Wr8th

Born to a downtrodden family in St. Petersburg, Russia, 'Jack', born Dmitri Stanislav, was something of a child prodigy. He seemingly had a natural gift with mechanical tasks, learned from hours spent watching his father, an auto-mechanic, at his trade and learning the ins and outs of the automobile. Unfortunately, money was hard to come by, and, to make things worse, his father had a horrible gambling problem. Eventually, the loansharks came after several missed payments, and his father's debt was extracted from his own flesh.

His mother took him and fled the city, for fear that the 'sharks wouldn't be satisfied with her husband's demise, to his grandmother's in Moscow where they kept a very low profile. This worked until, one day, 'Jack' returned home to find the house trashed, and his mother and grandmother missing. The police never were able to locate them.

With no one left to turn to, 'Jack' enlisted in the Russian military at the age of sixteen, managing to obtain false documentation, under still mysterious circumstances, bearing the name of 'Jack Wellington.' The military quickly saw his potential, and he was promoted onto the Weapons & Development team not long after joining. He would be stationed at the military installation code-named 'Research Station Svyatogor,' a cybernetics development facility.

It wasn't long after he was transferred to Svyatogor that the Malta organization received their tip-off of its location and claimed everything they found. A handful of researchers, 'Jack' included, were 'volunteered' for the Malta program and put to use developing the cybernetics that formerly were to be used for the Russian Super-soldier program. While others toiled away at the now-famous Titan class warmachines, 'Jack' was placed in command of a team charged with creating ways to increase soldier efficiency through cybernetic enhancements. Once the prototype of his current cybernetic arm was created, he was drugged and made a guinea pig for its effectiveness.

Fortunately, the attachment procedure was a success. A microchip was fused to his brain stem, to allow him to move his arm as easily as he would his natural one using his natural synapses. This served a double purpose, heightening his brain wave frequency and enhancing the man's latent psionic powers which had previously been untapped.

The procedures were swiftly followed by rigorous training as a Special Qualification Marksman, or a Gunslinger as they are affectionately known. 'Jack' was one of the best, given his enhancements. However, he resented the life being forced upon him and, when he saw the opportunity present itself, fled.

Malta, however, had put a GPS tracking device in the microchip, as a precaution if their multi-million dollar experiment ever got lost. This led Jack to constantly be on the move, never staying in one place for too long. Naturally, lacking a steady income, he was forced to take jobs where he could, often using his training to help him track down bounties, preferring the cash these tasks paid to help him lay low. Eventually, these odd-job bounties led him directly to Paragon City.

In Paragon City, 'Jack' found himself lost in a sea of similarly super-powered beings for once. Latching onto the prospect of being far more difficult to locate, he continued to ply his trade within the borders of the city. Unfortunately, a case of mistaken identity, and a subsequent death, led him to be convincted for murder and sentenced to jail time at the Zig. When it was raided by Arachnos Agents, 'Jack' once again took the opportunity to flee, retreating to the Isles until running across Lia MacKay in the nightclub known as Pocket D. They were quick to become friends, and, due to her, Jack eventually returned to Paragon, albeit illegally. For now, he's let his guard down a bit, confident that Malta will be unable to locate him in the gigantic city, and even joined the group known as the Lightning Strike Initiative, though he was unsure of his place among the heroes who likewise inhabited the group. This led to removing himself from it, not long after a misunderstanding with Chris and Jordan which left Jack with a bruised jaw.

It also marked the beginning of his self-imposed solitude as he began to slip away from old friends and acquaintances, sometimes even outright avoiding them. Though he still, irresistibly, kept contact with Lia, going so far as to approach her with the ridiculous notion of getting super powers. Apparently, this was more reality than he realized, and, within a few days, and after several excruciatingly painful injections, Jack found himself the recipient of some of Lia's mutant abilities, particularly her strength and inhuman durability.

Though he felt this made them closer, he was still unable to act on his feelings toward her and, determined to forget a painful chapter in his life, Jack soon found Maleya and her band of misfits, going so far as to join their villianous group known as Vindictive. His time spent there was full of a mix of drama and suspense, ranging from helping to save a coalition member's life to defending his own against the insane Drake, eventually putting the man in a comatose, and heavily monitored, state. It all came to a screeching halt when Jack learned of Zack Lanning's disappearance.

Seeing an opportunity, he quickly cut ties with the group, Maleya in particular, which led to a terribly bad break up and a bloodied face. The cake was took when he and Lia were jumped in the club elevators by Maleya and her gang, Jack carried off as he watched Lia fruitlessly try to aid him. That night, Jack endured torments he never believed he'd come across, left in the hands of Mal and a re-awakened Drake. The next morning, he was inexplicably repaired of his damages by the same pair, for reasons he still doesn't understand. Regardless of the last act of charity, Jack harbors an embittering hatred for those involved in the torture. On the upside, he finally has began courting Lia, a long-awaited reward for him. In spite of this dream, he did feel pangs of guilt for the general awkwardness and ill feelings their relationship had created among her peers, many of whom considered Zack a better match for the woman.

Just as things began to fall in place for both he and Lia, tragedy struck. Lia was murdered as Jack was away paroling Paragon, a fact that has now jaded him towards the self-depreciating act of 'hero-ing.' His spirit crushed from such a loss, Jack slid back in with old crowds and old habits, wandering idly through his life with alcohol never too far out of reach. He only rediscovered a purpose when a drunken possibility crossed his mind; cloning.

Exiling himself for several months at an undisclosed location, Jack began to research the possibility of using his own DNA, which had been combined with Lia's previously, to recreate her. Spending near every resource available to him, he poured sleepless days and nights into preparing the process, finally returning to Paragon and working with S.E.R.A.P.H. to make his mad dream a reality.

