Bart Torgal

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Bart Torgal
Affiliation	Torgal Corporation
Occupation	Vice President of Torgal Corp
Age	19
Family	Paul Torgal (father) Possible unnamed half-sibling(s) Unnamed paternal grandmother
Status	Missing, presumed dead
Voice Actor	James Backway

Despite my best efforts, ill-health is taking hold of me. The visions are getting worse. Marguerit and father are now part of the ecosystem of this incredible planet. It's reassuring to know that when I go, I'll join them. Until then... well, there's always the view.

― Bart Torgal, Bart Torgal's Log #3 - Return From the Deep

Bart Torgal was the heir to Torgal Corp and is the only known legitimate child of Paul Torgal, though the PDA implies he has illegitimate half-siblings. He was a beneficiary of an advanced learning program through which he learned farming techniques amongst other things. Bart was also the recipient of a cerebral implant, presumably enhancing cognitive abilities. Using his knowledge, he kept the three Degasi survivors alive by growing food.

A few weeks after being marooned (when they had reached the Deep Grand Reef), Bart discovered that they were infected with an alien bacterium and attempted to find a cure. Marguerit Maida would bring Bart samples to see how they reacted to the bacteria. However, these were often of little use as Marguerit tended to severely injure or use Transfuser serums on the creatures, making them unsuitable for testing.

Bart's last known location was the western observatory on the Floating Island, to which he fled after the destruction of the Deep Grand Reef base by a Reaper Leviathan that followed the one brought back by Marguerit. He made a final log, detailing the effects of the Kharaa on him and noting that he would soon join his friend and father in death.

Bart provides the voiceover for the official cinematic trailer of Subnautica, a slightly edited version of his third and final log "Return From the Deep." A brief snapshot of his life after Paul and Marguerit's supposed demise is also shown.

Before the Crash

Bart was instilled as his father's heir of Torgal Corp, and accompanied him on route to a station where Bart would serve as Chief Operating Officer.

It's logical to assume that, out of both bias and a desire to see his only legitimate son succeed as heir to the family empire, Paul would have installed Bart as his second in the shipboard hierarchy. This position would very likely have been an uncomfortable one for Bart, as he seems to have little experience and no interest in a command situation. Judging from the logs found throughout the game, Bart is much more comfortable taking orders than giving them, preferring instead to study the local biodiversity.

After the Crash

After crashing on 4546B, Bart immediately sets to finding a way to ensure they don't starve by determining which plants were safe to eat and which ones were not, discovering (the hard way) that most of them were toxic. He eventually grew Chinese Potato Plants and Marblemelon Plants, and used his limited technical skills to devise a purification system that would desalinate and clean seawater to create potable water for them to drink. He observed the symbiotic relationship between the Crabsnake and their co-evolution alongside the mushrooms of Jellyshroom Cave, and discovered how Stalker Teeth could act as a natural substrate to fabricate Enameled Glass.

After Marguerit and Paul went missing, it's shown in the cinematic trailer that Bart survived for some time and was able to build himself a base in what appears to be the Safe Shallows or the Crash Zone, a Seamoth and gather several pieces of lab equipment. It's possible that he discovered a Purple Tablet during this time, as the only other one found by the Degasi crew was an Orange Tablet uncovered by Marguerit. It's also shown that he eventually abandons his base and flees to the Floating Island, where he makes his final log.

Personality

Bart has an interest in plants, as noted by his father, and has received cerebral implants. Bart had a great interest in the wildlife of Planet 4546B, often disapproving of Marguerit's methods, asking in one log what the point of surviving the planet was if they had to kill everything that made it wonderful. After the destruction of the Deep Grand Reef Seabase, he seems to be accepting of his fate, and unfazed by the death of his father and friend.

Relationships

Paul Torgal

You stopped being in charge when the ship you were captaining sunk!

― Bart Torgal, Degasi Voice Log #2 - Storm!

Despite being his father, Bart doesn't seem to be particularly close to Paul. It can be noted that Paul appears to be overprotective over his son, which may be due to the fact that they are on an alien world and Paul is fearing for his safety. This causes Bart to see him as controlling - not allowing him to leave the habitat, etc. - and estranges the two as their time on 4546B continues. Though it is equally possible that Paul still wanted to see him installed as the Chief Operating Officer for their original destination, as Bart was the sole heir to Torgal Corp at this time.

It can also be noted that the frequent fights between Paul and Marguerit upset Bart, who tries to stay neutral and act as peacekeeper, though tends to side with Marguerit over his father.

