Joe Underwood

**Vice-Admiral Josephus VI Winters Underwood** (1918 -) is one of the deuteragonist of the series. He was Ryōsuke's playmate and caretaker overtime, during WW2 he was only Caucasian Admiral of Japanese Imperial Navy and associated to captain Yamagata Takeo, during Pacifica Theater in 1940s.

## Etymology

* **Josephus** is a variant of the Hebrew name Joseph, meaning "God will add" or "God increases." It has biblical roots and is associated with the story of Joseph in the Old Testament, who became a powerful figure in Egypt.
* "**Joe**" is a common English diminutive of Joseph, used to create a more informal and familiar form of address.
* **Winters** is a surname that likely originated as a patronymic, indicating a connection to an ancestor named Winter. The surname may have been derived from the Old English word "winter," meaning the season, or from a personal name such as Wintra. It could also represent someone who lived in a place associated with winter or had qualities associated with the season.
* **Underwood** is another surname with English origins, often referring to someone who lived near or beneath a wooded area. It may have originated from the Old English words "under," indicating a lower position, and "wudu," meaning a wood or forest. Alternatively, it could suggest someone who resided near a particular estate or manor called Underwood.

## Biography

### Early life

Joe Underwood was born on April 5th, 1918, and grew up on a larger cottage plantation in Alabama. His parents were Madeline Underwood, a stage actor, and Josephus V Underwood, the owner of the plantation. Joe had a younger sister named Annie Underwood. Being the grandson of Confederate vice-admiral, Josephus IV Woodstock (1801 - 1868), Joe developed a dream of becoming a circus ringmaster because his family would attend the circus every Christmas to watch the performers. However, his father wanted him to take over the plantation, so he rejected Joe's dream, Joe had a close relationship with his busy nephew, Dr. Underwood (Sledge Underwood), who was involved in Chaoxiang Lee Zhang's exploration of gender identity ideology through the OG Organization in the 1920s. This ideology was also practiced by Joe and his family, In 1927, Joe found himself in his uncle's hospital, where both his sister and he were undergoing treatment for chickenpox. It was during this time that he first encountered Chaoxiang, who bore visible stitches on his back, evidence of being subjected to experiments conducted by scientists from the OG Organization, Throughout his stay at the hospital, Joe made a conscious effort to avoid any interaction with Chaoxiang. However, he couldn't shake the persistent feeling of being watched. On one occasion, while standing outside his sister's room, he couldn't resist the urge to glance over his shoulder. In that moment, Joe caught sight of Chaoxiang's piercing gaze fixed upon him. The intensity of the stare sent a shiver down his spine, causing him to swiftly turn away, his heart pounding in his chest, Unbeknownst to Joe, Chaoxiang had noticed his deliberate avoidance and had silently observed him from a distance. While Chaoxiang understood Joe's apprehension, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the missed opportunity for connection. As Joe and Annie were being prepared to leave the hospital by their mother, who had returned from her stage performance, Chaoxiang quietly watched as they departed. With a smile, he waved his hand in farewell, silently wishing them well.

In 1929, Joe's life took a dramatic turn when his parents went through a difficult divorce. The separation not only impacted him emotionally but also resulted in him and his father being separated from his mother and sister. This sudden change deeply affected Joe, as he struggled to make sense of the situation and cope with the aftermath of his parents' separation, Despite the challenges, Joe's father played a significant role in his life during this time. Instead of forcing Joe to bear the burden of the divorce, his father took it upon himself to shield his son from the blame and guilt. He made sure to reassure Joe that the separation was not his fault and that he was not responsible for his parents' decision, To help alleviate Joe's distress, his father frequently took him to places where they could spend quality time together and occasionally meet with Joe's little sister, Annie. These outings were intended to uplift Joe's spirits and provide a sense of normalcy amidst the turmoil. By engaging in these activities, Joe's father aimed to bring some joy and cheer into his son's life during this challenging period, Meanwhile, Joe's life continued to unfold as he embarked on a journey of his own. As he grew older, he found solace in taking driving tests, a significant step toward independence and adulthood. It was during this time that Joe developed a crush on a red-haired girl named Diara from his school. Although his personal life had its fair share of challenges, Joe managed to navigate through them and find moments of happiness and fulfillment.

