- "Thank you, failsafe initiated. Activating Emp."
- —P.A. Voice
- "Emp?! You have got to be fucking ki-"
- —Washington in Reconstruction: Chapter 19
An Electromagnetic Pulse, abbreviated as EMP for short, is a device capable of rendering technology in its field of range useless or completely destroyed beyond repair. The EMP has varied to a shutdown protocol, a cannon, and an armor enhancement.
Role in Plot[]
In Reconstruction: Chapter 19, Agent Washington activates the EMP to terminate the A.I. and other technology at Freelancer Command. The compound is seen to shut down, vehicles are disabled and Washington and the Meta are seen to be 'swallowed up' by the EMP, though they are later revealed to have survived. However Meta's A.I's were destroyed. Sarge later tried to build an EMP turret for the Warthog that had the unfortunate side effect of stalling the warthog whenever it was fired.
In Season 10, the EMP is revealed to be a portable armor enhancement, carried by Washington. Wash used it during a battle against Insurrectionists in Fall From Heaven, completely shutting down a Warthog before it hits him. It is unknown if Wash still possessed it during Recovery One after the Meta searched his body after being shot by Agent South.
In Long Time No See, it is revealed to be one of the armor enhancements recovered by Carolina from the Space pirates on Chorus.
Trivia[]
- While EMP is pronounced as individual letters by Washington (as it should normally be), the Reds and Blues, even the computer terminal activating it, call it an 'Emp,' much to Washington's irritation. Oddly, in the Recreation episode Free Refills, Simmons pronounces it as individual letters as it should be rather than "Emp".