Lordgenome
From The Character Database
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| “ | In his hand was hope. The hope of evolution. With enormous strength, the man fought...
|
„ |
| ― Lordgenome |
Lordgenome (ロージェノム, Rōjenomu), known as the Spiral King, is the creator of the Beastmen and serves as the primary antagonist of the first arc in Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann. A merciless and domineering tyrant, he commands legions of Beastmen to eliminate humanity from the planet's surface, ruling from his colossal fortress, Teppelin. He is also the father of Nia Teppelin.
Following his defeat and apparent death at the hands of Simon, Lordgenome is later revived by Rossiu as a Biocomputer. Seven years after his fall, he becomes a key supporting character in the series' second arc.
Appearance
Unlike most antagonists in Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, Lordgenome is fully human, though his Spiral Power manifests with a red hue instead of the typical green. His exact age is unknown, but Guame speculates he is over 1,000 years old. Lordgenome is an imposing figure, standing over seven feet tall, with a muscular, bearded, and robust physique. His chest hair forms a spiral galaxy pattern, emphasizing his connection to Spiral Power. He has tanned skin and dark-brown or black hair, a stark contrast to his lighter hair and pale complexion in youth, suggesting that extensive use of Spiral Power has significantly altered his appearance. While usually bald, bursts of red flame—likely an outward display of his Spiral Power—erupt from his scalp during battle. His eyes feature red irises with a spiral design, further underscoring his Spiral affinity.
Lordgenome's usual attire consists of white pants secured with a black belt and a long, robe-like garment draped around his body. Regardless of the setting, he is consistently depicted barefoot.
Personality
At the beginning of the series, Lordgenome is depicted as an exceptionally intelligent yet callous and tyrannical ruler who oppresses humanity by forcing them to live underground under the threat of execution. He exudes a somber and calculating demeanor, though there are subtle hints of weariness from his prolonged reign and long life. He displays bemused surprise at resistance against his rule and engages with challengers eagerly, finding entertainment in their defiance. However, as the series progresses, his character reveals a far more complex and tragic depth.
Once a valiant Spiral Warrior, Lordgenome possessed unmatched determination and drive, rivaling the fiery spirit of Kamina. He personally led humanity in a prolonged and grueling war against the Anti-Spirals, a conflict that spanned an immense duration. This war ultimately shattered his spirit when he uncovered the grim truth of the Spiral Nemesis—an apocalyptic consequence of unchecked Spiral Power. The revelation devastated him, transforming his unyielding determination into pragmatic ruthlessness. Believing that suppression was the only way to safeguard humanity from annihilation, he chose to cull humanity's numbers and enforce strict control, justifying his cruelty as a necessary measure to ensure their survival.
Despite his oppressive methods, Lordgenome viewed himself as humanity's protector, carrying the burden of his actions with a solemn sense of duty. His willingness to make morally abhorrent choices for the greater good highlights the complex interplay between his pragmatism and his lingering hope for humanity’s future.
As the Biocomputer, revived seven years after his defeat, Lordgenome adopts a sardonic wit and a more cynical outlook, likely influenced by his new existence. In the climactic battle against the Anti-Spiral, he ultimately redeems himself, choosing to sacrifice his life to give Team Dai-Gurren the chance to secure victory. This act reignites the heroic resolve and determination he once thought irreparably lost.
Lordgenome’s darker side is also subtly acknowledged, as he maintains a harem of young women from Beauty Village to satisfy his desires and father children, reflecting a hedonistic and libidinous aspect to his character. This behavior further underscores the complexity of a man torn between his lofty ideals and his human flaws.
