Citizen Thirteen
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APPEARANCE • PERSONALITY • POWERS & ABILITIES • EQUIPMENT • HISTORY • AFFILIATES • ARTWORK
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| PLAYER | @CitizenThirteen |
| Super Group | 
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| Rank | Team Leader |
| Current Affliations | GUIDE, The Throwaways |
| Former Affiliations | United States Army |
| Real Name | James G. Rodgers |
| Known Aliases | N/A |
| Gender | Male |
| Species | Human(Genetically and Cybernetically modified) |
| Birthdate | June 23 1974 |
| Place of Birth | Beaumont, Texas |
| Current Location | Paragon City, Rhode Island |
| Relatives | James A. Rodgers(Grandad), Sarah Rodgers(sister-in-law) |
| Apparent Age | 47 |
| Height | 6' 1" |
| Weight | 260 lbs |
| Eyes | Blue |
| Hair | Brown (graying) |
| Complexion | Rugged |
| Build | Athletic, Muscular |
| Notable Features | Cybernetic Arm |
| Identity | Not Secret |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Marital Status | Not Married |
| Occupation | Retired Military, Registered Superhero |
| Education | Bachelors in Criminal Justice, former Army Special Forces. |
| Fame |
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| Superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, and endurance. Moderate healing factor. Patriotic fervor. Expert marksman and gunslinger. Expert in Close Quarters Combatives. Extensive training and experience in military tactics and survival. | |
| Custom Patriotic Themed Body Armor - Dual Colt 1911 XSE .45 ACP Handguns - Bionic Arm Equipped With a Multitude of Tools | |
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The soldier, the gunslinger, the red-blooded American. CITIZEN THIRTEEN isn’t so much a patriotic icon as he is an embodiment of stubborn American grit, an exemplar of the United States Soldier. He stands against those that threaten the freedoms that we enjoy in our daily lives, ready to deploy an American sense of Justice to all enemies that wish to intimidate and harm the innocent, no matter the danger, no matter the odds. In a world where individuals are gifted with the strength to hurl tanks and enough speed to break the sound barrier, Thirteen doesn’t stand much of a chance. But that’s hardly stopping him. It’s his sheer willpower that‘s his greatest strength, and he will keep fighting until the mission is complete, or he’s taken his last breath.
Born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, James Graham Rodgers enlisted into the US Army at the age of eighteen as an 11B Infantryman. James fast tracked his way to Green Beret in just under five years, having completed numerous military schoolings such as Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger School along the way. From there he conducted combat op after combat op, until he was severely wounded in 2005. Having lost his arm, it looked like a early medical retirement was in order. But thanks to his exemplary military records, he was flagged as a potential recruit for Project Citizen, a black operations super soldier program. James was determined to continue his service, and accepted this opportunity given to him. Project Citizen turned this already exemplary Soldier into a Super Soldier, utilizing bioengineering and a fusion of top of the line cybernetics to replace his lost arm. James was assigned the code name of "CITIZEN THIRTEEN" denoting him as the thirteenth of many other service members in the program. It was the name he went by for the next decade before retiring from military service in 2015.
After trying out civilian life for a few years back home in Texas, James moved to Paragon City to follow up on an invitation he'd received from Agent Michael Wilson of GUIDE. GUIDE being a federally funded program that recruits and sponsors meta humans to become super heroes and icons of hope in the public eye. While not exactly keen on the Public Relations aspects of GUIDE, James Rodgers felt it could be his best chance to satisfy a yearning in his heart to protect people who may not be able to protect themselves. Garbed in patriotic themed tactical gear and registering to the FBSA with his old Project Citizen moniker, CITIZEN THIRTEEN returned to duty once more.
APPEARANCE
Citizen Thirteen seems to always be poised for battle, even when not actively on the job. He carries himself as a man who is sure of himself and clear in his purpose, a dour expression and a no-nonsense attitude. Some would even call him uptight. His unkempt brown hair has wisps of grey, and his five o’clock stubble is rarely trimmed.
