All About MC's Evol and Aether Core Powers
For those curious about the role of MC’s powers and following terms throughout the story, this brief guide is for you! Sprinkled throughout this post, you’ll also find some of my theories on the direction of the story.
Here’s the five terms we go over:
Resonance Evol Aether Core Spatium Core Flux Nexus Flux Stabilizer
I decided to make this post, especially for myself because when I started diving into lore threads, I realized how lost and rusty I was regarding the main story. It was a given since the last time I played through the older chapters was a year ago.
However, I recently replayed the entire main story so here’s a little refresher on MC’s powers and other important terms I didn't understand immediately! It doesn't include everything but will mention examples for terms that helped me follow the story more easily.
The definitions are taken from in-game/the wiki and then are supplemented with quotes/references/trivia I selected to help me grasp them. This also means this post is chockful of spoilers across the board. If there are any discrepancies, feel free to amend them in the comments (I did my best to be accurate but I am human).
I hope this helps to shed some light and invite more people to dive into the lore!
Resonance Evol noun
1 An Evol that allows the owner to change their frequency to match another life form or object, as well as amplify or suppress another’s Evol
2 An Anhausen class Evol with an undetermined power level wielded by MC
Notes:
An Evol that allows MC to change her frequency to match another's by using the waves generated by her brain’s magnetic field
She can produce repulsive waves against certain people/things to avoid resonating with them
Rafayel explained that MC must open her heart to establish a ‘connection’ and share her power by amplifying or suppressing another's Evol at will
Xavier stated this is the only Evol that can undo a lock on a Flux Nexus pillar and retrieve a protocore/Aether Core from within (how convenient??)
It also allows MC to resonate with evol imbued items such as Rafayel’s coral stone to draw out Wanderers, or his paintings to inspect them
As of Caleb’s Homecoming Wings story, MC’s Evol remains underdeveloped and suppressed likely due to her Aether Core’s powers being incomplete
She can also return Wanderer Protofields to their original state
MC can even resonate with other peoples dreams:
"It's as if she saw through time and space, through his dreams, to realize he's not the doctor." - Dawnbreaker Zayne
“There were times when I noticed him [Xavier] sleeping. I tried using my Evol to resonate with his dreams. But whenever I do, I get too nervous and fail.” – MC in Xavier’s anecdotes
One cannot simply force a resonance with any Evolver, the process is a two-way street:
Rafayel and Sylus were overly-eager and attempted to resonate with MC within a short time of meeting her but failed because she viewed them as strangers
Out of all the LI’s (besides Caleb), Xavier resonated with MC more easily during their initial encounter against the Luminivores, most likely because his light evol and her aether core powers are similar in form which possibly made it easier for her to match his frequency as both are described as ‘warm glowing light’
Examples of resonating successes/attempts:
Xavier
‘I sigh and place my hand over his [Xavier’s] heart. The waves caused by the resonance Evol ripple from my fingers– the fountain bursts into a shower of dazzling light, countless, tiny droplets scattering. The spectacle reminds me of fireworks as vibrant as an oil painting.’
– MC and Xavier create a distraction in Azure Square to escape the robots monitoring him
‘As chaos envelops my vision, only one warm force stays tightly connected with me. It flows steadily from my hand and gradually covers the world in a dazzling light. It overwhelms my senses…”
– MC resonates with Xavier to power the Traceback II starship together
“Weird… It feels like something is suppressing Xavier’s Evol, preventing a complete Resonance…”
– MC’s speculation on Xavier’s Evol suppressing collar preventing them from fully resonating
Zayne
MC: “I’ll help you suppress your Evol first. Tell me the area I should resonate with so you recover faster.”Zayne: “My left shoulder… A little lower…”
– MC helps Zayne recover by suppressing his Evol in his shoulder
Rafayel
“All right, I guess I was wrong. Tapping into the depths of someone’s Evol isn’t easy.”
– Rafayel after trying to resonate with MC by holding her hands and explaining the intricacies of her Evol to her (lmao)
Sylus
MC: “Even if you keep holding on to me like this, I can’t resonate with you. It’s not something I can do just on a whim!”
S: “After all that arrogance, it seems you can’t even control your own Evol.”
MC: “... At the very least it doesn’t want to be activated in front of you!”
– MC to Sylus who was attempting to force her to resonate with him by grabbing onto her
Caleb
“Resonate with me!” Like a bullet, Caleb leaps after the plummeting Wanderer.
“Caleb!” The roaring hurts my ears as I reach out. I can only catch the wind he stirs. Warmth surges over me like a tidal wave, and I focus my energy on catching Caleb as he’s in freefall. Our resonance creates a large energy shield that manipulates gravity. It halts his descent.
– MC assisting Caleb during battle on Linkon Tower
“The only advantage I have is having part of an Aether Core in my heart. Since I can resonate with the energy… I should be able to sense its location.”
