"Just as the stars in the sky, forever vigilant, watch with unwavering sight so too shall I be a sentinel of the night; a forever enduring, guiding light."

Introduction

Paragon City was still smoldering beneath a fresh dusting of snow when the call for new heroes rang out. Jason Patton, a life-long native of the decimated city, saw what was becoming of his once fair home in the wake of the first Rikti War and decided to join the stand against soaring crime rates.

In 2003 he assumed the alias Enduring and became the sidekick of Xenotype, a hero and fellow mutant who had survived the war. For seven years they worked side by side, until Jason finally felt comfortable becoming a full-fledged hero in early 2010. Using his incredible healing and empathic abilities to protect the citizens of Paragon, Jason has devoted his life to being a beacon of hope during these trying times.

"...ENFJs are people-focused individuals. They live in the world of people possibilities. More so than any other type, they have excellent people skills. They understand and care about people, and have a special talent for bringing out the best in others. ENFJ's main interest in life is giving love, support, and a good time to other people. They are focused on understanding, supporting, and encouraging others. They make things happen for people, and get their best personal satisfaction from this. ... They are typically very straight-forward and honest. Usually ENFJs exude a lot of self-confidence, and have a great amount of ability to do many different things. They are generally bright, full of potential, energetic and fast-paced..."

Abilities & Equipment

Abilities

Empathy

Always known for being sensitive to the feelings of others, it is speculated that Jason was born with his empathic abilities. He is capable of reading the emotions of people and animals alike, but almost never does so without consent. Some believe his uncanny rate of "jinxing" is related to this ability. When the need arises Jason can scan a person's emotions for tell-tale signs of dishonesty and ill intent, among other things; this, while typically accurate, is not foolproof.

Shedding light on the topic.

Light Emission

Jason can, with minimal effort, emit a heatless, golden light. This glow can range from faint to blinding and even be projected in concentrated beams. Useful for illuminating dark areas and distracting his foes, this was the first of his mutant powers to manifest.

Psychometry

Regeneration

During his teenage years Jason noticed that cuts and bruises he received healed much faster and more thoroughly than normal. As time went on this became more pronounced until, by age 15, his ability to heal from injuries became truly superhuman. Stranger still, people around him started noticing similar effects. In time he learned that, with focus, he could cause others to recover at speeds similar to his own. He used this ability to prolong the life of his ailing mother by several years, but in turn learned that there are limits to how much (and how long) he can assist someone who is injured or ill.

Jason's aging began to slow dramatically in his late teens, and now appears to have essentially stopped. Whether his aging has in fact ceased or has just dramatically slowed is unknown.

Equipment

Taking to the air.

Jet Pack

Jason carries a jet pack with him as he is frequently in need of vertical mobility. He built the pack himself using assorted parts he acquired or purchased over the years. Though reliable, it is bulky, ugly, and lacks finesse; the fuel costs for it are also outrageous. When not in use the pack's wings are kept retracted.

Security Kit

Jason keeps several items stored in his belt that are designed to aid him when subduing criminals. One is a plasmatic taser that fires a short range burst of energy capable of knocking foes off their feet. He also carries several envenomed darts that can temporarily weaken a foe, in addition to hand cuffs and a few locksmith tools.

Jason, sans mask.

Suit

The suit Jason wears has been refined over the years, reflecting his growing skill and funds. In fact, a large portion of his income is devoted to on-going suit maintenance. The outfit is made from CarbonX® and carbon-fiber reinforced plastics. Striking a balance between safety and mobility, Jason feels just as comfortable in his suit as he does in street clothes. The mask and attached goggles are intended to protect rather than conceal his identity, and are both easily removed.

Tablet

When asked the hypothetical question "If your house was on fire and you could only save one of your possessions, what would it be", Jason's answer would immediately be his tablet. Serving as a digital notebook, journal, library and photo album, he has spent hours compiling all the information he has gathered onto it. While physical copies of all this data remains, Jason has taken to carrying this device with him and leaving the rest safely in storage. It is water and fire proof in addition to being incredibly sturdy.

Background

Pre-Hero Years (1984-2003)

Jason's mother, Patricia.

The waiting room at the Steel Canyon medical center was packed on the evening of August 14th, 1984. Friends and family had turned out in droves to show their support for Patricia and her newborn son, Jason. Cousins, aunts and uncles, old high school friends, and even a few of Patricia's co-workers were there; everyone you could expect, except Jason's father. In his stead was a small, ornately wrapped gift box containing a bracelet and a letter.

