Troy Zonko

Template:Hate Sink

## Background information

### Books

*S.M.S.B.: Where Are You Now?
S.M.S.B.: The Return of the Verasect
Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Latest Threat* (mentioned)
*Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Inferno Relit* (mentioned)

## Character information

### Other names

**Troy**
Badass
Demoness
Disordered Problem Child

### Personality

Cool, lively, charismatic, charming, bookish, determined, flexible, talented, immoral, inflexible, immature, ungrateful, illogical, disordered, hasty, impulsive, abrasive, aggressive, ruthless, selfish, perverted, objectifying, over-trusting, snobbish, insecure, cynical

### Appearance

Slender, beautiful, short blonde hair dyed blue, dark blue eyes

### Relatives

* Jena Ort
* Dustin Ort
* Ted Newell
* Cassie Ort
* Brad Ort
* Mary Ort
* Chris Ort
* Lily Ort

### Allies

Captain Strength, Rose Johannson, Crystal, Fagin Ford, Titanium Girl, Master Intelligence, Force Baby, Ironside (all formerly)

### Enemies

Umbralord, Rose Johannson, unnamed sex traffickers

### Likes

Stanley (formerly), Captain Strength, camping, swimming, hiking, the safety of others, mutantry, reading, helping people, smoking weed, sleeping with Stanley, justice

### Dislikes

Being physically or sexually assaulted, being placed under mind control, evil, killing, death, villainy

### Notable quote(s)

"Yes, but we don't talk about him. Let's just say… James did things we can't even talk about here. Or anywhere, to be honest."

*"I've looked into many people's eyes in my eleven years of life. When I looked in Troy's, however, I saw something truly beautiful. I saw fear, resentment, trauma… but also compassion, openness, sophistication, and most of all, an overwhelmingly huge amount of empathy. Life's not all burning stuff and making twisted love to smother internal pain. But they may realize that sooner than anyone thinks. And I'm not saying I'm the most disciplined, righteous, and evolved being out there. […] And one more thing… I love them. We both have a lot of growing up to do. And if it's meant to be… it's meant to be."
"Are you done? You really can't fix them, Captain Strength. Why even bother?"
"Because it's the right thing to do."*
―Captain Strength and Lindsay Kellerman[src]
**Tori Newell**, known to most as **Troy Zonko** or simply **Troy**, is a non-binary high school student at Central Park East High School, close friends with Rose Johannson and Captain Strength, a friend of Master Intelligence and Fagin Ford, a former member of the Order of the Mystic Specters, and a major antagonist in *S.M.S.B.: Where Are You Now?* and *S.M.S.B.: The Return of the Verasect*. They were the offspring of Jena and Ted Newell and had five younger siblings and a stepfather named Dustin. Unfortunately, she ran away from home three days later, possibly because she was being mistreated at home, and went on the run. Eventually, she was caught and confined to a mental hospital, and eventually discharged. Halfway through the year, she was betrayed by Rose and placed in the horrendous institution Canyon Secure Center to "deal with" their mental instability after running away three more times. However, upon their premature discharge, they fled once again and joined up with Stan, their abrasive yet valiant boyfriend, before venturing to Montana and Utah. Shortly before Halloween, she returned to their father, Ted Newell, staying with him for the rest of the year. They eventually had an illegitimate son with Stan, and around the same time Red Mist began his reign of terror upon New York, they ran away and took Kalixtus with them, leading Stan to fight to get custody over his son.

## Biography

### Early life

*"And to think… at such a young age, her innocence was stripped away from her…"*
―Master Intelligence[src]
Tori Newell was born to Jena and Ted Newell in 2024. The birthing process lasted for twenty-four hours, including an hour of pushing, and she weighed six pounds, eleven ounces at birth, measuring twenty inches long. She would eventually have a sister and a brother and two half-sisters and a half-brother. In her younger years, she was repeatedly a victim of sex trafficking at the hands of pedophiles, traumatizing her and leaving her with post-traumatic stress disorder at a very young age, possibly as young as four or five. This led to her mother taking her through a lot of therapy. However, it is implied that she blamed her mother for not doing enough to prevent it, though this is unproven. In junior high, a boy named Paul used mind control on Tori, leading to the two dating. However, the mutated possession lifted somehow, leading to a heated break-up. Tori reacted quite badly when she discovered the truth.

### Relationship with Stan

#### Joining the Order of the Mystic Specters

 File:Tori-Newell-SMSB2.jpg

*"I've been really, really active lately..."
"That's cool, I work out on a daily basis. Actually, I think we all do..."
"I don't think she means what you think she does... you sound really naive, I can just tell."*
―Troy, Red X, and Fagin Ford[src]
Tori Newell somehow fell in league with the Order of the Mystic Specters, a group of mystical mutants dedicated to defending the Eight Worlds from supernatural threats, and joined them. Because Newell's Mystical Magoguru swore them to secrecy, they did not disclose their registration to anyone. They became attracted to a fellow mystic named Stan, who was working alongside them in the Citadel of Mysticism. Newell was fully aware that if Stanley's statutory "rape" of them was discovered, he could be legally deported from the United States of America, which could have happened to him anyway just because of his race, hence why he lied on Facebook about being single, which he planned on changing when Newell became of age. Stanley was also suicidal, and although he was in denial, Tori Newell was confident they could help him overcome it. Unfortunately, their parents eventually learned what she was doing and that she was placing herself in danger, making their already strained relationship worse. Her father Ted was more enabling than her stepfather Dustin and she clung on to him as a result.

Tori befriended a girl named Rose Johannson, who was a good two decades older than her, in 2039, and eventually developed strong feelings for the adult. It is implied that they had a positive relationship with a friend of Johannson's, named Crystal. Tori lacked confidence in the might of women in comparison to men, which made her desire to be transgender when she was of sufficient age to set it in stone and make it official. For the time being, they preferred to be called Troy, instead of Tori.

