The character page for Dragons and Swarm.
Taylor Hebert
Taylor Hebert-Fudo - Silver Weaver, the Red Spider Signer, formerly the Crimson Heart Signer
The girl who, in another timeline, would have become Skitter, the greatest warlord of Brockton Bay. To avert it and keep her from being a threat to Cauldron's plans, Contessa erased her memories, killed her father, burned her house and dumped her on the slum-island of Satellite.However, a deal between the Queen Administrator and the Crimson Dragon primes their plan to backfire as Taylor meets Yusei and joins the conflict against the Dark Signers... Naturally, she uses an Insect-themed deck. Her ace monster is her partner, Beelze the Demonic Dragon.
- Adoptive Name Change: Downplayed. Dragon's file on Taylor refers to her as Hebert-Fudo, adding her adoptive family's last name to her own rather than replacing it.
- Amazonian Beauty: Averted following her growth spurt. Though she gained in height, Taylor remains on the slender side and retains her lack of curves.
- Ambiguous Gender: Because Taylor is naturally androgynous, her armor as Weaver makes it impossible to guess whether she is a man or a woman. People default to neutral pronouns when they can afford.
- Animal Motifs: Taylor has a couple, all for insects. In her civilian identity, she's called "the Twig", because she's skinny and a master of blending into her environment like stick bug, and as Weaver she's been compared to a cockroach a few times because she doesn't go down easily. The chapter titles also refer to her as either the Bug or the Swarm.
- Badass Biker: Eventually passes her Turbo Exam to become a Turbo Duelist like Yusei, Jack and Crow. Her Curb-Stomp Battle of Trudge proves her skills remain even on a bike.
- Bifauxnen: Taylor is very androgynous for a girl. It reinforces her secret identity as Weaver since Sector Security has no idea of their gender, which allows Taylor to freely wander Neo Domino as a nerdy schoolgirl.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: Naturally, since she can control bugs, Taylor makes an Insect-based Deck. Being Monster Spirits, all of them can manifest. Also, despite being a dragon, Beelze has a rather insectile look.
- Big Little Sister: Despite being two years younger than Yusei, Taylor is several inches taller than her adoptive brother following her growth spurt.
- Brass Balls: Though he has no idea where they could be, Crow admits that Taylor has "a pair of big, brass ones" for staring down Uru and trying to hijack it. Trudge agrees.
- Cultured Badass: As the daughter of an English Professor, Taylor can quote Machiavelli while in the middle of a duel. She can also kick butt in said duels. She can also recognize and name the five rivers of the Underworld.
- Frontline General: Unlike Rex Goodwin, who spends most of the battle overlooking the fight from the ziggurat, Taylor dives straight in the melee, her power allowing to coordinate her Monsters while scoring several kills herself.
- Good Is Not Soft: Weaver may be caring and protective toward their friend, but they are definitely not soft. Or forgiving, for that matter.
- Had to Be Sharp: Part of the reason she's so skilled is that, having lived in both Brockton Bay and Satellite, she needed to be to survive.
- Happily Adopted: After discussing the idea and with Yusei's strong approval, Ryushi legally adopts Taylor during the victory celebration in Satellite.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: The Fortune Cup shows this when Goodwin has Weaver duel Luna. Weaver makes it a point to kneel so they're eye to eye with Luna, uses the duel as a chance to teach Luna, and makes sure to warn Luna about the dangers of using cards that damage the user.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Taylor makes full use of her plain-looking physique to live in Neo Domino as a nerdy highschooler. Sector Security, who hasn't figured Weaver's gender, regularly passes her by without suspecting a thing, which Beelze finds hilarious.
- Hijacking Cthulhu: Downplayed Between her parahuman powers and being a Crimson Signer, Taylor can take control of Uru's spiders and "convert" them from Earthbound to Crimson to make them her spiders. Roman Goodwin is really unhappy with the news.
- Later Played Straight when Taylor ends her duel with Roman Goodwin by attempting just that. The only reason the Queen Administrator didn't manage to take control of Uru is because the Crimson Dragon interfered and cleansed him back to Anansi.
- I Am Not Pretty: Taylor's reaction to anyone calling her cute or pretty is to retaliate she's not. She even calls herself plain in front of Dennis, who strongly disagrees. Given she is a Bifauxnen who was teased for her looks in the past, her reaction is somewhat justified.
- It's Not You, It's My Enemies: The reason Taylor hasn't told Carly she's Weaver. Given Sector Security has hurt Yusei to get him to spill her identity, her fear is completely justified. Eventually Averted after she decides to trust her and unmask.