Biography
First Anti-Spiral War
Long ago, Lordgenome was part of an advanced human civilization that thrived on the surface of Earth. He was largely a solitary figure, his only companions being a small group of animals, including Guame in his original form. When the Anti-Spirals—an alien race devoted to suppressing Spiral Power—attacked Earth, Lordgenome discovered a Lagann and joined the ranks of the Spiral Warriors, eventually ascending to the rank of Spiral General. Renowned as a "renaissance man," he excelled not only as a warrior but also as a scientist, making groundbreaking advancements in genetic engineering. His mastery of cloning technology enabled remarkable achievements, such as placing human bodies in biological stasis (a process he applied to both himself and Guame), developing a self-replicating food supply through genetically modified animals, and creating the Beastmen—humanoid warriors incapable of emitting Spiral Power.
Despite their valor, the Spiral Warriors struggled to locate the Anti-Spirals' homeworld, rendering their efforts against the enemy ultimately futile. Over time, nearly all of the Spiral Warriors perished, worn down by an unending war of attrition. In the war’s darkest moments, the Anti-Spiral leader appeared before Lordgenome to extinguish his resolve completely. Revealing the catastrophic truth of the Spiral Nemesis—a potential apocalypse triggered by unchecked Spiral Power—the Anti-Spiral defeated Lordgenome, breaking his spirit and leaving him in despair.
Convinced that continued resistance would either lead to humanity's total annihilation or the Spiral Nemesis, Lordgenome sought to dissuade his comrades from further conflict. When his pleas failed, he turned on those who opposed him, eliminating the remaining Spiral Warriors to prevent their actions from dooming the universe. Fully consumed by despair, Lordgenome activated his ultimate weapon, the Cathedral Lazengann, and forcibly retreated with humanity to Earth.
In surrender to the Anti-Spirals, Lordgenome struck a compromise to preserve the remnants of humanity. Spirals would be permitted to survive, but only in small, subterranean populations, far from the surface and the risk of developing unchecked Spiral Power. To enforce this agreement, Lordgenome constructed the fortress Teppelin, created the Beastmen as enforcers, and buried the Lagann deep within the Earth's crust. He organized the Beastmen into the Human Eradication Army, equipping them with Gunmen and commanding them to patrol the surface, slaughtering any humans who dared to emerge from underground.
Through these measures, Lordgenome suppressed humanity's potential for Spiral Power, sacrificing freedom and hope to ensure survival in the shadow of the Anti-Spiral threat.
Before Beastmen War Arc
Assuming the title of the Spiral King, Lordgenome reorganized the Human Eradication Army into four divisions, each led by a Supreme General, modeled after the Spiral General hierarchy of ancient times. Guame, who had evolved into a vaguely humanoid form by absorbing Lordgenome’s diminishing Spiral Power over centuries, was made the leader of these generals. Among Guame's duties was overseeing the "Beauty Village," a settlement of young, beautiful women abducted from other villages. Lordgenome deduced that individuals from this village were most likely to produce offspring carrying an artificial dummy gene. This gene, upon detecting high Spiral Power levels, would transform its host into an Anti-Spiral scout.
To prevent such a transformation, Lordgenome secretly fathered thousands of children with women from the Beauty Village and executed them before they could mature into potential threats. This purpose remained his private burden, misunderstood even by Guame, who believed the killings stemmed from Lordgenome’s disdain for self-awareness. Concurrently, the Anti-Spirals configured Lordgenome's former flagship, the Cathedral Terra, into the shape of the moon, intending to use it as a weapon to obliterate humanity if their population exceeded acceptable limits. They concealed the real moon in another dimension to prevent adverse effects on Earth's magnetic fields.
Over time, Lordgenome began to deteriorate mentally and physically due to the prolonged effects of his own Spiral Power and the resurgence of humanity challenging his authority.
Beastmen War Arc
Lordgenome first appears following Kamina's death. Summoning the remaining three generals, he informs them of Thymilph’s demise. Adiane volunteers to address the situation, and later, Guame independently decides to act, slightly irritating Lordgenome.
When Simon and Team Dai-Gurren reach Teppelin, Lordgenome reveals himself. He activates Dekabutsu’s battle mode, forcing Team Dai-Gurren to sacrifice Dai-Gurren to destroy Dekabutsu’s massive iron hammer. Simon, Nia, and Rossiu infiltrate the throne room to confront the Spiral King directly.
