Full Name: Edgar Clarke Alias(es): Erwin Thaler Gender: Male Age: 33 Date of Birth: August 29th Marital Status: Dating Current Location: Hallstatt (Map) Occupation: Martial Arts Teacher in Salzburg, Austria Affiliations: ACS, Sullivan Bros. Carnival,
What They Look Like:
Edgar has sea-green eyes, dark brown hair (always short cropped as a habit), weighs about 185 (muscle mass) and is 5'10". His skin is decorated with several tattoos, the largest on his shoulder.
Celebrity Claim: Ray Park (in action)
Edgar Clark
Powers:
Main - Superhuman Speed
Edgar's ability is not limited to locomotive speed. He was able to move his arms fast enough to repeatedly slash and kill Danko before Danko could move to defend himself (Orientation). In a fight with Peter, he was able to move all parts of his body super fast. (Jump, Push, Fall). When Hiro froze time together with Edgar, he was able to run extremely fast even while time was stopped (Thanksgiving). Noah notes that Edgar must run at 600 or 700 miles per hour (Let It Bleed). - Reference
Video Display of Power in Use: Peter and Edgar Fight
Edgar is one of the fastest speedsters in the world, possibly the fastest. He has learned how to run across the ocean nearly beating the overseas flights, he can cover the space between rooftops with a single bound, and he has proven able to keep moving even when a time manipulator interferes. He can move both himself and other objects to deadly speeds, making his martial arts moves on even brick walls rather explosive in effect from sheer force of impact. He learned from his combat with Peter and now works much more intelligently and conservative with his actions, giving him far more control.
With that experience has also come the need to slow down and only use his power in small moves, limiting the already great aging he has added to his frame. No longer does he need a full run up to get to top speed (just over 700 mph) to do everything; instead he has learned to judge and a simple punch can now accelerate to just the amount needed for the job from a standing still position. This has limited his use of power, but made him far more dangerously effective as well.
Secondary - Superhuman Reflexes Edgar's has the ability to move at enhanced speeds. He is so adept at using his ability that he is able to do numerous things while moving at super speeds, such as steal a crystal ball (Stolen Fate) or cut up his enemies (Orientation). - Reference
Limits:
Main - Superhuman Speed (Aging, Addictive nature)
Not only does Edgar sometimes find it difficult not to speed things up from his perspective, it has become something he had to take classes to resist, as in addiction work and it's resistance. Meditation, Martial arts studies, living far from daily news, being in a sleepy tiny village, being high in the mountains; all of these things have helped him in resisting the urge to go fast. It has also aged him, which has helped with his disguise of being in his late forties as all the locals believe him on sight.
Secondary - Superhuman Reflexes (High energy consumption, Instinctive reactor)
While he does eat a lot of high calorie foods, his intake is not nearly as proportional as one would think to his use; as he has advanced in years he has become far more efficient with the use of his power. He has had to learn, seeing he has already passed half his lifespan in terms of physical age. It is also very hard sometimes instinctively to things that he initially might think will hurt him and he has had to learn to make small moves to ascertain first the danger, and when it is not to drop back into the same position he had been in to try and hide his moves to the unobservant. The carnival's rocks taught him that one the hard way. Personality:
Born to survive, Edgar is a killer with questionable morals. While he once was a loose canon, and violently dangerous to those who cause him pain or those he cared for, since the exodus from the carnival things have had to change. While he does not regret those he has killed, it would take more then before to make him do it for someone again. Being controlled as the circus did has turned him off working for others if he can avoid it, remembering the mystery of Lydia's death which he is sure if he had been there he could have stopped; that personal guilt he may never let go of.
His time with Lydia began to change him and her death hurt him to the core. Keeping Amanda safe for her whole life was such a clear thing in his mind he never questioned it; she needed family which had been stolen from her. In doing so however he has had to acknowledge that Amanda needs stability and safety most of all; that meant he had to change as he had never been a very stable person. It was also time for him to make sure he was around more for Lydia's daughter and that meant using his powers less. Leaving the United States seemed a good idea. Turning his life more inward, he began a trip of self-discovery, delighting Amanda who found her new guardian to be much more open to listening then before and certainly more someone she felt safe with.
Now far less aggressive and much more calm, Edgar feels he has made all the right changes. His path is now one filled with peace and control, knowing who he is and that he is controlled by no one. Edgar makes sure Amanda gets what she needs which includes boundaries to her behavior as well as sessions where they work on her controls over her power. What he teaches her about the martial arts helps her to control her own flares as well and they have a stable home life where she feels more and more free to act like a normal family, a normal teenage girl in school.
