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Slash Vohaul is a character that appears (or is mentioned) in Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter and Space Quest I: Roger Wilco in the Sarien Encounter.

Background[]

Slash Vohaul was either an scientist with the Star Generator project or the inventor of the Star Generator (and is related to Sludge Vohaul who also claims to be the inventor of the Star Generator[1][2]) although how differs depending on universe.

Roger Wilco knew him, and may have encountered him during his last breath (giving him the information to to find the data disk, containing his last message and code to the Star Generator’s self destruct[3][4][5]). Note: Not all versions of the story indicate the scientist in SQ1 was necessarily Slash. But the message in databank was definitely from Slash.

There are several different histories for Slash depending on the universe, and versions of books and games he appears in. From him being the brother of Sludge Vohaul (SQ4CD/alternate universe) to him being a clone (father) of Slash Vohaul in The Space Quest Companion[6] , and related to all (or most) of the space quest villains in some way (such as Elmo Vohaul Pug). To other ideas being that he's the Siamese twin of Slash Vohaul (or older brother of the Sledge Vohaul/Sludge Vohaul Siamese twins). Some believe that Slash/Sledge/Sludge may even be the same person.

Titles[]

  • Dr. Slash Vohaul
  • Scientist
  • Elder
  • Professor
  • Doctor
  • Mister
  • Head lab scientist

Slash Vohauls[]

Fan fiction and theories[]

See also[]

Behind the scenes[]

Beyond single reference in Space Quest I, there are no other references to Slash Vohaul in the Space Quest Games. In fact, in Space Quest II, Sludge Vohaul says he was behind the Star Generator when it was still in its concept stages, thus implying he had invented the Star Generator. Whereas in SQ1 it is said that Slash invented the Star Generator. Thus for Sludge to have invented the device, he would infact have to be Slash Vohaul. It is revealed in SQ2 that he concocted a plan to steal his own Generator from the scientists. Some portions of the cartridge's message did not appear in the VGA remake of Space Quest 1, either.

The official and authorized Space Quest Companion (which was written with help from Mark Crowe) goes further to explain that Slash and Sludge are clones, with Sludge being the evil clone of Slash. It reveals that Slash had been the one that ultimately went onto invent the actual Star Generator technology, and that Sludge had tried to steal it with the help of the Sariens in order to take revenge. It is possible that Mark Crowe's perspective is a little different that Scott Murphy's position (see below), and Scott had no input into the Companions (only Mark is listed in both editions as offering help, and they were written when SQ5 was going into development).

Its appears in the official Strategy Guides, that that the scientist seen dieing in Space Quest I is actually the dying Slash Vohaul. He is the one that points Roger Wilco to a hidden cartridge containing Slash's last warning, and the star generator plans. It seems this was the scientist's last precaution in an attempt to save the galaxy in case the Star Generator got into the wrong hands. In the novelizations Roger doesn't make this connection however (in the Companion, but seems to be deferring to calling him by honorific in the Roger's Space Adventures). In The Official Guide To Roger Wilco's Space Adventures, the scientist is known simply as the Professor, or Doctor (to be fair that is "the professor" and he does seem to indicate he is head of the project), in the Space Quest Companion, he is known as the Elder, and Roger makes no connection between him and later name on the cart. However, in Space Quest II novel in the Companion, it implies that Roger was warned about the stolen Star Generator by Slash, and was given information on how to find his data cart.[7] Though at the time he talked to the man, he didn't know his name.

Still the possibility remains the professor and Slash were originally intended by the developers to be separate characters. It has never been completely clear.

In the The Adventures of Roger Wilco comic, the professor/Slash Vohaul is known as Dr. Matthew Frye. In the comic Roger knows the doctor's name, and that he is the inventor of the generator tying the scientist directly to the star generator (but replacing the Vohauls altogether).

Unused material[]

In Space Quest I VGA, Slash Vohaul is the only in-game character that doesn't have an oval shaped speech portrait. However, in the game files, there is one, in the same View as the used pink square shaped speech portrait animation (see SQ1VGA development for more details).

