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"I discovered why every mission in this investigation has been compromised. The Agency had a leak...at the top..."
"Benton, of course..."
"You knew?!?"
"You are valuable to me Logan, but you are not briefed on all of the Agency's activities. I've known for some time that Benton has been playing both sides."
"How many missions did you send us on, knowing that Benton could've gotten us killed?"
"We do what it takes, Logan...all of us..."

- Markinson and Gabe about Benton

Edward Benton is a character in Syphon Filter and appears in flashbacks in Syphon Filter 3. He was the Deputy-Director for The Agency under Director Thomas Markinson. He first met Gabriel Logan during an Agency operation in Kabul, Afghanistan, along with Ellis. It was due to Logan's abilities during this encounter, that he was prompted to recruit him into The Agency. Incidentally, this encounter also (unknowingly to Logan at the time) gave him insight into the true purpose of the Agency.

He is essentially the second faced antagonist of the original Syphon Filter, acting under Erich Rhoemer's orders as a mole in The Agency, for the Black Baton. It was due to his actions that the botched operation in Costa Rica occurred along with Jenkins and his entire team being eliminated in Washington Park.

Appearance

Benton is a tall, African American male in his late 40's with short black hair and a stern expression. While at headquarters, Benton is seen in an Agency suit, with a black jacket, tie and dress pants with black dress shoes. He is also depicted in the intro and the cutscene in which he's shown in the office with Markinson, Gabe and Lian wearing shades though he is mostly shadowed so it's hard to notice.

At the Pharcom Exhibit, he's shown to be wearing a dress tuxedo with a blue handkerchief in his left pocket and a blue vest wrapped around a white button up shirt that ends in a black bow tie.

His appearance is not seen during Syphon Filter 3.

Description

A politics major, and later a Master's holder in International Relations, Edward Benton was anything but surprised when approached by Agency recruiters immediately after his graduation from the University of Maryland. This is fitting, as he would later be known for his uncanny precognitive and logistical analysis. He proved to be an expert in tactical command.

Benton spent a great deal of time as an intelligence analyst, first in South America, particularly Argentina and Peru, and later the Balkan areas. In the middle he managed to improvise during the Soviet conflict in Afghanistan -- a convoy of supplies needed to be run, yet the region was hands off, and so Benton posed as a CIA officer and duped a pair of Rangers, named Logan and Ellis, into escorting him. This turned heads in Washington, especially given the pair of grunts' unusual field skills. It seemed Benton could predict useful assets, as well.

It is likely around this time that Edward Benton was approached by Secretary of State Vincent Hadden, who wanted a set of eyes in his Agency that would keep him up to speed on all affairs. Benton naturally, agreed, and ultimately accepted a promotion to Deputy Director in 1999.

Although technically answering to Director Markinson, Benton began to clash with his superior indirectly when Hadden's Consortium would benefit from something that Markinson did not approve. Notably, the first of many examples would be the District of Columbia attacks, which Deputy Director Benton directly aided through leaking of information. Evidently, Hadden stood to gain from a terrorist attack on American soil.

When direct evidence was unearthed by communications officer Lian Xing, she briefed Thomas Markinson, who would later admit that he knew, but did nothing (for reasons few would know until later). All the same, he was quick to issue a DPE for field agent Gabriel Logan, who was able to carry it out with little impasse.

Instability within the Agency quickly followed, as Hadden called Director Markinson's leadership into question.

Early Career

The following information is taken from Page 23 of the Syphon Filter game manual.

Edward Benton

Deputy Director of the Agency
Sex: Male
Age: 47
Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Nationality: American
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 210 pounds
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black and Grey

Background

Deputy Director, Agency, 1999-Current

Plot

Syphon Filter

Benton first appears in the first mission of Syphon Filter where he and Markinson are briefing Lian Xing and Logan on their mission that is to be carried out on Washington D.C, Georgia Street.