As Jason would learn, the letters from his father were a common thing. At least once a month, for as long as he could remember, his mother would have one to read to him. Even when he was old enough to read them himself he and his mother would sit down to read them together, as they did with countless books. The letters never included any photos, nor did Patricia have one to show him, but they were always signed "With love, Aiden". Perhaps the strangest part was that Jason already knew they were written with love; he could feel it.

He could feel a lot of things that others didn't seem to. No matter how well she tried to hide it, Jason could always tell when his mother was angry or sad. In fact, he could tell what most people were feeling. It all seemed so natural to him that he was confused when his mother was surprised to learn of his ability. "Empathy," she called it. To him, it was just the way things were. The first time he encountered someone who was upset about "being read" came as a shock to young Jason, but it would eventually lead to his fine control over the skill.

It didn't take being an empath to know that something was happening to his mother, however. There were the medications; a dozen or more different kinds she took every day. She had a fear of needles, something Jason developed in turn, and was almost paranoid about germs. He was eight when he finally asked her about it, but it would be several years before he understood the significance of "HIV", or how she had contracted it from a blood transfusion in the '80s.

By the summer of 1995 Jason and his mother had settled into their new routine, one which allowed time for Patricia to return to college. The letters from Aiden continued to arrive like clockwork, and the occasional gifts included enough money to pay the bills, allowing Patricia to focus on her courses and raising Jason.

Butch the bulldog. Not pictured: Hijinks ensuing.

On one particularly balmy night in July, Jason and a trio of friends went camping in the back yard. The young boys swapped ghost stories and urban legends while huddled inside their tent, only to be alarmed by a loud thump just outside the flap. Jason leapt from the tent, shining a light towards the noise, only to discover that it was his friend's faithful pet, Butch the bulldog. Despite the benign origin of the noise, Jason's friends still looked shocked as they poked their heads out of the tent. It was then that he realized his friend was still holding their only flashlight.

Producing light, as it turned out, was only the beginning of his blossoming mutant powers. It wasn't long after the night in the back yard that he noticed his cuts and bruises were healing far faster than normal. Scratches disappeared in a matter of hours, and when he broke his finger it was back to normal within a week. The very next letter he received from his father explained that he, too, was a mutant and that was related to why he couldn't be there in person.

Several months passed and, much to his and everyone else's surprise, Jason discovered that his power could affect others. With time and practice he found that he could increase the recovery of another to speeds matching his own. Even his mother's condition began showing signs of improvement, for a time at least. In 1998 Jason and his mother moved from Paragon City to Salamanca.

Jason, now in high school, continued practicing and learning how to control his abilities. Though he never made a spectacle of himself or his powers, he was occasionally teased about them. He took this all in stride however, always well aware of the fact that being teased was a typical high school experience. There were worse things than being called Lite Brite, after all. At some point he found himself poised to join the ranks of the popular clique, but his constant defense of so-called "misfits" ruined his chances, and that suited him just fine. Jason could feel how the insults and exclusion affected them, and he was determined to never be the source of that kind of turmoil. It did, however, earn him the admiration and friendship of Laura, one of his classmates.

A time to reflect.

As his time in school was drawing to a close, his mother's health began a slow but dramatic decline. Despite new medications and continued treatments from Jason, it soon became clear that, this time, there would be no recovery for Patricia. They were fortunate enough to have time to prepare, as much as could be expected anyway, and Jason put aside his normal routine to be with his mother as much as possible. He considered dropping out of high school to devote himself to full-time care but his mother, after many long talks, convinced him to continue on.

His father's letters became more frequent, now arriving once a week or more. There were often two of them now; one for Jason and one for Patricia. They took turns reading the ones addressed to Jason, as had become tradition, while the letters to Patricia were kept private. Though he was unaware of their contents, he knew that they were providing his mother with a great deal of comfort, and that was enough.

Finally, on November 13th of 2001, just a few months before Jason graduated high school, Patricia passed away quietly, surrounded by friends and family. She was buried wearing the bracelet she received the day he was born.

Jason visited his mother's grave that following Christmas and found a bouquet of flowers, his mother's favorite kind, and an envelope addressed to him in his father's handwriting. This time, instead of a letter, there was an audio cassette and a photograph. It was the first time he had a voice and face to go with the name. Their resemblance was uncanny, just as his mother always said.

Laura and Jason.