A black domino mask hides the crows feet gathered at the corner of his dark blue eyes, but not the grizzled determination his gaze carries. Thirteen wears armor tinted in red, white and blue, to help represent the Justice the American people deserve to have protecting them. To the front of the panoply of armor a single star is displayed, bold on the chest in shining white. The torso is protected by a form fitting dark blue tunic made of a Kevlar/Dyneema weave. While his left hand typically sports a noticeable red leather glove, his right arm demands the attention from passersby, as the metal appendage was designed for combat, not subtlety or grace. Tactical webbing on the thighs and midsection hold pistol magazines flush to the body, and holsters on the belt are shaped to fit two customized M1911s.
His fighting style is practical and tactical. In melee he’s a brute, using crushing and effective blows to quickly take out his opponents, as he believes strongly in the economy of effort even when gifted with long lasting endurance. When it comes to firearms, Thirteen prefers his 1911 handguns, as his superior reflexes allow him to dual wield them with extreme speed and precision. But it is not above him to utilize carbines, rifles or machine guns if necessary. Who doesn't like the chance to go full auto with the M60E3 when given the chance?
When off duty, Thirteen is usually seen in t-shirt and jeans. He hates dressing up, and actively avoids situations where he'd have to look dapper or fancy. And like most Texans, he chooses to exercise his 2nd Amendment rights in civilian life. He’s always armed with an officer model 1911 that he conceals, usually appendix carry.
Face and voice claim is Tom Hardy(who is an amazingly versatile actor... mmmm). Voice Audio Track: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uf1gDfA8eYBIzCllnlxeXQz27FUhT2nP/view courtesy of @willowgust
PERSONALITY
Thirteen typically portrays himself as a minimal-nonsense straight-man, especially around younger heroes. His past has caused him to be a bit cynical at times, and he finds himself getting irritated when having to work with the less mature heroes who like to have a good time while on patrol. It especially comes out the more his age shows, and the less he understands the lingo being used by the younger heroes. This often leads to a lot of mostly harmless banter with the younger heroes he finds himself working around. When teamed with the more professional heroes, especially those that have him beat in age and skill, he tends to be much more laid back and less uptight, as he doesn’t feel like he’s babysitting the less experienced. But regardless of who Thirteen is working with, when the chips are down Citizen Thirteen will always have a fellow hero’s back.
With a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, and a LEO certification out of the state of Texas, Thirteen knows the legal system very well, and will use it to his advantage whenever possible. He hates the thought of a perpetrator escaping Justice due to bad case work on his own part, so to him it's of the utmost importance to follow proper legal procedures. Thirteen follows a modified Use of Force Continuum when crime fighting, similar to what the PPD use and altered to take into account his own abilities.
He believes that having a strong working relationship with the local police can(and often does) work in his favor, especially when things get a little more gray that he'd prefer. However, while he may be very by the book in the public eye, Thirteen is not afraid to fight in the shadows when need be. If the legal system were to ever hinder his fight against crime, and that hinderance would cause innocents harm, he will fight in the shadows as needed.
Off duty, Thirteen tends to keep to himself. He maintains a daily regime of physical training, both hand to hand and firearms training, and equipment maintenance in between his patrols. His home life is organized and routine, despite his roommate's constant attempts of sabotaging their apartment. He doesn’t maintain a secret identity, but he keeps his personal life low key enough to not require one. He enjoys going out for beers with old Army buddies or even fellow heroes that he feels close enough to buy drinks for.
POWERS & ABILITIES
SUPER SOLDIER ENHANCEMENTS: Thirteen’s physical attributes were all greatly improved from the combination of bioengineered organ transplants, stem cell modifications, and cybernetics fused to his right shoulder and spinal column.
- Superior Strength: Capable of bench pressing over a ton, and deadlifting over two tons. His blows can smash through concrete barriers, and can certainly shatter bone.
- Enhanced Speed and Endurance: Thirteen has been recorded reaching top speeds of 36 MPH, and was able to maintain that for just over an hour before reaching physical exhaustion. Recovery from intense physical activity is only a matter of minutes. Furthermore, during sleep deprivation tests Thirteen was able to stay awake for two straight days without any signs of weariness, and another 38 hours before the sleep deprivation began to cause delirium. Despite the ability to stay awake for multiple days during combat operations, it is recommended that the Citizens maintain at least two hours of sleep daily to stay at peak combat awareness and clarity.
