C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L
T H E T E E N T I T A N S
♦ K I T T Y P R Y D E ♦ E L I J A H B R A D L E Y ♦ G A R F I E L D L O G A N ♦ K O R I A N D ' R ♦
♦ N E W Y O R K C I T Y , N E W Y O R K ♦ T H E T E E N T I T A N S ♦
♦ N E W Y O R K C I T Y , N E W Y O R K ♦ T H E T E E N T I T A N S ♦
C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:
"That's a shitty banner." - Anyone with eyes
Eli Bradley, grandson of former Heavyweight World Champion and World War II hero Isaiah Bradley, is, for the most part, a typical high school junior. He has dreamed of following his late grandfather's footsteps, greatly admiring Isaiah's reported feats of bravery and patriotism, and as such has dedicated most of his teen years endeavoring to better himself in every way possible in order to emulate Isaiah. An excellent athlete, Eli has participated in several state-level track and field finals and has pursued and excelled at mixed martial arts in his free time. Upon graduating next year, he has aspirations to immediately join the Army. However, despite coming from a military family with his grandfather, uncle, and cousin all having served, Eli's mother is strongly opposed to the idea. So much so that she has kept Eli from seeing his extended family, or even learning more about his grandfather's heroic past. Still, ever determined, Elijah has never veered from the goals set for himself. In fact, up until a week ago, he had rarely if ever deterred from his weekly routine and schedule. But the sudden, and fiery, intrusion of a young woman into his life has caused him to reevaluate all of his plans.
Koriand'r: teenager; princess; alien. Hailing from the far off Vega system, Koriand'r is the middle child of King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r of the planet Tamaran. Coming from a culture of passionate people who valued emotional honesty as much martial prowess, she and her siblings had a unique upbringing. Trained from a very young age in the art of war - strategically, philosophically, and physically - by the famed warlords of Okaara, Koriand'r was equally brought up to have love for all, and to value peace above conflict. Though, her Okaaran instructors made sure to drill into her mind that often the only way to achieve peace was through conflict. Tamaran itself was a venerable utopia, the very notions of strife and war nearly forgotten on the long-peaceful paradise planet, with their focus on battle skill being more about ceremonial tradition than actual violence. That was until a sudden, forceful uprising resulted in a civil war, and ultimately culminated with the successful assassination of King Myand'r. Seeing the capital being overrun by rebel forces, and fearing for the safety of her children, the queen placed each of her children in escape pods and sent them off planet. Originally intended to arrive on the neighboring Okaara, Koriand'r's pod was caught in a geomagnetic storm that wiped its course from memory and altered her path. Helpless in the cramped pod, she survived the months-long journey only due to her race's unique physiology which allowed her to sustain herself through Ultraviolet radiation emitted by passing stars and absorbed through her skin. It wasn't until her crashlanding on a small, blue planet that she was able to finally experience fresh air once more.
For twelve years, Katherine Pryde was an average, young girl. She went to school, attended Shabbat weekly at the local synagogue, spent time with her many friends, and studied both ballet and modern dance. Then, the change many young people dread took over. Suddenly falling through your bed and solid floor into another apartment below wasn't the most pleasant ways for young Kitty to discover her status as a mutant. Nor were the many weeks that followed of trying to both get a handle on, as well as hide, her newfound abilities. Although her grades never slipped, for the next couple of years she struggled with maintaining a social life, always fearful of her secret being discovered, and she quit her dance classes. Going from an open and cheerful young girl to a reserved, and isolated young woman did not escape her parent's notice, but any attempts they made to reach out to their daughter were unsuccessful. Instead, Kitty found solace in the anonymity of the internet. Not long after her sixteenth birthday, Kitty's confidence regarding her secret, and the trust she had in finally believing she had control over it allowed her to once again open up. Then, danger struck. A radical right-wing militia group of mutant haters called the Purifiers attacked her in broad daylight. While Kitty still does not know how these Purifiers had discovered her mutant nature, she does know that she would likely not be here today were it not for the intervention of the X-Men. The actions of this heroic group have inspired Kitty, and since then, she has begun to not only practice controlling her gifts like she had for the past several years but also how to utilize them to their full potential.
