William "Billy" Batson
Age: 12 :: Nationality: American :: Occupation: Child
Currently in: Gotham City
Character Background
- Billy grew up in an orphanage in Fawcett City, never knowing his parents, before being transferred to a different orphanage in Gotham City. Despite the common plight of an orphan living in the system, he manged to be cheerful and optimistic about life.
- One day, after delivering the last paper on his paper route, a torrential downpour struck, and Billy sought temporary shelter in a subway station, down a staircase he hadn't seen before. Instead of a subway station, he found a massive cave, with stone statues of of six mythical figures all standing to one side, and at the end sat an old, bearded man in throne. Over the man's head hung a giant boulder suspended by a rope so frayed it appeared to only be connected by a thread. The old man called to Billy, and Billy approached. The old man said he would give Billy powers, and all Billy had to do was say his name, Shazam! Billy agreed, and promised to use his new powers only for good. The old man smiled, and bid him to go, before the rope snapped and the boulder fell, smashing the old man and his throne flat under its massive bulk.
- Though the experience had been dramatic, Billy was not frightened, and he left the cave to emerge back on the street just as the rain had stopped. Looking behind him, the subway staircase had vanished, leaving only an alleyway. Still, he did not doubt what happened, and when he had a chance, he tested his new power, becoming Captain Marvel, Earth's mightiest mortal!
- His identity as Captain Marvel kept a secret, and used only couple of times, Billy continued his life much as before, until one night from his window he saw figures moving on the opposite rooftop! It was Batman! He remained still and watched a fight ensue, only to see something fall as both Batman and the baddie he was facing leapt over the gap between rooftops. Scurrying downstairs, Billy darted into the alley where the object had fallen, only to find something amazing - Batman's utility belt! Billy knew it could easily fall into the wrong hands, so he snatched it up and ran back upstairs to hide it under his pillow. The next morning, after his paper route, he turned it in to the local police department office, knowing that the GCPD could get something back to Batman - they have a Bat-Signal, after all!
- When Commissioner Gordon does get Batman's utility belt back to him, he lets him know some kid turned it in, and that he really ought to be more careful where he leaves his toys. The display of honesty from a kid causes Bruce Wayne to look into just who had turned his belt in, and finds out it was an orphan. Heart-strings pulled, and wanting to reward such honesty, he gets the Wayne Foundation to sponsor Billy Batson to Brentwood Academy. It's also good PR, and sponsoring a kid who ISN'T part of the Bat Family is a good way to throw heat off his own trail.
Raw Material
- While Billy can transform into Captain Marvel, he is still just a kid in mind and heart, with an upbeat, cheerful personality so sunny it could power Superman. Still, he's also gullible, and unsuspecting of a great deal of treachery.
- No one knows Billy is Captain Marvel, though his interactions with the "sidekicks" at Brentwood will likely lead him to figuring out who is who among them pretty quick, which can lead to a foot-in-mouth moment every now and then.
- Worries about schoolwork, and living up to the faith that Mr. Wayne has put in him. Has an old, stuffed tiger toy in a terrible green checkered suit coat and pants, named Mr. Tawky Tawny. Talks to him about his worries and problems when alone. Has no idea yet that Mr. Tawky Tawny is more than he appears to be since Billy was granted the power of Captain Marvel.
- Wants to have friends, and be one of the cool kids. Totally doesn't understand girls. He's twelve.
- Dreams that someday he'll find out who his parents were, and what happened to them.
Plot Ideas
- Trying to hang with the cool kids at Brentwood Academy. This is difficult when they are 17-18, and you are twelve.
- "Accidentally" finding out the vigilante identities of some of his fellow students, then getting asked to cover for them at school, which just tips him off as to where he needs to meet them later as Captain Marvel.
Existing Relationships
- Bruce Wayne (barely): Only met him for like, ten minutes, when Billy was told that he was getting to go to Brentwood Academy.
Current Plots
Credit for the basic template goes to Dun of RPG-D