- Heightened Reflexes: His agility is high enough that he can fight multiple opponents with relative ease, and simultaneously employ his signature 1911 pistols with extreme efficiency. Thirteen is also capable of dodging projectiles, such as arrows, traveling roughly 350-400 feet per second or slower. While they certainly cannot dodge a bullet, the Citizens are fast and agile enough to evade armed opponents long enough to eliminate their targets.
- Tough as Nails: Thirteen’s body is incredibly tough. From their higher bone density to blood that can coagulate faster when exposed to the air, this allows him to sustain the hard hits and prevent excessive blood loss during combat. Recovery time from injuries is notably fast as well. Minor wounds heal within hours, fractures within a day, and full breaks and other severe trauma typically will require less than a week for a fully recover. Project Citizen also gifted him with an improved immune system, making Thirteen resilient against all forms of bacterial and viral infections. His body is also capable of expelling life threatening toxins from his body whenever his adrenaline kicks in.
SPECIAL FORCES/BLACK OPS: Thirteen’s Special Forces training and experience has left him with a wealth of knowledge on weapons available throughout the world(and even some off world). He can disassemble and reassemble almost any weapon he can get his hands on, perform temporary field repairs with scrap scavenged in the field, and of course effectively utilize all of these weapons. Between serving in Special Forces and his time spent in Project Citizen, Thirteen has learned to adapt to the harshest of environments. From the unforgiving elements of Mother Nature, to blending in with foreign societies, Thirteen is a survivor. And while Thirteen may prefer overt operations, his past has taught him the value of stealth and the element of surprise.
CLOSE QUARTERS COMBATIVES: Decades of military service have honed Thirteen’s hand to hand prowess above and beyond that of the average combatant. He's an expert in various forms of martial arts, and utilizes what feels natural and practical for him in the moment. His style of mixed martial arts tends to be extremely brutal and effective, with zero flair or elaborate movement. Gut punches, groins, throats, knees, choke holds, it’s all on the table.
GUNSLINGER: Probably the most notable feature of Citizen Thirteen's skillset is his ability to handle firearms. Give this man a gun and he can accomplish anything with it, even breakfast. He is efficient and precise with a rifle, brutally devastating with a shotgun, and mildly psychotic and terrifying with a M60 machine gun. But none of it is as glorious and artful as when he is with his Colt 1911 .45 ACP handguns.
EQUIPMENT
Colt 1911: America’s handgun since World War II. Keeping his chambered in the traditional .45 ACP(as anything else would be blasphemy), Thirteen’s custom 1911 handguns are tailored to his needs, with Trijicon night sights, custom magwell, tactical rail with surefire light attachment, threaded barrels, and higher capacity magazines.
Fabrique Nationale SCAR: A versatile platform that can be set up for any situation, whether it be close quarters or for a long range, designated marksman role.
M60E3/E4: The king of LMGs. This modified and updated version of the American classic is James' absolute favorite machine gun, and second favorite firearm, ever. He keeps one in the trunk of his patrol vehicle at all times.
Cybernetic Arm: Thirteen’s right arm is not only stronger and more durable than his already super-soldier enhanced left arm, but it’s chock full of gadget goodies. An energy shield, tazer, lock picker, basic electronics hacking program, short ranged single use EMP device, and a biofoam injector for filling deep penetration wounds. It is made of a combination of alloy steel and impervium, making the arm extremely durable. Through extended surgery and further cybernetic modifications, the arm is reinforced through Thirteen’s shoulder and spinal column. The arm is designed to separate from Thirteen’s shoulder if repairs are needed, or if extreme trauma is directed to the arm and it is required to break free to prevent damage to the supporting cybernetics in the shoulder.
Patriotic Body Armor: Thirteen’s torso is protected from a combination of Dyneema and Kevlar, with his chest and back having thicker layers of Kevlar, and his sides and underarms being covered with Dyneema to allow for more flexibility. The spaulders are made of an alloy steel, and his knee pads and boots are made of the same steel alloy, with the boots having a hard rubber sole. The armor covering his legs is mostly made from Dyneema.
