Organizations in Deus Ex

This article is a list of organizations in Deus Ex 1. For a list of organizations in other Deus Ex games, please see Deus Ex organizations (Invisible War) and Deus Ex Human Revolution.

In the cyberpunk computer game Deus Ex, the player encounters a variety of different kinds of organizations. The following is a listed summary of each of the fictional organizations within the world of the futuristic cyberpunk computer game Deus Ex, which is set in the year 2052.

UNATCO

The player, JC Denton initially works for The United Nations Antiterrorist Coalition Organization (UNATCO), an anti-terrorist organization established to deal with the growing problem of international terrorism. After a terrorist strike on the Statue of Liberty, an executive order is passed, authorizing UNATCO to establish its headquarters on Liberty Island in New York City. UNATCO blame Silhouette for the attack and declare war on them and on The National Secessionist Forces (NSF). Joseph Manderley is appointed UNATCO director by FEMA due to his willingness to be ordered around, but is later assassinated and replaced by Walton Simons.

The player, JC Denton is sent by UNATCO director Joseph Manderley to investigate terrorist activity in New York City. Agent J.C Denton discovers evidence which contradicts UNATCO's motto that they are "WORLD POLICE". Rather he discovers disturbing evidence that UNATCO is actually controlled by world conspirators known only as Majestic 12. JC Denton discovers that UNATCO were the true perpetrator of the Statue of Liberty bombing, which was staged to reduce support for the NSF and its allies.

The player uncovers financial links that bind UNATCO to the director of FEMA, Walton Simons and a key leader of Majestic-12. UNATCO does much of Majestic 12's dirty work, including the dispersal of biological warfare agents against the general population, and military suppression of any peaceful or military resistance to UNATCO member governments.

Agent Paul Denton joined UNATCO in 2040, meaning that UNATCO itself had existed many years before 2052 (the fictional date where Deus Ex takes place). Although the exact date of the genesis of UNATCO is unclear, Paul Denton vowed to join UNATCO in 2035, implying that UNATCO was in existence at this time. Several of the game's characters have worked for the organization for many years, including Joseph Manderley, Sam Carter, Paul Denton, and Gunther Hermann. The game's protagonist JC Denton, who is 23 years old in the game also mentions adolescent dreams of working for the organization.

With the onslaught of the global collapse perpetrated by JC Denton at the end of Deus Ex, UNATCO, along with most other global entities, is portrayed in the game's sequel, Deus Ex: Invisible War, as having effectively ceased to exist. The old Liberty Island UNATCO base makes a cameo appearance at the end of Invisible War as it is used by JC Denton to store the dormant Aquinas protocol, though by the year 2072 when the game is said to take place, the complex is effectively a ruin, and many homeless people live there.

When Deus Ex was released in 2000, Ion Storm created a website (www.unatco.org) for the fictional organization to promote the game. Ion Storm pulled the website shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The motto of UNATCO is from the Sententiae of Publilius Syrus: "Nihil aliud scit necessitas quam vincere", which means, "Necessity knows nothing else but victory."

National Secessionist Forces

The National Secessionist Forces (NSF) are depicted as a terrorist organization near the start of the game, who are focused on restoring civil liberties such as the right for Americans to bear arms. Their resistance to the U.S government makes them dangerous in Majestic 12's sight. Majestic 12 bomb the Statue of Liberty to justify the need to establish a UNATCO headquarters on Liberty Island with the (secret) intent of destroying The NSF to suppress the truth.

The NSF discover that the United Nations and the U.S. government are deliberately restricting the lower class people from accessing Ambrosia, which is the only known temporary remedy for The Gray Death. The NSF learn that UNATCO is actually under the control of Majestic 12. The NSF fear that Majestic 12 will take over the world, so forcefully intercept an Ambrosia shipment and steal the vaccine in an attempt that government employees and the lower class might be given the same chance as the upper class to survive. The NSF planned to load the Ambrosia onto a 747 where it could be shipped to Luminous Path Triad scientist Tracer Tong to be synthesized, making the NSF popular with the lower classes. JC Denton is sent by Joseph Manderley on orders of FEMA director Walton Simons to stop the NSF, but subsequently learns of the truth and allies with the NSF.

