The Figment is the name of a freelancer/piece of technology.
It appears that the Figment, rather than being a person, is the name of an implant that syncs to a person, allowing them to become "the Figment". It looks like a tiny metal squid with hundreds of hairlike arms tipped with little fibers.[1] It grants the user "advantages" such as improved hearing and sight, even X-Ray vision.
“O my mountain hyacinth, what shepherds trod upon you with clumsy, rustic foot?
Now you are a broken seal: a scarlet stain upon the earth.
Figmentum es Figmentum es Figmentum es
FIGMENTUM ES FIGMENTUM ES FIGMENTUM ES”
Accolades, sister. You have killed Figment. You are Figment. Do not report for duty. My wrath be thine.
Origin[]
Sometime between 720 and 721 PCE, Fitchner au Barca recruited a neurobionics specialist named Agala si Ken as one of his early potential plans for revenge against the Society. Agala created a device known as a psyche to be an AI partner for the brain that would allow the user to link their nervous system with technology while being able to move and operate their physical body concurrently on an unlimited scale.
When Agala realized how easily the invention could be misused and corrupted, she destroyed it. However, Regulus ag Sun attempted to force her to continue her work. This drove her to send six of her early prototypes out into the solar system in protest before taking her own life to ensure that the knowledge of how to create more would die with her.
Hosts[]
Fig[]
The Figment in Iron Gold and Dark Age, often just called Fig, is described as a Brown woman in her mid-thirties, with two moles, a hooked nose, and untidy hair.[2] She also has white tattoos.[3]
Lyria[]
After Fig's death, the Figment syncs with Lyria. While it occasionally works for her, it seems to have been damaged in the crash that killed Fig. The Figment tells her "Figment functionality impaired. Seek repairs at the Womb upon soonest convenience," but can't tell her the location of the Womb due to the geolocation function being unavailable. [4] Pax au Augustus later tells Lyria that he's hacked her medical reports, and knows about the parasite - he has read about it previously in Virginia au Augustus's, his mother's, files. He then sends Lyria to Oculus, a mysterious city.[5]
Involvement[]
Sons of Ares[]
While not appearing in the Sons of Ares comics, the timeline of the comics and the history of the technology revealed in Light Bringer places the creation of the Figment implant somewhere between the end of Sons of Ares, Volume 1 and the middle of Sons of Ares, Volume 2.
Iron Gold[]
In Iron Gold, Fig kidnaps Lyria on Victra au Julii's orders, though her name is not revealed until the sequel. Ephraim ti Horn names The Figment as one of three thieves as talented as him.[6]
Dark Age[]
In Dark Age, as Fig is dying, she tells Lyria that she can feel it unsyncing "just like she said", suggesting that Fig herself received the technology from someone else.[7]
Volga says that Quicksilver put a huge bounty on Fig because she stole something from him.[8]
The Figment tells Lyria it is a "gift from Astarte". It's not clear whether this is Fig or a previous owner of the implant.[9]
Light Bringer[]
Lyria arrives at Tabula Rasa in October 754 PCE, where Matteo explains the origins and functions of the implant.
Matteo explains that repairing the implant could cause Lyria to lose her memories of her family, and offers her the choice to either repair or the implant or have it removed. Deeming the cost too great, Lyria chooses to have the implant removed, and undergoes surgery to have it taken out.[10]
Once she fully recovers from the surgery, Matteo assists her in destroying it.[11]