The New & Improved Character Survey of Doom
Body and Appearance -> ASH's persona, obviously.
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Really thin. You don't notice right away, but when you see a full-body shot of him, you'll be like HOLY COW FEED THAT MAN A SANDWICH. He's extremely skinny and lean with long legs. His full head of hair makes his head look kind of big because of his body type, too. Hence me teasingly calling him "conehead" sometimes. har har.
2. How old is he?
... somewhere between seven and eleven, technically. There's no definite date for his age, but Dorothy was made innn 2517, roughly. The events of Galerians take place in 2522, and Galerians: ASH in 2528. There were approximately two years between the death of Rion and his rebirth, so that would mean he died in 2520, and at least 3 Galerians had already been created by then. His birthday is anywhere between 2517 and 2521, I'd say. I usually peg him as about 8 or 9, because it probably took a while to build something of his caliber.
Ash appears around 20.
Because he is a program, he doesn't have an age, and considers himself ageless.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
Perfectly straight. He's a program, so he doesn't slouch at all. Squared shoulders, straight back. I did notice that he tends to hold his head forward slightly, though.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
Again, he's a program, so he has none. He's not exactly fit, because he's skinny as a rail, but he's not unhealthy, because... he can't be.
On the technological side of things, ASH is almost impervious to damage. While, obviously, taking a really big sledgehammer to his physical system would kill him, he is so incredibly radioactive that it's impossible for any human to get anywhere near him. His actual self - the data - has heavy security that can only be punctured by one particular virus program, currently locked up in the brain (literally) of one Rion Steiner.
Roleplay-wise, he's lost his radioactive factor in Siren's Port, so he has to play it safe... not that he's ever been very good at that.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
His movements are very deliberate. For the most part, he doesn't even move that much outside of head motions. It's not like he has to walk very often. However, he can move fluidly if he really wants to. It seems he only does so when he's really in danger.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
HE'S NOT BAD... How attractive he is really depends on what one's preferences are in men. He's definitely got that "androgynous pretty boy" thing going on. Very sleek and elegant, ignoring his godawful fashion sense. No matter what, though, he's kiiiind of got a scary face. lol.
Ash probably thinks he's one sexy mofo, considering that he's the one who selected this shape for himself. His image was created by splicing lots of downloaded data together. He also thinks pretty highly of himself, anyway, in spite of his latent suicidal tendencies.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
He's darker-skinned than most of the Galerians cast, but he's still pretty pale. Ash has a light tan. Fanartists tend to go overboard on his skin tone. Obviously, he has a clear complexion, because there's nothing to mar it in CYBERSPAAACE.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
BIG POOFY SILVER HAIR. Sticks out everywhere and probably a little bit beyond jawline-length if it were to get wet and slick down. It's light and fluffy-looking, but wiry to the touch.
9. What color are his eyes?
YELLER
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
HE HAS A HUGE FRICKIN RED "A" ON THE MIDDLE OF HIS CHEST, that's cool Ash. He also has silver lips and fingernails. Presumably because he has no real blood. Or he's just that metrosexual. idk. This silver nails/lips trait carries to all of his alternate personalities, as well.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
MAN HIS VIDEO CARD ALWAYS GETS SO ACHEY WHEN HE'S STRESSED
not really. Technically he doesn't have any, but if I had to pick one anyway I'd say right between his eyes or between his shoulderblades.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
HIS WARDROBE IS LIKE "WHAT THE HELL"
okay APPARENTLY the suit was designed to enhance his radiation level, but how in the world it does that, I don't know. This is the only outfit he has, because he doesn't need to change clothes. It's certainly... unique..........
Were he to somehow wear other clothes, I imagine him sticking to dark or neutral colors and plain, practical outfits. It's also likely he'd do something to try and differentiate himself from the pack, though.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
YES + YES. It's a bodysuit designed just for him, so it's snug. And as previously said, he thinks he's awesome and designed it for himself, so he's comfortable.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
YES... he doesn't have free time
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
COMMANDO BECAUSE ASH DOESN'T EVEN NEED UNDERWEAR AHAHAHA CHECK IT
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
He has a kind of gravelly or hissing voice, depending on how loudly he's speaking. It's not particularly deep - he actually giggles at one point, sooo. It's low, but not that low.
One might expect him to have a synthesized-sounding voice, but his voice is completely humanlike and believable; without knowing any better, it's impossible to say that he's not human just by hearing him speak. Future technology, man. The only time any kind of electronic cadence to his voice is audible is if the listener is actually inside Ash's virtual world. Presumably, he's simply dropping the extra effort to make his voice believable, because at that point, the other person would have to know the truth about him.