For the last few months of school, Jason leaned heavily on friends and family for emotional support. Laura's companionship proved especially important to him. Most of his childhood friends were back in Paragon City, and though their frequent phone calls and letters were a tremendous help, having someone nearby that he could confide in meant a lot. One of their favorite activities was "movie night" and the chance to escape reality together, if only for a few hours each week, made all the difference in the world.

May of 2002 was nearly over, leaving him with only one month until graduation. Jason decided to make use of a long weekend to take Laura on a trip to Paragon City. The plan was to meet up with his old friends, plan the upcoming celebration, and play tour guide, all the while convincing everyone to apply for college at Paragon University's Salamanca campus. Their mini-vacation commenced on Thursday, May 23rd: The day the first Rikti War began.

A dire situation.

Jason and company were just settling in for an evening of fun with family when the news broke into regular programming. Strange portals were starting to appear around the city and no one knew why. As the evening went on anxiety grew and the decision was made for everyone to load into their cars and leave. They were almost out of Baumton when the Rikti started pouring from the portals. Their ships decimated the town, felling skyscrapers and sections of highway, making further travel via car impossible.

The group sought shelter along with other refugees, but no matter where they went they found invaders armed with frighteningly powerful weapons or were caught in the path of the Rikti ships. In a moment of desperation Jason guided everyone down into the sewers, using his powers to light the way for their escape. At first they were safe from the destruction going on above, but as they reached the first junction in the sub-sewers and converged with other survivors the Rikti began teleporting in.

Just as the situation looked most bleak, waves of gunfire, lasers, ice and all manner of projectiles dropped enemy after enemy. One Rikti who was a little too slow found himself on the wrong end of a set of razor-sharp, foot long claws. After a brief but intense battle, the newly arrived heroes stood victorious. Spearheading the group was a man known as Xenotype, and with their assistance Jason, Laura, and the other survivors made it to safety.

Retreating to his relatively safe and untouched home along with as many members of his family as he could gather, Jason and crew watched the war rage from afar. In November of that year the heroes, at last, forced the Rikti into retreat. Though the immediate threat was over Paragon City and scores of other metropolitan areas around the world were utterly decimated by the attack. Worse still, there had been countless casualties, and one of the hardest hit groups were the heroes. The task of rebuilding Paragon City was just beginning in earnest and it was already obvious that the criminals were intent on exploiting the situation.

Now, more than ever, the world needed new heroes to step forward and offer their skills. Jason heard the call and knew what he had to do.

Sidekick Years (2003-2010)

Life for Jason and his friends was slowly returning to normal, but while everyone else was focused on finishing school and moving forward with their original plans, Jason was taking a long, hard look at himself and his goals. His heart was set on becoming a hero, even if it meant pushing back college. He had weighed the risks and potential costs and was undeterred.

Xenotype in action.

The problem was that he didn't know where to start. He had no equipment, no formal training, no contacts, and no experience. Then, he remembered Xenotype's words to him during their escape from Baumton. It may have been in a different context and said months ago, but it was a place to begin all the same. Jason spent months training his mind and body for the challenge that lay ahead, all the while making phone calls and writing letters in an attempt to reach Xenotype.

Laura had taken the news of his plans well, but even though she wasn't surprised she was concerned. Despite Jason's incredible ability to heal himself, he was just as vulnerable to injury as a normal man. As a hero he would be exposed to some of the most dangerous conditions and situations imaginable and neither of them were going to kid themselves about that. Still, she remained supportive of his decision. Now, perhaps more than ever, the two found their friendship transforming into romance.

Then, in March of 2003, Jason received the phone call that he had been waiting for. "Pack your bags kid, I'll see you at City Hall on Monday."

Jason's first uniform.

Monday morning, after a warm greeting, Jason set about explaining his situation to Xenotype. By the end of the story Xenotype was not only willing to help but offered him the opportunity to become the hero's first sidekick. Within a week Jason was equipped with the basics and patrolling the city alongside his new mentor.

It became clear very early that "Zee", as Jason took to calling him, did everything as quickly as possible. Zee lived for action and had the heart of a daredevil; this was, in part, why he chose to make Jason his sidekick. The two often stood at polar opposite ends of the personality spectrum, but together they proved to be an incredible force in the service of the city. Jason excelled at information gathering and made a top-notch detective, while Zee was a skilled brawler at the pinnacle of his game.

Often taking assignments from the Paragon Police Department, the two spent most of their time focusing on the more mundane crimes that plagued Paragon City. Robberies, homicides, and drug trafficking were among the many cases they worked. Jason, while physically fit before, pushed himself to be stronger and smarter than ever. He memorized maps of neighborhoods, kept tabs on citizens who were proven sources of information, and learned to hold his own in a fight. He also expanded on his mechanical knowledge, learning to create make-shift weapons and gadgets out of assorted parts he obtained.

