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- "Did I want to be a soldier? Fuck no. I could've been a wrestler. Or a porn star. Or both."
- ―Dwayne Rodriguez[src]
Dwayne Juan Maria Rodriguez, better known simply as Rodriguez, is an officer serving in the Earth Defense Force. He was hand-picked by general Howard Brand to serve as a member of the Alien Artifact Acquisition team. He is introduced as a minor character in Serious Sam 3: BFE, but plays a larger supporting role in Serious Sam 4.
Rodriguez is absent from Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem, but e can still be selected as a player model.
Biography[]
Rodriguez was born in the Laredo Unified Metropolitan Area in Laredo, a city in Texas near the Mexican border. In his later life, he became a truck driver and amateur wrestler. He then came to the attention of the Earth Defense Force after displaying outstanding bravery in the Siege of Mexico City.[1]
Some of Rodriguez's previous assignments in the EDF included the Callisto CR-0 Extraction Team and the Gernsback Expedition. Some of his most notable engagements include the Siege of Mexico City, the Battle of Beijing, and the Cuyahoga County Clusterfuck, (the latter of which he was the sole survivor of).[1]
At some point while serving in the EDF, Rodriguez met Jones, a quiet yet friendly and motivated individual, with whom the two of them quickly became friends. Eventually, the two of them would be chosen by general Howard Brand to serve as elite soldiers in his personal Alien Artifact Acquisition team.
Appearances[]
Serious Sam 4[]
Rodriguez is one of the high-ranking members of the EDF being escorted into Rome, towards the Vatican Library, as part of a convoy to meet up with Father Mikhail ,an Eastern Orthodox priest who may know the whereabouts of the Holy Grail. As the convoy proceeds into Rome, it comes under attack by Octanian Raiders, destroying several cars in the process. Rodriguez survives the attack, along with Jones and Hellfire, and they meet up at the Piazza della Repubblica.[2]
At the designated extraction point, Rodriguez and Jones meet up with Sam, Kenny and Father Mikhail. Whilst awaiting extraction from Hellfire, Rodriguez and the rest of the team fend off waves of Mental's forces until a giant metal snake suddenly bursts out of the ground.[3]
Rodriguez fighting alongside Jones at the Piazza della Repubblica.
To deal with the threat, Jones suggests lending Hellfire's minigun, but Rodriguez objects. Sam insists that Hellfire won't mind if he takes it. Rodriguez then assists Sam in taking down the metal menace. Once it’s been killed, Hellfire arrives in a city bus with Carter inside. Rodriguez tags along with the crew and they safely make it back to base. In the briefing room, they meet up with General Brand and Quinn. Upon debriefing, the team need to find a way back into Rome without their efforts being hampered by more Octanian Raiders. Carter suggests using the HAARP to force Mount Vesuvius to erupt and ground the Octanian Raider fleet flying over the skies of Italy.[4]
Brand agrees and sends Rodriguez and the team to Pompeii, where they have to set up 8 beacons to activate the satellite's targeting system. While in Pompeii, Rodriguez jokes with Sam, Jones and Hellfire while they set up the beacons. After sometime, Rodriguez begins to show concern for his friend Jones after he starts being "quieter" than usual (since he has been mute for sometime after setting up his first beacon). Rodriguez asks Sam to investigate, which he does so.
A saddened Rodriguez hears about Jones's fate.
Once at the amphitheater, which is where Jones's beacon is giving off a signal, Sam discovers that a Khnum has captured him, and devours him alive.[4] Sam kills the beast and sets up the final beacon. Mount Vevusius erupts as soon as the seismic weapon is fired, prompting Rodriguez and the team to get out of Pompeii as quickly as possible. They all make it into the car in the end, but Rodriguez notices that Jones is missing; Sam tells Rodriguez that Jones didn't make it. Rodriguez is upset by the tragic news, as Jones was one of his best friends. Later on, Rodriguez is ordered by Brand to go with Sam to Rome to find Carter and Father Mikhail, as Quinn has been unable to contact them.[5] The two of them fight through the streets, while Rodriguez laments about Jones, still in shock and disbelief over the loss of his friend. He thought that Jones would go out in a different way, and not while on a mission to save the world.[5]
In the Colosseum, after Sam defeats the Swamp Hive, he is about to make the apropriate one-liner for the situation, when Rodriguez suddenly appears from the catacombs. Sam is annoyed that Rodriguez appeared at the wrong time. He tells Sam that's he found a way into the catacombs. They both enter and are able to find Carter and Father Mikhail. Later, Rodriguez is seen standing outside the Vatican with Daniel and Father Mikhail, where they witness Sam blowing up the Vatican Library.[6]
Rodriguez is shocked from the explosion after Sam blows up the Vatican.
