Maxwell Dillion

## Personality

Maxwell Dillon could best be described as a volatile man of radical ends; his personality embodies what it means to swing from one pendulum to the next, as a result of upbringing. Initally, he comes off as a somewhat laid-back and casual man. While he can be difficult to work at times, he usually attempts to remain respectful of his colleagues and superiors. While his laid-back nature means he often can be accused of laziness, he can be dilligent in the task if properly motivated to do so. In fact, some have noted that he can be remarkably intelligent and insightful in certain matters, revealing that while he may not be college educated, he is far from being unintelligent. At the same time, his amicable nature possesses a sort of superficial charm to it; he ultimately comes off as the sort of co-worker one could comfortingly go out with drinks with.

At the same time, it also exposes the sort of unstable person lies underneath the amicable exterior of Dillon. Dillon possesses a temperamental streak born out of an inferiority complex and likely magnified by the accident involving his powers. He desires to be taken seriously, but failed to properly cultivate the mental skills needed to discipline himself and pursue those ambitions. Furthermore, his search for short-term gain and instant gratification leads to him making poor and or reckless decisions for the sake of his goals, usually to attain vast amounts of wealth. Additionally, Dillon's stubborn nature and mercurial nature means that he develops new obsessions based on grudges or those who slighted him in his mind. All of these problematic behaviors stem from a mix of neglect of his self-esteem, leaving him without much drive as an adolescent to swinging toward desperate validation of his capabilities as an adult. It should be noted many of these behavior, albeit present before his accident, became the dominant form of his characte afterwards, implying some legitimate mental damage, including various instances of mania. Overall, Dillion's largest enemy to his ambitions is himself.

## Powers & Abilities

***- Electricity Generation*:** Dillon is able to bodily generate electrostatic energy which he could release or harness for a number of effects. This is the result of the genetic augmentation serum he was given, overcharged with the subsequent accident. His body can generate electricity at a rate of about 10,000 volts per minute, up to his maximum storage capacity of 10,000,000 volts. As he expended the electric energy within, his body began reproducing it to "refill" the amount contained. Dillion is able to control the voltage output, anywhere from a single volt to all of his 10,000,000 volts. He can also use his body as a transformer, touching an outside power source (such as a generator) and channeling it through his body for use. This also grants him a range of additional capabilities:

* ***Lightning Bolt Projection:*** The basic manifestation releasing electricity; emission of a lightning-like electric arc from his extremities, which could propagate through air or other conducting mediums. This discharge, whose total voltage can be regulated within certain limits, travelled at approximately 150,000 feet per second. The course of the electrostatic bolt, like lightning, did not always follow a straight line since it could be influenced by conductors like metal or other electrical fields. The maximum range of his bolts is approximately 100 feet.

* ***Electromagnetic Propulsion**:* Proposultion along the accompanying magnetic lines of force in objects that have great electrical potential, such as high-tension electrical lines. By generating  light, eddying electrical fields around his legs, which developed an intense, opposing magnetic field that could support him above the electric cable's magnetic field, he can create imbalances in his field and he could ride along on magnetic ripples at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour, as any faster could cause problems.

* ***Electrical Detection:*** Able to detect electrical impulses through the air or machinery.

* ***Electrocution:*** The electric flux of Dillon's flesh means that unprotected physical contact could result in electrocution, albeit this is when Dillon is above max capacity of his stored electricity.

* ***Charging/Recharging*:** Dillon can charge himself up to reach high maximum voltage. Additionally, by using an external electrical power source to recharge his body's energy reserves, he could expend electrical energy indefinitely without diminishing his personal reserves.

* ***Electrocution Immunity:*** Dillon's body was immune to the effects of its electricity and that of other sources as well. Hence, Dillon cannot be electrocuted no matter how great the voltage, at least by mundane electricity. Electricity from esoteric sources such as magic may overwhelm him.

## Tools & Equipment

**- *Electrical Containment Apparatus Suit:*** Electro constantly wears a suit that helps control and feedback the electricity circulating through his body, in order to prevent damage to his surroundings and maintain control. The only time Electro can be handled without the suit is when he is "out of juice", i.e. possessing little levels of voltage to harm human beings. This state is usually reached when unconscious. The suit is designed to be relatively easy and practical to remove externally and interally. However, Electro has modified it to be able to refine his electrical capabilities along with being able to go out without wearing the suit for a limited period of time through the apparatus.

## History

### Spark of Trouble

Born in Endicott, New York in 1968, Maxwell Dillon was the first child and only son of Jonathan and Anita Dillon. As a child, Max often moved from one town to the next due to his father Jonathan's difficulty in holding down steady employment. While Jonathan was a capable accountant, his short temper meant he would often be let go due to arguments and disagreements with his co-workers or bosses. Unable to accept his failures, Jonathan would lash out at his wife. At some point, the two would have a little girl, Maxwell Dillon's sister. However, she would be given up to adoption out of their inability to care for her adequately. Shortly thereafter, Jonathan Dillon would abandon his wife and son for another woman. At this time, Anita Dillon changed her approach when dealing with her son. Believing that Maxwell would end up the same sort of belligerent hot-tempered failure as her ex-husband if she did not get involved, she became overprotective of him. Namely, in sheltering him from dangerous activities or manners that could set him off. This also meant curbing any potential risk-taking behaviors.