It was, for the most part, a success, and he returned the woman to his life, completely as he had remembered her, robotic arm and everything. Her powers hadn't transferred over, but it is suspected she may instead of inherited some of his own. Memory implantation, unfortunately, wasn't an option, and so, once she awoke, he began the long, arduous task of informing the new Lia of who she was; or rather is, if you ask him.

[ Onyx & Aurum ]: Twin platinum and gold plated Desert Eagles. Jack's modus operandi, his preferred weapons of choice. They've been modified to provide less kick-back and more stopping power. Technologically advanced, these babies are Jack's pride and joy. He takes extremely good care of them, and they appear to be in pristine condition. He won't say where or how he got a hold of them, but they are the staple of his repetoire.

[ Impervium Plating ]: No outfit would be complete without this flexible plating sewn within the seam. While not impenetrable, it offers enough protection that Jack is able to survive most blows that would normally kill him where he stands.

[ Colt Revolver ]: Jack's first-ever gun. God created man, but Mister Colt made them all equal. Typically, he hides it in the back of his pants, in the waistband. He doesn't use it in normal combat except in the most dire of situations, preferring his semi-autos for that. If he's using it to fight, it means the combat is personal.

[ Rocket Boots ]: After initial user difficulties with the things, Jack is now comfortable in the tactical advantages these puppies provide him. Linked up with his cybernetic enhancements, they are activated via thought processing, though it isn't strange to hear him cry 'Gogo Gadget Rocketboots!' before activating them.

[ Arm ]: His first cybernetic enhancement, Jack holds his arm in high esteem despite the fact its been forced upon him. At one point, he wished to have it replaced and his original regenerated, but it has come to grow on him. It has a multitude of special attributes including, but not limited to, improved reflexes, enhanced strength, ammunition storage, rocket propelled ejection unit, stinger missile, and, the newest feature, working XM STEREO!

[ Left Eye ]: Added after a training accident, Jack has learned to greatly appreciate the twist of fate that gifted him this enhancement. Aside from the enhanced targetting accuracy it provides, Jack is able to take digital video and photos with the device, wirelessly transmitted to his home computer. Infared vision is a go, but X-ray technology is still being worked upon. You're safe for now, Ladies Locker Room!

[ Wallet ]: Simply put, Jack's wallet. You ever seen Pulp Fiction, with Samuel L. Jackson's "Bad Mother-Fucker" wallet? Yeah, it's one of those.

[ Cowboy Hat ]: This ragged, torn, well-loved piece of clothing is perhaps the one possession Jack would go out of his way to protect. If his house were burning down, and he could only grab one thing, this would be it. Given to him by his grandfather, it has strong emotional ties to the would-be badass. After Syl clove it in two, he has yet to replace it, keeping the two halves within a hidden glass case.

[ Cigar Holder ]: A gift from Lia. It's pretty important to Jack, for obvious reasons. First time he'd received a gift in a long while. Its now empty, the special cigar finally smoked following the successful procedure to bring her back.

[ Belt ]: Another gift from Lia, a very fancy belt. The belt itself is just studded leather, but the buckle pictures two ornate old-school silver pistols crisscrossed, with a hidden latch, with the letters "J" and "W" engraved into each respectively. He wears this belt with every outfit.

"Jack? That jerk? Oh yeah, he's a real ass. Don't talk to him... Naw, I'm just kidding. Jack's alright. We bicker a lot. I mean a lot. But aside from that- ... Well, anyone that's crazy enough to stick around after I call them a douche-bag and try to eat their hat as a first impression, plus threaten his life and beat the crap out of him on almost a daily basis, is worth calling a true friend. Plus, he's got style. Those goggles? Man, those're hot. " - Lia MacKay

- "Ha... The pussy. I always hear a lot of people saying great things about everyone else, but, the only thing I can think to say is, GET OVER THE FREAKIN' HAT! Seriously! Girls don't even hold a grudge as bad as this guy. He NEEDS a chill-pill. Now. Otherwise, I might hit him... Again." - Shimmer-Strike

"He's a big fat-fatty-fat-fat-fat-jerk, but I kinda like him. He's all "UHHHH I'M BADAAASSSS." And I THOUGHT it was douchey at first but now I know that he actually HAS to hate me for the sake of everything. SO. It's okay. Jerk." -Spellborne

"Jack ... Yeah, not sure about him now. We barely talk anymore, which kind of makes me sad..." -Jo M. Sterling

"Who? Jack? Oh, he's not bad. He can be really funny when he's drunk too, I remember one night me and him were drinking and he tried to get a lizard girl to sleep with me... good times... What? What else? Oh... TORTUGA!" - Banana O'Hanna

"Jack. Fuckin' ass. Tell 'I'm I said hi." - Barnabas LeVite

"Wha? Jack? He's awwaight. I'll admit I didn't like him much at first since he was beating on Jennybot when we met... but I'd like to think we're alot more tight now. But... after eavesdroppin' on a few things and witnessing others, I give him the Fenstamp of Approval. He's good folk, even if he won't admit it." - Fen

"Lot's of people hate on Jack, but I never have, I love this dude, he's in my top three best bros for sure. Pretty sure we clicked as friends right from the get-go, and that's cool. Always got ya back brotha, don't forget that!" - Darren Swan

Basically, I formed the idea for Wr8th from a previous MM, who I based off of, of course, Clint Eastwood. That's what happens when you watch too much TGTB&TU. But I wanted to tie him into the game's lore, since the MM was just... a lost cowboy basically, so I found the Gunslinger NPC on the Malta page on Paragonwiki, and bam! It fit him pretty well, so... there you go. So yeah, he's based off Clint Eastwood and some Malta history. There's a little bit of Cowboy Bebop influence in him as well, I suppose, like the robot arm ala Jet.