Gadget

Charlie Philips is a genius who inherited a Lab from his uncle, a Super Villain known as the Lightning Bug. For most of his life Charlie kept his relation to the Lightning bug a secret. He tinkered around in the lab making things that he thought he might one day use to become a superhero, but he was afraid he might turn out to be a villain like his uncle.

## Charlie Philips

### Affiliation

Friends: The Mighty Paladin, Swan Song, Shadow. Mutual Friends: Shelly, Predator, Al, Control Freak, Dr.Wyrd. Romantic Partner: Kathy. Mentors: Mr. Argent, Glumwatch, Captain Kirk.

### Occupation

Captain of the Space Force, Team Gold's former informant and technician

## Backstory

Charlie was often picked on in school but one day he was being threatened by a particularly dangerous group of bullies who had weapons, when Lee Walser came to save him. Lee was badly injured but still won the fight and afterward realized that his wound was healed. Charlie recognized lee because they were in English class together, so he contacted him and offered to help him become a superhero. with Charlie's help, Lee Walser became the Mighty Paladin.

Charlie created all of Paladin's equipment, and then together they started targeting the villains on the Lightning Bug's contacts list. When Paladin introduced Charlie to Swansong, Charlie at first resented Paladin bringing someone else to his secret lab but in no time at all he and Swansong were good friends.

## Gadget

Charlie had changed his mind about becoming a superhero, and was content to stay in the background (where it's safer) helping Paladin and Swansong. but one day a pair of super villains tracked Paladin to Charlie's lab and Charlie put on the equipment he had, and helped in the fight. He immediately took the name Gadget, but still didn't want to become a superhero. It's scary.

When the Vulcan's heroes all disappeared and Mr. Argent called on Swansong to form a rescue team, she recruited Charlie as Gadget. After the mission, his girlfriend, Kathy told him how proud she was of him for being so brave and from that moment on Charlie was determined to keep being a superhero.

## Magic

When Paladin & Swansong were forced to play Eris's Golden Apple game, Charlie knew they were going to need magical help to compete, or even to survive, so he went online and looked up a famous wizard, Dr. Wyrd to ask for his help. Charlie was at the same time terrified and fascinated by magic. When Dr. Wyrd proved to be helpful and friendly Charlie asked him to teach him magic. Dr. Wyrd could see Charlie's potential and agreed to teach him a simple and useful translation spell. Charlie was a gifted and eager student, and at the end of the Golden Apple Contest, Paladin and Swansong gave him a piece of the Golden Apple, so Dr. Wyrd recommended Gadget to study in the Florentine School of Wizardry in Italy and he was accepted as a student.

## As a Starship Captain

During what is known as the space war, Charlie took command of a starship that was far beyond the technology of earth. The ship was later given to him by the Ragian Queen making Charlie officially a starship captain. Upon returning to earth he was careful to keep his ship in orbit so it wouldn't be confiscated by the government. Since the government needed help with the war, they recruited Charlie into Space Force, giving him the rank of Captain. Charlie was given a crash course in Naval protocol and strategy, and sent on his maiden voyage to rescue people captured by the Wiggums and return them to Earth. Charlie was accompanied on this mission by a scout ship from the Ragian Empire, several Virumar Knights, and of course Team Gold. Charlie and his crew proved to be capable but this was his last mission as a member of Team Gold. After this he and his crew continued on to liberate the Tripus from the Wiggums ending the war, while the rest of Team Gold returned to Earth to continue working as superheroes for ASHO.

Charlie is still friends with Paladin and the rest of team Gold and every day teleports to earth for a few hours to continue his studies at the Wizard Academy. He helped Team Gold track down a group of Super Villains who kidnapped a Giant Space whale (an Aspidochelone). He defended the earth from an alien warship determined to destroy it, and he helped to end a war on planet Gran.

## Special Abilities

When Charlie first became a Superhero, he didn't have any powers, just hi-tech equipment. later he ate a piece of a Golden apple and gained the power to understand all languages (which kind of annoyed him because he had just spent several days learning a translation spell). He also gained immunity to poison, and disease and he no longer needs to eat or breathe.

Later Charlie ate a whole Norse Golden Apple and gained the power to control technology and summon his equipment. He can also see magic with his blue eye. Finally he became immortal. That doesn't mean he can't be killed, but he doesn't age and won't die naturally. Also he will, in time, recover from any injury that doesn't kill him.

Charlie has learned several useful spells, including a flying spell a n eldritch bolt and an invisibility spell. Since we don't see him much any more. he's probably learned a lot of other spells that we don't know about.

## Hi-Tech Equipment

When Charlie first became Gadget, he use the Lightning Bug's gun that fired huge blasts of ball lightning. He also had a very fast jet pack, night vision goggles and a protective suit. Later he swapped out the jet pack for wings, that were not as fast but much more maneuverable and used less expensive fuel. He swapped the lightning gun for some lighter smaller wristbands that fired lasers. On at least one occasion Charlie used a wand that fired magic missiles. Charlie and his crew use the same Tripus Phones that Team Gold uses.

Charlie's First Spaceship was original the Galactic Arena from the show Galactic Deathmatch which is broadcast to half the galaxy by subspace communications. The ship was captured by the Wiggums them taken by Team Gold. It was then officially given to Charlie by the Ragian queen, and renamed The Galactic Explorer. The Galactic Explorer was damaged beyond repair in a battle with a Group of supervillains called the Octagon. But the Octagon had a ship that Team Gold took over and gave to Charlie. This ship is an old decommissioned warship from the Ragian Empire, that had become part of a collection. Although outdated by Ragian standards, it's still far beyond anything on Earth, and proved to be more than a match for a warship from the Republic of Entire.

## Paladin Universe

Charlie is also the host of the show Paladin Universe