Characters Name:Gigawatt
Power Level: 7 (105/109PP)
Trade-Offs: None
Unspent PP: 4
Gold Status: 4/30
Alternate Identity:Robert Russel, Physics teacher
Age: 27, Birthday is May 15, 1982
Gender: Male
Height: 5 foot 8 inches
Weight: Formerly 220 lbs
Eyes: Green
Hair: Formerly Blond
Description: Gigawatt was a fairly attractive man. He was a bit on the heavy side, but he had a short haircut, and a well maintained goatee. He wore slacks and button downs whenever possible, and was even seen sporting a suit just for the heck out it every now and again. That was before the incident
Now he's made of nothing but energy. While his eyes and mouth are discernible on his face, most of the definition there is gone. His 'skin' has become a light blue color, which gets darker and darker the more energy he has stored at the time. When he's running very low, he notices hints of his fair skin coming through.
History: Robert wanted to make a difference. He wanted to make his life mean something. Robert didn't really know what he wanted to do before he started taking courses at FCU. He began getting the usual English and History courses, not finding too much to spark his interest. Then he started getting into the sciences.
Biology was interesting, Chemistry was intriguing, and Physics was fascinating. He began to take his classes more seriously, and began to think that he might have found something he wanted to do. After he officially changed his major to physics, he met a man who would be his best friend for years, a man who would kidnap and experiment on him, Mathew Devin.
Mathew was far smarter than Robert, but he he able to speak to him as if they were equals. It was good to have someone to speak with, intellectually. One day, some three years after they had met, Mat came to Robert with a proposition. He had come up with an idea that, with time, patience, and research, could possibly yield unlimited energy. Robert was skeptically at first. Surely nothing could provide unlimited energy!
Three years, 2 degrees, and a teaching position at the college later, Mat and Robert's research was coming along well. They had come up with a way for organic tissue to excrete large amounts of energy, by starting certain chemical processes, and letting them run. Theoretically, anyway. The problems started creeping in when it came to testing. The hoped to use plant life, since it was abundant and easy to obtain. However, plants didn't react correctly. No matter how they adjusted the chemicals, no matter the type of plant, it always ended the same, a promising start, and a burned and shriveled plant by the end of things.
Robert told his friend that he'd enjoyed working on this with him, but they'd hit a dead end, and the research was getting in his way with teaching. Mathew didn't stop after Robert left. He kept going, and took steps he hadn't considered before.
About a year later, Mathew presented his findings to the college, looking to get funding, to get his work exposed to scientific minds. He showed the original research, and came to the dead end. Robert assumed the presentation would end there. It didn't. He brought forth a whole new branch he'd done on his own, using animals, and when those failed, trying it on donor organs. His research was inconclusive.
When the presentation ended, Mathew was bombarded with questions. Where did he get the animals? Where did he get the donor organs? Did he care properly for the animals? Did he do any other testing? He didn't answer any of these questions. At this point, Robert left the room, knowing what would come next.
No money was given. His research wouldn't be looked at further, not by them. He'd let his passion override his ability to think, and to keep the environment needed for this sort of research. He tried other schools, other groups. But he was always turned down. No one wanted to deal with the political fallout from the perceived animal mistreatment, and theft. Somewhere down the line, Mathew was accused of testing on the homeless, or testing on the remains of the homeless. Mat refused to share where he had gotten the offending organs.
Mathew himself couldn't believe it. Anyone with any brains could see that this was worth whatever came of it. He had solved the energy crisis alone. HE had presented a money making solution that would make investors rich! Why didn't they see that?
With several rejections on his mind, and the knowledge that he could do no wrong, Mathew looked to assign blame. Someone needed to be making this happen. Eventually, he settled on his old friend Robert. Robert had left the project before it was done. He was jealous, Mathew decided, that he lacked the will, and the brains the finish what he had started.
In his mind, removing Robert would make those idiots realize what they had staring at them, and they'd jump at the opportunity to give him money. Even better, if he could find a way to get rid of Robert and prove his research could do what he said it could, that would be even better.
About a month after the first presentation, Robert was walking to his car after a long day. Teaching was entertaining, stimulating, and it let him put a mark on the world. It was exhausting though. He never did make it home that night. Police reports show that he was last seen being dragged into an unmarked black sedan, and has not been seen since. Mathew was driving that sedan.
In a rather elaborate laboratory, Mathew began his work. He'd never tested on a fully intact living human before. He was sure that this experiment would be noteworthy. It wasn't until midway through the procedure that Robert awoke to blinding pain. It felt like every bone in his body was being ripped off of him. He was being burned, and stabbed, and crushed. He screamed, but it wouldn't stop. He remembers seeing Mathew taking a lot of notes before things hit critical mass. Robert's whole body condensed, and soon the pain went away.
He wasn't sure how long he'd been in that laboratory, but he knew he had to leave. Instinctive fight or flight kicked in, and he fled. He passed straight through the bindings, and out the doors. He didn't stop running until he was exhausted. When he woke up, he had changed. He wasn't Robert Russel anymore. He was something else.
Personality & Motivation: Gigawatt is generally a placid individual. He works on a very analytical level, and is very direct when he speaks. He gets very interested when more scientific topics rise up, and he likes to talk at length about theory and methods. It gives him a grounding to his old life, to a normal life.
Gigawatt wants to leave a mark on the world, and he now has a means to do so. Even with his overwhelming anger towards his former friend, some parts of him silently thank him for the opportunity. The cost was more than he wanted to pay, but hopefully he will be able to makes things better.
Powers & Tactics: Gigawatt isn't a man to sit back and talk things out, instead trying for a more direct approach. He tends to work at range, using his flying and electrical blasts to take care of enemies. If things look like their turning south, he'll try and use whatever electronics he can to cruise through the power grid, looking to regroup.
Complications:
Enemy: Mathew Devin is still looking to capture Gigawatt, to present as his proof of concept, and to test for further research.
Family: Robert has an aging mother, two older brothers, and a younger sister. He would do anything to protect them, and is looking for a way to provide for them.
Energy Buildup: Gigawatt's body produces massive amounts of energy. When he comes into contact with equipment that isn't shielded properly, it tends to get fried. If he goes 24 hours without discharging some of this energy, electronics around him begin to act as if he was holding them, frying everything in an ever expanding radius.
In Brief: Former teacher became wildly successful energy experiment.
Stats: 0+2+2+6+0+0 = 10 pp
Str: 10 (+0)
Dex: 12 (+1)
Con: 12 (+1)
Int: 16 (+3)
Wis: 10 (+0)
Cha: 10 (+0)
Combat: 10+14 = 24 pp
Attack: +5
Grapple: +5
Defense: +7 (+3 flat-footed)
Knockback: -0/-3 w/ Protection active
Initiative: +1
Saves: 4+5+6 = 15pp
Toughness: +1/+6 (+1 Con, +5 other)
Fortitude: +5 (+1 Con, +4)
Reflex: +6 (+1 Dex, +5)
Will: +6 (+0 Wis, +6)
Skills: 24r = 6pp
Diplomacy 2 (+2)
Gather Information 4 (+4)
Knowledge (physical sciences) 8 (+11)
Notice 6 (+6)
Profession(Teacher) 2 (+2)
Search 2 (+5)
Powers: 45+5 = 50pp
Alternate Form 9(Energy Form, Permanent, 45)
Protection 5 5
DC Block:
Electrical Blast 6 --- 21/Toughness --- Damage
Costs: Abilities (10) + Combat (24) + Saves (15) + Skills (6) + Feats (0) + Powers (50) = 105/109pp
