Jack Skellington
Context
Jack is the lead character from The Nightmare Before Christmas, a beautiful 1993 stop-motion feature-length tale of Halloween. This movie remains a fan-favourite thanks to its Tim Burton aesthetics and themes.
Jack Skellington is, essentially, the spirit and anthropomorphisation of modern Halloween.
This is a verrry old set of notes, primarily providing DC Heroes RPG stats for those who have seen the movie.
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Background
- Real Name: Mister Unlucky (to a guy in Kentucky).
- Marital Status: Single (but maybe not for long).
- Known Relatives: None (soundtrack suggests he marries Sally and has a lot of children but this is not seen in the movie).
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: Halloween Town.
- Height: Tall Weight: Light
- Eyes: Vacant Hair: None
Powers and Abilities
Note that Jack’s Area Knowledge includes the location of various shortcuts to our world. This is seen when he enters a tomb in our world and exits in the graveyard in Halloween Town.
History
Bored with his usual duties, Jack discovers Christmas Town. He becomes fascinated with Christmas, so much so that he decides to take it over this year. He has Lock, Shock, and Barrel kidnap Santa Claus (thought to be Sandy Claws) and Halloween Town prepares to do Christmas in their particular fashion. Sally, however, has a vision that it will all end in disaster, and it does.
Children don’t want vicious toys under the Christmas tree. The National Guard is called in and they shoot down Jack’s sleigh. He plummets to his certain death, but lives. He realizes his mistake and is again enthralled with Halloween. He rushes back to Halloween Town to try to set things right.
When he returns, he finds that Lock, Shock, and Barrel have delivered Santa to Oogy Boogy who has also captured Sally when she tried to rescue Santa. Jack easily evades Oogy’s traps and destroys Oogy. Jack frees Santa who sets everything right, and Jack realizes the feelings that Sally has for him, which he returns.
Description
He’s a tall and gaunt skeleton in a Halloween-pinstripe suit. His skull is as expressive as a human face.
Personality
He’s a nice guy but curiosity often overtakes his better judgement.
Quotes
“I *am* the Pumpkin King !”
DC Universe History
He could be a part of the Dreaming. However, the NbC Santa is rather different looking than the DCU Santa (as seen in DCCP, which is admittedly pre-Crisis).
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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Jack Skellington
| Dex: 11 | Str: 02 | Bod: 07 | Motivation: Thrill of Adventure |
| Int: 09 | Wil: 09 | Min: 07 | Occupation: Pumpkin King |
| Inf: 12 | Aur: 10 | Spi: 12 | Resources {or Wealth}: 06 |
| Init: 032 | HP: 125 |
Powers:
Anatomical Separation: 12, Invulnerability: 15
Bonuses and Limitations:
To use Anatomical Separation, he must pull off the body part in question, such as when he takes off his head, or when he removes a rib from his rib cage – this takes an Automatic Action.
Skills:
Artist (Entertainer): 12, Artist (Musician): 07, Charisma (Intimidation)*: 12, Scientist: 02, Thief (Stealth): 09, Vehicles (Land, air): 06
Advantages:
Area Knowledge (Halloween Town), Iron Nerves, Popularity (in Halloween Town; he’s also “known throughout England and France”), Pet (Zero).
Drawbacks:
Authority Figure, Innocent, CIA (Christmas, until end of movie), CIA (Inability to understand Christmas), Mistrust (in our world), Public Identity, Strange Appearance.
Zero
| Dex: 02 | Str: 01 | Bod: 02 |
| Int: 01 | Wil: 01 | Min: 01 |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 01 | Spi: 03 |
| Init: 004 | HP: 005 |
Powers:
Flight: 06, Self Link (Spirit Travel): 06, Flash: 04, Sharpness (Flash): 13
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Flash only for Steady Illumination (it’s his nose).
- Sharpness applies to Flash by reducing the APs of whatever the Flash is trying to cut through (Darkness, Fog, etc.) – the light is not very bright, but it can shine through supernaturally dense obstruction.
Source of Character: The Nightmare Before Christmas (movie).
Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet (v1.1 upgrade), Michael Andrew.