Repulsor Boots: Thirteen’s heavy armor boots aren’t just for protection. Each is fitted with a small repulsor engine in the heels. This, in combination with his enhanced strength, allows Thirteen to jump to great heights with minimal effort.
Utility Belt: To be fair, it’s more for holding ammunition than anything. Besides the rows of magazines for his 1911s, The belt also carries a medkit with biofoam injector, a set of high tensile steel handcuffs, multiple flexicuffs, and det cord.
HISTORY
Early Life
Born and raised outside of Beaumont, Texas, James was the eldest child to James Ray and Mildred Rodgers. He had one younger brother, Benjamin, of whom he was very protective of throughout their childhood. His father and grandfather were both proud military veterans, his father having served in Vietnam, and grandfather serving throughout WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam, retiring as a Sergeant Major.
James always felt it was in his blood to serve in the military. His younger brother on the other hand, excelled in academics, which led Ben to being the target of bullies at a very young age, and at times a disappointment in their father’s eyes. James saw his brother as something special however, and he knew Ben would become someone important in life, capable of great things. As such, he took great pride in being his brother's protector growing up. At the age of eighteen, James enlisted in the United States Army.
Military Career
In 1992, James attended Basic Training and AIT at Fort Benning, GA to become an 11B Infantryman. After which, he completed Airborne and Air Assault schools, and was at the top of each class by displaying an unwavering drive to succeed and performing all of his tasks above and beyond the standard.
His first deployment was to Bosnia in 1993, where his heroic actions earned him a Bronze Star with Valor. Upon returning stateside, he was given the opportunity to attend Ranger School, where he graduated at the top of his class yet again.
In 1994 he completed his second combat deployment to Haiti as a Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He was wounded during a skirmish and received a Purple Heart. Post deployment, he began training for Special Forces.
By the end of 1996, James Rodgers had earned his beret, and was official 18B Weapons Sergeant. James spent nine years serving in 10th Special Forces Group out of Fort Carson, Colorado. He conducted numerous combat operations in various locations, to include Albania, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Serbia. Throughout the years as a Green Beret, he earned himself a second Bronze Star with Valor, a Silver Star with Valor, and the Distinguished Service Cross.
In 2005 James was wounded in combat again, this time losing his arm from an IED blast. Medevaced to Walter Reid Hospital in Washington D.C., he was fitted with a standard prosthetic. His military career seemed at an end, but that didn’t stop James from submitting waiver packet after waiver packet. This show of dedication and drive was ultimately what got James Rodgers flagged as a recruitable candidate for Project Citizen.
All military service records from 2006 to 2015 were sealed.
Project Citizen
The United States government funded Project Citizen, along with dozens of other super soldier programs, with the intention of mass producing an elite force of super-soldiers to counter the ever growing involvement of meta humans in the military. There were massive setbacks in the early development of Project Citizen however. The program suffered from an extremely high failure rate, and was deemed unsuitable for use on active duty service members. The project was moved to black ops, where it was then authorized recruitment of a platoon sized element of soldiers despite the risks involved. Since the military refused to allow perfectly fit soldiers to be selected for the program, they had to look elsewhere. It was decided that selecting disabled service members who displayed a fervent desire to return to active duty would be the best course of action. Nearly a hundred candidates were selected, but only three dozen made it through the process of becoming a "Citizen".
Phase One began with compatibility testing, making sure each candidate met the physical and mental health standards to maximize success rates. From there, the candidates all signed waivers of consent and nondisclosure agreements, after which the procedure was revealed to them. All candidates involved agreed to proceed onto the next phase.
Phase Two was the most crucial phase, and the entire process took over a year to complete. The candidates underwent extensive gene therapy to increase bone density, muscle mass, and capacity to heal. This process also increased the oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells. The idea was to not only make the candidates stronger and more resilient for combat purposes, but also more malleable for the next phase of the program.
