Captain Italy
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| Captain Italy standing in a newly-refurnished Faultline | |
| Captain Italy | |
| Player: Silver Skull | |
| Origin: | Natural |
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| Archetype: | Tanker |
| Security Level: | 30 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Antonio Mozarelli |
| Known Aliases: | Cap, Commando Italia |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 89 |
| Height: | 6'2'' |
| Weight: | 278 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Dark brown |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Italian |
| Occupation: | Crimefighter |
| Place of Birth: | Rome, Italy |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City, RI |
| Marital Status: | Dating |
| Known Relatives: | Angelo Mozarelli (Father, deceased), Giovanna Mozarelli(Mother, deceased), Angelo Mozarelli Jr(brother, recently deceased), John Mozarelli(Nephew), Gina Thompson (Great Neice), Antonio Mozarelli II(Great Great Nephew), various members of the Mozarelli family |
| Known Powers | |
| Vast superhuman strength and invulnerability | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Various fighting techniques, acrobatics, tactical thinking | |
| Equipment | |
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Captain Italy is the first Tanker and the second character I ever created. He was originally created as a campy nod to silver-age superheroes, complete with a stereotypical "Super Soldier" background. However, the Captain was well-recieved amongst the Virtue community. Giving him more of a fleshed-out background and a well-decorated military history, Captain Italy became a stalwart patriot and a symbol of justice. Not only was he well-recieved amongst the community, but also in my heart, making him my most actively-played character.
Inspirations come from such classics as Superman, Colossus, and most obviously, Captain America. The white "head wings" on Captain Italy's costume are a deliberate nod to the now-late American hero. Inspiration for the "Night Bandits" was taken from Nick Fury's "Howling Commandos". Depicted as a dedicated fighter for freedom, Captain Italy is a prime example of a classic hero - strong, just, and occasionally socially awkward.
Contents |
Affiliations
- United States Marine Corps - An active officer from 1941 to 1945, Captain Antonio Mozarelli left the military after a fifteen year career. For a brief time after his leave from the military, he ceased to be Captain Italy, instead taking an extended vacation in the Caribbean.
- War Patriots - After returning to the costume to fight in the Rikti War, the Captain had a brief stint with this supergroup. He resigned for unknown reasons.
- Cold Front - After spending some time going solo, Captain Italy joined with this supergroup. However, once more his stay was brief, and he would eventually leave the group to be solo again.
These are just the supergroups the Captain has been a part of. Captain Italy is known to have friends within other groups, such as;
- The Dauntless Reverie - A group of friends and allies with whom the Captain frequently allies himself.
- The Dawn Patrol - Once considered Captain Italy a reserve member during World War II, now allied with the Paragon City branch.
History
Birth and Childhood
Antonio Sonja Niccolo Mozarelli was born in Rome on May 3rd, 1918, the second son of Angelo and Giovanna Mozarelli. Only three years later, the Mozarelli family would move from their native Italy to the United States of America, fleeing the ever-growing threat of fascism. Settling in New York City, New York, the Mozarelli's struggled to remain financially sound, having been immigrants and not entirely wealthy. Stability would come at the end of 1921, when the Mozarelli's opened up their signature restaurant, "Momma Mozarelli's". Since the Mozarelli's lived in a small apartment above the restaurant, young Antonio and his older brother Angelo Jr. would spend most of the day with his mother, slowly learning how to cook and clean.
For most of his adolescant years, Antonio worked full-time at "Momma Mozarelli's", coming straight home from school to work with his parents. All the while, his parents cleverly raised him with strong morals and a love for liberty, but also taught him in politics. They raised their sons to know that not all was right in the world, but that some things could be done to make it that way. Before long, Antonio grew into a strapping young man -- just in time for America to enter World War II.
World War II
After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, a horrified Antonio joins the military, attending boot camp and being promoted to Captain rather quickly, showing considerable skill and determination as a soldier. Despite most of the Marines focused on the Pacific, Mozarelli was chosen to lead a special team that jokingly called themselves the Night Bandits. The hand-picked team was created for raiding and obtaining samples of the German "Ubermenschen" serum. Late in 1941, the Night Bandits raid a laboratory in France, successfully obtaining a new sample of the "Ubermenschen" serum and returning it to American scientists. This was cause for alarm for the Nazis; this new serum was supposedly "perfect", and the Americans had the only sample.
