The Asterite Theory
(by Johnny L. de Alba and Soleila)
The Asterite theory is a common project written by Johnny L. de Alba and Soleila. It contains our knowledge, ideas, impressions and conclusions about the mysterious being called The Asterite which we know from the famous Ecco series created by Ed Annunziata.
The overall work is based on our thoughts, agreements and logical analyst and we hope that this theory will help those interested, get a vague interpretation of the Asterite's nature and will open new ways to answer the ancient question of purpose, meaning and history of this strange and fascinating creature. Please enjoy!
General Description
The symbolical meaning behind the design
Examining the Asterite you will notice that there is a resemblance between itself and a DNA-strand. The Asterite moves in a double helix fashion and consists of two single chains of colored globes that revolve around each other. The two dimensional graphics of the game make it hard to see the significant shape, but if you take a look at it in the official videos of the Sega CD-version you can easily recognize that its movement represents a completely perfect helix scheme that truly resembles DNA.
The Asterite's globes consist of four different colors - green, blue, red and brown. The game developers may of wanted to show a relationship to the four DNA bases - guanine, cytosine, adenine and thymine. A reason for the Asterite's design could be related to the fact that a DNA-strand is the most basic form of life, the fundamental component of every living creature.
The Asterite is the most advanced living being in existence and its simple design shows when evolution reaches it's peak it moves back to it's origins. The double helix form is a symbol of eternity, completeness, progress and balance and thus we believe the Asterite is the origin and perfection of time and a static existence with a deep and important meaning for all.
Origin
The Asterite is a strange alien creature that is made up of 24 pairs of globes that float in two columns and revolve around each other in the form of a double helix. If the word "Asterite" were broken into its two Greek syllables with regard to the fact that nearly every word with 'aster' has something to do with space, it's name could easily be translated to 'descendant of the stars'. Thus we suspect that it was born in space and that it's not the only one of its kind, that it belongs to a whole civilization created by a mother-being called the Source Asterite - an ultimate life-form that watches over the universe and controls time, evolution and existence.
Traveling to Earth as a sort of a student, the Asterite followed its need to hide itself in deep and narrow underwater caves, to live in a constant state of peace and silence. The Asterite has not moved from one place to another since it arrived on our planet. Originally it preferred to be left alone to experience a long and complicated development process.
Connection to the Tesseract
Like everything else in universe, the Asterite exists in both the real world and in a time neutral plane of existence we call the Tesseract. All lifeforms exist in this condensed space but only the Asterite is aware of it and can connect to it. Whether it's unconscious or active, it's always connected to the Tesseract and we have found proof of this in the games:
In the original Ecco the Dolphin, Ecco travels back to the hour of the storm using power the Asterite gave him to fight the Vortex Queen. When Ecco traveled into the past, the Asterite was incomplete making it impossible for Ecco to have such power.
The Asterite's energy was projected into Ecco but this power cannot be maintained unless the Asterite is whole. The Asterite must have sent its will from the future to support Ecco during the battle with the Vortex Queen. This proves the Asterite used a plane of existence that acted as a bridge and that allows it to act in all time-lines.
The Asterite can sense its disconnected globes in any time-line. As soon as its conscious, it can sense them and even pull them back through time. When Ecco found the final pair in the Globe Holder, the globes started to pull themselves and Ecco through time.
Using this bridge, the Asterite is able to open a path as soon as it sees a way to get its globes back. This works in an inter-temporal way because the globes are in a far away future. Without a connection to the Tesseract, something like that would not be possible.
The Asterite doesn't draw energy from the Tesseract, its physical body generates power and can use it to connect to the Tesseract where it can feel and sense things. In many ways, it is inter-temporal, it can influence time and manipulate it to fix problems. It also can open a path that no other creature except itself can create.
The Asterite is a complex being and is trying to learn more about its connection to the Tesseract. This explains some of the strange situations found in the game and how its able to operate in different time-lines.
The globes and their primary needs
Observing the Asterite, we found it's globes are not connected to one another. A telepathic force field may be responsible for keeping them together. The Asterite can generate power and channel it into bolts of energy, as we've seen in the level Dark Water. Because it only consists of globes and is not made up of another life-force, the globes are the only solid component that make up its body.
There are four different globe colors that support its likeness to a DNA model and represent different tasks. Possible tasks could involve defense, memory, movement and sense but we don't know for sure since a minimum of two globes allow it to be conscious and communicate.
The globes move in a certain pattern that could have an important meaning but before we start to discuss anything about this, it's better to assume its something we cannot understand. The Asterite's main purpose is being complete that every globe is in the right place and its able to harness its full power.
The Asterite's quest for balance leads to an everlasting monotonous purpose which can never be altered and its existence is not bound by usual restrictions like that of a human or animal. It neither needs to eat nor does it need to breathe.
The Asterite may of lived in space, surviving for millions of years before it arrived on Earth. Evidence can be found in the Globe Holder level where it's disconnected globes survived imprisonment for a possible long period of time. The Asterite might be an immortal and its globes cannot be destroyed by a hostile force like the Vortex. The Asterite has survived for millions, maybe billions of years before it's arrival on Earth. Its possible the Asterite ages but its also possible it can live for an eternity. It's purpose is to study and learn, preserving it's knowledge forever.
