- "I was trapped, for a long time. Lived and seen things, you couldn't imagine. Now I see things... in a different light."
— Maverick
Erik "Maverick" Thorn is an Attacking Operator featured in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. He was introduced in the Operation Grim Sky expansion alongside Clash.[2]
Biography[]
- "The devil's in the details... That's where you'll find me."
— Maverick
Bostonian Erik Thorn came from a multilingual home and ranked in the top 2% in intelligence. While his parents were loving, they were extremely protective and did not allow him to explore his own childhood neighborhood. This eventually led him to enlist in the U.S. Army after high school where he rose in rank over a short period of time. He learned Dari, and became an Intelligence Officer, serving in Kabul as foreign reporters, adventurers, and criminals flocked to the city. Majority of Erik's service was occurred during the War in Afghanistan, where he was involved in two operational battles. These are Operation Cobra's Anger and Operation Moshtarak.[3] Most of his time in Afghanistan, Thorn was well known in the underground club circuit and even among locals as a proficient Buzkashi player.
Thorn was invited into the Unit as their regional specialist. Following selection, he remained in the country gathering intel, building networks of allies and safe houses, and tracking hostiles. As the situation in Kabul worsened, Thorn kept tabs on Americans, rescuing them when necessary, and helping locals escape the violence. He was investigating a missing reporter when the Unit lost contact with him. After two years of silence, he was discovered by Nøkk and re-emerged with enough intel to dismantle a major insurgency operation. There were still questions regarding his disappearance, but he was exonerated and his testimony sealed. His successful missions, along with his expertise, gained him the attention of Six.[4]
In early 2022, after Nighthaven defected from Rainbow, the organization was reorganized into several specialized teams. Thorn was recruited into Ghosteyes, led by Taina "Caveira" Pereira, which specialized in infiltration, surveillance, intelligence, and elimination. In late 2022, Thorn participated in an operation against weapons manufacturer Sunset R&D alongside Caveira, Sam "Zero" Fisher, Ana "Solis" Diaz, Zofia Bosak, and Max "Mozzie" Goose.
Psychological Profile[]
I knew Specialist Erik "Maverick" Thorn well before his disappearance. He was a legend among Intelligence Collectors as the spook who “went native.” He’s often difficult to engage with since he’s incredibly intelligent and able to read others with remarkable intensity, but ask him about Kabul or Buzkashi and he can barely contain his excitement.
I've never seen old men sell their services on street corners to write love letters before, so it’s hardly surprising he took to Afghanistan… it's a bewitching culture. When expats began partying in underground clubs and drinking at restaurants, Specialist Thorn admitted that he knew the "Kabubble" was going to pop hard, that Westerners would become easy targets. He saw the writing on the wall before anyone else did.
From a young age, Specialist Thorn handled an almost overwhelming amount of sensory input that would have shut down most kids. Instead, he compartmentalized and deconstructed everything around him as a way to function. It’s one reason I think he internalizes his emotions.
His parents were loving but rigid; they barely let him explore his own neighborhood. It's what drove him to join the army, to experience a world he could only dream about. It’s hardly surprising Kabul left such a heavy imprint on him. I don't think he emerged from his shell until he started traveling and even now, his mind is with us, but his heart is in Kabul.
Specialist Thorn has displayed a remarkable empathy stemming from his ability to watch, listen, and dissect. People confide in him and it's why he survived in Kabul as a fly on the wall.
I'm still going through debriefs regarding his disappearance. It reads like a terrifying thriller but the scars that came with his experience have only tied him more closely to Afghanistan. I think his tattoo is a reminder of that life.[4]
Gameplay Description[]
| Loadout | |
|---|---|
| Primary | |
Secondary
| |
Gadget
| |
Ability
 Breaching Torch x 6 Exothermic-S "Suri" Torch | |
A Light Health Operator, Maverick comes equipped with his Exothermic-S "Suri" Torch. It can make holes in any breachable surface, including Reinforced Walls, creating new lines of sight quietly.
- The Breaching Torch is a weapon-type gadget; Maverick needs to holster his weapons to bring up the Breaching Torch which leaves him vulnerable to any sort of damage.
- Firing the Breaching Torch produces a constant jet of flame with a maximum distance of two meters. The jet of flame destroys breakable surfaces and objects it touches and damages Operators and Hostages it touches.
- The Breaching Torch can destroy reinforced surfaces.
- To destroy reinforced surfaces, the flame must be sustained over the same section of the surface for a quarter of a second before the surface is actually breached.
- Moving too quickly will not cut the reinforced surface properly while moving too slowly will waste fuel.
- Aiming in with the Breaching Torch is suitable for cutting through reinforced walls as it applies good use of fuel with just enough time to cut through the surfaces.
- The Breaching Torch can destroy reinforced hatches. However, the reinforced hatch must be destroyed up to a certain level by the breaching torch before it is destroyed (much longer than other breaching gadgets).
- The Breaching Torch can cut into Castle's Armor Panels, and eventually destroy them with enough damage. Enough lines or holes created in the Armor Panels and they will be destroyed.
- The Breaching Torch can destroy many bulletproof gadgets. Such as:
- Barbed Wire
- Deployable Shields
- Maestro's Evil Eyes
- Goyo's Volcan Shields
- Melusi's Banshees
- Destroying a Barbed Wire requires less than a second of focused Blowtorch fire.
- The Torch deals 5 damage to an operator touching the flame every quarter of a second. (20 damage per second)
- Firing the Breaching Torch (regardless if the flame hits anything) consumes fuel. The Breaching Torch has six fuel tanks in total, each providing 5 seconds of flame.
