Mr Primetime
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| Standing for Truth, Justice and Good Publicity! | |
| Mr Primetime | |
| Player: @Halfassedninja | |
| Origin: | Science |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Tanker |
| Security Level: | 21 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Dexter Lucas |
| Known Aliases: | Dex, Prime, Luke |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 23 |
| Height: | 6' 3" |
| Weight: | 250 |
| Eye Color: | Hazel |
| Hair Color: | Brown |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Reality TV Star turned Professional Superhero |
| Place of Birth: | Suburbs of Paragon |
| Base of Operations: | Kings Row |
| Marital Status: | Engaged |
| Known Relatives: | Jared Lucas (Father), Melissa Lucas (Mother, deceased), Becca Simmons (Fiance') |
| Known Powers | |
| Super Strength, Invulnerability, Super Speed, Limited Flight | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Acting, Singing, Huge knowledge of useless information, | |
| Equipment | |
| Goggles outfitted with special Camera lenses | |
| No additional information available. | |
Mr Primetime is the first character I created for City of Heroes, and no matter what character I make, I always come back to him. He always struck me as a visually striking Hero and now his powers are catching up to his looks. I was inspired by Spider-Man, Captain America and The Flash when creating him.
Contents |
Backstory
A normal kid
Dexter Lucas grew up with his father in the suburbs of Paragon City. His mother, Melissa, died tragically in a car crash when he was seven years old leaving Jared Lucas to raise him alone. Jared was a successful talk radio DJ and Dex loved going to work with dad, mostly due to the fact that celebrities would drop by a lot. Due to being exposed to the entertainment business at such a young age Dex caught the acting bug early.
Dexter wasn’t the biggest kid, which led to him being a little shy around people. Due to his scrawny physique, girls generally didn’t notice and the jocks would make his life miserable. He did find comfort in one person: Rebecca Simmons.
Becca, as she is known, lived on the same street as the Lucas family and was a little bit of an introvert herself, at least until high school. On the first day of high school Becca boarded the bus and Dex fell instantly for her. They had been friends for what seemed like forever and he always had strong feelings for her but never acted on them. He figured that since she was now instantly popular, they were done. That wasn’t the case, however, and Becca was always by his side. It was on her advice that he tried out for the drama club.
With a little bit of prodding (more like a lot of pushing), Dex hit the stage. Being around celebrities and watching a lot of television apparently paid off for him, he was fantastic. He starred in the school production of “West Side Story” (opposite of Becca’s “Maria”) and many subsequent shows throughout his years in school. Dex had found his calling, and Becca officially became his girlfriend. Life was good.
Opportunity Knocks, Eventually…
After graduating, Becca went off to Steel Canyon University putting her and Dex in the middle of a long-term relationship. Dex used this time to concentrate on acting. He got an apartment in Kings Row and hit the streets of Paragon City daily, looking for anything to give him his “Big Break”. His still scrawny frame limited his use in most casting directors eyes so, unfortunately, the biggest break he had was a print ad for jock itch powder; not exactly what he was looking for.
There was one director whose eye he caught however: Francis Christopher Cannon. Cannon was a low budget director who had a big budget idea, a reality television show about Superheroes. The only problem with that was Cannon had a bit of an sleazy reputation, especially after a scandal involving a game show spokesmodel that claimed he released an adult video of her cheating on her then-husband with Francis. Cannon saw promise in Dex, but not in a way Dex expected.
Cannon had connections at Crey Industries and got word that they were developing an experimental performance enhancement drug. This drug would permanently alter the user DNA to peak physical conditions, but it was very unstable. Francis used his connection to swipe a sample of it and placed it in Dex’s drink while Dex was overcome with joy at accepting his part in the show.
