History Characters / VillainsCode

* TwoferTokenMinority: While Beverly's race isn't mentioned explicitly, her story about her grandfather and him being offered the "Colored Division" of the League of Metas in TheFifties implies that she's black. Just like with Tori, her race has absolutely zero impact on the story or how she's treated otherwise. Then again, in combat, most people doesn't even know what she looks like, as she is usually in one of her dragon forms.

* TheChick: Unlike the more serious and businesslike Irene, Lucy is cheerful and friendly.

* TheChick: According to Ike, this is Ellie's role on the team, as far as Professor Quantum is concerned. She even agreed to undergo a series of plastic surgeries in order to turn her into a bombshell to boost the team's sex appeal.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: [[spoiler: Her villain self in alternate universes is named Edict.]]

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Tori becomes increasingly glad that [[NiceGirl Chloe]] ended up with her powers instead of someone else when it becomes clear how powerful and dangerous her ability could be. Chloe herself is actually freaked out and careful about using her abilities out fear of abusing them. [[spoiler: According to Nexus, a being who takes his greatest pleasure from watching destruction and chaos, outright tells her that many versions of her embrace her powers. And while some become heroes, many others become villains and the greatest (read: worst) of them are "always a delight to watch."]]

* {{Nerd}}: A more-or-less typical example. An avid gamer, who will excitedly talk people's ears off about video games and the rig he plans to build. He likes Tori but has trouble asking her out, especially after becoming a full-time cape (and not knowing that she's a villain).

* SuperSpeed: While he's reasonably fast on his own, he'd never cut it as a top-tier superhero without Professor Quantum's devices that further boost his speed UpToEleven (although not nearly to Lodestar's level).

* NiceHat: Lucy's top hat can be used to store and retrieve any object. The objects come out in the exact same condition as they went in. She can apparently also unleash white doves from the hat that do what she commands them to.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Tori becomes increasingly glad that [[NiceGirl Chloe]] ended up with her powers instead of someone else when it becomes clear how powerful and dangerous her ability could be. Chloe herself is actually freaked out and careful about using her abilities out fear of abusing them. [[spoiler: According to Nexus, a being who takes his greatest pleasure from watching destruction and chaos, outright tells her that many versions of her embrace her powers. And while some become heroes, many others become villains and the greatest (read: worst) of them are "always a delight to wathch."]]

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: [[spoiler: Alfred is well aware that Professor Quantum is {{Jerkass}} who will only care that his legacy and pride is being tarnished with the death of the New Science Sentries. When facing the team itself, he fully believes that they're posturing and will run at the first chance offered.]

* RescueRomance: {{Deconstructed}}. Kyle and Tori met for all of three seconds when he rescued her from a robbery gone bad and [[NotWhatItLooksLike a photo just happened to capture the moment in a way that looked like this]] sparking internet rumors. The problem is that the [=AHC=] actively tries to avoid such rumors from starting because less scrupulous criminals may try to kidnap the civilian as leverage even if he or she had nothing to do with the heroes. Sure enough Tori ''does'' get kidnapped, by luck it was her and not an actual civilian but nevertheless [[EvenEvilHasStandards hammers home for her why the Guild exits]].

* FreakLabAccident: [[spoiler:He was Alfred Settler, a member of Vernon's research team, and the only one who objected to the experiment that ended up creating meta-elements and allowing for the existence of metahumans. The explosion seemed to have killed him, as all the others saw was a charred skeleton, which they buried under tons of concrete as if it were toxic.]]

[[folder:Wendel Worthington/[[spoiler:Alfred Settler]]]]
A strange individual with the mind of a metagenius on par with Doctor Mechaniacal, Professor Quantum, and Tyranny.

** "Anything you can do, I can do better." Allows her to duplicate powers and skills, but she gets a pretty nasty psychic backlash along with it as all that person's knowledge suddenly appears in her head.

* MadScientist: His inventions rival those of Doctor Mechaniacal, his (sort of) EvilCounterpart.

* MagicMeteor: Helen became Lodestar, when a comet fell on her and imbued her with great powers. Many have pointed out the similarities between rapidly-descending Lodestar and a falling comet.
* PhysicalGod: In a world where actual gods are running around, Lodestar is still the strongest of anyone. At the very end of the book, [[spoiler:Nexus finds a universe where someone has successfully killed Lodestar--the first time that has ever happened ''in the entire multiverse'']].

* MultiethnicName: There doesn't appear to be an explanation why Ivan has a Slavic first name and a German last name. This becomes more important in the second book.

[[folder:Ike (Presto)]]

* {{Teleportation}}: Presto can teleport but only within his line-of-sight.

!!!Recruits

The original MadScientist, except he's on the side of the capes. Now known as Professor Quantum, his experiments opened the can of worms, altering the laws of physics, thus allowing metahumans to exist. He spends most of his time in his private island lab, experimenting on something, only getting involved in AHC business when he absolutely has to. He typically calls in to Champions' Congress meetings.

!!!Others

[[folder:Stalwart Iron]]
A robotic hero and one of Apollo's followers.

