Aftershock
NAME: Levi Wheeler
ALIAS: Aftershock
AGE: 27
BIRTHPLACE: Avalon, California
OCCUPATION: Demolitions expert
POWERS:
- SEISMOKINESIS
The ability to generate powerful waves of vibrations from his hands, creating highly destructive effects through the air, water, and ground.
Born an only child to two loving one-percenters in a small town in California, Levi was lucky enough to want for nothing. He was unlucky in that he was also born with that pesky gene that sometimes brings about devastatingly dangerous defects. Levi's manifested during a particularly difficult calculus test in twelfth grade. Levi was an overachiever and his need to do well in school to please his parents caused a spike in his anxiety. The walls felt like they were closing in and the fact that when he looked around to his classmates no one else was panicking like him brought on a panic attack. The ground rumbled and shook as his body released a wave of powerful vibrations, throwing his classmates aside and out of their chairs.
Normally, it wouldn't have been that big of a deal. People didn't really fear those with abilities as much as they used to. After all, superheroes were pretty commonplace. Sure, some parents would pitch a fit and complain, but Levi's parents would throw some money at the right people and everything would go back to normal. Any other time that would've been exactly what happened. Unfortunately for Levi, the manifestation of his abilities took place two days before one of the largest earthquakes in California in over a decade.
Naturally, nearly everyone blamed Levi. Even he started blaming himself. He was ostracized by his friends and neighbors and placed on temporary leave from his private school. His parents even started receiving hate mail. Rather than watch their lives and reputations be ruined for a mistake he made, Levi ran away.
He moved from small town to small town, working odd jobs to earn enough money to move on. He hid his abilities out of fear. Fear that he'd screw up and cause more destruction than he already had. He tried his hardest but every now and then he'd lose his cool and his powers would flare out of control. Eventually, the life of a drifter became too much and he got tired of running. He needed his abilities gone. He looked up an expert on mutation on the internet. Paragon City, here he came.
Unfortunately, upon meeting with this expert, he received the heartbreaking news that there would be no fiddling with genetics. His abilities were there to stay. Devastated, he was left contemplating his next course of action when he crossed paths with the superhero known as Cliffhanger. Whether it be fate, happenstance, or some sort of cosmic kismet, it was exactly what Levi needed at that moment. He empathized with Levi as he experienced a similarly destructive manifestation of his abilities. Abilities that were very similar to Levi' own.
But luck decided to kick Levi in the ass again though when the supervillain known as Doctor Disaster attacked, threatening to bring down a building unless his demands were met. Without thinking, Cliffhanger leapt into action and though he saved the building's inhabitants, he was crushed by falling rubble and debris. Inspired by Cliffhanger's selfless sacrifice, Levi accepted that his abilities were a part of him. Instead of hiding them, he trained and learnt to control them.
