Colonel Tendon Cobar is the secondary antagonist in Killzone: Liberation. He is the psychotic High Commander of the Colonial Guard, an elite Third Helghast Army unit responsible for protecting top-ranking officers and carrying out their special assignments. Cobar serves as an extension of General Armin Metrac's will on the battlefield, enforcing his commands with an iron fist. His capacity for violence against enemies and allies alike has become legendary throughout Helghast ranks. It has even earned him the nickname 'White Death', a reference to the distinctive white uniform of the Colonial Guard.
Biography[]
Cobar was born in the 24th century on Helghan. He was a staunch follower of Scolar Visari and truly believed in his ideologies of Helghast superiority. During the formation of the Third Helghast Army, Cobar joined the army to satisfy his thirst for battle and blood, and fulfill his duties to the Helghast cause.
Unfortunately his zeal did cause problems at first. Private Cobar was on death row for shooting his military instructor when General Armin Metrac took an interest in the case. Throughout the trial Cobar had refused to apologize for his crime, maintaining that the instructor was “a spineless Vektan” for ordering an end to a massive training operation simply because one of the recruits was critically injured. After reviewing all the evidence, Metrac agreed with Cobar, and had the Judge Advocate of the Court-Martial put to death in his place.
Metrac's act sent shockwaves through the ranks, as well as an unmistakable signal to new recruits: there would not be any room for weakness in the Third Helghast Army. To Cobar, it was clear that the future of Helghan lay with men like Metrac. After he completed the remainder of his training with flying honors, Metrac invited him to join a military protection and enforcement unit known as the Colonial Guard. Cobar was only too happy to oblige, as the new rank would allow him to engage in acts of brutality on a scale he had never experienced before. He assisted Metrac as an advisor to Scolar Visari, along with other high ranking leaders.
Southern Vekta[]
After the death of General Lente in 2357 during the invasion of Vekta, Metrac was appointed leader of the Helghast forces still on Vekta, and the reinforcements helping them. Cobar went with Metrac to finally fight for the Helghast dream. He helped lead the Helghast on the frontlines of Southern Vekta, and successfully conquered the ISA territories. He wasted no time establishing a reputation for himself - mere days after landing on Vekta, he captured, tortured and dismembered three ISA council members in Sedah City. He continued to lead by Metrac's side, and they managed to take control of the ISA base at Rayhoven.
Shortly afterwards, a drop-ship containing the ISA VIP's, General Dwight Stratson (a traitor secretly in league with the Helghast), Minister of Defense Heff Milcher, and scientist Evelyn Batton, is shot down in the Reag swamp lands. Metrac sends Cobar to find and capture them as hostages. He leaves the Magus Harbour with a sizable force to search for the drop-ship.
Death[]
Cobar came across Captain Jan Templar, who came to rescue the hostages, and temporarily delayed his efforts before capturing the VIPs, along with Sergeant Rico Velasquez. When Templar reached Cobar, the Helghast had Milcher executed in front of Templar and threatened that he will kill more hostages if he doesn't cease his pursuit.
Cobar sent Batton and Rico to Metrac's hidden base, while keeping Stratson imprisoned in his personal tank. He soon engaged in battle with Templar at a Helghast outpost, using his tank to try and kill Templar. However, Templar managed to destroyed Cobar's tank, leaving Cobar severely injured. Cobar claims to Templar that the ISA has been betrayed again, and Metrac has obtained the Red Dust nuclear weapons from a ISA traitor. Cobar then slowly raises his pistol in another attempt to kill Templar despite the latter's warnings, but only to be fatally shot by Stratson.
Characteristics[]
Cobar was one of the most vicious and terrifying Helghast to ever be born. He was a sadistic, cruel and ruthless sociopath. His loyalty to the Helghast cause was only matched by his loyalty to General Metrac and his love of destruction and death.
He was an extremely skilled soldier who inspires fear not only in his enemies, but more so in his own troops, who refer to him as the 'White Death'. His radical Helghast characteristics surprise even the most ruthless Helghast. Even the most experienced Helghast troops quiver in their boots when Cobar is around.
