History

What do we know about the Gen 1 cyborgs' history? Please list everything we know, I really need this information. Thank you in advanced!

We know Angelica was the first girl converted, probably around four years before the end of the manga. Doctor Belesario was still a professor five years before the end of the manga, so he likely joined between Angelica and Triela and developed the mind-wiping process.

Triela was rescued in Amsterdam six years prior to the events of Volume 10, however that Volume took place a year after the start of the manga. Triela also spent a year being mind-wiped (she was likely the first cyborg to be mind-wiped which could explain the long period) and spent many months in the hospital in Amsterdam. So I'd say she was converted around 3 years before the end of the manga.

Silvia noted she'd been a cyborg for three years and Chiara might have been of similar service life.

Rico started a year before the start of the manga (the anime says two years, but it's non-canonical). Henrietta was chosen at the same time, so she should be of similar service life.

I am guessing Elsa, Beatrice and "Liesel" were converted between two and one year prior to the start of the manga.

I believe Claes was the last girl converted since Rico was present when Raballo was recruited.

Huh. I was under the impression that Belesario came around before Angelica, as she had her mind wiped. And also, I believed Triela was around for about 7 years prior to volume 10 (The teddy bears). You may be right; I read a bad scanlation of the series. Any more specific details about pasts, more specifically origins? I know Triela was Tunisian and Henrietta was Italian, and I know Petroushka was Russian... any others? And more fine point details? I, like the Aerosmith song, don't want to miss a thing.

EDIT: Though, looking around the forum, you seem to be a very well informed person. No offence for being wary.

archivist wrote:Huh. I was under the impression that Belesario came around before Angelica, as she had her mind wiped. And also, I believed Triela was around for about 7 years prior to volume 10 (The teddy bears). You may be right; I read a bad scanlation of the series. Any more specific details about pasts, more specifically origins? I know Triela was Tunisian and Henrietta was Italian, and I know Petroushka was Russian... any others?

Volume 14 shows Belesario was still teaching at Sapienza University of Rome five years prior to the end of the mange. There would have been time between his arrest and his joining the SWA and then perfecting his mind control procedures.

As for Triela, it is unlikely she received one bear per year, but instead received multiple bears per year as it seemed to be Hilshire's default gift for all occasions. Note that both Hilshire and Mario have her one for Christmas at the end of Volume 1.

As for the cyborg pasts, we know Claes was Swedish and the daughter of a professor. The pasts for Elsa, Silvia, Chiara and Beatrice were never mentioned.

The anime mentions that Elsa was the 'new girl on the block', arriving after Claes, who in turn arrived after Henrietta and Rico. Her service life would consequently have been very short; probably only a few months. I support this view, as I don't think it likely that Elsa would have put up with Lauro's abuse for that long.

Come now... after having worked rotations in the ER, surely you should know that there are abuse victims who will go for a LONG time, all the while justifying it to themselves.

That IS so, bro. Still, the nitty gritty still makes me feel that such a state of affairs didn't pertain to Elsa.

When Elsa witnessed Jose's affectionate interactions with Henrietta, she looked genuinely surprised. Given the fact that the girls work in teams fairly often, Elsa's reaction indicates that she hadn't been in their company for very long, else she'd have been fully aware of and familiar with the fact that those two enjoyed a close bond.

Also, up there in the bell tower, when Elsa came to the realisation that she meant absolutely nothing to Lauro, the way she was utterly shattered to the point of being dumbstruck was more consistent with somebody who had newly been hit by a sobering truth. Not quite the reaction of one who had endured such behaviour for a long time.

Spoiler:

Nachtsider wrote:in b4 someone says the anime isn't canon

But that's the key, IMO, at least with the first series. The anime scriptwriters made changes that in some cases directly contradicted the manga (they killed Angelica in the final episode of the first series - no ifs, ands or buts, IMO). 

Yu never explored Elsa and Lauro's relationship as a fratello, other than to note they were "exceptional". Triela said Elsa was totally in love with Lauro, but she added every girl but herself was, as well (and we now know Triela felt the same for Hilshire, she just wouldn't admit it at that time). Henrietta gave explanation as to why Elsa could shoot Lauro and then herself, but I believe that explanation is more indicative that Elsa was as emotionally unstable as Henrietta more than Lauro was abusive towards Elsa. If Henrietta had Jean or Hilshire for a handler, she'd have offed him and herself a couple of months in.

It's possible Yu was behind the relationship the first season of the anime presented, but it's equally possible that relationship is one the animators created themselves to add drama and pad out the content of the show. Whatever the case, I do give it credit for offering a rational and believable reason for Elsa to kill Lauro and it would support Elsa being a very recent edition (within six months of the start of the anime). But the manga does not require her to be the latest...

...just not the first.

The anime isn't..... Aw, crap...   (Jus' kidding)
My measley two points here, while I agree the that Lauro made the emotionally flippant Elsa go um, 'ballistic', I concur that she would probably had offed anyone whom she judged uncaring under certain circumstances such as the inevitable comparison with a caring fratello. 

The only bright side I see in that cyborg is her potential to have swung the other way, again under the right circumstances so as not to vent by blowing a hole in poor Lauro. In fact, my very first fan fic was about how if Elsa had been roomed in with a cyborg who was herself treated so badly (beatings and such) that it left a lasting impression and that been her first comparison with another fratello, then she might not conclude the killing her own brother was the only alternative.
 (That's where I got my now abandoned fratello Salvatore and Helen from, they were essentially a plot device that became boring as stand alone characters. Anyway, that's another story)