#### Beginning high school

*"Look, I know they've had a week-long stint in a hospital before, but... wait. Sixteen times?! Is that even possible?"*
―Master Intelligence[src]
Shortly before the outbreak of the Third NoHead War, Tori Newell was confined in a State Hospital for an entire year. After Jena divorced Ted, she dated an unsavory man named James, but he *"did horrific things [they] can't even talk about here"*, eventually leading her to marry Dustin Ort. Before that, however, James had "assaulted" them, which made them utterly furious. However, Tori was still close with Ted, so unlike Cassie and Brad, they did not legally become Dustin's offspring, accepting Ted as their true male parent. They became determined to avoid Jena like Black Death, leading to an unhealthy streak of running away from home multiple times throughout the next year. They were reportedly placed in a mental hospital at least sixteen times, and was placed in residential treatment at least six times. At some point, Troy also joined a social media platform called "TikTok".

 File:Troy-and-Fagin-troy-53657493-500-182.jpg
Midway through 2040, Tori Newell enrolled in Central Park East High School for her sophomore year. They befriended Fagin Ford there, and they took a picture together near a column of lockers. One of their teachers was fond of Troy and posted the photo on his wall behind his desk. During this time, Troy claimed that they were sexually active. On March 7, 2041, Tori became part of a joke that they were allegedly employed at a medical company called Umbrella Corporation. On March 15, a girl named Madison Cfrack admitted that Tori was like a sibling to them. On April 15, a boy named Penny Blake had a positive experience with Tori and uploaded it on Facebook and tagged them. Tori admitted the experience had lifted their mood considerably.

#### Chance meeting with superheroes

*"Troy has been missing since the morning of May 3, 2041, and was last seen at Central Park East High School in New York City. Troy is 16, identifies as non-binary, has short blue hair (faded) and blue eyes. Troy is about 5'7", 140 pounds. If anyone has any info, please call the police, or call and text Jena or Dustin."*
―Missing poster regarding Troy's disappearance[src]Tori Newell met Master Intelligence, Captain Strength, Lindsay Kellerman, and Red X on May 1 alongside another student named Fagin Ford, who was falsely implied to have been close with her for some time, eliciting jealousy from Captain Strength. Newell told them she was still in school and that she possessed a dark sense of humor. Unfortunately, three days later she ran away from home yet again. There were rumors speculating that she may have sought refuge with Rose Johannson before proceeding to an undisclosed location. Lindsay Kellerman also suspected that she had help. Fortunately, Troy was eventually located, according to Johannson. Ford later reported that she was at a mental hospital and being *"analyzed"*. Bridgett claimed she was in good hands.

In May, Hell Burnbottom returned from the dead through the power of the Tower of Reincarnation to command the Apostles. Around this time, it was mentioned that Jena and Troy were planning to meet together with a therapist to discuss whether or not Troy was ready to discharge from the hospital. While rumor had it that at some point prior to May 30, Troy escaped from the hospital, it is far more likely that Fagin Ford's claims of her seeking refuge with her father Ted are more accurate. She had access to the Internet while she was with him. On June 8, Troy became very ill and vomited repeatedly for hours. The following evening, she ran away yet again. Late at night, she was located and sent away with her father.

Troy returned to her mother by the time of Red X's departure. She began bonding with the other S.M.S.B. members during the war, and went with them to the park after Master Intelligence met Jena Ort at the library when she arrived with her daughter. Master Intelligence had an ulterior motive, however, as he suspected that Captain Strength had feelings for her, and wanted to know if he could trust her. However, upon being driven home by Jena, she was picked up by Rose Johannson, who had just gotten off work and was carpooling several of their friends to go to a camp that was already set up halfway. Johannson had wanted Crystal to stay behind while this happened. They all hid out and set up camp for the night. About twenty-four hours later, Troy went to Schenectady to seek out her boyfriend. Troy watched Johannson childishly threaten Crystal, disturbing her. Returning home, Lincoln Strafford was swerving drunkenly, which terrified Tori and reduced them to tears. Johannson wouldn't let her stay, which did not bother her as she wanted to see a girl named Alyssa. Later on, Crystal saw Troy with Rose Johannson, who tried to intimidate them to stay with her. Sometime prior to the celebration, Troy slept with an undisclosed individual, which made Fagin Ford furious. His brash reaction gave Troy a bad feeling about being his partner and made her question if they could possibly create a healthy romance together.

Troy still did not return home, fleeing through the state until she found a safehouse with Stanley and several of the latter's gang-enrolling friends in Yonkers, New York. When Master Intelligence arrived in person with Optica and Crystal, Troy and Stanley hastily turned out the lights in a futile attempt to hide their presence there. Master Intelligence called the police to extricate them, after intimidating Stanley's friends into staying in a corner and not interfering when they attempted to stop them. The police returned Troy home to her mother, where she began receiving therapy. However, this created a rift between her and her father, though they would eventually make up.

#### Independence Day

*"Do that again, Captain Strength! Do that again!"
"No can do, I've got a bad record practicing the trick on dummies."
"Lucky for you, I'm not a dummy at all."
"It's not worth the risk of accidentally throwing you off the mountain altogether, okay? Just drop it."*
―Troy Zonko and Captain Strength[src]
On June 26, Troy constricted an undisclosed illness. She was feeling better by Independence Day and agreed to go with the S.M.S.B. on a hike. When she was picked up, she was surprised to learn just how quickly Captain Strength connected with Mary and Lily Ort, as well as that Crystal and Lincoln Strafford were in the Enforcer waiting for them. They drove to a mountain together, where Newell spoke with Crystal and Captain Strength about several topics. On the way up, Captain Strength kept trying to keep up with her. When they reached the hot spring near the top, Tori had a blast playing with Lincoln Strafford and Master Intelligence under a searing waterfall, and playing a guessing game with Titanium Girl that involved them both using their powers to confuse each other. On the way down from the mountain, Tori slipped and fell twice, but Captain Strength got her to her feet. Once she was a little less shaken, Captain Strength caught her completely off-guard by tossing her in the air *"like a pizza"* with his mutated superhuman strength, something she enjoyed immensely, breaking down in giggles and clutching him afterwards, asking him to do it again, although he cautiously refused.