– MC on locating other Aether Cores with her Resonance Evol
Aether Core noun
1 A rare protocore fragment or crystal containing a powerful mysterious energy that can only be wielded by a select few Evolvers
2 A complete Aether Core has a stable aether barrier on its outermost layer, which utilizes the gravitational field to seal and contain all the core's energy, thus ensuring its internal balance and stability
“Their power comes from the very core of the cosmos. If fully awakened, they would spell disaster for the world. I know. You aren’t satisfied with my answer. But there are some truths you have to see and decide for yourself.”
– Xavier explaining Aether Cores to MC
“Rather than what’s already happened, I’m more afraid of what might come in the future. But right now, you terrify me the most. You used the power of the Aether Core this time. I’m worried about what you’ll do next.”
– Xavier to MC after she uses him as a conduit for her powers to feed Starfield Forest
“The Protocore energy in your heart has always been stable. It can form an invisible shield to protect your heart when you’re attacked. You also haven’t become as weak as other patients with Protocore Syndrome. In other words, it’s a power made just for you.”
– Zayne comforting MC about her Aether Core
Notes:
An Aether Core fragment like MC's can appear as a yellow protocore fragment emitting a golden glow
Its power surpasses that of a regular Protocore and attracts anyone aware of their existence
In the present timeline, it was first discovered in MC’s heart by Granny Josephine and the Gaia scientists while experimenting on her as an illegal child experiment
It’s implied that it was not welded to MC’s heart through surgery but rather appeared on its own or chose MC due to her innate strength
MC’s Aether Core power is described as “warm” and appears as a radiant golden light
It has it's own defense mechanism and can create a shield around MC's heart
It especially attracts those affected by Protocore Syndrome who want to devour it's power
When used in combination with the Resonance Evol, MC can sense the location of other Aether Cores within range
At full power, it can power an entire planet for centuries but only temporarily (Philos survived for some time on a past MC’s Aether Core)
According to Xavier, once fully awakened it can also cause mass destruction (hint hint Earth’s downfall and Philos’ 2.0 rise?)
MC can siphon it’s energy, resulting in the crystal vessel breaking after the process of absorption
MC’s aether core provides boundless energy and immortality across time and space
Sylus’ aether core within his eye allows him to see people’s true desires and possibly grants him immortality as well
A modified wanderer wielding a spatium core was able to invade Xavier’s mind and recreate a protofield based on his memories of Starfield Forest (by Soren’s influence)
Human vessels who can control and maintain Aether Core’s power are extremely rare
MC, Sylus, and Kevi are three of them and therefore are sought after by the powers that be (i.e. Ever Group, The Farspace Fleet, Philos Backtrackers, etc)
Other possible vessels:
Xavier who is arguably one of the strongest evolvers was able to act as a conduit for the massive transfer of MC’s aether core power while they were in Starfield Forest
Caleb will soon make this list once Ever fulfills the Fountain of Atei project, since he boasts himself as a better vessel than MC
My personal theory is that only powerful Evolvers who have an indomitable spirit can house and command the ability of an Aether Core
Sylus and MC have strong personalities and are always at the heart of the action
They are known to have endured an unfair amount of suffering throughout their lifetimes that fostered this grit within them
Sylus even considers them to be ‘kindred spirits’ due to all of their similarities and encourages her lust for power regardless of the timeline
Their Aether Core's caused a physical energy link to materialize between both of them, tethering their wrists together like a handcuff
Sylus mentions she’s predestined to commit crimes in the future– my power-hungry villain MC theory is for another time lol
Kevi, a mere child, was able to withstand the rigorous test Lucius’ forces his experiments to undergo in order to determine if their suitable for 'adoption'
Kevi was also able to easily utilize the spatium core to hide from the fleet
While we don’t know a lot about Kevi, it’s undeniable that he has an intrinsic will to live and promising powers
I don't remember his Evol being mentioned but we'll learn more about him and the experiments in the future
Caleb’s story speaks for itself tbh
Man’s survived how many near death experiences, and endless experiments, lord only knows what tragedy he experienced in his Myth... and will experience in the future
He can literally create black holes and shift the cosmos so I think his powers rival Xavier’s (though I’d like to see Xavi’s powers without his evol suppressing collar on)
A list of places Aether Cores have been found:
The flux nexus in the N109 zone on Ever’s abandoned research facility
The flux nexus in the no-hunt zone at the beginning of the main story
MC’s heart
Sylus’ eye
Tome of the Sea God unlocked by Rafayel using MC’s blood
Inside a mutated Wanderer destroyed by MC and Zayne in Chansia Hospital
Wthin a modified Wanderer destroyed by MC and Xavier outside Starfield Forest
Kevi’s possession given to him by his parents who were fleet personnel
Probably other locations I can't recall
‘I grit my teeth and forge that power into a sharp blade. Slowly but surely, it cuts through the invisible barrier along with the spaceship. Space itself is ripped open, which creates tremendous energy fluctuations and tremors. In the distance, a massive shadow looms.’
