Character's Name: Alexander Philip Summers
Codename: Oberon
Relatives: Christopher & Katherine Summers ( parents, deceased ). Scott Summers ( brother ). Philip & Deborah Summers ( grandparents ). Andrew and Mary Blanding ( adoptive parents ). Haley Blanding (adoptive sister), Todd Blanding ( adoptive brother, deceased ).
Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii
Current Residence: Westchester, New York
Education: Masters degree in Geophysics - some doctoral work completed.
Occupation: Geophysical Surveyor, Adventurer.
Age & Birthday: 30; August 25, 1977
Powers: [Wolverine]
REGENERATIVE HEALING FACTOR Alex's body is able to regenerate damaged and destroyed tissue with superhuman efficiency. When he was younger, his ability to heal at an accelerated rate depended largely on the size or severity of the wound, but as he's gotten older, the speed with which he regenerated increased dramatically. Alex is able to fully heal after losing massive amounts of tissue, or sustaining injuries such as multiple gunshot or stab wounds, and the severest of burns in minutes. The healing extends to his immune system, rendering him immune to not only disease and infection, but to toxins and drugs as well, unless given in extreme doses. Healing even takes place on the psychological level, mending wounds of the mind caused by traumatic experiences, often resulting in memory loss.
This accelerated healing factor grants a slew of abilities that are caused by canceling out some of the body's natural processes. Alex's strength, stamina, reflexes and agility are all increased to superhuman levels, as he is able to push his body beyond that of peak human because his healing factor mends muscle damage from lifting immediately, and grants him immunity against fatigue toxins that build up during physical activity. Alex is able to sustain himself for up to about 18 hours without food, water or rest. Though hardly noticeable, as he is still only in his 30's, the process of aging has slowed. His body's vitality and appearance is paused at it's physical prime, which is actually just a few years younger than he actually is. His body is also incredibly resistant to elemental extremes, especially the cold. He is able to withstand subarctic temperatures to the point of surviving several nights sleep in the nude with no injury.
SUPER ACUTE SENSES Alex's senses have also been increased to superhumanly acute levels akin to those of several animals. He is able to hear at lower frequencies and further distances, as well as see clearly at very low light and long distance. His sense of smell is so acute that he is not only able to recognize people by scent and detect chemical changes in people's scent, but he could successfully track someone over a vast distance, even after weather and time have greatly decreased a trail.
RETRACTABLE BONE CLAWS Housed beneath the muscle of each forearm are three 12 inch, slightly curved retractable bone claws. At will, Alex is able to release any number of these claws through the skin beneath his knuckles, the damage caused being taken care of by his healing factor. Sharp and dense, these claws are able to tear through most metals, wood, and stone. When releasing his claws, he cannot bend his wrist as the bones are passing due to the fact that they are moving from his forearm to his hand. Once they are fully released, though, the bones are entirely in his hands.
Biography/History: Alexander was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Christopher and Katherine Summers, but didn't have the luxury of enjoying the paradise of his birthplace, as his family was a military one, and wound up an Anchorage, Alaska instead. He wasn't the first of their brood, big brother Scott came first and took his title very seriously. Alex, much to the chagrin of his father, was often spoiled and coddled by his mother, as was the situation with most children who boasted the title of youngest, but clearly a military base was no place to be babying anyone, especially a Summers. If Alex wasn't born with the clan's somewhat obsessive love for aviation, he at least, even from a
very young age, harbored the same intense curiosity they all seemed to have. He was a bright and imaginative kid, and traveling with his family was always turned into some kind of adventure in his mind, though, it is difficult not to imagine constant travel through Alaska's wilderness
some kind of an adventure.
