Talk:Equinox/@comment-8133959-20180630223158/@comment-8133959-20180704214400

While I agree that they were mass-producted as clones, biological material or something that isn't an actual person, my theory is that the initial concept or the "Mark I" versions of all Warframes (Not just Umbras) involved human volunteers (Willing or not) who had an ability or trait that led to the Warframe's theme, so as both of you suggested Equinox could have been someone with personality/mind-splitting issues or 2 individuals with a romantic or familiar connection.

So I don't think the Warframe needs to be an Umbra to have a conscience. I believe the story's Umbra Excal is the "Mark I" of its kind and had a particularly strong will, considering story-wise you can't have the same event be triggered a few thousand/million times so it's not like he was (Again, story-wise) mass-produced for all players.