Garfield Logan doesn't remember much from his younger years. He has fond memories of his mother, Marie Logan. He recalls living on a farm or animal preserve in what he believes to have been upstate New York. And he remembers being sick. Very sick. The haziness surrounding the rest of the first decade or so years of his life is only frequently breached by these memories of hospital beds and vague medical tests. What he does remember with vivid clarity, however, is the death of his parents. Whisked into foster care, Garfield was placed under the guardianship of Nicholas Galtry, a man whose only concern was collecting checks from the state. Luckily, Garfield's stay with Galtry was shortlived. Unluckily, the circumstance for this was the abrupt arrival of Garfield's metahuman abilities and a very physical mutation resulting in his skin turning a rather noticeable shade of green. With anti-mutant sentiments still at an all-time high, Galtry reacted violently and Garfield was forcibly chased out. The already immoral man in a fit of fear and hate alerted the authorities to a "mutie menace" who had attacked him in his own home, and thus Garfield found himself on the run, unable to return to the foster care system. For nearly a year, he survived, alone, on the streets, often utilizing his metahuman ability to shapeshift into various animal forms to scavenge for food scraps. Recently, a young man stumbled across Garfield and, surprisingly, did not react in fear. Instead, the stranger, Charlie Hustle, showed sympathy to the young orphan and offered a safe, warm place to stay and good food. Desperate for a hot meal and, even more so, human company, Garfield agreed...
Koriand'r: teenager; princess; alien. Hailing from the far off Vega system, Koriand'r is the middle child of King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r of the planet Tamaran. Coming from a culture of passionate people who valued emotional honesty as much martial prowess, she and her siblings had a unique upbringing. Trained from a very young age in the art of war - strategically, philosophically, and physically - by the famed warlords of Okaara, Koriand'r was equally brought up to have love for all, and to value peace above conflict. Though, her Okaaran instructors made sure to drill into her mind that often the only way to achieve peace was through conflict. Tamaran itself was a venerable utopia, the very notions of strife and war nearly forgotten on the long-peaceful paradise planet, with their focus on battle skill being more about ceremonial tradition than actual violence. That was until a sudden, forceful uprising resulted in a civil war, and ultimately culminated with the successful assassination of King Myand'r. Seeing the capital being overrun by rebel forces, and fearing for the safety of her children, the queen placed each of her children in escape pods and sent them off planet. Originally intended to arrive on the neighboring Okaara, Koriand'r's pod was caught in a geomagnetic storm that wiped its course from memory and altered her path. Helpless in the cramped pod, she survived the months-long journey only due to her race's unique physiology which allowed her to sustain herself through Ultraviolet radiation emitted by passing stars and absorbed through her skin. It wasn't until her crashlanding on a small, blue planet that she was able to finally experience fresh air once more.
For twelve years, Katherine Pryde was an average, young girl. She went to school, attended Shabbat weekly at the local synagogue, spent time with her many friends, and studied both ballet and modern dance. Then, the change many young people dread took over. Suddenly falling through your bed and solid floor into another apartment below wasn't the most pleasant ways for young Kitty to discover her status as a mutant. Nor were the many weeks that followed of trying to both get a handle on, as well as hide, her newfound abilities. Although her grades never slipped, for the next couple of years she struggled with maintaining a social life, always fearful of her secret being discovered, and she quit her dance classes. Going from an open and cheerful young girl to a reserved, and isolated young woman did not escape her parent's notice, but any attempts they made to reach out to their daughter were unsuccessful. Instead, Kitty found solace in the anonymity of the internet. Not long after her sixteenth birthday, Kitty's confidence regarding her secret, and the trust she had in finally believing she had control over it allowed her to once again open up. Then, danger struck. A radical right-wing militia group of mutant haters called the Purifiers attacked her in broad daylight. While Kitty still does not know how these Purifiers had discovered her mutant nature, she does know that she would likely not be here today were it not for the intervention of the X-Men. The actions of this heroic group have inspired Kitty, and since then, she has begun to not only practice controlling her gifts like she had for the past several years but also how to utilize them to their full potential.
