Astronomer (Wild Cards)
The Astronomer is a male literature character who features in Wild Cards.
Contents |
Biography
The Astronomer
The Astronomer made his first appearance in the 1960s, coming before the Egyptian Freemasons after discovering the Swarm Mother approaching Earth. Marc Balsam, the Mason's leader, determined that the description matched that of TIAMAT, the entity that had been the cornerstone of the Mason's foundation since the group's inception. This revelation saw the Astronomer quickly drawn deep into the Masons and he soon attained a prominent position within their ranks. The Astronomer's quest for power had him manipulate events to his advantage when in 1979 Fortunato destroyed the Mason's temple in retaliation for a woman that the Astronomer had mind-wiped. The Astronomer led a few loyal followers away from the incident, while leaving Balsam dead in the ruins of the building, thus sealing his leadership of the group. He thought that he could use the Shakti Device to defeat TIAMAT, and the world would come to him in gratitude for delivering them from this evil, and with that goal in mind began to mastermind his own criminal empire. By May 1986, the Astronomer had killed a number of people to fuel his power, and this again drew Fortunato's attention when one of the slain women turned out to be one of Fortunato's geishas. His years of planning had nearly come to fruition when the Swarm invaded, but when Fortunato discovered his location his plans were dashed. Fortunato led a violent raid against the Cloisters, effectively snuffing out the Egyptian Freemasons in one swift blow. The Astronomer survived the attack and vowed revenge against all who participated in Fortunato's raid. He then began to reassemble other survivors from the group.
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, the Astronomer was a diminutive and seemingly frail old man whose physical form belied his immense psychic power. He possessed a thin, twisted body that was often confined to a wheelchair when his energy reserves were low, giving him the look of a kindly but decrepit grandfather. His most striking features were his disproportionately large head and a 'mole-like' facial structure, characterized by thinning white hair and thick, bottle-bottom glasses. When he was fully empowered by his ritualistic 'death magic', the upper portion of his skull would visibly enlarge further. Despite this unassuming and somewhat sickly aesthetic, he carried an undeniable aura of creepiness; yet, upon his death, he reverted to the appearance of an ordinary, harmless elderly man, leading many to doubt he was ever the dangerous supervillain described by his enemies.
Powers and abilities
The Astronomer became a powerful superhuman Ace through exposure to the Wild Card virus roughly twenty years prior. This transformation caused his 'card to turn', granting him a vast suite of psionic powers while simultaneously erasing all memories of his life before the event. He possessed an arsenal of mental and physical abilities, including telepathy, telekinesis, astral projection, and the capacity to project destructive energy blasts or create protective force fields. His most specialized traits were his ability to suppress the powers of other Aces and his proficiency in selective or total memory erasure, which he used to leave victims in a vegetative state. To sustain these extraordinary feats, he utilized a ritualistic 'psychological crutch' known as death magic, recharging his immense psychic energy reserves through the horrific torture and sacrifice of others. Despite his nearly limitless potential, his abilities were governed by a strict limitation: he was only capable of utilizing one specific power at a time, a weakness that ultimately contributed to his downfall.
Notes
- The Astronomer was created by Lewis Shiner where she featured in the setting of the Wild Cards universe.
Appearances
- Aces High: (1987)
External Links
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