References to the Daedalus and Icarus myth in the Deus Ex series

The Deus Ex series includes a number of references to the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. In the myth, Icarus and his father Daedalus were imprisoned on an island. They were trapped until Daedalus created wings of feather and wax for both to escape with. Icarus died when he disobeyed his father and flew too close to the sun, melting the wax that held his wings together and causing him to plummet into the sea and drown.

Elements of this myth, including the characters Icarus and Daedalus, as well as the wings and the sun, have been referenced in the series in various ways.

Overview
In the original Deus Ex by Ion Storm, Daedalus and Icarus are the names of artificial intelligence entities. Daedalus, the older AI, is an ally to JC Denton, while Icarus, a newer AI, serves as an antagonist. The two AIs merge to form Helios. In ancient Greek mythology, Helios is the god and personification of the Sun. When Bob Page informs JC of his intention to integrate with Helios, Page remarks that he will "burn like the brightest star."

The Daedalus and Icarus myth is referenced extensively in Eidos Montreal's games and related print media (including the novel Deus Ex: Icarus Effect). The trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution depicts protagonist Adam Jensen as Icarus.

Wings have been used to symbolize the technology of human augmentation. Similar to Icarus' wings, human augmentation is a form of technology for improving humans. The logo of Sarif Industries, the augmentations manufacturer that produced Jensen's augmentations, is a seraph's wing. The name "Sarif" was selected due to its similarity to the word "Seraphim." Hugh Darrow, regarded as the father of human augmentation, compares himself to Daedalus, the creator of Icarus' wings.

The sun has been used to symbolize the dangers of augmentation technology. The sun is referenced by Tai Yong Medical, an antagonistic organization whose name "Tai Yong" is derived from a Chinese word (太阳, tàiyáng) that means "the sun." Executive art director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête explained that Tai Yong Medical and its CEO Zhao Yun Ru represent the dangers of overindulging in human augmentation technology:

In Deus Ex: Icarus Effect, the metaphor of flying "too close to the sun" is used to describe the notion that due to human augmentation, human society may be advancing at pace that is too rapid. The story of Human Revolution extends the notion that human augmentation may have unexpected consequences. At the end of Human Revolution, the Aug Incident, which was made possible by widespread adoption of human augmentation, results in a great deal of destruction.

The sun has also been associated with the golden age of augmentation in general. In Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the opening scene in Dubai shows Jensen diving downward from the sky with the sun and sea in the background. According to developer commentary, this scene was intended to symbolize the end of the golden age of augmentation, and the beginning of a new chapter in which mankind has suffered from human augmentation, resulting in public backlash against the technology. The commentary video, titled "The End of the Icarus Myth," also mentions that Dubai was intended to depict a wealthy city that suffered for embracing augmentation too eagerly; in other words, "reaching for the sun too soon."

Icarus

 * Adam Jensen is depicted as Icarus in the cinematic trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution. During the trailer, Jensen flies to the sun using Icarus' wings, which burst into flames, causing Jensen to fall.
 * In Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the cinematic that plays after the Dubai mission includes a scene from the above trailer in which Jensen is falling, and continues the scene by showing Jensen actually hitting the water.
 * Jensen's augmentations:
 * The Icarus Landing System, an augmentation first introduced in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, allow the user to drop from heights without taking damage.
 * The Icarus Dash augmentation in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
 * "Icarus - Main Theme" is the main theme of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and the first track in the Deus Ex: Human Revolution Soundtrack.
 * Bob Page has an Icarus statue in his office in Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
 * Jensen's crash landing of the LEO shuttle into the ocean near Panchaea is an allusion to Icarus' eventual fall into the sea. In the cinematic trailer for Human Revolution, the footage of Jensen's shuttle flight alternates with the Icarus flight imagery.
 * Hyron drones in Deus Ex: Human Revolution are positioned in an Icarus pose with reactor apparatuses that mimick both the sun and melting wax wings. Also, Hyron drone suits have the "Ἴκαρος" label ("Icarus" in Greek) above a small checkered pattern in the upper right part.
 * Several real-life Icarus paintings can be seen in Deus Ex: Human Revolution:
 * , a 1898 painting by Herbert James Draper, can be seen at the Sarif Manufacturing Plant, in the meeting room between assembly lines 1 and 2.
 * , a 1635-37 painting by Jacob Peter Gouwy based on the design by Peter Paul Rubens, can be seen in Brian Tindall's apartment in Detroit (West Downtown Apartments, 1st floor). According to Deus Ex: Human Revolution: The Official Guide, this painting can also be seen in several other places throughout the game.
 * The name of the novel Deus Ex: Icarus Effect refers to the "Icarus Effect," a (fictional) sociological theory that explains the fate of members of a society whose abilities greatly exceed the average. According to the theory, such individuals are perceived to be a threat to the society's stability, like Icarus who dared to use technology to allow him to "fly too close to the sun." Thus, these renegades are eliminated by society to the effect that stability is maintained.
 * Janus describes the story of the Icarus myth when explaining the Icarus Effect to Anna Kelso. Janus remarks, "Like brave but foolhardy Icarus, those who dare to go beyond the boundaries will fall to their deaths.”
 * According to Janus, "a society that can augment itself at will" is comparable to Icarus in the eyes of the Illuminati.
 * In Deus Ex: Icarus Effect, "M V Icarus" is the name of a yacht that plays a role in the story. At the end of the story, the boat is destroyed in a fire, upon which Lucius DeBeers remarks, “Yes, such a pity about the Icarus.”
 * The title of Deus Ex: The Fall is potentially a reference to Icarus' fall. The title screen is shown at the end of the prologue, which features a cutscene in which Ben Saxon jumps into the ocean with the sun in the background.
 * An early title of Deus Ex: The Fall might have been Deus Ex: Icarus Rising. This title appears on unused loading screens in the game files.

