Tanner Ackerman

> I don't care what my path is anymore... As long as I can find her again...
>
> Tanner Ackerman

* Mistral
* Illyria

Globe Academy

Berholdt Ackerman (Elder Brother)

Tanner Ackerman is a main character in Team OPRA's story. He is a student of Haven Academy and a member of Team CRTN with Rosi Aimé as her partner. His weapon is the Heavy Ammo Assault Rifle called Favourite Son.

## Appearance

### Physical

Standing at 6’8 and weighing 205lbs, Tanner has peach-fair skin with dark green eyes and dirty blonde hair that is shaved into a buzz cut. He has a rectangular head shape and a firm, muscular body physique and a cut on his left eyebrow from the Atlesian Battle Royal Tournament. After the fall of Beacon, Tanner gains a new scar from fighting Mai on his right cheek, under his eye.

### Original Attire

Tanner’s attire at its base consists of a tan muscle shirt with dark brown pants tucked into a pair of brown combat boots with steel caps. Over the top, Tanner wears a dark brown-coloured exo-armor chest-plate and special protector that covers his chin and jawline/jaw area. He also wears shoulder pads and knee pads as well as armoured brown gloves.

### Post Fall Attire - Lieutenant

After the fall of Beacon and his transfer to Illyria, Tanner wears a new outfit codenamed *Lieutenant.* For this outfit, Tanner wears a mono-colour dark brown soldier’s uniform with a pair of black combat boots. Over the top of his chest, Tanner wears his tan-brown chest plate, now littered with scratches and dents from battle. He wears dark brown fingerless gloves and has a combat knife strapped to his right boot. Tanner grows out his hair a little bit longer as well to a crew cut.

## Personality

A Stoic perfectionist, Tanner is what you'd commonly see in an Atlesian military brat. He is a diligent and hardworking young man, striving to be the best above all else and everyone else and be recognised for it. He often comes off as serious, almost too serious, and has a habit of high expectations on not only his peers, but also himself. Because of this Tanner has little tolerance or time for error. Tanner also believes that his plans are the best set ones and there can be no room for interpretation or on the fly planning, which has caused him to butt heads with Birdie. In addition to this, Tanner also has an air of arrogance to him and thinks his plans will always secure his win, which is often met with disastrous karma.

However, deep down Tanner is completely terrified of failure, believing that he will be doomed to it if he does not succeed. In reality, this is a product of his abusive upbringing at the hands of his dad, as well as a militaristic and perfectionist environment like Atlas. In addition, the environment of Atlas has caused Tanner to become prejudice about the world around them. He believes that the Atlesian military are heroes and even has racist beliefs about the treatment of faunus, causing some strain on the relationships he has with some. However, upon his arrival to Haven Academy and his eventual assigning to Team CRTN, Tanner begins to learn that maybe what he was raised to believe in the world and others is not what it seems. Thanks to Rosi's words in volume 4, Tanner later develops a stronger compassion and sense to help others more, as evident in how he volunteers to help Rosi aid the White Fang and their group of refugees.

During his time at Beacon as part of the semester abroad for the Vytal tournament, Tanner begins to show signs of romantic attraction towards Mai Pembe. Because of this Tanner further begins to see what Remnant is as a world outside of his own kingdom and starts to actively question his own upbringing. However this smitten love for Mai will turn into soul-crushing heartbreak when Mai betrays her friends and the academy for the White Fang, aiding in the fall.

Tanner is left damaged by the fall for this reason. He too begins to drift away from his Team as he obsessively plans to find Mai and make her answer as to why she would betray everyone for such broken ideals that the White Fang have. But with Rosi opening his eyes he begins to realise that the world isn't as black and what as he thinks it is. Because of this new desire to seek out answers for Mai's betrayal, Tanner's obbsession begins to put others in danger, as exampled with how he gets himself, Pierre, Rosi and Birdie kidnapped by the White Fang. Because of Birdie's chastising of him, Tanner eventually learns from his mistake and apologizes, though still determined to find Mai.

