Brian Laborn

[[Category:{{#switch:|File=Files|Template=Templates|articles}} in need of cleanup]]

<infobox> <title source="name"><default>Brian Laborn</default></title>

<image source="Image"></image> <image source="image"></image> <group><header>Basic Information</header> <label>Civilian Name</label> <label>Aliases</label> <label>Gender</label><default>Unknown</default> <label>Death</label> <label>Age</label><default>Unknown</default> <label>Post-timeskip</label> <label>Ward start</label> <label>Relations</label> <label>Family</label></group> <group><header>Professional Status</header> <label>Occupation</label> <label>Classification</label> <label>Unique Features</label> <label>Alignment</label>

<label>Status</label><format>

Deceased

</format>

<label>Location</label> <label>Teams</label> <label>Previous Team(s)</label> <label>Base of Operations</label></group> <group><header>First Appearance</header> <label>Worm Debut</label> <label>Ward Debut</label></group> </infobox>

Grue, real name Brian Laborn, is a member of The Undersiders.

Personality

Brian has an overly professional demeanor and a desire for personal freedom separate this. He takes online classes that allow him a flexible schedule, is a trained fighter but never put in the time to master one discipline. He readily accepts burdones when it comes to his family and friends but he values his ability to walk away from it at anytime.

Appearance

Brian is an African-American teenager, mature for his age in his body, with a muscular frame, a lantern jaw. He is usually dressed fairly well, not opulent but stylish.

As Grue, Brian dressed in motorcycle leathers and a motorcycle helmet with a full-face visor sculpted to look like a stylized skull<ref>https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/gestation-1-5/</ref>. These incorporated side vents to allow the darkness he creates to flow outward in a more dramatic effect.

His equipment would receive and be upgrade when Skitter finished making Silk costumes for all the Undersiders. The new outfit used a more demonic then skeletal mask,based on a figurine Brian bought for the express purpose of inspiration.

Abilities and Powers

Brian can generate clouds of infra-dimensional darkness that erase all light, mute and distort sounds, and confuse the sense of touch. It also interferes with microwaves, radio frequencies, radiation, and Breaker powers such as those possessed by Shadow Stalker and Velocity. He does not actually 'see' this darkness, he is aware of it's location and when it is affected but it does not obscure his vision in the least.<ref name="16.6">Monarch 16.6</ref>} After his second Trigger Event, Brian's darkness became thicker, heavier, and came out less quickly, but grew exponentially. He also gained the ability to use the powers of other parahumans while they were in his darkness, while suppressing their powers at the same time. While using these powers he was essentially using them for the first time, lacking the experience and skill of previous users.

History

Background

Grue was abused by his mother's boyfriend when he was young, and fought to develop the strength and fortitude to never be that weak again. To go to help his sister with the same man, and to see the house and be brought back to his weakest, darkest moment, the man's eyes on him, he found the power to immerse the world in darkness. Environment and malign attention and the desire to protect his sister all factored into his power being what it was.<ref name="reddit1">Comment by Wildbow on Reddit</ref>

Early Career

Brian was active as the Super-villain grue for roughly two years. During this phase of his career Brian learned about the importance of reputation. Specifically choosing the name Grue with its obscure etymology, with the presumption that the alias would attract a more sophisticated clientele. <ref name="SV1">Comment by Wildbow on Sufficient Velocity</ref>

This seems to have worked as he was eventually collected by the benefactor of what would become The Undersiders. During this time Brian met The Adepts and by extension Epoch, from this encounter Brian discovered a deep hatred for people whose power violate the solvency of the time-space continuum<ref name="reddit2">Comment by wildbow on Reddit</ref>.

Story Start

Coming off a successful robbery of the ABB's Ruby Dreams underground casino they come across a new bug themed super villain.

Trivia

• Contrary to popular belief, Grue didn't name himself after the darkness-dwelling monster from Zork According to Wildbow, "That's not actually what the Grue refers to. 'Grue' as in gruesome, is Old English for creepy or scary<ref name="SV2">Comment by Wildbow on Sufficient Velocity</ref>.
• Clones of Grue made by Echidna are called 'abhorror's, a variation of abhor meaning a strong aversion or repugnance, essentially grue's name taken to an extreme.<ref>root word definition</ref>.

Fanart Gallery

• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  illustration byDrunkfu on deviantart
• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  Illustration by Holocene from spacebattles
• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  Illustration byDrunkfu on deviantart

References

<references/>