Dex had no idea he would be the star. Being 6’3” tall and 195lbs, he knew he wasn’t the hero type, maybe a sidekick but certainly not a hero. When Francis told Dex that he was to star in “The Adventures of Mr Primetime”, he was floored. Cannon said not to worry about his size and that he would take care of everything. With that Francis, Dex and the various television executives raised their glasses to celebrate. Life was good again, or so he thought…
The (not so pretty) birth of a Television Superhero
Dex was told by Francis that filming was due to start in a month and a half (45 days to be exact), which surprised the TV execs. Although Cannon told them that this was due to wanting Dex to “Buff up and look the part”, this was not the case. The drug Cannon had given Dex took 30 days to hit peak effectiveness and he knew Dex would have some questions that Cannon would have to keep quiet, he just had to bide his time.
Dex rushed home after the party to call his father, who was thrilled for his son but felt something just wasn’t right about Cannon. He told his dad not to worry so much and called Becca. Becca, however, didn’t answer the phone; another guy did. The guy said that Becca was a little busy right now and there was a lot of commotion in the background. As Dex asked who this was, the guy hung up. Dex tried calling again and no one picked up. Dex decided to head to Steel Canyon, he had a very bad feeling. Dex grabbed his coat and started to head out when, all of a sudden, he felt a wave of nausea come over him. He ran to the bathroom, vomited for a good 10 minutes a green, sticky fluid and passed out from exhaustion.
When Dex awoke he was quite a bit groggy. As he came to his senses he became horrified by what he saw: He was on the floor of his bathroom, still, which was coated in a green, sticky substance and he himself was in some type of green cocoon-type object. He assumed this was his nasty vomit from a few minutes ago and was disgusted. He struggled and broke free of his vomit-cocoon and stood up. Even though he had just thrown up what felt like everything he had ever eaten, he felt refreshed; way better than he should feel. As he was getting his bearings, he remembered about Becca and the bad feeling he had. He washed up in the kitchen sink (due to the fact that his shower was still covered by the goo) threw on some clothes (which felt really tight for some reason) and grabbed his phone. As he reached for his phone he noticed his arm.
But there was no way that was his arm. This was the arm of a professional wrestler, not his. It had muscles he had never even heard of on it. He looked down and noticed why his shirt was so tight; it was like he was looking down on the body of a god. There were pecs, abs and countless other muscles he didn’t know the name of. He looked in the mirror and saw his own face staring back at him, although it was a bit more defined. Dex was a little confused by this point but then his phone beeped and what he saw next horrified him even more than the goo invading his bathroom.
His phone read that it was one month later and he had over one hundred missed calls and a ton of voice mails. He dialed into his voice mail and all heard was Becca crying telling him to pick up the phone, that she needed his help. After the fourth message all he heard anymore was sobbing. Dex ran out his front door.
Actually, smashed and bolted out the front door is a more accurate description. Without any thought, Dex was running past cars on the beltway. His feet were moving as though they were possessed and he had no idea what was going on. The only thing that was on his mind was Becca, she was in trouble and he wasn’t able to be reached for a month. What the hell happened?
He reached Steel Canyon University and headed to Becca’s dorm. He was able to control his running speed down a bit, but it was still faster than most people. He knocked on the door and heard a very tired voice ask who it was. He said who he was and that he was looking for Becca. He heard a scramble to get to the door and it swung open. A red eyed, visibly shaken Becca stood in front of him. She was thin and pale; she looked like she hadn’t left her room in a while. She screamed and slammed the door.
“YOU’RE NOT DEX!! YOU’RE ONE OF THEM!!”
Dex didn’t know who “them” were, but he wanted to find out. He pleaded with Becca to let him in, saying that it really was him and he knew he looked very different and even he didn’t know what was going on. Finally he slumped down to the ground with his back to the floor and said,
“I know I was late…I promised I’d always be there and I wasn’t.”
The door opened and she reached out to touch his shoulder. Dex stood up and turned to her. After getting a good look at the new Dex, Becca grabbed him and just started crying. She asked where he’s been and Dex said he’s not even too sure. Then Becca told him what had happened in the last 30 days:
The night Dex called her, she had gone to a party with her roommate and a few of her friends. She and her friends had a little too much to drink and her roommate invited a couple of guys back to the room, Becca stayed at the party to give them some “alone time”. After a couple of hours she was sobering up a bit and decided to head back to her room. When she got there and saw her roommate passed out on the bed and the two guys from the party taking advantage of her. When they noticed Becca they grabbed her, bound her to the bed and raped her. Since that night she really hasn’t left the dorm and her roommate dropped out. The only person she told, other than school officials, was Dex but he wasn’t picking up the phone.
