Rudy Jones

* Rudy Jones
* Parasite

Baby Jones (Unborn Child)

**Rudy Jones** was a former member of the National Guard for the United States of America who worked as a janitor at S.T.A.R. Labs to provide for his growing family. During a battle between Superman and Lobo, he was caught in the crossfire and was transformed in the attack into a living parasite, feeding off the energy, memories and life-force of others. He later sacrificed himself to save Metropolis.

## History

### Early Life

Rudolph "Rudy" Jones was an honest man who always wanted to do the right thing and help others. When he turned eighteen, he enlisted in the National Guard and got married at a young age, having a daughter named Kaylie by the time he turned twenty. Rudy began to look for work to provide for his growing family, as his wife soon discovered she was pregnant with their second child, and he took a job as a janitor at S.T.A.R. Labs to provide for them.

### Man of Tomorrow

One day, billionaire Morgan Edge holds a launch party for his new orbital satellite at S.T.A.R. Labs and Rudy meets Clark Kent, an intern at the Daily Planet. The two become friendly as Clark tries to persuade Rudy to give him details about what he's seen at S.T.A.R. Labs when Lex Luthor interrupts, introducing Lois Lane, who exposes Edge for gross negligence in front of the whole party. As the police take Edge into custody, the rocket malfunctions and flies towards the city. As Rudy turns around, he finds Clark has disappeared while the 'Flying Man' redirects the rocket.

The next day, a bounty hunter from space arrives in Metropolis to kill the Flying Man. The two battle across the city and when the Flying Man tries to move the fight away from civilians, the crash into S.T.A.R. Labs. Rudy helps get the scientists to safety but is unable to get himself out before he is pinned under some rubble nearby a biological weapon designed to absorb the energy from anything it touches; the fight causes the canisters containing it to burst, and the weapon forces itself down his throat, transforming him into a decaying energy vampire.

Rudy is found and rushed to the hospital, where over the next several hours his vital organs continue to fail one by one. Suddenly, he awakens mid-surgery and grabs the arm of the surgeon and begins to drain the energy out of her, healing as he does so. Rudy continues to drain the surgeons until he comes to and realizes he's killed them, having been transformed into some energy vampire.

Suffering from the mental and physical effects of the accident, Rudy escapes the hospital and flees to a nearby pharmacy to find something to dull the pain. In a haze, he drains the energy of the patrons and pharmacist, realizing he's gained the pharmacist's knowledge from touching him and is able to find painkillers. His body continues to transform, with the only thing making him feel better is energy. Yet, each time he drains, his body transforms even more and he loses his humanity.

He eventually makes his way to S.T.A.R. Labs to find Lobo, blaming him for what happened and attacking him. In the ensuing fight, he drains the energy from Lobo's cell and transforms into a monstrous creature. Superman and Martian Manhunter arrive to stop him and learns he can drain the power, seemingly killing the Martian in the fight.

He then flees to his family apartment and sees his daughter, who cries and flees in fear of him. Rudy then seemingly loses his lost bit of humanity. He then continues to drain more energy and is eventually lured to the energy plant by Superman, Lobo and Lex Luthor. Parasite, now at a massive size and a nearly mindless beast, attacks. Lobo attempts to kill Parasite with a suicide bomb, but Parasite survives and begins heading towards a bridge filled with people trying to leave Metropolis. Superman appeals to the good still inside of him and talks him down; when the energy plant begins to overload, Parasite drains the energy from it to contain the blast, sacrificing himself in the process.

## Characteristics

### Personality

Rudy was a brave, kind and self-less individual who only ever wanted to help people. He enlisted in the National Guard and took whatever work he could get to provide for his growing family. After he became the Parasite, Rudy's mind was clouded and he lost touch with humanity, becoming an energy vampire whose only concern was his next meal. Despite the accident, physical pain and metal instability he was faced with, Rudy desperately just wanted to get back to his family and in the end, chose to sacrifice himself to safe Metropolis.

### Abilities

Originally a normal human, Rudy gained powers after being caught in the crossfire between Superman and Lobo. He was forced to drain the life-force of people to survive, able to gain the memories, knowledge and even powers by doing so. Each time he drained someone his body would transform more, eventually becoming a giant monster who was seemingly invincible.

### Appearance

Prior the accident, Rudy was a normal human, with brown hair and blue eyes. After the accident, his body began to transform. His veins would glow when draining someone and his skin would turn purple, eventually morphing into a gigantic monstrous figure.

## Trivia

* This version of Parasite is more of a tragic figure than the traditional villain he was in the comics.