- "I came to Mars to make a living. Keep my head down. Stay out of trouble. But I found something here I wasn't counting on. The Red Faction gave this planet a voice. Mars... gave us a home. And the dream of a new world."
- ―Alec Mason, after the end of the Second Martian Revolution[src]
Alec Mason (2086 - 2150) is an Earth-born Red Faction Guerrilla, the protagonist of Red Faction: Guerrilla and tritagonist of Red Faction: Origins. Mason is one of the main Red Faction revolutionists during the Second Martian Revolution, eventually leading the colonist faction to victory during the Battle of Mount Vogel. Originally travelling around the Earth to look for work, Alec journeys to Mars on the request of his brother Daniel, taking a job as an AmRuKuo miner. After the brutal murder of his brother at the hands of the oppressing Earth Defense Force, Alec is forced to take his brother's place in the Red Faction and fight against the oppressors.
Being personally responsible for leading the Red Faction forces into liberating the various sectors of the Tharsis region, Alec takes control of the guerilla army with the help of the technician Samanya after their leader, Hugo Davies, is killed alongside numerous others during an EDF raid on their Badlands hideout. Alec and Samanya forged an alliance with the Marauders, which leads to a joint attack on the Earth Defence Force on Mount Vogel, marking the end of the revolution with the destruction of the E.D.S. Hydra.
Alec and Samanya settle down together and have two children, Jake and Lyra Mason. Several years later, remnants of the Earth Defence Force known as the White Faction attack the Mason household, killing Samanya and kidnapping Lyra. Alec falls into depression and turns to alcohol until his son Jake finds Lyra and uncovered the White Faction attempting to attack the colonist and Marauder territories. Sacrificing his own life, Alec destroys the White Faction's Dreadnought, saving thousands of lives in the process. But not without, saying goodbye to his long-lost daughter.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Alec was born on Earth on July 10, 2086, eventually leading a nomadic existence while traveling across the planet. Often getting into trouble with his brother Daniel, Alec worked in various countries all over Earth.
As a demolitions specialist employed by the AmRuKuo Corporation, Alec undertook many different projects in the company's worldwide operations. He moved from his homeland in North America to work in Brazil, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Nigeria. It was here that his brother Daniel got him involved with a labor rights movement around 2109 (leading to him becoming wanted on May 5, 2109) that culminated in a severe worker riot in the City of Abuja in 2116. Alec was arrested and spent 18 months in prison for his actions. He would hold some level of animosity towards his brother for years after this incident.
In the early 22nd century, at the request of his brother, Alec filed for emigration to Mars. As part of the immigration process, Alec filed for a Demolitions License with the Labor and Commerce Ministry's Office of Offworld Resource Extraction and Development (an administrative unit of the Earth Defense Council). His request was processed by the Ministry and the Martian Council and a Class C permit was issued on March 7, 2120, sponsored by AmRuKuo Corporation with the serial number SR-2A-978567-344.
The road to a new and better life lay open for a vetted worker.
Arrival on Mars[]
On January 4, 2125, when he first gets to Mars, Alec meets up with his younger brother and Dan explains that what the propaganda says about the Earth Defence Force is a lie and they are actually a brute force who enslave the miners; just another corrupt company like Ultor Corporation and a brutal government like the Commonwealth. Dan introduces the new Red Faction, a group of freedom fighters who are trying to overthrow the EDF's reign over Mars and its inhabitants. Alec is off-put by this, claiming that he doesn't want to be associated with a terrorist organization. After all, he came to Mars in search of a new start. When Alec first arrives, Dan brings him to an old laboratory where Alec practices with his new tools. He also learns the importance of salvaging. However, the brothers are soon spotted by an EDF patrol gunship, and Dan is killed. The gunship shoots at the ground in front of Alec, causing him to trip and fall, hitting his head on a sign's metal prong, knocking him unconscious.
Sometime later, he awakens and begins his trek back to his new home. There, he finds the Earth Defence Force rummaging through his belongings. The EDF Officer in command announces he is to be shot for possessing Red Faction tools, a sledgehammer and remote mines, even though these are his legal tools given to him.