Dex was overcome by emotion; rage over what had happened, sorrow over not being there, confusion over his current situation. When his brain was done processing, he asked about the guys. She told him they were still enrolled but under investigation. They were two players from the school football team, but not good enough to be on the main squad. They were a couple of steroid junkies that pretty much worked out or hung out at the frat house all day. She showed Dex their picture in the school paper from a game last month and Dex knew what he had to do.
Dex sprinted out the door again (after opening it first this time) and headed to the Frat house. He burst through the front door and found a group of frat boys, including the two he was looking for, sitting in the main room drinking. These were all pretty big guys, but they looked puny compared to the new and improved Dex. He rushed at the group, actually putting three of them through a wall in one shot. As amazed by that as he was, he couldn’t lose focus. One of the guys he was looking for swung a bat and hit Dex right in the head; the bat broke and Dex felt not one ounce of pain.
He punched the bat-wielder square in the chest and sent him down the hall. He turned his attention to the other guy, the other one that hurt Becca. He was cowering in the corner and Dex picked him up by the neck with one hand. As he was about to knock this guy out for the next week, he heard Becca scream stop. He turned, while still holding the guy, and saw Becca with a shocked look on her face. She told Dex not to do anything he’d regret and that she thinks that they learned their lesson. The police were on the way and she didn’t want anything to happen to Dex. He threw the guy to the ground (a little rougher than the guy would like) and picked Becca up. She said she wanted to go home, not to her dorm, but back to his place for now. She needed some time away from school and wanted to get her head straight. Dex picked her up and raced back to Kings Row.
Lights, Camera, Scandal…and a new destiny!
Dex filled Becca in on the way home about the job he had just gotten, the goo that was invading his apartment and his new look. They got back to his apartment and the goo was gone. Puzzled by that he looked at his answering machine and saw that there was a new message. It was Cannon saying that he knows Dex has questions and he will answer them, just to come down to the office “by traditional means”.
One long taxi ride later (compared to his running speed), he was a Cannon’s office. His secretary was gone and Cannon was sitting at his desk awaiting Dex’s arrival. Dex sat down and Cannon explained everything; the serum was only supposed to boost the physical structure of the subject, but it was experimental. In many experiments the test subject died but, in a small percentage of people, they developed abilities beyond that of a normal person. Most turned into mutated freaks however, Dex didn’t. He was the one Cannon needed to hit the big time, and if Dex had wound up dying, he would have kept looking for someone else.
Dex was getting angrier the more Cannon spoke, but then Cannon told him that the previews of the show was getting great buzz and that Dex was going to be a star if he stuck with him. When Dex was about to object, Cannon pushed an envelope towards him. Dex ripped open the envelope and almost fell out of his chair; it was a check for $500,000 signed by the owner of the television station. Cannon informed him that this was just a down payment based on the pitch of the show and, if the show were to be picked up for a full season, there would be a lot more. He stood up, hand extended, and asked Dex if they had a deal. Against his better judgment, Dex accepted.
Filming began and the show was an overnight hit. Dex developed Mr Primetime into a wisecracking superhero, friendly and honorable. Week after week he was fighting crime in the streets and making the city a better place, or so he thought…
Cannon had a grander plan. While Mr Primetime was battling crime with all of Paragon City watching and the “real heroes” fighting the new threats that had popped up all over the city, he had his own group of criminals robbing the unprotected civilians in the city. He had very deep ties in the underworld and was using them to bolster his own fortune. Plus all of the “criminals” Dex fought were actually paid actors by Cannon, taking falls week after week.