After Logan has carried out the mission, dicovered a fake virus bomb and wounded Mara Aramov, he heads down the street communicating with Lian. As soon as he passes Washington Park, Benton contacts Logan informing him that a fellow agent, Jenkins, and his team have been elimintated by the Black Baton. He orders Logan to go in and disarm the viral bombs in their stead. This leads Logan into suspecting that there is a mole in The Agency.

After Logan has carried out this mission and defeats Anton Girdeux in a battle. Logan requests he investigate the man named Jonathan Phagan, Head and CEO of Pharcom a bio-chemicals industry as well as the manufacturer of the Syphon Filter Virus. He is granted secret permission to investigate and attends a gala that Pharcom holds. Logan then follows Phagan into a museum exhibit that has been rented under Pharcom. Inside he spots Phagan talking with Mara and Benton, with Benton demanding the Syphon Filter virus and Phagan begins stalling. Tired with his excuses, Benton orders Mara to interrogate Phagan while he waits in the exhibit.

Logan talks over with Lian and both decide on taking Benton out. Logan blows his cover and kills Benton, taking his weapon and access card key to enable access further into the museum complex.

Logan makes it through the complex, saves Phagan and incapacitates Mara to take her into custody for questioning. As soon as they return to Agency headquarters Logan and Lian report to Markinson that there was a mole who was leaking information, at the top. Markinson then mentions Benton, leaving Logan questioning Markinson on how he knew.

Syphon Filter 2

Although not appearing physically or mentioned in-game. A reference is made to Benton in the Multiplayer map "Pharcom Expo".

Syphon Filter 3

Although not appearing physically, Benton is heard ordering Logan on Mission 2 of Syphon Filter 3 in the Costa Rican forest plantation, Lian on Mission 8, and Logan and Ellis on Missions 11 and 12. Benton already worked for the Agency in 1987, as testified by Logan and mentioned in the first Syphon Filter game's manual.

Strategy

Benton can be hard or easy, depending upon the player's method of tackling. Despite having a flak jacket, holding a G-18 and being very accurate, Gabe can kill him without even getting hit. (Yes, I mean this quite literally, and NO, I'm NOT bullshitting you)

Instead of having the element of surprise others possess (case in point Pavel Kravitch and Jorge Marcos), he is immediately encountered after a cutscene and checkpoint. While Gabe is facing a wall, Benton is directly in front of him, but just behind the wall. The wrong tactic will be to charge out, absorb a few shots, get to cover, score a headshot and lose a substantial amount of Gabe's HP in this process!

Thus, the best plan here is to use the HK-5 and approach the right side of the wall. Be cautious and don't get too close to the edge (as for Kravitch).

Slip until Gabe's right shoulder is almost an inch from the end. Aim down your sights manually and hold 'strafe-right'. Hopefully, you'll have a view of Benton's left side, but no headshot. Don't just run out and nail his brains! Instead, aim the HK-5 at his leg around the knee-cap area and let loose. A few seconds of leg shots, and Gabe will call Lian to inform her that Benton is dead.

Notes

  • Use the strategy above. There's simply NO easier way to do it.
  • As with most other bosses Benton has a flak jacket, so aim high, and keep your firing controlled.
  • It's just you against Benton. There are NO guards, it's one vs one. If you feel the need to have a nice, dragged-out boss battle, by all means, go ahead. You have all the time in the world... no bodyguards for Benton.
  • If you do choose to go for the long fight for whatever reason, run and roll to the glass structure against the wall on the right. Then use the peek-a-boo technique on Benton, using whatever cover is possible (walls, glass boxes, etc.)

Appearances

Syphon Filter

Syphon Filter 3

Trivia

  • In Syphon Filter 2 a reference to him in a Multiplayer map is made. In the "Pharcom Expo" map in the before battle level brief, it mentions how "Cleaners have tried for weeks to clean Benton's blood off the floor".
    • Interestingly, Lian also makes a similar comment when Jimmy Zhou threatens to kill her during Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, telling him that "they won't be able to scrap you off the floor when Gabe is done".
  • Benton is the second black character to appear in the Syphon Filter series. The first being Erich Rhoemer and third being Lawrence Mujari.
  • He is the first mole in the series. The others are Jason Chance, Nigel Cummings and Richard Kress.
  • Unlike the other antagonists in the game, he is the only named enemy who does not talk during combat.
  • He, along with Jason Chance, Lyle Stevens and Teresa Lipan were mentioned by Hadden as one of the people that Logan killed in Syphon Filter 3.
  • Unused Quotes:[1]
  • "You're just delaying the inevitable!"
  • "You're weren't supposed to be here, Logan!"
  • "Who sent you?"
  • "How'd you find out?"
  • "My secret is going to die with you."
  • "Sorry it had to be you, Logan."
  • "I can't let you live."

