![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
PLAYER INFO
Name: Aradraugfea
Contact Information: on AIM as R3n3g4d319
Time Zone: Eastern, but work weird hours
Characters Played: None
CHARACTER INFO
Character Name: James W. Gordon
Character Canon: DC Comics (New Earth)
History: Wikipedia
AU History: James Gordon is not one of the Enlightened, but grew up surrounded by them during his life in Union. While sometimes jealous of the things that the Enlightened can do, he's never let the lack of powers hold him back. Intelligent and driven from a very young age, Jim has made up for what he lacks in PokePowers with skill, grit, and a keen mind. Motivated by a strong since of duty, he has served with the Swords of the Savior since a young man, having always shown great potential as an analyst. It was this quick wit and determination that allowed him to climb through the ranks until he found himself, after decades of service, a field commander, not bad for a normal guy without Pokémon.
That's not to say the Swords have been his entire life. Gordon has been lucky enough to find himself a wife, with which he has had two children, Barbara and James W. Gordon Junior. Work often keeps him too busy to be as attentive as he might like, but he is a loving father, and as dutiful as he is in all things.
Decades of 'boxing outside his weight class' served him well Union began assisting Caldera against Gigas. It was this conflict that finally drove Jim to begin using Pokémon, which he tends to select based on a tactical sort of usefulness. That is when his daughter doesn't provide him some cute critter to bond with. He's proven to be something of a natural, leading his Pokémon much like he has units of trainers. Though not any great hero turning the tide of the conflict, even by Union standards, Jim, his Pokémon, and his team proved to be a minor but crucial force in minor side battles and behind the scenes, granting Gordon useful experience, and a sharp contrast to policing gamblers and other non-violent criminals.
Canon Personality: It takes a special kind of person to be a cop, let alone a cop in Gotham. Someone who reached the office of Police Commissioner while staying straight in a city as crooked as Gotham? That takes a strength of character and grit that only one in a million have, if it's even that common. James Gordon is one such man. He's been on the up and up since he first joined the force as a young man. Having risen to the top of his profession, he's dedicated to driving out the corruption that plagues his city. It's a hard fight, having already taken years, but he's just stubborn enough to stick with it.
Faced with corruption at every level when he came to Gotham, his partnership with Batman has been something of a compromise of ideals. As a cop, he can’t really endorse vigilantism, but, at the same time, Batman, especially in those early years, was such a force for good that Gordon found himself forced into a partnership. It’s a complicated one. Officially, Batman is a vigilante, but he is also Gordon’s friend. Gordon, if he put his analytical mind to it, could figure out Batman’s identity, but he specifically avoids doing so because then he’d have no choice but to do something about it. However, he holds the local (and not so local) heroes to a sort of unspoken code, one Batman intuits immediately. It’s this code, and Batman’s adherence to it, that keeps the Caped Crusader out of Arkham.
His dedication isn’t evenly distributed, though. His personal relationships have struggled. He cheated on, and divorced, his wife, and he hasn’t always been the father he wishes he could be. The city, sadly, comes first, and always will. Some of those closest to him get this, others struggle with it.
AU Deviation: There are two big differences between canonical Gordon and Gordon here. Firstly, Union isn’t, nor has it ever been, corrupt on literally every level. This results in a Gordon who is more ‘Good, dedicated cop’ rather than ‘Crusader for Justice.’ The end result is a less stubborn, willful, and jaded Gordon. Although he still follows his moral compass, he doesn’t do so as a lone wolf working with a few trusted men to fix a broken system.
Secondly, there are no masked vigilantes to have that complicated, compromised relationship with. While the Enlightened can be very much like superheroes, they are just normal citizens, not masked vigilantes in the night. Union’s Gordon is one that hasn’t spent decades compromising his belief in the rule of law for the greater good. While the lack of corruption leaves him less jaded, and without years of emotional callouses built up from fighting against a system, never having had to make any big compromises can leave him, when something does run afoul of his moral compass, fairly inflexible. However, he is still ultimately the sort of person who will pursue the greater good, whatever that might be, he will just bristle much more at it.
