Editing Usher

{{Sequel}}
{{Infobox character
| Image= Usher by Lordofthetrout.png
| imagecaption = Image by [https://www.reddit.com/r/Parahumans/comments/azc6cl/usher_fan_art/ LordOfTheTrout]
|civname = Ray C. Rudolph
|alias = Usher
|gender = Male
|age =
|alignment= [[Villain]] (ex-[[Heroes|hero]])
|occupation =
|team = [[Ingenue]]'s entourage
|previous team =
* [[The Protectorate]]<ref name="23.2"/>
* [[The Taught]]
|base of operations = 
* [[Los Angeles]]<ref name="23.2">[[Drone 23.2]]</ref> (previously)
* [[Cauldron Compound]] (previously)
* [[The City]]
|classification = [[Trump]]<ref name="R1"/>
|web serial = [[Drone 23.2]]
|ward=[[Interlude 15.y II|Interlude 15.y]]
|family =
}}
'''Usher''' (civilian name: '''Ray C. Rudolph'''<ref name="16.1II"/>) is a member of the [[Los Angeles]] [[Protectorate]].<ref name="23.2e5">“Counting coup?” [[Leister]] asked.  He was the sole subordinate that Vantage had brought along. [[Rime]], by contrast, had brought Usher and [[Arbiter]] from her team.  [[Prefab]] from San Diego had shown up as well. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/drone-23-2 Excerpt] from [[Drone 23.2]]</ref>

==Personality==
Is notably reticent to involve himself in powers where things are not known.<ref>[[Drone 23.2]]</ref>

==Appearance==
His cape costume, ethnicity and other distinguishing features have not been elaborated on.

==Abilities and Powers==
Usher has the ability to grant "unreliable" defenses, capable of countering Behemoths 'death aura',<ref name="I24">Behemoth swiped at him, but he was already shifting the balance of his armor, moving to block the blow with the flat of the blade.  The sound of the impact was deafening, and it wasn’t something Usher’s power protected against.  But Usher’s power was finnicky at best.  Unreliable.<br/><br/>At the very least, it was holding up here. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/interlude-24/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 24.x]]</ref> as well as many other powers. Usher's power was ranged, and only required him to concentrate on the person he was protecting, he could not protect more than one individual.<ref name="R1">Usher -  trump effect (one parahuman?), focused to the point of applying to one person, (threat to one individual), ranged application (blaster-esque situation?), protective (harm involved?). The trump effect blocks powers, implying that the relationship to the power at the time of the trigger is direct and negative. I'm picturing Usher being lifted by TK and dragged toward some threat (building's edge? churning machinery?) with the telekinetic further back, advancing. It fulfills the trend for gaining powers to have ironic consequences if he inadvertently cancels the other parahuman's powers while being threatened and held over a large drop, and that the resulting power reshapes his life to fling him again and again into confrontations vs. parahumans like the one that nearly killed him. -[https://redd.it/32wcj1 Usher's Trigger event]</ref><ref name="List"/><ref name="23.2"/> The targets of his power glowed<ref name="23.2e1">“Usher?” Rime asked.  “Hit me.”<br/><br/>Usher didn’t respond, still struggling a bit with his precarious position, holding on to Vantage’s hand.  He did close his eyes, and Rime began to glow, a sheen radiating over her hair, skin and costume. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/drone-23-2 Excerpt] from [[Drone 23.2]]</ref> and felt an "energy"<ref>Chevalier could feel a sensation crawling through his body, an energy.  It didn’t invigorate, not on its own, but he could feel a kind of relief.<br/><br/>Usher was alive, and Usher’s power coursed through him. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/interlude-24/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 24.x]]</ref> or "ripple"<ref name="23.2e3">Usher focused his power on me.  I felt it ripple through me, felt something, but it didn’t break the spell.  I still couldn’t turn the slightest amount of aggression towards the kid.<br/><br/>“No,” I said.<br/><br/>Usher focused his power on Vantage instead, and Vantage flared with light.<br/><br/>Starlet’s power hit him, and it didn’t do a thing.  He punched her in the gut, then caught her as she went limp. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/drone-23-2 Excerpt] from [[Drone 23.2]]</ref> coursing through them.<!--cover his history and power effects more thoroughly, interestingly another possible cape name would be Effete or the Effeter-->

