The Illusive Man (Character)
The Illusive Man is introduced as the antagonist of Mass Effect: Ascension, and returns for Mass Effect 2. He is the ruthless leader of the Cerberus organization and was responsible for Cerberus' split from the Systems Alliance military shortly before the events of Mass Effect. His ultimate goal is to elevate humanity to its "rightful place" in the galaxy.
Essentially nothing is known about the Illusive Man, except that he is ruthless and most likely a business tycoon, given the apparent ocean of wealth and resources at his disposal. His demeanor is of a driven businessman, rather than the xenophobic extremist he is portrayed as by enemies of Cerberus. He is almost never met in person, and with the exception of Liara T'soni and Miranda Lawson, deals exclusively through holographic communication. His name derives from his designation in official Alliance reports, which in turn derives from an anonymous anti-alien manifesto released during the First Contact War described as "survivalist rhetoric written by an illusive man" which sparked the foundation of Cerberus.
Although he was the primary antagonist of the novel, in Mass Effect 2, the Illusive Man, playing an antihero role, forces Commander Shepard into an uneasy alliance to investigate the disappearance of several human colonies, which both Shepard and the Illusive Man believe is somehow connected to the Reapers. Cerberus actively provides Shepard with information and supplies. In the ending, while setting up the bomb to destroy the Collector Base Shepard is provided by The Illusive Man the option of using a timed radiation pulse to destroy the Collectors in the base, thus giving Cerberus access to their technology. If Shepard chooses to destroy the base, he criticizes Shepard, claiming that she is "too idealistic" and that she chokes on the hard decisions. The Illusive Man is voiced by and physically resembles Martin Sheen.
The Illusive Man is also the antagonist in the novel Mass Effect: Retribution, and the protagonist of the comic Mass Effect: Evolution.
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