The EDF soldier who is about to deal the killing blow is shot by a Red Faction member. Others try killing the miner but are shot as well. Another soldier sneaks up behind a truck and kills the miner before he can get off a shot. Luckily, two other miners take out the rest of the EDF while the officer's back is turned, allowing Alec to pick up the sledgehammer and assassinate the officer. The Red Faction Commander, Hugo Davies, greets him. Believing what his brother said, Davies, states that whether he likes it or not, he is now Red Faction. Alec agrees and Davies hands him an EDF Assault Rifle, starting Alec's role in liberating Mars. Though he is hesitant at first, he eventually seeks vindication against his brother's murderers.
Fighting for the Red Faction[]
Alec's first mission is to destroy the former Red Faction Base of Operations. During the destruction, he is ambushed by the EDF, but he is able to successfully destroy the base and escape the EDF. On the next mission, he is informed that a high-ranking EDF Officer is looking to defect to the Red Faction. Samanya goes out to meet with him, but it turns out to be a trap. Alec rescues Samanya and fights off an EDF attack. After that, the Red Faction begin organizing convoys into the Dust sector, which has Sensor Towers that track Red Faction movement. Alec is tasked with using an "armored" truck to destroy the Sensor Fields.
A worker rally expected to be peaceful turns into a massacre, as the EDF kill civilians left and right. Captain Halvar Gunnarsen is the cause behind it, and Alec is tasked with hunting him down. He is successful and finds and kills Gunnarsen.
He is next tasked with monitoring surveillance of the Marauders, a mysterious warrior tribe who are known to be Ultor Rejects crazed by the radiation leaking out of the Irradiated Zone. While the Red Faction is setting up a new Base of Operations in the Badlands, a cache of weapons is hidden near the site, but "not well enough". The Marauders find it, making off with the cache. Alec is set to follow the takers to their base, soon witnessing their holographic technology. He discovers that their base is the old Ultor Mining Complex, which was abandoned decades ago after the first Red Faction Uprising. He also hears recordings of Capek's messages from Red Faction. He finds a device of Ultor Tech before the EDF begin assaulting his position. As he flees, he sees he's not only dealing with EDF, but Marauders as well. Alec escapes the big battle between the two factions and hands the device to Samanya.
The following morning, Alec and Jon Kepler are set to find a walker confiscated by the EDF. The plan is successful, but after the EDF are halfway driven from the sector, the Free Fire Zone's cannons began destroying Dust. Alec rescues key civilians and documents while avoiding not only the EDF artillery but Marauders as well. He escapes and learns about the Marauder device, a gadget called the Nano Forge, which is crafted of technology used by the Marauders. Samanya engineers it into a weapon, the Nano Rifle. Which is able to destroy anything from EDF vehicle to larger complex structures.
Liberating the Badlands and Oasis[]
Another worker rally once again is turned into a massacre by the EDF. The Red Faction brings medical supplies, by way of a truck driven by Kepler.
After that, the Red Faction are looking for plans to get through the Free Fire Zone. Alec, along with Kepler and an EDF Psychologist-turned Red Faction Interrogator, Carmen Avila, are ordered to kidnap an EDF Colonel, Joseph Broga, who has the Free Fire Zone's schematics. The mission is successful, by using a captured EDF staff car and driving it, with Broga still in the car, into the Mohole. Alec uses [[Altimeter Charges]t0 to destroy EDF flyers, clearing the Airspace over the Free Fire Zone.
Next, Alec is told of a chemical depot that contains a computer the Red Faction must hack into. Kepler and a team of Guerrillas defend the depot itself while Alec defends the road leading to the building.
The EDF starts withdrawing from the sector while tanks start rolling into Oasis, beginning the destruction of the area, much like the one in Dust. Setting up a number of defenses and barricades, Alec and multiple Guerrillas destroy the tanks and liberate Oasis.
Fighting in Eos[]
Alec and other Guerrillas race through the Free Fire Zone's defenses and puncture into the area where the cannons can't fire. Alec single-handy destroys generators powering the cannons, liberating a short, small sector.
