EZRA THORNE aka CHOKEHOLD, a super-powered oc (with a selfish leon faceclaim)
Name: Ezra Thorne
Alias: Chokehold Dispatcher Thorne, Ezra, Ez, ET
Age: 30s-50s, verse dependent
Gender: trans man
Pronouns: he/him
Species: human
Moral Alignment: chaotic good
Affiliation: verse dependent, started as a vigilante and now primarily works as a 911 dispatcher
Appearance: Ezra is a caucasian man with ashy, almost gray looking hair and notably blue eyes. He has black spider-web like scarring that can be seen on his neck, face, hands, and forearms. The scarring appears to spread with every use of his powers and is connected to an active infection within his body. Although the infection is not contagious to anyone else, it continues to spread through his body with every use of his powers, resulting in his field work being ended prematurely for the sake of his health. Although he no longer operates in the field he works out reguarly, resulting a notably toned but flexible body type. He typically wears dark or neutral colors paired with a worn leather jacket. Personality: Ezra is an introvert that is awkward at small talk. He prefers listening over talking and is notably more outgoing around close allies/friends. Although good at maintaining a poker face and steady tone, Ezra has a strong sense of justice that can lead to him becoming notably angry or frustrated.
Powers/Abilities:
Oxygen Manipulation: Ezra can manipulate oxygen but only via the methods outlined in the below sub-powers: - Oxygen Independence: Ezra can temporarily opt out of breathing, making breathing a preference instead of a necessity. He can stop breathing and function normally without breathing for 1 hour at a time. Weakness/limit: After using his power for 1 hour he has to take a 3 hour break to recover from using his oxygen independence ability. In other words this power allows him to temporarily fight and function as a human without oxygen. - Anaerobic Breathing: In an environment that lacks oxygen sources Ezra can ‘breathe’ using other sources such as nitrate, fumarate, sulfate or elemental sulfur. Weakness/limit: He has much less stamina with this ability than his first ability, only being able to use it in 10 minute bursts with a 3 hour break/recovery time. This lets him breathe in spaces with no oxygen for 10 minute bursts, essentially. - Deoxygenation: Ezra can remove oxygen from the open air in a 6 foot diameter for up to 10 minutes, meaning he could suffocate someone without touching them but still would need to be fairly close to them. Weaknesses/limit: 10 minutes max, if the person he's fighting is familiar with his powers they could hold their breath or come with a device that would provide oxygen in a closed container that Ezra couldn't access.
Backstory
Ezra wasn't born with powers. His older brother, Elias and his parents didn't have powers either. The Thorne family was simply human and simply, well, average. Ezra's dad was a high school science teacher and his mother sold cars at the local car dealership. With the two Thorne boys being well behaved and getting solid As and Bs in high school and beyond, they were kind but unremarkable. The whole Thorne family just seemed like simple people trying to a lead drama and crime free life. However, appearances can be deceiving...
A few years after Ezra graduated college and was working as a private investigator he noticed a change in his brother. Elias lost weight, always looked exhausted but was also twitchy, almost paranoid. Although his parents dismissed the changes as Elias just being stressed with his long work hours, Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
Elias worked as a research assistant for the college both he and Ezra graduated from. Hence, it was easy for Ezra to start to discretely follow his brother around because he was familiar with the layout of the campus. It was during his secret investigation on his own brother that Ezra discovered that his brother was getting blackmailed into assisting with unauthorized and unethical experiments. Although Ezra originally thought the experiments were trying to create a drug to enhance superpowers, as he even deeper into the lab he discovered that Elias's boss was trying to create a super-powered sickness to kill all people with superpowers. Ezra's journey deep into the depths of the lab resulted in him being spotted.
A fight began. Beakers flew and glasses broke. Ultimately Ezra was infected with the superpowered/engineered sickness and his brother died in the crossfire, killed by his blackmailer/boss. Ezra murdered his brother's former boss out of grief and rage. The murder, although argued by his lawyer to be self defense landed him with a hefty prison sentence. His case sparked national interest, and he was eventually released early for good behavior + due to public outcry.
Post his release he operated as a detective by day and vigilante by night. He started as the hero Chokehold in the field but was switched to a 911 dispatcher as it was discovered the the sickness was both giving him superpowers and killing him slowly all at the same time. Although the sickness he is afflicted with has not been replicated or spread it impacts him daily and will one day kill him, serving as both a chronic and terminal condition for him.
VERSE INFO UNDER THE CUT.