- It's Personal: After learning that Cauldron killed her father and trapped her on Earth Yota, Taylor swore that they were going to die.
- Leonine Contract: Played With, since the Crimson Dragon is the Big Good. During the duel between Yusei and Jack, after reminding Them of their bargain, the Crimson Dragon offers Weaver the name and location of their kidnappers in exchange for their help in fighting the Dark Signers. Given how badly Weaver needs that info, they simply cannot refuse. Not that they were going to.
- Let Me Get This Straight...: Said by Weaver before pointing out that Goodwin's plan for the Fortune Cup would result in the Crimson Dragon summoned by having two Signers fight... which the Crimson Dragon does not like, and would happen in a stadium full of people, when the minor manifestation during Jack and Yusei's duel damaged the Kaiba Dome and caused a blackout. Weaver openly wonders if Goodwin was drunk when he came up with that plan.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: Taylor is usually fine acting subtly. When Armstrong badly hurts Yusei to get him to spill her identity, she drops all pretense and summons a swarm of biblical proportions to break him out, assaulting the Security Depot and the Facility with her bugs and Monster Spirits. Security stands no chance.
- Like Brother and Sister: Considers Yusei her brother in all but blood. Ryushi intends to make them so for real by adopting her.
- Major Injury Underreaction: As is canon, Taylor treats bleeding from the nose and eyes, as well as losing her eyesight, as a minor inconvenience. Beelze has to insist she gets herself healed for her to do it.
- Mundane Made Awesome: A tragic variant, but Taylor's stealth skills, which are described as ninja-like and are enough for Dragon to give her a Stranger sub-rating of 5, were originally developed to simply try and hide from her bullies.
- Mundane Utility: the origin of Taylor's alias, Weaver. Being able to weave silk from spiders, Taylor regularly makes clothes for the denizen of Satellite, who pay her in food, money and cards. She wove a Black Widow silk shirt for Yusei, the same material that makes her armor.
- Nerves of Steel: Weaver, all the way. Even with the Crimson Dragon in a foul mood and physically present in the Kaiba Dome, with Their presence making the Crimson Marks burn like hot iron, Weaver keeps a clear head and talks Them out of snapping at Yusei and Jack. Not only does it work, the Crimson Dragon gives Yusei and Jack one turn to finish their duel and promises Weaver the name and location of their kidnappers. She later gives another demonstration by being completely nonplussed by the appearance of Earthbound Immortal - Uru and remains steadfast and even-voiced until the end of the fight.
- Poor Communication Kills: deliberately Averted and the reason Taylor tells Carly, Crow and the twins about her true origins. The crew is up against Dark Signers, and she and Yusei know they'll need Dragon's Cape-fighting experience. Rather than lying about the heroine's origins, they decide to tell their friends the truth to foster trust in the team.
- Psychic Link: Taylor and Beelze, courtesy of their bond and Taylor's power, share one that allows them to communicate through Telepathy. Given who else is a true telepath on Earth Bet, it makes her nervous.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Weaver delivers a scathing one to the Black Rose Witch and the other Arcadians by pointing how they keep misusing their powers and blame society for shunning them when it is their actions that drive people in pushing them away. If they were more creative and used their Monsters, Spells and Traps to help people and assist them, society would be much more welcoming.
- Refuge in Audacity: Weaver's attempt at Hijacking Uru is considered this by everyone. This is Weaver using their control over bugs to steal the connection between Uru and Roman Goodwin, because Uru may be an Earthbound Immortal, but he remains an Insect, and is thus affected by their power. Everyone is caught completely off-guard that they would consider it in the first place, much less attempt to pull it off.
- The Reliable One: Following the Time Skip (and a drinking contest he lost to Jack), Yusei considers Taylor to be the most responsible of his siblings, including Jack and Crow.
- Spanner in the Works: What Taylor was going to be to Cauldron and the reason they trapped her in Earth Yota. Of course, with new friends, new powers and a grudge, she is going to be an even bigger problem when she comes back...
- Statuesque Stunner: Following a two months growth spurt that kept her in her bed, Taylor now stands at 6'1, so one inch shorter than Jack. Misty encourages her to eat properly and exercise to she gains a suitable physique.
- Stealth Expert: Weaver is really sneaky. Between their costume's dark colors and their swarm sensing, they are able to effortlessly evade Sector Security even when they are actively looking for them. As Taylor, she goes Beneath Notice instead, helped by the fact her civilian self is plain-looking and Security doesn't know Weaver's gender. Dragon is aware of it and gives her a sub-rating of Stranger 5.
