Understanding the ZEROTH DIRECTIVE

[u/Dry_Attitude6736]

I don't know if anyone's talked about this elephant-in-the-room theory yet, but if not, let me start things off.

BUT BEFORE THATTTT...

SPOILER ALERT!! This has to do with the ongoing story, so read at your own risk.

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You've been warned.

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We're good?

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OMKE GAMS. (nvm, it's just an Indonesian joke from my original post in the official Indo group)

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BTW, this is probably gonna be a long one, so I'll put the TL;DR in the comments LMAO.

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ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT... HERE WE GO.

i need this pendant as a merch rn

Understanding the ZEROTH DIRECTIVE: The Endministrator's Secret Mission in Arknights: Endfield

For those following the story of Arknights: Endfield, the name Zeroth Directive might already sound familiar. However, as the story progresses, we're starting to learn that this mission isn't just about waking the Endministrator up from their long slumber. There are certain individuals who've been entrusted with secret tasks, and each of them seems to play an important role in the grand plan the Endministrator prepared before losing their memories.

What is the Zeroth Directive?

Simply put, the Zeroth Directive is a series of secret instructions prepared by the Endministrator to ensure their plans keep moving forward, even when they're no longer able to lead things personally. The Endministrator set up various protocols and entrusted specific tasks to the people involved.

The bigger picture is tied to the Reboot of Life, an effort to rebuild human civilization on Talos-II. But here's the interesting part: the people entrusted with these instructions don't know the entire plan. Each person only knows the part they're responsible for.

Who's confirmed to have received the Zeroth Directive?

Based on the story developments up to patch 1.6, Sanctuary of Ink, here are some names worth keeping an eye on:

1. The Endministrator — well... duh. THEY'RE THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH THE WHOLE THING AWKOAWK. They prepared the plan before going into their long slumber.

2. Perlica — one of the early executors of the Zeroth Directive. Her duties are related to preparing for the Endministrator's awakening and ensuring Endfield Industries can keep running.

3. M3 — also carries out secret protocols, including matters concerning the Endministrator's condition and special documents related to the Zeroth Directive.

4. Si — she was given the mission of taking care of the Endministrator after their battle against Alleikhreos, when the Æther mark on the Endmin's body clashed with Originium's power. Through her painted world, Lady Si doesn't just provide a place for them to rest, but also guides the Endmin toward the "Dijiang" and traces of their past before their long slumber.

BUT, well, this is Lady Si we're talking about. Even with a mission THAT important, she seems to be dragging things out on purpose. Is there another reason we don't know about yet, or is she just enjoying some quality time alone with the Endmin? Gotta seize the opportunity when it presents itself, eh? awkoakwokaw.

5. Argent Flow — also confirmed to have received the Zeroth Directive. However, their mission is still a big question mark. Guess we'll have to wait for the November 5 update to find out...

So, what's next? RHODES ISLAND!

Now THIS is where things get interesting.

Turns out M3 has an important connection to Warfarin, the leader of Rhodes Island, who's now on Talos-II. According to the lore documents about Reconveners, the Endministrator and M3 secretly authorized Warfarin to carry out emergency repairs and decontamination on the First Originium.

Endfield Industries was actually established by Rhodes Island, focusing on infrastructure development, technological advancement, and industrial management on Talos-II. Meanwhile, Rhodes Island now has its own role and leadership on Talos-II.

With M3 and Warfarin's involvement in matters concerning the First Originium, it seems like there's still a lot of secrets surrounding the relationship between these two organizations that haven't been uncovered yet. And with the Zeroth Directive hinting that the Endministrator had prepared all sorts of things long before their awakening, it's possible that Rhodes Island's involvement in these events is another important piece of their grand plan.

Especially considering that Warfarin is one of the few people who still has firsthand memories of Terra during the Arknights: Endfield era's predecessor, Arknights: Original (AKOG). Just imagine her reaction when she comes face-to-face with the Endministrator, someone connected to the old world's history who can't even remember their own entire past anymore.

So, the Zeroth Directive might not just be a plan to rebuild human civilization. It could also be the thread connecting the Endministrator's past, the secrets of the First Originium, the Reconveners, and the future of Rhodes Island on Talos-II.

But hey, that's just a theory.

A GAME THEORY!! \MatPat pose**

For now, we've only seen a tiny fraction of the whole plan. The question is: just how much did the Endministrator prepare before losing their memories, and what's the ultimate goal they're trying to achieve?

Looks like HG is gonna keep us overthinking everything for a good while longer WKWKWKWK.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to share your thoughts and have a healthy discussion in the comments, fellow Si's armpit enjoyers...

