Origins

Most people think the supernatural came into the world only half a century ago. His family knew otherwise. For generations they had been Militant Alchemists, drilling one generation after another for an apocalypse that was bound to come sooner or later; but as the years wore on, what their forebears had given as a solemn warning dwindled into amusing anecdotes told by superstitious old folk. Only when the Astral Gate in Central Park truly opened did Warden's parents realize that every word of it was true, and that they were unprepared. From the moment Warden came into the world, the family would no longer let the next generation fall asleep on the job, and he was trained, every step of the way, into a machine built for the hunt. He keeps an Alchemical Flask on him, and says these secrets have been handed down generation to generation.

“These secrets have been handed down generation to generation.”

“这些秘密代代相传”

When he fell, Lady Geist murmured, “Militant alchemists…” This lady, at least, knows exactly where he comes from.

“Militant alchemists…”

“好战的炼金术士…”

His family failed to protect this city once before, and that weighs on his shoulders more heavily than any weapon. It cannot happen again, he says; and when things truly turn dire, the words that slip out of him are these: I can’t fail like my parents did.

“My family failed to protect this city once before… it cannot happen again.”

“我的家族曾经未能守护这座城市…绝不能再发生一次。”TL

“I can't fail like my parents did…”

“我不能像我父母那样失败…”TL

And so came the life he has led. He says he was forged in fire, and in front of an opponent he never fails to mention that he has trained his whole life for this moment. Haze saw it at a glance, and suggested he could use a hobby outside of shooting a gun.

“I was forged in fire.”

“我是烈火铸就的”

Others make sport of his upbringing. Abrams asked whether he was homeschooled; Holliday, too, teased that he looked like he was dressed up for Halloween.

Old Friends and Foes

Grey Talon: The Man He Once Looked Up To

Grey Talon is a man he once admired. When it truly came to blows, he said, “I looked up to you once,” and asked how he of all people could align himself with that thing.

“I looked up to you once.”

“我曾经很崇拜你”

“How can you of all people align yourself with that thing?”

“你怎能与那种东西为伍呢？”

Grey Talon is not cold toward him. He says that they are the ones with hollow lives, and tells him plainly that the world isn’t black and white, and that Warden’s obsession will be his undoing. Saved by Grey Talon, Warden gave his thanks toward a place where no one could be seen: I don’t know where you are, Talon, but thank you.

“Warden. We're the ones with hollow lives.”

“沃督，我们才是人生空虚的那种人。”TL

“Your obsession will be your undoing, Warden.”

“你的执念终将害了你，沃督”

“I don't know where you are, Talon, but thank you…”

“不知道你在哪里，灰爪，不过谢谢……”

Abrams: Black, White and Grey

Abrams mocks him for being able to delude himself into thinking that the world is black and white, and says that sometimes the ends justify the means. In Warden’s eyes Abrams is a demon, and the tome must be destroyed; yet he grants that the detective’s will is strong, just not strong enough.

“The tome must be destroyed.”

“宝书必须被销毁。”

“Your will is strong, Detective, but not strong enough.”

“侦探，你的意志很坚强，但还不够坚强”

The words Abrams left him with: there’s a fine line between devotion and obsession. Abrams is far from the only one to question his loyalty. Calico says that one day he will understand the cost of blind loyalty; Mirage goes further, saying outright that blind devotion isn’t loyalty, it’s ignorance.

“Warden, one day you'll understand the cost of blind loyalty…”

“沃督，总有一天你会明白盲目忠诚的代价…”

“Blind devotion isn't loyalty, it's ignorance.”

“盲目的忠诚不是忠诚，而是无知”

Holliday: Kindred Spirits at Odds

In his eyes Holliday is someone he might have joined forces with. We could have worked together, he says; and she has said the very same. She has also said that only one of them gets to take the law into their own hands. Both of them enforce the law with their own hands, and each is to the other as much a kindred spirit as a threat.

