Thomas Lindow

From Koei Tecmo Wiki

Thomas Lindow (トーマス・リンドー) is one of the three main protagonists of Enigma.

Role in Game

Born to the late James Lindow and his mistress, Thomas was raised to follow his father's footsteps as a treasure hunter. He lived a carefree life, though a part of him yearned for something more. On July 8, 1920, he is cajoled into helping his half-brother Robert investigate the whereabouts of their expedition team in Egypt. Upon arriving there, not a single soul is there to greet Thomas. While reading a report on the Holy Land, the adventurer finds himself cornered by a mysterious woman who demands for his identity. He may choose to comply with her threat or pretend to be a grave robber. Either way, the woman eventually introduces herself as Hera Solex and parts ways with him once he acquires the Sun Stone.

Thomas returns to New York and questions Robert regarding the botched excavation. He surmises that the dead explorers supposedly studying the pharaoh's burial chamber were in fact looking for something else, namely the Secret Stones. With Robert looking suspicious, Thomas can either interrogate him or feign ignorance. Both options lead him to conduct his own investigation on the Holy Land's secrets.

On his way to India, he is convinced by Catherine and Fulbright to join their search for the remaining stones. They also gain an ally in Akira during their exploration of the Ajanta Caves. As he and Catherine share a private conversation on board, Hera unexpectedly runs into them. His advances towards her are coldly rebuffed, leaving him depressed during the expedition in China. But as luck would have it, he ends up saving Hera from a monster attack, leading the two of them to see each other in a better light.

Once Thomas earns Hera's trust, she shares with him the existence of the enigmatic judges through her clan's collection of lores. According to an ancient legend, the appearance of the judges herald humanity's destruction, yet their slumber is imminent if the three celestial bodies are aligned together. Hera herself is unsure what the riddle actually means, but she has a hunch that the three stones hold the key to saving the world. While confiding to Thomas her role in all this, the reason for her hatred towards the Lindows is revealed: when James Lindow last visited Egypt, he kidnapped Hera's older sister and took her to America. The sister was left to fend for herself after he passed away. In spite of her lingering resentment, the older woman cannot help but admire Thomas for his positive qualities.

Their attraction with one another reaches new heights after Catherine's kidnapping. Surprised to learn of Akira's affection for Catherine, he may choose to confess his own love for Hera. Doing so causes the pair to lock themselves into a deep embrace. Before they can further their intimacy, Hera notices a familiar pendant worn by Thomas; it originally belonged to his mother, though the woman recognizes it as a treasure of the Solex clan. Realizing that James and her sister were lovers, it dawns on her that Thomas may actually be her nephew. She is shocked by this revelation and ends her romance with the younger man to spare his feelings.

After returning home once more, Thomas finds his brother panicking over the news of monsters targeting their expedition teams around the world. Robert is confronted for endangering the lives of others and only becomes remorseful when informed of the threat posed by the judges. He desperately begs his younger sibling to help restore the family business; the latter may bitterly cut ties with him or begrudgingly accept his request. Thomas later finds Catherine who has been placed under the enemy's control. Fulbright's sacrifice restores her back to normal and the group decides to avenge his death by attacking the Holy Land in Antarctica. Right before the final battle, Hera arrives to give Thomas her full support in this pressing hour. He goes on to defeat the Head Judge, causing the monsters to disappear for good.

Personality

At first glance, Thomas fits the stereotype of a typical American: boisterous, straightforward, and lacking in manners. His antics provide much of the story's humor and either endears him to people or irritates them to no end. But underneath all that swagger lies a pragmatic individual with a cunning mind. This side of Thomas usually helps him escape danger, though it also plays up his independent streak which sometimes clashes with Akira's cooperative personality.

Thomas's relationship with Hera is by far the most developed in the story. Initially, the two of them begin on bad terms, with Thomas harboring a superficial attraction for Hera and the latter wanting nothing to do with the former. It's not until their encounter in China that they try to see past the other person's flaws. As Thomas comes to see her more as a reliable confidante, Hera appreciates the adventurer's courage and willingness to take responsibility for the Lindow family's mistakes.

Gameplay

Moveset

Square: A slash to the right.
Circle: A downward strike.
Triangle: A short thrust. Easy to perform repeatedly.
Circle, Square, Triangle: Launches a downward strike, a quick slash, and an overhead swing. Can be used to extend thrust combos.
Triangle, Triangle, Square: Performs two short thrusts and a forward kick.
Triangle, Triangle, Circle: Performs two short thrusts before unleashing a charging thrust.
Triangle, Triangle, Triangle, Square/Circle/Triangle: Performs three short thrusts before unleashing a charging thrust.

Fighting Style

Thomas is a speed-oriented character whose combos are quick and easy to perform. His charging thrust, when properly aimed, can stagger opponents in time for players to follow up with another assault; it should be noted that this move is ineffective against smaller enemies. Despite his swift attacks, Thomas suffers from insufficient damage output, leaving him defenseless against more threatening monsters.

During boss battles, thrust combos are necessary in order to gradually close in on the target; this allows players to deal damage while safely prevent direct retaliation. Landing a hit is also imminent if attacks are properly locked on while the boss is teleporting.

Gallery