“Cause and Effect Ratio: The Fifth Element (1997) and Mass Effect (2007)”

Imagine for a moment this…thing…is not anything that can be identified, because it prefers not to be. Wherever there is life, it brings death. Because it is evil. Absolute Evil.

-The Fifth Element

Introduction:

Greetings, all you intrepidly inquisitive individuals! I’m the Teal Time Mage and nostalgia and mythology are my stock and trade; this is especially true for the ’80s and ’90s! Welcome to my comparative piece on Cause and Effect Ratio!

I’m overjoyed that the years of my childhood are gaining quite the resurgence. This is thanks to the success of such films as BumbleBee and Captain Marvel. Video games likewise sparked a massive interest in retro-gaming from the aforementioned eras. “Classic” systems for the Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Sony PlayStation (the latter of which many, including myself, are hyper-critical of) have all been released. It’s high time we travel back to the ’90s swirls and Converse sneakers of yesteryear.

Comparing movies and games, I couldn’t help but reminisce about all the media I’ve witnessed over the years. I had an epiphany: Is there a cause and effect relationship between the silver screen and the gaming industry? Purely speculation on my part, but I hope to find the connections, both outright and obscure, between movies and retro games. This embodies my segment of  “Cause and Effect Ratio” between Video Games and the Films.

These segments aren’t meant to be taken as truth or fact, but rather to get you, the reader, to ponder the realm of possibility. Bear in mind this article will contain spoilers aplenty, so if you haven’t seen or played either, I highly recommend you do. In the meantime, I’ll wait here with my bottle of Surge and box of Gushers… Alright, in the immortal words of Mario: “Here we goooooo!”

The Links:

Space! The final veneer! The literal out of this world genre of science-fiction has traditionally been used as a reflection of the best and worst of human nature. Ever since the dawn of time, humankind has shown intense curiosity toward the seas of stars.

During the atomic age of the 1940s and ’50s, we viewed outer space as a terrifying harbinger of doom. Films at the time focused on hostile invaders from another world, or hideous monsters coming to do us ill. By the time the mid-1960s came about, political and social revolution started a unique perspective towards science-fiction.

Shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who opened our eyes to a new way of thinking: progress. We learned that space isn’t just violence or horror, but solidarity and mutual cooperation towards a common goal. It is this idealized view of the future which depicted a semi-utopia. The worst of humanity which was personified by racism, war, and gentrification had been wiped away.

The Film:

Perhaps one of the most surreal, yet humanistic approach to the future would be the 1997 French-American film The Fifth Element. Based on scripts and art designs by the late legendary artist Jean Girard (Popularly referred to as “Moebius”, with his works including Heavy Metal, and even a run on Silver Surfer.).

The Fifth Element tells the story of former special forces Major Korben Dallas (played by action movie star Bruce Willis). Korben stumbles upon a beautiful mysterious woman named Leeloo (a breakout role for Milla Jovavich, of the Resident Evil film franchise). As Leeloo comes to understand the gritty and heavily commercialized future, Dallas must protect the earth from a terrifying evil entity (referred to as “Mr. Shadow”). The space terror intends to bring Armageddon to the universe (not that other Bruce Willis film mind you).

The Game:

Video games likewise show the polarizing view of space. Over the last few decades, we’ve seen the disturbing psychological effects of sci-fi (Dead Space) as well as the wondrous awe of space travel (No Man’s Sky). But somewhere along the way, we discover a game that falls somewhere in-between the two. At this focalized epicenter, the future is presented in a more humanistic view. Themes such as bigotry, poverty, and belligerence are still present; these adversities are overcome through diplomacy and valor. One of the best examples of this type of chronal complexity is Mass Effect.

Released in 2007, Mass Effect was Bioware’s breakout space RPG series follows up from the previous success with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In 2183, the human race travels to the stars with the help of “Mass Relays”. The relays bring humanity to the attention of other races in the Milky Way. Space Marine Commander Shepard portrays the best of the best among humanity. A pivotal portion of the game depicts the Commander joining the elite intergalactic enforcers known as Spectres. What follows is a race against time to stop a rogue Spectre named Saren. Shepard’s nemesis plans on resurrecting an ancient techno-organic race called “The Reapers”, ancient space horrors that wish to extinguish all life in the universe.

