The Protectorate
The Protectorate is a government-sponsored superhero organization that spans the United States of America and Canada. It works under the Parahuman Response Team (PRT).
Background
The Protectorate was founded by Alexandria, Eidolon, Hero and Legend. After Hero's death, the remaining founders became the leaders of smaller teams based in different cities.<ref>Comment by Wildbow on Reddit</ref>
In exchange for government funding and legitimacy, the Protectorate has agreed to follow a special set of laws laid out for capes, to accept bureaucratic oversight and cooperate with local authorities.
The Protectorate would eventually expand to cover Canada as well as the United States of America, with talks of covering Mexico.
Organization
Triumvirate
The Triumvirate of Legend, Alexandria and Eidolon formed the core leadership of the Protectorate for most of the story, with Legend being the official leader. In addition to leading several teams, they were the first responders and de facto leaders of every fight against class S threats across the globe.
Due to sensitive information becoming public knowledge during the Echidna attack, all of the members of the Triumvirate retired from the Protectorate. While they still participated in all class S fights following this, they no longer took leadership positions. Legend was eventually replaced by Chevalier.
Regional Protectorate Teams
Every city in the US with a sizeable cape population has a corresponding Protectorate team. These teams operate out of the local Protectorate Headquarters (PHQ), maintaining regular patrols and responding to reports of villain activity. Large cities known to host Protectorate teams include Austin, Boston, Brockton Bay, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York, with New York being the largest.
Parahumans could request transfer to specific locations,<ref name="7.x">Interlude 7</ref> or simply be transferred to a new location. <ref name="7.x"/><ref>PRT Quest</ref>
Members
Boston
Known Boston Protectorate capes include Reynard and Hunch, of the Wards. Weld was also from Boston before transferring to Brockton Bay.
Brockton Bay
Protectorate heroes from Brockton Bay include Armsmaster, Assault, Battery, Dauntless, Miss Militia, Triumph and Velocity.
The Brockton Bay Wards team is composed of Aegis, the leader, Clockblocker, Vista, Gallant, Kid Win, Browbeat and Shadow Stalker, with later additions of Weld, Flechette and Chariot.
Chicago
The Chicago protectorate team is led by Myrddin.<ref name="I5"/><ref name="I7">Interlude 7</ref> Revel took over after his death.<ref name="23.1"/><ref name="24.3"/>
The Chicago Wards team is led by Tecton,<ref name="24.3"/> and includes Raymancer, Annex, Garnett, Grace, Wanton, Cuff, Golem, Romp and Weaver.
Las Vegas
The Las Vegas team or Vegas Dark includes team leader Satyrical, Blowout, Nix, Spur, Leonid, Floret, Ravine,<ref name="23.2" /> and Pretender.
Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Protectorate team was the second-largest in America.<ref name="23.1">Drone 23.1</ref> They were led by Alexandria, and later Rime.<ref name="23.1"/> The team included Arbiter and Usher among their number.<ref name="23.2"/>
The Los Angeles Wards team was led by Vantage,<ref name="23.1"/> and included Leister.<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref>
Philadelphia
Chevalier is leader of the Protectorate in Philadelphia.<ref name="I5">Interlude 5</ref>
San Diego
Gully is a member of the San Diego Wards,<ref name="19.3">Scourge 19.3</ref> but wasn't team captain.<ref name="19.4">Scourge 19.4</ref> Scapegoat<ref name="Cast">Scapegoat – A cape hailing from San Diego, Scapegoat wears robes and a goat mask with a circlet. Can accept the wounds of others and transfer them to touched foes, in a somewhat drawn-out process. - Cast (Spoiler Free)</ref> and Prefab<ref>Prefab from San Diego had shown up as well. - Drone 23.2</ref> were also from San Diego. Wanton was previously stationed there.<ref name="19.3"/>
San Diego was considered one of the more prominent Protectorate teams. As of the New Delhi fight, San Diego's Protectorate had lost a lot of members, with many of the remainder transferred to less stable locations. Their leader, Spire, felt unable to attend.<ref>San Diego, absent. They'd lost too many members, abandoned by those who'd lost faith in the Protectorate, with the remnants cannibalized to support other teams in need. San Diego was more or less stable, so there'd been little pressure to resupply them with new members.
Except that Spire, San Diego's team leader, hadn't felt confident walking into the fight. There'd been the human element, the fears, the concerns. He'd had cold feet at the last second, decided not to come. An integral part of their defense, gone, forcing them to adapt... he couldn't help but notice the gaps. San Diego, Vegas, Brockton Bay. Three of the more prominent teams in the United States.
Defiant, Dragon and Weaver were among the last to arrive. They joined the unofficial capes who'd filled the void that should have been occupied by the San Diego capes.-Interlude 24</ref>
Texas
The Houston team includes Eidolon (team leader), Exalt (interim leader),<ref name="24.4"/> and Dispatch (second in command).<ref name="24.3"/><ref name="23.1">Drone 23.1</ref> The Houston Wards team includes Gentle Giant. Weaver mistakenly referred to them as the "Texas Protectorate", but Exalt corrected her.<ref name="24.4">Crushed 24.4</ref>
The only known cape on the Austin team is Hoyden, leader of the Wards.<ref name="23.1"/><ref name="24.3">Crushed 24.3</ref> However, Hoyden later refers to Houston as "my city".<ref>Interlude 26b</ref>
Strapping Lad, Intrepid, Young Buck and Chronicler are attributed to "the Texas Wards team" by Tecton. They participated in the Battle against Leviathan and Battle against Echidna.<ref name="18.8">Queen 18.8</ref>
In addition, an unnamed Protectorate tinker from Texas is known to be the source of many of the Protectorate's advanced circuit boards.<ref name="9.4">Sentinel 9.4</ref>
New York
The New York team were led by Legend, with Prism as second in command.<ref name="23.1"/> They included Ursa Aurora, Cache.
The New York Wards team is led by Jouster.<ref name="23.1"/>
Wards
Main Article: Wards
The Wards are a subdivision of the Protectorate that underage parahumans can join. If they are still in the Wards by the time they are eighteen, Wards can be reassigned to a Protectorate team.
Trivia
- Taylor on Triumvirate, a biography about the Triumvirate: "Biographies weren’t my thing, and they were especially not my thing when I was suspicious it was all made up."<ref>Gestation 1.1</ref> This was possibly the earliest piece of clever foreshadowing in the series.
- Members who are cleared for, and attend endbringer fights and other S-Class threats gain a substantial pay raise.[citation needed]
- The Protectorate and immediately related teams make up 25-50% of the defending side against Endbringers outside of North America.<ref name="19.y"> Interlude 19.y</ref>
References
<references/>