Gallery

References

Main Characters Anton Girdeux  · Edward Benton  · Erich Rhoemer  · Gabriel Logan  · Jonathan Phagan  · Lian Xing  · Mara Aramov  · Thomas Markinson
Minor Characters Alec Kabanov  · Ellis  · Jenkins  · Jorge Marcos  · Pavel Kravitch  · Richard Erikson  · Vince Hadden  · Vladislav Gabrek
Enemies Georgia Street Terrorists  · Flaming Enemy  · Girdeux's Terrorists  · Pharcom Bodyguards
Organizations Black Baton  · CBDC  · Pharcom  · The Agency
Missions Georgia Street  · Destroyed Subway  · Main Subway Line  · Washington Park  · Freedom Memorial  · Expo Center Reception  · Expo Center Dinorama  · Rhoemer's Base  · Base Bunker  · Base Tower  · Base Escape  · Rhoemer's Stronghold  · Stronghold Lower Level  · Stronghold Catacombs  · Pharcom Warehouses  · Pharcom Elite Guards  · Warehouse 76  · Silo Access Tunnels  · Tunnel Blackout  · Missile Silo
Weaponry 9mm  · .45  · Air Taser  · BIZ-2  · C4 Explosive  · Combat shotgun · G-18  · Gas Grenade Grenade  · HK-5  · K3G4 Assault Rifle  · M-16  · M-79  · Nightvision rifle  · PK-102  · Shotgun  · Sniper Rifle
Gadgets Card Key  · Flak Jacket  · Flashlight  · Viral Antigen  · Viral Scanner
Vehicles UH-60 Blackhawk
Conflicts Washington D.C. Attack  · First Investigation of PHARCOM  · Destruction of Rhoemer's Base  · Sabotage of Rhoemer's Cathedral  · Kazakhstan Missile Incident
Transcipts Georgia Street  · Destroyed Subway  · Main Subway Line  · Washington Park  · Freedom Memorial  · Expo Center Reception  · Expo Center Dinorama  · Rhoemer's Base  · Base Bunker  · Base Tower  · Base Escape  · Rhoemer's Stronghold  · Stronghold Lower Level  · Stronghold Catacombs  · Pharcom Warehouses  · Pharcom Elite Guards  · Warehouse 76  · Silo Access Tunnels  · Tunnel Blackout  · Missile Silo
Main Characters Dillon Morgan  · Elsa Weissinger  · Gabriel Logan  · Jason Chance  · Lawrence Mujari  · Lian Xing  · Lyle Stevens  · Mara Aramov  · Steven Archer  · Teresa Lipan  · Thomas Holman  · Thomas Markinson  · Uri Gregorov
Minor Characters Carter  · Colorado Bridge Bombing Commander  · Davies  · Derek Falkan  · Dobson  · Eschelman  · Ferguson  · Gershon  · Imposter Gregorov  · John Ramirez  · Jonathan Phagan  · Kowalski  · Mr. Cochran  · Shi-Hao  · Thompson  · Unnamed Airman  · Unnamed Doctor  · Vince Hadden  · Vladimir Nedobryi
Missions Colorado Mountains  · McKenzie Airbase Interior  · Colorado Interstate 70  · I-70 Mountain Bridge  · McKenzie Airbase Exterior  · Colorado Train Ride  · Colorado Train Race  · C-130 Wreck Site  · Pharcom Expo Center  · Morgan  · Moscow Club 32  · Moscow Streets  · Volkov Park  · Gregorov  · Aljir Prison Break-In  · Aljir Prison Escape  · Agency Bio-Lab  · Agency Bio-Lab Escape  · New York Slums  · New York Sewer  · Finale
Locations Club 32  · McKenzie Airbase  · Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Terrorists Spooks  · Unit one