Canon Abilities:
Detective:
Gordon did his time as a detective as a younger man, possessing a naturally deductive mind that gave him a strong intuition. A stubborn insistence on not letting his position be just a desk job has helped keep the old skills sharp. Though not in the running for World's Greatest Detective, he's had years of experience keeping up with the best of the best.
Marksman:
Police work's a poor place for a pacifist, even before the Supervillains started turning up. Rough streets only got rougher when the likes of the Joker started calling Gotham home. Though never really a sharpshooter, James knows his way around a gun, capable of accurate firing at 20 feet with his service pistol, longer with a rifle.
Leadership:
Jim's been commanding men (and women) in the field for decades. First as a Sergeant, then as a Lieutenant, and now as a Commissioner. While many that reach his high rank take the opportunity to relax a bit, staying safe behind a desk, Gordon often finds himself commanding his officers on the front lines of the war against crime in Gotham, even when the war got a lot less metaphorical during the No Man's Land ordeal. Any man who managed to maintain order during that chaos is not someone whose leadership should be questioned.
Athleticism:
Gordon's not a young man anymore, and a long term smoking habit hasn't exactly helped his aging body, but he gets around far better than any 60 year old man with a pack a day smoking habit has any right to.
Driving:
As a young cop, Gordon went through the standard aggressive driving course that was so common at the time. However, even when he is in a cruiser these days, it's almost never as the driver, and this skill has been allowed to atrophy. In a pinch, though, with the right car, he's still capable of running someone off the road, just perhaps with more damage to his own vehicle than someone with fresher skills might be able to manage.
Law:
Gordon's been a Lawman for a long time, knowing all the ins and outs of both detective work and police procedure. He's also built up an aptitude for the political maneuvering required to do his job in a city that still hasn't been entirely purged of corruption.
Hand to Hand:
Gordon, as a young man, served in the Military, having, at one point, been able to boast of being able to take down a Green Beret. That was a long time ago though, but he's more than capable of subduing your average crook, despite his advanced age. In fact, his obvious age means this prowess often catches people by surprise, giving him an edge he takes no shame in utilizing. Many a criminal in Gotham has found themselves quickly subdued and cuffed to the bumper of a police cruiser.
Criminology:
Years of experience in the field have given Gordon keen insight, earning him an (admittedly honorary) doctorate in Criminology from Gotham State University
Enlightened Abilities: Analyst, Far from Ordinary, A Steel-type Gun. Additionally, Union’s Gordon shares many of the same mundane abilities and aptitudes as his canonical self, save for the driving. His aptitude with hand to hand and marksmanship is owed less to a (setting impossible) military past and more to years and years of going without Pokémon. Additionally, he lacks the canonical Gordon’s skill with political manuevering, having never had to navigate around a corrupt system.
Starter Pokémon: Squirtle (With Aura Sphere as an Egg Move), Lilipup, and a Tyrogue
Notes/Special Considerations: Gordon would be getting introduced as a fairly high-ranking member of the Swords, albeit one who’s previously been off-camera until now. I am not intending him to be the highest ranking member by any stretch, but he would be towards the top of the hierarchy.
SAMPLES
-What would you say the role of Pokémon is in your life?
They’ve… just sort of always been… around. I mean, Barbara’s been trying to get me to bond with them for years, but… I guess I’m stubborn, never really felt I needed them until the war. I don’t have anything against them, and they’re incredibly useful to have on your side, but… I dunno, I’m still getting used to the idea of being bonded with some. I guess I’d say they’re somewhere between my kids and those under my command.
-What do you feel your role in Union is?
Law and Order, and the maintaining thereof. Protect the people of Union, and work in their best interest whenever I’m on duty.
-What do you seek for humanity’s future?
I could say World Peace, a world without fear, a world without crime, but… really I’m more concerned with humanity’s present.
-To what lengths would you go to rescue your allies if they were lost in the wilderness?
I went to war to protect people I’d never met, and will possibly never see again. What do you think I’d do for those closest to me?
-What would you say the most important occupation is within Union?
