Vash the Stampede
Vash is a very cool character who presented a lot of moral and heroic issues and questions.
This profile includes humongous S P O I L E R S for an excellent series.
Background
- Real Name: Vash (last name unrevealed).
- Other Aliases: The Humanoid Typhoon, The $60 billion man, an act of God and the only thing not covered by the Bernardelli Insurance Society, Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Sicidabohertz Gombigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Pierre Andri Charton-Haymoss Ivanovici Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser the Third.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Knives (“twin brother”).
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile.
- Height: 6’2” Weight: 170 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Blond
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History
Vash is an artificially created being made inside of an energy plant. Most of the details regarding this are hazy, but it is known that he and Knives were created at the same time and place making them twin brothers of sorts.
Vash and Knives grew up aboard a space ship colony containing the last few surviving humans who had fled Earth after its destruction (for reasons unknown). Most of the crew were placed into cryogenic sleep. Meanwhile a small crew of trained astronauts oversaw the search and colonization of a suitable new homeland.
Despite the odd circumstances they had a fairly normal, if accelerated childhood (they went from babies to preteens in about about a year). They were raised primarily by a woman named Rem. She was a deeply caring pacifist who tried to instil the same message of peace, hope, love, and optimism in the two of them.
Vash wholeheartedly embraced these views, but Knives seemed uncertain about them.
A stupid incident
Later one of the crew members grew jealous of their superior intelligence and the amount of attention that they received from the female crew members. In unthinking drunken stupidity he harshly berated them before the other crew members could persuade him to “sleep it off.” This sparked a chain of events that would once again push humanity to the brink of destruction.
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The twins reacted very differently to what happened. The more sensitive Vash started sobbing, but the more aloof Knives simply walked away. Knives, already having doubts about humans, became convinced that they were inferior beings and thus not needed. He used this incident to manipulate other members of the crew in numerous ways that eventually led to them killing each other.
While the captain and the rest of crew were trying to avert the bloodshed Knives went to the ship’s main computer. There he triggered the self-destruct command forcing the crew to evacuate. Knives had previously sabotaged all the escape pods save for the one that he and Vash were supposed to use.
Originally he was going to allow Rem to live as well, due to Vash’s attachment to her. But after pushing Vash and Knives into the escape pod, she heroically stayed behind to try to save the others. Her last act of valor allowed some of the cryogenically frozen humans to escape certain death and crash land on the planet Gunsmoke, a harsh desert planet that was nearly uninhabitable.
Gunsmoke
After their pod crash landed Knives revealed both his plans and ideology to Vash. Vash became infuriated and plotted to kill Knives, but was unable to go through with it due to Rem’s pacifist teachings.
Knives then went back to one of ships. He spent a year making two special handguns, one for him and one for Vash, in order for them to wipe out the rest of humanity. Vash, however, lost it and shot Knives in the leg. He then fled with both handguns.
Decades later Vash, now a wandering gunslinger trying to bring peace throughout the planet, heard that about a possible ancestor of Rem’s. He decided to seek him out. However when he arrived he found that Knives had killed the man and was waiting for him. Vash was shocked, which allowed Knives to shoot off his left arm.
Knives then triggered the hidden ability of Vash’s gun – secretly a doom’s day weapon.
The explosion
Vash barely could divert the resulting blast skyward, burning a gigantic crater into the moon. The shockwaves of such a powerful blast destroyed most of the city. But oddly did not kill anyone.
Knives withdrew to heal his injuries and Vash became amnesiac. While Knives recruited the Gung Ho Guns in his absence to wreak havoc, Vash once again became a wandering gunman trying to keep the peace.
However, after the explosion his intentions became largely misunderstood. A huge bounty was placed upon his head. Everywhere he went calamity was sure to follow as hunters would do anything to get the bounty.
Vash went through his own trials and tribulations while slowly regaining his memory and trying to come to terms with whom he was and what he had apparently done. He eventually crossed paths with Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson of the Bernardalli Insurance Society, who were looking to curb the damage in his wake.
Later on, Vash met the mysterious Nicolas D. Wolfwood.
These relationships would help him to harden his resolve. Thus, he eventually confronted Knives and the rest of the Gung Ho Guns in a final showdown for the fate of the last of humanity.
Description
Despite the arid desert heat, Vash wears a red trench coach and a black futuristic paramilitary outfit underneath. He also sports brown hiking boots and a long brown glove with lots of buckles that covers most of his left arm.
Vash wears yellow tinted wireframe sunglasses. He is tall and lanky and blonde hair is usually worn short and spiky.
Underneath his clothes Vash’s body is an unsightly mass of scar tissue from the numerous wounds that he was received trying to search for the most peaceful solution. He sports several metal plates to hold certain areas of his body together. His left arm is fully cybernetic.
