Zoe Jump
Context
Zoe Jump was one of the main characters in Warren Ellis’ Black Summer.
Which was a 2007 comic book mini-series about powerful cyborg super-soldiers, and politics.
Background
- Real Name: Zoe.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Seven Guns.
- Base Of Operations: Unnamed western US city.
- Height: 5’8” Weight: 135lbs.
- Eyes: Green Hair: Black
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Powers and Abilities
Zoe’s Gun Enhancements are a series of cybernetic implants which provide the Seven Guns with:
- Enhanced nervous systems.
- A communications array linking them to the other Guns as well as general transmissions (which they can access whether their enhancements are running or not).
- Links with their weapons.
- A respawning function that allows their weapon virtually limitless ammo.
- Abilities specific to the individual.
- Radio Communications is Scrambled (+1).
- Sealed Systems only protect against radiation, and only when running (-2).
- Superspeed is Usable on Others at a Range of Touch, provided they can run (+1).
These enhancements are activated by her saying her unrevealed keyword.
Zoe can move at great speed (means explained in quote below), and can take others with her as long as they’re capable of running. She’s also immune to radiation while moving at speed.
History
Zoe was a resident of a western US city ruled by a corrupt police force and private armies. She was approached by friend Tom Watson who, with John (Horus) and Frank Blacksmith. These had developed the cybernetic technology which merged with other scientific disciplines to allow the creation of Gun Enhancements, gifting the recipient with cybernetic super-powers. Joining them, she was enhanced, adopting her codename and joined the Seven Guns.
They began a vigilante action against the corrupt forces controlling their city. The Guns eventually managed to rout them, but not before Blacksmith was dragged to death through the streets by a police car.
They became a more global group for a while. Unfortunately left them out of the country on September 11th 2001. But they did foil a copycat strike on LAX on Thanksgiving.
Cool maths
They enjoyed a freedom to operate for a while. Then John decided that the President was guilty of a number of crimes, including starting an illegal war. John summarily executed the President and his inner circle. He then stood before the White House press corps declaring that the country should hold fresh elections.
The military began hunting John and the other Guns. They were aided by Frank Blacksmith, who’d faked his own death and gone to the intelligence community to develop a group of Gun Enhancements for them. He first tried to kill the retired Tom Noir, who managed to overcome the thug Frank left with him. Blacksmith had been under the impression Tom’s enhancements no longer worked.
Tom reunited with the other Guns, apart from John, who’d distanced himself from them during his speech. But they were unable to come to an agreement on how to respond, made harder since Kathryn had opened fire on the Army.
Keep it all under control
Tom’s apparent murder while trying to surrender, on top of the continued attacks on him, enraged the Guns. They began fighting the army seriously, pushing them back a fair way.
Heading to an ammo dump to re-supply, they were ambushed by a group of Frank’s Guns. Dominic was killed in the fight, but the others managed to kill their attackers.
Learning that John was battling another group of Frank’s guns in their city, they gave him brief support to allow him a breather. But they then warned both him and the military to stay out of their city after they were finished. They then let the battle continue, while they went about saving lives of those affected by the fight.
Personality
The most stable and calm of the Guns, Zoe is the least likely to shoot to kill, and the most personable. She’ll try to negotiate peace between the volatile personalities of the Guns.
Prior to being enhanced, she seemed truly enthused by her scientific studies. But this seems to have been lost as her super-powered identity has taken over her life.
Quotes
Zoe: “How far can you take the notion that experimentors’ intentionality affects to world ? If I envision a quantum calculation in my head and then solve the equation — does my computation of the problem affect the solution ?”
Tom: “You’ve been speaking for 15 seconds and already part of my brain is dead, Zoe.”
Zoe: “Okay. The Millis bias field . It’s all about making spacetime play tricks to approach or surpass the speed of light.”
Tom: “I thought nothing could go faster than light.”
Zoe: “It can’t. And if you get close to it you hit all kinds of weird relativistic effects.”
Tom: “So what’s the point ?”
Zoe: “The bias field distorts spacetime on the inside but lets it run on the outside. So none of that happens. The shape of the field makes it push through spacetime faster than light.”
Tom: “Oh god, my head is bleeding.”
Zoe: “What if I could make it happen just by closing the mathematical circuit ? A quantum-physical thought-experiment affected by my own intention ?”
“I don’t even dream in full color anymore.” (The speeds she moves at shift the colours she sees)
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Zoe Jump
| Dex: 08 | Str: 03 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Upholding the Good |
| Int: 07 | Wil: 07 | Min: 07 | Occupation: Vigilante/Physicist |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 05 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: 005 |
| Init: 032 | HP: 030 |
Powers:
Radio Communications: 15, Sealed Systems: 06, Superspeed: 13
Bonuses and Limitations:
Skills:
Scientist: 07, Weaponry (Firearms): 08
Advantages:
Expansive Headquarters, Scholar (Physicist).
Connections:
Seven Guns (High).
Drawbacks:
Alter Ego (Controllable), Distinct Appearance, Secret ID.
Equipment:
GUN [BODY 10, Projectile Weapons: 07, R#02].
Alter Ego: Zoe
| Dex: 04 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 | Motivation: Upholding the Good |
| Int: 07 | Wil: 07 | Min: 07 | Occupation: Vigilante/Physicist |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 05 | Spi: 05 | |
| Init: 015 | HP: 030 |
Powers:
Radio Communications: 15
Bonuses and Limitations:
Radio Communications is Scrambled (+1).
Skills:
Scientist: 07, Weaponry (Firearms): 04.
Advantages:
Expansive Headquarters, Scholar (Physicist).
Connections:
Seven Guns (High).
Drawbacks:
Distinct Appearance, Secret ID.
Design Notes
She’s shown wearing glasses prior to gaining her powers. But it’s unclear whether this is due to sight problems, so I haven’t addressed it.
Source of Character: Black Summer comic (by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp).
Helper(s): Roy Cowan.
Writeup completed on the 11th of March, 2010.