- Straight Edge Evil: Trudge and Kazama are genuinely surprised that Weaver doesn't drink. Even after Weaver argues that, being underage, their choice is Justified, the officers are still surprised that they care. Weaver then points out that, with their power, a case of Alcohol-Induced Stupidity could be devastating.
- Tears of Joy: Taylor silently cries in happiness after the Crimson Dragon brings Danny back as Coral Dragon.
- Textile Work Is Feminine: Sure, she got the help of her spiders, but Taylor still works as a silk spinner and clothes weaver as a day job. The clothes she makes are sold to the people of Satellite while her crafting skills allow her to create her and Yusei's chitin armors.
- They Look Just Like Everyone Else!: As Weaver, Taylor has a very distinct appearance. Outside costume, however, she looks so ordinary she has no problem living Hidden in Plain Sight - and Sector Security finds it utterly terrifying. One of the deadliest Satellite denizen is in Neo Domino City and they can't even pick them in a crowd... and neither can Roman Goodwin who, despite knowing her face, is unable to track her down.
- Toxic Friend Influence: Taylor's friendship with Yusei is the reason he is more pragmatic and less forgiving than canon. Yusei outright calls her a bad influence, only for Lisa to retort he is a good influence to her.
- Trapped in Another World: With the twist that Cauldron sent Taylor there instead of the Crimson Dragon or another entity summoning her. The Queen Administrator isn't happy and firmly intends on getting back at them.
- Trauma Button: School turns to be this. When Taylor tries to go to Neo Domino Duel Academy, she is overwhelmed by memories of Winslow and swiftly turns tail, then rages that she has no problem staring down Earthbound Immortals but going to school gives her a panic attack.
- Would Not Shoot a Civilian: No matter how they handle Sector Security or Arcadian, Weaver always makes a point of keeping civilians out of the way and never targets them. In fact, one of their grief against Arcadia is that they do, and attack everyone indiscriminately. This is something Weaver just cannot tolerate.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: during their duel with Luna, Weaver is reluctant to hurt the girl and makes a point of using the duel as a lesson, notably berating Luna when she uses card effects that get both Weaver and herself hurt. Even Beelze opts to sneeze just hard enough to knock Luna on her rear.
Yusei Fudo
Yusei Fudo - White Star, the Crimson Tail / Head Signer
The protagonist of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds and one of the Crimson Signers, men and women chosen by the Crimson Dragon to protect the world. Calm and collected, all he wants is to over his friends and his home, the dumpster-island of Satellite, and recover the card Jack Atlas stole from him.However, it quickly turns out there is more to him than meets the eye... He uses a Synchron/Warrior deck. His ace monster is his partner, Stardust Dragon.
- Adaptational Sexuality: In this story his relationship with Kalin was explicitly romantic, but he still has hints of attraction to Akiza, and eventually starts dating her.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Yusei is one of the nicest Crimson Signers short of the Twins, and a Positive Friend Influence to Taylor. Thanks to her being a Toxic Friend Influence, however, he is notably more brutal than his canon self and is fully on-board with brown recluse bites in Sayer's crotch. When he finds out what Rex Goodwin has in stores for Satellite, he considers flaying the Director alive and swears neither Rex nor Roman will survive their fight.
- Big Brother Instinct: Yusei takes Chacu Challhua threatening Taylor, Jack and Crow extremely poorly and goes straight into Tranquil Fury. Everyone is terrified.
- Can't Hold His Liquor: Unfortunately for Yusei, when it comes to drinking, he is as much a lightweight as Stardust, and is reminded of the fact the hard way following a drinking contest with Jack and Crow.
- Confirmed Bachelor: Taylor and most people in Satellite assume Yusei is this. He is, because The First Cut Is the Deepest.
- Cosmic Motifs: Stars. His Hero alias is White Star, his partner is Stardust Dragon while his Duel Runner is called the Shooting Stardust, and the chapter titles refer to him as the Star.
- Dueling Hackers: Yusei battles Saint over Dragon's code while Defiant, Miss Militia and Narwhal attack the Dragonslayers. Yusei wins.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest: Yusei and Kalin used to be lovers, back when they were part of the Enforcers. Unfortunately, Kalin's growing Blood Knight tendencies and a lack of goal caused Jack and Crow to leave the group, Yusei staying out of love. Then Sector Security struck and Kalin was arrested despite Yusei's attempts. Even today, Yusei still isn't over his boyfriend and remembering him causes him to break down in Taylor's arms.
- Has a Type: If Jack is to be trusted, Yusei has a thing for Long-Haired Pretty Boy with a beef against Security. The only problem is that, while Kalin Kessler fits, Taylor is the wrong gender. His tastes in girls are closer to Akiza's figure...