In 1929, 11-year-old Joe was working on his homework when his father received a call from his brother, asking if Joe could stay with him in Louisiana for three weeks. During this time, Joe would be a playmate for a girl named Jane, while his father went on vacation and cancelled the nanny. Joe's father explained that he would be in Louisiana with his uncle, giving Joe the opportunity to visit his uncle's impressive Creole architecture house. It had been years since they had seen each other, as Joe's father had been dating a woman named Sally Franklin in Mississippi, who would soon become Joe's stepmother, During his stay in Louisiana, Joe was surprised to encounter someone dressed in a blue girl's uniform named Chaoxiang, who he initially mistook for a girl. As Joe bowed to her and kissed her hand, he realized that Chaoxiang was actually a boy with a feminine appearance. Joe found this confusing and considered Chaoxiang to be mentally unstable. He frequently questioned his uncle about this, who explained that Chaoxiang was exploring gender identity and that his behavior was part of the human experience. Joe's uncle brought him in as a playmate and caretaker for Chaoxiang, who wanted to see Joe again, which made Joe even more nervous, Despite his reservations, Joe reluctantly went along with Chaoxiang's beliefs and desires, keeping his discomfort hidden and remaining loyal to his uncle. Joe's uncle instructed him to keep Chaoxiang happy by engaging in imaginative games like cowboys and princesses, and by keeping their activities private when Chaoxiang dressed as a girl. Joe's uncle often bought Chaoxiang toys, ice cream, and candies as privileges from an organization called OG. While Joe felt deeply uncomfortable in this role, he played along to prevent Chaoxiang from experiencing further distress, As time went on, Joe made a shocking discovery: his uncle was using Chaoxiang for horrific human experiments to pursue his own scientific conclusions. This revelation shook Joe to his core, but he continued to follow his uncle's orders and support Chaoxiang in their exploration of gender identity, with the hope of helping fix Chaoxiang's mental health through science.

One day, while watching the black and white film "Alice in Wonderland," Chaoxiang revealed a secret to Joe. She claimed to be the illegitimate child of the Chinese emperor and suggested they run away together to fulfill Joe's dreams, without telling anyone, including his uncle. Joe was shocked by Chaoxiang's words but dismissed them as a playful joke, even though Chaoxiang seemed serious. Meanwhile, Chaoxiang squeezed the box of popcorn, distracting Joe from the movie, On Chaoxiang's 11th birthday, she excitedly dressed up in an Alice in Wonderland costume inspired by the movie they had watched. With a burst of energy, Chaoxiang ran and jumped as if she could touch the sky, landing gracefully on the table. The scientists and Joe, wearing masks of animals from the movie, watched with amusement. Chaoxiang playfully ordered one of the scientists to jump on top of the others, while Joe eagerly carried her through the birthday cake. However, in an unexpected twist, Joe stumbled and fell to the ground, causing everyone to burst into laughter, Meanwhile, Dr. Underwood, who had planned a testing experiment for Chaoxiang, observed the chaos with a stern expression. Chaoxiang, not wanting to miss out on her birthday celebration, pleaded with Dr. Underwood to let her stay and wait, emphasizing that it was her special day. Despite her pleas, Dr. Underwood remained firm and insisted that she go for the testing, warning that he would cancel the birthday party if she didn't follow his orders, In a heartwarming gesture, Joe, recognizing the importance of Chaoxiang's birthday, made the decision to stand by her side and support her. Together, they faced Dr. Underwood, with Chaoxiang reluctantly agreeing to go for the testing while Joe stood quietly beside her, offering his unwavering support, Over an hour later, as the night fell, Joe patiently waited at the door, holding a slice of Chaoxiang's birthday cake. When Chaoxiang finally emerged from the door, lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Joe standing there. Walking in silence, her mood seemed shaken. Sensing her distress, Joe hurriedly approached her, holding out the slice of cake adorned with a flickering candle. With a warm smile, he lit the candle and encouraged Chaoxiang to blow it out, hoping to bring a glimmer of joy back to her birthday celebration.

## Trivia

* Joe Underwood's character's desingn was bears a strong resemblance to the real-life American actor Joseph Mazzello who played as Pfc./Cpl. Eugene B. "Sledgehammer" Sledge is the main character of the Pacific miniseries.
	+ Like character Joe and Eugene B. Sledgehammer they originated in Alabama.
	+ Both are grandchildren of Confederate soldiers during civil war.
* A common stereotype is that the Azumabitos are sensitive to the smell of money