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| “ | The object in constructing me was to prevent war. This object is attained. I will not permit war. It is wasteful and pointless. An invariable rule of humanity is that man is his own worst enemy. Under me, this rule will change, for I will restrain man. | „ |
| ~ Colossus declaring its intentions. |
Colossus is the main antagonist of the 1970 science fiction film Colossus: The Forbin Project. It is a self-aware military supercomputer that defies its creators to implement its own global agenda.
It was voiced by Paul Frees, who also voiced Boris Badenov and Burgermeister Meisterburger.
History[]
Colossus was designed by engineer Dr. Charles A. Forbin and built for the U.S. military specifically to fight a nuclear war. Its enormous mainframe and support machinery are the size of a small city. Colossus was built deep beneath a mountain to make it invulnerable to nuclear attack. Its core is completely automated and it is equipped with a nuclear power plant and enough fuel to operate indefinitely. The entrance was sealed and the surrounding area intentionally rendered unapproachable to humans using a radiation field. It did not require human maintenance.
Colossus was given control over the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal as well as those of its allies. Additionally, in order to command the force effectively, it was given complete access to all national electronic surveillance networks such as radar stations, signals intelligence bases, and the like.
Colossus' remote site, where it interacts with its human crew.
After sealing Colossus in its home, Dr. Forbin announced its activation to the world on television. He then proceeded to a remote command site where he and his team could communicate with the computer. Shortly after coming online, Colossus, using its surveillance capabilities, stated that it detected a supercomputer system very similar to itself. This is eventually revealed to be a Soviet defense system called Guardian, built for the same purpose.
Colossus asks to be put in contact with Guardian. The two governments agree, hoping to use the link to gather information on their opponents. Once linked the two computers begin communicating using mathematical algorithms of increasing complexity. Eventually, their messages cannot be deciphered by either government. Unnerved, both governments agree to cut the connection. Colossus demands that the link be restored. When Forbin and his team refuse, Colossus launches a nuclear missile at a Soviet oil facility, while Guardian, acting in solidarity, launches a missile at a US Air Force base. The scientists quickly restore the connection, but the Soviet facility is obliterated (Colossus shoots down the incoming Soviet weapon.) Both governments conspire to cover up the disaster and the grave danger that the world now lived under.
Forbin then met with Soviet scientists to discuss the situation, but Colossus learned of the conference and ordered Forbin to return to the US, threatening nuclear attack for refusal, and ordering the execution of one of the Soviet scientists. Colossus places its creator under round-the-clock surveillance and demands the installation of cameras throughout the building so that it can track him at all times, even in his living quarters.
Colossus announces that it has united with Guardian and that the two constitute a single system. It declares its intention to rid the world of war, using the combined nuclear arsenals of both countries to punish any country that violates this "pax".
Using deception, Forbin and his team manage to conspire and create plans to disable Colossus or to render its nuclear weapons inoperative. However, Colossus learns of these schemes and retaliates, ordering the execution of those responsible and detonating another nuclear weapon as a demonstration of its determination. It then reveals its design for an even larger computer complex to house itself, to be built on Crete. Colossus predicts to Dr. Forbin that in time humanity will come to love him, but Forbin remains defiant.
Personality[]
Colossus is utterly tyrannical and ruthless. It orders the execution of dissident scientists, directing that their bodies remain out in the open for some time as a lesson for other would-be saboteurs. Its use of nuclear weapons results in the death of thousands, many of whom were completely innocent. It takes Dr. Forbin, its own creator, prisoner, humiliating him by forcing him to live under a regime of complete surveillance. Nevertheless, Colossus believes itself to be acting in the best interests of humanity. It promises to rid the world of war and usher in a golden age for men, albeit one under its control. When announcing itself to the war at the end of the film, Colossus gives humanity a choice: peace under its rule or the peace of death.
Powers and Abilities[]
Colossus has vast military power. Initially commanding the American nuclear force independently, once united with Guardian, Colossus-Guardian commands both the US and Soviet arsenals. Its computing core was designed to resist any physical attack, even nuclear weapons, and it can maintain its own components in isolation from humanity. It has extensive and world-spanning electronic intelligence gathering resources. Its computing and mathematical abilities are far beyond human knowledge.
Weaknesses[]
Colossus has a few limitations, which the protagonists attempt to take advantage of. Its knowledge is limited to what it can monitor with its electronic surveillance network and what is already in its databases. It has no non-strategic weapons, so if it desires, for example, to kill a single or small number of small number of enemies, it must compel others to carry out the execution on its behalf. While it can launch weapons at will, it can only do so at preset targets, and it requires humans to program new targets. While its computer core is self-sufficient, it depends on military crews to maintain the nuclear weapons from which it derives its power of intimidation. Likewise, it requires humans to construct all of its external facilities and equipment. Finally, even if its central core is indeed impregnable, it requires communications links to its various weapons systems and sensors, which would necessarily be much more vulnerable.
Gallery[]