Testing of this new serum begins immediately, resulting in failure; six of the eight men tested are killed, two nearly triple up in muscle size for a few hours, only to shrink back down. After further experimenting in a British laboratory, the serum is administered to the first willing volunteer -- Antonio Mozarelli. Mozarelli is affected on a cellular scale by the serum, but the successful serum is subsequently destroyed in a daring raid by the Storm Korps(Nazi Germany's "Super Hero" team). It is in this raid that Mozarelli first displays his superpowers -- in nothing but boxers, Mozarelli defends the survivors of the base and fights off the Storm Korps. After the discovery of his amazing abilities, Mozarelli has a costume made and becomes Captain Italy, the pride of the Allies.
Captain Italy's first exploits as a superpowered hero involve defending Britain from Storm Korps raids, but he does not participate in the Battle of Britain. Remaining in Britain for the rest of 1941 and 1942, Captain Italy meets a significant ally in 1943, The Imperial after he saves a London orphanage from a V2 rocket. The two become strong allies, an alliance that continues well into the new millenium.
In perhaps one of the most daring raids in history, the Storm Korps makes an attack on Buckingham Palace, kidnapping the King of England. The Dawn Patrol mobilizes immediately, Captain Italy joining them in their pursuit. Although it was Alastair Sutton who engaged and defeated the Storm Korps leader Eisensturm, Captain Italy arrived with the rest of the Dawn Patrol to free the monarch from fascist tyranny. Along with the successful extraction, Eisensturm's defeat marks the turning point for Great Britain and the Dawn Patrol itself.
On June 5th, 1944, Captain Italy parachutes into France along with several Dawn Patrol members, weakening Storm Korps air attacks. He is swiftly called back, due to his useful superpowers, and charges the beaches of Normandy along with such heroes as Statesman and Xanatos. The heroes are successful in breaching the territories, making it all the way to France. Captain Italy, however, does not remain in France after the Nazis lose it; instead, he travels to Italy in July, just before Mussolini's downfall. Mussolini is ousted from power, and with the Captain hot on his heels.
Captain Italy encounters Axis champion the Lygerwolf after she was sent to destroy him. Her deployment against him was a last resort to save Mussolini. After battling for hours, and almost losing his life, Captain Italy manages to throw her off of the cliff they were fighting on and escape. The Lygerwolf survived, returning to her base which resulted in her cryo-freezing. After this, Captain Italy confronts Benito Mussolini and Ridolfo Uzzano, better known as Requiem, attempting to arrest them both. During his battle with Uzzano, Mussolini escapes. This strikes up a deep hatred between both Uzzano and Captain Italy. Captain Italy is soundly defeated and tossed from an airplane, presumed dead afterwards.
Throughout the remainder of 1944, Captain Italy takes the disguise of Commando Italia, acting as a lesser known Italian Partisan. Uzzano is fooled, continuing to believe Captain Italy dead, giving him the edge he needs to continue his operations in secret. After interrogating members of the Italian army still siding with Mussolini, Mozarelli learns of Mussolini's planned escape to Switzerland. Abandoning the guise and dawning the original spandex once more, Captain Italy raids Mussolini's escape route to Chiavenna. There, Ridolfo Uzzano and Captain Italy battle once more, with Captain Italy emerging the victor. Uzzano escapes again, however, leaving Captain Italy with the successful arrest of Benito Mussolini.
He then publically announces his identity, and delivers a now famous promise.
"My people, the fascist threat of Ridolfo Uzzano still remains alive. I, Captain Antonio Mozarelli, your Captain Italy, promise that I will stop at nothing to eliminate this evil. For Italy!"
