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Baron Praxis

From Jak and Daxter Wiki

Baron Praxis
Jak II: Renegade
Titles Grand Protector of Haven City
Hometown Haven City
Race Human
Role Antagonist
Age Late fifties
Gender Male
Relatives Ashelin - Daughter
Affiliation Ashelin
Jak
Erol
Weapons Eco Sword, various mechs
"This city is mine! These lives are mine! This war is mine! And in war, people die!"
―Baron Praxis


Baron Praxis was the secondary antagonist of Jak II. He was the tyrannical and corrupt ruler ("Grand Protector") of Haven City who antagonized Jak and Daxter in Jak II. He was the father of Ashelin, and was directly responsible for Jak's acquisition of Dark Eco powers.


Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Before Jak II

Praxis seized the throne of Haven by force during the height of the Metal Head Wars by betraying King Damas, who was the rightful monarch of the city as the descendant of Mar. Damas was banished to the Wasteland. The Baron has a daughter, Ashelin, who was born in the Haven Palace, suggesting he was of high-rank already before rising to power. At some point before or after becoming the ruler of Haven City, the Baron led a failed assault on the Metal Head Nest which resulted in the loss of much of the right side of his face.

[edit] Deal with the Metal Heads

"Baron Praxis needs this war to keep in power!"
Krew


The Baron ruled Haven City with an iron fist, having the Krimzon Guard, enforcing unjust laws and killing anyone who resisted. When the Metal Heads broke into the city and destroyed a part of the town that later came to be known as "Dead Town", Baron Praxis cut a desperate deal with the Metal Head Leader, Kor, so that the Metal Heads would attack the city just enough to give the people something else to think about other than overthrowing the Baron.

[edit] The Dark Warrior program

"You should at least be dead with all the Dark Eco I've pumped into you!"
―Baron Praxis[src]


Praxis could not endlessly supply Metal Heads with Eco, so, likely under influence from Erol, he began to plot against them by experimenting with Dark Eco to create "Dark Warriors" to use against the Metal Heads. However, the subjects Praxis used in his experiments never survived being exposed to the Dark Eco. He somehow gained knowledge of Jak, who was to arrive in Haven City from the past. When Jak (along with Daxter, Samos and Keira) landed in Haven City, Praxis immediately ordered Erol to arrest him. He treated Jak as an experiment in the Dark Warrior Program for two years, but when the final experiment on Jak was put in place, he was deemed a failure. Miraculously, Jak did not die. Praxis ordered Erol to execute Jak just before Daxter broke into the Krimzon Guard Fortress and rescued Jak.


[edit] The hunt for the Precursor Stone

With the Dark Warrior Program brought to an end, Praxis started on a new plan to use the lost heir of Mar to locate Mar's tomb, in which the fabled Precursor Stone was said to be hidden. While deceiving Metal Kor on a secret meeting in the Palace, Praxis noticed Jak and Daxter, now working for the Underground, eavesdropping on his plans. Praxis confronted and attacked Jak on the Palace roof with one of his attack mechs, but was defeated and escaped.

When Praxis found out about the Underground being close to finding the Precursor Stone, he threatened to kill his daughter Ashelin for spying unless Torn sold out the Underground members in the expedition into Mar's Tomb. After capturing Samos, Kor and the kid, he then ambushed Jak inside the tomb and stole the Precursor Stone.

[edit] The final plan

Praxis then struck a deal with Krew, who was building a Piercer Bomb to crack open the Stone and use the explosion to destroy the Metal Head Nest, without realizing that this would destroy the entire planet. With help from Ashelin, Jak destroyed the Piercer Bomb along with Krew in Praxis's weapons factory.

"Remember, the first rule in making a bomb is to always make two..."
―Baron Praxis's last words


The late crimelord had, however, double-crossed Praxis and let the Metal Heads inside the city, ultimately driving Baron Praxis to attempt to destroy the Stone with a second Piercer Bomb hidden in the Construction Site. Jak and Daxter caught up with him, but Kor appeared and revealed his true form as the Metal Head Leader. Kor demanded the Precursor Stone from Praxis, but he refused and valiantly attacked Kor along with a squad of Krimzon Guards. Kor blasted Praxis and his guards away, causing much of the construction site to collapse over him. In his last moments, Praxis revealed the hiding place of the Precursor Stone to Jak, and died, but not before activating another bomb meant to destroy the Precursor Stone, which Daxter managed to disarm.


[edit] Jak 3

Although dead, Baron Praxis appeared in the non-canon model viewer explaining things like his need to be neglected on set for being a bad-guy, his anger toward the producers for not using a stunt double for his death scene and his love for the script, plus not being resurrected in the sequel. He is also mentioned by Damas after Jak fights off the Dark Makers. In Haven City, sometimes Freedom League Guards say that they "miss the old Baron".

In the final push to the catacombs, Pecker says that they must get through the Baron's ruins.

His daughter Ashelin became the new ruler of Haven City after Praxis died.

[edit] Appearance

Praxis is a strongly built middle-aged man with a brown beard with traces of white. Half of his face is mechanically replaced due to injuries he sustained during an attack on the Metal Head Nest. He wears a royal Krimzon Guard uniform & has a glowing green Eco sword.

[edit] Personality

Praxis seemed to be mentally unstable. In the propaganda machines in Haven City he often complained about how lazy the citizens are and how dirty Haven City is. Praxis was very power hungry and was determined to stay on the throne, even if it came down to making deals with the enemy. In fact, he was so obsessed with power, that he was even willing to sacrifice his own daughter to gain the Precursor Stone. Torn, Jak and Daxter believed he would have followed up on this. He cared little about the feelings of others, treating Jak and Lurkers like lab rats and slaves. In the end he partly admitted his defeat, calling Jak a supreme weapon and left the task of destroying Kor to him. It was also shown here that despite his many personality flaws he does have some honor deep down. When the Metal Heads were attacking Haven City none of the Krimzon Guards attacked Jak and Daxter anymore, although it is unknown if it is because they were too busy fighting the Metal Heads or because Praxis called off the bounty.

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Video

[edit] Etymology

Praxis's name actually originates from the word Practice, meaning that he always was only preparing and never did something actual.

Characters in Jak II: Renegade
Characters in Daxter
Krimzon Guard Faction