Fan theories and unused development ideas[]

Some believe Slash changed his name to Sludge (see S. Vohaul), others believe they are brothers (possibly even siamese twins). They are brothers according to SQ4CD manual.

It is said that designer Scott Murphy has said the two Vohauls were intended to be brothers, and that Sludge Vohaul had a siamese twin brother (who was not Slash). He was removed from his brother Sledge Vohaul, and then was sold off for research. He later worked with Slash Vohaul. Sludge invented the Generator as a weapon of destruction, nice guy Slash planned to use it for the good of the universe.[8][9] The other villains were not connected in his backstory.

Peter Spear (with Mark Crowe's blessings) invented the backstory connecting many of the series villains to the Vohauls. In Peter Spear's backstory Sludge is a clone of Slash, who is himself a clone. Effectively making Sludge into Slash's 'son'.

Slash Vohaul (unofficial)[]

Slash is mentioned in fan games, see Slash Vohaul (unofficial).

References[]

  1. Sludge Vohaul (SQ2): "Welcome to my humble fortress, %s1. The name's Vohaul, Sludge Vohaul. I was the genius behind the Star Generator when it was still in the concept stages.\"" message 4 "\"It was to be my ultimate war weapon until some sissy pants scientists decided it would be better used saving lives rather than destroying them. What a waste of technology! Excuse me if I sound bitter.\"" message 5 "\"Anyway, you ruined my Sarien operation. I was going to use the Star Generator to make Xenon pay for what they did to me. They were going to know my wrath in a big way. You somehow managed to change all that.\"" message 6 "\"Oh, I suppose I should have known better than to use those mental midget Sariens. That's not the point, however. You are responsible and you shall pay.”
  2. TSQC2E, pg.: "You don't know me, Wilco, but I know you. Oh, do I know you. My name is Sludge Vohaul. I am the evil clone of Siash Vohaul, the man who invented the Star Generator. It was I who masterminded the Sarien attack on the Arcada in order to steal that device. It was I who intended to use the Star Generator in order to rule Xenon, and then the galaxy. It was I who planned such sweet revenge on the Federation that did this to me." Vohaul made a wide gesture with both of his pudgy hands to emphasize the collection of conduits attached to him. "Once I was like other humans, but Xenon decided that Slash would become a respectable research scientist, and I a cyborg specializing only in the development of artificial sweeteners and processed cheese foods. It was I who was the smarter and better-looking clone, and they mocked my genius. Look at me. Half man, half machine I am now, but I shall be more. Much more. And I would have been already if you, puny r nan, had not blundered into my plans and destroyed my Sarien minions." Sludge Vohaul. I remembered the name. Slash had warned me, and the universe, of his insane clone. He had even included his warning in the data cart I had rescued from the Arcada; the cart that contained secret plans for the Star Generator. No wonder Vohaul held a grudge against me. I would too, if I looked like him.
  3. Message (SQ1AGI): “Whosoever shall read this: My name" message 12 " is Dr. Slash Vohaul. I am a scientist" message 13 " with The Star Generator Project aboard" message 14 " the Starlab Arcada." message 15 " We have just successfully completed" message 16 " development and testing of The Star" message 17 " Generator. During this time I have" message 18 " come to believe that our progress has" message 19 " been monitored by others. I fear that" message 20 " the Sariens may have learned of our" message 21 " mission." message 22 " If my fears prove true, The Star" message 23 " Generator and the people of our" message 24 " universe are in serious jeopardy." message 25 " The Star Generator is a miraculous" message 26 "device. Used as intended, it will help" message 27 " preserve life for eons to come. Used" message 28 " as a device for evil, it would cause" message 29 " the destruction of millions of lives" message 30 " and enslave all who oppose" message 31 " the Sariens." message 33 " Encoded within this cartridge are all" message 34 " plans and specifications for the" message 35 " construction of the Star Generator." message 36 " Should any disaster befall the Star" message 37 " Generator project, scientists would" message 38 " be able to create a duplicate of the" message 39 " Star Generator with this information." message 40 " Please guard this with your life." message 41 " Return it to the Xenon ruling body as" message 42 " quickly as is possible." message 43 " Important note: The Star Generator" message 44 " is capable of self-destruction." message 45 " This was introduced to the system as a" message 46 " precaution. To activate it one" message 47 " must enter the code:" message 48 " 6858" message 50 " A five minute timer will begin" message 51 " to count down. Beware - anyone within" message 52 " five kilometers of the Star Generator" message 53 " will be in danger once the timer has" message 54 "been initiated. Please be careful and" message 55 " good luck!"