After Sam obtains a book, the item that the team were looking for, Rodriguez and the team board a plane to Carcassonne to join up with Michelle, leader of the Carcassonne cell of the French Resistance.[7] Rodriguez and everyone else are forced to jump out of the plane after it comes under attack by Octanian Raiders. Rodriguez is not seen until much later where he is busy fighing off Mental's forces inside the citadel. After meeting up with Sam again, he asks where Kenny is, only to discover that he was killed. Like with Jones's fate, he is saddened to hear the news.[8]
After tagging along with Sam, Carter and Father Mikhail, Rodriguez and the team eventually meet up with Hellfire. They make their way further into the citadel, where they encounter even heavier resistance from Mental's forces. They manage to kill all the enemies and eventually make it to the church. Suddenly, Lord Achriman appears to confront the team. They begin provoking Achriman and he attacks them. Sam kills him and the team make their way into the church. Once inside, Mikhail performs a ritual which reveals the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail.[9] Just as Sam is about to reach for the 'Grail', Brand appears with his men, their guns drawn at Rodriguez and the others. Rodriguez demands to know what's going on, and Brand reveals his treachery by planning to use the Holy Grail for himself and hoping to use it as a bargaining chip to join Mental's ranks. Sam tries to intervene, but he, Rodriguez and the others are knocked unconscious by a shockwave caused by Brand's new-found powers. Rodriguez, having served no more purpose for the mad General, orders his men to dispose of him, Hellfire and Carter so they can be processed.[9]
Luckily, Rodriguez and his friends are spared from becoming processed, thanks to Hellfire having 'hijacked' and taken over an Octanian Mothership.[10] They join up with Sam at the portal in Tunguska, who is leading the EDF charge towards the portal. Rodriguez assists Sam along with Hellfire as he battles against Ugh-Zan VI. Sam manages to subdue the creature, and is able to finish him off by tossing the False Grail down his throat, which blows up from inside his body and kills him. With the battle now over, Rodriguez and the team capture Brand, who has now reverted back to his human form, and strap him to an ICBM. Rodriguez plants a block of C-4 on Brand's crotch "just in case", and the missile is launched into the portal, killing Brand and destroying the portal for good.[11]
Rodriguez is later seen chilling and drinking some beer with Sam, Hellfire and Carter, as they temporarily relieved of duty after a long and exhausting mission. While they chat, they reminisce about the recent events, and the good people that they lost along the way. Sam proposes a toast to their fallen comrades, while Rodriguez mentions Jones and that he still misses him.[12]
Serious Sam 3: BFE[]
Rodriguez is part of Alpha Team on an UH-60 Black Hawk, as part of a mission to recon with Charlie Team and rescue professor Hermann Stein from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. After the team almost get devoured by a provoked Sandwhale, Rodriguez becomes upset that his team is being sent to protect a museum while Mental was destroying Earth. On the way to the museum, the helicopter gets shot down, but he manages to survive the crash. Soon after the crash, Rodriguez contacts Sam while under enemy fire, and berates him for not wearing his seatbelt; something he had told Sam many times in the past.[13]
Sam receives another call from Rodriguez, but it's actually Jones, though this is cut short by the telltale scream of a Beheaded Kamikaze, and an explosion soon follows and thus terminating the call. Like Jones and the rest of Team Alpha, Rodriguez's corpse can be seen at the helicopter crash site outside of the museum. Given the state of his mutilated body, it can be presumed that he was blown up by Kamikazes.[13]
Rodriguez appears as a ghost in the level "Into the Spider's Nest", in the "spooky hallway" secret, where the player can obtain an XL2 Lasergun. He can be heard repeating his last words to Sam and appears to be berating from beyond the grave.