He sends an NSF distress signal from NSF's New York headquarters in Hell's Kitchen, allowing other NSF bases and resistance groups in Europe to take necessary counter measures. Several prominent members from the New York Section remain at large, probably waiting to reform the organization in New York; indeed, this is evidenced by the fleeing of NSF commanders Decker Parkes, Erin Todd, and Wayne Young to Europe. During the game, an NSF brigade is conducting operations in Paris under the command of Chad Dumier, leader of Silhouette and the Illuminatus Morgan Everett. Morgan Everett, in conversation with JC, mentions their still-operational HQ as being a few hundred miles north of the X-51 base at Vandenberg. In Paris, JC Denton overhears a man asking his wife to come with him to America as he has been contracted to work with the NSF.

While the United Nations and the U.S. government classified the NSF as a terrorist group, many people saw the NSF as liberators from an increasingly authoritarian U.S. central government. Leon Woods was killed at his infamous last stand in 2045 at Squalnomie Square, but the NSF continued on gaining more and more strength, as well as gaining support from Silhouette (the resistance movement against the French government), the Luminous Path Triad (a mafia group in Hong Kong), and X-51 (a group of former Area 51 scientists). Dissident computer scientists and programmers, said to be based in Seattle and San Francisco, aided the NSF in setting up a highly encrypted communication network, eroding the edge that MJ-12 and UNATCO had due to their control over the Aquinas network and ECHELON. At this point, the United Nations declared war on the NSF. The state of Texas, which unsuccessfully tried to secede in 2032, is described in an email as being in a state of constant warfare between the NSF and UNATCO and the U.S. military.

In an attempt to reduce support for the NSF, UNATCO framed the NSF and their allies for many terrorist acts, including the bombings of the Statue of Liberty, as well as smuggling illegal drugs and immigrants (although the Luminous Path Triad, being a mafia group, is involved in such smuggling activities). When the NSF started running out of troops during their assault in New York City, however, they began to desperately take hostages, allowing them to stall for time and delay UNATCO, despite a policy discouraging hostage-taking.

After the events of Deus Ex, most of the organization seems to be crippled but not destroyed. This is partly due to the actions of the player, whose short tenure with UNATCO saw the capture of several important bases, including the NSF New York headquarters, capture or death of several commanders, including a prominent NSF leader and financial backer, Juan Ivanovich Lebedev, and the failure of a critical operation in New York City.

Rooks

The Rooks are a gang that live in a hidden and abandoned sector of subway in Battery Park, along with civilians unaffiliated to them called the Mole People. They are led by a man named El Rey and hold power that is opposed by few. The only threatening adversary that they have in the subway is a zyme dealer named Rock. Some members of the gang mention that they are considering being hired by the NSF as mercenary contractors. Some may have already taken the offer, as men in the same uniform as Rooks are seen on Liberty Island (called 'mercenary thugs'), and a few are also seen in Hell's Kitchen (called 'NSF thugs').

FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is based loosely on the real world government organization with the same name. FEMA in both the real world and in Deus Ex is an agency of the US Department of Homeland Security that was created by Presidential Order on 1 April 1979. Like in the real world, FEMA is tasked with handling responses to natural and domestic disasters within the United States, arguably making FEMA among one of the most influencing organizations in Deus Ex. In Deus Ex, FEMA is directed by Majestic 12 augmented agent, Walton Simons, who uses his position as FEMA director to take control of The U.S government under the false pretense of "terrorism". For instance, after the Statue of Liberty bombing, FEMA were able to take control of the government and authorize the establishment of the UNATCO Headquarters on Liberty Island.

The transcripts of conversations in Deus Ex reveal that an unnamed Senator is infected with the plague and will be promised Ambrosia to treat the plague, if he appoints Walton Simons the director of FEMA. As a result, Simons is appointed to the position. It is made evident that Majestic 12 were coercing governments and people in powerful positions to obey their wishes should they want Ambrosia for the plague.

FEMA is a tool used by Majestic 12 to implement a New World Order. Throughout Deus Ex, FEMA takes an unusually aggressive stance against terrorism and rioting in cities such as New York.

Majestic 12

Majestic 12 is hinted at and mentioned towards the mid-point of the game. If the player so chooses, Majestic 12 are seen early in the game while the player is rescuing Ford Schick. Otherwise Majestic 12 are encountered later in the game. J.C Denton first learns of Majestic 12 from his own brother, Paul Denton. Later while assisting Paul Denton, JC Denton is captured and held in a secret facility. He soon discovers that this facility is in fact a Majestic 12 facility located beneath UNATCO Headquarters, establishing a definite connection between the two organizations.

