The monstrous military force born from human experimentation

Cultures · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the Gears of War universe, the Locust are not merely mindless monsters. This organized, subterranean military force emerged from beneath the planet Sera to wage war against humanity, driven by a dark history of genetic experimentation involving human children and the substance Imulsion.

The Locust, introduced in the 2006 video game Gears of War, serve as the primary antagonistic force against the human Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG). Far from being simple beasts, lead designer Cliff Bleszinski compared them to the Uruk-hai from The Lord of the Rings, noting their ability to employ battlefield tactics, manufacture weapons, and maintain an organized military structure known as the Locust Horde.

The origins of this subterranean species are tied to the New Hope Research Facility. In Gears 5, it is revealed that the Locust were developed through COG genetic experimentation on children who had been infected by Imulsion. These experiments aimed to create soldiers, using genetic material derived from the Sires and Queen Myrrah, the leader of the Locust society.

The Locust inhabit the Hollow, a vast subterranean region beneath Sera, with their civilization centered in the underground city of Nexus. Their society is complex, featuring a hierarchy that includes military commanders like General RAAM and Skorge, as well as religious and scientific interests such as the Kantus priesthood and the scientist Ukkon. While Queen Myrrah holds final authority, the leadership is often marked by political maneuvering and strategic disputes.

The franchise has also explored the evolution of these enemies. Following their apparent destruction in Gears of War 3 via the Imulsion Countermeasure, a successor faction known as the Swarm emerged in Gears of War 4. These new creatures evolved from Locust bodies that had become encased in crystalline shells.

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