Marguerit Maida

The kid's not so bad - he's even useful.

― Marguerit Maida, Marguerit Maida's Log

Bart and Marguerit are genuinely friendly to one another, with Maida bringing Bart specimens for him to study. Marguerit says herself "the kid's not so bad", showing that she at the very least gets along with him. Bart is also fascinated by her willingness to do everything in her power to ensure their survival, but disagrees with some of Marguerit's methods of getting creatures for him to study and can get upset when she severely injures them or injects them with Transfuser serums. Despite this, he and Marguerit have great mutual respect for each other.

Relevant Data Downloads

Degasi Crew Manifest: Bart Torgal

“	Auxiliary Search & Rescue Mission: Bart Torgal Position: Vice President of Torgal Corp. Status: Lost in space near planet 4546B Age at time of disappearance: 19     - The only legitimate child of Paul Torgal     - Beneficiary of enhanced learning techniques and cerebral implants     - Digi-trained in advanced biochemistry and stellar economics     - Emissary Khasar reports Bart was accompanying his father to a newly-constructed, deep-space station where he was to serve a five year term as Chief Operating Officer	”

Bart Torgal's Log #1 - This World

“	I thought it might get claustrophobic, living underwater. Father feels it is. He'd tell me it was childish, but I stare out the window and sometimes I think how lucky I am to see this world up close. Back on the island I wouldn't have believed the creatures that live down here. The fish─they glow! There's one that's 90% eyeball. Snakes twice the length of a habitat compartment. Certainly it's not all friendly. Most of the plant life is toxic─I learned that the hard way─but I've managed to coax some marble melons into growing indoors, and when they don't cover our dietary needs, well... we eat the fish themselves. It's a bit gross, but it's nothing they wouldn't do. I've been attempting to document my findings. Father approves. He says understanding is power─that the more we know about this planet, the more we can use it to our advantage. I'm just doing it because it's fun. It's not easy without proper equipment and network access, but the old fashioned way─observing, taking notes, testing theories─shows me the world in a way a spectroscopic analysis never could. Lately I've been watching the crabsnakes. They ambush their prey as it tries to feed on the mushrooms they hide in. What they don't eat settles on the seabed, which fertilizes the mushrooms, which feeds the herbivores, and so the chain continues. Co-evolution gives me the fuzzies.	”

Bart Torgal's Log #2 - Stalker Teeth

“	Something incredible just happened. Since we're down here, I had this plan to build equipment and study the incredible lifeforms we're encountering, but I didn't have enough enameled glass. So I started looking for a natural substrate that would strengthen the glass we have, and those stalker teeth we've been finding fit the bill─only, well, we needed more. That's when Marguerit got interested. She actually listened to me─more than I can say for father─and I worked up the courage to talk about my more...tentative theories. When I told her they were attracted to metal deposits─that their teeth get dislodged when they pick them up─her eyes narrowed and she dashed out of the room. Three hours later she came back, her pack loaded down with stalker teeth! I asked her about it. She shrugged and said my theories were good. Said she had them eating out the palm of her hand. I think she meant it literally. She is incredible. She went out to the kelp forests, armed with just a heatblade, and went fin to fin with a pack of stalkers. On the one hand, that is the coolest thing I have ever heard. On the other, I hope the stalkers didn't come off worse than Marguerit did. She had a huge gash on her forearm. I don't think things went as smoothly as she made out. And what's the point in surviving here if we have to kill everything that makes it so wonderful? I wish I knew more about these animals, but father won't let me leave the habitat. Maybe with all this glass we could build a containment unit and get up close to them.	”

Bart Torgal's Log #3 - Return From the Deep

“	This is the first time I've seen sunlight in months. After all that time in the deep I'd been dreaming of it. Now that I'm back here, I'm finding it hard to enjoy alone. Father was right: We should never have left this place. We shouldn't have gone so deep. They do not want us down there. Despite my best efforts, ill-health is taking hold of me. The visions are getting worse. Marguerit and father are now part of the ecosystem of this incredible planet. It's reassuring to know that when I go, I'll join them. Until then... well, there's always the view.	”

Gallery

Bart Torgal headsculpt

Trivia

• Bart's original name was Baat, but was changed in later development to Bart. Similarly, his father Paul was named Paal.
  • Bart and his father shared the surname of Torgaljin before it was shortened to Torgal.
• Bart describes seeing visions upon nearing death. It is possible that they were in fact from the Sea Emperor Leviathan attempting to communicate with Bart.