Garfield Logan doesn't remember much from his younger years. He has fond memories of his mother, Marie Logan. He recalls living on a farm or animal preserve in what he believes to have been upstate New York. And he remembers being sick. Very sick. The haziness surrounding the rest of the first decade or so years of his life is only frequently breached by these memories of hospital beds and vague medical tests. What he does remember with vivid clarity, however, is the death of his parents. Whisked into foster care, Garfield was placed under the guardianship of Nicholas Galtry, a man whose only concern was collecting checks from the state. Luckily, Garfield's stay with Galtry was shortlived. Unluckily, the circumstance for this was the abrupt arrival of Garfield's metahuman abilities and a very physical mutation resulting in his skin turning a rather noticeable shade of green. With anti-mutant sentiments still at an all-time high, Galtry reacted violently and Garfield was forcibly chased out. The already immoral man in a fit of fear and hate alerted the authorities to a "mutie menace" who had attacked him in his own home, and thus Garfield found himself on the run, unable to return to the foster care system. For nearly a year, he survived, alone, on the streets, often utilizing his metahuman ability to shapeshift into various animal forms to scavenge for food scraps. Recently, a young man stumbled across Garfield and, surprisingly, did not react in fear. Instead, the stranger, Charlie Hustle, showed sympathy to the young orphan and offered a safe, warm place to stay and good food. Desperate for a hot meal and, even more so, human company, Garfield agreed...
C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:
For me, I have always been interested in telling stories for each of Starfire, Beast Boy, and Shadowcat in one of these games. For one reason or another, however, I have never had the opportunity to apply as them, or have never had the proper narrative to explore. With the nature of this game, though, I feel like I can utilize the blended lore of Marvel & DC to not only explore the various concepts I've had over the years for these characters, but also to do so in a cohesive, unified manner. As well, when it comes to the Teen Titans and other similar young hero groups, every comic has them as experienced and established sidekicks and partners to popular heroes. They enter these teams with full support, training, and finances from their respective mentors, and rarely if ever have to struggle to find their footing. I want to tell a story that rejects that premise and is instead grounded in the reality of four young, powered people who have no support but each other.
I've decided to strip each of the four away from their established comic canon, for the most part, in order to better tell an interconnected origin story. Starfire is no longer a former slave, nor will she have any sort of connection to Dick Grayson. However, she still maintains trauma from her recent experiences and will find in Eli the human connection to root her to this world. Elijah, although still very much rooted in his drive to be a hero like his grandfather before him, is ignorant of Isaiah's history as a former supersoldier and Captain America. Given the newly minted status of the X-Men in this world, this is a Kitty who has never been a member of Xavier's student body and is instead discovering and learning her abilities on her own. She is still very much inexperienced and has not had the support system of the X-Men to lean on during these formative years. Likewise, Garfield was never a member of the Doom Patrol. He was never adopted by Rita Farr and Steve Dayton and instead has had to fend for himself on the streets for months.
Basically, I want to start fresh with the stories of these young would-be-heroes and explore how they come together and form not only a team but a family. As I am joining late and there are only three weeks until the crisis, and presumably only mere weeks remaining after that before the close of the season, I will be focusing entirely on a single arc that will introduce each of the four, bring them together by chance, and see them, hopefully, join forces by the end as the Teen Titans.
I've decided to strip each of the four away from their established comic canon, for the most part, in order to better tell an interconnected origin story. Starfire is no longer a former slave, nor will she have any sort of connection to Dick Grayson. However, she still maintains trauma from her recent experiences and will find in Eli the human connection to root her to this world. Elijah, although still very much rooted in his drive to be a hero like his grandfather before him, is ignorant of Isaiah's history as a former supersoldier and Captain America. Given the newly minted status of the X-Men in this world, this is a Kitty who has never been a member of Xavier's student body and is instead discovering and learning her abilities on her own. She is still very much inexperienced and has not had the support system of the X-Men to lean on during these formative years. Likewise, Garfield was never a member of the Doom Patrol. He was never adopted by Rita Farr and Steve Dayton and instead has had to fend for himself on the streets for months.
Basically, I want to start fresh with the stories of these young would-be-heroes and explore how they come together and form not only a team but a family. As I am joining late and there are only three weeks until the crisis, and presumably only mere weeks remaining after that before the close of the season, I will be focusing entirely on a single arc that will introduce each of the four, bring them together by chance, and see them, hopefully, join forces by the end as the Teen Titans.
