Esme: A DC Character

Sweetheart (Mother, Father)

Juliana Whitley (Aunt)

Rebirth Comics

*'I don't have a voice. I lost that. But I still have my thoughts---feelings---expressions like everyone else. I'm no different than any villain or hero. Whether I like it or not.' - Esme expressing her thoughts.*

**Esme Aspen**, also known as **Project Scream**, was the former experiment used by wicked scientists below Gotham Labs in hopes to use her in advantage of scientific display in the world. This all changed when she soon meets Batman and Robin (Damian Wayne), when she is freed and protected within their care, with the two assisting her in hopes to contain her powerful Enhanced Scream. Later on, Damian would become an interests of sorts within their close friendship over the years.

## History

Esme Aspen was the daughter of Keith Aspen and Maria Bailey, both very healthy and happy civilians from Gotham City. Esme was brought up within a apartment complex, and was raised in a happy and free existence until the age of nine. While getting ready to sleep one night, she and her parents were ambushed and kidnapped by a group of dark-attired men. Within the incident, Esme was forced into experimentation involving the Scream Project and her parents were killed for their resistance to save her. Since then, Esme has served to be trapped within the Experiment Prison to develop her newfound ability to scream and not able to speak again.

As she grows within the age of thirteen, Esme had served her years of experimentation before she was taken and rescued by Batman, who investigated the crimes committed within the lab, and takes her in to be his protege, Echo. From then, she would later meet individuals for the likes of Nightwing, and her ward guardian’s son, Damian Wayne, who she shares a bond with.

## Personality

Esme’s personality is to that of a kind and caring girl who thought of her family before herself. Additionally, she wanted to make her parents happy and feel better when they feel troubled with work, and other personal means. Esme is, however, not afraid to get in harm’s way even when she was deemed powerless. It also displayed that her humane, laid-back demeanor supports the fact when she hugs Damian, even when he decided to join Talon and his Court of Owls for the time being.

Within the care of her saviors, Esme was very restraint within the care of Batman and his son, fearing that if she had suddenly made any noise upon fear, shock, or anger, she'd hurt them and wouldn't live to forgive her actions easily.

After gaining her training from the Bat-Family and the Teen Titans, Esme does not seem to fear fighting; she fiercely guards her friends and allies alike. She holds a strong sense of will-power even when she refuses to let Raven surrender herself to Trigon, even when tempted to use her screams to severely harm those like Damian or Batman, she refuses to kill those enemies nonetheless. Her strong will remains even when she’s weak of power, shown when she rushes in front of Damian to protect him from Deathstroke, even when she got hurt.

While her trust may be open to many, she does seem restraint it once she feels triggered of certain events, or the fact that she may pick up something to be wrong with another individual, whether it could be for better or worse. Her issues to trust is highly significant to other older males, most likely due that the individuals who experimented her scream ability were mostly male, with the exception of Amy, until she was later prosecuted.

## Powers and Abilities

#### Powers:

Held in captivity within an Experiment Prison, Esme had developed the power of the Scream, which removed her vocal box as a trade. Therefore, she would never speak again. The reason she was chosen to be experimented was for the fact she appeared healthier than many of the humans in the world, therefore, making her worthy to survive the changes within the project. It was only when Batman rescued her, did he help her learn the use of her abilities (with the assistance of Black Canary).

***Echokinesis*** is Esme’s developed power to emit ear piercing scream of high amplitude for a variety of purposes from her vocal cord and mouth within offense uses, like causing destruction. Her attack can manifest itself as a destructive stream or a destructive wave of sound to destroy anything in front of her (unless she turns around, moving her screams in the process). Whenever she uses her screams, it requires her to be extremely loud and have perfect aim. Once she starts, she cannot stop until all her energy is released, which may exhaust her in the process. Esme can also direct her screams over large distances and even send them at specific targets, only affecting the enemy without affecting her friends and allies alike.

#### Abilities:

***Combat*** training under the wing of Batman, and his former protege, Nightwing, Esme has learned expertise in martial arts, and acrobatics to enhance her agility, stamina, strength, and capability as a human being.