Daedalus

 * In Deus Ex: Icarus Effect, Janus compares the Illuminati to Daedalus: "If we are Icarus, they think of themselves as Daedalus, his father. The guiding hand of the parent. The creator and mentor."
 * Anna Kelso replies, "I studied Greek mythology in college, and I remember that Daedalus was an arrogant bastard. The man built a maze of death, and killed his nephew when he thought he might be smarter than him."
 * Hugh Darrow, a member of the Illuminati, compares himself to Daedalus: "Actually, Mr. Jensen, I prefer to think of myself as Daedalus, watching helplessly as his child crashes into the sea..." (conversation with Jensen in Deus Ex: Human Revolution).
 * Deus Ex: Black Light describes Hugh Darrow as "a Daedalus intent on tearing away his wings."

Wings

 * The logo of Sarif Industries is a seraph's wing, as stated in Deus Ex: Black Light, which contains the description: "...the familiar stylized seraph's wing logo of Sarif Industries."
 * David Sarif's surname was selected due to similarity with the word "Seraphim."
 * Outside of the Sarif Industries Headquarters, there is a statue of an outstretched wing.
 * The book "Building Wings: A Better Tomorrow" by David Sarif outlines his visions for human augmentation. In the book, Sarif writes, "We can build wings if we wish to, and leave the cradle behind. The only limitations to where our flight will take us are our will and our intellect."
 * The logo of the Augmented Rights Coalition, another organization associated with human augmentation, is a pair of wings.
 * In Golem City, there is a lighting fixture that resembles ARC's winged logo. This lighting fixture is also known as the "Angel Wings."
 * In the trailer for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Jensen is seen standing in front of the lighting fixture. This shot was also used as a promotional image for Mankind Divided. A similar setup is depicted on the cover of Deus Ex Universe: The Dawning Darkness.
 * The ARC poster "rise up!" shows a man equipped with wings. A graffiti version of the poster can also be found in one of the storage units of the Zeleň Apartments.
 * In Deus Ex: Black Light, the effect of Jensen's Typhoon augmentation is described with reference to Icarus' wings: "Flaming arcs of concussive fire spread like Icarus’s burning wings and ripped apart the interior of the train car."

The Sun

 * The name "Tai Yong" of Tai Yong Medical is derived from a Chinese word (太阳, tàiyáng) that means "the sun."
 * Zhao Yun Ru's penthouse at the top of the Tai Yong Medical Headquarters is depicted with bright windows to give an impression of being inside the sun. According to developer commentary in the Director's Cut edition, "the room is in the sun, it's literally burning like Icarus."
 * In Deus Ex: Icarus Effect, Janus remarks, "They have a long, long reach. World wars, disasters, famine, assassinations, cover-ups … all have been set in motion to deliberately retard the advancement of society when it threatened to go too far beyond the borders they created. We can’t be allowed to fly too close to the sun, do you see?”
 * The sun is featured in the opening of the Dubai mission in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Accordingly to developer commentary, Jensen's descent from the sky, with the sun and sea in the background, reflect the end of the golden age of augmentation that was depicted in Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
 * Talos Rucker's name "Talos" (Τάλως) means "the sun" in Cretan Greek.
 * The "Cyber Renaissance Statue" prop on Talos Rucker's desk depicts the sun being held by a winged figure. The statue was designed to serve as a link to Human Revolution 's Cyber-Renaissance era.