They proceeded to drive out of town, where they ascended a hill in order to watch the fireworks. There, Master Intelligence served watermelon, relieving Tori who had not eaten all day. Feeling horny, they awkwardly expressed to Titanium Girl that they missed Stanley's company and it made them "insecure" to be so far away from him. They also hugged her when Titanium Girl asked if she needed one, making Lindsay Kellerman, who had ignored them throughout the trip, realize that Titanium Girl was closer with Newell than she thought. The group proceeded to go to God's Chosen Cuisine as well as a gas station, where Newell calmly dis-advised Strafford from stealing candy. They were then driven home in the Enforcer, and Crystal was driven home shortly thereafter. Over the next two days, Troy sunk into a far less ideal mood and posted a photo of herself on Facebook, but she would not post again for months.

#### Flight from Canyon Secure Center

*"This place should not exist..."*
―Tori Newell[src]

*"...I don't think they are as safe as they think they are."*
―Jena Ort[src]
On July 9, Jena realized that Troy had somehow acquired a phone and promptly took it away from her, leading to a physical fight that left Jena's left hand in a cast. Afterwards, she ran away for the fourth time, this time seeking refuge with Lincoln Strafford and mysteriously leaving a suicide note behind at her house, where Rose Johannson happened to be. However, Troy did not tell him she had fled from her home, so he assumed she had permission to be there. During her stay, Troy entrusted Johannson with her backpack and asked that she keep it safe. Tori knew that Stanley planned to flee New York with her and find a new life together on the run, which she anticipated. Things took a turn for the worst when Johannson, unbeknownst to anyone at the time, came to fear that Lincoln would fall for Troy, and so subtly 'let slip' that Lincoln was harboring a runaway. Because of Johannson's betrayal, Troy was located when the police pulled over Lincoln's car and Lincoln was kicked out if his apartment as punishment for harboring her. They would not find out about Rose Johannson's betrayal for a long time.

Reluctant to do so, but unable to trust her, Jena Ort sent Tori Newell back to the hospital. Upon their arrival, they had a family therapy session and Jena left Tori behind. Two days later, Master Intelligence procured the backpack from Rose Johannson and returned some of Troy's possessions to Jena. When her treatment failed and the hospital refused to keep her any longer, Tori was transferred to Canyon Secure Center, a horrible facility intended for long-term treatment, surprising and enraging her. Jena suspected she was embarrassed by the turn of events and did not want any of her friends to know where she was. Tori began having healthier conversations with Jena and finally began to open up to her. On August 15, she was apparently still incarcerated.

On September 3, Tori Newell unexpectedly discharged because their parents' insurance refused to continue paying for treatment in that form. Upon returning home, however, Tori immediately ran away once again. She sought out the Commander in Chief, who reprimanded her for leaving but relented from his urge to force her to turn herself in. Around this time, they became seventeen years of age. Leaving their Mystical Magoguru behind promising to return to him soon, Tori eventually located Stanley and they went on the run together, something that several people came to suspect, including Master Intelligence. On September 8, one of Jena's friends saw them on 6000 by the railroad tracks walking eastward, but this trace proved ineffective and Tori remained out of Jena's grip. Two weeks after making her escape, Tori and Stanley made their way to the MBH and hid in a nearby bush within the Acquisition District. Tori continued watching the mansion while she nervously debated if she should let Master Intelligence know where she was. However, she ultimately decided not to, deducing that the Order of the Mystic Specters needed her and Stanley more than Jena did.

Throughout the next two months, Tori (and presumably Stanley) ventured across the country, arriving in Montana and Utah for undisclosed reasons, though suspicion was high that she was laid in both locations. Six weeks after their pit stop at the MBH, Tori generated a random phone number through a phone app, briefly making contact with Jena, making her realize that Tori had survived. However, Tori refused to explain where she was and who she was with. According to Jena, Tori mistakenly believed herself to be safe.

#### Coming back to New York

*"Earlier today, Stanley posted a meme on Facebook, and I posted a comment on it. He didn’t know I was being sarcastic and started yelling at me like...like it triggered him. He called me a bunch of garbage."
"Yeah, I could talk to him, I’m on my way to his house right now, so…"*
―Captain Strength and Tori Newell[src]In late October, Tori Newell finally returned to New York from abroad, and was reported to be safe with her father, Ted Newell. Tori was happy at his house, where she was freed of the responsibility of babysitting her siblings. She also chose not to return to Central Park East High School, as she believed she may qualify for a GED.

On Halloween, Tori Newell began walking to Stanley's house from an undisclosed location. On the way, she was contacted by Captain Strength, who questioned Stanley's hate-filled attitude and his lie that he was single. She requested that he call, which he was more than happy to do. Newell explained why Stanley claimed to be single and that he would not change anything on Facebook until Newell became of age in eleven months' time. Citing that Stanley had been on Facebook recently since he awkwardly claimed she had said otherwise, he proceeded to explain he had asked because Stanley had been "triggered" and cyber-bullied him. He finished his explanation to Newell, who promised to ask Stanley why he was mean to Captain Strength. They explained that he was frequently angry because it was simply in his nature, as was a desire to commit suicide.

