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Template:Infobox character

Cyrus Temple[1][2] is a character in Saints Row: The Third.

Let me tell you about Jessica Parish, a girl from Stilwater who ran away from home to be with her tough guy boyfriend. Jessica thought her life was pretty sweet until a gangbanger kidnapped her, threw her in the trunk of a car, and laughed as her boyfriend crushed her in a monster truck rally. If Jessica Parish was your daughter, how far would you want me to go?
— Cyrus Temple referring to the events of "Bank Error in Your Favor" during his opening speech about the STAG Initiative.Broken {{ref}} (blank parameter)

Description

Cyrus is the leader of STAG, which is short for "Special Tactical Anti-Gang Unit" and is one of the main antagonists in the game alongside Killbane.[3] As the man in charge of an elite paramilitary police force whose mission is to eradicate all traces of gang violence in the city of Steelport, he has a lot to bear on his shoulders.

Cyrus always appears dressed in protective body armor, but with no helmet, and unlike the rest of STAG, his armor is colored dark green and black instead of white and black. He seems to be of about average height and weight, and has short white hair. Age-wise, he is way past his prime, appearing to be in his late 50's or early 60's. Under normal military circumstances, someone of his age group would most likely be retired from active duty or service or serve as someone high in command like a general or admiral, so it's not evidently clear why he was selected to direct STAG.

Personality-wise, Cyrus Temple is a cold and ruthless man who takes the nature of his missions way too seriously, and has little regard for human life or property (similar to his chief lieutenant Kia). If it wasn't for the fact that Senator Monica Hughes was overseeing and directing STAG's operations on behalf of the US Government, Cyrus and Kia would be free to run loose upon Steelport, and would likely level most of the city in their efforts to wipe out the gangs.

Biography

Following Senator Monica Hughes' unanimous approval from the United States Senate to execute the "STAG Initiative" upon the city of Steelport, Cyrus makes his first appearance in the mission "Gang Bang", where his voice can be heard briefly as he gives orders to Kia and her troops. He also makes a physical appearance at the end of the mission, giving a press conference about STAG's mission, and the effects it could have on Steelport's citizens aboard the aircraft carrier Thermopylae.

Cyrus is next seen after the events of "Convoy Decoy" expressing some frustration over Monica Hughes's decision to use Nyte Blayde as the official mascot of STAG for publicity purposes, citing that "shock and awe" will win wars not "hearts and minds" as she believes. Before the conversation comes to an end, Cyrus requests that Monica Hughes give him permission to use the Daedalus straight away, so that he can bring STAG's mission to a quick and decisive end. Monica Hughes refuses, and orders Cyrus to ensure Josh Birk's safety, or else. An order he ultimately fails to follow as Viola and The Protagonist kidnap Birk in the mission "Nyte Blayde's Return".

File:TempleConference.png

Cyrus explains STAG's mission.

Towards the end of the mission "STAG Party", Cyrus and his troops confront both Shaundi and The Protagonist on a helipad at the Saints HQ. After stepping out of his Condor he orders them to give up and surrender after STAG has surrounded the area. Shaundi and The Protagonist strike back by holding Josh Birk at gunpoint and demanding that STAG withdraw from Steelport immediately. Cyrus refuses, and instead offers to make another deal with The Protagonist in exchange for Birk's release. The terms of this new deal specify Cyrus' guaranteed commitment to leave the 3rd Street Saints alone for a period of time, and focus STAG's efforts on The Syndicate instead. The player must then choose to hand Josh Birk over to Cyrus or give him back to Shaundi.

Handing Birk back to Shaundi will result in him becoming an unlockable homie along with his other persona "Nyte Blayde". Cyrus then retreats back to his Condor and orders his troops to destroy the Saints HQ. Shaundi and Birk escape to safety while The Protagonist base-jumps off the helipad to escape the oncoming destruction. Handing Birk over to Cyrus will result in both him and Cyrus retreating to the safety of Cyrus' Condor before Cyrus goes back on his word and orders his troops to destroy the Saints HQ anyway. Shaundi escapes to safety while The Protagonist base-jumps off the helipad to escape the oncoming destruction. After STAG exits the area with Birk, The Protagonist is then given their full cooperation in the takeover of a single neighborhood in Steelport for the Saints (supposedly, STAG moves into the neighborhood, drives any presence of the Syndicate out, and leaves, allowing the Saints to move in unopposed by either side). After the Saints HQ is destroyed, Cyrus sends Kia some Intel on Shaundi, and requests that she capture the famed, Saints lieutenant for questioning. Kia complies with Cyrus' orders and immediately begins hunting for Shaundi.

