Maggie Chow

Maggie Chow is a femme fatale ordered by Bob Page to keep the Chinese Triads engaged in a costly and pointless internecine conflict around 2052.

Background
"Maggie Chow first rose to public attention as a star of martial arts movies. As her fortune grew, so did her ambitions, and she turned to the world of business. Her investments were neither safe nor conventional, but they did pay off impressively. For one thing, she became a partner in the Lucky Money Club, Hong Kong's premier night spot... and more. For another, she became one of the directors of the Hong Kong based multinational VersaLife Corporation. It was through VersaLife that she met Bob Page, the world's richest man. Maggie is a true femme fatale. Even her closest allies and partners are never sure where her real loyalty lies. (Except, of course, that she can always be relied upon to look out for Maggie.) The ancients said, "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." If that's true, Maggie Chow is an easy person to get close to."

- description of Maggie Chow to the player

Her popularity stems from her previous work as a Kung fu actress in the popular Hong Kong action cinema industry. Chow is not only a deadly unarmed combatant, but is also extensively trained in the use of weaponry such as the Jian, the Dao, the Ji, and the Qiang. Chow was also in a relationship with the second-in-command of the Red Arrow Triad, Max Chen, from which she bore a daughter named Lin-May Chen. She lives in a luxurious high-rise penthouse located in the affluent Wan Chai District of Hong Kong and is a partner in the Lucky Money Club, Hong Kong's premier night spot.

Chow is an exceptionally greedy and deceptive individual. This greed has been known to play part in the immoral and unethical decisions she has made in the past. After becoming one of the directors of the VersaLife Corporation, Chow came to the attention of Bob Page when he sought to conquer Hong Kong and eventually China through subtle manipulation of the government and domination of its powerful Triad syndicates. As a government official and from her established romantic link to a high-ranking member of the Red Arrow Triad, Chow was a prime candidate for employment within the organization. When she was approached and offered a position within its secretive structure, she hastily agreed, as was expected.

Chow was tasked with weakening the Triads without bringing attention to outside influence. She devised a plan to plunge the Red Arrow into war with its fiercest competitor, The Luminous Path Triad. Although the two factions had maintained an uneasy truce for many years, Chow realized that somehow exploiting the rivalry between the groups could easily ignite a full-scale war. To this end, Chow murdered the leader of the Red Arrow Triad, Yuen Kong, and stole his most prized possession, the Dragon's Tooth Sword, which she then offered to Bob Page as a symbol of her loyalty. Max Chen, second-in-command of the Red Arrow and Maggie's lover, was appointed to the position of "Dragon Head" and immediately assumed control of the Red Arrow. With no reason to suspect his lover's collusion in the recent events, Chen was quick to believe Chow when he was told that her sources had uncovered damning evidence of the Luminous Path having orchestrated the assassination. The Red Arrow then declared war on its rivals, leading to the deaths of many Triad members and hapless civilian onlookers in bombing attacks and street battles. It was not until JC Denton, with the help of Tracer Tong, was able to uncover the truth behind the incident, that a truce was declared between the factions. Her plans ruined, Chow attempted to assassinate JC for his interference in her schemes, but was defeated inside the Universal Constructor facility hidden within the VersaLife building.

Interactions with the player character
Maggie wields a mass-produced version of the "Dragon's Tooth" sword developed by Majestic 12, but a player with his own Dragon's Tooth can eliminate her fairly easily due to faster draw speed and superior movement abilities. She can also be easily taken out from the balcony with a tranquilizer dart or sniper bullet. Killing or sparing Maggie is entirely the player's decision and will not affect gameplay. It should also be noted for continuity that if JC kills or knocks out Maggie Chow in her penthouse, she will not make the later appearance inside the VersaLife building.

Trivia

 * The Maggie Chow figure may be inspired by Asian-American comedic actress Margaret Cho.
 * Her character name and history as an actress (of martial arts films) bears similarities with famous Hong Kong born actress: Maggie Cheung.
 * Maggie has characteristics similar to those of Zhao Yun Ru: both affiliated with secret organizations (Maggie with the MJ12 and Zhao with the Illuminati), both prominent members of a biotech corporation (respectively VersaLife and Tai Young Medical) and both have a strong charisma and leadership ability.
 * It is possible, thanks to the vagaries of the Romanization of Chinese, and different sounds in Mandarin and Cantonese, that "Zhao" became "Chow", i.e. the two are related in some way.

Gallery
Maggie Chow