- Reloading the Breaching Torch takes roughly one second, however, any leftover fuel in the tank will be lost, even if the tank was mostly full.
- The Breaching Torch is not affected by Mute's Signal Disruptors, Bandit's Shock Wires or Kaid's Electroclaws, however, in the case of the latter two, getting too close to them will still shock Maverick.
Strategies[]
- Creating a hole that Maverick and other Operators can traverse through takes time and a lot of fuel. Circular holes maximize the area breached without wasting fuel. Keeping the hole close to the ground can allow crouching through them.
- Due to how destruction works, cutting a line through the top of a reinforced wall and another through the bottom of it will completely destroy the middle of the wall between the two lines. This is because the anchors on reinforced walls are broken. The lines made will have to reach the other side of the wall in order for the anchors to be broken. The wall itself will not be destroyed, but the wall will be un-reinforced. This leaves the now un-reinforced wall vulnerable to breaching methods.
- Bringing another Operator with Smoke Grenades can provide ample cover so that Maverick can create small circular holes to enter. This however is difficult to achieve and requires efficiency.
- The mechanic for breaking reinforced hatches is less understood. But it is certain that burning what is already broken does not contribute to destroying the hatch. Maverick needs to cut around the edges of the hatch to effectively destroy it.
- The Breaching Torch cannot breach through Mira's Black Mirrors by burning them directly. Instead, breaching the four anchors at their corners (only visible on the inside) will instantly destroy it.
- Alternatively, burning a hole underneath the Mira window exposes its gas canister, allowing an Attacker to shoot it and eject the Black Mirror.
Synergies[]
- Due to his main role in creating holes in reinforced surfaces, Operators such as Blackbeard and Glaz can benefit the most from working with Maverick.
- IQ can find gadgets behind Reinforced Walls so that Maverick can make a precise hole in which to destroy the gadget.
- Maverick can benefit from Lion's EE-ONE-D Drone, which will discourage Defenders from moving, allowing Maverick to create holes in relative safety.
Counters[]
- Kaid's Electroclaws, unlike Bandit's Shock Wires, can affect many Reinforced Walls and Hatches that are within its range. When placed carefully, Maverick cannot directly destroy them himself.
- While Bandit can also do so to a lesser extent, he's less effective at this because his Shock Wires are more predictable to find. He must also be near the wall to replace the destroyed Shock Wires, and thus exposed to the murder hole created during the process.
Device Description[]
- "Blowtorch capable of burning holes reinforced walls at an almost inaudible level."
— Exothermic-S "Suri" Torch Description
Maverick's DIY blowtorch can breach any surface, including reinforced walls and hatches. It requires a steady hand and knowledge of the environment to create small holes and lines of sight. Maverick must be in close range to use his gadget on the chosen surface. This torch makes almost no sound but it runs out of fuel quickly. Nevertheless, the high precision of this gadget makes it a very creative tool to use hands-on without relying on digital technology. Using the Exothermic-S Torch can be risky but the team can reap high rewards with efficient use and skill.[2]
Device Notes[]
I'll admit that not as much work was put into Specialist Thorn's Torch as the Brimstone. He already had a fully functioning prototype that essentially did what it's supposed to do, albeit a shoddy, poor man's version. I gotta say though, it's amazing that he was able to even build the V1 Torch with such basic tools. Specialist Cohen and I are experts at breaching (and entering), but SWAT designed the M120 and Brimstone to raid the enemy and have the blast take them by surprise. When we were presented with "Suri", as Thorn likes to call it, we knew its most crucial aspect was the low volume sound. The challenge was retaining that quality but intensifying and accelerating the heat, since the rate at which the prototype's flame was streaming would take hours to pierce through. Adding acetylene and some propane into the mix seemed to do the trick, and we got one hell of a torch. Thorn insisted that we incorporate that tank he brought back from Afghanistan, which he claims has been with him 'since the beginning', whatever that means.
- - Specialist Jordan "Thermite" Trace
Quotes[]
| Maverick's Quotes |
|---|
|
Trivia[]
- Maverick was first officially revealed on August 16th, 2018.[5]
- Besides the tattoo of Afghanistan on his left arm, several aspects about Maverick reflect back to the time he spent in the country, specifically Kabul.
- Maverick's hat is a Pakol, a kind of soft, round-topped hat worn by Pashtun men in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- At times, Maverick will speak in Dari (mentioned as "Farsi" in-game), reflecting his background on learning the language.
- Maverick's gadget's name, "Suri", means "red" in the Persian language, including Dari. It is also the name of a type of red-toned Damask rose.
- It was revealed that Nøkk was responsible for discovering Maverick's location in Afghanistan.[6]
- Since fellow attacker Buck speaks Pashto according to his psychological profile, he and Maverick are one of the two operators capable of speaking either of Afghanistan's two official languages.
- Maverick is one of the operators who are deployed during the War in Afghanistan along with Blackbeard, Alibi, Frost and Warden.
Gallery[]
Stills[]
Icons[]
Elite Set[]
Patch Changes[]
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References[]
- ↑ Maverick's In-game BIO
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Update 3.3.0 Patch Notes - Grim Sky
- ↑ Maverick's In-game BIO > RELEVANT EXPERIENCE section
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Maverick's Background
- ↑ NEW ATTACKER: MAVERICK
- ↑ Nøkk's In-game BIO > BACKGROUND section
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