C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:
Sarah Gail Bradley: Elijah's mother.
Queen Luand'r, Crown Princess Komand'r, and Ryand'r: Starfire's mother, older sister, and younger brother respectively.
Calvin Zabo: Genius and brilliant biochemist specializing in the effect hormones have on the human body.
I'll also list here several characters I intend to utilize in various Titans stories throughout the seasons:
- Adelaine Kane
- Slade Wilson
- Damian Darhk
- Brother Blood
- Fearsome Five (Psimon, Mammoth, Shimmer, Gizmo, & Hazard)
- H.I.V.E. Organization
- Brotherhood of Evil
- Doom Patrol*
*As these are heroic characters, while I have plans for them at this moment, until I reach a point where they are actually put into the story, I am open to possibly working with others/giving them up if needed.
To be updated as needed.
Queen Luand'r, Crown Princess Komand'r, and Ryand'r: Starfire's mother, older sister, and younger brother respectively.
Calvin Zabo: Genius and brilliant biochemist specializing in the effect hormones have on the human body.
I'll also list here several characters I intend to utilize in various Titans stories throughout the seasons:
- Adelaine Kane
- Slade Wilson
- Damian Darhk
- Brother Blood
- Fearsome Five (Psimon, Mammoth, Shimmer, Gizmo, & Hazard)
- H.I.V.E. Organization
- Brotherhood of Evil
- Doom Patrol*
*As these are heroic characters, while I have plans for them at this moment, until I reach a point where they are actually put into the story, I am open to possibly working with others/giving them up if needed.
To be updated as needed.
S A M P L E P O S T:
Washington Heights, Manhattan, NYC | One Week Ago
Chapter One | Prologue
The dark lit and cloud-strewn sky over George Washington Bridge flashed blue, briefly illuminating the many passing cars below. Many of their passengers noticed this event, though most passed it off as lightning heralding in the storm front they knew to be arriving soon. Others still simply paid it no mind; they were both eager and impatient to get to their respective destinations after a long day. Had any real, concerted effort been made to observe this brief flare, they might have noticed the tiny trail of red streak across the night sky.
An object, perhaps no larger than ten feet in either dimension, careened through the lower atmosphere. Its once pristine silver surface now marred with dents, scratches, and ever-growing black marks as the heat of reentry took its toll. The cloud coverage working to conceal the metal sphere soon broke away as it neared the ground. Rapidly closing with the surface of the planet, its descent suddenly slowed as sensors within detected the approach, and multiple hidden thrusters across the surface of the strange orb engaged. For a brief moment, the object seemed to halt in mid-air just a dozen feet above the ground. Short, but thick legs extended about two feet from the apparent bottom, then the thrusters cut out and the sphere dropped. A dull thud marked the landing as dust and dirt were kicked up. There, on the banks of the Hudson River, the object rested.
Less than two hundred feet away, a teenaged boy slowly removed his earbuds, the sounds of Eminem's "Till I Collapse" still heard from them, as a bewildered expression played across his face.
Elijah Bradley enjoyed spending his weekend evenings going for long runs throughout his neighborhood. He would weave his way through the streets branching off from his house, making his way towards Fort George and passed his high school. Then continuing down along the Hudson until finally reaching the base of the bridge's east tower. There he would pause at the famous Little Red Lighthouse and look across the river towards Fort Lee before turning back to retrace his steps. This had become a ritual of his over the past three years, ever since setting his goals on serving in the military. He was diligent, never missing a run, even during nights of light showers such as this one.
When the sky flashed, Eli had looked up, concerned it was a signal that the pleasant trickling would turn for the worse. He almost missed the single bead of orange-red light as it pierced the clouds. And when it began to slow, the heat from breaking through the atmosphere abating to reveal the dull, silverish metal form underneath, the teenager's heart skipped a beat.
Eli was never the type to buy into UFO conspiracies. Even now, in this new age of enhanced individuals, with rumors of extraterrestrials, and undeniable accounts of extraordinary feats and miracles on display, Eli liked to consider himself as someone grounded in reality. He accepted that there had to be other life in the universe. He just never believed they'd visit Earth in his lifetime. But now, having moved in a daze closer to the sphere, the residual heat tickling his skin as he drew within an arm's reach, Eli was forced to accept this new reality.
