sdn@torrance:~$access --personnelrobert-robertson

Robert Robertson

Personnel File // SDN Torrance Division
ApatheticSarcasticWorld-wearyHeroicSelfless

Abilities

Tactical AnalysisHackingLeadershipEngineeringCombat
Audio Transcript Log
REC

“Fate. Destiny. Not having powers. Seasonal depression. None of these things kept me from being a hero before. And they won't keep me from being a hero again.”

--Robert Robertson

Backstory

Origins

Robert was born into a legacy of heroism in Chicago, IL. His grandfather, Robert "Bobby" Robertson I, was the original Mecha Man (known as Mecha Man Prime) and created the first mech suit. His father, Robert "Robbie" Robertson II (also known as Astral), continued the family tradition as the second Mecha Man. Robert's childhood was marked by a complicated relationship with his father. While he looked up to Robbie, their dynamic was characterized by "tough love." At one point, Robert was nearly killed by his father's Mecha Man suit, yet Robbie coldly ordered him to "get up" rather than checking on his wellbeing. Robert was frequently left in the care of Chase (Track Star), a young member of the Brave Brigades and his father's friend, leading to a brotherly bond between them.

Becoming Mecha Man

After his father's murder at the hands of the villain Shroud, Robert inherited the Mecha Man armor and became a superhero despite lacking any innate superpowers. He spent his entire inheritance—reportedly millions of dollars—maintaining the suit's functionality. During his hero career, Robert had a fateful encounter with Flambae, a supervillain. Though the incident was initially unremarkable to Robert, his plasma blade severed Flambae's ring and pinky fingers, creating a lasting enmity that would resurface in Episode 1.

The Fall

Robert dedicated himself to hunting Shroud to avenge his father. He eventually tracked the villain to a fortified warehouse but found himself outnumbered and outgunned. Though he barely escaped, Shroud had attached a bomb to his suit. The explosion caused Robert to fall from the sky, destroying his father's suit and leaving him in a coma for months with a broken arm. With no means to recreate the armor and uncertain about his future, Robert's career as Mecha Man came to an abrupt end. Depending on player choice, his decision about his hero career can go either way based on what he says to the reporters.

Joining SDN

While sitting atop a billboard overlooking the Hollywood sign, Blonde Blazer approached Robert with a job offer at the Superhero Dispatch Network (SDN). Recommended by Chase (now an aging hero due to the side effects of his super-speed powers), Robert joined SDN's Torrance branch as a dispatcher for the Z-Team—a group of reformed supervillains participating in the Phoenix Program. On his first day, Blazer introduced Robert to his coworkers, including Chase, whom Robert initially didn't recognize due to his accelerated aging. Robert quickly discovered that most dispatchers for Z-Team don't last more than a few days, as the misfit team openly mocked him and challenged his authority.

Appearance

A slim, rugged man in his early thirties with short auburn hair, brown eyes, peach skin, and freckles. Part of his right ear is missing, with multiple scars and bruises across his body. - Civilian: Light blue SDN button-down shirt, dark gray slacks, brown shoes. Sleeves rolled up, shirt partially untucked. - Mecha Man: Reinforced silver armor over a bluish-black suit, matching helmet with yellow accents.

Personality

Robert is an apathetic, world-weary man with a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Despite his nonchalant demeanor, he is fundamentally heroic and selfless—having spent years doing hero's work without superpowers while being scorned by others. Key personality traits: - Brutally honest with a sardonic wit - Prone to violence when pushed (player-dependent) - Deeply isolated with few personal connections - Selfless despite his cynical exterior Robert suffers from seasonal depression, which explains his lack of motivation for anything outside heroism. His isolation begins to shift as he forms bonds with Blonde Blazer and Invisigal, introducing romantic possibilities and emotional growth.

Powers and Abilities

Mecha Man Armor Capabilities

Robert Robertson doesn't possess any innate powers; instead, he uses the mecha armor, which grants him the following capabilities: - Superhuman Strength: Mecha Man's strength while inside the suit is greatly amplified. He can easily fight against more than 3 superpowered villains and make Toxic heavily injured from a single stomp/punt. - Superhuman Durability: Mecha Man can withstand immense conditions, including superhuman blows, acid-based attacks, falling from very high altitude, bullets, and electric-based attacks. - Enhanced Speed: Mecha Man moves faster than an average human through the use of the jetpack. He easily catches up to Toxic while he was sent flying after getting hit. - Flight: Mecha Man is capable of flying with the use of the jetpacks. - Weapon Summoning: Mecha Man can summon many weapons from his armor. This includes plasma weapons, projectiles, and a variety of different explosives. - Energy Projection: Mecha Man can channel and project energy with his armor. - Energy Beam Emission: Mecha Man can project a beam of energy at specific targets, enough to damage Shroud's spider armor. - Barrier Generation: Mecha Man can generate an energy barrier around himself, which grants protection and deflects firearms shooting at it for a limited time.

Skills

- Master Hacker: Robert has shown skills in hijacking and fixing a broken bidet, disabling the sensors of an art museum, and subsequently fixing it. Additionally, he can easily hack into CCTVs and bypass security systems. - Master Tactician: Robert is a brilliant tactician and leader, proven when he can easily lead Z-Team and fully gain their trust. Because of this, the team's shift turned out to be successful thanks to Robert's leadership. - Expert Engineer: Robert has enough technical knowledge to repair his own suit if it's not destroyed. - Expert Combatant: Despite only being a regular human underneath his suit, Robert is a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant. He is able to take on several goons at once and can even go toe-to-toe with supervillains. - Pain Resistance: Robert is shown to have a superior pain tolerance compared to an average person, shrugging off dislocated limbs and broken bones with ease.

Relationships

Flambae

Rival turned reluctant ally. Deep enmity from Robert severing his fingers as Mecha Man; eventually reaches grudging acceptance.

Chase

Brotherly figure, mentor. Childhood babysitter and father's friend who recommended Robert to SDN; risks his life to save Invisigal.

Robert "Robbie" Robertson II

Deceased father. Complicated "tough love" relationship; Robert swore to avenge his death.

Beef

Beloved pet dog. Robert's loyal companion; taken hostage by Shroud during the final confrontation.

Trivia

  • Has a dog named Beef. Yes, really. Beef.
  • Basically Iron Man if Tony Stark blew his entire fortune on suit maintenance instead of parties. Spider-Man's financial luck, zero of Peter's youth.
  • "Robert Robertson" — three generations of the same name. Someone in this family really lacked imagination. (Possibly a nod to Robert Downey Jr.)
  • Flip his SDN employee ID upside down and it spells "BOOBIES" (5318008). HR apparently didn't notice.
  • Favorite snack: Twinkies. The man has priorities.
  • Also channels Rick Flagg energy — a powerless human babysitting superpowered misfits who occasionally try to kill him.
  • Was originally half-Korean in development, changed to avoid Invincible comparisons. Mark Grayson's lawyers breathe easier.
  • Has seasonal depression, which honestly makes sense given... gestures at everything.
  • Missing part of his right ear. Has more scars than a cutting board. Still somehow the most put-together person on Z-Team.
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