Emphasizing with her concern, Captain Strength told Tori Newell that he planned to trick-or-treat with Crystal and Force Baby, and told her he would have gone with her family. She explained that her family had a huge issue, and Captain Strength explained that his "family", which was actually the S.M.S.B., was having a huge issue too. Newell cited that with Hell Burnbottom at large and it being flu season, everyone was currently going through something. Captain Strength asked Newell if she wanted to discuss what was bothering her. However, while she wasn't ready to open up to him yet, they told him to by all means vent his own problems to her. Captain Strength told her he was forced to spend most of his time patrolling the MBH, citing that she would be surprised at how boring the duties of a superhero could be. He cryptically said he knew he shouldn't want revenge, but he did anyway. What Newell didn't know was that Captain Strength was about to explain that the S.M.S.B. was onto Rose Johannson, who he was still waiting for a chance to destroy, but he had thought better of mentioning it to her.

#### Preparations for adulthood

Throughout the beginning of November, Tori experienced a lapse, leaving them in a grim emotional state, which in turn led to them being out of touch. Although Captain Strength, Crystal, and Jena Ort all attempted to contact them, they ignored anyone who messaged them about anything. Finally, she apologized to a bemused Captain Strength, who confessed that he had assumed they had a good reason for ignoring him, showing just how much he trusted them. He told her that when she was in a better mood, they would be the one to reach out to him, thereby giving them space in a mature way. She finally accepted his 'friend request' shortly thereafter. On November 12, they visited their mother to celebrate her birthday with her, and they saw each other for the first time in months. They also learned that Rose Johannson was about to stand trial before the Mutamon. They spitefully refused to vouch for her after her betrayal. Shortly afterward, they came to Johannson's house, expecting to find Crystal there, as they felt they needed to find her. Although they found the woman they sought, she realized Johannson was there and thus out of jail, prompting her to relinquish Crystal and leave. Newell proceeded to return to their mother at long last.

On December 7, Newell helped the family put up Christmas decorations and set up the Christmas tree. Upon meeting Captain Strength again, they passionately embraced him, stunning him into silence for a while. He told them the grim truth about his family history and how his father didn't approve of his mutantry and had never wanted to see Force Baby solely because he was a Kraton, adding that they were very lucky not to have an indifferent father. Newell felt bad for him and told him his father was missing out on a huge opportunity. They also took a picture together and shared a playful exchange over phone numbers, which in turn made Titanium Girl realize just how similarly both of them thought. After the S.M.S.B. members left, a boy came over and went to hang out with her. Like the S.M.S.B. members, he had not seen Tori in months.

Tori eventually returned to her father's house. They began to look into getting her a GED and getting her a new Social Security Card. On December 20, she asked him for omelets, which he finally agreed to make for her, surprising her. Newell eventually learned that Captain Strength had a Christmas gift for her and looked forward to him coming to meet their father. On Christmas Eve, they went to her mother's house to spend the day with their family, including Brad Ort. Despite not planning on spending Christmas there too, they wound up going back, as she realized Captain Strength arrived right after they left, much to her disappointment. Just before that, he told them that he couldn't come to their father's house as planned, on account of the Enforcer being low on fuel and Lindsay Kellerman grumpily refusing to Teleport him there. However, Captain Strength seemed anxious about meeting Ted Newell, as he messaged her on New Years' Eve. Tori eventually left their phone with Stanley, whom she requested to update them if the phone received any important messages or calls. She spent the next four days (between December 29, 2041 to January 2, 2042) lazily lying on the couch listening to scary stories.

On January 2, Captain Strength and Master Intelligence were finally able to pay Tori and Ted Newell a visit and give them their present. They received a toy with two candy canes, and a young adults' novel. After introducing the new arrivals to her father's pets, they spent a while speaking with Captain Strength, while Master Intelligence got to know their father. They remained behind when Ted introduced Captain Strength to his collection of *Game of Thrones* memorabilia, but Master Intelligence eventually asked Newell to go fetch Captain Strength so they could leave and pick up Lindsay Kellerman and Titanium Girl. Tori was last seen closing the door after their friends. Later that month, Tori and Ted moved into a new house, much to their displeasure. Late in February, she was still in what seemed to be a purely sexual relationship with Stanley. However, it was around this point that a livid Rose Johannson apprehended her, had them tied up inside the abode of a politician named Dale, and blamed them for ruining her plans to exploit Master Intelligence and his status. On Rose's orders, Lamoni subjected Troy to shock therapy, greatly affecting their mental state even further.

#### Social decline

Eventually, Tori Newell was impregnated by Stanley following a particularly passionate sexual affair together, much to Crystal's outrage. Although Titanium Girl invited them to come over for her birthday, they didn't get her message until the day was out. Shortly afterwards, they eventually returned to treatment. Tori didn't return to New York for months. After their discharge from Canyon Secure Center in August, Tori did not initially resume their duties within the Order of the Mystic Specters. However, when they visited the MBH with Stanley, it was discovered that Sebiscuits Cardarphen was carrying the Verasect within his veins.

When the Mystic Specters and S.M.S.B. members battled the soldiers guarding the Tower of Reincarnation, the S.M.S.B. members were ultimately trapped there, with Stan narrowly managing to pull Captain Strength out of harm's way. The disheartened young men came to the Citadel of Mysticism, where Troy Zonko met up with both of them. Their child, whom they named Kalixtus Newell, was born in October. The baby enjoyed sucking on their skin because of sensory. Captain Strength often helped take care of Kalixtus, playing with him and assuring that he had what he needed to function in such an unorthodox setting.

