Bennett Coleback (Gorgon)

> *"Did you try and hit me with a car?! ... I could've died!"*
> -Gorgon, after saving Pickpocket's life
>
>

Bennett Coleback is a member of a top-secret villain gang while also attempting to juggle his first relationship. The longer he's around his bubbly new girlfriend, the more he's noticing the flaws in his boss's plan for total domination.

## Relationships

### Friends

Amaris MccarthyClaira Pryor, Kiko Saito, Mother (boss/foster mom)

### Biography/Backstory

#### Childhood

Bennett's mother died a few days after she gave birth to him, leaving him with his alcoholic dad in the dirtiest part of the city. Because of his circumstances and the neglect from his father, Bennett grew up angry at everyone, instigating fistfights and often getting sent home from school. The one highlight of his childhood, however, was when he was 15; he had saved up enough money to buy himself a drum set, the first present he'd ever gotten.

#### Discovering Abilities

When Bennett was in his senior year of high school, he first discovered his powers after a boy at school swung at him from behind. Bennett caught his hand in a split-second and watched in disgust and slight fascination as poison seemingly came from his sleeves and melted the flesh off of his classmate's hand. Bennett was then suspended from school, and his father's ignorance turned to flat-out avoidance. Bennett grew even more bitter and threw all of his father's liquors into a pool of poison he had conjured up, then burned a message reading "SO LONG" into the wall. He ran away from home soon after.

#### Knights of the Underground

After a couple months of living on the streets, Bennett met Claira Pryor, who was worried that he was living homeless and alone in L'manburg. He tried to convince her he didn't need handouts, but upon almost hitting her with poison after waving his hands in the air, she recognized he had powers and invited him to join their group of villains. She promised revenge on the world that hurt him and safe shelter from the elements, and Bennett reluctantly agreed. He discovered the hidden base of the Knights of the Underground and the three others that lived there: Kamiko Saito, Amaris Mccarthy, and an intimidating older woman they called Mother. Despite his aversion to joining at first, he soon found a family in the below-ground band of misfits. Here, he donned the mantle of Gorgon and trained for years before finally beginning their plan for citywide devastation.

#### Pickpocket

Two years after his partner had killed the famed hero Picture Perfect, Gorgon was sent out to rob a major bank and vandalize the area with the KU logo. This was the first time he faced off against vigilante Pickpocket, the interdimensional heroine with pink hair and an attitude. After several battles against each other, they made a mutually unspoken agreement that they were essentially nemeses. Also around this time, Bennett met insomniac college student Lee Mirai when she helped him find a book for Amaris. He gave her his number that day, and they've had several conversations and one official date since. On their first date, Bennett panicked and told Lee he raced motorcycles. He is extremely afraid of Lee finding out he's a villain, as she's the first one he's ever felt romantically about before, despite his friends' relentless taunting.

### Powers

Poison Manipulation: Bennett can conjure and control an acidic, opaque, green liquid that destroys anything it touches, including flesh. Summoning amounts of poison larger than a small car are next to impossible are drain his energy.

### Relationships

#### Amaris Mccarthy

Amaris is the closest in age to Bennett, and the two are best friends. They constantly harass and bully each other because of this. Currently, Amaris is the only one who knows about Lee. Amaris is likely the closest thing Bennett has had to a sibling.

#### Kiko Saito

Kiko is like a younger sister to Bennett, and even though he makes fun of her sometimes, he really cares for her. Kiko is the only one to have seen Pickpocket and Gorgon together.

#### Claira Pryor

Bennett isn't as close to Claira as he is with Amaris, but he respects her and cares for her. She resembles an older sister figure, and he's glad Claira brought him to the KU. He'd never say that to her face, though.

#### Lee Mirai

Bennett is very fond of Lee, but he's not sure how to go about dating her and is afraid of screwing up. He reminds him of something or someone that he can't place. So far, his great foolproof dating strategy is to buy her whatever she wants and hope she doesn't think he's flexing his wealth.

#### Mother

Bennett has always been slightly creeped out by Mother, but he respects her like a boss all the same. Sometimes, her plans worry him a little.

#### Pickpocket

Bennett finds Pickpocket extremely annoying, and is also suspicious of the fact that she's supposedly an adult. Regardless, a part of him deep down likes the idea of having an archnemesis. It's mostly the annoyance, hate, and frustration though.

#### Douglas Coleback

Bennett hates his dad. A large part of him hopes Douglas is dead. He is confident that he will never return to his old house.

#### Bennett's Mother

Bennett never knew his mom. Maybe he wishes he did.