![Nuclear Gandhi Nuclear Gandhi](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/square/000/017/326/7bd.jpg)
Nuclear Gandhi
Part of a series on Civilization. [View Related Entries]
About
Nuclear Gandhi is the nickname given to the Indian historical figure Mahatma Gandhi as portrayed in the turn-based strategy video game series Civilization. Among the fans of the games, Gandhi has gained much notoriety for his obsessive nuclear warmongering, in stark contrast to the pacifist reputation of the real life counterpart.
Origin
Gandhi’s obsession with nuclear bombing in the series was first is based on the falsely attributed notion that the turn-based strategy game, Civilization II, wherein India would allegedly often evolve into the most hostile civilization during the mid to late stages of a match, despite starting with the lowest level of aggression to reflect Gandhi's historical legacy of pacifism. This was attributed to a nonexistent glitch in the artificial intelligence (A.I.) for Gandhi's aggression level, where Gandhi's already low aggression value would lower into a negative value in the game's code, at which point the error caused Gandhi's aggression to overflow from 0, to the highest value, 255, just as the level of military aggression begins to wane across the world in the game. With the advents of strategic nuclear weaponry in the Atomic Era, Gandhi's hyperaggression was explained as typically leading to rampant threats and use of nuclear bombs on other civilizations, earning him an odd reputation of being a nuke-obsessive warmonger.
![Nuclear Weapons Gandhi Greetings fromm m2.Go.ndhi, ruler ornd King of te Indias.. Our Twords ore bo.cked](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/913/959/5f9.jpg)
Although no such bug ever been documented to have existed in the game, the belief that the popularity of the bug was later intentionally put into later iterations of the game became widespread due to the entertaining nature of the story. This was corroborated by Sid Meier himself in September 2020, where he explains that no such bug ever had been known to exist in the first place.[2]
Spread
In September 2010, the webcomic site Critical Miss published a comic comparing the real life Gandhi to the fictional counterpart as depicted within the Civilization series. On October 23rd, 2014, a copy of this comic was uploaded to Reddit. On the same day, Redditor Kserge commented on another Reddit post[1] to explain that Gandhi's obsession with nuclear bombs was initially due to an unintentional glitch, but it later became officially incorporated into the game as a unique feature of the Indian civilization. This comment was later used as a basis for articles from Kotaku[3] and Geek.com.[4]
![Critical Miss #69 Remember how idiots got their Nirvana panties in a twist over Kurt Cobain singing other people's songs in Guitar Hero S because it was something he would "never have done" when he was alive? Gandhi in real life There are many causes that I am prepared to die For but no causes that I am prepared to kill Por. Heah? Those dongrags are going to Freak when they see what Gandhi gets up to in Civ S IP they were the kind of people who played (knew who Gandhi WaS Gandhi in the Civilization series SILENCE, WASHINGTON! Enough of your lies. Jou will give my empire the secret of gunpowder or I shall cleanse your cities with Fire. Please! I don't know what you're talking about! We are a peaceful nation! Look how beautiFul hese keeds ard Guard, alert my Forces. At dusk the cities of America burn. Spare none. Not even the children Several And bring me my concubines No! Please don't! Don't! 彩 Very well, Sire. How many concubines do you desire? www.escapistmagatine.com Cory Rydell and Grey Carter need protection Prom every direction but she'll get them e](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/913/883/b3c.jpg)
Various Examples
![First round in Civilization 5, nukes everyone. FIRST ROUNDIN CIVILIZATION 5 NUKES EVERYONE quickmeme.com](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/913/898/d78.jpg)
![OUR WORDS ARE BACKED WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS! - Gandhi OUR WORDS ARE BACKED... WITH NVCLEAR WEAPONS! -GANDHI HTTP:/I POWEROF POWER.NET](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/913/914/e36.png)
![It's Civilization Time ITS CIVILIZATION TIME! No, Ghand No!](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/913/919/513.jpg)
![First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you cleanse them with atomic fire. Then you win. EAT FIRST THEY IGNORE YOU THEN THEY LAUGH AT YOU THEN THEY FIGHT YOU THEN YOU CLEANSE THEM IN ATOMIC FIRE THEN YOUW EAT SHITNO Mahatima Gandhi](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/913/887/841.jpg)
![Civilization 5 VILZATION ctual Gameplay Foota](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/830/217/168.gif)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Reddit – Real Life Gandhi vs. Civilization Gandhi
[2] Civilization Wikia – Civ5 Gandhi
[3] Kotaku – Why Gandhi is Such an Asshole in Civilization
[4] Geek.com – Why Gandhi is Always a Warmongering Jerk in Civilization
[5] Escapist Magazine – Critical Miss #39
Top Comments
Rainbow Crash
Feb 15, 2015 at 01:42PM EST
Samekichi Kiseki Moderator
Feb 14, 2015 at 05:11AM EST