Relationships[]
Sam Stone[]
Sam is one of Rodriguez's best friends and comrades. Rodriguez has a high amount of respect for him, often referring to him as "boss". He will help his friend out and support him when they are on a mission together. An instance of this was when Rodriguez and Sam went into Rome to rescue Carter and Father Mikhail.
Rodriguez likes to tease Sam from time to time, especially considering his relationship with Hellfire.[4] An example of this was when they both went out on a "date" (actually to retrieve some supplies) while in Carcassonne.
In Serious Sam 3, their relationship seems more neutral compared to before. Rodriguez would make witty remarks with Sam when he told his squad the mission objectives. He also berated Stone after he fell out of the helicopter for neglecting to buckle himself in before taking off.[13]
Thomas Jones[]
- "Can't believe Jones is gone, man. I always figured I'd go first. Of a heart attack while doing blow, or in some dumb way... like a helicopter crash or falling off a horse. Not in battle, obviously, I'm fucking Rodgriuez. But Jones, man... I thought he'd might make it. Go back to being a cook, open up a taqueria or something. Not, not this."
- ―Rodriguez to Sam after losing Jones[src]
Jones was Rodriguez's best friend, and they both deeply cared for each other's well-being. Jones was often paired with Rodriguez in combat, and the two of them together formed an ideal counterweight.[14] When Rodriguez heard about Jones' death, he was deeply saddened and very sentimental upon the loss of his friend. When he went into Rome with Sam while on another mission, he was still in shock and disbelief about how Jones died.[5]
Fiona Starr aka "Hellfire"[]
Hellfire is one of Rodriguez's friends, though he has a habit of messing around with her just like he does with Sam and Jones. An instance of this was when he and the team went to Pompeii to place the tracking beacons, he teased Hellfire one time, asking her if she really had sex with Sam in a helicopter during the Battle of Beijing.[4]
Kenneth Orkanti[]
Rodriguez would tease Kenny a lot more compared to the others, considering he was a rookie and after he attempted a 'one-liner'. He would constantly mock him when he attempted to make a 'one-liner' about losing his shoe after he killed a Gnaar. However, these feelings changed after Sam revealed the news to Rodriguez of Kenny's death. Upon hearing this, Rodriguez was quite upset by the news, stating that he was "just a kid".[8]
Personality[]
- "That's right, you sons of bitches! I fuck Mental! I fuck your whole army! Come at me, you alien pendejos! Ya want Mexican? I got Mexican! Ya want American? I got American! Y'all want a bite of me? Come get your chili con carnage!"
- ―Rodriguez yelling insults at Mental's Horde[src]
Described as a "committed hedonist", Rodriguez is a larger-than-life character full of charisma and energy. As such, he can become unpredictable when off-duty, but he is nonetheless a highly reliable asset in combat.[1] He is also a big fan of one-liners, often throwing insults and making sexual references to Mental's army when fighting them. He is a pleasure-seeker, and enjoys tearing aliens to shreds with his assault rifle whenever a firefight breaks out.
He can be inpatient and somewhat demanding, as shown in Serious Sam 3, when he didn't like the fact that he had to be out on a helicopter on his birthday on his way to a museum during the middle of a war. He complained that he was supposed to snorting cocaine off a stripper's butt instead of going on a mission to "protect a museum".[13]
There have been several controversies surrounding Rodriguez since his enlistment in the EDF, and has been held accountable for several drug-related incidences. One such event that took place was the "Saratoga Industrial Lubricant Incident", which involved Rodriguez using industrial lubricant as lube. As a result, he was reprimanded for "inappropriate use of military resources".[1] Another incident occurred in Amsterdam, which, according to a newspaper excerpt, involved "five soldiers, ten tons of marijuana, and three days of all-out war". This resulted in severe flooding in the Netherlands.[15]
Like Sam, Rodriguez has a lust for women, though his is far much stronger than Sam's.
Abilities[]
- Weapon Proficiency: Rodriguez is skilled with weapons, as seen when he is using his signature assault rifle in combat.
- Combat Skills and Experience: Rodriguez is considered one of the best soldiers that the Earth Defense Force has to offer. He has proven his dedication and commitment to the cause on multiple occasions, despite the numerous allegations and controversies surrounding him. He has also survived numerous armed conflicts and engagements, one of which (the Cuyahoga County Clusterfuck) he emerged as the sole survivor.[1]
- High Intelligence: He is regarded as being very knowledgeable of psychotropic substances. This, however, is what led him to becoming a drug addict.