### Departure and aftermath

Two days after the battle, Troy Zonko was visited in their room by a fellow mystic, informing her the Commander in Chief had departed before handing her a note. The familiar handwriting encouraged her to make fighting for the star system's survival a prolonged career and priority before implying Stan was his planned successor all along, all with the assurance her master would never leave if he did not have to. This enraged Troy, as they had been very convinced it would be them, and not their very own boyfriend. Solemnly, Troy thanked the guard for informing them of this and then stood in silence, processing the news. Captain Strength walked in and they leaned against him as he comforted them, softly telling them to move on by assuring them that there were other ways to save lives and live their own to the fullest with his help. They did not want to move on and, to his utter alarm, they proceeded to take Kalixtus from his arms and teleport away in a blue flash of mystical energy, much to his utter alarm. Troy would never return to the Mystic Specters. Subsequently, they met up with Stan again and promptly broke up with him, claiming it was because of his alleged abuse, despite evidence to the contrary.

Troy's departure had a deep impact on those they knew. Midway through 2043, they remained jobless, having never been employed before. Although their boyfriend had several qualifications they lacked, they selfishly withheld Kalixtus from him entirely, leading to an unlikely alliance between him and Titanium Girl.

## Physical appearance

 File:Tori-Brown.jpg

*"Troy is sixteen, identifies as non-binary, has short blue hair (faded) and blue eyes. Troy is about five-seven, one hundred forty pounds."*
―Troy Zonko's physical appearance[src]
Tori Newell was an extremely and chillingly beautiful teenager. They were very tall and slender and had short hair with a fading blue color, and blue eyes and fair, healthy skin. They had numerous leg scars, even though they wore them proudly, and had a terrible habit of cutting their arms. They enjoyed dressing in masculine clothing, especially when they were running away from home, though they dressed in pink during the celebration. At the beginning of their flight in September, they were wearing black shorts, a black crop top, and a black flannel. Because of their beauty, they attracted attention from Paul, Fagin Ford, Stan, Nurse Rose Johannson, and of course Captain Strength. When explaining their relationship with Stanley, even Master Intelligence, who was asexual and later became homosexual, confessed that *"now* that *is America's body"*, though given the context it is extremely unlikely that he was being serious.

## Personality and traits

*"She's a demoness, but none of us would have it any other way. I hope you know what sweater you're selecting."*
―Crystal[src]
At first, Tori Newell was presented as extremely equable and charismatic, being chiefly described as *"cool"*. As Master Intelligence acknowledged, they had a lively yet very dark sense of humor and was an extremely fun person in general. They were generally friendly and outgoing; Lindsay Kellerman once cited that they were surprisingly nice. This was good coming from Kellerman, who disliked almost all of the new friends Master Intelligence was making. They also enjoyed watching comedies on YouTube and already knew about many of them. They eventually began watching them with Captain Strength, which they both enjoyed. They were also constantly in denial about Rose Johannson and always gave her the benefit of the doubt.

However, this was all a façade that Tori made up to hide their true nature as a disorderly, childish, hedonistic, perverted, unruly, insane, and extremely self-centered freeloader devoid of any ethical core in any tangible way. They have ran away from home multiple times, remorselessly injuring their mother preceding one of their escapes. Their horrible personality is indulged frequently by their enabling father. They have also been accused of treating kind people poorly, due to seemingly unable to understand the concept of kindness in the first place. Their mental instability eventually became severe enough that they were willing to go to the extreme of fleeing New York State altogether and going on the run, leading to their well-deserved incarceration at Canyon Secure Center. Indeed, the mad teenager not only cut themselves but (according to Master Intelligence) wore their scars with pride. Tori also had a tendency to be cynical and objectifying. Surprisingly, they have also shown to take a liking towards metal artists such as Marilyn Manson.

Despite their single-mindedness, Troy's true weakness is that they cannot feel or understand love for another person, even when they really try. Even surrounded by the S.M.S.B., they were merely confused and uncertain when such an organization invited her to celebrate with them, suspiciously wondering if they suspected them of anything. Perhaps the greatest example of this is their relationship with Rose Johannson, as they made excuses for her for a long time, and despite being occasionally enraged by her cruelty and childishness, they kept downplaying it for no reason. Even when they could not understand why Captain Strength was vexed with Johannson, and even though they had not known each other for long, they were still bothered enough to hesitate questioning him about it and it didn't change their opinion of him, making them willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. The two bonded despite initially seeing each other infrequently, as he showed them a form of kindness and attention most of their friends didn't, in an innocent and passionate way, although the whole idea of having a friend who wasn't toxic at all was something they ultimately chose to perceive to be as confusing as it was disgusting.

Nevertheless, Tori's relationship with their family was severely jeopardized by their extremely controlling and selfish nature. It seems they and their mother had been at odds for a long time because Jena disapproved of both Rose Johannson's inner circle and the Mystic Specters. However, a much deeper reason existed: Jena trusted the wrong ex-boyfriend and he had physically beaten them, which they refused to forgive Jena for being unable to foresee. Tori made it obvious to Captain Strength that she did not respect Jena and that she was confident Jena's authority over her would soon be a memory. And even when it seemed that Tori's enmity with their mother was not absolute, it was a superficial notion. This is best shown when during therapy sessions at Canyon Secure Center, they began opening up to her; yet even this was brushed aside as unfounded sentiment as they ran away from home shortly afterwards. Even then, they reached out to their mother voluntarily to assure her that they were safe, though they pettily refused to divulge her whereabouts or return home. Though their enmity did seem to be unending, they did not share these feelings for their siblings, though they still treated them with absolute selfishness and neglect, often choosing not to spend time with them and considering it easier to live with their unreasonably indulgent father. Sadly, this blinded them to how much the children loved them, and they rarely treated them in the way a normal person treats their younger siblings.

Tori Newell initially appeared to be morally grey, inconsistently projecting a kind and insolent temperament, though she ultimately proved where her real loyalties lied by running away out of sheer cowardice and jealousy, not bothering to help the S.M.S.B. at New York. They actually kept their allegiance with the Order a complete secret, hiding it even from her mother Jena for a long time, putting them in conflict. In the end, their undoing was their childish inability to understand and appreciate the purpose of the Order of the Mystic Specters, shallowly believing that being a Multiversal protector is about going on mystical adventures and beating people up, instead of actually saving lives.

