Profile
Basic Information
Name: Earl
Birthplace: Syndicate
Affiliation: The Legion
Gender: Male
Background
Earl is the older brother of Horo and right-hand man to Zoya. He joined The Legion (then called Nirvana fleet) with Horo in N.F. 104, and eventually became its leader before passing the mantle to Zoya. Earl is a powerful Sinner with the ability to cause spontaneous explosions, both at any point he can see, and also at any point where he has previously "planted" a "bomb", such as inside a person's head. Earl's bombs go dead automatically after 24 hours, though he tends to "forget" to explain this.
Earl is a calm, calculating, and reserved individual. He is tall and thin, with a prosthetic left leg. Despite his high position in Syndicate's most powerful gang, he is not a well known figure like Zoya. Horo says that only someone truly well-acquainted with the Legion would realize Earl's importance.
Role
Main Story
Unclaimed Crypt
When the MBCC team is captured by Zoya, Earl interrogates the Sinners to learn the capabilities of the Shackles and uses his ability to plant a bomb inside the Chief's head. He warns Zoya about the coalition of gangs assembled to defend the Inheritance from the Legion, but she laughs off his concern.
After Zoya is Shackled, Earl explains to the Chief the Legion intends to use the Inheritance to unify Syndicate, and so he wishes to have a working relationship with the authorities. He is using his ability to ensure an equal partnership, balancing the Chief's new power over Zoya with the assurance that Earl will detonate the bomb in their head if they ever use the Forbidden Force on her or if she dies for any reason. Finally, he promises to remove the ability when the mission is successfully completed, but the Chief doubts the truthfulness of this claim. Earl neglects to mention that his ability only lasts 24 hours regardless.
When Zoya descends into the crypt, Earl stays behind to guard the entrance to the main elevator. After the Inheritance has been sealed away, he meets with Che who reveals that he was hired as a spy to bring the Chief to the Legion and that Whitestone Industries provided the White Cube that Zoya used to contain the Inheritance.
Keylan Square
When the Public Security Bureau frames the Legion for attacking Keylan Square, Earl leads the gang to rise in revolt. He comes to the Chief's rescue when the PSB turns on them for attempting to expose the conspiracy, and assists the Chief in faking their "capture" by the Legion such that they need not openly betray the authorities. When confronted by the Chief, Earl confirms that, like the PSB, the Legion never had any intention of coming to the negotiations honestly. With hostilities breaking out around the Square, Earl intends to have the Legion feign a frontal attack while he sneaks past the defenses to rescue Zoya. His plan is foiled when they are stopped by an FAC squad led by 036, who defeats and nearly kills Earl, only stopped by the Chief's intercession.
When the Mania crisis appears in Keylan Square, Earl, worried about Zoya, goes on his own to find her without waiting for the Chief to regain consciousness. Earl reappears in the conference hall just as the Chief is about to end the crisis.
If they choose to shoot Zoya, they place their gun against her forehead and see that the last spark of her identity has been extinguished, replaced by the Inheritance. Before they can pull the trigger, Earl blows the Chief away with his ability, saying that he is not worthy to kill the Legion's commander.
If they choose to use the Shackles on Zoya, she attempts to strangle them to death, but the Chief resolves that they must not let go. Earl shoots Zoya's arm, separating her from the Chief, and admonishes them for their stubbornness when the shackles have already failed.
Seeing Zoya's weakened state, he tells the Inheritance inside her that it can't descend anymore even if it completely consumes her, and offers himself to it instead. The Inheritance says that he is not worthy, but then he reveals the white cube containing the Inheritance from the crypt, and the contamination greedily devours them both. He welcomes the Black Ring, saying that saving DisCity is not worth Zoya's life, and BR-004 descends.
Earl's body is incorporated into the Corpseborne along with Zoya's, but while Zoya is completely corrupted, he seemingly remains conscious inside it, and his voice psychically urges the Chief forward when they approach the monster. In Zoya's dream, She tells Earl that the deal they made when she joined The Legion, her power for his information, her ability to destroy the past for his ability to create a new future, was complete. Earl refuses to let her sacrifice herself or run away, reminding her that as the Commander, her fight is the Legion's fight and she has a responsibility to continue leading those who will always want to resist the world's darkness. She eventually relents and tells him to bring her back, but Earl says that he will not be the one to do that as she feels the Chief's shackles pulling her back to reality.
When the Corpseborne is defeated, Zoya's unconscious body is recovered from it, but Earl's has been turned to ash.