Pompey

Overview

Pompey is a character and boss enemy in the action role-playing game Zenless Zone Zero. He served as the former Overlord of the Outer Ring's Old Oil Well Zone and the respected leader of the biker gang known as The Vanquishers. Characterized by his impressive physique and strong sense of honor, he maintained order in the region until a betrayal by a trusted subordinate led to his ether corruption and eventual downfall.

Appearance

Pompey is a mature, heavily muscular man featuring two-tone black and grey short hair, a matching facial beard, golden-brown eyes, and multiple facial scars. He wears a black leather jacket with a high collar featuring the word ARMAGEDDON on the back, layered over a tight-fitting black compression top. His outfit is completed with a gold necklace, grey belt, two-tone grey and black gloves and pants, and black boots. Upon his transformation into an Ethereal, an Ether core bursts from his chest, merging him with his motorcycle into a monstrous, armored boss entity.

Personality

Pompey embodies the spirit of a just and resolute leader. Guided by a strict code of ethics, he refuses to tolerate underhanded tactics, holding both himself and his subordinates accountable for their actions. He demonstrates genuine concern for the livelihoods of those under his care, seeking constructive compromises rather than unnecessary conflict. Even after losing his humanity to Ether corruption, traces of his unyielding pride and drive to enforce the rules of the Outer Ring persist.

Abilities

In combat, Pompey wields a large sword with formidable physical power. After transforming into the Ethereal known as Corrupted Overlord - Pompey, he gains terrifying capabilities. He rides his high-speed motorcycle to perform heavy ramming attacks, unleashes long-range lasers using floating turrets, and strikes with whip-like blades. During intense phases, he rips apart his vehicle to use its wreckage as a massive blunt melee weapon, delivering crushing overhead strikes and explosive slam attacks.

Background

As the ruler of the Old Oil Well Zone, Pompey maintained balance in the Outer Ring and oversaw the maintenance of Cinder Lake via the Tour de Inferno. As age and illness began to weaken his health, he relied more heavily on his second-in-command, Lucius. Unbeknownst to Pompey, Lucius conspired with city corporations, poisoning Pompey to reduce his Ether resistance and swapping the ritual sparkstone. During the tournament, the intensified Ether reaction forced Pompey's transformation into an Ethereal. Before losing his mind, he entrusted the future of the zone to Caesar King, meeting his end in the violent conflict that followed.

Relationships

Pompey maintained a competitive yet respectful relationship with Caesar King and the Sons of Calydon, ultimately entrusting Caesar with the role of Overlord upon his demise. Conversely, his trust was abused by his second-in-command, Lucius, whose hidden ambition and poisoning scheme led Pompey to strike him down in fury just before succumbing to corruption. Among his gang members were Mors, whom he held to strict moral standards, and in the past, he had rescued a young Yidhari in the Outer Ring.

Trivia

Pompey's name is derived from the ancient Roman general and statesman Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. The back of his signature leather jacket features the word ARMAGEDDON, referencing the biblical site of the ultimate battle in the Book of Revelation. The material dropped from his boss encounter, the Crimson Engine, represents a rare ether crystal remnant infused with his energetic drive.