Apollo (New 52)

*"I named myself after a god to give people hope. They need symbols. Like I did when I was young. I give up part of who I am so I can be more. For them. It's not pride. It's sacrifice. "*

## **Summary**

**Apollo** is a prominent character within DC's New 52 continuity, a solar-powered superhuman with vast physical prowess and energy manipulation abilities. He is best known for his role as a member of Stormwatch, an organization dedicated to combatting extraterrestrial threats to Earth. Born **Andrew Pulaski**, his transformation into Apollo, the "Sun King," grants him a position of significant power and influence within the superhero community. Apollo's powers are tied directly to the sun, including solar energy absorption, superhuman strength, speed, durability, and flight. He can also project intense heat beams from his eyes. In times of extreme duress or after extended periods of fighting, Apollo needs to recharge his powers through exposure to sunlight. His powers are generally weaker at night and can be completely drained if kept away from sunlight for an extended period. As a member of Stormwatch, Apollo has formed many relationships within the superhero community. He shares a deep bond with his fellow teammate, Midnighter, which eventually grows into a romantic relationship, making them one of the few openly gay superhero couples in comics. Although Apollo is a dedicated hero, his relationship with the rest of the Stormwatch team varies, especially with team leader Engineer, given their contrasting views on leadership. In the course of New 52 continuity, Apollo's narrative prominently features in the "Stormwatch" series. Here, Apollo's character is explored both individually and in the context of his relationship with Midnighter. Despite facing multiple adversities, including brutal battles and interdimensional threats, Apollo proves his worth as an essential component of Stormwatch and a steadfast protector of Earth. His relationship with Midnighter also provides an essential emotional thread in the narrative, further humanizing his superhuman character.

## Base

### **Output:**

#### Physical Strength

* Craters the ground of a sidewalk with a punch.
* Destroys giant asteroids heading towards Earth.
* Destroys a massive meteor that makes him look like a dot in comparison by ramming into it at full speed.
* Empowered by a light beam, he tears through the moon alien that absorbed the Stormwatch members, breaking them out.
* Busts through the walls of the Hyperspace base.
* Grabs Skallox, punches him hard enough to crater the ground below with his collision, and then stops Midnighter from executing him.
* Fights off Neanderthals.

### **Defense:**

#### Blunt

* Tanks colliding with a massive meteor by ramming into it, it exploding, and then atmospheric re-entry.
* Takes hits from Atrocitus.

#### Energy

* Tanks getting hit with napalm breath in the face from Skallox but is temporarily blinded.
* Tanks being blasted in the face by a monster.

#### Esoteric

* Withstands being attacked by the Gravity Miners in a higher dimension at the relativistic level.

### **Speed:**

#### Combat

* Destroys asteroids before they can start heading into the inner atmosphere as they fly towards Earth.
* Cuts off Skallox as he enters atmosphere.
* Apollo, Martian Manhunter, and Midnighter take on Atrocitus.

#### Travel

* Flies from ground level to the atmosphere where asteroids are on the path to destroy Earth.
* After the Hyperspace base explodes and Midnighter is thrown into the vacuum of Hyperspace, Apollo flies towards him to save him.

### **Misc:**

#### Solar Beams

* Can create small beams of photons, using this to heat up a body of an alien for Engineer to connect to.
* Blasts solar power from his face to destroy the napalm breath carapace that formed on his face.

#### Solar Control

* Sustains Skallox and keeps his unattached arm with his ring sort of connected.
* Sends a monster flying with a blast, then sending out another blast to cause an EMP in the local region in France.

#### Physiology

* Is powered by the sun, the more sun is being exposed to, the stronger he is.
* Getting blasted with a light beam from space empowers him heavily.
* Unbothered by the vacuum of Hyperspace.