Armored Core: Joshua O'Brien and White Glint

Joshua O'brien is another formidable NEXT pilot who was part of the Aspina colony; as Anatolia's Raven fought to protect the colony of Anatolia and their way of life from the lecehrous corporations, O'brien fought for Aspina, and was motivated by the people he protected; as a matter of fact, they often fought on operations together, carrying out missions for their clients to protect their homes from the environmental and moral decadence that befalls those touched by the corporations. The main character and O'brien thus share a sort of muted companionship and respect for eachother, and it is within the context of that that makes the climax of the game that much more melancholy.

 Joshua is persuaded (coerced, likely) into piloting a prototype NEXT by the company Omer Science, the one he normally carried out missions for and that had close ties with his colony. He is then presented with an ultimatum: Go to Anatolia and slaughter the masses, likely having to face and kill Anatolia's Raven in the process, or his own colony, Aspina, will be annihilated by the corporation. This fuels the final confrontation, a struggle between good friends turned enemies by no more than circumstance, fighting for both what they believe in and who they are and yet, locked in a bitter deadlock against themselves and eachother for the unecessary suffering the corporations put them through. Upon arrival at Anatolia, Joshua says only this: “Hey. I guess there's little need for words...” After a frenzied battle, the prototype 00-ARETHA is defeated, Joshua along with it; “So...this is the end. (coughs) This is for the best.” Joshua is ultimately slain by the explosion of the NEXT's reactor.

 Anatolia's Raven stands beside him; he won, but at what cost? The battle left Anatolia a blazing ruin of what it once was; radioactive fallout from the reactors of their machines has decimated and marred the environment to a horrifying degree, and ultimately both Anatolia and Aspina have become victimized by the inherent greed of the corporations, by the unending conflict between the common man and the delusional visions of grandeur and orderly society held by the corporations, by the Earth that once was now lost as nature itself has been dealt a fatal blow. For as a result of the confrontation, Anatolia is scarred by the battle, though alive, and Aspina loses it's champion.

 Anatolia's Raven leaves as a result, scarred by the experience, but he does adopt Joshua's AC, White Glint, to honor his memory and continue fighting for what they believed in, for people who deserved to pilot their own lives without being subjugated by corporate entities and people far removed from their plight. “To Seed a Barren Earth,” so the mission is aptly named.