These "adventures" became more frequent when the family began visiting his mother's folks outside of Juneau. A tiny bit older, ever curious Alex often had trouble staying put in his seat, especially when Scott got to sit with their father up front. He didn't fantasize about being a pilot like daddy very often, but he was nosy, and he was the baby and more people needed to be paying attention to him. So, if he needed to pretended that he wanted to be just like daddy so they'd pay attention, he'd do it. No shame. His mother would fuss about him staying in his seat, though, because clearly, it was dangerous up there, and if something happened, it would be best for
all of them to be strapped in. Lucky for Alex, he had big blue eyes that he learned to work very early in his career as his mother's son, as it was very rare that he didn't get his way.
This time around, though, it was probably a very good thing both boys had been out of their seats. They'd hit what Christopher had assumed was some heavy turbulence after taking off for another one of their trips. When he was unable to get the small, antique plane back under his control, he knew immediately something had gone
very wrong. The situation had gone from a minor issue to disaster fairly quickly. They eventually lost a wing and they began to lose altitude rapidly. With precious time to prepare them, Katherine strapped her sons into the only parachute on board, an oversight Christopher reminded himself to correct several times out loud, but sadly, obviously never did. Both parents said goodbye to two understandably terrified boys before Katherine shoved them out of the plane that would eventually crash into what might as well have been Alaskan abyss, as the wreck was never found. With little time to properly expand, the parachute the boys shared did little to slow their fall, but Scott had done his best to spare Alex from a brutal landing, taking most of the force himself. Still, they were obviously pretty banged up, both unconscious and stranded in the cold, Alaskan wild. Logically, there should have been no way either one of them could survive the conditions in
their conditions, but miracles happen - or, evolution, really.
Finally waking up, Alex found himself alone in a place he didn't recognize. Still pretty much a baby, Alex did what was natural. He cried. For his mother, his father, Scott. To whoever and to whoever would come, but eventually he stopped. He couldn't really remember
why he was crying, just that he was in a strange place, and that he was tired, so he ended up falling asleep without having moved that whole time he'd been awake. Once he did wake up again, he got up, and started wandering, completely unaware of where he was, which way he was going, or remembering much of what had happened. His survival wasn't exactly something he was thinking about. Mortality wasn't really a concept to him just yet, all he was doing in his wandering was looking for anything familiar. His survival was in the hands of his genes now, as at least one layer of his mutation had been triggered without him noticing too much. The injuries he sustained from the fall had healed almost completely in the time that he'd been out cold, and it was this same ability was keeping him from burning out while he wandered. Soon, though, his wandering turned to hunting. He'd heard
voices, and even if he was slightly unaware of his situation, he knew enough to try to find those voices. The dangers he could have come across never occurred to him, his actions became instinct, and eventually, after hours of wandering on tiny, yet barely tired legs, the people he'd heard were now visible. When he finally approached the camping family, they scrambled to bundle the lost little boy up, and took him to authorities. Unable to remember
why he was lost and alone, the family offered to foster him until he came around, and give more helpful information, or more permanent arrangements could be made.
Eventually, Alex started remembering things in flashes. Usually about his brother, more about his father, but not much about Katherine. The family contacted the proper authorities, but the little information that he could provide was very little help. He was going to have to be put into the system, but the Blandings - the family who'd been taking care of him - objected, offering to take Alex in permanently. They had lost their own son just a couple years before, and while they weren't exactly over that tragedy, they were completely willing and capable of taking care of him and providing him with a stable environment. Of course, one person's definition of stable is often quite different than someone else's. They weren't quite as over their son's death as they thought they were. They often treated Alex as if he were their passed son, which, when he was young, was just confusing, but as he got older, it became awkward. By the time he hit his teens, everyone had gotten over the awkwardness, and they were living like a normal family.