Strengths: Knife Fighting - Being on his own since he was a young lad, Edgar picked up knife fighting as a safe way to defend himself without using his powers too obviously. He became very very good at it, enough so he can only barely use his power and still be deadly. Knife Throwing - A very different animal from fighting, Edgar is an excellent shot with almost any bladed knife sized weapon, but he specialized in the kukris which he can be a deadly close thrower with. Add in his speed and you won't even realize he nicked the fly off your eyelashes as you walked. High Pain Threshhold - Much of Edgar's early life on his own got him into fights and damage. Despite being around healing specials in the circus, he has just learned how to ignore a lot of basic pain to keep going. Northern Shaolin Martial Art - Any martial art would be deadly for a speedster to have, but this one's physical as well as spiritual aspects fit Edgar very well like a second skin. It enables him far more control then he had in the past and a much better understanding of the world around him. Carny Skills - From knowing all the shyster and con artist tricks to carny language to set up and take down, Edgar can fit in nearly instantly with any carnival atmosphere. It gave him a lot of advantages in traveling quietly around the world before the Sullivan Bros found him. Flaws: Lack of Body Shyness, Will do anything to keep Amanda safe & happy, Has to have blades on him, Practices everyday to keep his knife skills on edge, allergic to dogs. Likes: Swords, Saunas, Wearing whatever he wants to, Earrings, Chinese Silks. Dislikes: Dressing up, Cold temperatures, The Occult, Restrictive Outfits, Hot Ammunition. [1]
Family Relations: Mr Clark, deceased along with rest of the family. Other Significant People: Amanda Strazzulla, adopted daughter, 16, Lydia Strazzulla, love (deceased)
Paige Smith, 35, American, Girlfriend Austin Smith, 14, Autistic son of Paige Lydia Smith, 59, Grandmother of Austin
Their Story:
Born in England, Edgar found himself on his own without his family early on, losing them all in a fire that he only survived by running out of. On the streets, he managed his own way for several years till a passing circus gave him a chance at something less dangerous then dealing with gangs. Starting as just a helped kid, he advanced his skills under the eye of the strong man and the bearded lady, both of whom thought he showed promise. It wasn't till his time in another circus (trading out during a pass in the winter) that he was able to promote himself as a knife thrower. A few examples and the Knife Thrower was born. Without tricks he proved his own worth and impressed even the other carnies. He traveled with them for many years getting superb with his aim till he met Samuel and Joseph.
Taken in like with other circuses, this one became much more special in his mind due to the fact he didn't have to hide his power so much. And using his powers for special effects became a fascination for him, but the brothers were very different. Joseph was like an adoptive father figure, always encouraging and warm whereas Samuel seemed to be interested in him more as an asset, not as much family. Samuel used that connection to pretend family, shaming Edgar into believing what he saw in Samuel was not true. When Joseph was killed, Samuel had gained a foothold in Edgar's mind enough so he didn't believe Samuel had anything to do with it, agreeing to help him in the memory of his brother, something which touched what soft side Edgar had inside. It wasn't long till he was helping run the show as a cohort for Samuel who used his beliefs as a shield against suspicion.
And then Lydia came into his life and Edgar found his heart going in two different directions.
His loyalty changed, though it took him time to realize it had, and as Samuel kept sending him after targets for the darn compasses, he found himself spending more and more time thinking about Lydia, wanting her to see him as protecting her, family. Her death not only hurt him, it woke his eyes up to the fact Samuel was not like Joseph at all and he needed to get Lydia's daughter away from the man who was worming his way into her mind. When Samuel's treachery was finally revealed, Amanda was so disheartened at Samuel's lies that she went with Edgar without hesitation, seeing him as a type of guardian more then parent because of her mother. A few talks, and Edgar realized how much he had to change to help Amanda become what she needed to be for Lydia's sake.
It was always for Lydia.
Now with a dramatically different life in a different country and nearly a new world for him, Edgar feels like in Amanda and in the ever-present Lydia in his mind (he has never fallen out of love with her honestly) he has for the first time since he was so young to be in a real family. In truth, Amanda has become his own daughter in so many ways and his careful lessons and attention to her needs have caused her to adore him as well, something better then just obedience many kids give their parents. They have managed to save something from their combined experiences and turn it into something beautiful together; the family Lydia had always wanted secretly...
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