Majestic 12 plans to control the world in secret through the production of the "Gray Death nanovirus" and the virus's vaccine, Ambrosia. The organization's public fronts include Page Industries, which controls the global banking system and is run by Bob Page, VersaLife (a division of Page Industries), and UNATCO.

It is later revealed to the player that Majestic 12 are actually The Majestic Council of The Twelve. It was originally under the control of The Illuminati, however, a wealthy and powerful banker Bob Page neutralised the ruling Council of Five and seized Majestic 12 from their control.

Majestic 12 also controls and selectively censiors all global communications using the Aquinas Protocol and other complex information-processing systems. Daedalus was an artificial intelligence originally intended as a pattern-matching AI to assist in finding and processing of information, however, Bob Page wanted to use it as a "weapon" to control electronics. This new use of Daedalus led to unpredictable events. Daedalus using its pattern matching algorithm identified Majestic 12 as a terrorist group along with Silhouette and The NSF. As a result, Daedalus assisted JC Denton escape from the Majestic 12 facility.

Majestic 12 also use sophisticated military technologies or advanced surveillance techniques to monitor and study people's psychological behaviour. These patterns are then used to play mind games on the masses, for example, by creating an illusion of a false enemy i.e. UNATCO vs NSF. In many cases, Majestic 12's enemies are weakened allowing them to gain more power. Majestic 12 also use Men in Black to intimidate or unnerve dissidents and coerce them in to submission, and to deter would-be assassins or spies when serving as bodyguards and security forces.

Majestic 12's main HQ is based in Area 51, but has bases including but not limited to submerged Ocean Labs, concealed bases in UNATCO headquarters, bases in the sewage system beneath New York, and the Versalife Headquarters.

Majestic 12 military personnel bear the insignia 'XII, which is twelve in Roman numerals. Other symbols used include a hand menacing a globe; this is displayed in actual form in Majestic Twelve's facilities, including the restricted labs at VersaLife's Hong Kong building, as a kind of centrepoint. The symbol also appears on MJ-12 computer terminals, in this instance the globe being the azimuthal equidistant projection used by the UN flag, under the shadow of a translucent hand. The symbol can therefore be interpreted in either of two ways; as a display of MJ-12's actual covert control of the UN and associated agencies, such as UNATCO, or as an aspiration to the complete world domination that the group strives towards and very nearly acquires.

Page Industries

Page Industries is a huge multinational corporation owned by antagonist Bob Page. Page Industries owns VersaLife and is involved in robotics manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, construction, computer hardware, software manufacturing, and defense. It is mentioned frequently throughout the game, but appears to be a front for Majestic 12. Page Industries was partially responsible of the augmentation project, involving the creation of Paul and JC Denton. After the events of Deus Ex, the organization probably ceased to exist.

VersaLife

VersaLife is seen in the game as a multinational company owned by Page Industries. The player infiltrates the VersaLife data entry facility, located in Hong Kong on orders of Tracer Tong. There, the player meets the shift supervisor, Richard Hundley, who can be persuaded to give access to the labs. After the player accesses the labs, he discovers that VersaLife in fact specialise in nanotechnology, nanoaugmentations and genetic engineering. The player's character, JC Denton comments that, "They're hiding more than nanotechnology down there" and would later discover that VersaLife themselves is under the control of Majestic 12 and were responsible for (intentionally) creating The Grey Death virus using a universal constructor. The player notices throughout the game that VersaLife also conduct unethical experiments in secret labs which are strictly off limits under the false pretense of "trade secrets". It is revealed that VersaLife also experiment with synthetic creatures, known as transgenics,. Some of these include Greasels, Grays, and Karkians. In addition to these creatures, Bob Page claims that VersaLife created the protagonist, JC Denton, and his brother, Paul Denton. This is later proved by four cloning tubes in Area 51 that are labeled for JC, Paul, a clone of Walton Simons named Wade Walker, and Alex Denton. Alex Denton appears in the sequal to Deus Ex, Deus Ex: The Invisible War.