He had shuffled another step forward, his chest heaving both from his extensive run and the sheer, anxious excitement of the situation he found himself in. His fingers extended forward, arm outstretched, as he tentatively reached out to make contact.
A sound of rushing air broke his trance, and Eli yanked his hand back. He watched as the front of what he now clearly understood to be a pod moved. The hermetic seals had disengaged, the hatch popping forward slightly allowing for air to finally cycle through. Then, the outline of an all-too-human hand pressed against the hatch's viewport, startling Eli and he scrambled back several feet. The hand pushed the door further open, and the figure inside stumbled forward, nearly collapsing onto their knees as they gasped, desperately filling long-deprived lungs.
Bright, auburn red hair fell around its face, concealing any features for the moment. Hunched shoulders shook, and Eli wasn't sure but he thought for a second he might have heard sobbing. Then, the figure tossed its head back and straightened its shoulders.
This time it was Elijah who gasped.
She stood probably close to six feet. Her frame was thin, although it was clear even under this minimal lightning that this was more a sign of lean muscle than anything else. She was dressed in odd, purple material that left just her upper arms and thighs exposed. Eli would almost have mistaken her for a human, even despite watching her fall from the stars, were it not for her near-golden skin and glowing green eyes.
She was probably the most beautiful creature Eli had ever, maybe even would ever, lay eyes on. But what stood out most to him was the look on her face. Emotions must transcend humanity, he thought, because the mix of fear and relief were all too evident.
Elijah opened his mouth to say something, though he wasn't quite sure what, but the alien girl beat him to it.
A stream of almost whimsical, fantasy-like words escaped her lips as her gaze caught his frozen figure. She looked almost hopeful, excited, as her bright, glowing eyes dimmed down to reveal human-like pupils. Her cheeks stretched in a strained, soft smile as more of the nonsensical speech poured out of her.
Eli shook his head, palms outstretched in a gesture of gentleness. "I-I'm sorry," he said, forcing himself to let his rational mind take over. "I don't understand what you're saying."
The girl tilted her head slightly, pursing her lips. Then she made that same, light, half-smile once more and stepped forward. She almost seemed to glide across the ground, and Eli found himself momentarily recalling his old Sunday school lessons about angels, impossibly beautiful warriors from the sky.
As she approached within a foot of Eli, he stood his ground. He didn't get any sense of danger from this girl, not that he was the type to run regardless. The golden-skinned beauty drew closer, the gap between them narrowing to just a few inches, and their eyes met. Eli noticed the faintest trail of tears lingering on her cheeks.
Maintaining her smile, she leaned forward. Eli instinctually tried to pull away, but the girl had already brought both hands to his cheeks and had gently drawn him forward. His eyes widened as their lips met. The iPod in his right hand slipped from his fingers and fell to the dirt below. She never parted her lips, and the kiss lasted only a few seconds, but Eli was sure he felt something during those brief moments.
Then she broke off, releasing his cheeks, and her smile widened greatly.
"Hello." She said, her voice sweet and airy. "I am very pleased to meet your acquaintance."
An object, perhaps no larger than ten feet in either dimension, careened through the lower atmosphere. Its once pristine silver surface now marred with dents, scratches, and ever-growing black marks as the heat of reentry took its toll. The cloud coverage working to conceal the metal sphere soon broke away as it neared the ground. Rapidly closing with the surface of the planet, its descent suddenly slowed as sensors within detected the approach, and multiple hidden thrusters across the surface of the strange orb engaged. For a brief moment, the object seemed to halt in mid-air just a dozen feet above the ground. Short, but thick legs extended about two feet from the apparent bottom, then the thrusters cut out and the sphere dropped. A dull thud marked the landing as dust and dirt were kicked up. There, on the banks of the Hudson River, the object rested.
Less than two hundred feet away, a teenaged boy slowly removed his earbuds, the sounds of Eminem's "Till I Collapse" still heard from them, as a bewildered expression played across his face.