*"The true measure of a lover is not measured by what lies behind their undergarments, but what beats behind their chest."*
―Tori Newell[src]
Tori was also insecure about the strength and overall capability of women in comparison to men, and so desired to be transgender. She cleverly took advantage of her masculine side when running away from home. She also changed her name to 'Troy', thinking it sounded more masculine than 'Tori'. Despite their belief that men are stronger than women, there is evidence that Tori is not genuinely misogynistic. For example, they looked up to Rose Johannson and was very nice to Titanium Girl and Lindsay Kellerman, implying even if she considers women weak they do not think they are generally contemptible in any sense of the word. Tori is not heterosexual — she has been proven to be pansexual, which she is quite nonchalant about admitting openly. She was in love with Stanley, and also had a huge crush on Rose Johannson. They were also somewhat odd in their ideas of romantic and physical attraction — they once bluntly mentioned that the only thing they really want is a partner who are simply willing to be naughty with them rather than chide them for their lack of fear of crossing any moral and ethical boundaries.

## Powers and abilities

*"I'm the best at that game. I can walk forty miles consecutively."*
―Troy Zonko[src]
* **Mystical Physiology**: Tori Newell possesses an extremely high level of mastery over mutantry which they briefly used to defend their native reality in some capacity. They could project energy blasts and bolts of their own psionic energy, allowing them to hit or blow away her targets, potentially exerting enough force to destroy them.
* **Peak-human condition**: Tori Newell is in excellent shape and while not especially muscular, even Captain Strength could not keep up with them when they were mountaineering.
	+ **Peak-human strength**: Tori seems to be physically strong, as they attacked Jena Ort, who matched them in size, injuring her hand hard enough to require the latter wear a cast.
	+ **Peak-human agility**: Tori is very agile, as shown when they tripped and fell twice, they resumed their feet easily, albeit with Captain Strength holding her hand. Tori dubiously claims to be capable of walking forty miles consecutively. Captain Strength, bearing exceptional stamina of his own, was unable to keep up with them when they were mountaineering.
	+ **Peak-human stamina**: Tori claims to be capable of walking forty miles consecutively, which, if true, they presumably built up during their flights from home and during her training with the Mystic Specters. Captain Strength, bearing exceptional stamina of his own, was unable to keep up with her when they were mountaineering.
* **Gifted intelligence**: Tori Newell compensated for their lack of experience with their reasonably intelligent mind, which is supported by their Intelligence Quotient of 114.
	+ **Expert social intuit**: Tori, both as a sophomore and a mystic, has a high degree of social confidence, allowing them to intuitively determine how to interact with others, gain their respect and get their point across with calmness, eloquence, and charisma that belies their dark personality. Despite being frequently mistreated in the past, they were able to appeal to most people they wanted to use, which in turn made them extremely difficult to track down whenever they ran away from home.
	+ **Gifted networker**: Tori, being extremely extroverted and charismatic, is heavily implied to have a moderately dense network of friends and contacts they can turn to in a variety of situations, although they often have a lot of help from Stanley in this field. At least a dozen of their friends knew exactly what they were doing and attempted to bombard them, at which point their network began to collapse and they began clinging to Stanley and Ted Newell more than ever. They implied she could easily find a ride up to Vermont.
* **Expert survivor**: Tori had very keen survival skills, surviving for long periods of time after running away from home, as she notably made it to Yonkers, although once again, it should be taken into account that they often had Stanley's direct assistance in this field. Whenever they ran away from home, they always had numerous people they could hide with, keeping them well-hidden and physically healthy for months at a time. In addition, as a teenager they fled to Montana and Utah, among others, and implied they could easily find a ride up to Vermont.

## Weaknesses

**Post-traumatic stress disorder**: Troy Zonko was deeply traumatized by the sexual horrors she endured and this gave them PTSD. Their experiences have hardened them to the point of corrupting them to the point of not caring about anyone except themselves, with their selfishness being their greatest weakness.

## Possessions

* **Electronics**: Tori Newell formerly owned two cell phones and a laptop, but their mother Jena took them away because of 'gang activities'.
* **Pets**:  File:Tori smsb1.jpg   Tori shared two dogs with Jena Ort's family, which they were known to be fond of. Master Intelligence claimed that they and their siblings spoiled the dogs. Their father also owned a dog named Juniper, as well as a black cat named Squeaker.
* **Backpack**: Troy owned a backpack, which they claimed their entire life was forged into. The contents included scissors stained with blood.

## Relationships

### Dogs

 File:Tori smsb1.jpg
Tori Newell was known to be fond of the two dogs owned by their family. However, they often did not see them for long periods of time because they frequently ran away from home.

### Family

Troy's relationship with their stepfather, Dustin Ort, is not much explored. However, according to Rose Johannson, it is generally an abusive one.

#### Parents

Tori Newell had a very negative relationship with their mother, Jena Ort. After their mother's ex-boyfriend attacked them, they wanted to avoid their mother at all costs, and in doing so avoid the memory that had reactivated several symptoms of their PTSD. They argued over a number of subjects and their enmity would sometimes get physical. Jena also rightfully forbade Troy from owning a phone, and when they did get one, Jena had to take it away from them. It seems they and their mother had been at odds for a long time because Jena disapproved of both Rose Johannson's inner circle and the Order of the Mystic Specters. Tori made it obvious to Captain Strength that they did not respect Jena in the slightest and that they were confident that Jena would soon have no real authority over them. Jena was eventually forced to send them to Canyon Secure Center because of their problematic behavior, even though it is heavily implied the conditions there bordered on torture.