Multiplayer Abandoned Bank  · Catacombs  · Kazakhstan Warehouses  · New York Garage  · New York Slums  · Park Hedge Maze  · Park Jungle Gym  · Pharcom Expo Center (multiplayer)  · Rooftops (multiplayer)  · Small Village (multiplayer)
Weaponry .45  · 9mm  · 12 Gauge  · Air Taser  · BIZ-2  · C-4 Explosive  · Combat Knife  · Crossbow  · G-18  · H11  · Hand Taser  · HK-5  · Incendiary Grenade  · K3G4 Assault Rifle  · M-16  · M-79  · Nerve Gas Grenade  · Nightvision rifle  · PK-102  · Sniper Rifle  · Tear Gas Launcher  · The Flame-Thrower  · UAS-12  ·
Gadgets Binoculars  · Camera Scrambler  · Cellular Modem  · Flak Jacket  · Flashlight  · Nightvision Goggles  · Transponder Locator
Vehicles C-130 Hercules  · F-22 Raptor
Conflicts Raid on the C-130 Wreckage  · Escape from Mackenzie Air Force Base  · Second Investigation of PHARCOM  · Meeting with Uri Gregorav imposter  · Rescue of Uri Gregorav  · Search for Syphon Filter antidote  · Escape from New York City
Main Characters Gabriel Logan  · Lian Xing
Minor Characters Ellis  · Nigel Cummings  · Silvers
Missions Hotel Fukushima  · Costa Rican Plantation  · C5 Galaxy Transport  · Pugari Gold Mine  · Pugari Complex  · Kabul Afghanistan  · S.S. Lorelei  · Aztec Ruins  · Waterfront  · Docks Final Assault  · Convoy  · The Beast  · Australian Outback  · St. George Australia  · Paradise Ridge  · Militia Compound  · Underground Bunker  · Senate Building  · DC Subway
Weaponry .45  · 9mm  · Air Taser  · AU300 Heavy Barrel  · BIZ-2  · Combat Knife  · Crossbow  · Falcon  · G-18  · H11  · HK-5  · K3G4  · M-16  · M-79  · MARS  · Nightvision rifle  · PK-102  · Shotgun  · Spyder  · Tear Gas Launcher  · UAS-12
Multiplayer maps Afghanistan  · Computer center  · Izmalavio Park  · McKenzie Air Force Base  · Paradise Ridge  · Rhoemer's Stronghold  · S.S. Lorelei  · Training Simulator  ·
Multiplayer characters Agency operative  · Anton Girdeux  · Bag Lady  · CBDC operative  · Corpse  · Elsa Weissinger  · Erich Rhoemer  · Evil scientist  · Gabe Logan  · John Ramirez  · Jonathan Phagan  · Jorge Marcos  · Lawrence Mujari  · Lian Xing  · Mara Aramov  · Military Police  · Monk  · Ninja Gabe  · Russian Bodyguard  · Spook  · SWAT Officer  · Teresa Lipan  · Terrorist  · Unit One  · Uri Gregorov  · Virtual test subject  · Vladislav Gabrek
Minigame types Assassination  · Biathlon  · Demolition  · Elimination  · Thief
Minigame maps China Exhibit  · Colorado Bridge  · D.C. Subway  · Military Base  · New York Slums  · Phagan's Warehouse  · Rhoemer's Fortress  · Washington Park  · Whispering Woods Mortuary
Conflicts Assassination of Shi Hao  · Costa Rican Incident  · Investigation of Pugari Complex  · Soviet-Afghan War  · First Destruction of the SS Lorelei  · Investigation of Erich Rhoemer  · Abduction of Elsa Weissenger  · Assassination of Commander Silvers  · Paradise Ridge Incident  · Attempted Apprehension of Mara Aramov
Main Characters Gabriel Logan  · Lawrence Mujari  · Lian Xing  · Mara Aramov  · Teresa Lipan