* JustAMachine: Apollo and the other heroes are rather dismissive of him, considering him nothing more than a helpful servant.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:He was actually built by Doctor Mechaniacal, who still has some control over him and uses him to spy on the capes]].

[[folder:Erinite]]
A hero made of living crystal, capable of growing crystal shards on his body and hurling them at enemies.

* {{Flight}}: Somehow, being a living crystal, Erinite is able to fly.
* GlowingEyes: Erinite's eyes glow green.
* SiliconBasedLife: Erinite is composed of living crystal.
* SpikeShooter: Erinite's main mode of attack. He grows crystal shards on his body and then shoots them off with great force towards the enemy.

!!Unaffiliated

[[folder:Chloe Henson (Cliché)]]
A barista working at the coffee shop across the street from Vendallia Industries. During the Confluence, she was given the power to make her words come true, as long as what she says is a commonly-used saying. During the climax, she provisionally calls herself Cliché. She has learned to pattern her speech without using old sayings, just in case.

* {{Cliche}}: Chloe's power only works on phrases that are of this type. She can only keep one active at a time, so she usually defaults to "A penny saved is a penny earned", which acts as a minor cash flow, as long as she keeps herself from buying something she really wants (cash only, and it has to be something she can actually afford and really wants).
* WordsCanBreakMyBones: While it seems that her power is marginal at best, she quickly learns during the climax that it can be destructive and deadly under the right circumstances:
** "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" can potentially give a person SuperStrength, as long as that person is willing to endure enough of a beating to increase his or her strength proportionally.
** "Liar, liar, pants on fire" does exactly what it sounds like, which, apparently, also works on {{Badass Boast}}s (since they're usually exaggerations). Now imagine someone's pants bursting into flame in the middle of a battle.
** "Fortune favors the bold" drastically increases a person's luck, as long as he or she does something bold. In Chloe's case, [[spoiler:she manages to kill a powerful meta-criminal through a string of accidents]].
** "It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away" allows her to teleport anywhere she wishes, as long as she performs the mentioned actions (and knows the difference between the three).

[[folder:Nexus]]
A powerful interdimensional meta, whose actions are chaotic and unpredictable. According to Ivan, Nexus could have been a guild member, were he willing to follow the Code and pay his dues. A such, he just pops in whenever he wishes and leaves just as suddenly.

!!!Others

[[folder:Thuggernaut]]
A tall, imposing, tough-looking villain with a kind heart. He offers to take Beverly under his wing, even though another high-level villain does the same. Knowing that Thuggernaut is likely to be a better mentor to her than one of Balaam's flunkies, Ivan and Wade decide to let Beverly become Thuggernaut's apprentice.

* CulturedBadass: While Thuggernaut will join his friends for a guys' night involving beer and poker, he would actually much rather go see an opera. He's even considerate enough to buy out all the seats behind him, knowing that his huge frame would make it nearly impossible to see the stage from those seats.
* GentleGiant: Well, gentle with his friends, anyway. If you happen to be an enemy, then don't expect much gentleness from this guy.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Thuggernaut and Johnny Three Dicks.

[[folder:Johnny Three Dicks]]
A brash, foul-mouthed villain, who is the main reason why the Council now has to vet all code name choices, although they allow him to keep his choice.

* [[IntentionallyAwkwardTitle Intentionally Awkward Codename]]: He ''could'' have come up with a less vulgar alias, and most people wish he did, but he likes it when the more prudish squirm when saying his name.
* MentalTimeTravel: While his meta-ability isn't focused upon, it seems his ability might have something to do with being able to throw his consciousness back in time a few seconds, in the event of death, giving him a chance to avoid it. According to him, this is the reason for his code name.
--> '''Johnny Three Dicks:''' (''after knocking out a cape, following several "rewinds"'') And that's why they call me Johnny Three Dicks, doll. No matter which way you try to come, you're still fucked.
* NonindicativeName: While it's difficult to be sure, there doesn't appear to be any indication that Johnny does, in fact, have three penises.

[[folder:Tunnel Vision]]
A pair of fraternal twins with a single code name (although Tori assumes the sister is called Vision and the brother is Tunnel) and the ability to open portals to any place in the world. They are always referred to as a single individual.

* TheDividual: While it's not clear if they actually share a mind, the fraternal twins certainly act as a single person and even respond to the same name.
* ThinkingUpPortals: Tunnel Vision can create portals to any destination. Apparently, it requires both siblings to do it. The sister's eyes glow (presumably, she's focusing on the destination), while the brother places his hands on the surface, where the portal is to appear. These portals are very handy for getting to the location of the crime and then getting away quickly, although Tunnel Vision charge for their services.

[[folder:Arcanicus]]
An experienced spellcaster, who specializes in crafting magical items, which he usually rents out or sells to other villains.

* ItemCrafting: Arcanicus's specialty. A popular item of his is a necklace that keeps the wearer from being noticed by others. It also blurs cameras.
* SummonMagic: Arcanicus can summon temporary artificial constructs, such as skeletons, which then dissolve upon "death" or upon being dismissed.

* BloodMagic: Morgana can slaughter a whole streetful of enemies by forcing their blood to come out of their bodies and into her.