Elijah Bradley enjoyed spending his weekend evenings going for long runs throughout his neighborhood. He would weave his way through the streets branching off from his house, making his way towards Fort George and passed his high school. Then continuing down along the Hudson until finally reaching the base of the bridge's east tower. There he would pause at the famous Little Red Lighthouse and look across the river towards Fort Lee before turning back to retrace his steps. This had become a ritual of his over the past three years, ever since setting his goals on serving in the military. He was diligent, never missing a run, even during nights of light showers such as this one.
When the sky flashed, Eli had looked up, concerned it was a signal that the pleasant trickling would turn for the worse. He almost missed the single bead of orange-red light as it pierced the clouds. And when it began to slow, the heat from breaking through the atmosphere abating to reveal the dull, silverish metal form underneath, the teenager's heart skipped a beat.
Eli was never the type to buy into UFO conspiracies. Even now, in this new age of enhanced individuals, with rumors of extraterrestrials, and undeniable accounts of extraordinary feats and miracles on display, Eli liked to consider himself as someone grounded in reality. He accepted that there had to be other life in the universe. He just never believed they'd visit Earth in his lifetime. But now, having moved in a daze closer to the sphere, the residual heat tickling his skin as he drew within an arm's reach, Eli was forced to accept this new reality.
He had shuffled another step forward, his chest heaving both from his extensive run and the sheer, anxious excitement of the situation he found himself in. His fingers extended forward, arm outstretched, as he tentatively reached out to make contact.
A sound of rushing air broke his trance, and Eli yanked his hand back. He watched as the front of what he now clearly understood to be a pod moved. The hermetic seals had disengaged, the hatch popping forward slightly allowing for air to finally cycle through. Then, the outline of an all-too-human hand pressed against the hatch's viewport, startling Eli and he scrambled back several feet. The hand pushed the door further open, and the figure inside stumbled forward, nearly collapsing onto their knees as they gasped, desperately filling long-deprived lungs.
Bright, auburn red hair fell around its face, concealing any features for the moment. Hunched shoulders shook, and Eli wasn't sure but he thought for a second he might have heard sobbing. Then, the figure tossed its head back and straightened its shoulders.
This time it was Elijah who gasped.
She stood probably close to six feet. Her frame was thin, although it was clear even under this minimal lightning that this was more a sign of lean muscle than anything else. She was dressed in odd, purple material that left just her upper arms and thighs exposed. Eli would almost have mistaken her for a human, even despite watching her fall from the stars, were it not for her near-golden skin and glowing green eyes.
She was probably the most beautiful creature Eli had ever, maybe even would ever, lay eyes on. But what stood out most to him was the look on her face. Emotions must transcend humanity, he thought, because the mix of fear and relief were all too evident.
Elijah opened his mouth to say something, though he wasn't quite sure what, but the alien girl beat him to it.
A stream of almost whimsical, fantasy-like words escaped her lips as her gaze caught his frozen figure. She looked almost hopeful, excited, as her bright, glowing eyes dimmed down to reveal human-like pupils. Her cheeks stretched in a strained, soft smile as more of the nonsensical speech poured out of her.
Eli shook his head, palms outstretched in a gesture of gentleness. "I-I'm sorry," he said, forcing himself to let his rational mind take over. "I don't understand what you're saying."
The girl tilted her head slightly, pursing her lips. Then she made that same, light, half-smile once more and stepped forward. She almost seemed to glide across the ground, and Eli found himself momentarily recalling his old Sunday school lessons about angels, impossibly beautiful warriors from the sky.
As she approached within a foot of Eli, he stood his ground. He didn't get any sense of danger from this girl, not that he was the type to run regardless. The golden-skinned beauty drew closer, the gap between them narrowing to just a few inches, and their eyes met. Eli noticed the faintest trail of tears lingering on her cheeks.
Maintaining her smile, she leaned forward. Eli instinctually tried to pull away, but the girl had already brought both hands to his cheeks and had gently drawn him forward. His eyes widened as their lips met. The iPod in his right hand slipped from his fingers and fell to the dirt below. She never parted her lips, and the kiss lasted only a few seconds, but Eli was sure he felt something during those brief moments.
Then she broke off, releasing his cheeks, and her smile widened greatly.
"Hello." She said, her voice sweet and airy. "I am very pleased to meet your acquaintance."
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