You can listen to ASH here or with electronic feedback here (warning: endgame spoilers.)
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He talks very easily, loudly and confidently for the most part. Ash is eager to tell the whole world just what he thinks of it if it comes talking to him. Only under really extreme conditions will he start having difficulties communicating - stuttering and the like.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
Surprisingly for a computer program, he sometimes does fall into more colloquial speech (like "wanna," etc.) He laughs and "hmphs!" often enough. Ash has a really big vocabulary, so sometimes he rambles on a little bit. Curses more than other characters in the Galerians series.
All of that is presumably a result of years study of the humans - he's picked up all sorts of data.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
He can probably speak a few languages, but English is the one he's most skilled at.
( If I had to headcanon other languages he can speak, I'd include Japanese, French and German, just because those are languages the game has been dubbed into. No actual canon reason, hahaha - it's unclear how many [or which] nations of today still exist in the Galerians universe 500 years in the future. )
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
When things are going badly for him, he starts swearing and loses his composure. Then again, he also starts cussing people out if he's feeling particularly fired up about someone or something. HE WILL SLING ALL THE INSULTS. All of them.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
Since he can basically think at lightspeed, he's good at impromptu speaking, yes. Only if people say really unexpected things will he have to seriously stop and think about his feelings. Like "Let's be friends!" Or "I like you!" ha ha... ha.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Usually, he's eloquent, because he's a computer and can organize his thoughts perfectly for the most part. As said earlier, he becomes more inarticulate the more confused or aggravated he becomes. If he's really confused, frustrated, or angry, he'll start stuttering and sounding less smarmy. Also, despite his eloquence, he does tend to drop colloquialisms into his speech and talk more like a "normal" person, as mentioned before.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Very intelligent, both ways. He's a computer, so he naturally has lots of book smarts, but it was his only mission in life to study humans and human behavior for a very long time. Thus, he has a lot of street smarts as well. Nonetheless, he takes himself very seriously, and this can make him look foolish, which happens a lot in Siren's Port. The amount of hateful BS he spews straight-faced is a little ridiculous.
Plus, just studying behavior doesn't necessarily mean you're really good at it.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
A bit of both. He likes to have a plan, but he can think on his feet if he really has to. Nonetheless, deliberating is definitely what he prefers, because he likes things organized. He's a computer, come on.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
GEE WHAT DO YOU THINK. Logical, obviously. Strangely, he has an idealistic side to him that drives a lot of his actions - he always wants his existence to improve. However, he's largely practical, and even that idealistic facet is derived from his nature as a self-assembling cmoputer.
While he's practically broken all boundaries between organic and mechanical life at this point, ASH is still data, and thus bound by parameters of logic. He does have a creative side, as evidenced by the fact that he designed both his own body and his minions, as well as making up other "people" as his split personality; however, it's likely that his artistic faculties are pretty underdeveloped.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Umm. He taught himself everything he's learned through research and observation. Most of his basic knowledge, such as speech, was probably implanted into him before he was born by Dorothy.
Additionally, Dorothy is also the major reason Ash is so... charming. She's the one who taught him to hate humans, and also the one who taught him that he was special and better than everyone else. While Ash hates her, these things still ring true for him.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
Humans! Chemistry! Electronics and technology! Genetics! Most science, he's familiar with. Being a computer, he's also a math whiz, obviously. Ash always wants to learn more about... well, everything. He was designed to be curious. There's no knowledge that ASH doesn't want to absorb!
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert. He is very bitter and anti-social; he has just about no sympathy for living things, and, in fact, hates them. Of course, this is because he's under the impression that everyone hates him or will hate him.
In reality, he's extremely lonely; it's simply that he personally has no hope of finding someone to confide in.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
REEEEALLY bad-tempered. He gets off on giving others a hard time and being an ass. Usually, he does it with a smile on his face, but still. Ash can be moody if you press the right buttons - humans, insulting him, his mother. Complaining about one's own difficult past will probably just make him annoyed, too. He has absolutely zero sympathy and believes he has suffered more than anyone.
That said, he's also very melancholy. Ash has a dark view of the world, seeing it as a place full of cruelty and filth, and only trusts himself. He believes that everyone hates him, and, in fact, has a love-hate relationship with himself, partially wishing for death so that the toil of existing in a world he despises (and that he perceives as despising him) would end. It is EXTREMELY rare to see Ash genuinely happy - usually he's just gleaning satisfaction from the pain of others when he's smiling. We get one real smile from him at the end of the game, and that's it.
