Warden

## **The Warden**/Jared Best

Jared is one of the central protagonists in the Vigilantes series. By day, Jared appears to be the unassuming owner of a small comic book shop in Sutton, South London. But he secretly spends his nights as the violent vigilante known as Warden, taking justice into his own hands.

### Background

Jared grew up in Sutton where he spent much of his youth in the comic book store owned by his late Uncle Stan. Stan entertained Jared with superhero stories and fanciful tales of vigilantism. The two would craft homemade costumes and weapons, while Stan taught Jared martial arts in the store's basement lair.

After his parents died, Jared's Uncle Stan raised him and eventually left him the comic book shop when he passed away. The store became Jared's livelihood, but it also allowed him to continue using it as a secret base. Jared turned the basement lair into a small-scale command centre filled with computers, weapons, experimental gadgets, and shelves holding Stan's comic book collection.

By day, Jared is a friendly face at the comic shop, welcoming customers and hosting gaming events. At night, he undergoes intense physical training in Krav Maga, Muay Thai, jiujitsu, and other martial arts to prepare himself for becoming a vigilante.

### Becoming Warden

Jared crafted a special armoured costume and arsenal of unique weaponry concealed within the comic shop. After seeing corruption and drugs pollute his city, Jared takes on his vigilante persona "**Warden**" to violently confront criminals the police fail to stop.

His first act as Warden is to brutally beat several Everhigh drug dealers to send a warning message. This crucible sets forth a series of escalating vigilantism that attracts other citizens to follow Jared's lead.

Warden is recognizable by his ominous black armoured suit with a long leather jacket. He wears a menacing mask and uses a voice modulator to conceal his true identity when speaking. Jared customized pragmatic weapons like grappling guns, smoke bombs, throwing blades, batons, and stun gloves to incapacitate enemies.

By adopting the alter ego Warden, Jared can unleash his rage against the city's criminals and corruption while keeping his day identity completely separate. He viciously hunts drug dealers, traffickers, and mobsters - leaving a trail of broken bones and bodies.

### Partnerships and Rivalries

As Warden, Jared develops uneasy alliances with fellow violent vigilantes like **Dennis/Black Sheriff**, **Victoria/Lemon**, and **The Janitors**. But he declines to join their team in favour of working alone.

Jared pursues an antagonistic rivalry with crime lord Joseph Angel, seeking to destroy Angel's drug and trafficking empire. He partners with Lemon and Orange to finally take down Angel in a bloody warehouse confrontation.

### Legacy

Warden becomes a feared but celebrated figure among the city's citizens who feel failed by the actual justice system. To the police, he is a dangerous and unlawful vigilante needing to be arrested.

Jared continues his double life, running his comic shop in Sutton by day under his real identity. By night as Warden, he inflicts harsh justice upon the city's most wicked criminals and corrupt elements. Though satisfied fulfilling his vigilante purpose, Jared struggles to reconnect with his lost humanity and relationships.