dudewheresmymiraidon | (no subject)

PLAYER INFO

Player: Toni
Age: 18+
Invited by: Originally Leo & Jo
Contact: discord - artoni;

artoni
Current Characters: Ganondorf/

CHARACTER INFO

Character: [OG/Human] Professor Turo
Canon: Pokemon Violet; miliseconds before his lethal blow at the hands of a Miraidon. He more or less steps on the bottle, falls ass over kettle, and comes to with a hell of a "WHAT THE FUCK-" moment.
Age: Never canonically stated, but I imagine somewhere in his mid to late 40s based on the age of his son.

Background Information: Turo's early life isn't much explored, but it can be presumed it was fairly typical for a boy growing up in Paldea; going to Uva Academy, selecting a Starter Pokemon (in this case, we are saying it was Sprigatito, because Cat Dad), eventually going on a Treasure Hunt of his own - the only solid canon given is that at some point in time, he came into possession of the Violet Book, and became fascinated with the subject matter therein. Even if at some point he obtained all eight badges of the Paldean region, it was clear where his interests laid.

We can extrapolate he went to whatever other schools you need to earn the title of 'Professor' in the Pokemon world, but the next real 'canon' we have is that he headed an excursion to the Great Crater of Area Zero. In there, he found a way to harness Terastal Energy via Tera Orbs, set up multiple research stations, and also at some point found a life partner who is so heavily implied to be Sada that we're going with that because...even if they never actually say it, there is no way it isn't canon.

Anyway, they fell in love, they married, they had a son named Arven, and soon after he was born...she left. Again, things can be extrapolated, but we're sticking straight to canon facts here, and the facts are that Turo was severely impacted by this - calling her 'that woman' in his journal and more-or-less throwing himself into his work as a way to cope. Chasing after the dream of Paradise that once included three people - and now, only two. A perfect world for him and his son, filled with the wonderous Paradox Pokemon he had uncovered in Area Zero. The man literally built a time machine to control how and when they appeared, firmly believing that their presence could carry the world over into a new golden age.

Unfortunately, he was but one man, and with ~~everyone~~ his assistants leaving him - Turo was forced to face the fact he needed help. So, with the research and inventions he'd already made, he made something new entirely - a robotic copy of himself. The perfect Assistant, and one he linked with what security systems were already in place - a Battle Program that held all of his knowledge as a Pokemon trainer, as well as a means of last defense - the Paradise Protection Protocol.

Though nothing could prepare him for a brief excursion...outside of time? To a parallel time? Arriving at a strange spring with a youth, if only for short period of time, where they discussed Turo's work- Turo even going so far as to not only recognize that the youth had a particular book that seemed to have mysteries of its own, but to offer his copy of the Violet Book in trade...

However short that was, however meaningful that was or wasn't, Turo still focused on his work. On the two Iron Serpents - Miraidon - he had pulled from the Time Machine, and was trying to help accumulate to Area Zero. While one was friendly and tractable, the other seemed to display far more aggression, seeing the other as a challenge to its territory...

A fight was inevitable. Turo did his best to keep them from fighting, but when the more aggressive one outright attacked the other-

He couldn't help but intervene.

It would be the last thing he ever did.

Personality: Please answer the following questions about your character. Be as clear as possible, and provide examples where you can. You can format this section as either 1) individual sections for each question; or 2) a more freeform essay/paragraph that covers all the topics. Please do not exceed 1200 words total.
1) Tell us about who your character is and what someone’s first impression would be upon meeting them.

The first impression one might get of Professor Turo is a calm, serious man who's friendly enough and easy to give a smile. It'll quickly become clear that he's a driven man, too, passionate about his interests and willing to freely share knowledge - to a point. While he'll gloss over his work or get into detail as needs be, it isn't that he's reluctant to share secrets or that they'll be stolen as there's only so many who seem to, for lack of a better phrase, be on the same level as him.

Turo is aware of this, aware he's somewhat obsessed with his work, but honestly doesn't believe that it's to the point of detriment. He talks with people! He has friends! He can carry on a conversation! He can - again, for lack of a better way of putting it - mask incredibly well, perhaps even so well as to fool himself. And even his friends know that he can get...lost in his work. Not to the point of being the metaphorical 'absent-minded professor', just...easily able to lose track of time, easily forget about other obligations, easily excuse his forgetfulness.

~~(So basically he's ADD-)~~

Generally, though, Professor Turo comes off as, well. A Pokemon Professor. Even if he has a somewhat different role in his home region of Paldea as opposed to others - the Academies are responsible for giving out Starter Pokemon, for example, as opposed to him - he's not a grumpy recluse by any means, and seems willing enough to share information about himself, his work, and his family when he's briefly transported out of time and encountered by the Player. Of course, this is part of an 'exchange of useful data', but the fact that he's willing to take the first turn in giving information says quite a lot how he interacts with strangers. And while it can be chalked up to 'game writing for a small encounter' that he seems rather hurried and almost distracted at times, it also seems to me to cement what can be drawn from other implications.

2) What is a driving force your character has? What goals do they have, what motivates them, etc?

To say Professor Turo is obsessed with the concept of 'Paradise' is an understatement.