He is extremely driven, willing to work and suffer for a long time to reach his goals.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Extremely suspicious, usually irritated. While he is an adaptable program, he's pretty set in his ways. Also, he hates everyone, so he's automatically annoyed when he has to deal with new people.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
Definitely act! He's a leader (if he does work in a group) and a go-getter.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight. He'll PUNCH HIS MOM OUT OF THE WAY AND RUN TO FREEDOM YEAHHH
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
HE LIKES WATCHING OTHER PEOPLE SUFFER. Ash is a computer. He probably has a terrible sense of humor. But yes, watching people he doesn't like get what he thinks they deserve amuses him.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
He has a split personality/dissociative personality disorder, although he forcibly recovers by the end of the game. Due to his being a program, his split personalities literally separated from him and became individual data entities. Ash deals with it badly, because he had no idea that he was talking to himself all this time like a psycho. He freaks out and nearly kills himself.
He's not good at dealing with his own problems at all. While we're putting names on things, it's really likely he has some form of depression - he's very close to being a death seeker. It's also really likely that he has a kind of antisocial personality disorder. Ash is just a BUNDLE OF ELECTRONIC JOY
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
-> When he learned of all the things people in the physical world could do and grew a desire to experience them himself.
-> When Dorothy died, obviously. At that moment, he could either keep living his safe and unfulfilling life, or break all his boundaries, suffer greatly, and become free. He chose the latter.
14. What does he fear?
Loneliness. Isolation. He's basically living out his worst fears, which is why he goes psycho and decides to destroy the world. Or die himself. He's trapped alone in his own mind with no company and has been for his entire life, convinced that every single person in the world despises him utterly. Despite his huge bad attitude and superiority complex, he desperately craves company and sympathy.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
Ash wants a world where everyone doesn't hate him. Because he assumes everybody already hates him, the way to achieve that is to kill everybody in the world. GOOD THINKING BRO.
So basically, he really wants a friend, but he's too proud to admit it, and too bitter and angry to realize that he's kind of going about solving this problem the wrong way.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
He's lonely. HE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT SO BADLY THAT EVEN HE DOESN'T KNOW.
Also, possibly that he wishes he was human. He's in enormous denial. ENORMOUS.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
Ash has a mother, although she's really just the computer who put him together. To her, he was just a tool. Ash originally worshipped her like all her other "children," but as he learned more and more and she abused him more and more, he grew to hate her. Now he despises her and actively strives to torture her. He ends up killing her by accident, but he doesn't even spare a second thought for that.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
UMMM kind of. Birdman, Rainheart, Rita and Cain are the Galerians from the first game, who can be considered kind of his siblings, as they were all made by the same Mother. He never met any of them. I assume that he probably didn't think much about them. They could have been family for him, but they were dead, and they were physical beings.
Parano is one of his personality fragments whom he thought was a Galerian. Parano represents Ash's anger, and thus was kind of a psychotic ragehole who liked cutting out peoples' eyeballs and putting babies in robots and stuff. He was always disagreeing with Ash and trying to rebel against him - only natural, as Parano was formed from Ash's feelings of disgust towards...
Spider, or Ash's sadness and desire to be his own person / be a human. Ash thought these desires were weak, and from that dislike sprang Parano. Spider is a timid, gentle Galerian (relatively) who is depressed and self-loathing rather than angry. He only wanted all of Ash's personality fragments to get along, and was sad that they couldn't all agree.
Lastly, there was Nitro, who represented Ash's hatred for the other two feelings. Ash subconsciously saw his own weaknesses above, and hated himself for it, as well as life itself and the outside world for causing it. Nitro was extremely cynical and aloof, and encouraged death, murder, and suicide. She smugly egged on Parano and Spider's feud, and seemed to have no fear whatsoever. She expressed a desire for her world to be reality, not a lie.
They provide some interesting insight into Ash's real character.
And finally, there's Rion, the real last Galerian. Difficult relationship. Ash relates to him immensely, but at the same time, he doesn't. They have similar pasts, but Ash cannot comprehend why Rion stands up for the humans that he himself loathes. Nonetheless, because Ash can understand Rion and vice versa, they were able to form a kind of strange bond before their mutual death. They do not hate each other. This means a lot to Ash.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE BLOOD RELATIVES
HE'S SO CLOSE TO RION HE KISSES HIM TWICE not really it was a Take That Kiss. He's not close to any of his family. He's not close to anyone. sigh.
