Verdant Vanguard
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| Verdant Vanguard | |
| Player: @Commander515 | |
| Origin: | Technology |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Defender |
| Security Level: | 5 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Kyle Marsden |
| Known Aliases: | ' |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 26 |
| Height: | 5'7" |
| Weight: | 185 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | brown |
| Hair Color: | brown |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | government-sponsored hero (former Air Force fighter pilot) |
| Place of Birth: | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Base of Operations: | Galaxy City, Paragon City, Rhode Island |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | William Marsden (father), Elizabeth Marsden (mother), Jennifer Marsden (sister) |
| Known Powers | |
| Energy shield projection, phased energy beam emission | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Black belt (military martial arts), certified military combat pilot | |
| Equipment | |
| Custom shock-absorbing combat suit, interdimensional-siphon power gauntlet | |
| ' | |
Verdant Vanguard is the first of my characters to be developed using the idea of 'the elevator pitch' (thanks are due to Ascendant's page for clueing me in to the concept). I was deadset on creating a Green Lantern-inspired character, as I was a big fan of the John Stewart character on the Justice League animated series. Being a fan of that show, I also enjoyed the very entertaining take on Wally West/The Flash. After a quick flash of insight, I devised the pitch: create a hero with the personality of the Flash, but with the powers of Green Lantern.
Contents |
Character Overview
Military Career
Kyle Marsden was born on March 18th, 1983 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The son and grandson of career Air Force officers, Kyle was intrinsically expected to follow the same path as his father, a skilled and decorated Air Force colonel. Fortunately, Kyle was fascinated with his father's profession of jets and flying, and he enrolled in the Air Force Academy immediately upon graduating from high school. While academics were not his strength, Kyle's charisma and leadership ability, skill at tactical appraisal and planning, and natural flying ability were all noticed by his instructors, and while not at the top of his class, he graduated a 2nd Lieutenant with a coveted posting to the 49th Fighter Wing, 8th Fighter Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
Lieutenant Marsden found himself getting combat experience far sooner than expected, flying numerous unsuccessful sorties against Rikti invasion forces in the Western U.S. Even with their brand-new, Gen-5 F-22s, the Air Force pilots were completely outclassed by the advanced extraterrestrial warships. Despite support from a cadre of flying heroes, the 49th Fighter Wing saw nearly 75% of its planes destroyed within a three-month period. Lieutenant Marsden himself was shot down three times, and on seven other occasions managed to perform emergency landings after having his plane suffer critical damage. At the war's end, Kyle was one of the squadron's few combat pilots to have survived the carnage. He found himself promoted beyond his age/experience level by virtue of necessity, as the Air Force needed every available officer to help rebuild the squadrons with new planes and pilots. The newly-minted Captain Marsden was relegated to primarily administrative tasks, something for which he had little experience. Overseeing rookies and pushing paper was a new and difficult role for him to fulfill; he coped as best he could, but he was haunted by nightmares of the war and the losses incurred by the squadron, and his performance level began to suffer.
The Crey Operation
Meanwhile, Crey Industries had reached a breakthrough in one of their many super-soldier development programs. They had combined their secret Rikti research, illicit acquisition of high-end portal technology, and illegal meta-human genetic manipulation to devise an ultimate weapon - an interdimensional energy source-harnessing gauntlet. The device was capable of drawing upon an infinite source of extradimensional energy, potentially placing unlimited power at the wearer's disposal. Dubbed 'Ultra-Power', it displayed an unrivalled potential for powering a wide range of offensive and defensive technologies. It was only a matter of performing successful field tests to ensure the weapon's viability - then Crey would be able to mass-produce the weapon and assemble an entire corps of Ultra-Powered soldiers. Contracting with the Sky Raiders, Crey arranged a series of live-fire drills in an isolated stretch of forest in southern Colorado.
Unfortunately for Crey, the rogue military elements that they partnered with to conduct their field tests were just as untrustworthy as they were. Unwilling to simply settle for their share of the cut as usual, and realizing the potential power that these weapon systems would afford them, the Sky Raiders tried to keep the working copies of the gauntlets for themselves. The results were predictable - several platoons of Crey troops descended on their supposed employees within the testing grounds, determined to eliminate them. Although outmatched by the battle-armored corporate troopers, the Raiders' possession of the stolen gauntlets gave them an edge. However, their fearsome firepower was also frighteningly uncontrolled, wreaking destruction over the entire area.