One of the “criminals” actually came forward just before the series was about to be picked up for a full season, revealing all of Cannon’s plans. He said that Mr Primetime actually had no knowledge of the plan and that Cannon just used him as a pawn. Dex felt used, the public felt betrayed and Cannon was desperate. Becca, who had decided to go to a more local university while living with Dex, was on her way home and was abducted by Cannon. He had Becca call Dex and let her know to meet them in one of the most dangerous areas in the city: Mercy Island.
Cannon hoped that the sight of the “TV Hero” would enrage the local villains that lived there enough that they would attack, and hopefully kill, Mr Primetime. He underestimated the power he had given Dex, however, and Dex made it the top of one of the oldest buildings in the city.
When he showed up (in full Mr Primetime gear) Dex saw Becca suspended over the edge of the building and Cannon standing there with a head mounted video camera. Cannon announced that he was about to film the greatest end to the show ever: The Death of Mr Primetime! With that, Cannon called for his new “friend” to come out, a demon known as Killjari. He towered over Dex by a good three feet, had a massive suit of armor and a flaming sword. This was not an actor, this was a demon spawned from a previous deal Cannon had made.
Mr Primetime charged Cannon, but Killjari grabbed him by the face before he could reach him. Killjari slammed him through the roof. Becca was screamed in terror while Cannon just kept filming. It was then that Mr Primetime discovered another ability: he could fly, not very fast, but it wasn’t something he could do before. He rose from the crater in the building and took the fight to Killjari. Seeing that Killjari was actually having a hard dealing with Dex, Cannon instituted plan B: He lit the rope suspending Becca on fire.
As she screamed for Dex, Killjari landed a devastating hit. Cannon took this time to stand over “His Creation” and mock him, telling him that as easily as he was made, he could be destroyed. Mr Primetime worked his way up to his feet and stood there, battered and bloody. With almost everything he had in him, he ran at Cannon with super speed, flew up and plowed him into Killjari. All three of them careened downwards through the building. And then Becca’s rope broke.
As she fell, the building caught fire and started to collapse. Becca closed her eyes before she hit the ground, be she suddenly stopped falling. She opened her eyes and found herself in Dex’s arms, hovering in the middle of the street.
They went home and Becca took care of his wounds. Dex decided that the world needed more heroes to fight the corruption and evil that runs rampant and that he was just the guy to do it. Plus he really liked the suit and he looked good on camera.
So is the story of MR PRIMETIME!
Powers
Invulnerability
Mr Primetime is almost impervious to all forms of damage. There are times when outnumbered that he seems even more impervious but, due to the instability of the drug that was given to him, he can become exhausted if he doesn't watch himself.
Super Strength
One of Mr Primetime's defining attributes is he strength. It's far beyond normal capacity and it seems to be increasing everyday. There were rumors that he is able to pick up chucks of the ground and hurl it at his enemies, but those rumors haven't been confirmed.
Super Speed
Currently Mr Primetime has been clocked going about 70 miles per hour. He thinks that in time he may be able to hit upwards of 100mph and possibly be able to develop a vortex to suck up his enemies.
Flight
Due to his unstable nature, Mr Primetime's powers are in a state of flux. After the battle with Killjari, he lost his power of flight. He did recently, during a raid of the a Skull safehouse, find a "jump pack" and a "jet pack". both give him limited Flight and Jump options until another power manifests itself.
Known Allies
Med Pak
Med Pak was the first hero Mr Primetime encountered after the battle with Killjari on his first solo outing. Seeing that he was new to the city and honestly wanted to help, she showed him around and is helping him discover his powers.
Notable Encounters
Coming soon
Quirks
-His costume is green and black due to his love for D-Generation X.
-Has a huge knowledge of useless trivia concering movies, video games, etc.
-Is prone to break out a boombox and "bust a move". He thinks he can dance, but he really shouldn't.
-Loves to read Penny Arcade
OOC Trivia
-Yes, I love D-Generation X and that's why his costume is green and black.
-If a movie were to be made Ryan Reynolds would be Mr Primetime/Dex.
-His theme song is "Superhero" by Jane's Addiction.
