Simon Z.

## Simon the Canaanean

Simon

*"Jesse, when you stand on two feet, I will know the Messiah has come. I will fight for the freedom of Zion in order to see that day. I stand by it."*
―Simon to Jesse.[src]
**Simon the Canaanean**, also known as **Simon the Zealot** and nicknamed **Simon Z.** or **Zee**, was a former Zealot and became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.

## Biography

### Early Life

Simon son of Zebulon was born in Ashkelona. Simon's mother died in childbirth, so Simon was taken care of by his father and brother, Jesse, who was a paralytic. When he was a young boy, his father remarried. He grew to deeply love his stepmother, however he spent most his time with his brother. In Hebrew School, Simon read the prophecies of Zephaniah and the other prophets. When he was a teenager, he spent more time with Jesse and took the responsibility of carrying him around in a cart.

One day Simon witnessed a roman soldier brutally beat down a Jew. All his life Simon had seen the Romans treat his people like dogs, but that experience planted something in his heart. Anger and hatred grew in his heart, so when he heard about the Fourth Philosophy, the Zealots, he could not stop thinking about the order. Eventually, Simon found some other teenagers who knew where the closest Zealot stronghold was. Against his brothers wishes, Simon left in the middle of the night leaving Jesse only a note. He wrote:

*"By the time you read this, I will be halfway to the mountains to join the Zealots of the Fourth Philosophy, in the spirit of our great King David who sang: 'Zeal for your house has consumed me'. And from Zephaniah, 'Behold, at that time, I will deal with all your oppressors. I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.' Jesse, when you stand on two feet, I will know the Messiah has come. I will fight for the freedom of Zion in order to see that day."*

### The Zealots

For several years Simon trained in combat and other arts he would need to use while under the Order. He was declared a Zealot and travelled with other Zealots across Israel, immersing himself in the Fourth Philosophy. For almost twenty years, Simon infiltrated, spied on, and sabotaged the Roman occupation. He never failed a mission he was assigned; his intelligence and devotion to the Order gained him the respect of those above him in rank.

Simon travelled to Jerusalem every year to observe the Feasts. When he heard his father had died, he travelled back to his hometown of Ashkelona for his father’s funeral. At the ceremony, Simon’s uncle, Ram, told him Jesse was at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. Each time Simon travelled to Jerusalem, he was tempted to see his brother, but he was not allowed to go to the Pool, due to its pagan history. When he was in his mid-thirties, he was sent to study and train under a well-respected rabbi. This rabbi (who is never named) oversaw Simon’s training for three years.

After being promoted, Simon’s first mission was to assassinate a Roman Magistrate, Rufus. By killing him, suspicion would be cast on the High Priest, Caiaphas, who would thereby be arrested. The Zealots hated Caiaphas’ allowance of the occupation, and this would change things. This mission would be the first time Simon would take a life. He travelled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles and met with a team of Zealots who had been tracking Rufus’ movements for the past two months. The assassination would be right after Shabbat; they would distract Rufus with a fire and Simon would slit his throat. Knowing that if he was caught, he would be executed, maybe even crucified, Simon decided he needed to say goodbye to Jesse one last time. After telling Jesse goodbye, Jesse begged Simon to not kill the Roman. Simon’s plan went exactly as planned, however as Simon took out his dagger, he realized Rufus also had a dagger. He looked down the street and saw Jesse walk past him. Simon forgot about the mission and went after his brother, by failing his mission, Simon was banished from the Order.

### Following the Messiah

#### Tracking Jesus

Jesse told Simon a man and his followers approached him and healed him. After hugging his brother, Simon went back to the Pool to investigate. He spent the next few days tracking the man, who he learned was named Jesus, to the outskirts of Jericho. Getting ready for the day, Simon found a demoniac wandering the wilderness. The man asked Simon to kill and end his suffering. Simon knew his body was temporal and the demon would go on passing through the waterless places to someone else. Since the man was strong enough to have lucid moments it was safest in him. The demoniac then tells Simon: "It [the demon] has a bad feeling about you."

#### Meeting Jesus

Simon found Jesus later that day speaking with John the Baptizer, a rogue preacher who has travelled Israel teaching repentance of sin for the last few years. Simon finds their camp and watches with confusion, expecting Jesus' followers to be warriors. Then demoniac from earlier attacks the people in the camp, so Simon decides to fight the demoniac off. He is pinned and then hears Jesus shout "Out of him!" and suddenly the man falls over. Simon is shocked to see that Jesus casted out the demon and Jesus formally introduces himself. Jesus takes Simon to the Jordan River and disarms him of his dagger, telling Simon He has a bigger sword. Jesus tells Simon He does not want him for his specials skills because He has everything He needs. That evening, Simon accompanies Jesus to tell the Baptizer goodbye. That night, Simon meets Simon (the unofficial leader when Jesus is not around), Thomas, Nathanael, Ramah. Other Simon realizes that the other woman, Mary, is missing, so he and a follower named Matthew leave to find her. Simon introduces himself to the others: James the Less, Thaddeus, Phillip, James the Great, John, and Andrew.

#### Protecting the Camp

Simon takes him upon himself to be the groups primary protector. He stays awake watching the fire until everyone else is asleep and he makes sure to wake up early so nothing happens to anyone. Thomas tells him that they are running out of food and then Phillip returns from Jerusalem with news that John the Baptizer has been arrested by Harod and sentenced to life imprisonment. Later that mourning, the other Simon and Matthew come back with Mary. The groups goes to Wati Kelt to get food and Simon decides to watch over the camp. They come back with tons of corn grains and news. Jesus preformed a miracle at the local synagogue, healing a man with a withered hand. Afterwards the Pharisees and got mad and He claimed the title: Son of Man.

### Apostleship

#### Mourning Big James

Around fourteen years after Jesus' resurrection, James the Great is killed with the sword by King Herod Agrippa. Simon and the other disciples travel to Jerusalem to sit Shiva to mourn James. John takes this time to interview everyone who was there during Jesus' ministry.

## Appearances

* *Season Two*
	+ *The Perfect Opportunity*
	+ *Spirit*
	+ *Unlawful*
	+ *Reckoning*
	+ *Beyond Mountains*