J. Griffiths

J. Griffiths
Biographical Information
Rank(s)/Title(s)/Occupation(s)	Captain
Other Nick/Names/Aliases/Callsigns	Stardust Stardust 1
Date/Place of Birth	Unknown
Nationality/ies	Cascadian
Relative(s)	Unknown
Affiliation(s)	Cascadia Cascadian National Guard Cascadian Air Force Stardust Cascadian Independence Force Independence Force HQ
Equipment	MG-29 † Truck
Physical Description
Gender	Masculine
Height	Unknown
Weight	Unknown
Hair Color	Unknown
Eye Color	Unknown
Skin Type	Unknown
Blood Type	Unknown
Actor(s)
Voice	Nathan Suhara
Appearances
Project Wingman

"To be truthful, I don’t agree with your way of life, but you’ve come to Cascadia to aid us, and for that, I can’t complain. We’ll pay you what you’re due as long as you give us your best."

― Griffiths on his mercenaries

Captain J. Griffiths, callsign Stardust, was a Cascadian Independence Force and Air Force National Guard pilot. He was the Independence Force HQ liaison assigned to be their mercenary handler during the Cascadian Conflict. Along with other pro-war National Guard elements, he supported taking up arms against the Pacific Federation for independence, and is viewed accordingly by some.

He was the contact Sicario first met following their unauthorized entry into the country. He fought in many operations during the duration of the war, also leading a three-plane squadron named after his callsign. He was the man behind the creation of the Deal, striking it with Sicario's last remaining members in the wake of the Cascadian Calamity Event.

He was shot down by Crimson 1 along with every active air unit except for Monarch in the Presidian Disaster following its liberation and his final fate is unknown.

History

Pre-Cascadian Conflict

Little is known of J. Griffiths' early history. He served in the Oceanian War and had contact with the future members of Sicario's Hitman Team at one point before AC 422 and knew Evelyn London during her service with the Cascadian Air Force up to her dishonorable discharge.

Cascadian Conflict

Griffiths at Rowsdower

An unwanted stint

"Hello, Sicario, I’m Captain Griffiths, otherwise known as Stardust. From now on, I’ll be your point of contact with the Cascadian Independence Force."

― Griffiths' introduction

When the Federation began expanding and conquering more territory in the years leading to AC 432, Griffiths was in support of independence to stop the Federation from perpetuating its wars by using Cascadia's resources for them. When war broke out, he was assigned by Independence Force HQ as the liaison to the mercenaries they hired to bolster their forces, much to his chagrin.

On February 2, he issued a challenge codeword to Sicario's leader, Arnold Frenken, for proper entry into the CIF, to which he answered with the right countersign. They then landed at a temporary airfield for a briefing on the ongoing civil war as well as a recapture of Rowsdower Air Force Base for use by mercenaries. Upon seeing Sicario's stellar performance in the operation, he quipped about it before reminding them all to make their hiring worthwhile.

Griffiths at Presidia

Griffiths later sent out Hitman Team to the Salvemini Vineyards to rescue the Wild Boar Regiment from a Federation siege, and as the war situation worsened for the CIF due to incoming Federation reinforcements, changed his mind on mercenaries, especially with how he sent them to assist the evacuation of Presidia when it fell to the Federation. He participated in the battle himself like at Rowsdower and, during that time, advised Morgan Elizabeth to retreat while they had air superiority.

The General and Wild Boar leader stated they were busy sabotaging roads and waterways linked to the capital and that the operation was proceeding smoothly, telling him to focus on his own objectives; this conversation would be employed against him by one of his fellow officers much later.

A changed perspective

"You know I don't like admitting this, but mercenary pilots in this world are among some of the best. They get more air time, more time on target, than any of us national pilots outside of the Periphery. In truth, you get the glamor we all thought fighter pilots were supposed to have when signing up for the Academy. That, and you're making five times what I make in a year."

― Griffiths to Monarch

Griffiths and IF command formed a plan to stall the Federation advance and presided the briefing for Operation Flash Hazard, the beginning of a series of raids on Federation-controlled resource facilities in-country. He commended Hitman for not only dealing the most damage in the attacks, but also attracting the Federation Peacekeepers' attention through Crimson Team, and hoped they did not waste the time bought by the raids.

In preparation for Operation Blackout, Griffiths personally selected Monarch, Hitman's leader, for a raid on Wensleydale Range, which contains the Chaohord Defense Region. He reasoned, to his disdain, that pilots like him are far more effective and experienced and therefore more suited than most others. Following the successful raid, Griffiths took part in the Bering Strait furball with his entire squadron, and told Sicario and others that he's heading up already while they had their briefing. He complained to them later about being late, and watching them rack up kills casually, asked Frenken if the war was a glory game to him.

Griffiths thanked them, especially Hitman Team and Monarch, for winning the furball by defeating Crimson Team afterwards. Later on, he returned to HQ and supervised mercenaries who dared to cross into Magadane territory just to hunt down the routed Federation forces, calling them off when they took too many losses and strayed far enough on threat of suspending their payments. General Faust, however, made the argument of invading the country to take advantage of the Federation's weakened state while buying more space and time for the mainland conflicts and going down in history as the first to invade them. Coupled with the many volunteers willing to participate in such an ambitious operation, Griffiths replied HQ would ponder her words; eventually, they gave the go-ahead but amended it with a time limit due to the military risks involved.