Ever since first coming across the Violet Book, the man has dreamed of the Pokemon described within, and the world from which they come. It pushed him to Area Zero. It pushed his wife away. It pushed him to neglect his son [no, we are not dismissing that in the slightest] to focus on his research. However well-meaning Turo is, however much he can mask in public, the fact is, this man has a single-minded drive that is almost terrifying in its intensity.

Yes, he loves his son. Yes, he wants to use his knowledge to help people. Yes, he would like to be recognized for his efforts, but- all these are secondary to achieving Paradise. When it was brought up to him that bringing in Paradox Pokemon might have a detrimental effect on Paldea's ecosystem, he more or less shrugged and chalked it up to survival of the fittest; the specific quote used is 'destruction is a natural part of life'. It isn't that he doesn't care, but he believes the costs justify the means, and he does seem to believe Pokemon of both times - and the world of the present - can coexist and thrive.

Whether this is a matter of dismissing anything that doesn't align with his worldviews, an actual refusal to acknowledge, or pure and simple belief - this sort of miscalculation is what caused his death. Throwing himself in front of one Miraidon to protect another - it begs the question, if Pokemon are so used to battle, why he thought the Miraidon needed defending. And if it did need defending, how could he, a mere human, survive-?

The implication drawn here is that sometimes, for all his intelligence, for all his experience...Professor Turo sometimes, simply does not think things through.

And while yes, most of that can be put into the flaws section- we're about to use that for something else.

3) What are their flaws as a character? What is something they've messed up, or have done that they regret?

If Professor Turo could change one thing - aside from his own death - it would likely be regarding his relationship with his son. It is stated in game that he 'truly loved' Arven, and while none of that excuses any of his behavior - the fact remains that this is a man, a father, doing what he thought was right by his family. Without a son, it is arguable that he would not have been so blindly passionate about Paradise, because to believe you are doing something for someone else can be just as strong if not stronger than doing it alone.

Indeed, while his journal entries start off bright and positive, they begin to decline over time, showing that the stress has affecting him - from going to discussing Arven as 'one new life to treasure', to writing the statement, 'That woman walked out not long after the boy was born.' However, callous language aside, he still has a picture of his son and his Pokemon in his lab when it is discovered - a strong point in the favor that Turo still has very strong feelings, if the AI's statement of 'your father truly loved you' wasn't enough.

But Paradise at all costs.

Even that of his family bonds, apparently.

And tying off that, in a dramatic twist of irony - not only can we assume the Professor had no intentions of dying. But to create a security system, a Paradise Protection Protocol that turns on any and all intruders, willing to defend Paradise to its own death and to others'...

It was mentioned before that Professor Turo sometimes does not think things through. And it can easily be said that while he intended that Protocol to stand up against the likes of those who would misuse the Time Machine, such as Team Rocket or Team Flare...

...it was used against children. Including his own son.

Professor Turo, for all of his displayed good intentions, very much has a darker side. And nothing shows he is self-aware enough to acknowledge this. It is the classic example of a man either not thinking through to the consequences of his actions, or, at worst - not caring at all. Indeed, when presented with the fact that he needed more help in the crater, he worried whether or not others could understand, so his solution?

Build a robot clone.

Makes sense, chief.

4) Optional: What is something unique and interesting about them, or what is a fun little tidbit that sets them apart from the crowd?

Abilities & Inventory: Turo, while a brilliant man who has pioneered research with Terastal energies and the rare phenomenom in Area Zero, is a baseline human. The only thing I'd like him to specifically have is his labcoat, partially torn from Miraidon's attack.

While I would eventually like for him to obtain a few Pokemon, the fact remains that while it can be presumed he has a team of his own, there is nothing canonically to go off of what he has/had either by his side or in storage. However, I would make the argument as a Pokemon Professor of his standing, he likely has most of the nonlegendary/nonmythic Pokemon of the region, and propose 'fuck it, let's spin a wheel'. Totally fine if no, though.

ARMADA SELECTION

Honestly I could argue for both ways, and would find it fucking hilarious for him to be Corsair - if only for the singlemindedness he displays as he pursues Paradise at the expense of everything else, including his own family. He may tell himself that he's trying to make a better world, that he's doing it for his son as much as himself - but his obsession has blinded him to so much in the process. He's heedless of how much damage he does to the world, to others, to himself - he just seeks Paradise more or less at all costs, because it will be worth it.

I imagine there's some character development in order, but y'know what, flip a coin or for maximum lolz, put him in the opposite one AI Turo is in - that is to say, put this Turo in Corsair.

(But seriously, put him in whichever needs more for balance reasons.)

SAMPLE

Test Drive Sample: Link to TDM thread(s). These can be either toplevels or threads tagged into (toplevel NOT required). You can also supplement with other threads outside of the game if needed.

Questions: Just a note that I'm headcanonning Turo's first name as Isaac, as it may very well become relevant with his roboclone in game. There's no actual canon first name - it may very well be Turo with something else as his last - but Pokemon characters are rarely given both names, so.

That said, I do understand that this character has little actual canon, insomuch that he's dead for much of the game and that the Turo that the player interacts with is an AI. However, I maintain he's still had a large enough impact on the settings/characters as a whole, that - in addition with him making an actual appearance in DLC - that he can stand alone as a character, especially given the fact that we have his AI double posing as him without question. Given that presentation and his in-game journals for further insight into the mind of the Professor himself, I'm hoping that he counts as fully appable.