- Insistent Terminology: No, Yusei didn't steal that EMP grenade. He scavenged it. It's spent and they were going to throw it anyway. Might as well take it along for study.
- Instant Expert: Yusei's power, courtesy of the Crimson Dragon, lets him master any technology-based field the moment he starts working on it. The downside is that it leaves him just as quickly the moment he's done, and it only works on technology-related fields. Human sciences and everyday tasks need not apply.
- Lap Pillow: At one point he has Taylor reading the Odyssey on one thing while Akiza is napping on the other.
- Living Emotional Crutch: Yusei is this to Taylor. Sure, in the setting's Grey-and-Grey Morality, how "good" both are is a matter of perspective, but Yusei is definitively a positive influence on Taylor, giving her someone to turn to when she is troubled and bringing her gentler, more protective side. On the other hand, Taylor will go on a biblical rampage the moment Yusei gets hurt. This is especially prominent after Dragon tells Taylor what became of her father and her hometown: Taylor uncharacteristically breaks down only after Yusei reassures her it is safe to do so.
- Man Bites Man: Yusei answers Kalin's Forceful Kiss by biting his lips. It draws blood.
- Meaningful Name: Ryushi named Yusei after the Yuusei Ryuushi, the Planetary Particle connecting the Human and Spirit Worlds. His hope was that Yusei would likewise connect and empower the hearts of people, something Taylor can attest he does.
- Morality Chain: As Jack realizes, Yusei is Weaver's "anchor", her moral compass as Goodwin puts it, helping to keep her on the straight and narrow, and if anything happened to him...
- Offhand Backhand: Yusei subconsciously does this to anyone who disturbs him while his power is active. He didn't realize he'd swung a screwdriver at Taylor before she told him.
- Positive Friend Influence: Yusei is the reason Taylor is friendlier and more sociable than canon, giving her someone to trust and confide after so long being The Aloner. Lisa outright calls him such.
- Relationship Upgrade: He and Akiza eventually start dating.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Roman notes that Yusei doesn't simply look like his father. He and Ryushi also share the same temper, especially the Tranquil Fury part.
- Technopathy:The second aspect of Yusei's power lets him analyze a machine at a glance, while touching it gives him a synesthetic feel of its structure.
- Traumatic Superpower Awakening: Inverted. The Crimson Dragon imbuing Yusei with new powers is a gentle, dream-like experience which stands in stark contrast with trigger events.
Jack Atlas
Jack Atlas - Red King, the Crimson Wing Signer
Yusei's traitorous foster brother, who once stole his Duel Runner and Stardust Dragon to escape Satellite. After his defeat at Yusei's hand in the Fortune Cup and subsequent encounter with Taylor and Carly, he begins to regain his memories as the Crimson Wing Signer, Earth Yota's Eternal Hero.Though he hardly shows it, Jack is viciously protective of his loved ones. His deck is a power-focused Archfiend. His ace monster is his partner, Red Dragon Archfiend.
- Badass Teacher. Eternal Hero. Teacher at Neo Domino's Duel Academy. Do not mess with his students. Heitmann finds out the hard way when he not only delivers him a Curb-Stomp Battle, but also uses said battle as a lesson.
- Biblical Motifs: Fiends. His partner is Red Dragon Archfiend, the Archfiend archetype is a part of his deck and the chapter titles also refer to him as such.
- Big Brother Instinct: He hardly ever shows it, but Jack sees himself as the responsible, protective older brother to Yusei and Crow. Mess with either and be prepared to be very sorry.
- Blood from the Mouth: When Aslla piscu stabs him in the chest, Jack notices something red is dripping from his mouth. It takes him a moment to realize it's his own blood.
- Crippling Overspecialization: From one life to the next, fighting and parenting are the only two skillsets Jack retains. Anything else, he has to re-learn from scratch. As such, besides fighting, raising children and teaching how to do either, there aren't many things he can do.
- Deal with the Devil: Kohaku was unaware of Red Dragon Archfiend's true nature as a Signer Dragon and believed him to be "just" a powerful, draconic akuma. Freeing him and receiving the Crimson Wing Mark in return for his assistance was an act of desperation on his side.
- Dying Moment of Awesome: Narrowly Averted thanks to the Crimson Dragon. When Aslla piscu tries to kill Carly, Jack takes the blow instead and is left with the Immortal's beak piercing his chest. What does he do? After trying to reassure Carly, he stabs the Chikage through Aslla piscu's beak and screams at the other Signers to strike down the Hummingbird. The Crimson Signers ragingly oblige, only to be stopped by the Crimson Dragon cleansing Aslla piscu and healing Jack.
