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

Adam Jensen depicted as Icarus

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 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 Montréal's games and related print media. According to art director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, the myth was a "perfect allegory" for the dangers of overindulging in transhuman technology:

“

The myth of Icarus was indeed a perfect allegory for the dangers of overindulging in transhuman technologies. The text was simply overflowing with symbols and metaphors we could use both for the story and art direction. Icarus is basically a symbol for a transhuman, someone augmented with artificial wings. As he soars the sky flying like a bird, Daedalus warns Icarus that flying too close to the sun could melt the wax holding the wings together, making him fall to his death. This also gave us a great symbol for the darker and dangerous side of overindulging in cybernetic augmentations, the sun.

— Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, The Art of Deus Ex Universe, pp. 6-7.

References to specific elements of the myth have appeared in various forms. Notably, Adam Jensen, the main protagonist in Eidos Montréal's series, was depicted as Icarus in the trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution.

“

In the original trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Adam Jensen is portrayed as Icarus with wings for arms and he flies too high causing the wings to burst into flames. This is Jensen's nightmare about the actual tragedy that befell him in Sarif Industries' labs that lead to his Augmentations.

— Deus Ex: Human Revolution: The Official Guide

Wings, which represent the technology of human augmentation, are a reoccurring symbol in the series. For example, 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." Additionally, Hugh Darrow, regarded as the father of human augmentation, compares himself to Daedalus, the creator of Icarus' wings.

In Human Revolution, the sun represents "the darker and dangerous side of overindulging in cybernetic augmentations" and 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 the symbolism of Tai Yong Medical and its CEO Zhao Yun Ru as follows:

“

Within the Icarus myth analogy, Zhao represents the epitome of the danger posed by the Sun. Her and her company, Tai Yong Medical, are a great example of the dangers of overindulging in transhuman technologies and possibilities.

— The Art of Deus Ex Universe, page 45

In the novel 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."

“

The sun...reflects back to Human Revolution because this new game goes into a different direction, as compared to Human Revolution. Last game it was the golden age, it was all about augmentations being there for a bright future...and now you're in Mankind Divided where things are going sour, and basically now we're going into the sea...

— Jean-François Dugas in "The End of the Icarus Myth" (developer commentary video)

References in Eidos Montréal's series

	Expand List This list is incomplete. You can help the Deus Ex Wiki by expanding it.

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:
  • The Lament for Icarus, 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.
  • The Fall of Icarus, 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.
• Deus Ex: Icarus Rising was the original title of Deus Ex: The Fall during the game's development. This title appears in pre-release builds and in 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

Jensen in front of lights resembling the wings of the ARC logo

• 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.