In their confrontation, Lordgenome attempts to kill Nia by remotely controlling Lazengann’s extendable drills before engaging Gurren-Lagann in battle. Despite Gurren-Lagann’s efforts, Lazengann’s superior speed and agility give Lordgenome the upper hand, forcing Simon to detach Lagann for a final stand. Lagann manages to destroy Lazengann, but Lordgenome tears off its hatch and engages Lagann in hand-to-hand combat. Overpowering Lagann, he shatters its arms and prepares to claim victory.
As Lordgenome gloats, Simon plunges his Core Drill into the Spiral King’s chest, releasing a surge of Spiral Power that obliterates Lordgenome’s torso. With his dying breath, Lordgenome delivers a cryptic warning: "When the land overflows with a million apes, the moon shall become Hell’s messenger and completely destroy the world of the spiral." Smiling faintly, he falls lifeless from Dekabutsu, marking the end of his reign.
Anti-Spiral War Arc
Seven years after Lordgenome's death, Rossiu recovers the Spiral King's brain and regrows a replica of his head using a tissue sample taken from his corpse. This process is necessary because Lordgenome’s memories cannot be accessed using conventional computers. Instead, a specialized "Bio-Computer" is created, allowing Lordgenome to relay his knowledge directly to those who seek it.
Upon activation, the Bio-Computer, with a bemused demeanor, explains the existence of the Anti-Spirals to Rossiu. It later serves as a crucial power source for Arc Gurren when Kamina City is besieged by the Mugann. The information provided by the Bio-Computer proves invaluable in preventing the moon's collision with Earth and devising a way to reach the Anti-Spiral dimension.
Although designed without a personality, the Bio-Computer gradually regains self-awareness, ultimately adopting Lordgenome's original identity. He assumes the role of navigator aboard the newly recommissioned Super-Galaxy Dai-Gurren, driven by the desire to confront the Anti-Spiral directly.
When Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann is formed, Lordgenome uses the immense power of Super Spiral Space to temporarily recreate his full body. He takes on the role of one of the thirteen key pilots. In a decisive moment, Lordgenome detaches a reborn Lazengann to intercept the Granzeboma's Infinity Big Bang Storm. Fully embracing his role as a protector of Spiral beings, he sacrifices himself, converting the colossal attack and his essence into a galaxy-sized Spiral Power drill. This drill is absorbed by Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, ensuring Lordgenome’s ultimate goal of paving a brighter future for Spiral beings.
Powers and Stats
Tier: High 6-A | High 6-A | At least High 6-A | At least High 6-A, likely 5-A | 3-B | High 1-C, higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion
Key: Spiral King | Lazengann | Prime/Spiral Warrior | Dekabutsu | Cathedral Lazengann | Post-Multiverse Labyrinth
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Martial Arts (Is an expert hand-to-hand combatant with centuries of experience), Acrobatics, Supernatural Willpower (His will is the source of his strength as well as all of his Spiral Power), Self-Sustenance (Type 1; Can survive in empty vacuum of space), Vehicular Mastery (Is an extremely adept Gunmen pilot), Energy Manipulation (Of Spiral Energy, the energy intrinsic to all living beings with a double helix DNA structure), Energy Projection, Energy Absorption (Can absorb more Spiral Energy into himself to power himself further), Energy Projection, Technology Manipulation (His Spiral Energy allows him to directly interface with machinery powered by it, such as his Gunmen), Immortality (Type 1; He has lived for over a thousand years, and has not visibly aged at all, lesser characters than him can possess immortality), Reality Warping (The sheer immensity of his Spiral Power reserves should be able to warp reality itself, as demonstrated similarly by Simon, a trait that only grows stronger with each of his Gunmen), Invulnerability (Even past his prime, the only thing that managed to legitimately damage the Spiral King himself was Simon's Core Drill, with all other attempts proving useless), Genius Intelligence, Weapon Mastery, Enhanced Senses, Reactive Evolution/Adaptation (Spiral Power is effectively the power of evolution itself, whether biological or cosmic, and as Spiral Race member is pushed further to their limits and retains their fighting spirit, they will inevitably grow increasingly stronger and more capable of handling the threat before them), Power Bestowal (Granted Viral immortality), Aura (When charged up immensely by Spiral Power, members of Spiral Races receive an aura of overwhelming Spiral Energy around them), Resistance to Radiation Manipulation and Temperature Manipulation (Can survive unimpeded in the vacuum of space)