“We could have worked together, Warden…”

“我们本可以一起工作的，沃督…”

“Only one of us gets to take the law into their own hands…”

“我们中只有一个人可以亲自执法…”

The Doorman: The One Who Picks at Old Wounds

The Doorman knows best where it hurts. Your parents, he says, will be sorely disappointed in you.

“Your parents will be sorely disappointed in you.”

“你的父母会对你非常失望”

Drifter and Pocket

Drifter once said that if Warden was willing to work with a guy like him, he must really hate the Patrons. He has also declared that Warden was never going to be a hero, only ever destined to be a martyr — words that sound like mockery rather than consolation. The one who truly urged him to live for himself was Pocket: stop living your parents’ life and lead your own.

“You must really hate the Patrons if you're willing to work with a guy like me.”

“如果你愿意和我这样的人一起工作，那你一定非常讨厌守护神”

“You were never going to be a hero, Warden… you were always destined to be a martyr.”

“你注定成不了英雄，沃督…你注定要成为殉道者”

“Stop living your parent's life and lead your own.”

“别再过父母那样的生活，过你自己的生活吧”

Warden’s feelings toward Pocket are far from simple. He believes Pocket wants to change the world for the better, and has simply picked the wrong friends.

“I believe you want to change the world for the better, Pocket… but you picked the wrong friends.”

“我相信你想让世界变得更美好，口袋……但你交错了朋友”

Haze: Guarding the Same City

Haze says vigilantes are just criminals with delusions of grandeur; and that New York doesn’t need him: she’s here.

“Vigilantes are just criminals with delusions of grandeur.”

“义警只是有宏伟错觉的罪犯”

Dynamo: The Professor Who Lectures

Dynamo holds that a positive outlook makes all the difference, and promises to be beside him, not behind him. When Dynamo saved him, Warden frankly admitted that he owed him one, and called him Professor. When it comes to taking up arms against each other, Dynamo says he doesn’t trust zealots, and Warden says he can’t let him complete the ritual.

“I owe you, Professor…”

“教授，我欠你一个人情”

“I can't let you complete the ritual, Dynamo.”

“我不能让你完成仪式，奇能”

“I don't trust zealots.”

“我不信任狂热分子”

Anecdotes

The Guardian of New York. He treats this city as his own responsibility. He told Yamato that this city is under his protection; his verdict for McGinnis was that Fairfax Industries needs to fall; and to Lash he said that he has no tolerance for bullies.

“This city is under my protection, Yamato!”

“这座城市在我的保护下，大和！”

“Fairfax industries needs to fall.”

“菲尔法克斯实业必须倒台”

“I have no tolerance for bullies.”

“我绝不容忍欺凌行为”

A Martyr’s Words. He says he will give his life for the Cause, but first he will take his opponent’s. At death’s door, he tells himself it is time to be a hero.

“I'll give my life for the Cause… but first I'll take yours.”

“我愿为事业献出生命… 但首先我要击败你”

“Time to be a hero…”

“是时候当英雄了…”

What the Cause Costs. Gathering up souls from the ground, he says that changing the world doesn’t come cheap.

“Changing the world doesn’t come cheap.”

“改变世界并不便宜”

Respect for Opponents. He has taken lives, yet he is not sparing with his respect. He told Vindicta that her vengeance is justified, only her time has long since passed. He called Ivy a noble creature.

“Your vengeance is justified, Vindicta… but your time has long since passed.”

“你的复仇是正当的，薇妲… 但你的时代早已过去”

“She was a noble creature…”

“她是高贵的生物…”

No Quarter. He demanded of Shiv whether this is what the Baxter Society has turned into; Shiv, for his part, says he won’t let him destroy this city.

“I'm not letting you destroy this city, Warden…”

“我不会让你摧毁这座城市的，沃督…”

The Nurse’s Verdict. After Nurse Harrow stopped him, she called him principled, and disciplined; she also lamented that they couldn’t work together as allies, with a hint of ambiguity in her words. From his side there is only an announcement when she falls, and a “Careful, Nurse.”

“He was principled. Disciplined.”

“他有原则，也很自律。”TL

Open Questions