Phase Three involved heavy bioaugmentation, bioengineered organs designed to be superior in every way to their human counterparts. Beginning with the heart, designed to help facilitate the more oxygenated blood they produced, followed by lungs, liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands. The improved lungs filtered out toxic gases, while the liver and kidneys will filter out any other dangerous toxins that entered the body. And while the engineers designed the organs to not be overly sensitive to medical grade drugs or painkillers, activation of the adrenal gland will immediately cause a full purge of all toxins to the body.
Phase Four would take place a few months after Phase Three was completed, ensuring that the transplants were successful and giving the candidates time to balance out. Once sure that the Citizens were ready to continue, cybernetic reinforcements would be grafted onto the recipient’s skeletal structure and fused with the nervous system and spinal column. Top of the line cybernetic appendages were given then to candidates with previous amputations. Ultimately these cybernetics would be stronger than the already enhanced strength of these super soldiers, but they were still calibrated for proper balance.
The men and women who made it through these phases were then officially tagged as ‘Citizens’. Each Citizen experienced slightly different results from the bio and cybernetic augmentations, but ultimately they received massive improvements to strength, speed and endurance, along with a faster recovery time from injuries sustained in the field. Improved immune systems protected them against most known viral and bacterial infection, and harmful toxins could be purged in seconds as adrenaline enters the bloodstream and is dispersed throughout the body. In combat, reaction times were shown to be at a near precognitive level as they performed with absolute precision while utilizing firearms and engaging targets in record speeds.
Project Citizen operated in the shadows for just over a decade, protecting the United States from threats known and unknown. Espionage, sabotage, assassinations, Rescue operations, intelligence raids, acquiring persons of interest, the Citizens did it all. Often working hand in hand with the CIA, their job was a thankless one, and they would never receive acknowledgment of their deeds, not even in death.
In 2015, Project Citizen was retired as new and improved super soldier programs continued to produce better and better products. The surviving members of Project Citizen were given proper military retirement benefits, and introduced back into civilian life.
Returning Home
Separation from the military can be a difficult experience for any veteran, and the transition to civilian life for James was no exception. He returned to his home in Beaumont, Texas, and moved into his brother’s home, who was now a lawyer and married with two kids. For a while James and his brother struggled to regain the camaraderie they once had growing up. The vastly different life experiences between the brothers created awkward silences and forced conversations regularly. It wasn’t until they decided to split a six pack of Shiner Bock while James’s brother worked on a case-file for his law firm that the two realized they shared a common ground - fighting for a just cause.
James pursued a degree in Criminal Justice, as well as obtaining a LEO certification through the state of Texas. He then began working as a private investigator and security manager for his brother’s law firm. Nearly a year passed, and things were smoothing out quite well for James.
Towards the end of 2016, his brother took on a high profile case against a very powerful drug cartel. The case should have been a done deal, but the justice system buckled as prosecutors and key witnesses were bribed and threatened. By the end of it, the cartel members on trial walked free. His brother was killed a week after the verdict, in what looked like an armed robbery gone wrong.
James began his own investigation into the cartel, following their routines around the clock and figuring out where to hit them back. But before he could act out a plan for vengeance, his sister-in-law pled for James to respect his brother’s legacy and respect the legal process. James then turned over all of his findings to the authorities, who were able to use this information to move in on the cartel once again.
While never officially receiving any credit for the dismantling of this cartel, his actions would not go unnoticed. Shortly after these events, Agent Michael Wilson of GUIDE reached out to James.
Paragon City
James has never cared for the whole super hero gimmick, but super heroes were undeniably a major part of society, and an effective form of law enforcement. They often managed to get stuff done that the police could not, for one reason or another. James desired the freedom to take down criminals independently, but also utilizing the legal system to do so.
The newly formed government agency known as GUIDE used the resources provided by the FBSA to seek out and sponsor well-to-do heroes that would promote a positive image of the superhero community in the public eye. Given James’ abilities, military service record, and education in criminal justice, he was a perfect candidate for GUIDE. Agent Michael Wilson approached James, offering to assist in getting properly registered and funded.