Personality
Vash is a peace-loving pacifist. Due to his extraordinary abilities has been pushed into being a peace maker. He deeply respects the teachings of Rem and has vowed never to take another life. Thus he is constantly trying to find the most peaceful solution to every problem, no matter how badly it may imperil his life.
Vash lives in a ruthless, lawless “Wild West” era. Thus it is often very difficult for to find peaceful solutions to violent situations.
Deep down he is extremely sensitive and thus often times he has difficulty coping and will often break down and ball like a baby.
At the beginning of the series he came across as a completely inept idiot who was only able to escape situations by the dumbest of luck. Gradually as the series progressed and the tone got more serious so did he. He was later able to shake off his severe depression and, through the bonds of friendship, strengthen his resolve and do what was right.
Quotes
“Whatever happened to ‘thou shalt not kill ?’ What kind of preacher are you ?”
“These donuts are so good.” (drops the bag of donuts and bursts into tears)
“Every person’s life is a blank ticket. If I snuff out even one then she would never forgive me.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Vash the Stampede the Humanoid Typhoon
| Dex: 11 | Str: 04 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Upholding the Good |
| Int: 10 | Wil: 08 | Min: 06 | Occupation: Legendary Gunslinger |
| Inf: 06 | Aur: 05 | Spi: 07 | Resources {or Wealth}: 002 |
| Init: 029 | HP: 100 |
Powers:
Interface: 06, Reflection/Deflection: 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Interface is only usable with artificially created “plant” beings (-2).
- Reflection/Deflection is Minor Marginal, no range, and requires an object of opportunity (usually pebbles). It is only usable against bullets from standard firearms and requires that he take no other action during that round, and be outside of combat. He cannot achieve more than 2 positive RAPs in any check (in all cases it is basically the difference between making a potentially lethal gunshot survivable) (-7). On the plus side it does have the multi-attack bonus (+1).
Skills:
Animal Handling (riding): 04, Artist (actor): 08, Evasion (Ranged only): 15, Medicine (first aid): 04, Military Science (danger recognition): 08, Scientist (research): 04, Vehicles (land): 05, Weaponry (firearms): 12
Advantages:
Iron Nerves, Lightning Reflexes, Sharp Eye, Schtick (Quick Draw), Local Hero (various towns and cities he’s saved).
Connections:
Nicolas D. Wolfwood (High), Meryl Stryfe (High), Milly Thompson (High), Residents of the Floating City (High).
Drawbacks:
Arch Enemy (Knives and the Gung Ho Guns, powerful), Cannot Heal, Creepy Appearance, Hunted, Guilt, MIA (donuts), MPI (severe depression and guilt), MPR (missing his left arm), Secret Identity.
Equipment:
- High-caliber revolver [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 05, Ammo: 06, R#02, Drawback: Long reload time]. This revolver can also be turned into a weapon of massive destruction (Energy Blast: 22, Bomb: 12). It takes 2 full rounds to charge (-1). Bomb is nonlethal (-1). Vash also has Catastrophic Lack of Control over it (-3), although this seems to be bought off in the last episode. Furthermore Knives can trigger it at will (-2) which is… erm… bad to say the least. For very very obvious reasons Vash will not use this ability unless it is absolutely necessary. EB also has area effect (+1).
- Gun Arm & Machine pistol [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 05, Ammo: 04, R#03, Advantage : Autofire]. This also negates the penalties for Vash’s missing arm. It can go from a regular hand to a machine pistol in an automatic action.
- Boot Spike [BODY 03, Claws: 02, Sharpness (Claws): 01, Thief (concealment): 10]. A standard spike hidden in his boot that pops out when he stomps his foot. It got broken in a fight fairly early on in the series and was not replaced.
- Vash has also been seen riding a thomas (funny looking two legged animal, but just use the stats for a horse and spare me the need for speculation), driving a jeep and using a knife (use standard stats for both).
Wanted – Dead or Alive
Secret Identity and Hunted go together. Vash has a price of 60 billion double dollars on his head because he is the most feared gunfighter ever who has destroyed entire cities (unintentionally though, but that’s another story) thus because of this there are countless bounty hunters and hooligans constantly on the look out for him.
If his Secret Identity is compromised then it will most likely result in either an angry mob or a bunch of bounty hunters (or both) howling for his blood. His Secret Identity will be compromised in that town or city and remain that way, but he will not be affected if he goes to another area because of lack of communications between cities in the wild west-like place he lives.
Although quite often a group of bounty hunters do show up out of nowhere wanting to collect and compromise his identity automatically, but this is best left to the needs of story telling.
Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet, William Chamberlin.
Source of Character: Trigun animated series.