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"Alright, I know you're confused right now. I can explain everything, but you gotta trust me, okay? Listen! You're in terrible, terrible danger!"
—Franco to Isaac Clarke.[3]

Franco Delille (frɒŋkoʊ dliːlə) was an engineer and Unitologist working on Titan Station. One of the initial survivors of the Necromorph outbreak,[4] he was the first on-screen victim in Dead Space 2 and the main playable protagonist of Dead Space: Ignition.

Biography[]

Outbreak on the Sprawl[]

Franco was specifically assigned by Daina Le Guin, under covert orders, with a mission to free Isaac Clarke from the Titan Memorial Medical Center's asylum. During his journey with Sarah Andarsyn, Franco kept logs about his progress that revealed his difficulty in reaching "Target zero" (Isaac) because of Andarsyn and the outbreak.[1][5][6][7] Despite the fact that he was actively helping the major goal of the Church, it seems that Franco was unaware about the existence of the Necromorphs and the Church's plans of overrunning the Sprawl with them, just like Karrie Norton was tricked.[note 2] Apparently, he was also trying to get rid of Andarsyn without needing to kill her.[note 3]

Prior to the initial Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl, Franco was ordered by his superior, Weaver, to head to the CEC Facility to repair a malfunctioning door. He was assisted voluntarily by CPD Officer Sarah Andarsyn, his girlfriend.[2] The two embarked on various repair missions assigned by Weaver or reported by the other engineers. After repairing a manufacturing sky panel outside the station, Franco and Andarsyn were advised by Weaver to remain on active duty. Weaver's reasoning was the problems arising from the news of an unspecified "outbreak" that may require their skills. Before heading for the tram station, Franco received an encoded message from an unknown sender and lied to Andarsyn by telling her that it was a wrong number.

While they were waiting at the tram station, Franco and Andarsyn encountered a stampeding crowd flooding into the station, the cause of the panic being a group of humanoid creatures. Andarsyn attempted to kill the creatures with her gun only to be knocked over by the crowd, before managing to defend herself by using a Plasma Cutter.

When more Necromorphs arrived, Franco ordered the civilians and Andarsyn to board the tram and they escaped. Weaver contacted Franco with more information on the "outbreak" that was spreading throughout the Sprawl and instructed Franco to repair the lighting in Sector 45 to prevent the determent of the Sprawl security.[8] However, Andarsyn wanted to assist her former partner, Hodgkens, with a hostage situation in Sector 27.[9]

If Franco went to Sector 45, he and Andarsyn were driven into the vents and to the Titan Station Church of Unitology by the appearance of more Necromorphs. He repaired the Church's security shields and terminals and managed to restore the lighting in Sector 45. If Franco followed Andarsyn, his assistance with the hostage situation aided in the rescue of Armado Creeg's family and resulted in Creeg's death.

Dead_Space_2_-_Opening_Scene_and_Escape

Dead Space 2 - Opening Scene and Escape

Franco's death.

The diverging narrative paths of Ignition took Franco and Andarsyn to help either those heading for the hospital or to the upper levels of Sector 27 where Weaver ordered a quarantine lockdown of the levels below them. Franco's choices always resulted in the death of Andarsyn, either by his own hand to preserve the secrecy of his mission, an ambush by the Pack,[10] or suffocation from a rupture in her suit during a space walk to the station's inner rim.[11]

Upon reaching the Psych Ward, Franco ruminated over the people that he lost on his journey before releasing Isaac Clarke from his cell.[12] As Isaac regained consciousness, Franco informed Daina Le Guin that he had located their target. Franco, aware about the danger, tried to warn Isaac about their situation. Before he could, he was impaled in the chest and forehead by an Infector which quickly transformed him into a Slasher. Isaac knocked the infected Franco down and escaped from the hospital under the guidance of Daina.[3]

Trivia[]

  • Franco was voiced by actor and director Jason DeVan. Rich Briggs, the producer of both Ignition and Dead Space 2, lent his likeness to Franco's in-game model.
  • Franco's death at the beginning of Dead Space 2 was the only animated glimpse of the Necromorph transformation until Captain Benjamin Mathius' transformation sequence in Dead Space (2023). All other animations in the series involve a model switch of the corpse to a Necromorph.
    • The Necromorph Transformation Lithograph distributed with the Collector's Edition of Dead Space 2 shows the transformation of Franco.
    • Franco's transformed body can be seen if Isaac re-enters the cell. He will act as any other Slasher and attack Isaac. Franco's Necromorph model is often re-used for the random Slasher encounters throughout Dead Space 2.
  • In the Dead Space 2 Launch Trailer, Isaac was in his Advanced Suit instead of his Patient RIG when Franco woke him up. This was likely a deliberate choice to avoid spoilers for the opening scene.

Gallery[]

Notes[]

  1. As mentioned by Franco himself in the opening cinematic.
  2. In numerous scenes of Ignition, Franco is helping people escape and trying to stop the advance of the Necromorphs. It is more visible in the scene where Weaver asks Franco to quarantine the lower sectors: Franco is genuinely terrified by having to follow this order, as it would mean certain death to everyone there. It's safe to assume that Franco was unaware about the Church's beliefs about the Necromorphs.
  3. In the two segments where Andarsyn dies accidentaly, Franco actively tries to save her life. Even in the segments where he murders her, he does it visibly reluctant and claiming that he had no choice as time was running out. It's safe to assume that he had the intention of sparing Andarsyn if it was possible.

Sources[]

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