The Stone-Like is the main antagonist and the final boss of Radiant Silvergun. It also appears in the game's spiritual successor, Ikaruga, again as the final boss.
Appearance[]
The Stone-Like is a large, yellow octahedral object. In the introductory cutscene of the game when it was being scanned at EDA Research Lab Division 3, along with the memory data of the Creator-type robonoid that it was unearthed with from the prehistoric layer of the Earth, the memory data of the robonoid displayed an image of it with circuit board-like traces on its surfaces.
Radiant Silvergun[]
WARNING: The following information contains spoilers!
The Stone-Like was excavated from the prehistoric layer of the Earth by the EDA in July of 2520, along with the remains of a CREATOR series robonoid bearing the serial number 00104, the same as CREATOR 00104, a robonoid stationed on the Tetra space cruiser. Chief Igarashi, Secretary of Defense of the EDA, ordered the Stone-Like to be examined by EDA Research Lab Division 3, which is also tasked at analyzing the memory data of the robonoid.
After the Stone-Like was scanned, and the researchers examined the robonoid's memory data, it began to glow brightly before causing an explosion at the facility. The explosion scours the Earth, annihilating all of humanity... except for those on the Tetra, who were testing the Silvergun fighters. The crew returns one year later after having run out of supplies. The Stone-Like, now aware of the Tetra and the Silverguns' presence, sends out its forces to destroy them. Despite the crew's best efforts, the artifact intercepts the group at EDA headquarters. Guy pulls a suicidal attack on the Stone-Like, but to no avail. Tengai orders Buster and Reana to escape while he orchestrates a similar, yet futile feat against the Stone-Like with the Tetra. In a last ditch attempt, Buster persuades Reana to join him in destroying the Stone-Like; before they head out to space, CREATOR asks to take it back to the surface and requests from both of them a particular item.
The Stone-Like locates Buster and Reana and engages them, while briefly explaining its actions: humanity's tendency to destroy and their nature to commit war forced the Stone-Like to awaken and bring about the apocalypse. Eventually, the Stone-Like, after being defeated in combat, transports the two Silverguns back in time to the year 10,000 B.C. Ultimately, after a long and grueling battle, the Stone-Like unleashes its power in a final, cataclysmic explosion. Buster and Reana are unable to escape, swallowed up by the blast and comepletely obliterated. 20 years in the future, CREATOR has been hiding in an underground facility, and with strands of hair from Buster and Reana that it asked of them before their departure, begins the process of creating their clones. The Stone-Like has been deactivated, its power exhausted from the previous battle.
In its final moments, CREATOR divulges the secret of the artifact: the Stone-Like is the guardian of the Earth, seeking to see to the planet's advancement and evolution, along with its inhabitants and their way of life. If the Stone-Like deems that things must start over, it will destroy the Earth and repeat the cycle again until humanity can come to realize their inherent nature and change for the better.
Ikaruga[]
The Stone-Like is unearthed by Tenro Hourai, leader of the Hourai nation. The object seemingly granted her special powers, but at the same time drove her insane. She believed this to be a sign of the gods, so she used the object's power to strengthen her nation's military and conquer all other nations "in the name of peace". A resistance force called Tenkaku challenges the Hourai, but the are almost annihilated. A single pilot of Tenkaku called Shinra survives and arrives at the village of Ikaruga, where the elders give him a ship also called Ikaruga to continue fighting.
Hourai mounted the Stone-Like on her personal ship, so when Shinra finally defeats her the Stone-Like emerges from the ship and activates. Shinra decides on fighting it, asking the elders to remove the restraints from the ship. He absorbs the energy emanating from the Stone-Like into his ship, unleashing it in a kamikaze attack, which successfully destroys the artifact.