Attack Potency: Multi-Continent level (Was able to fight and cause heavy damage to Lagann with his bare hands) | Multi-Continent level with Lazengann (Was able to easily beat Gurren Lagann and rip it to pieces) | At least Multi-Continent level (Far more powerful than he was in the series proper while he was alive, easily slaughtered his band of Spiral Warriors, all likely equipped with Lagann-type mechs. Powered the Cathedral Terra's transformation into humanoid form singlehandedly) | At least Multi-Continent level (Capable of swinging its hammer with this much force), likely Large Planet level (As a Dai-gun comparable in size and purpose, as the power source of the Cathedral Terra, should be comparable to the Arc-Gurren Lagann) | Multi-Galaxy level (Comparable to the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann) | High Complex Multiverse level (Stated to have the same power as Simon, after the formation of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann; a mecha which was created by Simon after integrating the Multiverse (an 11 dimensional infinite multiverse), along with being implied to have infinite Spiral Power flowing within it. Could handle the force of the Infinity Big Bang Storm, for a while, before suffering a quantum breakdown), higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion (Lordgenome, after being broken down to the quantum level by the IBBS, has increased in power after taking in such energy)
Speed: Massively Hypersonic (Should be just as fast as in Lazengann) | At least Massively Hypersonic (Outmatched the Gurren Lagann) | At least Massively Hypersonic (Should be far faster), Massively FTL+ with the Spiral Boundary Recognition Transfer System (Should be able to utilize much like Gurren Lagann) | At least Massively Hypersonic, likely Sub-Relativistic+ (Should be comparable to the Arc-Gurren Lagann) | Massively FTL+, with Immeasurable Attack Speed via Mega Vortex Maelstrom Cannon | At least Massively FTL+, likely Infinite (Was given the same power as Simon, after Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann’s creation. Lazengann should be comparable in speed, as it was a part of TTGL), higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion (Far superior to his previous self, after taking in the energy of the Infinity Big Bang Storm)
Lifting Strength: Class T (Physically overpowered Lagann) | Class T (Overpowered Gurren Lagann) | At least Class T | At least Class T via sheer size, likely Class P (Should be comparable to the Arc-Gurren Lagann) | Class Z (Comparable to the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann) | Immeasurable (Was stated to be given the same power as Simon, therefore, comparable in strength to Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann), higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion (Should be greater in strength than before)
Striking Strength: Multi-Continent level (Tore apart Simon's Lagann with his bare hands) | Multi-Continent level (Broke apart the Gurren Lagann) | At least Multi-Continent level | At least Multi-Continent level (Generated this much energy with a swing of its hammer arm), likely Large Planet level | Multi-Galaxy level | High Complex Multiverse level, higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion
Durability: Multi-Continent level (Survived attacks from an amped Lagann) | Multi-Continent level (Was not hugely damaged from it's fight with Gurren Lagann) | At least Multi-Continent level | At least Multi-Continent level, likely Large Planet level | Multi-Galaxy level | High Complex Multiverse level (Withstood the full force of Granzeboma's Infinity Big Bang Storm, and while his body was destroyed on a quantum level, his spirit absorbed its energy and transmuted it), higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion
Stamina: Superhuman | Superhuman | Superhuman | Superhuman | Superhuman | Infinite (Was stated to be given the same power as Simon, who was implied to have infinite amounts of Spiral Power), higher after Infinity Big Bang Storm Conversion (Has greater reserves of Spiral Power compared to his previous self)
Range: Extended Melee Range | Kilometers | Kilometers | Tens of Kilometers, likely Hundreds of Kilometers | Planetary, likely Interplanetary with basic weaponry; Interdimensional firing all weapons | High Complex Multiversal
Standard Equipment: Presumably a Core Drill
Intelligence: Extraordinary Genius (The Spiral King is a brilliant mind who led humanity in the past to matching the far more ancient and technologically superior Anti-Spirals. He has intimate knowledge on how each of his vessels operates, which are all immensely huge and defy the laws of physics themselves with their weaponry, and likewise also possesses a great deal of knowledge on Antispiral's own flagships)
Weaknesses: His Spiral Power can be siphoned away by a Spiral Death Machine, though he can resist it. Resurrected however, this limitation is nullified
Notable Attacks/Techniques:
- Lazengann Overload: A kamikaze move in which the Lazengann releases many drills and shoots a beam of spiral power, but becomes unstable and may destroy itself. Once the Lazengann is destroyed, the pilot becomes one with the energy, turning it into spiral power. The energy is then turned into the form of a drill, which can be absorbed by ally mechas.
- Unnamed Giga Drill attack: Lazengann summons a massive amount of drills, then weaves them together to form a gargantuan drill larger than the Dekabutsu's head. Despite its size and strength, however, Simon (having just experienced a burst of determination and rage) was able to break the drill and damage Lazengann using only his Lagann.
- Drill Bullets: Appearing only in the Otoko Series, this attack allows Lazengann to shoot bullet-shaped drill missiles. The bullets are powerful enough to temporarily down the Gurren Lagann, though it was able to get up a few seconds later.
Trivia
- Lordgenome has lived for over 1,000 years, making him the oldest human in the series.
- In his youth, Lordgenome bore a striking resemblance to Nia, with pale skin and blonde hair. His drastic transformation to darker skin and black hair is implied to result from prolonged Spiral Power usage, which causes permanent physical mutations. The spiral patterns in the eyes of Spiral Power users become more pronounced with increased usage.
- Guame was originally Lordgenome's pet. Over the centuries, Guame evolved by absorbing Lordgenome’s Spiral Power, a process similar to Boota's evolution through Simon's Spiral Power.
- Lordgenome is unique among Spiral Warriors for possessing red Spiral Power, unlike the standard green. It has been speculated that this is due to Lordgenome partially aligning with Anti-Spiral energy. His actions to suppress humanity’s Spiral development align with Anti-Spiral objectives, potentially linking his red Spiral Power to this connection. This could also explain Nia's role as the Anti-Spiral's messenger and Lordgenome's unusual physical and drill characteristics.
- Unlike the bulky drills of other Spiral Warriors, Lordgenome’s drills are narrow and capable of bending mid-air, a feature unique to him.
- Sushio, one of the creators of Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, has stated that Lordgenome is his favorite character.
- While Simon never directly called Lordgenome "Father," Gainax revealed that Simon regarded him as a father figure during Lordgenome’s final moments.
- Lordgenome is the only character to have defeated Simon in a Gunmen battle. He is also the first to defeat a Gunmen unaided and barehanded. Additionally, the first time Gurren-Lagann's drill breaks is when Simon uses the Giga Drill Break against Lazengann.
- Lordgenome shares similarities with Master Asia from Mobile Fighter G Gundam, such as their ability to combat mechs unaided. Both characters use unconventional piloting methods, with Master Asia forgoing the Mobile Trace suit and Lordgenome not needing physical controls for Lazengann.
- The spiral patterns in Lordgenome’s eyes closely resemble the Rinnegan from the Naruto franchise.
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