However, it is shown that Jena still showed her daughter unconditional love Tori never showed to anyone. And even when it seemed that Tori's enmity with their mother was not absolute, it was a superficial notion. This is best shown when during therapy sessions at Canyon Secure Center, they began opening up to her; yet even this was brushed aside as unfounded sentiment as they ran away from home shortly afterwards. Even then, they reached out to their mother voluntarily to assure her that they were safe, though they refused to divulge their whereabouts or return home for a time, eventually finding their way to their father.

Troy still had contact with their father, Ted Newell, latching onto him because he supported their negative behavior and allowed them to indulge in underage smoking without fear of punishment. What is known is that he didn't care if she wanted company over for dinner or not. He did, however, give them their own bedroom in his house, which it apparently took them several hours to clean. Tori did not have to work as much at his house, as it lifted the responsibility of babysitting and translated it to their much more pleasant and studious sister, Cassie Ort.

#### Siblings

 File:Halloween Lily.jpg

*"My baby sister is so cute! Even when she refuses to go to sleep."*
―Tori Newell[src]
While Tori hated her mother's guts, they were much more neutral about their siblings, including Lily, Chris, Mary, Brad, and Cassie Ort. They occasionally gave them attention, reading to them or helping them get into bed at night. They did selfishly leave the burden of babysitting on Cassie's shoulders frequently. They all missed them on Halloween of 2031 and were thrilled when Captain Strength trick-or-treated with them.

### Romantic relationships

 File:Stanley.jpg

*"I think she knows she can do better, but Troy's insecurity clouds her judgement."*
―Master Intelligence[src]
Tori had a loyal lover in Stan, who they met at the Citadel of Mysticism. On at least one occasion, she craved his company even when surrounded by friends and celebrities. They affectionately called him an apple and could see through his denial of having a death wish. Their relationship was often extremely sexual and he was always happy to share his marijuana with them. While he put on his Facebook profile that he was "single and proud of it", this was only to avoid the law, and they were extremely callous about this, openly claiming they were in a loving relationship. Tori did have to put up with his angry outbursts, though they didn't take them lying down either, as they questioned him for verbally attacking Captain Strength. They fell apart for good when they became extremely jealous of Stan being named the successor to the Mystical Magoguru and spitefully took their son, Kalixtus Newell, fleeing into the night.

### Allies

 File:DIT SMSB2 Central park east london.jpg
Tori Newell was a friendly, outgoing, kind, and charismatic individual, and it seemed they were very well-connected because of Stanley making sure of it, being on friendly terms with many people including his band of friends at Yonkers. While they was willing to acknowledge that their relationships with most of these people were either unhealthy or distant, and that they only had healthy relationships with four or five people, including Captain Strength, they also did absolutely nothing to change it and eventually pushed Captain Strength away for no reason, leading to him siding with Stan to help get Kalixtus Newell back. During her time at Central Park East High School, she was close with Penny Blake and Madison Cfrack; the latter considered Tori as a sister figure despite them being non-binary rather than female. Tori appeared to be dismissive of London, although they still tolerated his childish antics.

 File:SMSB2 Crystal 2.jpg
Crystal was another close friend of Tori Newell. Unlike most of Troy's friends, however, Crystal did not condone or enable their relatively illicit activities and wanted to prevent them from continuing, albeit for their own good making Crystal a true friend, which Troy was characteristically incapable of appreciating. She even went with Master Intelligence and Hardy to extricate Troy shortly after Red X's departure.

 File:Troy-and-Fagin-troy-53657493-500-182.jpg
Tori is also close with Fagin Ford, even though he never told them as much about himself as they would have liked. Fagin helped seek her out when she went on the run and was caught, and constantly stressed over what may have happened to them. Despite this, after they slept with someone else, he became furious, giving them a bad feeling about being his partner and making them question if they could possibly create a healthy romance. While their relationship remained entirely platonic, the two were falsely suspected of being romantically involved by several people.

### Enemies

 File:Felixinfobox.jpg
It is unclear how Tori originally felt about Paul, though it's known that Paul was able to get them close enough to place them under mind control, suggesting they may have been willing to tolerate his company to an extent. Paul became deeply enamored with Tori, and his unhealthy fixation with them grew to the point where he conceived a plan to ensnare her by means of mind control. Paul forced Tori to date him. However, the mind control wore off and Tori came to their senses. Enraged, they left Paul and began dating Stanley. He later antagonized them at school, but Captain Strength forced him to stand down.

Tori Newell grew up being taught that the Legion and those demonic beings who followed him had been horrible forms of life, and generally regarded their memory with contempt. She was greatly upset when he resurfaced, viewing him as a huge threat to Master Intelligence and the Eight Worlds at large and hating him for it. Their hatred of him was exacerbated upon learning that he had personally killed Rose Johannson.

 File:Rose Johannson The Return of the Verasect promotional image.jpg
Tori originally had a good relationship with Rose Johannson. They loved her unconditionally in spite of her immature and cruel tendencies that would sporadically get on their nerves. When they ran away from home, Rose presumably took them in. Rose reciprocates, as she considered Troy to be her best friend. The two did not have contact for short time periods because of Rose's callous wrongdoings, such as the rift following Hell Burnbottom's return. Despite this, Tori later confessed to Captain Strength and Master Intelligence that they found Rose to be extremely attractive, though they did so in an extremely creepy way, citing their sexual attraction to Rose existed *"for complicated reasons"*. Sadly, Tori's unshakeable trust in Rose would be her undoing, as Rose betrayed them to the legal authorities merely because she feared Lincoln Strafford would find Tori the more desirable of the two. This betrayal was something Captain Strength and Titanium Girl later attempted to kill her for. The only thing that stopped them was Master Intelligence, who correctly thought that Tori would not want their "close friends" to become killers just for a generic traitor. Tori later assured Captain Strength that Master Intelligence's belief had been right, saying that they would have saved Rose's life as well. Indeed, they were distraught when Rose was slain by the Umbralord.