- Eternal Hero: The Crimson Wing Signer has been the same person since medieval Japan, courtesy of a deal between them and Red Dragon Archfiend. Their current incarnation, unsurprisingly, happens to be Jack.
- Everything's Better with Samurai: Kohaku was once a yojimbo a bodyguard. In modern days, Jack wields his past self's katana and the armor Taylor fashioned for him reminisces of samurais, down to having a menpo. Jack loves it.
- Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: Following his actions against the Dark Signers, the people of Satellite may have forgiven Jack for betraying Yusei, but Blitz makes clear he hasn't forgotten and will keep an eye on him. Jack acknowledges it.
- Happily Married: For all that he is a remorseless Blood Knight, Jack is a family man at heart. He always ever had one single spouse through his lives: Himawari, and each of his incarnations were a loving spouse and caring parent. Archfiend implies this is why sexual abuse is one of his pet peeves.
- Hidden Depths: Being an Eternal Hero who is highly familiar with conflict, Jack is also knowledgeable of the scars it leaves behind, both physical and mental. As such, when Taylor discovers school is her Trauma Button, he is the one who advises her on how to deal with it.
- Implacable Man: Jack becomes this after Kalin's Forceful Kiss of Yusei. Powered by Big Brother Instinct and sheer, white-hot fury, he promises to kill the Dark Signer when he catches up with him. The ensuring Duel is a hunt during which Jack teases his progress to an increasingly more terrified Kalin, shrugging anything his former friend throws at him and repaying each blow in kind. He finally kills Kalin by making Ccapac Apu's damage-dealing effect backfire at him.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Since Kohaku was originally a Rōnin working as a yojimbo, a bodyguard, his weapon of choice was naturally a katana. When Jack wakes up after dreaming of his past self, he finds the very sword right next to his bed... and it happens to be the Chikage from Bloodborne.
- One-Man Army: Between Red Dragon Archfiend and his past selves' memories trickling back in his sleep, the Crimson Wings Signer tends to be one if not the strongest fighter in the world, as befits their status as an Eternal Hero with a Blood Knight mentality. Kohaku could and has stormed fortresses and left no survivor. His French Revolution/Napoleonic War incarnation died during the Battle of Wagram after singlehandedly holding the line against seven thousand soldiers, passing from exhaustion in his son's arms.
- Papa Wolf: While he'll let her fight her own battles when she needs to, he's rather protective of Dinah after adopting her, like when her teacher at the Academy is dismissing her entire class and gets thrashed in a duel as a result. This is apparently a recurring trait of his across his incarnations with the incarnations of his son as well.
- Paralyzing Fear of Sexuality: Downplayed, but Jack admits that he's always been... uncomfortable with sexuality, in part because he knows that he's never quite had the level of trust needed to be truly intimate with someone. This is part of why he was uncomfortable with Yusei and Kalin's relationship; he was worried (correctly, as it turned out), it would turn out badly. In fact, part of the reason he's so eager to help rescue Akiza is because Sayer's action's remind him of Kalin's during his mad romance with Yusei during his descent. It is Averted with his spouse Himawari who, as his One True Love, is the only one he trusts enough to go this far. Naturally, her current incarnation is Carly.
- Rags to Riches: From Satellite-born ganger to the King of Duels. Jack doesn't regret betraying Yusei to get there.
- So Proud of You: After Dinah beats Chacu Challhua by baiting it with a Field Spell then destroying it to seal it away, Jack first has a laughing fit. Then he hugs her and tells her how proud he is.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Kohaku, Himawari and Nikko are a star-crossed family. Though they usually live long-enough to conceive and raise their child, Kohaku and Himawari never get to grow old together, as disaster strikes and takes one of them away sooner or later. Archfiend cannot recall a single incarnation in which both died of old age.
- Staring Down Cthulhu: After defeating Kalin, Jack glares at Ccapac Apu, who actually seems intimidated enough to flee instead of continuing the fight.
- The Strategist: Whenever a new enemy shows up, Jack is usually the first to figure out its strengths and weaknesses, owing to his centuries of combat experience. He is also one of the quickest to devise counters.
- Taking the Bullet: When Aslla piscu moves to claim Carly's life, Jack takes the Hummingbird's beak in the chest instead. This doubles as his Act of True Love.
- Was It Really Worth It?: After Weaver's Roaring Rampage of Rescue, Jack wonders if his life as the King was worth abandoning his friends. He decides it is.
