Epsilon Red
Context
Epsilon Red (though I guess I could write it Ε, oh oh oh) is a minor Wolverine character and ex-cosmonaut.
He first appeared in 1993, then in a 1997/98 Maverick story.
This profile is best read after the Elena Ivanovna character profile, which has the context.
Advertisement
Background
- Real Name: Ivan (patronymic and family name unrevealed).
- Known Relatives: Wife (name unrevealed, deceased), Elena Ivanovna (daughter).
- Group Affiliation: Former KGB agent.
- Base Of Operations: Tyuratam Space Center, Siberia.
- Height: 5’11” (1.80m). Weight: 190 lbs. (86 Kg.).
- Eyes: Blue. Hair: Blond.
Powers and Abilities
Epsilon Red is a highly trained cosmonaut, which implies a solid background in science and technology.
He also was selected for his psionicPsionics are sci-fi style psychic powers potential. Said psi ability, once fully activated :
- Made him a low-powered but skilled telepath.
- Allowed him to telepathically animate the four hose-like “tentacles” attached to the back of his suit.
He once made his entrance by detonating a door to bits – but never tried to blast anybody. Our game stats assume there are reasons for that.
Spaceman
Epsilon Red was further modified so he could live in a vacuum. And his supple extra limbs made him a natural in weightless conditions.
However, this meant that the Earth’s atmosphere was like the depths of the oceans for him. He had to wear a bulky containment suit. Said suit was later modified into a much sleeker, lighter costume.
While he has a superhuman body and is courageous, Epsilon Red is a super-cosmonaut. Not a super-death-machine of mass destruction, like the later Omega Red. He fights if necessary, but if faced with superior force he has little choice but to retreat.
However, he will then attempt a quick ambush on his pursuers – using his mobility and climbing ability to his advantage.
History
See the History section for Elena Ivanovna.
What happened to Epsilon Red after he hijacked the space shuttle is unrevealed. Yet several interesting opportunities come to mind.
The most pedestrian would be for him to hire his services as a satellite repairman, paid in supplies and spare parts.
Description
The images are of his 1990s costume.
Personality
In 1968, his full transformation into Epsilon Red was likely recent. As a consequence, he was suicidally depressed over his life as a prisoner of his containment suit.
It is likely that, at this point, he had learned that he would not beat the Americans to the Moon. Which meant that his project was basically shelved. Which meant all the modifications he had endured were for nothing.
Still, his beloved wife strongly objected to those feelings. She maintained there was hope beyond her husband’s despair.
Later on
By 1992, he was well over those feelings. He accepted his fate as a debris of a dream that had failed long ago.
He appeared to be mostly concerned with raising his daughter. It seems likely that, when she became an adult, he was the one who trained her in the use of her psi powers.
Still, with Elena a grown woman, he longed to leave Earth. To finally accomplish his mission and live where he belonged — in space.
During the 1960s he sounded like your typical US comic book Communist.
During the 1990s there was a poetic slant to his speech, as well as a slight Marxist tinge.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
Quotes
“What are these hallucinations, capitalist assassin ? Have the imperialist warmongers sent a madman to murder me ?”
(Gesturing with his “tentacles”) “How do you think I control these ? The first prerequisite for a DNA-altered cosmonaut was psi-talent ! Do you want to know more about yourself ? […] Open your mind to a probe. Allow the blocks and implants to be excised. Free your memory from the shackles of illusion and repression ! Let me show you what really happened back in 1968.”
(After failing to give Wolverine back more than a few memories) “I’m sorry… there are blocks that are immovable and impervious to the cleansing fires…”
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Epsilon Red – the Super-Cosmonaut
| Dex: 05 | Str: 05 | Bod: 05 |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 04 | Min: 06 |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 04 |
| Init: 015 | HP: 018 |
Powers:
Extra limbs (x4): 02, Life sense: 06, Mental blast: 09, Mind probe: 08, Sealed systems: 08, Sharpness (Mind probe): 08, Stretching: 00, Telekinesis: 01, Telepathy: 07
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Life Sense and Mind Probe both are Contingent Upon Telepathy.
- Extra limbs represents his telekinetic ability to animate purpose-built supple limbs. He has to wear those for this Power to have any use.
- Mental blast takes two full Phases to prepare, consuming all Actions. It is released on the third Phase’s Dice Action.
- Mental blast’s AV and EV are both lowered by 1 per AP of movement speed the target is using.
- Stretching only applies to the Extra Limbs, and these must be constructed to allow for it.
Skills:
Accuracy (Extra limbs): 07, Acrobatics (Climbing): 08, Gadgetry: 04, Medicine (First aid, treatment): 04, Scientist: 04, Vehicles (Air, space): 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
- As long as Telepathy and Mind Probe are available, Epsilon Red can use his Medicine Skill to affect MIN (+1).