- Wrestling: Prior to becoming a soldier, Rodriguez chose to partake as a wrestler, although he wasn't very skilled at it.[1]
Appearance[]
Rodriguez is a young man in his early fourties of Hispanic or Latino descent with a stocky build. His appearance varies depending on the game he appears in.
Serious Sam 3: BFE[]
He wore a similar outfit to the one in Serious Sam 4, but instead wore a green flak jacket, long-sleeved desert camo jacket and pants, gloves, and shades to protect him from the Sun's harsh rays. His flak jacket bore the EDF logo.
Serious Sam 4[]
He wears the standard EDF military uniform, a flak jacket, a beret, and black combat boots. He uses the M29 Infantry Assault Rifle as his signature weapon in combat, and is often seen carrying it while on duty.
Behind the scenes[]
- According to unused dialogue in Serious Sam 3: BFE, Jones would inform Sam of Rodriguez's death, stating that he "took one in the chest".
Trivia[]
- He has received more demotions and promotions than any other officer in the EDF (with the exception of Sam), but he has never been discharged.[1]
- He named his machete "Carmelita", after a stripper who used to work in his strip club.
- He can be selected as a player model in the multiplayer settings in all of his appearances. If the player has Serious Sam Fusion installed, they can use Rodriguez in both Serious Sam HD and Serious Sam VR.
- Rodriguez's ghost appears as a secret in the level "Into the Spider's Nest", in a "spooky hallway", where the player can obtain the XL2 Lasergun. When he appears, he reuses his quote from the first level of the game.[16]
- It's been heavily implied that Rodriguez is an exophiliac, which is one who has a sexual attraction to and/or wanting sexual activity with aliens. This is referenced several times by Rodriguez (as well as one time by Carter) throughout Serious Sam 4.
- He is scared of Minor Bio-mechanoids, and was traumatized by a particular incident that involved him and the cyborgs. He states that it's a "long story" that nobody would really understand.[17]
- This may, or may not be, related to his exophilia fetish.
- In the "Sorcerous Samuel" game featured in the level "The Package", Rodriguez is portrayed as a brutish barbarian named "Rodrigor". Rodrigor's attacks and abilities are obvious references to the latter's personality.
- He likes Y tu mamá también, a 2001 Mexican coming-of-age comedy drama road film.[18]
- According to a Mental's Horde poster of him, he is wanted on account of the following crimes:
- Murder
- Terrorism
- Seduction
- Consumption of illegal drugs
- Theological offenses
- Jaywalking
Gallery[]
Artwork[]
Serious Sam 3: BFE[]
Serious Sam 4[]
List of appearances[]
- Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter (non-canonical appearance) (Player mode only) (Needs Serious Sam Fusion installed)
- Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter (non-canonical appearance) (Player mode only) (Needs Serious Sam Fusion installed)
- Serious Sam 3: BFE (First appearance)
- Serious Sam VR: The First Encounter (non-canonical appearance) (Player mode only) (Needs Serious Sam Fusion installed)
- Serious Sam VR: The Second Encounter (non-canonical appearance) (Player mode only) (Needs Serious Sam Fusion installed)
- Serious Sam 3 VR: BFE (non-canonical appearance)
- Serious Sam 4
- Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem (Mentioned and player model only)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 The Art of Serious Sam 4, page 164
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "Death from Above"
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "Death from Below"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Serious Sam 4 level: "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Serious Sam 4 level: "The Die is Cast"
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "Machina Ex Deus"
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "A Breakfast in France"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Serious Sam 4 level: "Anathema Unto God"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Serious Sam 4 (church cutscene)
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "From Earth With Love"
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "From Earth With Love"
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 credits
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Serious Sam 3: BFE level: "Summer in Cairo"
- ↑ The Art of Serious Sam 4, page 166
- ↑ Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem - NETRICSA - Dossiers - Notes - "The PyramiD"
- ↑ "We're in front of the museum. You know, the one where we're supposed to be? Where the hell are you?" Rodriguez to Sam, "Summer in Cairo", Serious Sam 3: BFE
- ↑ Serious Sam 4/Loading screen quotes
- ↑ Serious Sam 4/Loading screen quotes