With those awkward familial years gone by, Alex had to face the awkwardness of being a teenager, next. Had he just aimed to be the jock, everything would have probably been easier for him, because he was good at sports, particularly soccer and football. Alas, Alex was a young man of solid body
and mind. He did extremely well in his classes, joined several academic teams, including math and science clubs. Being a bit of a nerd often made being a jock difficult, but he wasn't going to settle for dropping one to be happy about the other. Though, maybe he should have. Football injuries were often serious, and this one, as well, should have been. Everyone heard the bone break, and everyone saw the blood all over his arm, but there was no protruding ,fractured bone. Just skin with no trace of a scar, covered in his blood. Unsure of how to explain the event, most went on pretending it never happened, though at least one newspaper caught wind and printed the story, causing speculation and labeling him a potential mutant. At the time, mutants weren't exactly everyday news, but they weren't exactly embraced, either. It didn't make his time in high school any easier, and, like with any kids facing those kinds of troubles, he often wished he could just disappear, but things are never that easy. In fact, they got a tad bit worse. Alex and Haley, his adoptive sister, were leaving school one afternoon, but didn't making home, as some random angry man decided he needed to snatch them off of the street.
The situation was definitely life threatening, and a panic struck Alex wasn't ready to lose another sibling, so he took action. He only meant to punch the guy to give her the chance to run, but with the punch came a pinch, then blood splatter. He knew he hadn't hit the guy that hard, but he realized when looking at his hand that it wasn't just knuckle he swung, but a trio of sharp bones. The guy collapsed immediately, and the two were free to run. When the police found the crime scene, ripe with a dead body, they knew Alex had been there because of the presence of his blood, but when they questioned him, he couldn't remember a thing, and Haley said she didn't see anything. No weapon had been found either, so they couldn't charge anyone with anything. The whole thing had become very traumatic for him, as he was being accused of doing something he didn't remember. It was all over the news, he couldn't go to school, he wasn't safe anywhere. He and his family knew the cops were still keeping a very close eye on, but they had no idea that someone else's interest had been piqued, as well.
One afternoon, two men, one of which was noticeably younger than the other, arrived at the Blanding-Summers home with smiles, offers and news. Of course, the news was that Scott was alive and well, and he was no longer the only Summers who'd survived all those years ago. The emotional reunion may have helped Alex in his decision to go to school, but not by very much. He'd been wanting to leave his current school for a while now, since he was getting harassed, and the whole anti-mutant thing was starting to blow up - the creation of the Friends of Humanity hadn't helped his case one bit - so going to this school specifically for mutants, whether Scott was there or not, seemed like his best choice. Needless to say, everyone was pleased with the situation. Alex honestly hadn't thought of the academy as anything but a safe place away from people who were out for his blood, even if the training was fun, he'd never really been too interested in his abilities, they were often an obstacle he wished he didn't have. Having a super acute sense of smell honestly wasn't something to be happy about when you could smell the most foul things from miles away.
When the time came, he didn't hesitate to leave for college. He didn't feel like he was abandoning anyone, he was just going along with the plan he'd had for himself since before coming to Westchester. The situation was different now, after all. He was completely aware of his abilities, and he'd learned how to control the things that needed controlling. He spent seven years studying at Berkley and abroad, first earning his bachelors degree in geology, then a masters in geophysics as he worked toward his Ph.D. Summers and holidays were spent back in Westchester, trying to catch up on all of the training everyone else was doing, but not with much enthusiasm. Not until that first time they went out as a team, that is. Alex hadn't realized how boring and reserved he'd become, as going out and playing hero had rekindled that adventurous side he had. The anti-mutant reaction hadn't sent him nto hiding this time, though. He cut his doctoral studies short and moved back to Westchester full time to continue with the team. After the separation of the school and the team, Alex stayed in Westchester with the X-Men as an active member, and often helping in pilot training and whatever else Scott tells him to do.
