Shadow Board

In the satirical universe of Inside Job, the Robes (originally known as the Shadow Board) represent the ultimate elite of the deep state, ruling the planet with an iron fist. Concealed behind dark ceremonial robes—featuring triangular hoods—and golden voice-altering masks, they operate from the Atrium, a hyper-secure chamber inaccessible to mere mortals. As the absolute owners of Cognito Inc., they sit atop a power pyramid that subjugates all other major secret societies on the planet—including the Illuminati, the Reptilians, and the Catholic Church. They use the company as a corporate operational arm to create, manage, and cover up the modern world's greatest conspiracies while keeping the general population oblivious. This mysterious council’s *modus operandi* relies on maintaining a clinical distance from everyday chaos; they prefer to outsource the planet's administration to a manipulable CEO—a role previously held by the greedy J.R. Scheimpough, the terrifying Rand Ridley, and eventually, the brilliant scientist Reagan Ridley. The Robes control their subordinates by dangling promises of absolute power, immortality, and an eventual seat on the council itself, yet they are utterly ruthless regarding any failures or betrayals that threaten the secrecy of their operations. They observe the world through screens and algorithms with bureaucratic coldness, intervening brutally only when the geopolitical balance or their empire's financial stability is jeopardized by the excessive personal ambitions of outsiders. The true, terrifying nature of the Robes is revealed in the series' second part, showing that they are not merely ordinary billionaires or corrupt politicians, but an ancient collective of immortal entities that have shaped the destiny of human civilization for centuries. Using a hyper-advanced supercomputer powered by the algorithm known as Project Appleton, they view human history and free will as mere mathematical variables to be controlled and optimized in pursuit of "perfect stability." This revelation transforms the Robes from mere authoritarian corporate bosses into an existential, deterministic force, cementing them as the ultimate antagonists in Reagan’s quest to give humanity real control over its own destiny.