## Background

As the son of Garrett Ackerman, a highly respected Atlesian general, Tanner had a reputation and family honour to uphold from a young age. He lived an incredibly elite and luxurious lifestyle. His father was hailed as a hero for his service to the military during key strategic moments. Because of this, Tanner was inspired to become a specialist and serve the military like his father. But this desire soon brought something different from Garrett. He and his brother, Bertolt, were subjected to gruelling, downright *abusive* training from their father... Training that would leave them bruised, broken, and damaged emotionally from what their father is capable of.

By the time Tanner was 13, This endless abuse began to form a rift between his father and mother, Evelyn, who promptly filled for divorce and left her two sons with their abuser. Tanner knew that his mother did the right thing and hopes that one day he could just see her one more time. In addition to this, his brother Bertolt eventually cracked under the pressure of his father's expectations, promptly causing him to move out and leave Tanner alone, despite the two keeping in contact. But on the bright side, Tanner would be accepted into Globe Academy. What he wasn't aware though was that Garrett had bribed the board of admissions to allow his son in despite still having the merits to prove he could be allowed in.

Despite this false admission to Globe Academy, Tanner was one of the hardest working students at the academy. He was studious in his academics, and ruthless and persistent in his combat studies. Globe was an academy that prided itself in the manufacturing of weapons for its students rather than the free-will other combat schools give them to make their own weapons. Because of this, Tanner received his custom heavy duty assault rifle *Favourite Son,* a name he gave because he thought that he was well respected in his own land. He obeyed every order given to him, knowing that if he doesn't ask questions, then he will get closer to becoming a specialist. But deep down Tanner began to believe that if he even stuffed up every so slightly, then everything he had planned would be jeopardised and everyone will hate him. Because of this Tanner starts to see no room for error. At the age of 15, Tanner was one of the star students of Globe and this attention soon turned into arrogance in the young man. With the Atlesian Battle Royale Tournament approaching, Tanner believed that he would win the tournament and further accelerate his studies to become a specialist and high ranking, *respected* member of the Atlas Military.

But this certainty and arrogance would only become sickeningly karmic to Tanner. He was so *sure* that he would win the tournament.... sure that he would take that trophy home with him to a father who would be *proud* of his son for once. He wasn't sure what happened... Was his timing off? Was his foot misaligned? Whatever it was Tanner can't say, but it was the sound of the bells going off indicating his broken aura that rings in his head forever. Tanner lost in the first round of the tournament, rendering him paralysed from the implications of how everyone would think of him.... The brightest and *best* student from Globe... losing in the first round... How pathetic.

What Tanner feared most however was the eventual wrath from his father. And wrath was an understatement. Garrett *detested* the loss his son had to face, utterly disgusting that his son would lose so easily and so quickly. As punishment, Garret did the one thing that would shock Tanner to his very core: ban him from *ever* attending Atlas Academy on the belief that a weak pathetic little worm didn't ever deserve to go there. This ruined Tanner, his dreams of becoming a strong and respected Specialist now dashed because of *his* own arrogance... his hubris...

To make matters even worse however, Tanner would be forced to enrol in the one place he did not want to go... *Haven Academy.* While in hindsight Tanner is thankful that he was not sent to the hellhole that was Shade and Vacuo, he still dreaded about the implications of going to an academy in a land known for such lowly people. But Tanner still wanted to *prove* something to his father. He wanted to prove that he wasn't the worthless worm Garret thought he was. He accepted the offer to Haven and set off with the intent to be the absolute *best* that the academy can offer.... and maybe, just *maybe*, he can be seen as his father's son again.

## Abilities and Powers

Taking what he learned from his father and combat school, Tanner uses a strict military-style combat technique in battle. He is highly skilled in strategic planning and take down of enemies, as well as having swift reaction times and being able to dispatch opponents. In shorter ranged combat, Tanner is skilled in swift take downs and disarming tactics. By using his semblance, Tanner can create defensive tactics that can help his team mates in bad combat situations.