While Cobar is fairly proficient in the use of melee weapons and close combat techniques, he prefers to forgo such subtleties in favor of large-scale destruction. His pride and joy is a customized, heavily armed KIT-AN1 all-terrain vehicle, which Cobar uses to crush the opposition - quite literally, in some cases. It has a chain gun and can fire missiles, shoot out several grenades at once, and release spider mines on a foe. Those who have witnessed his gleeful killing sprees often take him for a psychopath, who randomly acts out his violent impulses. This is only partially true; Cobar's highly temperamental nature belies a more calculating side, which his foes tend to underestimate.
Cobar is fully dedicated to the Helghast ideology, and defends it with all the fierceness and conviction of an almost religious zealot. He sincerely believes that his people are destined to become superior to their human ancestors. He finds validation for his beliefs in extraordinary Helghast specimens like General Metrac, whose remarkable physiology can withstand the atmospheres of both Helghan and Vekta without the need for any surgical modification. Cobar is an extension of Metrac's will on the battlefield and is unwaveringly loyal to him.
Description[]
Cobar's face is never actually seen in the game. It can be presumed that he has the appearance of an ordinary Helghast (bald, frail appearance, pale skin). His angry, southern-London voice is very similar to most other Helghast, with a slight difference.
He wears a white/gray outfit similar to the Helghast soldier uniform, with black armor paddings. His helmet is more round, with a slightly different visor and breathing apparatus. A small tube goes from the back of his helmet to the armor on his back, something that could also be noted with the apparent tubes running from the back of Colonel Gregor Hakha's head, or the back of Radec's helmet. He usually carries a Helghast StA18 Pistol, but his weapon of choice is his KIT-AN1 dog-like tank.
Conversations[]
II.3 - Assault[]
Metrac: "Rayhoven proved more difficult than I thought."
Cobar: "The dogs will pay when we have recovered the weapons."
Metrac: "And thanks to our informer, their leaders should soon be in our hands. I look forward to meeting him in person. If he can be turned to our cause, it will hasten the end of this war."
Cobar: "The Vektans will kneel at our feet. All Helghan will hail us!"
Metrac: "In time, Cobar. I count on it..."
III.3 - Catastrophe[]
Templar: "Sir, are you ok?"
Cobar: "Save your breath, Vektan."
Templar: "Cobar!?"
Cobar: "Colonel Cobar, High Commander of the Colonial Guard. I have a message from General Metrac. He made a deal with one of your kind. You don't go any further. And we don't kill any more hostages. This is a final warning."
Templar: "You son of a bitch!"
Cobar: "Go ahead, give me an excuse to kill you right here. The General doesn't like making martyrs. I'm not so fussy. But for now, I have to take General Stratson somewhere 'safe'. Next time you die. See you around, ISA dog."
Templar: "You can count on it..."
~
Cobar: "This - isn't over..."
Templar: "Give it up Cobar. Where are the other hostages?"
Cobar: "Metrac knows your plans. The ISA - is betrayed again..."
Templar: "Don't make me shoot."
Cobar: "We have - your weapons. You - can't win! Death to - Argh!!"
Stratson: "That's the only way to handle a mad dog. Face-to-face was too good for him."
Templar: "General. Let's go find the others."
Quotes[]
- "We have your friend Rico, Templar - but you I won't take alive!"- During Chapter III.4 - Pursuit
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Cobar can be seen in a painting in Visari Palace in Killzone 2. He is alongside Visari and the other Helghast villains of the series; a similar painting is located in a museum in Killzone 3.
- Cobar can be seen beside Metrac in a tank during the opening CGI cutscene of Killzone: Liberation. The same scene can be seen in the official trailer for the game.
- Cobar is the only senior officer aside from Radec to require a breathing apparatus, evidence that he is from a lower social caste in Helghan society.
- Cobar’s uniform is very similar to a Nazi SS uniform; it has a clear and straight cut and an armband with the Helghast symbol on it.
- In the text intro of Liberation, Cobar is referred to as a 'Lieutenant Colonel' while at all other times he is officially referenced as a full Colonel.
- His tank seems to be unique in the Helghan military as there are no such tanks other than his ever seen or mentioned in the Killzone series.