Ben Santini
(Profile #1 - I.O.)
Context
Santini is a Wildstorm Comics character. He appeared early during the history of Image Comics – late 1992, in an early WildCATs issue.
This first profile covers his appearances during the 1990s. He doesn’t have a tonne of appearances back then. But he’s an important part of the espionage and black ops subplots revolving around International Operations. I.O. is a Big Evil CIA analogue, and features in the biography of many Image characters back then.
You can also read the International Operations organisation profile for even more context.
Background
- Real Name: Benito Santini.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: IO.
- Base Of Operations: IO bases.
- Height: 6’ Weight: 185lbs.
- Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
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Powers and Abilities
Ben Santini’s IO training make him skilled in all forms of combat, conversant with most modern weapons, and combat-rated with most vehicles.
He also wields advanced Black Razor gear.
History
After years of arduous training and numerous covert missions, Ben Santini rose to become one of I.O.’s top operatives. He was a member of Director of Operations John Lynch’s personal Black Razor unit. But when WildCATs founder Jacob Marlowe put a bullet through Santini’s knee during a battle, his Black Razor career seemed to be at an end.
Crippled by the injury, Santini refused to accept a desk job. He opted instead to undergo a series of experimental operations to replace his shattered knee. The operations proved successful, but even with his pain tolerance field operations with the prostheses weren’t reasonable.
When Lynch unexpectedly resigned from IO, Santini was chosen to replace him as Director of Operations. He has since then struggled to prove himself worthy of the job in the face of the scepticism from his own men. To compensate for this, he adopted a policy of regularly going in the field with his former teammates, to show them they could still trust him.
He showed them that, while not being Lynch, he had something different to bring them, something as valuable as Lynch’s leadership and experience.
Once that trust was granted, he avoided the field to spare his knee. Later on, he was even appointed interim Director of I.O., replaced at this office by Ivana Baiul.
But Baiul was very unpopular within I.O.. Therefore, Santini and a couple of fellow I.O. executives attempted to blackmail her to have her let go of her new position. They used material from a video footage taken during a raid of DV8 on a CIA base.
The further adventures
Santini’s career during the early 2000s, primarily with Stormwatch: Team Achilles, is described in the second half of our Santini profile.
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Description
See illustrations.
Personality
Santini believes in the protective mission of I.O. When Ivana Baiul was appointed Director, and in spite of the mistrust he has for her and her methods, he held to his post.
He is a practising Roman Catholic, confessing regularly to his parish’s priest. Nevertheless, he never confides to the church the secrets whereabouts of his job.
He is the kind of leader that places the loyalty of his troops above any other asset. To earn that loyalty, he’s ready to go on the field with them. Even if his position doesn’t require him to do so and in spite of the pain his knee inflicts to him after it.
When first in a commanding position, he suffered much from the comparison with his predecessor, John Lynch, as IO’s Director of Operations. But after the first assignment, to expose an impostor in the ranks of the WildCATs, he proved, the hard way, to his hierarchy and to his subordinates than he was the man for any situation.
Such dedication valued him to be appointed Interim Director of IO.
Though he started as a pure man of action, his commanding positions in I.O. provided him with manipulative skills and opportunities to use them. The latest to date was the blackmail attempt made toward Ivana Baiul.
Quotes
“I can’t tell you everything. My life. What I do. I know, this is a confessional, but nevertheless… If I told you all the details I’d have to have you killed.”
“Yeah, well, now I see the difference… Big time, I see it. The difference between me and Lynch. He wasn’t a Black Razor.”
DC Universe History
In the DCU, Santini would simply a high-ranking member of the DEO, under the command of Sarge Steel.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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Ben Santini
| Dex: 06 | Str: 04 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Responsibility of Power |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 05 | Min: 05 | Occupation: IO Elite Trooper |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 04 | Resources {or Wealth}: 007 |
| Init: 017 | HP: 020 |
Skills:
Charisma: 05, Martial Artist: 05, Military Science: 06, Medicine (First Aid): 03, Thief: 05, Vehicles (Air, Land, Water)*: 06, Weaponry*: 06
Advantages:
Expertise (Military protocols and equipment), Military Rank (Captain), Credentials (IO, Medium ; U.S. Government, Low), Leadership.
Connections:
IO (Low), Black Razors (High).
Drawbacks:
MPR (pain in the knee during prolonged exertion).
Equipment:
- BLACK RAZOR ARMOR [/STR/ 05 /BODY/ 08, Radio Communication (Scrambled): 10, Ultra Vision: 05, Sealed System: 08, Ultra vision (Low-light vision only): 05].
- Plasma Gun [BODY 05, Energy Blast: 06, R#2].
- Occasional Tangle Gun [BODY 05, Snare: 06, R#2].
- Occasional EMP Grenade [BODY 04, Neutralize (Gadgets): 15 (Area effect), Grenade Drawback].
Helper(s): Wildstorm universe sourcebook.
Source of Character: Wildstorm Universe.