Retirement and Return
In 1956, Captain Antonio Mozarelli retires from the U.S Marine Corps after a 15 year career. He remains as a consultant to the representative of Italy in the United Nations, and gathers a bit of a wealth over the many years. Other than being present for the occasional U.N meeting, Antonio Mozarelli utterly disappears, wasting away in the Caribbean. Despite having the appearance of retirement, Mozarelli covertly aquires information on the whereabouts of Ridolfo Uzzano. However, a new threat catches Mozarelli's eye; Arachnos, an Italian-based terrorist organization now basing itself in the Rogue Isles. Despite initial disturbances, Mozarelli continues to waste away, waiting for the day he is truly needed.
That day arrives on May 23rd, 2002, when the Rikti indaded Earth. Captain Italy reappears in Italy to fight off the alien threat, nearly losing his life many times in the process. One of the few superpowered individuals in Italy, the Captain's plight is dire, as he nearly single-handedly defends Rome from destruction. However, many European superheroes, such as the German Heroischer and old members of the Dawn Patrol come to his aid, and the tide turns for the heroes in Italy. Once the Rikti presence dies down in his homecountry, Captain Italy responds to a distress signal from Paragon City, answering the call to arms.
Paragon City
While aiding Paragon City with the remainder of the Rikti, Captain Italy is alerted to multiple 5th Column bases established during the Rikti War. Enraged and surprised, the Captain is torn between chasing after the Column and helping with the remainder of the dwindling Rikti. He chooses the latter, dealing with the Rikti until Paragon City is declared "stable". Finally able to persue his former nemesis, the Captain immerses himself in his mission against the Column, attacking base after base with very little motive, only a burning desire to fulfill his promise to his homeland. Uzzano taunts the Captain, frequently leaving notes and messages with his subordinants to further enrage the Captain.
The chase continues until 2005, when yet another surprise hits the Captain; the coming of the Council, a terrorist organization supposedly related to Arachnos. The Council viciously attacks the weakened Column, looking to usurp the Nazi organization, which Captain Italy uses to his advantage. Amidst the ongoing war, Captain Italy isolates Uzzano in one of his many hidden bunkers under Talos Island, engaging him in vicious combat. Throughout the fighting, a gasline ruptures in the underground base, thus causing an explosion that apparently kills Uzzano and nearly kills the Captain in the subsequent cave in. The Captain emerges from the rubble, battered but prowd. Uzzano is declared dead -- but only briefly.
Captain Italy recieves word that somebody acting as Requiem has joined with the newly-powered Council, a fact that deeply disturbs the Captain. Whether it is actually Ridolfo Uzzano or merely a copy, he has yet to discover. However, in his effort against the Council, Captain Italy made his presence known in Striga Isle, where he caused a series of defeats for the Council, most notably apprehending the villain Maestro. Despite his near-constant bombarding of the Council, he has yet to find any concrete information about Requiem, and still wonders whether or not his old nemesis is alive.
Personality
Both in and out of costume, Captain Italy's personality is one of confidence and eagerness to do what is right. With friends and even total strangers he is calm and courteous, as well as polite and respectful. While not indulging in his celebrity persona, the Captain often fits the mold perfectly, having a much more open attitude towards it, unlike his friend The Imperial. Even today, Captain Italy provides an example and a perfect picture of the classic "hero", upholding justice at any cost.
However, the Captain is not without his scars. His long life and many losses have lead him to be somewhat calloused in the face of death, usually accepting one's passing and moving on quite quickly, perhaps unhealthily so. Captain Italy is also prone to random flash-backs that consume his life for that brief moment; it is not uncommon for him to stare off into space during a conversation, remembering the horrors of war. Though these flash-backs are brief, he is often quite flustered after experiencing one.
In secret, Captain Italy is said to have random states of melancholy silence, pondering his future and the future of those he loves. He is said to grow quite distant during these moments, a strange change from his usually warm and friendly personality. Perhaps it is the knowledge that he will be fighting for the rest of his seemingly-immortal life, and knowing that all those he loves will soon die, with him retaining his youth. It is a fact that rides heavy on the Captain's mind, but a fact that he is beginning to accept more and more.
Powers and Abilities
Coming soon!
Weaknesses and Limitations
Coming soon!
Trivia
Coming soon!