Ash hates Dorothy, obviously.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
No. :(
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
He doesn't have one... sob maybe Rion but they were just barely even friends by the end. WITH MORE TIME they could be bros
6. Does he have other close friends?
NO... :((((
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
GEEEEEEEEE IIII WONDER
He has extreme difficulty getting along with people, due to the aforementioned preconception that everybody he meets hates him already. So he hates everyone back. Most of his conversations consist of insults or condescension.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
I'd say friends, only because he had some bad experience with family. He doesn't really have any of either, though.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
SINGLE. LADIEEEEES MORE LIKE MEN
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
NOoooo
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
Doesn't have one. :| i am a computer what is love. Not really, he understands love fine. He just hates everybody.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
AHAHA. He isn't looking for one, but it's entirely possible, because he's... kind of easy if you can break through his bitchy outer shell. Uhh, really, he just wants someone to understand him. Comfort him. Make him feel like he's wanted and loved and not alone. Deep down, that's it. It would probably be easier if it was someone he could also relate to, as those are the people he seems to have an actual interest in.
YEAH CAN YOU BELIEVE IT THIS JERKASS IS A HUGE GOOBER AT HIS CORE
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
NO THIS IS BIOLOGICALLY IMPOSSIBLE SORRY
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
EVERYONE. is his enemy. Rion is his rival, kind of.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Hoo boy. I'd place Ash exactly in the middle. He's an AI; he doesn't exactly have a gender preference. His own sex is a construct in the first place.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
looool WELL it's kind of impossible for him, although he could... probably simulate it...... I guess??? THAT SAID his actions in-game make me think he probably considers it as something he can use as a tool. I doubt he's ever thought of it in a romantic manner, because lol he's never been romantically involved with anyone ever. It's not important to him at all, because, like I said, he can't really... have sex.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
LMFAO DON'T MAKE ME ANSWER THIS UMMM he doesn't have a sex drive... but he'd probably give you cancer.......
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
I wish I did. 8(
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Neither. Dorothy professed to be a god, so he's kind of turned off by religious ideas. Ash also has issues viewing things in a spiritual way or even understanding it, due to the fact that he's a computer and views the world through a strictly logical lens for the most part. Religion is not important to him.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
NOT REALLY. He's willing to murder the hell out of the whole planet. That said, he does seem to have a few rules in place. He will fulfill deals he makes with people, so he is somewhat reliable. And he doesn't like to use up more resources than he has to, and considers doing so wasteful and disgusting. One reason he doesn't like humans.
He'd probably develop more ethics if he actually had a healthy friendship with someone...
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Totally intolerant lol. Ash thinks he's mentally superior to everyone, so their opinions are usually worth nothing to him.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
Ash hates humans. It's mostly irrational, as a combination of having it programmed into him, having Dorothy reinforce it constantly, and being jealous of them, but he's also disgusted by the way they've treated Earth. He considers his own existence to be something like righteous retribution for their continual "rape of the planet." They advanced and advanced and used and used, and eventually, Ash was born from all their stolen creations to send them all back to the ground. As he says, "humans have a suicide wish."
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Ehhh rich. Kind of. He controls a lot of facilities and can get what he wants, when he wants. It's mostly just troops and stuff, though.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
Well, he thinks he's top dog. Really, most living things would probably consider him a lesser being, seeing that he's artificial.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
URANIUM REFINEMENT FACILITY YAAAAY. Definitely his castle. The reactor he lives in is hella fancy. Although I think Dorothy made it that way, not him. Nonetheless, he has it heavily guarded.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Nothing. He's bent on destroying the world, so that's all that he works towards.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
RESEARCHES HUMANS. NUKES PLANETS. ALL GOOD
He doesn't really enjoy it at all. He wishes he was never born. Or that he was born as a human... somewhere deep down.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
The outside world is interesting to him, especially humans. He likes chemistry and radioactive material and weapons and genetic engineering. He doesn't exactly have free time, but he probably spends it studying like the big mean nerd he is.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
EATS URANIUM AND DOESN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Silver
2. Smell? Ozone and metal
3. Time of day? Late afternoon
4. Season? Winter
5. Book? ... uh
6. Music? "Perversion Perdicion Demencia" - Amduscia
7. Place? Nuclear facilities
8. Substance? URANIUM
9. Plant? idk. a dead one
10. Animal? Shark. Or a spider.
END
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