- Acrobatics (Climbing) is diminished by one AP for every Tentacle that is no longer operational.
- Accuracy is Contingent Upon Telekinesis.
Advantages:
Area Knowledge (Tyuratam Space Center), Expertise (Soviet and Russian space program since the 1960s), Language (Russian), Life Support (no need to breathe).
Connections:
Tyuratam Space Center (Low).
Drawbacks:
Altered Anatomy, SPR (must wear a containment suit to live on Earth).
Motivation:
Unwanted Power.
Occupation:
Would-be cosmonaut.
Wealth:
003
Equipment:
- CONTAINMENT SUIT [BODY 05, Skin armour: 01].
- “TENTACLE” 1 [BODY 04, Note: Ends in a screwdriver head].
- “TENTACLE” 2 [BODY 04, Claws: 04, Note: Ends in a buzzsaw].
- “TENTACLE” 3 [BODY 04, Flame project (No Range): 05, Note: Ends in some kind of blowtorch or flamethrower. This can likely function even without oxygen, by having its own gas reserves].
- “TENTACLE” 4 [BODY 04 STR 03, Note: Ends in a motorized pincer].
Design notes
Epsilon Red appears but briefly. So most stats are guesses.
Sharpness is a nod toward the notion that his Mind Probe can defeat unusually “thick” telepathic protections. The APs were picked to make him roughly equivalent to Professor X (and we assume that he got a good roll, unlike Chuck), but only to defeat anti-mind-probe measures.
Advertisement
DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Epsilon Red — Averaged PL 8.4
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | 03 | 02 | 01 |
| FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
| 03 | 02 | 01 | 01 |
Powers:
Telekinesis ● 4 points ● Descriptor: Telekinesis, technology
– Enhanced Advantages (Defensive Attack, Improved grab, Improved Hold, Prone Fighting) with Limitation 1 (requires to be equipped with specially-designed supple extra “limbs”.
– Enhanced Skill (Athletics 6), Limited 1 to climbing application, Limited 1 as above.
– Immunity 4 (Environmental cold, environmental vacuum and all suffocation).
Psionic ● 31 points ● Descriptor: Psionics
Array :
- Ranged concussive Damage 8 (Limited 1 – requires all Actions during two rounds to ready), Limited 1 (Offense and damage bonuses lowered by 1 for every Rank of speed the target is using).
- Senses 2 (Detect (Life), Enhanced Range).
- Mind reading 12, Penetrating 4.
- Move object 1.
- Mental communication 2.
Devices:
“Tentacles” ● 16 points ● Descriptor: Technology
– Feature 1 (Screwdriver mounted on a stretchy limb).
– Feature 1 (Powered pincer (STR 2) mounted on a stretchy limb).
– Ranged fire Damage 4, Diminished Range 2, Feature 1 (mounted on a stretchy limb), Accurate 2.
– Close slashing Damage 3, Reach 2.
Containment suit ● 4 points ● Descriptor: Technology
Protection 2, Defensive Roll 2.
Combat Advantages:
Close Attack 3, Defensive Roll 1, Ranged Attack 2.
Other Advantages:
Language (Russian).
Skills:
Athletics 2 (+6), Close combat (Unarmed) 1 (+7), Close combat (“Tentacles”) 5 (+11), Deception 2 (+3), Expertise (Cosmonaut) 5 (+7), Insight 4 (+5), Perception 4 (+5), Persuasion 2 (+3), Ranged attack (Flamethrowing “tentacle”) 4 (+11), Technology 6 (+8), Treatment 3 (+5), Vehicles 6 (+7) (Limited 1 to air & space).
Offence:
| Initiative +2 |
| Unarmed +7, Close, Damage 4 |
| “Tentacles” +11, Close, Damage per type. |
Defence:
| Dodge | 08 |
| Fortitude | 08 |
| Parry | 08 |
| Toughness | 03*/08** |
| Will | 07 |
* Without Defensive Roll.
** With costume (incl. Defensive Roll).
Complications:
- Altered anatomy Epsilon Red’s strange metabolism is difficult to treat.
- Spaceman To exist within an atmosphere and grvaity well, Epsilon Red must wear a special suit.
- Depression For decades, Epsilon Red was depressive with suicidal tendency.
Powers Levels:
- Trade-off areas. Attack/Effect PL 8, Dodge/Toughness PL 8, Parry/Toughness PL 8, Fort/Will PL 8.
- Points total 139. Abilities 34, Defences 22, Skills 21, Powers 35, Devices 20, Advantages 7. Equiv. PL 10.
Source of Character: Marvel Comics.
Helper(s): Peter Piispanen.