"The problem, Mara, is that you are mistaking me for some stupid Euro-trash terrorist who actually cares what you think."
- Stevens
Lyle Stevens is a character in Syphon Filter 2 and the central antagonist of the game. Following the death of Thomas Markinson, he became the new Director of The Agency and like his predecessor, sought to use the Syphon Filter Virus[1]for his own means. In this light, he aimed to sell the virus to a rebel General in the People's Republic of China known as Shi-Hao.
Appearance
Stevens is a tall Caucasian male in his late 40's with short grey hair, green eyes and stern expression. Like most Agency operatives, he is always seen wearing a formal black suit with white dress shirt and black tie, complete with black dress shoes.
Early Career and Background
Synposis
Lyle Stevens was born in San Francisco, California during the year of 1951. He entered the U.S. Navy at the age of 20, becoming part of the Navy SEALs until 1975. Following this he studied at Princeton University, where he obtained Master of Arts in International Policy Studies in the year 1980.
In 1981 he became involved with The Agency, likely seeking out his skills as a former Navy SEAL. Standing out as a ruthless, brutal operative he rose in the ranks and reached the top echelon within the Agency, becoming a Deputy Director. It is unknown what business he handled while Thomas Markinson and Edward Benton oversaw Gabriel Logan's hunt for Erich Rhoemer, but prior to his introduction in the story Dillon Morgan became his right-hand man, acting as his Agency Commander and lead enforcer on the field.
Official Dossier
The following is taken from Page 34 of the Syphon Filter 2 game manual.
Lyle Stevens
Career: Agency Man, Deputy Director
Sex: Male
Age: 49
Birthplace: San Francisco, CA
Nationality: American
Height: 6 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 221 lbs.
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Grey
Background
Progressed to the top echelon through ruthless execution of his superiors' orders. Politically savvy, brutal and expert at damage control. Presently overseeing the neutralization of Gabe Logan and Lian Xing.
- 1981-Present, Agency Deputy Director/Operative.
- 1980, Master of Arts, International Policy Studies, Princeton University.
- 1971-1975, U.S. Navy (SEAL Team).
Plot
Syphon Filter 2
With the deaths of Edward Benton and Thomas Markinson (by Gabriel Logan and Erich Rhoemer respectively), Stevens reached the post of Deputy Director and subsequently took over command as Director of the Agency. Stevens agreed with the objectives of the Agency to acquire the Syphon Filter virus, a goal which was attempted by Markinson and Benton, who both failed in their endeavours. He used a scientist Elsa Weissinger to continue the study of the second phase of the virus and sent Dillon Morgan on a mission to capture or kill Lian Xing and Gabriel Logan.
When Morgan was murdered, Stevens lost control of the situation and made a deal with Logan - the exchange of personal files of Jonathan Phagan for a vaccine to cure Lian Xing. The antagonist, however, truly plotted this deal with a dastardly endgame, setting up a trap to capture Logan; but Gabe escaped from custody, forcing Stevens to close the Agency Bio-Laboratory in New York, with Unit One being triggered, and send operatives to patrol the streets, where they met with SWAT officers who believed Gabe was a terrorist because of propaganda spread through erroneous news reports.
Stevens took over command of the operation; he took a female police officer as a hostage and killed her despite the fact that Gabe had dropped his weapon (an act Stevens had ordered). When Stevens was about to kill Logan, Teresa Lipan detonates a C4 bomb and sends Logan into the sewers. Logan and Teresa pursue Stevens into the New York parking garage. Logan dispatches Stevens' henchmen and spots Lyle running up from a staircase near him with Teresa chasing him. Lyle is cornered and kneels on the ground, taunting Logan and Teresa they need him alive. Despite his pleas, Logan (or Teresa) then executes Stevens with the former remarking that he's nothing more than "another dead agent."
Description
Lyle Stevens served as one of the Agency's top officials during the early eighties to late nineties. After a career in the Navy SEALs from 1971-1975, he enrolled in Princeton University five years later to earn a Master of Arts in International Policy Studies. The next year, he joined the Agency as an operative.
He reached the position of Deputy Director after Edward Benton's demise and overtook command of the Agency following the loss of Director Thomas Markinson. Stevens agreed with the Agency's goal of acquiring the Syphon Filter virus that Markinson and Benton shared, but which both failed to complete. He used PharCom scientist Elsa Weissinger to continue research on the second phase of the virus while sending Dillon Morgan on a mission to recover Lian Xing and eliminate Gabriel Logan.
Described as 'inept' by Weissinger and known to consistently quarrel with Mara Aramov, Steven soon found the circumstances out of hand when numerous confrontations between the CBDC and the Agency left Archer killed in action. Things deteriorated upon Morgan's similar demise while fighting Logan. Finally, Stevens agreed to accept a trade with Gabe Logan: Jonathon Phagan's personal data files in exchange for a Syphon Filter vaccine specifically tailored to Xing. Gabe went through with the deal, but Stevens' true agenda was to capture him. Logan escaped custody, forcing Stevens to shut down the Agency's New York laboratories and deploy super-armoured Unit One thugs in the labs. Agency personnel were sent to the surrounding streets where they ganged up with NYPD officers (who were persuaded Logan was an enemy of the state) in an attempt to capture or kill Gabe.
Stevens assumed command in the field and forced Gabe to surrender his weapon by threatening to kill a SWAT officer. Although Logan complied, his enemy shot the hostage anyway and drew a bead on Gabe. Before he could fire, Teresa Lipan detonated a C4 charge, dropping Gabe into the sewers. Logan and ex-Agent Teresa Lipan cornered Stevens in a parking garage after engaging the Agency's squads. The pursuit ultimately resulted in Stevens' demise.
Personality and characteristics
Stevens: Logan will be stopped even if I have to do it myself!
Stevens constantly got into arguments with Mara and was said to be 'inept' by Elsa Weissenger. His agenda is not known, but what is clear is that he is an absolute sociopath. Despite Gabe bringing him Phagan's personal files, he goes back on his word and captures Logan instead of giving him Lian's vaccine. This is seen again during his taking of a hostage before Gabe is thrown into the sewers. Although Logan complied with his orders to drop his weapons, Stevens ruthlessly shot the SWAT officer he was holding as a hostage anyway.
Appearances
Syphon Filter 2
- McKenzie Airbase Interior (cutscene)
- C-130 Wreck Site (cutscene)
- Aljir Prison Escape (voice)
- Agency Bio-Lab (cutscene)
- Agency Bio-Lab Escape (cutscene)
- New York Slums (cutscene)
- New York Sewer
Syphon Filter 3
- Paradise Ridge (mentioned)
Trivia
- If one leaves the .45 near Stevens and does not retrieve it from him before he finishes his dialogue. Stevens will grab it, get up, call Gabe an "idiot" and shoot Teresa's head (resulting in a parameter failure), before killing the player with a second headshot.
- Should Gabe acquire the pistol but elect not to shoot Stevens, Teresa will kill him herself instead and say "You've gotten soft in your old age, Gabe". This quote is recycled during the events of Logan's Shadow, in which Dane and Logan briefly talk about the former's 'getting soft' while the latter is 'getting slow'.
- Stevens is mentioned in Syphon Filter 3 as one of the people Logan killed.
- Stevens is also mentioned several times in Zeus FIles in Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain.
- He is listed as a Deputy Director in the Instruction Manual, at the same time that Edward Benton was also a Deputy Director. He was probably promoted after Benton's death due to also being listed as an operative at the same time but regardless, in Syphon Filter 2 he is the new Director after Markinson.