Oliver Martin (from Psi High)

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Oliver Martin (27)

Project: YA Novel (Psi High)

Known as: No nickname

Real name: Oliver Martin

Group affiliation: The Prime Council

Physical description: Like most of the Prime Council, Oliver is younger than he looks (he appears to be in his early 20ies; he’s actually in his 50ies). He has boyish features, is short, and has a slight frame. As an older man, he gets frustrated not being taken more seriously, so he overcompensates in his dress (suits, expensive watches, slicked-back perfectly quaffed hair). Unfortunately, this exaggerates his boyish features, and he looks like someone younger playing grown-up.

Personality: Oliver seeks to provide the impression of a calm, sophisticated, always-in-control person. He tries to speak slowly, to avoid any lingering Australian accent. Unfortunately, his façade rarely holds for long. His voice is somewhat high pitched and a little squeaky. He isn’t particularly intelligent, and this gets underlined whenever he tries to say something smart. He is in a constant state of feeling like others aren’t giving him the respect he deserves which makes him touchy and irritable (further challenging his façade). His power sometimes manifests itself unconsciously as a result and Council meetings are held in inflammable spaces. He is eager to unleash his power as these are the times that EVERYONE takes him seriously (he doesn’t get to that often; the results are more dramatic than the Council’s typical methods). Despite his temper and self-image, he is easily cowed by those he fears are more powerful than him (such as the rest of the Council).

History: Oliver was born in rural Australia during the mid 60ies. From a large farming family, his insecurities started early as he felt like he was just one of the crowd. There were a number of mildly gifted Electi in his family tree and his family was appreciated for their usefulness. Oliver’s gifts turned out to be more destructive in nature. Farms and fire do not mix, so when Oliver began showing off his abilities, only his family’s reputation prevented him from being run out of town (or worse).

Fortunately for Oliver, his potential hit the radar of the Prime Council. The Council had not had a pyrokinetic in some time. In truth, it was the position with the fastest turnover, as the pyrokinetics were often the ones put in the most danger; or the ones that had to be eliminated as the worst threats to the Council’s anonymity. Oliver ended up being somewhat ideal, for while combustible (pun intended) his insecurities meant the more confident Council members could direct him with some success.

Furthermore, he loved the attention and approval he would get from using his power and had no qualms about the collateral damage (property nor person). In terms of fatalities, it would be close between Oliver and the Council’s Prime telekinetic on who has more. While the telekinetic is the Council’s assassin, Oliver is so formidable he’s been used to tip military conflicts, eliminate problematic groups (and their neighborhoods with them), and destroy property.

Still his results are so noticeable the Council uses him sparingly, which isn’t to Oliver’s tastes. When not being used, he spends obscene amounts of money trying to make himself into his image of a respectable, powerful man.

Like prior pyrokinectics, the current Council considers him at times their most expendable member, and at other times someone who will eventually become a problem that must be dealt with.

Role in the narrative: Again, the Council stuff would be very late in the Psi High saga (it’s somewhat unfortunate I’ve started writing about them before I fleshed out the rest of the cast). Once the Council gets wind of the resistance Selena is starting to build, they will deploy Oliver first against them (as he is both the most expendable and the one to end the whole thing in message-sending fashion). He will deal the resistance some devastating and permanent setbacks. He’ll also set the precedent on how the resistance will have to deal with the Council.

Abilities: Oliver, a pyrokinetic, can start fires with his mind. Highly flammable materials (paper, gasoline) he can ignite in a few seconds. Less flammable things take more time, but even non-flammable items (e.g., metal) he can make incredibly hot. He could, given enough time and effort, melt a tank (he just wouldn’t bother – the occupants would expire and the shells explode long before he would need to). He can ignite anything he can see, so he is capable of such amazing feats as exploding incoming missiles in the air.

In an urban environment he is a god of destruction. It does not take him long to get a building burning (though modern fire-resistant designs help). His power against a lone individual has a predictable, but frightening, outcome.

His most pronounced limitation is that he is not indestructible (a sniper could eliminate him; though the source of the fires is usually not obvious). He is even vulnerable to fire himself (another reason for pyrokinetic turnover on the Council – many accidentally eliminate themselves).

Inspirations: For the powers, Firestarter (Drew Barrymore turning people into torches is a very clear memory for me). When I decided Oliver was from Australia, Crocodile Dundee flashed through my mind. I fortunately realized that Dundee would be about the most stereotypical model I could use. So I went in another direction. Rather than an even-keeled, self-assured, somewhat comical character I made Oliver an uptight insecure one. His frustrations give him the predictable fiery temper often seen for these characters (e.g., the literal hothead Human Torch). I tried to undercut this by making him merely blustery against those that intimidate him. I’m also seeing some Hunger Games influence in Selena vs. the Council.