Is it arrogant if I say the Swords? I mean, word association, that’s what you’re getting, but it’s not like it’s the only job. The Rangers are good people, do good work too. The guy on the corner who sells me my cigarettes isn’t saving the world, but he greatly contributes to my quality of life. Uh, don’t tell Barbara that last part, she thinks I quit.
-What aspects and traits do you respect most in your individual fellow man?
Integrity, I guess. There’s a lot to be said for someone that is… themselves, they have a code, they stick to it, and they do what they think they need to do.
-What do you look for in the Pokémon with whom you bond?
I’m still getting used to the idea of bonding with Pokémon. I guess I’m just stubborn. I guess the same thing I look for people in people under me. They need to have useful skills and be reliable.
-What do you think your Pokémon respect most about you?
You’d have to ask them. I’m a grumpy, stubborn old man. They seem to like me well enough, though.
-A human has attacked a wild Pokémon who retaliates in defense. How do you respond and whom do you defend?
I don’t care who started it, I catch a fight, I’m ending it. I’m an old man. I am not above sending a full grown man to his room. As for the Pokémon… I’ll manage, I usually do. I guess I wouldn’t really ‘defend’ either, so much as just break the fight up.
-You are alone and bereft of your Pokémon allies, upon what strengths do you rely on to see yourself safely home?
The body and wits that got me this far without them. I’m getting older, and I don’t move the way I used to, but I can still take care of myself.
-What would you say is your greatest duty, and why?
To the People of Union. I didn’t join the Swords lightly. My job is to keep the city as safe as possible, both for my family and everyone else’s.
-No Enlightened chooses their abilities - and not all are Enlightened. What type abilities would you most desire to manifest and why?
I guess being able to take the hits I’ve seen some of the Enlightened take would be nice. Let my wife sleep easier at night.
-What area do you seek to explore? The peaceful forest, in search of new, previously overlooked discoveries; the uncharted caves, in search of the unknown; or the wildest of mountain terrain, in search of danger, adventure, and thrills?
My concerns are honestly a little closer to home. I guess where I’m most needed?
Name: Aradraugfea
Contact Information: on AIM as R3n3g4d319
Time Zone: Eastern, but work weird hours
Characters Played: None
CHARACTER INFO
Character Name: James W. Gordon
Character Canon: DC Comics (New Earth)
History: Wikipedia
AU History: James Gordon is not one of the Enlightened, but grew up surrounded by them during his life in Union. While sometimes jealous of the things that the Enlightened can do, he's never let the lack of powers hold him back. Intelligent and driven from a very young age, Jim has made up for what he lacks in PokePowers with skill, grit, and a keen mind. Motivated by a strong since of duty, he has served with the Swords of the Savior since a young man, having always shown great potential as an analyst. It was this quick wit and determination that allowed him to climb through the ranks until he found himself, after decades of service, a field commander, not bad for a normal guy without Pokémon.
That's not to say the Swords have been his entire life. Gordon has been lucky enough to find himself a wife, with which he has had two children, Barbara and James W. Gordon Junior. Work often keeps him too busy to be as attentive as he might like, but he is a loving father, and as dutiful as he is in all things.
Decades of 'boxing outside his weight class' served him well Union began assisting Caldera against Gigas. It was this conflict that finally drove Jim to begin using Pokémon, which he tends to select based on a tactical sort of usefulness. That is when his daughter doesn't provide him some cute critter to bond with. He's proven to be something of a natural, leading his Pokémon much like he has units of trainers. Though not any great hero turning the tide of the conflict, even by Union standards, Jim, his Pokémon, and his team proved to be a minor but crucial force in minor side battles and behind the scenes, granting Gordon useful experience, and a sharp contrast to policing gamblers and other non-violent criminals.
Canon Personality: It takes a special kind of person to be a cop, let alone a cop in Gotham. Someone who reached the office of Police Commissioner while staying straight in a city as crooked as Gotham? That takes a strength of character and grit that only one in a million have, if it's even that common. James Gordon is one such man. He's been on the up and up since he first joined the force as a young man. Having risen to the top of his profession, he's dedicated to driving out the corruption that plagues his city. It's a hard fight, having already taken years, but he's just stubborn enough to stick with it.