Shaundi is captured by STAG shortly after The Protagonist defeats Matt Miller and the Deckers. They take her aboard the Thermopylae and place her in the ship's detention center for questioning. In an effort to save her, The Protagonist disguises themselves as Cyrus via plastic surgery, and pretends to bring both Pierce and Viola into STAG custody. Once aboard the Thermopylae, Kia politely greets The Protagonist (believing them to be Cyrus), and congratulates them on their success before having her troops escort Pierce and Viola to the ship's detention center.

After spending a few minutes with The Protagonist, Kia begins to grow suspicious of their disguise due to them not using proper grammar for an army officer (saying things like "Dude" or "What's Up?"), and not addressing her by her name. Kia's suspicions are finally confirmed when the real Cyrus announces his intentions to return to the Thermopylae to oversee Shaundi's interrogation. Knowing that their cover has been blown, The Protagonist quickly exits the room while Kia draws a pistol, and takes several shots at them, but fails to score a hit. She then sounds the alarm, informs Cyrus of the on-board situation, and orders all STAG units to shoot the imposter on-sight.

Unfortunately for both Kia and Cyrus, STAG is unable to stop The Protagonist from escaping the Thermopylae with their fellow Saints after they've sabotaged the ship's main reactor. The resulting explosion destroys the Thermopylae and causes a major setback to STAG's plans. 12 hours later, Cyrus sets up shop at his new base-of-operations in Downtown while STAG prepares to lockdown the city. After a short conversation with Monica Hughes, Kia gives him an update on the lockdown's progress and states that STAG commando teams are currently en-route to Steelport. Cyrus thanks Kia for the update, and after listening to her desire to "take the gloves off" with the Saints, calmly dismisses her from his presence.

Cyrus later makes a brief appearance on the "undead-infested" Arapice Island at the very end of "Zombie Attack". This is already after the Saints have successfully (but secretly) dealt with the zombie virus on behalf of Steelport's mayor, Burt Reynolds. STAG enters the area with the intent to try to contain the undead menace, and although Cyrus and his men are more than capable of keeping the zombies from eating them, they are ultimately unsuccessful in achieving their goal. Frustrated, and still unwilling to let Cyrus have the Daedalus, Monica Hughes announces her intentions to come to Steelport and get the situation under control. The news of Monica Hughes's imminent arrival puts Cyrus in low spirits.

Towards the end of the game, Steelport is engulfed in a violent war between the Luchadores and STAG. The Protagonist enters the conflict with their fellow Saints, intent on putting a stop to the chaos before things get out of control. Once successful, the player is presented with two major choices which are occurring at the same time: one is to chase down and kill Killbane, leader of the Luchadores, and the other is to travel to Magarac Island to save Shaundi, Viola, and Burt Reynolds, who have been taken hostage by Kia and her troops. Killbane is at the very top of The Protagonist's hate / murder list, and he is currently preparing to escape the city via. private jet. Kia is plotting to destroy the Saints' reputation and frame the gang for mass terrorism by destroying the Magarac Island, and leaving the bodies of her prisoners in the wreckage for the "proper" authorities to find.

Endings

Kill Killbane

If the player goes after Killbane, the Magarac Island is destroyed and Shaundi, Viola, Burt Reynolds, and Kia are all killed in the explosion. After seeing the devastation, Monica Hughes believes the Saints to be terrorists, and reluctantly agrees to let Cyrus bring in the Daedalus to deal with the situation.

Now successful in getting his wish, Cyrus and his troops board the Daedalus and fly the massive airship into Steelport airspace. No sooner does the Daedalus appear unannounced, then it begins to bombard the streets with a hail of cannon fire, killing both Saints and civilians alike. Over at the Broken Shillelagh, The Protagonist realizes that STAG now intends to totally destroy the city in the hopes of finally annihilating the Saints. Determined not to let them succeed, The Protagonist grabs a helicopter, destroys the Daedalus's primary cannons, lands on the ship, and places explosive charges on a number of bunker buster caches scattered across the upper deck. Once the chain reactions caused by the exploding bunker busters begin to tear the ship apart, Cyrus finally confronts The Protagonist in his custom F-69 VTOL, determined not to let them escape. After an intense battle, The Protagonist damages Cyrus' VTOL to the extent where he loses control of the aircraft, crashes it onto the Daedalus's deck, and is unable to stop it from grinding its way over the edge. As Cyrus plummets to his doom below, The Protagonist gives a salute to the once-esteemed commander, and compliments him on a fine landing.