### Weakness

Tanner's military-style combat often falls under a specific strategy that can be manipulated and worked around by smarter enemies. Tanner often forces his team mates to stick to his strict plans, and can’t tolerate any freeform in them.

### Weapon

Tanner’s weapon is called *Favourite Son.* It is the *Heavy Ammo Assault Rifle (HAAR).* It is a heavy assault rifle that Tanner uses in combat. It is casted in dark grey metal with brown details and loads dust based ammunition cells from the top of the gun. Tanner's emblem is spray painted onto the stock of the gun. Because of the weight of the gun, Tanner can also use it to bludgeon enemies that come into close range.

### Semblance

Tanner's semblance is called *Sentinel.* As a semblance, Sentinel allows for Tanner to produce a large dome-shaped over shield to protect himself and his allies from almost all attacks. The dome itself is a light lavender in colour and is 5 meters in diameter and 7 feet in height. The shield itself is almost impervious to a majority of attacks, and can even reflect dust energy attacks back at opponents. However, Tanner must keep the shield held up and stand still to do so, costing him his mobility for the sake of protection. With enough attack, the shield can be broken too, as evident when Merletta Balasco breaks it with her semblance on impact.

## Relationships

### Team CRTN

* Edwin Cobalt: At first Tanner was extremely jealous of Edwin's allocation as leader of CRTN. It was a position that Tanner vehimently believed belonged to *him* and not Edwin. Edwin is too soft to be a leader, he has no delegation and assertiveness in himself to be a leader. Perhaps what Tanner was also jealous of... was that Edwin got to be *loved* by his parents. He got to be cherished and accepted by them even if they were killed... Because of that Tanner became envious. But eventually Tanner would open up to Edwin on his reasoning behind why he thought he should've been CRTN's leader. It was the first time Tanner was honest to Edwin... to anyone, really. After this, Tanner and Edwin began a mutual respect and friendship. But what Tanner doesn't know is that this is the start of something new for him.
* Rosi Aime: It's Tanner's upbringing that made him show distaste in having a faunus as his partner. The warped propaganda against the white fang and fear mongering from the wealthy, elitist, human environment that made Tanner distrust any and all faunus, Rosi being no exception. But she was different, she wouldn't tolerate any of his crap and this surprised Tanner. The two begrudingly have formed a partnership but as with Edwin, Tanner is beginning to feel something different in him. Rosi's stories of her life growing up start to make him wonder if the world outside of Atlas is like what he had been told about.
* Conrad 'Birdie' Nigellus: Birdie and Tanner have possibly the most strained relationship out of CRTN. Tanner thinks Birdie is a reckless and arrogant *fool.* Tanner has always looked down on the citizens of Mantle, never even thinking any higher than them because of his father's words and beliefs that have been reflected onto him. Birdie's complete lack of respect or ability to follow even the smallest order given to him irritates Tanner to no end. Whatever happens after they graduate, Tanner will be more than happy to get as far away from Birdie as possible.

### Team OPRA

* Ophelia Demoiselle: Garrett Ackerman had always believed that the country of Illyria was built on the foundations of cowardice, and those viewpoints had easily seeped into Tanner from a young age. Ophelia is too gentle and soft to be a leader and constantly underestimates her abilities. But it's her dedication, love and compassion that makes her persist and constantly surprise him. What Tanner doesn't know is that strength can only get you so far and that love and compassion can get your farther.
* Pierre Navarro: Upon meeting Pierre, Tanner immediately did not trust Pierre in the slightest. Tanner saw Pierre as hiding something from everyone and because of that he cannot see past trusting him, which has caused him to forego a possible allyship. Tanner also shows distaste in Pierre fighting style, believing that the use of his semblance and his way to trick and fight dirty instead of fighting without them only marks him as a coward.
* Rhea La Roja: Similarly to Pierre, Tanner doesn't trust Rhea. The land of Vacuo is lawless chaos and he thinks she is the embodiment of it. *Unlike* Pierre however, Tanner cannot help but marvel at Rhea's skills as a markswoman, much to his denial.
* Albert Régalien: Odell Régalien's tenure as leader of the Ace Ops made Tanner respect and even admire him, to a point where he emulated his weapon after his. But Albert is almost the complete inverse of Odell's legacy which has surprised... and disappointed Tanner in a sense. While Albert has the dedication and passion for his craft like his father, it's his lack to take the initiative that Tanner believes he needs to succeed... if Albert even wants to be like Odell...