His defenses didn't protect against being pushed or thrown around allowing those with enhanced physical abilities to still effective fight against 'protected' opponents.<ref name="23.2e2">“Ricochets,” Rime stressed.  “I- shit!”<br/><br/>I found her with my bugs, setting them on her costume.  “She’s okay, just fleeing from Bambina and Starlet.  The shooter doesn’t seem to be targeting the kids.”<br/><br/>“My power makes her immune to Bambina,” Usher said.<br/><br/>“Maybe to the explosions,” I said, “But the impact?  Or something else?”<br/><br/>He frowned. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/drone-23-2 Excerpt] from [[Drone 23.2]]</ref><ref name="I24"/> Essentially while he was able to grant 'single-target power immunity' to others he could not 'protect' against the laws of physics.<ref name="List">Usher	'''Provided single-target power immunity to others.'''	Protectorate -									[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pgn9rgYutpBqJg1lSBP3NHnq9WK4ToLq9K4ys_I4cRc/ Parahuman List], bolded edit by [[Wildbow]].</ref><ref>As tough or invincible as a given cape might be, most were still hemmed in by the restrictions and boundaries of physics.  Getting hit by something that weighed nearly nine tons sent men, women, boys and girls in costume flying, if it didn’t kill them outright. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/03/10 Excerpt] from [[Extermination 8.3]]</ref>

{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="min-width:50%"
! style="width: 20%;" |Target
! style="width: 80%;" |Effectiveness
|-
|[[August Prince]]
|No effect.<ref name="23.2e3" />
|-
|[[Bambina]]
|Protected from her explosions,<ref name="23.2e2" /> but seemingly not her kicks.
|-
|[[Behemoth]]
|Negated his kill aura, although he was able to melt armor. 

Protected Chevalier from the damaging effects of shockwaves, but not from being pushed backward by them. 

Didn't protect against Behemoth's blows.<ref name="I24" /> 

Didn't make it easier to breathe. 

May or may not have protected against radiation.
|-
|[[Starlet]]
|Totally negated her attacks.<ref name="23.2e3"/>
|-
|[[Swansong]]
|Totally negated her power.<ref name="15.yII"/>
|}
==History==

===Background===
Likely triggered while under the power of a cape, joined the [[Protectorate]] afterward and routinely found himself in the same type of situations.<ref name="R1"/> He was eventually stationed in [[Los Angeles]] with [[Alexandria]] as his superior.<ref name="23.2"/>

===Post-[[Battle against Echidna|Echidna]]===
[[Rime]] brought him along as part of team to collect [[Pretender]] for prosecution.<ref name="23.2"/> Participated in the battle against the underage mercenaries and, as always, was inconsistently effective against them.

===Post-[[Timeskip]]===
Usher was a member of the team sent to arrest [[Pretender]].<ref name="23.2"/> His power was somewhat effective against the villains involved.

He deployed to [[New Delhi]] with many of the other Protectorate. There [[Chevalier]] made use of his power to fight [[Behemoth]] in melee.<ref name="I24"/>

===[[Ward]]===
At some point he was turned into [[Teacher]]'s thrall and added to [[Ingenue]]'s entourage.<ref name="15.yII">[[Interlude 15.y II]]</ref>

===Post-[[Time Bubble Pop]]===
During the [[Wardens]]' assault on Teacher's base Usher guarded Ingenue against [[Valkyrie]]'s [[The Flock|Flock]]. He saved Ingenue from being obliterated by [[Swansong]].<ref name="15.yII"/>

Usher retreated to [[The City]] alongside Ingenue.<ref name="16.1II">As there had been armed guards guarding the way between bunker and facility, there were capes waiting for us on the other side.  One of them handed me an info sheet.  They hesitated before handing Kenzie one, and after a quick glance, I motioned for them to hand it to her.<br/><br/>'''At Large'''<br/>[...]<br/>'''Greater City Area'''<br/>Ingenue – Miranda Webb<br/>Leister – Jamar Lafranca<br/>Usher – Ray C. Rudolph<br/>Captain Claw – Charles Ali<br/>Black Goat/Scapegoat – William Giles<br/>9 Soldiers, Mixed Squads - [https://www.parahumans.net/2019/08/13 Excerpt] of [[From Within 16.1]]</ref>

==Chapter Appearances==
{{Appearance/Ray C. Rudolph Worm}}

==Trivia==
*Usher has numerous meanings but the most likely meaning here is 'Conduct' or 'Escort'. Fitting for a man who's power allows safe passage through danger for himself and others.

{{Reflist}}

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