With Cyrus gone, The Protagonist locates a regular F-69 VTOL parked in a hangar close by, and escapes from the Daedalus moments before it explodes. In the aftermath of STAG's brutal attack on the city, The Protagonist takes control of Jane Valderamma's news station with Pierce, Oleg, Kinzie, Zimos, and Angel. While the Saints temporarily hold both Jane and her news staff hostage, The Protagonist declares Steelport to be an independent city-state, free of government influence, and sternly warns Monica Hughes and her stooges that any further attempts to mess with Steelport would be met with extreme prejudice. The remnants of STAG are then ordered to leave the city and Pierce is named Steelport's new acting mayor.

Save Shaundi

If the player saves Shaundi and Viola, the Magarac Island is spared and only Kia is killed. As the Saints prepare to leave the island, they are suddenly detained by Cyrus, who orders them to surrender after his men have surrounded the area. Monica Hughes then appears and orders STAG to stand down and let the Saints go, stating that they have just become heroes (mainly to stay in the positive public light).

When Cyrus angrily questions her actions, Mrs. Hughes criticizes him for declaring strict martial law and knocking down half the city. Then she orders him to withdraw STAG from Steelport, and turns to the crowd of journalists standing behind her. As the Saints take their leave, Cyrus sternly warns The Protagonist that the next time the Saints "screw up," STAG will return to finish them once and for all. The Protagonist cheerfully brushes off his remark, declaring "I love you too Cyrus", and departs along with Pierce and Shaundi. Cyrus meanwhile, departs Steelport for an unknown location.

Trivia

  • Cyrus can be seen in "The Sinners Pack" (also known as the "Opposition Pic Pack") of Xbox 360 GamerPic icons, alongside Matt Miller, Viola DeWynter, Phillipe Loren, Kiki DeWynter and Killbane.[4][5]
  • In the mission "My Name is Cyrus Temple", the player uses Image As Designed to look like Cyrus and infiltrate the Thermopylae pretending to be Cyrus.
  • Cyrus Temple is voiced by the venerable Tim Thomerson.
  • Depending on the voice you have before hand it will result in a different, and humorous if you have the zombie voice, way of Cyrus Temple's interaction with other characters and Kia.
  • Despite being the leader of a force whose aim is to stop all gang violence, Cyrus seems fixated on only stopping The Saints until the last mission when they get into a fight with the Luchadores, the main antagonistic gang in the game.
  • The design of Cyrus seemed to be heavily influenced by Colonel Miles Quaritch, played by Stephen Lang from the movie Avatar. In fact, both men's attitude, the way they carried themselves, their body armor and facial structures all have strong resemblances.
  • The color of his armor is similar to that of Master Chief from Halo, being a dark green and light orange.
  • After completing the mission "Gang Bang", Cyrus gives a speech and answers questions from interviewers; in his speech he refers to Jessica, a character from Saints Row 2, and reveals her surname, though it is unknown of his relation to her, or whether his posistion as Commander gave him access to such files.
  • Cyrus and STAG parody the Iraq War by having "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" banners.
  • During "My Name Is Cyrus Temple" the player will mistakingly use the term 'Bloke' if using Male Voice 3, claiming that it was something he picked up while stationed in Britain however Kia replies that he was never stationed in the UK.
  • He apparently has no regard for human life, much like Kia, as he orders the Daedalus and STAG soldiers to fire blindly on the city, merely hoping that the Saints would be killed.
  • He seems to dislike Monica Hughes, despite her being the one to help create STAG. Saying "Zombies AND Monica Hughes? Shit."Broken {{ref}} (blank parameter)
  • During "My Name Is Cyrus Temple", if using Female Voice 1, Kia will reveal that she had sex or some form of sexual contact with Cyrus Temple, to which The Protagonist will reply with "I like... men...".
  • It is unknown what position he held before the formation of STAG, though it can be assumed that it was military.
  • If using Female Voice 2 during "My Name is Cyrus Temple", while retaining Cyrus's accent, The Protagonist will still use Russian phrases and grammatics, such as calling teammates "comrades," or saying "is good plan" instead of "it is a good plan."
  • If using Female Voice 2 during "My Name is Cyrus Temple" The Protagonist will ask Kia what she thinks of Pierce, and when told about the Specter, will ask if it's good for forest combat and if it is able to hit trees without exploding, a reference to Return of the Jedi
  • Although he talks about taking a hardline, he is shown in STAG Film to be just as cowardly as a lot of gang leaders in the Saints Row series as he fights The Protagonist in a vehicle, deploying scores of his soldiers, but ends up getting killed by The Protagonist.
  • Cyrus is most likely from the U.S Navy as his rank is a Naval rank.
  • Cyrus is past his prime as he tells The Protagonist that he has been a soldier longer than they been alive and considering that The Protagonist is most likely in their mid 30's, this would make him in his late 50's at least (The Protagonist being of High School age when the song "What I've Got" was released in 1996).
  • Cyrus Temple, like Julius Little in Saints Row and Dane Vogel in Saints Row 2 can be described in the saying "Don't worry about the snake that you can see (The Protagonist), worry about the snake you can't see". All 3 of them claim to support the general good but in reality have very selfish motives; Julius wanting a better lifestyle on the backs of others, Dane Vogel wanting to climb the corporate ladder of at the expense of everyone, and Cyrus wanting full martial control and the ability to suppress freedom by exploiting the fear in people.
  • The scene where Temple is seen executing a zombie, is a reference to a famous photo by Pultizer Prize-winning photographer Eddie Adams of South Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong prisoner.
  • A player has uploaded a Cyrus Protagonist to the Community Gallery.Broken {{ref}} (blank parameter)
  • Cyrus intial speech on the Thermoplyyae can be seen to parody real life attitudes where those from wealthy backgrounds like Jessica Parish are seen as innocents gone astray, while those from poorer backgrounds like Maero and The Protagonists are seen to be the cause of all societies woes, in which although they hardly help, they are not in reality the intial cause of trouble in society
  • The character's name probably comes from the Persian (Iranian) king Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon and freed the Israelites and gave them money to rebuild The Great Temple in Jerusalem