The longer he served as Zee's sidekick, the more time he devoted to his new duty. What started out as a few hours each day turned into a full-time career. Laura began to question if Jason was pushing himself too hard. She pointed out that his personal relationships were going untended; not just their own, but the already limited contact he had with his father was at an all time low. He hadn't written a letter back to his father in more than two months, and that was unheard of for him.

While Jason's reputation as a protector of innocents was rising, the problems in his personal life had finally reached the breaking point. In 2005 Laura and Jason came to the difficult, but mutual, conclusion to end their relationship.

Zee encouraged Jason to take a brief hiatus from his work to sort out his life. His devotion to the city and its communities was stronger than ever, but Jason finally realized that he would have to find a balance between his duty and his private affairs if he was ever going to be truly happy. There had to be some degree of separation, a way of reminding himself that he had friends and family of his own that also needed him.

He spent his first day off in two years catching up with people he hadn't spoken with in far too long. As the evening wore on he gathered up all the unopened letters from his father and started reading. He found words of encouragement and understanding waiting for him in the broad, elegant pen strokes that defined Aiden's writing. As he read on, something caught his attention: His father spoke of things that he shouldn't know about yet. His separation from Laura, some of his more recent cases, and more; none of which Jason had written to him about. His first concern was that someone was impersonating his father, but the handwriting and tell-tale emotional signature of the letter left no doubt in his mind that it was, in fact, from Aiden.

Somehow, his father knew. Perhaps he had even been watching. Reading on, the letters explained that Aiden knew first-hand just how difficult finding equilibrium in life could be for a hero; he had, in fact, been one himself and was intimately familiar with the trials Jason was going through. Though the details were different, they both found their lives impacted by their work in ways they hadn't anticipated. Aiden reminded him that there was time to reconcile the past and create a better future, both for the city and himself. The final letter concluded the way many had before: With his familiar rhyme.

Jason had a moment of wild-eyed inspiration. For two years now he had been waging a very personal war on crime in Paragon City, but now he realized that, more than anything, what he really wanted to do was contribute to a legacy of justice and prosperity for the people of the city. Maybe some day he would be unable to literally fight for the cause, but he could be a source of inspiration for citizens and heroes alike. He could become an enduring, guiding light and combat the root of the city's ills, not just the symptoms.

The first "Enduring" costume.

Enduring. It was a word that had been with him his entire life, and immediately evoked a very deep emotion within him. The word stood for everything he wanted to be, to do, for himself and Paragon City. Jason pulled out a notebook and began sketching. The first thing he drew was a torch; around it formed the design for his first costume.

A compromise...
Jason's original design for the suit featured a bright blue color scheme, similar to his modern look. Zee, upon seeing it, insisted that he go with muted colors. The excuse was that a murky pallet would help him blend in to the shadows better during their frequent night operations; Jason knew, however, that he thought the colors were garish. Even though anything brighter than olive drab or smoke gray would be "garish" according to Zee, Jason compromised and went with a darker look.

In addition to catching up on lost time with friends, Jason finally enrolled at Paragon University, majoring in Psychology. He took advantage of special courses designed with active heroes in mind, which allowed him to rejoin Zee while pursuing his degree. He returned to the streets with renewed vigor as the newly rechristened Enduring, and persuaded Zee to occasionally take on less pugilistic tasks for the duo.

Jason's house in Salamanca.

Then, in August of 2005, disaster struck Salamanca. Strange monsters infested the small resort town, threatening to push the citizens out altogether. Jason's home was isolated from the town proper, leaving it as a prime target for the encroaching fiends. Though he was encouraged to move into the city limits several times by Mayor Bower, he refused to budge. Thanks to the assistance of several friends and acquaintances, Jason's home has been kept relatively safe with magical wards, not to mention the ever watchful eye of his neighbor, Waylon McCrane.

For the next four years Jason and Zee worked side by side, splitting their time between Paragon City and Salamanca. They managed to stay out of the public spotlight for the most part, but as time went on Jason started receiving direct requests for his assistance from their contacts and even other heroes. The day that "Enduring" made it into the Paragon City Times for his work with Ron Hughes and Antonio Nash, the duo knew it was time for Jason to officially make the transition from sidekick to hero.

Hero Years (2010-Present)

(Coming soon.)

Allies & Enemies

Allies

Enemies

Misc. Info

(Coming soon.)