Gary Cooper

**Gary Cooper** is one of the 32 contestants in the BNHA OCT5, selected by judge "EXCaliber."

## Bio:

Gary is a very modest boy who comes from a low income family consisting of himself, his younger brother, his mother, and his grandfather. After losing his father in an industrial accident, Gary's grandfather offered his mother to come and live with him. Gary was enamored by the western cowboy flicks of the past that his grandfather had on VHS. Specifically, he adored the films staring the actor with the same name as him. Growing up in an urban environment, Gary was constantly forced to watch out for his younger brother, who was tormented for being quirkless. This lead to a low tolerance for those who would pick on others, pushing him down the path towards a hero. Inspired by the heroes of his youth, he based his identity and costume on the gunslinging cowboys from cinema.

## Quirk:

Similar to the plant from which his name is derived from, he can cover his body in sharp spines that can vary in size and density. Tiny spikes that barely rise over a few millimeters will not breach his skin, but anything past that will. Depending on the size and situation, he can withdraw them back into his body without any scars, but in the heat of battle, the longer ones have to be shed, which can lead to scabbing. He does have a light regenerative factor, but it takes several hours of basking in the sun in order to actually heal anything.

## Techniques:

1. Spiked Knuckles - Inspired by brass knuckles, he coats his hands and forearms in tiny spikes that enhance his punches and makes foes think twice about attacking him directly. Allows him to remain fast and mobile, without limiting his movement.Range: 1-6 inches, Charge Time: 1 second, Cool Down: None
2. Cactus Club - His most basic attack. He coats his arms with sharp thorns facing away from his body and lashes out at his opponent. While it is deadly to his opponent, he also has to be careful not to prick himself. Range: As 6 inches from the tip of his fingers. Charge Time: 1 second. Cool Down: 6 seconds to withdraw back into skin.
3. Thorn Spear - Creates a single, long spike from the palm of his hand, which can be used as a close quarters weapon. Only downside is that once he creates it, it can be hard to remove, which is why he prefers to create thinner ones that are easier to pull out afterwards. Due to the density of the thorn, its only weakness is the base where it connects to his palm. Range: 2 & 1/2 feet. Charge Time: 1 second. Cool Down: 4 seconds to yank from hand. 40 seconds to withdraw.
4. Finger Gun - While he may look like a child pretending his hand is a gun, don't let it fool you. He can actually convert the keratin in his fingernails into his thorns which can be shot off at a high velocity. However, using this eats away at his nails so to avoid discomfort he tends to stick to his middle and index fingers solely. Range: accurate at 43-67 meters at 50 m/s
5. Pin Cushion - Long spikes shoot out of his body in every direction. A final defense mechanism to keep others away, but at a cost. Once he has done this, it is hard for him to move anywhere or remove his spikes. Range: 6 feet in every direction. Charge: 3 Seconds. Cooldown: 6 minutes on average. 2 Minutes at best.

## Weakness:

After using his quirk, it can be difficult to remove the spikes depending on their size. If left alone, his spikes will eventually recede back into his skin without any scarring. However, he can shed his larger constructions at any time, which will result in scarring of his skin. (Which makes the skin more sensitive to pain.) Like the plant his name is based on, he can withstand tremendous amounts of heat, but like any plant, he is susceptible to fire.

## Fighting Style:

At the beginning of the battle, he likes to stay away and pepper the opponent from long distance, before drawing them to him. He takes them by surprise when his spikes burst to life and then proceeds to stay up close and personal.