Terminus:

Two sci-fi tales of the future imperfect. Two tales of utter annihilation from ancient evil entities. Do theoretical links exist between Mass Effect and The Fifth Element? Let’s find out!

Cause and Effect: The Heroes

In analyzing the correlation of galactic gallivanting, we need to acquaint ourselves with the central characters. In the film, we have Korben Dallas, a former special forces operative who is selected by the Federated Territories for a top-secret mission. Dallas must retrieve four sacred stones to prevent a galactic genocide. Korben is selected for this mission because of his mastery of weapons, tactics, and infiltration.

As a similar form of qualification, Commander Shepard is chosen by the Systems Alliance as the candidate for the first human Spectre. The Commander is an N7 ranked space marine (highest level of special training) whose first assignment is to apprehend a rogue Spectre named Saren. Shepard’s nemesis plans to resurrect an exterminator race of ancient machines called Reapers.

Both protagonists share not only a similar form of military and tactical background, but also a similar sense of urgency; they both face utter annihilation should they fail.

As both figures represent the pinnacle of humanity, they likewise display valor, honor, and compassion towards achieving their goals. For example, Korben Dallas convinces Leeloo that the galaxy is worth saving through his love for her. Leeloo reciprocates by interfacing with the stones and manifesting an intense surge of light which destroys “Mr. Shadow”. Shepard, in turn, convinces Saren to rebel against the Reapers’ control through empathy and mutual understanding. By adhering to humankind’s best qualities, both Dallas and Shepard manage to save the galaxy.

Both characters not only share a similar background: they also share a climax of the plot. The heroes provide a strong foundation for cause and effect between the two mediums, but do more exist? Let’s go further.

Cause and Effect: Archetypes

As Mass Effect and The Fifth Element serve as significant icons, they both utilize a wide variety of alien species. With a decade separating the two, is it possible that the movie’s aliens inspired the game’s aliens? The Bruce Willis film showcases rotund, masked extra-terrestrials called Mandoshawans; the aliens bear a striking resemblance to Mass Effect’s diminutive Volus race. The Mangalores from Fifth Element also share a similar archetype with the Krogan from Mass Effect in that they are both warrior races struggling for a living due to society’s alienation.

Perhaps the most striking similarity comes in the form of the opera singer Diva Plavalaguna (a blue-skinned alien with a fin-shaped head). The blue singer’s appearance is almost an exact replica of the Asari from the video game; both have cascade anatomy, grace, and beauty. With both film and game sharing an uncanny likeness between their diverse aliens, one can see clear signs of cause and effect.

Cause and Effect: The Villains

The last bit of cosmic convalescence I want to bring attention to are the evil cosmic entities themselves. In Fifth Element, “Mr. Shadow” travels to earth in order to contaminate the ancient Egyptian temple of the four stones, bringing about Judgment Day. This process is facilitated by a human proxy named Zorg (played by Gary Oldman), who has been ordered by the entity to gather the stones for its arrival.

Likewise, the Reapers from Mass Effect also use a proxy through controlling Saren; the rogue Spectre must usher in his masters’ invasion by opening an ancient mass relay located on the Citadel. alrightAs they are much more than amorphous entities, both “Mr. Shadow” and the Reapers have terrifying intelligence which induce horror and fear into their victims, but also complete submission from their proxies. As both Zorg and Saren are required to provide access for their respective masters through ancient temples and technology, the film seems to show an awful lot of potential connectivity towards its video game counterpart.

The Ties that Bind:

While it can be said that Mass Effect is a loving testament to many different sci-fi franchises, I believe that none other comes close to the level of singular correlation than Fifth Element. The overall plot is the same with special forces operatives preventing universal destruction. These powerfully cosmic beings boast proxies towards facilitating their respective goals. In addition, both heroes plum the inner depths of human understanding to save the day.

Beyond the confines of humanity, the film shares an immense similarity in both the look and function of the alien races found in the video game. With all of these connections laid bare, one may find a clear cause and effect correlation between Fifth Element and it’s subsequent Bioware video game Mass Effect.

Final Rating: Highly Likely

The Teal Time Mage lives at a fixed point in time that is set between 1991 and 1997. Outside of his time vortex of nostalgia, he writes horror short stories, cosplays, and coordinates for various charity groups. Find him on Twitter @ArosElric, on Facebook @ArosElricCosplay, and on Final Fantasy XIV’s Cactuar Server under the name “Aros Erlic”.

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