Mirage
| F Ex 20 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Rm 30 |
R Gd 10 |
I Ex 20 |
P Ex 20 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
66 50 |
Origin:
Like the majority of his fellow GI Joes, Mirage lacks super-human powers altogether, whether they come from genetic mutations, scientific experimentation, psionic schooling, or even divine providence. No, all he's got handy is some high tech gear... and sheer gumption.
Known Powers:
(none)
Limitations / Enhancements:
(none)
Equipment:
Baseball Grenades: carried on a bandolier, these potent explosives can be flung by Mirage anywhere within one area of his person. They 'pop' to inflict either Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) or SD Energy (incendiary) damage to all uncovered targets in their detonation area.
Body Cam: Mirage carries a compact, micro-miniaturized video recording system on his headset, which captures everything he sees to document his various actions during a mission - which is especially useful for proving the existence of Cobra's various 'monsters'.
Exoskeleton: situated about his uniform, the components of this advanced heuristics system are almost unnoticeable unless you're looking for 'em. They provide Mirage Typical (6) protection from physical attack, and enhance his Strength score by +2 CS (to Excellent (20)).
Grenade Launcher: in the event that he needs more range, Mirage can fire grenades at a foe up to three areas away with this projectile launcher - great for keeping his distance from Cobra-spawned biological terrors. Its rounds inflict damage per the grenades, listed above.
Knife: Mirage always carries a blade, for you never know when you need to cut something - whether or not it's trying to cut you back. Made from Incredible (40) m.s. metals, this blade can either cut through items of like m.s., or inflict Mirage's Strength in Edged Attack damage.
Machine Guns: with these standard-issue firearms, Mirage has the option of discharging a single round to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage, a three-round burst to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage, or firing them continuously to inflict Excellent (20) Shooting damage.
Ripple-Fire Rocket Launcher: this implement is Mirage's personal favorite when duking it out with Cobra's freak-viper experiments. Its projectiles inflict damage per the below, but they have an effective line-of-sight range - great for the perpetration of long-distance mayhem:
| C Gd 10 |
S Am 50 |
B Gd 10 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
Quirks:
(none)
Talents:
Guns: gained during his Army basic training and honed through years of practice, this talent represents Mirage's mastery of most firearms. Whether he's wielding a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, he may resolve attacks at his Agility score +1 CS.
Marksman: his primary military specialty, Mirage's exemplary use of such weapons is what initially earned him a spot on the GI Joe team. When using line-of-sight weaponry (like mortars, rocket launchers, etc.), Mirage does so without range penalties, and with a +1 CS bonus.
Martial Arts type B: another talent that he picked up in his basic training, this skill describes Mirage's ability to defend himself while unarmed. He receives a +1 CS on all unarmed assaults, whether he's punching, kicking, elbow dropping, knee smashing, or even head butting a foe.
Military / United States: the basis for his other skills, and a 'background' talent, Mirage's military training is more than just the ability to kill things. It includes an in-depth understanding of military protocols and procedures, as well as various leadership techniques.
Contacts:
Though he signed on late in the game, Mirage is nonetheless a member of the elite GI Joe team, and he can rely upon all members of that organization for assistance should he require it while on or off the job. He also has several additional, still-undisclosed military contacts, as well.
Costume:
Mirage's first GI Joe field uniform consists of a black jacket, black trousers, blue leather boots and gloves, a blue bandana, a red bandolier, and of course, the components of his strength-boosting exoskeleton, which are visible in various locations on his arms, legs, and torso.
Personality:
Joseph is an effective marksman, whether using firearms or rockets. He takes great pride in his skills, and truly delights in using them against those who bear arms without the talent to back them up. It's not an ego thing so much as... on-the-job satisfaction, really.
Real Name: Joseph R. Balkun, grade E-6
Occupation: GI Joe soldier, artillerist
Legal Status: citizen of the United States with no known criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: GI Joe
Height: 6' 1"
Hair: blonde
Eyes: brown
Weight: 190 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none
Story:
Mirage is a man who takes great pride in his skills, and having joined the Army to be all he could be, he pushes them to their very limits. As such, he'd proven himself time and time again in the use of both standard and heavy firepower, which got him noticed by GI Joe's recruiters.
Once they got their hands on him, the Joes had Roadblock teach Mirage how to effectively wield his heavy duty weaponry in the field, fighting various highly-motivated opponents. Extremely competitive, it only took Mirage a short while to excel under such punishing conditions.
This, in turn, made him one of the Joe team's first choices for membership in one of it's elite units - the best of the best of the best, as it were. Thse so-called Mega-Marines are a small detachment of Joes assigned to deal with the genetic horrors designed by Cobra's mad scientist.
These monstrosities, former Cobra Vipers and Eels who discarded their humanity for the promise of great power, are very tough, but this didn't stop the Mega-Marines. Led by Gung-Ho, they managed to put a stop to these horrors before they could be put to use against innocent civilians.
Shortly after Cobra's stock of highly expensive, genetically enhanced things were dealt with, the Mega-Marines were mothballed along with the rest of the GI Joe team, due to budget cuts - and the belief that 'conventional forces' could handle the threat that Cobra posed to the world.
Unfortunately, this proved to be untrue, and the team was reactivated a few years later. While he wasn't needed at first, Mirage was eventually called back to work against Cobra. Naturally, with the likes of Neo-Vipers bolstering Cobra's ranks, his skills are vital to the fight for freedom!
2002 Variations
Costume:
Mirage's second uniform, adopted when he was reunited with the Joes, is like his first. It is comprised of black trousers, a blue-green jacket, black leather boots, gray leather gloves, a grass green bandolier, and the various chromed components of his exoskeleton.
His third GI Joe uniform is another variation on his first. This one features dark green trousers, a grass green jacket, dark green leather boots, black leather gloves, a dark green grenade bandolier, and the various black and chromed components of his exoskeleton.
2003 Variations
Equipment:
The Hoverstrike: instead of personal weaponry, Mirage was assigned the use of a Hoverstrike in '03. A small, heavily armed, one-man hovercraft that can be used on land or water, the Hoverstrike glides on whatever surface is below it, and is described in its own vehicular entry.
Costume:
Mirage's fourth uniform is another variant on his first three. It includes black trousers, a grass green jacket, black leather boots and gloves, a dark brown grenade bandoiler, a brown leather belt, and the various chromed components of his still-unique exoskeleton.
2005 Variations
Equipment:
Inviso-Power Suit: an upgrade to Mirage's original costume, his fifth uniform is equipped with specialized optic devices. Possibly based on Zartan's designs, this costume effectively render its wearers invisible, doing so with Remarkable (30) ability.
Laser Rifle: a recent addition to Mirage's high tech arsenal, this weapon can be used to devastating effect on otherwise hardened targets. He can fire this standard GI Joe weapon to inflict Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy damage, which is enough to give even Cobra mech pilots pause.
Costume:
Mirage's fifth uniform is another variant on his first four. It is comprised of white trousers, a white jacket, light gray leather boots, black leather gloves, a green grenade bandoiler, a green leather belt, and the various chromed components of his advanced ensemble.
Not that you can tell. For the most part, Mirage remains 'cloaked' while on a mission, making him incredibly hard to spot by anyone nearby. This makes it very hard for snipers to get a 'bead' on Mirage while he's working, since light seems to harmlessly pass through him and his gear.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Mirage:
| 1993 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 |
* Note: 2002 saw two versions of Mirage (Versions 2 and 3).
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