A number of USAF pilots sent in to quell the situation witnessed it firsthand. Scrambled from their base in New Mexico to deal with an unknown situation without proper intel or backup, the government pilots found themselves drawing fire from both the Crey soldiers and their adversaries. Despite obliterating nearly half the Crey and rogue military forces in a salvo of missile fire, in a matter of seconds all but one of the Air Force jets were shot down. The single survivor, one Captain Kyle Marsden, found himself in a dogfight with a flying, gauntlet-wielding Sky Raider soldier. Racing down a narrow canyon at Mach 1, Marsden managed to blast the flyer from the sky at the same instant that his F-22 was shredded by an anti-proton beam.
Kyle punched out of his disintegrating plane only to find the man he had just hit with a missile waiting for him. His parachute met the same fate as his plane, and he found himself making a very hard landing in a tree. He blacked out, certain that his super-powered adversary would make sure he was dead. He awoke hours later, bruised and sore, and managed to rather painfully extricate himself from the tree. Limping and bleeding, he found himself trying to dodge dozens of different Crey sweeper teams that were combing the area. Still sure that he was as good as dead, he stumbled across the fallen, bullet-ridden form of his attacker, lying dead in the midst of more than a dozen slain Crey Protectors. The gauntlet was still intact. Knowing nothing other than that he stood no chance without it, Kyle flung his left hand into the gauntlet and started to run.
Joining the Heroes
Kyle remembers little else about that night; just vague flashes of green light sweeping Crey troops out of his path and the sensation of soaring through the air at high speed. Without any communications gear and with his plane in a thousand pieces, he had no way to report in, and he was a hundred miles from his base. Moving to the nearest town as fast as he could, he managed to make contact with his superiors...but unfortunately, Crey already had. The Countess had swiftly used her considerable influence to arrange for Kyle to be picked up as soon as he reported in - but as fast as she was, Synapse was faster. The former Crey victim and Freedom Phalanx member, despite his flippancy, kept a close eye on all of Crey's goings-on, and was ready to rain on their parade, with Positron's help. The Crey capture force disintegrated under Positron's steady fire, and Synapse quickly scooped up Captain Marsden, along with the power gauntlet.
The two heroes stashed the hunted pilot with several other members of the Freedom Phalanx, and Kyle spent the next few months getting to know some of the most famed superheroes on the planet. Despite getting the feeling of being regarded as little more than an inconvenient but important piece of cargo, Kyle was able to build a rapport with Manticore, Back Alley Brawler, Sister Psyche, Synapse, and Positron. During that time, both he and the Freedom Phalanx were able to run a myriad of tests on the prototype Crey power gauntlet, and Kyle actually managed to acquire a modicum of proficiency in its use. At the same time, however, Positron and Synapse, as well as a few other heroes, were busy traveling to and from the battle site, despite the buzz of other activity that was surrounding it.
Crey quickly disavowed all knowledge of the incident and made its usual concerted effort to erase all traces of its involvement. Clandestinely, however, they were determined to salvage their project and complete their research. They had all of the information they needed regarding Captain Kyle Marsden and his family, and he still possessed the only remaining working prototype gauntlet known to exist. Crey did not hesitate to threaten Kyle and his father, still an active-duty general, with all manner of nasty repercussions if Kyle did not agree to work for them.
The Freedom Phalanx, however, had the means to counter the Countess' blackmail. Despite Crey's extreme thoroughness in sanitizing the combat site, they had not reckoned with Positron's acumen and Synapse's determination. The Phalanx had succeeded in recovering the black box and gun camera footage from Captain Marsden's downed fighter, replacing them with dummy units filled with cleverly constructed but bogus data. By the time Crey realized the fraudulent nature of the data recorders in their possession, it was too late. Statesman, in no uncertain terms, threatened Crey with exposure of their violent plot if they pursued it further, and the corporation backed down - temporarily, at least. Knowing that their compliance was marginal at best, and undoubtedly impermanent, the Marsdens took steps of their own. Proceeding cautiously within the Air Force command structure, the father and son were surprised to find themselves becoming part of the small but influential anti-Crey elements of the U.S. military. Copies of the tape and black box were made, and instructions were left regarding what to do with the information should certain unfortunate circumstances befall either General Marsden or his son.
