Cannon
(Mitchell Saunders)
Context
Cannon first appeared in 1993, early during the emergence of Image as a comics publisher. He is :
- Particularly generic in terms of appearance, powers, characterisation, role.
- Very clearly a product of the early 1990s – the “guns and pouches Age”.
So if you need a feller who just fits the archetype, he’s a nice choice.
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Background
- Real Name: Mitchell Saunders.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: StormWatch 2.
- Base Of Operations: Skywatch.
- Height: 6’3” Weight: 190 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Blond
Powers and Abilities
Cannon is a seedling (mutant), abel to project devastating plasma beams. He can also use these projection to propel him and fly at high speeds.
History
During the early 1990s, Cannon was appointed field leader of StormWatch 2. The other member of this response team were Fahrenheit, Lancer and Ion.
Howbeit, his first mission in Chernobyl nuclear plant was a catastrophic failure. Ion and Lancer were KIA. Fahrenheit and Winter (who was accompanying them due to his energy absorption power) were captured. Saunders barely made it out with the help of Winter.
He was given a second opportunity to command a team for a civilians rescue mission in Rwanda. But facing the atrocities of the opposing factions, he lost his self control. Were it not for Diva getting in the way, he would have executed the soldiers.
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Maverick
Afterward, he was never given command again. Instead, he was sent as support fire complement with Fahrenheit. During various missions, he showed little respect for authority and usually tried to fight on his own, leading his team in perilous situations.
All this cost him the leadership of StormWatch 1 after Battalion’s death. At this time, he was having a relationship with Diva. Saunders really disliked when she was appointed to the position he thought was rightfully his. So he resigned.
After a short personal crusade against Gamorra’s Hunter-Killers’ facilities, he was contacted by Winter to participate in an action to prevent a coup by a communist faction in ex-USSR.
When Bendix reorganized the teams after the ’Fire From Heaven’ episode, he was evicted. Afterward, we only saw him battling Grifter while Cannon was trying to infiltrate a arms dealing network.
Description
Cannon he’s a well built male with long blond hair, he wears in a pony tail, and blue eyes. He proudly wears a ’Stars and Stripes’ sticker on his StormWatch uniform.
Personality
Cannon was an American patriot, who always tried to do the right thing. But his temper and gung ho attitude always got him — and his teammates — into trouble. He can be an effective team-player as long as he has a strong leader in charge (like Battalion), but he is no leader himself.
All this recklessness is the cause of is eviction of commanding position first, and of StormWatch next. His American patriotism was surely another argument for Bendix evicting him, as the relations between the US and the UN went sour. StormWatch and the USA were to clash more than once during the following years
Quotes
“Piece of cake, Weatherman. And I’ll still make it back with enough time to bail out Battalion !”
DC Universe History
See other StormWatch writeups.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Cannon
| Dex: 07 | Str: 04 | Bod: 06 | Motivation: Seeking Justice |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 04 | Min: 05 | Occupation : StormWatch Officer |
| Inf: 06 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 07 | Resources {or Wealth} : 010 |
| Init: 017 | HP: 030 |
Powers:
Energy Blast: 11, Flight: 09
Advantages:
Credentials (UN, Medium), Iron Nerves.
Connections:
StormWatch (High), Flashpoint (High).
Drawbacks:
Serious Rage, SIA (Diva, before her death), Guilt (after Diva’s death).
Source of Character: Images Comics (Wildstorm Universe).
Helper(s): Philip Mason.