Faced with corruption at every level when he came to Gotham, his partnership with Batman has been something of a compromise of ideals. As a cop, he can’t really endorse vigilantism, but, at the same time, Batman, especially in those early years, was such a force for good that Gordon found himself forced into a partnership. It’s a complicated one. Officially, Batman is a vigilante, but he is also Gordon’s friend. Gordon, if he put his analytical mind to it, could figure out Batman’s identity, but he specifically avoids doing so because then he’d have no choice but to do something about it. However, he holds the local (and not so local) heroes to a sort of unspoken code, one Batman intuits immediately. It’s this code, and Batman’s adherence to it, that keeps the Caped Crusader out of Arkham.
His dedication isn’t evenly distributed, though. His personal relationships have struggled. He cheated on, and divorced, his wife, and he hasn’t always been the father he wishes he could be. The city, sadly, comes first, and always will. Some of those closest to him get this, others struggle with it.
AU Deviation: There are two big differences between canonical Gordon and Gordon here. Firstly, Union isn’t, nor has it ever been, corrupt on literally every level. This results in a Gordon who is more ‘Good, dedicated cop’ rather than ‘Crusader for Justice.’ The end result is a less stubborn, willful, and jaded Gordon. Although he still follows his moral compass, he doesn’t do so as a lone wolf working with a few trusted men to fix a broken system.
Secondly, there are no masked vigilantes to have that complicated, compromised relationship with. While the Enlightened can be very much like superheroes, they are just normal citizens, not masked vigilantes in the night. Union’s Gordon is one that hasn’t spent decades compromising his belief in the rule of law for the greater good. While the lack of corruption leaves him less jaded, and without years of emotional callouses built up from fighting against a system, never having had to make any big compromises can leave him, when something does run afoul of his moral compass, fairly inflexible. However, he is still ultimately the sort of person who will pursue the greater good, whatever that might be, he will just bristle much more at it.
Canon Abilities:
Detective:
Gordon did his time as a detective as a younger man, possessing a naturally deductive mind that gave him a strong intuition. A stubborn insistence on not letting his position be just a desk job has helped keep the old skills sharp. Though not in the running for World's Greatest Detective, he's had years of experience keeping up with the best of the best.
Marksman:
Police work's a poor place for a pacifist, even before the Supervillains started turning up. Rough streets only got rougher when the likes of the Joker started calling Gotham home. Though never really a sharpshooter, James knows his way around a gun, capable of accurate firing at 20 feet with his service pistol, longer with a rifle.
Leadership:
Jim's been commanding men (and women) in the field for decades. First as a Sergeant, then as a Lieutenant, and now as a Commissioner. While many that reach his high rank take the opportunity to relax a bit, staying safe behind a desk, Gordon often finds himself commanding his officers on the front lines of the war against crime in Gotham, even when the war got a lot less metaphorical during the No Man's Land ordeal. Any man who managed to maintain order during that chaos is not someone whose leadership should be questioned.
Athleticism:
Gordon's not a young man anymore, and a long term smoking habit hasn't exactly helped his aging body, but he gets around far better than any 60 year old man with a pack a day smoking habit has any right to.
Driving:
As a young cop, Gordon went through the standard aggressive driving course that was so common at the time. However, even when he is in a cruiser these days, it's almost never as the driver, and this skill has been allowed to atrophy. In a pinch, though, with the right car, he's still capable of running someone off the road, just perhaps with more damage to his own vehicle than someone with fresher skills might be able to manage.
Law:
Gordon's been a Lawman for a long time, knowing all the ins and outs of both detective work and police procedure. He's also built up an aptitude for the political maneuvering required to do his job in a city that still hasn't been entirely purged of corruption.
Hand to Hand:
Gordon, as a young man, served in the Military, having, at one point, been able to boast of being able to take down a Green Beret. That was a long time ago though, but he's more than capable of subduing your average crook, despite his advanced age. In fact, his obvious age means this prowess often catches people by surprise, giving him an edge he takes no shame in utilizing. Many a criminal in Gotham has found themselves quickly subdued and cuffed to the bumper of a police cruiser.
