CU Character Study: Gravitar

[Epiphanis]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]37711[/ATTACH]On the one hand, viewed from one perspective Gravitar is the quintessential bully and the CU's most half-assed wannabe conqueror. On the other hand... there is something kind of fresh and appealing about that. When you think about it, an overwhelming desire to rule the world in the fashion that Dr. Destroyer does is just kind of sad and needy. The kind of ego that requires external validation on a global scale is actually kind of pathetic.

 

Gravitar doesn't fit that mold. She may well be the CU's most confident character, hero or villain. She's better and stronger than everybody else, she knows this with an unshakable certainty, and she doesn't really need other people to kowtow in order to feel validated. In my interpretation at least, she's about as interested in spending her life telling six billions humans what to do as she would be sitting in a field shepherding a flock of sheep. She's just got better things to do.

 

So, really, why would someone like that make any attempt to "conquer the world"? I suspect its kind of like my relationship with mosquitoes. I feel vastly superior to them, I'm not even remotely afraid of them, I don't desire their obedience, and for the most part I'm not interested in telling them what to do. Yet it is possible, even commonplace, for mosquitoes to annoy me. If I could figure out a way to communicate to mosquitoes as a whole that they should leave me the hell alone and that doing otherwise equals swift and certain death... well, I think that might be worth some effort. To my mind, Gravitar doesn't want to rule so much as she simply doesn't want to have to be bothered constantly "explaining" that crossing her is a fatal mistake. Better to have everybody clear on that right up front.

 

Any other insights on this character?

[Stalin_McRally]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

Doesnt the book explicitly that its her desire to rule the world, its just that she doesnt have a "masterplan" to go by?

In any case i like what you analyzed so far , GJ friend.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

While it's easy to focus on Gravitar's vast power as the basis for using her in a game, don't overlook her other resources. Gravitar is filthy rich (it says so on her character sheet), and has considerable scientific and technological expertise. She would certainly be able to invent and build some sort of "doomsday device," or subvert existing ones, with which to blackmail the world. Her Secret ID as Erica d'Montressart is also described as very socially prominent, and doubtlessly acquainted with many powerful people. Although not specifically included on her sheet, it would be logical for her to have Contacts and Favors through which she could exert great Noncombat Influence on people (including PCs) who interfere with her plans: spreading negative coverage in the media, initiating hostile takeovers of their financial assets, and the like. As she becomes more mature and experienced, she'll probably start using more subtle tactics to lay the groundwork for her plans.

 

OTOH Gravitar isn't primarily a behind-the-scenes manipulator. She wants to be acknowledged as the most powerful person on Earth, which is why she demonstrates her abilities so openly. While I could see her quietly building toward a long-term scheme, the climax of it will undoubtedly be loud, flashy, and designed to intimidate any opposition, while putting her name on as many lips as possible.

[Enforcer84]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

She is a pretty good version of Marvel's Graviton without his ...um... limited creativity. He was always more easily manipulated than combated. In Champions it's a bit different but Gravitar is pretty similar. A singularly powerful being who enjoys being so. However, when using her, reading Graviton's appearances in the Avengers, West Coast Avengers, and Thunderbolts might be a nice jumping off point - Just remember she is not as easily rattled.

 

 

 

In 6e, Is Gravitar considered a Mastermind? I don't recall seeing her in the Solo Villains book...

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

In 6e' date=' Is Gravitar considered a Mastermind? I don't recall seeing her in the Solo Villains book...[/quote']

 

Yes, Gravitar is still ranked as a Master Villain, as she was in Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks, and hence is Sixified in Volume I of the Champions Villains trilogy.

 

To me, one of the elements that has always set the Champions Universe, in most of its incarnations, apart from those of the Big Two comics companies, is the far more prominent role that supervillainesses have played in it. The current CU continues that fine tradition, with three Master Villains being female -- Gravitar, Istvatha V'han, and the Shadow Queen -- and several others possessing great power and/or influence, e.g. Viperia, Eclipsar, Demoiselle Nocturne, or the Duchess. (And I haven't yet given up hope of convincing Steve Long to revive Chantal.)

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

Just as a tangent to the above, Gravitar and Istvatha V'han are almost polar opposites in terms of their motivations and methods. Gravitar wants the status of mistress of the world without the hassles of actually running it; V'han truly wants to rule, and rule well. Gravitar is among the most personally powerful supervillains, and wants to prove it by conquering without assistance. V'han is less mighty than most villains in her class, but has practically unlimited resources, which are her primary instruments of conquest. Gravitar tries to crush any potential opposition through brute force, whereas V'han always offers prospective new subjects a chance to submit to her voluntarily. (Of course if they refuse, out come the invading legions.)

[Peregrine]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

Just as a tangent to the above' date=' Gravitar and Istvatha V'han are almost polar opposites in terms of their motivations and methods. Gravitar wants the status of mistress of the world without the hassles of actually running it; V'han truly wants to rule, and rule well. Gravitar is among the most personally powerful supervillains, and wants to prove it by conquering without assistance. V'han is less mighty than most villains in her class, but has practically unlimited resources, which are her primary instruments of conquest. Gravitar tries to crush any potential opposition through brute force, whereas V'han always offers prospective new subjects a chance to submit to her voluntarily. (Of course if they refuse, out come the invading legions.)[/quote']

 

Catfight!

 

Seriously, that contrast sets up one hell of a rivalry...

[Stone]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

Though she doe not have a master plan, that does not mean she is incapable of planning a major event, or take advantage of another villain's plan. If news got out of a villain battling a hero or hero group near by, she could easily take the opportunity to show up and drop the weary or possibly injured hero/group in front of all the media to show the world how powerful she is. Not having a master plan does not maker her any less dangerous or devious.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

Though she doe not have a master plan' date=' that does not mean she is incapable of planning a major event, or take advantage of another villain's plan. [/quote']

 

The main thing I tend to think here with Gravitar is 'what you see is what you get'. Dr. Destroyer and Mechanon and those do feints and counter-feints, sending troops one place while their real objective is somewhere else, while actually what you thought was the diversion was actually the main goal, and so on. Gravitar is more ... to the point, shall we say. If her goal is to wreck something, she just goes and wrecks it.

[Boll Weevil]

Re: CU Character Study: Gravitar

 

I've always thought Gravitar would be happy as a lark in her role as long as Dr D was in charge. With the apparent, if temporary, death of the bad Doctor in Detroit, I would love to see how the power vacuum affected his organization. Would Gravitar rise to it or would she give her old pal Holocaust a call?