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Soldier! What is said here might be highly classified and could affect you, so be careful!
This article contains spoilers pertaining to the Resistance series. Read at your own risk!
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- "The fireman. I've heard about you on the radio. I admire what you're doing."
- ―Richard Gorrell[src]
Tom Redmond Riley is a New York City firefighter and the main protagonist in Resistance: Burning Skies. A fireman working on Staten Island, Tom was caught in the events of the Chimeran invasion of the American east coast on August 14, 1951.
Biography[]
Tom was born to Brian and Helen Riley. From a young age, Tom was aspired to becoming a fireman with the New York City Fire Department much like his father. On January 18, 1943, his father died from severe burns. On his will, Brian entrusted his fire axe to Tom, before the latter transferred to Engine 174 of the FDNY. At a later point, Tom fell in love and married a woman named Natalie, and sired their daughter, Rachel.
Resistance: Burning Skies[]
- Main article: Resistance: Burning Skies
Riley catching a ride with Smitty and Larson.
August 14, 1951, Riley responded to an incident at a power plant on Staten Island, where he first encountered the Chimera, which they originally came from a downed Chimeran ship that crashed into the plant. Riley fought his way through the plant and rescuing fellow fireman Smitty after another fireman, Larson, was killed by a Longlegs. He and Smitty escaped the building before bearing witness to the bulk of the Chimeran invasion of New York.
Bewildered by the invasion and concerned for the safety of his family, Riley was radioed by Central Dispatch and was given orders to assist in the evacuation of the city, in which he was directed to the evacuation zone at the Howard Tunnel. He encountered members of the Minutemen, a militia group led by Ellie Martinez, before finally being reunited with his family. However, Riley was shortly separated from his family upon being forced to defend the evacuation zone. Riley and along with the Minutemen later discovered an Army truck carrying Grey Tech devices and their ability in upgrading their weapons. After defending the zone, their location was bombarded by Chimeran Spire missiles and Riley managed to escape with the Minutemen.
Forced to tag along with the militia, Riley requested Ellie's help in trying to locate his family. She granted his request by introducing him to Colonel George Amherst, the commander of a naval base in Bayonne, who informed him that his family are evacuated to a protection camp in Union City. Soon after, the base came under attack by the Chimera. Riley assisted in defending the base, helping to install the main battery gun to the USS Puerto Rico, and single-handily killing the Abomination that had emerged from Upper New York Bay. Thereafter, Riley along with Ellie traveled to Ellis Island, the site of a SRPA research facility, to procure a stash of Grey Tech devices before heading for Union City.
While en route to Ellis Island, Riley and Ellie witnessed Chimeran ground forces crossing the George Washington Bridge. Riley forced to delay their destination in which he helped survivors from a VTOL that crashed into the bridge. After saving the survivors, Riley and Ellie barely escaped the bridge before an air strike hits the bridge.
They resumed their journey to Ellis Island by boat and discovered it to be overrun by the Chimera. After fighting to the SRPA laboratories, they were unable to find the Gray Tech as they were taken by SRPA scientist Richard Gorrell. Instead, they find a film reel pertaining to Gorrell's Project Phoenix and learning that he plans to use the Gray Tech to control an army of Chimera to fight against their own kind. However, Gorrell needed a "human source" as the Gray Tech would only work on individual Chimeras that are being created from humans. Riley then realized that Gorrell plans on luring the Chimera to the Union City protection camp to abduct human refugees, including his family, and take them to a conversion facility where he will achieve Project Phoenix.
Tom and Ellie quickly traveled to the camp, where it has already been attacked by the Chimera. They fought through the camp and destroyed a "spire beacon" that was attracting the Chimera to the camp. Unfortunately, Riley was too late to save his wife and daughter, who were taken away by Carriers. He and Ellie followed them by hitching a ride on Carriers, bringing them to a conversion tower located in the Appalachian Mountains.
Tom and Rachel leaving for parts unknown.
Upon arriving at the facility, Riley split up from Ellie, who went to rescue other human prisoners, as he attempts to find his family. Eventually Riley finds Natalie, but only to discover that she has already been infected with the Chimeran virus. Very reluctantly at his wife's urging, Riley euthanized her. He later regrouped with Ellie after she has found and rescued Rachel among a group of uninfected survivors. They then find Gorrell using the facility to construct an unfinished Leviathan in which he attempts to control it. After Ellie and Rachel leave to evacuate the other survivors, Riley confronted Gorrell. The scientist tries to reason Riley, claiming that what he was doing was the only means that humanity can survive against the Chimera, and revealing that the U.S. government were fully supportive of his project. Gorrell then tried to prove this by awakening the Leviathan. But Gorrell was unable to control the creature and it went berserk, leaving Riley to battle it. Riley kills the Leviathan and as well destabilizing the tower's power core in the process.
As Riley makes his escape, he was ambushed by Gorrell who then tried to kill him for ruining his plans. But Riley killed Gorrell in self-defense by fatally planting his fire axe into Gorrell's neck. Once reunited with Rachel and Ellie, Riley informed the latter about the government's support of Gorrell and urged her to dispose all the Gray Tech they collected to prevent them from being misuse. Riley then bid his farewells to Ellie and leaves alongside his daughter for parts unknown.
Legacy and Ultimate Fate[]
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"Remember Riley"
Tom became symbol of hope among the citizens of New York. Several "Remember Riley" propaganda posters were created in honor of Riley. According to Ellie, many civilians began to take up arms after hearing Riley's heroic actions. Henry Stillman mentions Riley's adventures via Radio USA, acknowledging his battle against the Abomination and the assault at the Union City protection camp.
Tom in Resistance 3.
Despite Riley's renowned status, he is never mentioned in any other Resistance game. However, a man who strongly resembles Tom does make a brief appearance in Resistance 3. He is seen sharpening his fire axe. Resistance 3's Creative Director Marcus Smith told IGN that "only time will tell" whether or not this man is actually Riley.[1]
Trivia[]
- Tom Riley is the first playable character who is an ordinary citizen instead of a soldier in the Resistance series.
- He is one of two playable characters (the other is Joseph Capelli) to come from the U.S. State of New York.
- He's the only protagonist who has never been infected with the Chimeran Virus. Unlike James Grayson, he still has regenerating health despite not being infected.
- In the novel Resistance: A Hole in the Sky, there is a minor character named "Tom Riley". However, unlike Riley depicted in Burning Skies, the book's Riley was a former mailman.
- Tom's last name was originally spelt "Reilly", as seen on Tom's fire axe in an early screenshot.
- It is very possible that Tom's mother, Hellen, is deceased as she is never mentioned in Burning Skies, nor does Tom ever express his concern for her safety.
- The Burning Skies gameplay demo shown at Gamescom 2011 showed Tom waking up in an experimental factory. This could mean that Tom was originally going to be infected with the Chimeran Virus.
- A character named Tom can be seen sharpening a fire axe near the beginning of Resistance 3. Since Burning Skies came out a year after the third game, it is unknown if they are the same person.
Gallery[]
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References[]
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