  4. Message (SQ1SCI): “ Whoever shall read this: My name is Dr. Slash Vohaul, I am a scientist with The Star Generator Project aboard the Starlab Arcada. 56 We have just successfully completed development and testing of The Star Generator. During this time I have come to believe that our progress has been monitored by others. I fear that the Sariens may have learned of our mission. 57 If my fears prove true, The Star Generator and the people of our universe are in serious jeopardy. 58 The Star Generator is a miraculous device. Used as intended, it will help preserve life for eons to come. 59 Used as a device for evil, it would cause the destruction of millions of lives and enslave all who oppose the Sariens. 60 Encoded within this cartridge are all the plans and specifications for the construction of the Star Generator. 61 Should any disaster befall the Star Generator project, scientists would be able to create a duplicate of the Star Generator with this information. 62 Please guard it with your life and return it to the Xenon ruling body as quickly as possible. 63 Important note: The Star Generator is capable of self-destruction. This was introduced to the system as a precaution. To activate it one must enter the code: %4d 64 A five minute time will begin to count down. Beware - anyone within five kilometers of the Star Generator will be in danger once the timer has been initiated. Please be careful and GOOD LUCK !”
  5. SQC2E, pg: “If you are reading this, then I am most likely dead, and the known universe is in grave and serious danger. My name is Dr. Slash Vohaul, and I am the chief scientist in charge of the Xenon Star Generator project. We have learned to harness powers so awesome and mighty that it will provide our people with cheap, abundant, non-polluting energy for eons to come. I have recently learned that someone, or something, hostile to both our way of life and our very existence, has learned of our success. I suspect that it might be my degenerate, evil clone Sludge Vohaul. If this is true, if he and his Sarien henchmen get their hands on the Star Generator, then we'll be up the Milky Way without a lightsail. As a precaution, I have encoded all the data necessary to duplicate the Star Generator on this cart. Guard it with your life and return it to the authorities on Xenon. Don't let Sludge conquer the universe!”
  6. TSQC, pg: “Sludge Vohaul. I remembered the name. Slash had warned me, and the universe, of his insane clone. He had even included his warning in the data cart I had rescued from the Arcada; the cart that contained secret plans for the Star Generator. No wonder Vohaul held a grudge against me.”
  7. Sludge Vohaul. I remembered the name. Slash had warned me, and the universe, of his insane clone. He had even included his warning in the data cart I had rescued from the Arcada; the cart that contained secret plans for the Star Generator. No wonder Vohaul held a grudge against me.
  8. "Scott Murphy also states, that Sludge has another reason for being mad at Xenon. In his own words: "He was originally a siamese twin." [Not Slash. -ed] "The other twin got the good organs and Sludge was sold off to research. He has not lived peacefully with this knowledge. Kinda put him in a full time pissy mood. Never quite made peace with that." However, none of this is mentioned in any of the games. Sludge states, in Space Quest 2, that the reason why he stole the Generator was to make Xenon pay. According to Scott, he also holds a grudge against his parents for playing with his genetics. However, he *did* work with Slash on the Generator, until he found out it was to be used for *saving* lives rather than destroying them, as he states in SQ2, and confirmed by Scott Murphy."[1]
  9. https://spacequest.net/sq2/characters/
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