Agents

This page focuses on a lore analysis of the Agents, for gameplay elements:

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Agents^[1] are the playable characters of the game and members of the VALORANT PROTOCOL.

Profiles[]

VP-1 Brimstone

VP-2 Viper

VP-3 Omen

VP-4 Killjoy

VP-5 Cypher

VP-6 Sova

VP-7 Sage

VP-9 Phoenix

VP-10 Jett

VP-11 Reyna

VP-12 Raze

VP-13 Breach

VP-14 Skye

VP-15 Yoru

VP-16 Astra

VP-17 KAY/O

VP-18 Chamber

VP-19 Neon

VP-20 Fade

VP-21 Harbor

VP-22 Gekko

VP-23 Deadlock

VP-24 Iso

VP-25 Clove

Note that all the ID numbers only apply for Alpha Earth's VALORANT Protocol. As shown in the REVELATION cinematic, Omega Earth's VALORANT Legion has a different order of Agent IDs, which also corresponds to a different recruitment order

Lore[]

In VALORANT, the Devs have placed a great emphasis on having the Agents portrayed as 'humans' and not just characters in a game. Their actions, behaviors, personalities, quirks, all are designs to be as authentic and genuine as would be expected from a real person. As such, it is but natural to see the same clearly emphasized in their relationships and interactions with one another.

Initially, the PROTOCOL heavily discouraged fraternization between the Agents, which meant that they were not officially permitted to form romantic relationships with others. While the reason for this has not been made clear, it is assumed to be because relationships could affect an Agent's decision-making on the battlefield. However, this did not prevent one from developing anyway in the case of "Nanobomb", the relationship between Killjoy and Raze. Not long after their relationship became more well-known to other Agents, the 'No Fraternization' rule was revoked by senior Agents, allowing the possibility for more romantic relationships between PROTOCOL Agents to develop.

Aside from romantic relationships, many other connections exist between the Agents. They do not enter the PROTOCOL as a blank slate, instead their pasts are riddled with small interactions and interconnections with others (for example, Neon had a negative encounter with Chamber sometime in the past, before they joined). Mutual appreciation, respect, and dislike are all commonplace within the team.

Maintaining Secrecy[]

As is typical with the PROTOCOL, a heavy emphasis is laid on retaining the secrecy and privacy of the Agents. This goes a step further when we consider the Agents' past: regardless of what histories they may have, there must be no ties that can connect their past selves to the PROTOCOL once they join.

Because of this, the Agents are forced to give up their past lives before they may enter VALORANT^[2]. All their past activities and endeavors, criminal records^[3] and heroic legacies, all are scrubbed away. They cease to be who they were, their only persisting identity being within the VP.

There are, however, some few exceptions to this rule. While it is critical for their identities to be obscured away, not all Agents can afford to lose their old lives entirely. There will always be some connection, perhaps with a family member or an old friend, which must be retained. For this, the PROTOCOL has several devised procedures and institutions to allow these relationships to be preserved, but not without compromising on VALORANT's secrecy^[4].

An example of this can be seen with Sova. In his Agent Takeover, we see him returning to his hometown, Severmorsk^[5], and meeting his grandmother^[6]. Near the end, he bids her a tearful farewell, stating that he can't stay because 'duty calls'^[7].

Recruiting new Agents[]

Naturally, the PROTOCOL does need to expand its member count. With an organization as important as this one, more hands on deck are always welcome. However, there are a thorough series of protocols and regulations that a potential candidate must first pass through, before they are allowed to join - access into what is possibly the most important organization on the Earth doesn't come free.

Even before they are approached by the PROTOCOL, the Agents are thoroughly vetted and investigated. Keeping in line with the high standards of the VP, only the best of the best^[8] are considered - those who are at the peak of their potential, and are masters of their respective fields. This is hinted at by Sova too, in one of his voicelines.

The high bar of quality is clearly visible when we consider the backgrounds of some of the Agents:

• Viper was a genius and a brilliant scientist. Her skill got her placed as the first Chief Scientific Officer on Kingdom's Board of Advisors
• Killjoy was the lead of Kingdom's Research and Development division, at the age of 18.
• Sova was a master archer, renowned for his impeccable and consistent record. His skills and reputation had earned him the title 'Brother of Steel and String'
• Breach was a notorious criminal, hailing form an equally famous family, and feared for heists and break-ins the world over
• Skye, spent her time before joining the PROTOCOL fighting off Kingdom in Australia in the name of environmental protection.

While the Agents come from all walks of life, each of them is greatly distinguished in their own right.

It is important to note that all the Agents join in willingly^[9]. While their various motivations for doing so are unique to themselves, each join out of their own volition. Going back to the example of Skye, she willingly gave up her role as the 'Great Reclaimer' in Australia, because she understood that she could serve a higher purpose at the PROTOCOL (for more on the events that lead up to her recruitment, see Skye's Agent trailer)

Historically, most of the burden of hiring new Agents on the team has rested on the higher-up members, i.e. Brimstone, Viper, and later Sage^[10]. Usually Cypher and Sova also play a role in this, helping by gathering information about potential recruits^[11]. However, this isn't always the case. Neon, for example, was a personal referral, suggested to Brimstone by Chamber; Chamber's recruitment in turn was influenced in large part by him having the schematics to an interdimensional portal.

In the time following the DUELISTS and DUALITY cinematics, we see VALORANT laying a heavy emphasis on hiring new Agents and expanding their size. For reference, the PROTOCOL had 9 Agents at minimum^[12] (or 13, at maximum^[13]) during the events of DUELISTS - however, in about a year following that^[14], the VP has grown to have 18 total members, almost doubling the member count.

Keeping the Agents alive[]

Naturally, in an environment such as VALORANT's, where every assignment involves the Agent regularly putting themselves in life-or-death situations, the issue of how to ensure that the Agents stay alive does come up quite often.

Canonically, the only time we've seen Agents die was in the RETAKE cinematic, in which all the attackers (Viper, Cypher, and Jett) died. On being questioned as to whether these deaths were canon, Lead Narrative Writer, Riot ParmCheesy, stated, "Off-screen events have occurred that have spared those three their lives... this time"^[15]. In a Reddit QnA organized on the 3rd of June, that clarified that Sage and Skye had some part to play in this^[16].

That means that, amazingly, none of the Agents (of both Earths) have died yet (this was also confirmed by the Creative Director, David Nottingham, in a Discord QnA session^[17]). However, this still doesn't undermine the very real risk of death that the Agents face every time they head off to the battlefield. Naturally, to counterbalance this, the PROTOCOL is known to have some 'tricks up their sleeve'^[15] which they can employ if ever an Agent is to die.

The first among them is, of course, Sage's own powers of revival. From what we know of Sage, she considers her ability to heal to be her 'gift' to give out to whomsoever she can. This does, however, come with an obvious caveat - Sage herself is not immortal, and is just as vulnerable to death as the rest of the team.

This issue is pushed further by Sage's own firm conviction on being 'more than just a healer', on being just as proficient a fighter as the rest of the Agents. There aren't any other Agents who can resurrect others, in the way that she does. The closest we have is Skye, but even she herself state (multiple times) that her skills at healing aren't on par with those of Sage. In conclusion, if the PROTOCOL relies on Sage's healing alone to keep the team alive, they will be in deep trouble if she ever is to die.

References[]