- "You said there was a problem?"
"How are problems generally solved in this situation?"
"Any manner that achieves its goal. My job is to eliminate problems, Empire." - —Shadowmaster Obrecht and Brother Dawn[src]
Shadowmaster Obrecht is a recurring character in the Apple TV+ series Foundation. He is a servant of the Galactic Empire, answering directly to Empire. Obrecht serves the Emperors in matters of security and secrecy; he is their problem solver, called upon to handle situations that deal with the security of the Empire and the rule of the Genetic Dynasty. He carries out his work in the shadows, and has use of a device that can cloak him from sight, rendering him practically invisible. Obrecht is portrayed by Mido Hamada in the series, appearing in five episodes of Season One beginning with "The Emperor's Peace."
Biography[]
Shadowmaster Obrecht is a servant of the Galactic Empire, directly serving the Cleon Emperors. Obrecht is called upon to enforce their will, including removing dangers to the stability of the Galactic Empire.[1] Any method is considered to be acceptable as long as the problem is eliminated in favor of Empire's wishes.[2] After discovering Hari Seldon's work in the private quarters of Master Orlio, Cleon XII relies on Obrecht to kill Orlio despite Orlio's protestations that he is loyal to the Empire.[1] To aid in his work, Obrecht made use of a device that could render him invisible.[3]
Thirty-five years later, in 12,102 Era Imperial, Cleon XIV requests that Obrecht discover the identity of a palace gardener, refusing to elaborate on the reason why. Obrecht uncovers the identity of the gardener, one Azura Odili, as well as personal information on her family. Passing the information to Cleon, the young Cleon wondered how problems were solved in these situations, to which Obrecht replied in whatever matter was necessary as long as the problem was eliminated.[2] Obrecht later found several ghillie raptors hidden in the undergrowth by Cleon XIV after a hunting trip he took with Cleon XII.[3]
When suspicions about Cleon XIV's behaviour is raised by Cleon XI, Obrecht is ordered to escort him to the Principium Tower. Cleon manages to overpower Obrecht using his personal aura and escape the Imperial Palace. After Cleon XIV is betrayed by Azura and a band of rebels, including an imposter Cleon, Obrecht and Cleon XII lead a successful mission to rescue him. In the process, Azura is captured and the imposter Cleon eliminated.[4] In the wake of revelations about the rebel plot to replace Cleon XIV with a copy, Obrecht informs Cleon XIII that the tampering of the clone's genome extends to the samples from the preserved form of Cleon I himself, meaning that even the Emperor might be corrupted.[5]
Appearances[]
- Season One
- "The Emperor's Peace" (First appearance)
- "Barbarians at the Gate"
- "Death and the Maiden"
- "The First Crisis"
- "The Leap"
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "The Emperor's Peace"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Barbarians at the Gate"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Death and the Maiden"
- ↑ "The First Crisis"
- ↑ "The Leap"