Quotes

Unknown Journalist: "How long will STAG be occupying Steelport?"
Cyrus: "There is no "occupation". We have the full support of Mayor Reynolds."
— Cyrus Temple, during his press conference at the end of "Gang Bang".


Jane Valderamma: "How will STAG impact our daily lives?"
Cyrus: "When we win the war on urban terror, you and your families will be safe again."
— Cyrus Temple during his press conference at the end of "Gang Bang".


The Protagonist: "I want STAG out of my city."
Cyrus: "Not gonna happen. STAG's mission is to eradicate the gangs in Steelport."
— Cyrus and The Protagonist in "STAG Party".


Kia: "Sir, the commandos are en route. We'll have the whole city locked down in 72 hours."
Cyrus: "Outstanding. Thank you Kia."
Kia: "Permission to speak freely?"
Kia: "It's about damn time we took off the kid gloves."
Cyrus: "Two little words, Kia. Shock and awe."
— Cyrus and Kia, at the end of "My Name is Cyrus Temple".


Monica Hughes: "Commander what the hell are you doing?!"
Cyrus: "There have been some... complications, Senator."
Monica Hughes: "Complications?! Don't talk to me about complications--I want results!"
Cyrus: "You want results? Then authorize the use of the Daedalus!"
Monica Hughes: "Even if Congress got onboard, Homeland Security would never allow it! This is out of control. I am coming to Steelport!"
Cyrus: "Zombies and Monica Hughes--? Shit."
— At the end of "Zombie Attack".
They can give you the key to the goddamn city, but soon as you screw up, we'll be back. And next time, STAG is gonna put you down.
— Cyrus to The Protagonist before the mission "Gangstas In Space".

I've been a soldier longer than you've been alive. You can't defeat me.
— Cyrus to The Protagonist during "STAG Film".

Gallery

References

  1. Broken {{ref}} (missing or broken label)
  2. Broken {{ref}} (missing or broken label)
  3. Cyrus shirley Temple, post #5 - Official Saints Row website
  4. Saints Row: The Third | Become a Saint With Your XBL GamerPic!, retrieved 2nd August 2011
  5. Opposition Pic Pack - Xbox Marketplace, retrieved 2nd August 2011
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