James initially resisted the idea of a costume and monicker, but Agent Wilson convinced him that it was a necessary part of the process. If he had to wear a colorful costume, it would be in the colors of the country he’d served his entire life, that three generations of his family had served. And there was only one name he would be willing to use and not feel ridiculous maintaining in public. Thus, Citizen Thirteen was reborn in Paragon City.
AFFILIATES
Crowning Glory: A fellow Texan and good friend, Addison King saved James three different times on their very first patrol together. She chalked it up to him just trying to get her attention, which was partly true. They dated for a time, but have since moved on due to wanting to focus more on professional interests. They have remained good friends however.
Areus: The best, coolest, nicest guy Thirteen knows, and a great friend. Areus has been Thirteen’s point man for over a year now, as his powers allow him to handle the toughest of opponents in a direct assault. His boy-scout tendencies help remind Thirteen that it pays to be nice sometimes.
Ultrastar: This young hero has shown herself to be plenty mature enough to hang with the crew. Extremely powerful and damn near invincible, Ultrastar is a reliable hero that anyone would be lucky to have in their corner. Thirteen considers himself lucky to have worked with her.
Rocket Robyn: Rocket Robyn is a determined young hero, using her inherited financial wealth to fund her gadgetry and combat training to become a protector of the city. Propelling herself into combat with her signature rocket boots and a modified compound bow and arrow weapon system, RR is is a force to be reckoned with. Thirteen had the privilege of personally training her in hand to hand combat, and she even gave up Capri-Sun’s to show her dedication to his training regiment!
Agent Michael Wilson: An agent of the Federal government and proponent of the meta hero community, Agent Wilson proudly works for GUIDE as he supports heroes and heroines alike with government funding.
Elycion: A former pilot in the Airforce and a brilliant cybernetics engineer, James and Alex first met on Project Citizen in 2005. Alex had been paralyzed after his Osprey was downed during the initial Rikti invasion, and was wheelchair bound for over a decade before his cybernetics research for Project Citizen fully paid off.
Gravatar: Possibly one of the most powerful heroes Thirteen has ever come to know. When he first met Gravatar he had a moment of déjà vu, but couldn’t figure out why. Turns out, Gravatar worked closely with alternate universe versions of Citizen Thirteen and Hu’Szversvn!
All-Star: Another Patriotic hero type Thirteen greatly respects in the field. Worthy of the colors she wears, and a great ally(yes that's a name pun)!
Global Defense Force Thirteen wouldn’t admit it, but he considers all of the GDF to be like an extended family. Sure, some of them are annoying to him. But hey, that’s family for ya! Citizen Thirteen has developed a close enough friendship with a few of them to the point that he's even comfortable with openly say nice things about them in public(if he had to)! Most notably Nitroburst, Gazella Mirage, Farside, Tlatelolco, Lady Warspite, Dawnkeeper, and of course Starforge himself.
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| Founder Starforge | ||
| Team Leaders Arsenal • Farside | ||
| Global Defenders Antivenom • Fort • Homefront • Shadeknight • Shadowbat • Silver Twilight | ||
| Defenders Afterglow • Arvo • Ash Maiden • Botanica • Cloudkeeper • Cymone • Dragonstrike • Ever Star • Farwalker • Jaeger Mistmourne • Moonbeam • Nightborn • Psychic Fox • The Silversaint • Spinosaurus Wrecks • Steel Shield • Wind-Rider | ||
| Members All Muscle • Aria Sound • Expert • Gloombug • Godspark • Gridiron Goliath • Mass Impact • Moonlight Medallion Mr. Blank • Nova Starstorm • Pulson • Radiotracer • Sir Winter • Universal Knight • Will o' the Wisps | ||
| Reserve Members Blue Icon • Bolty • Chimera Girl • Lumix • Nebuleia • Ultrastar | ||
ARTWORK
Art by Phrog
Art by Matt Orders
Sample art of Thirteen by Kenpudiosaki
Hugs and Thirteen by Kenpudiosaki
Art by Kenpudiosaki
Art by Seacar
Unfinished WiP by KaRolding
Comedian homage by Chocochino
Art by Eryck Webb
Art by Astrubal