### Others

 File:Master Intelligence.png
Tori has a very shaky relationship with the S.M.S.B. S.M.S.B. Grand Master Master Intelligence showed his reluctant care for Tori on several occasions. He was sort of a loving father figure to them. Although he never let himself grow emotionally attached to them, he kept an eye on them and their friends to ensure their safety, although this was also hugely because he strongly liked Crystal. However, Master Intelligence's concern for Tori did not blind him to their misdemeanors around New York. His affection for them even allowed him to forgive them for running away from home and seeking refuge with gangsters. However, he did not hesitate to have them extricated and returned to their parents, while also ensuring they were not arrested, as part of his hero work. He and Captain Strength would discuss them several times to deduce what happened to them; these interactions often helped Master Intelligence understand them better than before and understand why Captain Strength loved them rather than someone who was purer of heart.

Out of all the members of the S.M.S.B., Tori Newell's most complicated relationship appears to be with Captain Strength. When they met, Troy related to his dark sense of humor and lack of fear of saying what he thinks. Captain Strength was apparently very taken with them as soon as they met. When he learned they were in danger, he became extremely concerned, leading him to realize no one had ever made him feel overprotective in such a way before and that it might mean he loves them. Captain Strength vaguely shows his ambitious side in the fact that no other member of a different sex has ever caught his eye before, potentially referencing another part of his identity he had yet to figure out. His mounting fear for their well-being shows that his interest in them was apparently more than just a simple schoolboy crush and can be implied that he genuinely loves them. Even before they knew each other very well, Tori acknowledged them as a true friend and a better one than most others. They began bonding on Independence Day in 2041, at which point they opened up to each other about their backgrounds, even the darker parts, and he tossed her in the air *"like a pizza"* using his super strength, thrilling them.

When he learned Rose Johannson had betrayed Tori Newell, Captain Strength would have killed her had it not been for the intervention of Master Intelligence. He did not see them for months following their final escape, but the two reconnected on Facebook. Captain Strength demonstrated his empathy for her and willingness to confide in her, and while she returned his empathy and in turn showed concern for his well-being, she was not so ready to open up yet. He would demonstrate his empathy for her a second time by convincing Master Intelligence not to visit her and her father, as he, unlike his master, had correctly deduced just how little she wanted company. However, when he learned what they did to Stan and Kalixtus Newell, he became utterly disgusted and helped Stan to whatever he would have to.

 File:Lincoln-SMSB2-Profile.jpg
Tori met Lincoln Strafford once or twice prior to the time he harbored her in his apartment. However, she did not tell him she had fled from her home, so he assumed they had permission to be there. Things took a turn for the worst when Nurse Rose maliciously turned them in and Lincoln learned that he was inadvertently harboring a runaway. Nevertheless, Lincoln had fond memories of his few interactions with them.

 File:SMSB2-Titanium-Girl-12.jpg
Troy forged a strong relationship with Titanium Girl, calling her a "survivor". When she learned Rose Johannson had betrayed Tori, Titanium Girl would have killed her had it not been for the intervention of Master Intelligence, showing just how far their relationship has come, at least on Titanium Girl's side, although she did not hesitate to help Captain Strength and Stan take Kalixtus Newell back so he could be safe in his father's loving arms. Her most strained relationship was with Lindsay Kellerman, who considered her to be an undisciplined and unbalanced roustabout. Despite this, she confessed that they was nicer than most of their friends were. The last time Troy saw her was when she tenderly wiped a tear off their face when they were mourning Rose Johannson, even though Lindsay hated Rose just as much as the rest of the S.M.S.B. did (minus Master Intelligence and Force Baby).

## Behind the scenes

D. Isaac Thomas based Tori Newell very loosely off a peer who felt the same way about him as they did about Captain Strength. While Troy originally had a planned redemption, Thomas decided to scrap said redemption in exchange for making Troy more loathsome by completely deconstructing their tragedy and explaining why it didn't hold up. Thomas has also confirmed that Tori is bipolar, suffers from depression, and has a post-traumatic stress disorder.

## Trivia

* Troy Zonko is never mentioned in the graphic novelization of *S.M.S.B.: Where Are You Now?* nor do they make a physical appearance. They first appear in the graphic novelization of *S.M.S.B.: The Return of the Verasect*, where it is mentioned that they and Captain Strength go back a long way.
* Along with the Commander in Chief, Taylor Avery, and X-JDMT, Troy is the only known character in D.I.T. canon so far to be non-binary, as opposed to being traditionally male or female.
* If Tori was five years old when they were abducted by pedophiles, they would have been a victim of the U.S. Government's neglect of villains that weren't threatening the Eight Worlds at large such as the NoHeads in 2029/30.
* It is not clear exactly how they managed to make her frequent escapes from home, go to school, support their allies, and serve the Mystic Specters simultaneously, but they somehow managed.
* The name "Tori" is short for "Victoria", which quite literally means "victory in war," also the name of the Roman goddess of victory. The Victoria cross is a decoration founded in 1856 by Queen Victoria of Great Britain and awarded for acts of conspicuous bravery in battle.
	+ The name "Troy" is from a surname that originally denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France. This was also the name of the ancient city that was besieged by the Greeks in Homer's *Iliad*.
* The name "Newell" is an English variant of "noel", meaning "Christmas, the Feast of the Nativity".

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `SMSB1`
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `SMSB2`
3. ↑ While Rose joked that she befriended Tori "forever ago, like, Darkening forever ago", it is verified that they have only known each other for two years. 2041-2=2039.
4. ↑ *Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Latest Threat*

Template:D.I.T. Literary Universe