Once the other sectors have been liberated, the Red Faction begins an assault on the last major EDF-controlled sector, Eos. The Red Faction support in Eos is already growing, however, EDF Snipers are picking off civilians one by one. Mason moves along the Eos Residential Quarters to kill the Snipers.
The EDF organizes a top Economic Summit, and Alec manages to kill several businessmen from several companies.
Now that the EDF's control has weakened in Eos, the Red Faction plans a three-way assault from Parker, Dust, and Oasis. When the mission starts, the EDF bomb the Red Faction's Main Base in the Badlands, killing the Commander. Alec finds Samanya and together they fight off the EDF attack. With the Red Faction brutally beaten down, Samanya suggests they seek the aid of the Marauders. Alec goes through the Irradiated Zone, where the Marauders' main areas lie. Samanya and Alec meet Vasha, Samanya's sister and leader of the Marauders. They ally with the Red Faction and Colonists permanently and form a plan to stop the E.D.S. Hydra, a massive EDF Warship planning to wipe out all life on the planet.
Alec starts the attack on the EDF artillery spotting station, a satellite network which spots targets for artillery cannons. He protects a Marauder-controlled truck, carrying the RM-8 and various other components for the Accelerator, which is the only way to destroy the Hydra.
Soon after, Samanya and Alec plan to awaken the Colonists into joining the Red Faction by using a recording in the Voice of Mars' broadcasting station.
With the EDF starting to falter, the Red Faction begin an attack on Central Command. Alec uses a Red Faction-seized EDF Scout Car to get into the base. While a combined force of Guerrillas and Marauders attack the areas on the outside, Alec attacks the ones on the inside driving the entire military complex into final destruction.
Battle of Mount Vogel[]
The EDF turn the tides of the war, leading to the final battle. Alec once again uses the RM-8 to stop an incoming EDF attack force, however, the Marauders are being overrun on the mountain and the Accelerator is captured by the EDF. Vasha is killed. Alec storms the mountain in a modified EDF Missile Tank, and soon after kills Bertram Roth of the Earth Defence Force. He gets the Accelerator working again, and the Nano Forge fires at the Hydra, which destroys and vaporizes the Hydra, killing Lucius Kobel and ending the war.
As the night pulls in, a crowd of civilians are cheering for Samanya and Alec, who walks towards the crowd and holds the sledgehammer in the air, proclaiming victory for the Red Faction.
Later life & Death[]
After the 2nd Martian Revolution, Alec married Samanya years and settled down. They had a son named Jake and a daughter named Lyra. Five years after the Revolution, there was an event in their household that changed the lives of Samanya and their children, an attack on the Mason household by a group of people in white, pretending to be Marauders. In the attack, Samanya was killed and Lyra was taken as a hostage. Almost two decades later, Alec finally reunited with Lyra after she was rescued by her brother Jake, Alec then sacrificed himself to stop Adam Hale from destroying the Terraformer by crashing the shuttle he was piloting into the White Faction's dreadnought.
Trivia[]
- Alec's surname of "Mason" ironically refers to someone who erects buildings, however, Alec destroys countless buildings in the series.
- In early concept art for the game, Alec Mason is seen with a full head of hair. The creators shaved off his hair in the final release. When the Voice of Mars televisions broadcast a story about Alec, the picture will show him with a full head of hair, rather than his normal look.
- Alec's early design is similar to that of Alex Shepherd, the protagonist of Silent Hill: Homecoming. That, along with the similarity in the name, was possibly why they shaved his head.
- Alec is the most popular and recognizable character in the series.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II playable character, Alex Mason has a similar name to Alec.
- He is voiced by Troy Baker, who also voiced Male Voice 1 in Saints Row: The Third, another Volition game.
- Alec is the subject and main "antagonist" of the satirical song Space Asshole by artist Chris Remo. Remo wrote the song from the perspective of a simple blue collar miner who wants to go to Mars to make a living and is constantly plagued by the unnamed Mason, who seems to be blowing up the mining facilities around him, performing stunts in commandeered vehicles, smashing his supervisor's face with a sledgehammer, and causing havoc to his peaceful and productive existence. He names this man "Space Asshole".
Gallery[]
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