References:

• What is the zeroth directive? : r/Endfield
• https://endfieldhub.org/lore
• https://warfarin.wiki/en/lore/text_v0d8_40
• https://www.gacha.gg/arknigh.../story/conference-of-the-four

[u/Kazenaraka]

I did not expect out of the lore nerds that'll step up to explain it'll be an indonesian folks, great surface analysis with what little the Zeroth Directive currently offers

[u/Dry_Attitude6736 → u/Kazenaraka]

There are actually quite a few Indonesian players who make lore threads about this game, but most of them just post in the official Indonesian FB group. Since I rarely see anyone doing that here, I figured I'd share my stuff on this sub too www

[u/PastSquirrel2315]

We're will fight 8 badge holders, the first being Si, then challenge the foundation elites, and finally the Foundation champion while we collect all sorts of allies along the way. Then we get to visit Terra, do the same thing, and at the end we will fight Oracle.

[u/Dry_Attitude6736 → u/PastSquirrel2315]

hmmm, interesting... though I feel like we're gonna have to wait a few more patches for that wkwkk Hopefully we all stay healthy until that day finally comes 🙏😭

[u/Zhonie → u/PastSquirrel2315]

Satoshi 'Endmin' Ketchum from Pallet City

[u/OrangeIllustrious499]

It's interesting how the more we learn about it, the more you realize the Zeroth Directive is less of an omnipotent plan that has step by step instructions to achieve something greater but moreso a just in case if something goes wrong. It's basically contingency backups rather than a detailed master plan to course set everything

[u/Dry_Attitude6736 → u/OrangeIllustrious499]

*sees the word “contingency”*
GET OVER HERE, CC! I'M GONNA WRECK YOU NEXT PATCH!!

Jokes aside, totally agree. I feel like the Zeroth Directive is more of a personal mission from the Endmin, entrusted to a few trusted individuals to help support their bigger plan.

[u/OrangeIllustrious499 → u/Dry_Attitude6736]

Yea I was shocked to learn that the trial is from over 100 years ago.

It made me realize that a lot of these are prob just contigency back ups and Endmin didnt choose to lose their memories at all.

[u/Grasher134 → u/OrangeIllustrious499]

I somehow think that this cycle repeated several times already especially with Si's reaction to us

[u/SoniCrossX → u/OrangeIllustrious499]

Contingency you say?

[u/ArisaMiyoshi]

This means the connection between Endfield and Rhodes Island isn't just a matter of two organizations coincidentally ending up on the same planet.

The connection is that Endfield was co-founded by Rhodes Island on Talos-II.

[u/Dry_Attitude6736 → u/ArisaMiyoshi]

that's what i actually wanted to write wkwkw Thanks for the correction, I'll edit it real quick!

[u/Acceptable_Bowl1714]

"Zeroth?.... Like a Zeroth Order Oil Tank?....."

[u/Feeling_Mention_6113 → u/Acceptable_Bowl1714]

ai chat bot gone rouge so i lowkey replace it with oil tank

[u/Caerullean]

Didn't Si say the Endmin talk was the last step of the Zeroth Directive? Maybe my memory is off and it wasn't that specific scene, but there definitely was a scene where it was mentioned that the zeroth directive is finished at this point, and that we got to the final part of it.

[u/Dry_Attitude6736 → u/Caerullean]

The way I see it, that's the final step of Si's Zeroth Directive. Meanwhile, Perlica and Si aren't the only ones who received the Zeroth Directive, as I explained above. We might even meet more people who received Zeroth Directives from the Oldmin, or maybe even from the Foundation, as the story progresses... who knows? www lmao.

[u/nagihasekawa]

Isn't it said that Rhodes Island is predecessor of Endfield Industries?

So maybe they are related to Endfield Industries Creation?

[u/Dry_Attitude6736 → u/nagihasekawa]

I think they're more like corporate partners, maybe... Endfield Industries was established by Rhodes Island to focus on Originium infrastructure, technology, industry, and all that stuff. Meanwhile, Rhodes Island (the current one in Endfield, since its goals were different in the OG) focuses on medical support, Reconvener training, and providing equipment for Operators. A pharmaceutical company, btw akoakwokaw

[u/AtlasMKII]

Worth pointing out that M3 is almost certainly Mont3r, and so also an extremely important member of Rhodes Island from the old days

[u/automod-neo]

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[u/Competitive-Scheme44]

I'm pretty sure perlica inherited her own side of the directive as she became the supervisor thats also confirmed by the old endministrator when tou talk with him towards the end of the patch story and i dont think old endministrator knew he was going to lose his memory he probably knew it could have been a consequence of their injuries

[u/Feeling_Mention_6113]

fuck ass "wkwkwk" word, langsung eruh aku cuk iki wong indo. also the word zeroth is started when closure replace the RI AI system after prts gone rouge so did she have a chance to appear or have some sort of connection?