This began negatively influencing Maxwell's behavior in regards to his work ethic and his ambitions, his mother influencing him not to take risks or forbidding him from doing so.The most prominent example would be when Maxwell would apply for university upon graduating high school with good grades. He was always interested in electricity and expressed a desire to become an electrical engineer. However, out of fear of her son failing and ending up like his father, she would destroy his acceptance letter and lying to him, telling Maxwell that he did not make it in. Instead, she convinced him to take a course in technical course to become a lineman for a more stable career, which he accepted, unaware of his mother's actions.

At the age of 24, Anita Dillon would die from an unknown heart failure, leaving Max without her influence. Using the life insurance money and savings, Maxwell Dillon attempted to build a life for himself. However, the troubles from his parents' raising him would become gradually noticeable over time, namely when it came to his ambitions. He would find a steady job with the local electrical company, even with limited income. He would end up marrying Norma Lynn, a billing clerk at the electric company. Norma bared many differences from Anita; while his mother was a rather quiet and reserved woman, Norma was outspoken and outgoing, being a confidence booster. However, his relationship with his wife possessed one toxic commonality with that of his mother: a fear of failure. However, while Anita reacted to it by trying to shield Maxwell from failure by minimizing risks, Norma meanwhile was open about and her fear of insecurity.However, rather than talking matters out, she would begin lashing out at Max for his lack of ambition and for being a failure despite his talent. Their marriage would crumble in the following months and Norma would leave him for an electrical engineer, stating that he could provide her with the financial security Max couldn't.

### Electro On

His marital failures and the stress caused by a reflection of his life would cause something in Max to snap. He would now go to any lengths to find himself a trophy wife while also securing the gains needed to prove himself that he was not a failure. His relationship with his co-workers deteriorated over time, becoming more demanding of recognition and unwilling to do more than needed unless there was something for him. Around this time though, he began hearing rumors of a way for some easy money. Namely, experiments being done for radical new methods of producing electricity that if successful, would revolutionize the world. Seeing this as his ticket into the big time, he went over to participate. He stood out from the other potentials due to his electrical knowledge. However, even he would be surprised to hear the treatment being to try and produce electricity through genetic modification. Maxwell would be the first subject; being injected with a serum, it would genetically change his body so he could natrually produce cells that certain species used to produce electricity such as electrocytes, electroplaques and electroplaxes, albeit modified for the most potential output. The process would invovle being injected with said serum before before tested in specially treated water.

After being injected, Maxwell would be tested to absorb levels of electricity. Impatient and demanding, he would try going for more, only to trigger a severe electrical accident, resulting in millions of volts of electricity shoved into Max's body. However, the freshly injected and unstable serum would allow Max to absorb the massive amounts of electricity, but then to try and maintain homeostasis, begin releasing them, making Max able to produce vast quantities of electricity. The experiment caused Maxwell to black out and for records of the experiment to be wrecked. Hours later, Maxwell would awaken, with the experiment a surprising success. However, a side effect was the damage done to Max's psyche. All of the pent-up problems have been unleashed and he was more than ready to indulge in them.

However, to control himself, he would end up stealing the electrial containment suit the scientists had left behind, allowing him some control. Ater modifying it more and more, he would go on to make a name for himself, looking for a chance to make some money. His change would come, namely one of the mob offering millions of dollars for the capture of Spider-Man. From the accident would be born ***Electro.***

## Trivia

* As a teenager, Max Dillon assisted a classmate for New York's 1984 pride parade and he notes that around there, he began speculating that he may not be heterosexual given how he would find himself attracted to certain males. He participated in a couple before he married. If asked under truth serum, he would identify as "bicurious."

* Dillon has expressed some interest in reuniting with his sister, if mainly to try and reconnect with the only family member he could try and maintain a positive relationship with.

* Spider-Man was not the only superheroic vilgilante he targeted for. He has also attempted to target the vigilante found in Hell's Kitchen known as Daredevil.

* According to Dillon, he says he heard of the project at a seedy bar where the linemen were known to hang out and when inquired, said that the project had yielded previous successes with genetic augmentation and looking to further push it.

* Despite his periods of mania, Dillon is capable of rational thought and planning, allowing him to work on electrical equipment.

* When asked if Dillon would ever target his wife for leaving him, he actually declined, noting he did not need an unsupportative person in his life and that he would thank her into helping him become the man he is now. He did however take back the engagement ring from her and kept it as a reminder. He had it on him during the experiment as a good luck charm of sorts. The ring was in tact, but the gem seemed to have vanished.

* Dillon remains fond of his mother, unaware of her saboage. In fact, one of his first acts after claiming rudimentary control of his powers was to try and confront his father. While it was never confirmed whether or not Jonathan Dillon was murdered by Max, it was noted he did in fact die of a heart attack.

* His first crime was committing a high-profile bank robbery, namely in the hopes of luring Spider-Man into a trap to deliver him to the mob, allowing him to take the money he stole along with the money granted to him by the mobs. However, he would also discover he was weak to excessive amounts of water, causing him to short-circuit and lose control. This led to his personal vendetta against the Web-Slinger.

* His reasoning for not just offering his services or genetics to governments for power purposes has been varying, but they all have undertones of a desire for respect along with wanting to assert himself. However, many note most organizations are hesitant to deal with an unstable individual such as him.

* During the process that was having him be genetically augmented, there was a delay in examining whether the serum would note. Additionally, some time after, when the notes on how the electrical accident affected him, he got invite to join some sort of "mutant brotherhood", but would be dismissed as he was not a mutant.

* Dillon would be surprised to learn that the project he was involved with got cancelled due to unable to repeat the success. He does not know why he was able to survive this though does not consider it much of an issue.