Regardless of the precautions taken to thwart Crey's ambitions, it was obvious that Kyle could not return to active duty in his former posting. Captain Marsden was officially listed as KIA, his survival in the battle left a secret to all but his closest family and a few select superior officers. After several weeks of drills and consultations with the Freedom Phalanx, the Air Force decided that the prototype gauntlet could not be feasibly reproduced without a massive expenditure of resources, all of which were already allocated to other secret projects aimed at developing super-soldiers. The Air Force decided that it was in their best interest to set Captain Marsden up as an independent superhero in Paragon City, Rhode Island - at least, independent in that he was not 'officially' sponsored or sanctioned by the United States government.
Affiliations
The Freedom Phalanx
Even before he became a hero, Captain Marsden was treated to perhaps the highest honor any human being could hope to experience - he was a personal guest of the legendary Freedom Phalanx. Crey's involvement in the incident that provided him with his powers all but guaranteed Synapse's and Positron's intervention, and Marsden's presence on-site as the only military survivor made him critical to the heroes' mission. Stowed safely within their secret base for several months while the heroes ran damage control, Kyle was able to experience firsthand just how these first-tier superheroes worked.
- Statesman - Polite but completely aloof, the legendary leader of the Phalanx barely said two words a day to Kyle in the three and a half months he was present. The Air Force captain got the distinct impression that Statesman does not operate on the same level as any other human being, and wonders how, when, or even if the immortal hero will ever win the battle to retain any hint of humanity in the face of his incredible powers. However, he also sees it as a testament to Statesman's sheer conviction and force of will that he has managed to keep the members of his team working together for so long, especially given the vast differences in personalities and methodologies that they all possess.
- Synapse - Of all the Freedom Phalanx members, Kyle probably got along best with Synapse. After getting over his initial shock and anger at his situation, Kyle managed to take it in stride and relax a bit - a process that was initially hindered, but eventually accelerated, by Synapse's unique perspective on life. The fast-talking, faster-moving, wisecracking superhero understood Kyle's angst completely, and did whatever he could to make the displaced pilot comfortable despite his forced confinement. Though no one else brought it up at the time, Synapse was perhaps the first to realize that Kyle was never going to be able to go back to his old life again - a situation with which Synapse was painfully familiar. Realizing what the man he had rescued would probably end up going through once he left, Synapse worked with uncharacteristic subtlety to prepare Kyle for the displacement that he would face when he left the safety of the Phalanx's base. Faced with no other viable options, Kyle took many of Synapse's own experiences and lessons to heart - a fact exemplified by his current similarity to the famous hero's own personality and mannerisms.
- Positron - Kyle has very little in common with the brilliant, battle-suited genius of the Freedom Phalanx. Nevertheless, he spent a good deal of time with Positron, sometimes in the presence of Synapse, but other times one on one. Positron still spends a great deal of time in the base, despite the newfound power stability provided by his resurrection, and Kyle, left with little else to occupy him, would often wander into Positron's lab. While most of the equipment and science was completely over his head, he had the right mix of training, professionalism, and natural curiosity to help Positron with a few small tasks over the coming months. Most of their attention was devoted to unlocking the secrets of the power gauntlet that Kyle had 'retrieved' from Crey, a task for which Positron was uniquely suited. Over those months, Kyle learned a good deal about Positron's views on the dangers of technology, as well as its ability to isolate humans from each other and even from themselves. Despite Positron's deficiency in terms of social skills, Kyle has a great deal of respect for him, not least since he is one of the two men who saved his life.