### Others

* Garrett Ackerman: Tanner both deeply respects and fears his father. Like any abusive relationship, Tanner is often extremely frightened about the implications of failure and the punishment he may face from him. There's no doubt that Garrett is the reason behind Tanner's crippling anxiety, but despite the awful things Garrett has done to his son, Tanner is desperate to be loved by him again and thinks that he is the only way he can become stronger and eventually become a specialist.
* Bertolt Ackerman: Much to the annoyance of Garrett, Tanner surprisingly maintains a somewhat healthy relationship with his elder brother. Despite their minimal communication, Tanner is often pleased to hear from his older brother. However due to Tanner's toxic and abusive relationship with Garrett, he often ignores his brothers attempts at convincing him to leave and live with him and his mother.
* Evelyn Ackerman: While Tanner didn't get to see much of his mother after she divorced from Garrett, he had very fond memories of her. Tanner sees her as a kind woman who gave her the proper support and love Tanner and Bertolt deserved as kids, unlike their father. Maybe one day, Tanner can get to see his mother again, especially after her encouragement had helped him move past the loss of his singles match against Mai in the Vytal festival.
* Mai Pembe: Tanner initially had a distasteful view of Mai. She was too cocky, arrogant and rude. In Tanner's eyes, she should've been more *thankful* of being accepted into Beacon Academy. Over the course of his stay at Beacon however, Tanner and Mai began to grow closer. Eventually Tanner began to respect Mai as a person, especially considering that she has definitely brought him down a few pegs since his arrival and began to show him that he should care about the world outside of his cozy kingdom of Atlas. By the time of the Vytal festival, Tanner saw Mai as a good friend and a capable ally. Deep down, much to Tanner's denial, he felt attracted to her almost. ... and This attraction would make her betrayal all the more heart-shattering. Everything that Tanner knew about Mai was a *lie*, and now he has feelings of confusion, anger and sorrow. Now, after The Fall of Beacon, Tanner only has questions as to why she would betray those around her...
* Tin Toulouse: Similarly to Mai, Tanner initially didn't like Tin. Tanner believed that Tin was too casual and carefree to even be considered a leader, especially at such a prestigious academy like Beacon. But like Mai, Tanner began to grow closer with Tin. Tanner began to respect Tin and slowly saw him as a confident fighter, good leader and a good friend to his team mates. But with Mai's betrayal, Tanner realised that the one person who took it the hardest was Tin.

## Trivia

### Allusion

* Tanner Ackerman alludes to both Johnny and Tunny from the 2010 musical *American Idiot,* which uses the music from the album of the same name by American punk rock band *Green Day.*
	+ His weapon, *Favourite Son,* is named after a song on the album.
	+ In American Political terms, a 'Favourite Son' alludes to a candidate that is supported by the state in which they are from.
	+ In American Idiot, the character of Johnny was abused by his father but loved by his mother. Tanner shares this with his relationship with his father and mother. Tunny is a character who joins the American Military in an attempt to find purpose, but loses his leg in combat and is discharged. This parallel's Tanner's desire to join the Atlesian Military and become a specialist thinking it will give him a purpose.

### Colour Naming Rule

* Tanner is a masculine European name meaning 'leather maker', bringing to mind the colours of brown.
* Ackerman is a German surname meaning 'ploughed field', alluding to greens and browns.

### Miscellaneous

* Tanner has protanopia colourblindness, meaning he cannot distinguish the colours red and green.
* Tanner's star sign is Aquarius.