Ada-1 is an Exo who leads the Black Armory. She was either developed or brought to the Black Armory. One of the Black Armory founders, named Helga, wanted to introduce Exos into the facility. Another founder, Henriette, didn’t want any Exos because she was worried about their mental stability.
Later, the Collapse started and Fallen began to attack Earth. The Fallen broke into the Black Armory facility and injured Helga, as well as Henriette’s daughter, Adelaide. They were fought off, but the entryway was damaged beyond repair. Later, as Adelaide was about to die from her injuries, her identity was put into the Exo’s body. This process was not described and is unknown to us. Adelaide’s body died very soon afterwards, as did Helga. The Exo became Ada-1.
The remaining people at the Black Armory facility moved onto the road, in trucks. Henriette had trusted Ada-1 with the Obsidian Accelerator, a valuable piece of technology used to increase the power of certain weapons. After driving until they ran out of fuel, they walked towards what they hoped was civilisation. At this point, they were attacked by Risen. They managed to kill one, but he was soon resurrected by his Ghost. They managed to fight off the Risen with superior weaponry. In this conflict, Yuki and other Black Armory workers were wounded and killed.
Ada-1’s transition into an Exo body left her without her memories. She had many questions for Henriette, but Henriette was still too conflicted about her choice to curse Adelaide with an Exo body to answer many. As they travelled on, they reached a camp, led by another Risen, which seemed friendly. They stayed for a few days until the Risen from before attacked, looking for the Obsidian Accelerator. They tried to escape, but the Risen reached them, after destroying the camp.
Here they parted. Henriette took the Obsidian Accelerator and sent Ada-1 to go further along the road, so that she may survive. They Risen found Henriette, who gave them the Obsidian Accelerator, so that Ada-1 would have more time to escape. The Risen were about to kill Henriette, when Ada-1 sniped them from a nearby hill. She took out both of the Risen, and then their Ghosts, too. Ada-1 then ran, and so did Henriette, after taking the Obsidian Accelerator. They both went separate ways, and as far as we know, never met again.
Ada-1 went on to lead what remained of the Black Armory. She based herself in a hidden section of the Tower, and stayed there until discovered by the Guardians. She had hostile first encounter with them, because she remembered what they did the the founder of the Black Armory, but after they discovered and freed the forges, the warmed up to them very quickly. She still helps them forge weapons to this day.
Sources:
The Black Armory Pages (https://www.ishtar-collective.net/categories/book-the-black-armory-papers)
Izanagi’s Burden Lore Tab (https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/izanagis-burden?highlight=izanagis+burden)
So, first post. I recently reread the Black Armory Papers, so I thought it would be interesting to make a character profile on Ada-1. Hope you enjoyed.