Personality: Alex is pretty much your everyday boy next door. He generally likes and gets along with everyone unless they give him reason not to. He can be a little on the sarcastic side, and he has a questionable sense of humor, but he's respectable and respectful, and not at all the type most would write off immediately. Alex makes friends rather easily, and he works hard at maintaining those relationships because as someone who'd been left alone as a child, he really doesn't want to be that way as an adult. Yes, Alex has slight abandonment issues, but you really can't blame him - and he can't blame anyone else. He's not clingy or anything, he just takes being left, or not being included in things pretty hard, to the point where people often think he's over reacting. And that's usually the only time he ever overreacts, because he's actually a pretty easygoing, playful guy. Yes, he has a bit of a temper, but it takes a series of well hidden pressed buttons to get him riled up. If he had the patience to teach basic earth science, he'd probably be at the school teaching the kids, because he honestly has a lot of fun with them, but he wouldn't be able to stand the constant basic level.
Alex is also a bit of a nerd, but don't tell him that to his face, because he'll deny it. He's just smart. Don't ever ask to see his rock collection. It's extensive, and he'll be glad to spend the five hours it takes to tell you what each and every rock is called, it's mineral make up, type, cleavage, streak, and so on. You'll be sorry. It's all very organized, too, just as everything else about Alex is. The anal retentiveness may or may not run in the family. Just because he's a nerd (a slightly uptight one) doesn't mean he doesn't know how to have a good time. Alex is an extremely adventurous guy, having spent as much of his college years as possible abroad doing field study work in exotic places like southeastern Asia, and super cold Greenland. His abilities allow him to take himself to the limit, so he always did the jobs everyone else was too afraid to do, and was glad he did. Camping beside crawling lava and repelling down small crevasses between glaciers is the kind of rush you can't get doing anything else.
Possibly stemming from those abandonment issues mentioned earlier, the younger Summers brother also has a need to take care of the people he loves. When he's unable to do that, whether someone's just not letting him in, or if someone else has made it impossible for him to do, he gets extremely frustrated. He frustrates himself, too, especially when it comes to making decisions. He's a little flaky, changing his mind often because he's unsure if what he's come up with is solid, and when a new idea has been presented, he's slow to fight for the validity of his own, and will just let it fall to majority rule.
Strengths: While some would call it useless knowledge, Alex has an advanced degree in geophysics, and has extensive background in geological sciences that he feels is completely useful, especially on specific missions. He's not nearly the tactical mastermind that his brother is, but he knows his way around a fight plan. He also plays second fiddle to Scott's piloting skills, mostly because he was never as enthusiastic about flying, but it seems like the ability is something the Summers clan is born with. Over the years, with practice, Alex has gotten better and better at tracking, mostly thanks to his enhanced senses.
Weaknesses: Alex has the tendency to be a bit insecure. He often needs to be reassured in his decisions, because he's quick to second guess himself. He's also got a bit of a temper, and it's not exactly something that happens often, because there are only very specific things that take him to that point of anger, but still, when he gets there, it takes some time to bring him down. Alex's abilities are often a bit of a weakness. Over powering smells, sounds and lights can leave him dazed or sick, as he can't turn off, or alter the "volume" on his senses.
Appearance: His features are chiseled and refined, decidedly "handsome", a change from the fact that, while he was younger, Alex could only be described as "pretty" (almost femininely so), much to his chagrin. He's usually clean-shaven, but his narrow cheekbones and strong, square jaw often get covered up in a bit of stubble. His hazel eyes and dirty blonde hair often make him look a little washed out, which, really, is only something a girl would notice and mention, so it's nothing that bothers him. He keeps it cut to a neat length, and usually wears it parted to the right. Deep brown eyes and an overall grown up, chiseled appearance finish off his facial features.
When it comes to his physique, Alex's shoulders are quite broad, and they taper into a decidedly thin waist and narrow hips. He stands a modest height of six feet, weighing a well proportioned 186 pounds. Clearly, he's not at all your usual scrawny nerdy guy, keeping fit with sports and regular intense exercise. Alex doesn't have any naturally occurring distinguishing marks, other than the few freckles across his nose and cheeks, and some random ones scattered across his body. Because of his healing factor, any injuries he's had over the years have left no physical scars.
PB: Jensen Ackles
Character Affiliation: X-Man