Criminology:
Years of experience in the field have given Gordon keen insight, earning him an (admittedly honorary) doctorate in Criminology from Gotham State University
Enlightened Abilities: Analyst, Far from Ordinary, A Steel-type Gun. Additionally, Union’s Gordon shares many of the same mundane abilities and aptitudes as his canonical self, save for the driving. His aptitude with hand to hand and marksmanship is owed less to a (setting impossible) military past and more to years and years of going without Pokémon. Additionally, he lacks the canonical Gordon’s skill with political manuevering, having never had to navigate around a corrupt system.
Starter Pokémon: Squirtle (With Aura Sphere as an Egg Move), Lilipup, and a Tyrogue
Notes/Special Considerations: Gordon would be getting introduced as a fairly high-ranking member of the Swords, albeit one who’s previously been off-camera until now. I am not intending him to be the highest ranking member by any stretch, but he would be towards the top of the hierarchy.
SAMPLES
-What would you say the role of Pokémon is in your life?
They’ve… just sort of always been… around. I mean, Barbara’s been trying to get me to bond with them for years, but… I guess I’m stubborn, never really felt I needed them until the war. I don’t have anything against them, and they’re incredibly useful to have on your side, but… I dunno, I’m still getting used to the idea of being bonded with some. I guess I’d say they’re somewhere between my kids and those under my command.
-What do you feel your role in Union is?
Law and Order, and the maintaining thereof. Protect the people of Union, and work in their best interest whenever I’m on duty.
-What do you seek for humanity’s future?
I could say World Peace, a world without fear, a world without crime, but… really I’m more concerned with humanity’s present.
-To what lengths would you go to rescue your allies if they were lost in the wilderness?
I went to war to protect people I’d never met, and will possibly never see again. What do you think I’d do for those closest to me?
-What would you say the most important occupation is within Union?
Is it arrogant if I say the Swords? I mean, word association, that’s what you’re getting, but it’s not like it’s the only job. The Rangers are good people, do good work too. The guy on the corner who sells me my cigarettes isn’t saving the world, but he greatly contributes to my quality of life. Uh, don’t tell Barbara that last part, she thinks I quit.
-What aspects and traits do you respect most in your individual fellow man?
Integrity, I guess. There’s a lot to be said for someone that is… themselves, they have a code, they stick to it, and they do what they think they need to do.
-What do you look for in the Pokémon with whom you bond?
I’m still getting used to the idea of bonding with Pokémon. I guess I’m just stubborn. I guess the same thing I look for people in people under me. They need to have useful skills and be reliable.
-What do you think your Pokémon respect most about you?
You’d have to ask them. I’m a grumpy, stubborn old man. They seem to like me well enough, though.
-A human has attacked a wild Pokémon who retaliates in defense. How do you respond and whom do you defend?
I don’t care who started it, I catch a fight, I’m ending it. I’m an old man. I am not above sending a full grown man to his room. As for the Pokémon… I’ll manage, I usually do. I guess I wouldn’t really ‘defend’ either, so much as just break the fight up.
-You are alone and bereft of your Pokémon allies, upon what strengths do you rely on to see yourself safely home?
The body and wits that got me this far without them. I’m getting older, and I don’t move the way I used to, but I can still take care of myself.
-What would you say is your greatest duty, and why?
To the People of Union. I didn’t join the Swords lightly. My job is to keep the city as safe as possible, both for my family and everyone else’s.
-No Enlightened chooses their abilities - and not all are Enlightened. What type abilities would you most desire to manifest and why?
I guess being able to take the hits I’ve seen some of the Enlightened take would be nice. Let my wife sleep easier at night.
-What area do you seek to explore? The peaceful forest, in search of new, previously overlooked discoveries; the uncharted caves, in search of the unknown; or the wildest of mountain terrain, in search of danger, adventure, and thrills?
My concerns are honestly a little closer to home. I guess where I’m most needed?