The Captain also participated in the CIF Offensive Campaign and briefed Hitman Team on Phase 3 of the offensive, which is retaking Grimwood Forest, before returning to the frontlines.

Striking the Deal

"For all Cascadia knows, you can just take this and run away with it, never to return. But we put our trust in you to come back with the cavalry. If not, well, I guess you'll just be the lowlife mercenary who turned away when history needed him most."

― Griffiths to Frenken on the Deal

Griffiths was in the process of concocting the Deal sometime in the war's midpoint. When he called out Faust for her belated withdrawal from Magadan in the wake of her failed invasion and insisted on her support of the mainland efforts, the senior officer claimed that the nature of their fight had changed and retorted he "[knew] nothing" about his Deal, which meant she would be taking the war to the Federation itself; independence alone would not be sufficient to safeguard their nation's future to her, nor would what he was doing. Faust announced her need for volunteer forces to join her mission, and against Griffiths' protests that they would be left in Federation territory for deserting Cascadia, a considerable amount took up her request.

Griffiths survived the Cascadian Calamity Event and radioed Sicario's survivors upon returning to Rowsdower about their contract. However, after suffering so many losses, they were reluctant and even outright hostile in Dominic Zaitsev's case, the AWACS threatening to tag him as a hostile to Hitman Team, whose identities were leaked prior after returning from Prospero. Griffiths pleaded for them to listen to him firsthand and "stick around for five minutes." Upon landing with Hitman, he addressed their concerns about wanting to leave, bringing up the first time they did and addressing Eve by her old rank.

He told Frenken that they needed their help now more than ever (even with their severely depleted strength) and then showed them briefcases containing the Deal, which he claimed would be enough for Frenken to rebuild Sicario from the ashes, along with the conditional orders required to legitimately earn it. He also said Frenken could run away with the Deal and leave Cascadia to its fate. Eve, however, was apathetic; she didn't trust Griffiths' offer of their country protecting them, and she felt her fate was inevitable. Her fellow wingman, Peter Kennedy, told her to rethink her decision and consider the alternative. They were then stunned by their part of the Deal, and Griffiths stated they can get their lives back by erasing the last 20 years of their lives and giving them the choice to start anew or continue being mercenaries. They eventually accepted it and, after some brainstorming, decided to relocate to Highway 34; Rowsdower, by then, was about to be consumed by the nearby geothermal hotspots.

Ending the war

"The time is nearly upon us. Presidia is on the horizon, and the Federation is cornered like a rat in Cascadia. This is their final beast, and they are desperately trying to keep it fed."

―

Griffiths in the liberation of Presidia

Griffiths issued an order for Hitman Team to return to Prospero. Riding on one of the supply trucks, he watched Hitman engage Crimson Team for the final time and shoot them all down, the Captain lamenting Crimson 1, the last one shot down, wasting his talents for a lost cause. Dominic confirmed no more contacts in the area and cleared him and his convoy to move into Prospero and recover lost equipment by cargo jets and helicopters, also finding other forces to supplant Hitman's task. Following the completion of Operation Welder, the last major naval engagement of the war, the Captain stated the blockade would be maintained for at least a month to starve the Federation defenders at Presidia.

However, circumstances beyond his control would force them to begin the recapture 11 days later, and Griffiths would fly in the final battle. Once the ceasefire was issued, he along with Independence Force HQ ordered all units to stand down; Cascadia was now back in their hands. However, a revenge-driven Crimson 1, in his PW-Mk.I, interrupted and broke the ceasefire at the last moment by bombing Presidia with cordium warheads and shooting down all air units in the area except for Monarch.

Griffiths shot down

The CIF Captain tried to radio Crimson 1 to cease his attacks, knowing his lack of knowledge of the ceasefire, but was shot down along with the rest. Whether he survived the detonations or was vaporized is unknown.

Personality and relationships

"General Elizabeth, pull aggressively while we still have the air superiority."
"We’re using this time to sabotage roads and waterways out of the city, evacuation operations are going well, you do your job, flyboy, I’ll do mine."
"Just a recommendation, General."

― Griffiths speaking above his standing

Griffiths was fundamentally in conflict with the mercenary way of life, especially their constant pursuit of glory, and only agreed to his role for practicality. However, as the war continued, his mindset changed, and he confessed that they fly better and earn bigger than regulars like him, even resolving his conflict with their nature after seeing the Bering Strait victory. This extended to his desire for the mercenaries to be the main fighting element of the rebellion, demanding Sicario stay even after their losses, and regretting being unable to lend support to Hitman Team in their decisive battle with Crimson Team. Some resentment of him emanated from the mercenaries, however, for assigning their best pilots in places less appropriate than they believed.

Given his advocacy for open conflict, he was thoroughly patriotic and sought complete independence and victory against the Federation, emphasizing it throughout his leadership in the war. He was also, however, restrained in terms of expanding the frontlines, knowing their strength remained limited behind all their advantages. Despite being multiple ranks down his counterparts in HQ, he was staunch on speaking his mind and standing his ground in the face of officers more senior than him.

Gallery

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  2017 developer concept art (non-canon)

Etymology

"Griffiths" comes from the Old Welsh for "fierce lord."

Quotes

Main article: J. Griffiths/Quotes