Minor Characters Alima Haddad  · Andre Proust  · Elsa Weissinger  · Gary Stoneman  · Gina Hunter  · Imani Gray  ·Jean Fournier  · Maggie Powers  · Mikhail Pulikovsky  · Mikhas Ivankhov  · Oleg Petrenko  · Rodion Ushakov  · Soren Masson  · Vladik Savin  · Vladimir Zhidkov  · William Crusher  · Yegor Leonov  · Yuschenko
Missions IPCA European Command: Training Centre  · Carthage, Michigan: Quarantine Zone  · Carthage, Michigan: Warehouse District  · Carthage, Michigan: Carthage Mall  · Pescara, Italy: St Cetteo's Square  · Mazyr, Belarus: Krivorozhstal Mill  · Mazyr, Belarus: Belaya Vezha  · Tash, Kumyr, Kyrgysztan: Saydahmat's Village  · Sana'a, Yemen: Arms Bazaar  · Sana'a, Yemen: Taherir Palace  · Minsk, Belarus: International University  · Samaschki, Chechnya: Ivankov's Home  · North Atlantic: Lorelei Salvage Rig  · Tokyo, Japan: Murukawa Tower  · Taguang, Myanmar: Irawaddy Basin  · Zurich, Switzerland: Niculescu Funds Tower  · Budva, Montenegro: Niculescu's Villa Estate  · Kiev, Ukraine: Chechen Terrorist Base
Organizations IPCA
Weaponry Beta Weapons  · C11  · China Type 56  · Combat shotgun  · FAL  · FAMAS  · G 33E  · GAWS 12 gauge  · K-BAR  · M1 Super 90  · Riot shotgun  · Shot Defender  · ShotHammer  · Silenced . 44  · Slug Defender  · SlugHammer  · SPA-12 shotgun  · SPA-15 shotgun  · Stava M70 B1  · SSG 550  · Sweeper 12 gauge
Conflicts ALA Assault on Carthage  · Assassination of Dimitri  · Sabotage of CDP Operations  · Transaction on Kyrgysztan  · Assault on Yemen  · Raid on Jandran's Labs  · Investigation of Chechen Genocide  · Second Destruction of the SS Lorelei  · Assault on Murukawa Industries  · Recovery of Imani Grey  · Raid on Meta Global Headquarters  · Raid on Niculescu's Estate  · Showdown with the CDP  · Assassination of Mara Aramov and Elsa Weissenger
Main Characters Gabriel Logan  · Lawrence Mujari  · Lian Xing  · Teresa Lipan
Weaponry K-BAR  · SG-10 Bolt Pistol  · Silenced . 44  · SSP 90
Missions
Act I. Cargo Hold 5 Pirates of Somalia  · Going Under  · Ocean's Five  · Sea of Darkness
Act II. Terminal Drift What Lies Below  · Depths of Darkness  · Dead Currents  · Drowning
Act III. Crimson Flood Missing Friends  · Found Enemies  · Nowhere To Run
Act IV. Tyorma Redemption Trinidad  · Into The Cold  · Deadly Cargo
Act V. Shifting Sands Operation Canyon Storm  · Our Hidden Past  · Desert Flames
Act VI. Shattered Destiny The Long Descent  · Powerless  · Disintegration  · Leading The Blind  · With Violent Intent
Bonus missions Killing Time  · Lian's First Time  · Shadowed  · Behind The Scenes  · Left Behind
Multiplayer maps Canyon  · Casino  · Depot  · Detroit  · SRefinery  · Shanty town  · Village
Multiplayer modes Free for all  · Retrieval  · Rogue agent  · Team deathmatch  · Sabotage
Conflicts Assault on the St. Helens  · Raid on the St. Helens' Wreckage  · Spetsnaz Incursion on Azerbaijan  · Escape from Gebel Tyorma  · Raid on Bitar's Bunker  · Faceoff with al-Jamil  · Assassination of Qwan Tak
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