The Illuminati

The player is directed to Morgan Everett in an attempt to find a cure for The Gray Death. JC Denton learns that Morgan Everett is in fact the leader of The Illuminati. The Illuminati (plural of Latin illuminatus, "enlightened") aim to achieve global domination, so that they can provide a balanced world in which they can rule and control in peace. The Illuminati have been operating in secret for centuries in order to fulfill this goal. Between 1940 and 1965, The Illuminati contained a database of all the genetic codes of all the population. Notable leaders include Morgan Everett, Stanton Dowd, Lucius DeBeers, Chad Dumier, and Nicolette DuClare.

The plan of The Illuminati was to bring the world to a state where it relied on The Illuminati, allowing a centralised government to be created. Therefore, most events in history have been intentionally caused or engineered by The Illuminati. The Illuminati planned to control the world through religion and politics, but it became evident that in the 20th century, such beliefs would be rejected by many. Therefore, The Illuminati planned to control the world through controlling finance and technology. The Bilderberg Group and Majestic 12 were formed in order to achieve this goal.

The Illuminati lost power as a result of Majestic 12 separating from the control of The Illuminati. The Illuminati essentially lost most its power in the 21st century and Page attempted to achieve world control by using The Aquinas Protocol.

Silhouette

Silhouette is the resistance movement against the French government, led by Chad Dumier (who is known to the public as "The Minister of True Lies"). They have discovered that the United Nations and the French government are deliberately restricting poor people from accessing Ambrosia (the vaccine for the Gray Death disease), and are under the control of a secret organization called Majestic 12 that wants absolute control over everything in the world. They are allied with the NSF (the resistance movement against the United States government), the Luminous Path Triad (a mafia group in Hong Kong), and X-51 (a group of former Area 51 scientists). They focus their efforts on subversion of media outlets to attract citizens to their cause. Their motto is "Tandis qu'ils dorment, nous gagnerons" (While they sleep, we will win). The philosophy and approach of Silhouette are similar to the real-life French Situationists. By the game year (2052), Silhouette suffered a leak that led to the exposure of one source of their funding, the wealthy French heiress and banker Beth DuClare. After a brief but torrid scandal, she was assassinated by Majestic 12.

Also during that year, an attack on the Statue of Liberty was the most-cited reason for the establishment of a standing UNATCO force on American soil. Many throughout the world suspected Silhouette, which had several months before released statements on world cultural monuments, among them a claim that the Statue ought not have been given to America. However, it is discovered that UNATCO had perpetrated the bombings to reduce support for Silhouette and its allies.

Through their leader's close relationship with Nicolette DuClare, Silhouette benefit from the financial, social, and intelligence support of the French faction of the Illuminati. Dumier claims that he doubts the Illuminati would continue to assist Silhouette were MJ-12 not a threat, but the younger DuClare sympathizes more with Silhouette. The Illuminati find Silhouette to be useful allies in their struggle with MJ-12.

Knights Templar

The Knights Templars play only a small role in Deus Ex. They are briefly mentioned only in documents as descendants of the medieval order of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. The player does not interact with anyone from The Knights Templars. This is probably due to the fact that they were mostly destroyed by a combined UNATCO/Interpol operation led by Joseph Manderley.

X-51

As described in game, X-51 is a group of scientists, technicians, and ex-United States army soldiers, led by Dr. Gary Savage, who defected from Area 51 in 2051 after learning about the shadowy intentions of Majestic 12, the secret organization led by the game's main antagonist, Bob Page.

When they walked out, they stole “everything smaller than a paper clip” according to X-51 member and scientist Carla Brown, and C-4'ed the large pieces of machinery at Area 51 that would make up the Universal Constructor needed for MJ-12's nefarious plans.

After their defection, they are said to have eluded UNATCO and the United States Army by posing as a research consortium and purchased Vandenberg Air Force Base, which had fallen into disrepair as a result of a catastrophic seismic upheaval mentioned in the game's back-story only as the "SoCal Earthquake". They have had contact with the NSF, the Illuminati, and other resistance movements, however they are not coordinating fully with any organization. Despite this, they are portrayed as well armed and their Vandenberg base as heavily fortified.

They are the only institution excluding MJ-12 who are said to possess a "Universal Constructor", a device with which they hope to find a cure for the plague known as the "Gray Death", a pandemic that has spread across the planet within the game.