– MC and Xavier resonating on Traceback II to force their way through the Spatium Core’s illusion created by a modified Wanderer
Spatium Core noun
1 A rare type of Aether Core capable of influencing space, even creating entirely new spaces
2 Takes on the appearance of a green irregular spherical structure; the core’s shards have partially reassembled, drawn together by some gravitational pull
Notes:
A newly discovered type of Aether Core fragment that emits a faint green glow and grants the owner the power to ‘recreate a plane of existence and overlap it with reality’, essentially creating an illusion
MC describes the energy emanating from the core as gentle waves brimming with power, and a light, warm glow
Kevi was given a fragment of the Spatium Core by his parents to create a hidden pocket of space near his home to hide in from the Fleet
MC was able to sense the energy trail of this Spatium Core when she first searched the area of Kevi’s home due to owning an Aether Core
Xavier confirmed the Spatium Core’s ability is familiar to people from Philos, such as the ex-Backtracker Soren who used it to lure Xavier into a protofield illusion to drain his powers
It’s important to note that despite being in a different plane, what happens to the victims trapped inside of this spatium-created dimension is very real
When Xavier attacked Soren its implied that Soren took damage outside of the illusion
Xavier’s energy is actually drained by Starfield Forest and Traceback II when he and MC emerge from the illusion; he’s exhausted to the point where he needs to sit down and sleep
By the end of Homecoming Wings, Caleb and by association, the Farspace Fleet, are now the current owners of the center fragment
Caleb’s mission is still to collect all fragments of a Spatium core, while MC’s mission is to retrieve the last remaining fragment from him
With the combined man power of the Farspace Fleet and the Tuum Fleet, Ever will eventually butt heads with the Hunter’s Association for the remaining fragments (or Caleb will use MC to get to the fragments once he discovers the Association is in possession of the rest)
Flux Nexus noun
1 A stone pillar device that captures Metaflux and as a side-effect can serve as a source of fluctuations that attract Wanderers
Notes:
Protocores and Aether Cores can also be stored and retrieved from within the pillar with the use of MC’s resonance evol
In the early story, Xavier and MC discovered Onychinus stored a modified protocore within a flux nexus in attempts to summon a dangerous Wanderer (this was likely a misdirect to paint Sylus as the big bad when in reality it was Ever)
Can serve as a ‘power source’ for crystal-infested human-wanderer hybrids with ‘Protocore Syndrome’
Destroying a flux nexus can result in severing the connection between it and human-wanderer hybrids, a concept similar to cutting off a power generator (Sylus destroyed one when he was chasing someone down in the N109 zone and it resulted in this effect)
Lucius' experiments (Caleb, Viper, Kevi, a mystery young girl) recycled these flux nexus in Skyhaven as a gig for Ever and the Fleet, during their clean-up of failed experiments with protocore syndrome
Flux Stabilizer 2.0 noun
1 A device the size of a bottle cap that regulates the frequency of surrounding Metaflux fluctuations thereby stabilizing the Protofield and reducing the likelihood of Wanderer materialization
2 Also functions similarly to a Spatium Core allowing the user to recreate a plane of existence and overlap it with reality (this function is obviously only available to those who are aware of how to use it such as Philosians like Xavier, Jeremiah, Soren and subsequently Ever Group)
X: “Initial tests show it has a radio frequency chip that can resonate with Metaflux fluctuations.”
MC: “So this little thing is the culprit behind the RMFMA’s malfunction and even the tool Soren used to lure in the Wanderer.”
X: “Yes.”
MC: “Can you also use that device to… recreate a plane of existence and overlap it with reality? You mentioned earlier that this is something only ‘your people’ know about.”
X: “That’s right. But you know I don’t like illusion stuff.”
– MC and Xavier discussing Ever Group’s newest groundbreaking invention
Notes:
The concept of a flux stabilizer first makes an appearance at Akso Hospital early on when MC visited Zayne's office and questions if the device is broken when a Wanderer appears
However, as of the end of Prologue To Tomorrow, a new 2.0 version of the flux stabilizer has been revealed to the public
When Ever broadcasts this new device on television, MC doubts there would be any need for Hunters if they implemented his small device all over the city
MC and her teammates are skeptical of this groundbreaking device that is advertised to help humanity against the Wanderers, of course
Similar to a Flux Nexus, this device can also be used for nefarious means such as to lure Wanderers
I wonder if this device along with the existing flux nexus' are how Ever will summon and revive the moist dangerous Wanderers and cause the fall of Linkon City to push their Philos (2.0?) agenda