- Manticore and Sister Psyche - The two married members of the Phalanx unnerved Kyle the most during his stay. The fact that Sister was a telepath made him implicitly distrust her, although he got used to her presence over the next three and a half months. He remained wary of her, however, since he had only her word that she wouldn't read his mind without his permission. The fact that she looked no older than thirty but had nearly eight decades of life experiences also threw him off his balance with her on a daily basis. She managed to upset his youthful assumptions and supposedly ironclad military facts with disconcerting regularity, making the already off-balance captain even more so. Manticore was an entirely different can of worms. Kyle was a career military man, the son of a career military man, and an Air Force officer. Manticore was the polar opposite; a wealthy man, son of privilege, lone wolf, and on-the-fence rogue operator. Kyle believed in following orders and obeying the rules; Manticore believed in doing whatever it took to get the job done. However, there was something about him that Kyle, deep down, admired. Manticore was a wealthy man and member of the most prestigious superhero group in the world; yet he was not satisfied with that. He spent millions of his own money donating to charity, and led his own paramilitary crimefighting organization, independent of Statesman's supervision. By the end of his stay, Kyle managed to have civil conversations with the two married heroes instead of one-sided arguments - and most of what he had learned during his stay had washed into everything he had learned during the rest of his life.
Personality
Kyle Marsden, super-powered inhabitant of Paragon City, is far different from Kyle Marsden, former military officer and fighter pilot. Having gone through numerous badly one-sided battles, eight separate ejections, and the deaths of dozens of his fellow pilots and friends, Kyle had already suffered from a litany of physical, psychological and emotional scars prior to his final mission as a military officer. Several months of forced confinement in the presence of no fewer than five of the world's most powerful and famous superheroes had an indelible effect on his already eroding mental state, something that few, if any, people now living can truly understand. Currently estranged from his family, both by necessity and by choice, Kyle has not spent a great deal of time with anyone since his arrival in Paragon City. He is most likely suffering from some form of post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as some form of mild disassociative disorder brought on by the sudden and drastic shift in his occupation and lifestyle.
Whatever the specific conditions currently affecting his mental state, Kyle seems to have lost a good deal of the rigidity and formality that marked his personality during his military career. It is speculated that something of the personalities of the members of the Freedom Phalanx has rubbed off on him, particularly those of Synapse and Manticore. The formerly well-groomed, straight-spined, spit-and-polish Air Force captain has been replaced with a long-haired, sunshade-wearing, cat-calling, wisecracking costumed hero. Kyle revels in the whole superhero lifestyle, thoroughly enjoying the danger and brinksmanship and taking unadulterated pleasure in the glamour and popularity that they bring. He is simultaneously frightened and intoxicated by his new powers - while using them, he throws himself entirely into the chaos of combat against supervillains; during each lull, however, he expresses concerns about the effects that such action may have upon himself and others.
Since arriving in Paragon City, Kyle has developed the personality quirk of giving every other hero he meets a unique nickname. The nickname can be based on the other hero's actual name, their powers, their choice of costume, or even some aspect of their own personality or belief system. Depending on the criteria, Vanguard may come up with a suitable nickname on the spot - or he may not be able to devise one for days or weeks. Once he does, however, the chances of him ever again using the actual name of the hero in question become negligible.
Equipment & Powers
Verdant Vanguard goes into battle with light armor and a high-yield, energy emitting power gauntlet. His tactical suit combines the high-g enduring qualities of a standard-issue Air Force flight suit with the ballistic protection of composite-reinforced kevlar. Woven from an amalgam of synthetic fibers, including kevlar and nomex, it contains a sophisticated temperature control system designed to protect him from extreme hot or cold temperatures. Internal compartments within the inflexible segments contain composite armor plating, rendering him highly resistant to a bullet hit that does not strike a jointed area. His suit's utility belt is loaded with all manner of tactical equipment and survival gear, from a gas mask/rebreather and NVGs to universal anti-venom pills and cellular regen capsules.
Verdant Vanguard's most potent weapon is his high-tech Ultra-Power Gauntlet. Designed and developed as an advanced weapons prototype by Crey Industries, it is the only device of its type known to exist. The glove uses a unique form of highly advanced micro-Portal technology to tap into an extradimensional plane where Ultra-Power exists in seemingly unlimited amounts. Using the integrated energy converters and multi-function field emitters, the glove can fire deadly bolts of coherent radiation, emit localized bursts of kinetic energy, or establish nearly impenetrable force fields around the wielder and his allies. When utilized with precision, these defensive fields provide Vanguard with the protection he needs to fill the gaps in his suit's defenses. Furthermore, by using Ultra-Power to manipulate the air molecules around him, the former Air Force pilot is able to achieve flight without the hindrance of an aircraft.
- Theme Song - 'Twilight Zone' by Golden Earring
