Archon was beginning to be "obsessed" with the Remnant, blocking off communications with their homeworld and straying away from their goal in Heleus. Using the vaults found on every planet, the Archon planned to use the Remnant technology planted across the Heleus cluster to manipulate the ecosystem of each world for his nefarious purposes to benefit his species.

Battle for Meridian
At the same time Ryder managed to trace Meridian's location at the Remnant space station Khi Tasira, the Archon appears via hologram, revealing to have captured ark Hyperion to sever SAM's connection to the Pathfinder and proceeded to capture Scott's twin sister Sara, who also possess the SAM implant he needed to access Meridian, though not before Sara managed to reboot the Pathfinder's connection.

With Hyperion leading his fleet, the Archon arrived at Meridian first, with the Tempest leading a Remnant fleet. Once Hyperion entered Meridian, the Archon sabotaged and abandoned the ark to distract Scott while he took his hostage to Meridian Control, where he plugged himself into the system, resulting in Remnant bots, including an Architect, to attack Scott. With the Archon using too much power, Sara is able to use her connection to activate consoles for Scott to disconnect the Archon from the system, resulting in his death.

Personality and traits
In the Kett Empire, an archon is a leader of groups of kett assigned to specific locations within a galaxy, with the purpose of gathering new species viable for exaltation and sending related data back to their homeworld. According to the angara, the Archon blinded them with promises of friendship and gifts before turning the angaran leadership against one another and ordering the conquest of their worlds.

Like all kett, the Archon is highly militaristic, looking down on other species as lesser beings. He is also quite remorseless in his actions as he killed defenseless adversaries without hesitation, enslaved many angara and brutally experiment on captured prisoners.

Appearance
Like all kett, the Archon has a natural bone armor over what appears to be a heavy skeletal bipedal structure. Around the back side of his neck is a large armored-covered bone collar. His eyes are pale white and receded.

Skills and abilities
While the full capabilities of the Archon is currently unknown, it can be stated that as leader of his people, he is considered to be the most powerful kett at the time of the Milky Way species' arrival in the Heleus cluster. Even though the rest of his race is militarily capable, the Archon's power has always been in a completely different league.

Appearances in other media

 * Mass Effect: Andromeda (First appearance)

Quotes

 * -|Spoken by Archon=

Mass Effect: Andromeda

 * "I won't explain what you can't understand."
 * (to Scott Ryder) "I've been in this forsaken cluster for decades, surrounded by amoeba. Then you arrive―a human, able to do the unthinkable. You even evaded me. Such an unlikely rival. It was almost invigorating to have one. And yet, it's a fitting end."
 * (about the krogan) "The 'krogan' are a brutish race. Which could be useful. Redundant organs and a savage temperament―made to kill. Even the other specimens fear them. A deliberate genetic fault was introduced to limit the krogan population. But I wonder... without this defect, they could be unstoppable."
 * (about the asari) "The ones they call 'asari'―their reproduction is a mixture of biology, thought, and memories. They take what they need from a species, as they should. Reproduction cannot be left to chance. The superior race dominates. Yet these asari pretend otherwise. A 'melding', they call it. 'Embracing eternity.' Biology has no use for poetry."
 * (about the salarians) "Most useful in these 'salarians' are their cognitive abilities. Their thought process occur much faster than in the others. There is a cleverness about them. A cunning which could be leveraged. More work is needed to isolate the genetic markers. There is no shortage of specimens to choose from."
 * (about the turians) "These 'turians' possess a useful exoskeleton. On harsh worlds, it could prove advantageous. More intriguing, there is discipline about them―adherence to militaristic order. An effective trait for instilling obedience. Additional specimens will be required for study."
 * (about the humans) "Among the new specimens, the 'human' is the most perplexing. They possess an emotional range which often exceeds the others. Their unpredictable nature marks them as dangerous. But if the roots of their passion could be isolated... We must identify a champion among them, and capture it for further study."
 * (to Sara Ryder, about Meridian) "It is beautiful, isn't it? This weapon? It created life, and yet, only I see its full potential―and I even have the means to achieve it. Using you. I saw you from my flagship, in the Pathfinder's memories. You have an implant, and the connection. With that connection, I'll take Meridian. And then Heleus will surrender―or burn."
 * (to Scott) "I know how it works. The mind is trained to think like the Remnant creators. In this case, painfully. But I'm content to letting your sister bear that burden. Whatever gives me Meridian. I will transcend what you pretend to be."
 * "You learn by mistake! I am the genetic inheritor of a thousand species! No more mercy. Kill them all!"
 * -|Spoken about Archon=
 * -|Conversations=

Trivia

 * In the mystical groups collectively known as Gnosticism, an Archon is a semi-divine being created by the False-God Demiurge (who is unaware of the real god/s). They are oppressive figures that govern the world, creating its state of misery and devouring the souls of the dead.
 * In the Dragon Age series, another Bioware franchise, an Archon is the mage-ruler of the Tervinter Imperium. Like his Dragon Age counterparts, Mass Effect 's Archon appears to be a ruler possessing some sort of advanced power, possibly biotics.