Difference between revisions of "Henry McCoy"

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{{Application Received}}
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''This page is about the [[:Category: Phase 2|Phase 2]] incarnation of the character. For other uses, see [[Henry McCoy (disambiguation)]].''
  
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{{PCInfobox
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{{Phase2}}
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| name    = Hank McCoy
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{{CharacterBox
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| image  = Beast card.jpg
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| name    = Henry McCoy
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| pb = [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001288/ Kelsey Grammer]
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| image  = Hank.jpg
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| pb = [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0396558/ Nicholas Hoult]
 
| codename = Beast
 
| codename = Beast
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| teams  = [[X-Men - Phase 1|X-Men]]
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| teams  = [[Generation X]]
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| birthdate = March 10, 1973
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| birthdate = September 4, 1997
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| journal = [http://x_beast.livejournal.com x_beast]  
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| journal = [https://xp-beast.dreamwidth.org/profile xp_beast]
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| player = Available for Applications
+
| player = [[Zoila]]
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Unplayed Character}}
 
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Brilliant scientist and doctor, Dr. Henry McCoy is respected among the scientific community for his work. Among his friends, he is better known as the X-Man, Beast, and a loving partner and father, torn between his two lives.
 
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__TOC__
 
  
  
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== '''Details''' ==
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''Knowledge is always dangerous, but then so too is ignorance.''
  
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'''Character Journal:''' [http://x_beast.livejournal.com x_beast]
+
A new arrival to the mansion, Hank came to terms with his mutation and being in a place that accepted him for him. He is currently working and studying in France.
  
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'''Real Name''': Henry Phillip McCoy
 
  
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'''Codename''': Beast
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__TOC__
  
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'''Aliases''': 'Hank'
 
  
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'''First Appearance''': [[X2]] (on television briefly)
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== '''Details''' ==
  
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'''Date of Birth''': March 10, 1973
+
'''Character Journal:''' [https://xp-beast.dreamwidth.org/profile xp_beast]
  
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'''Place of Birth''': Iowa, US
 
  
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'''Citizenship''': US
+
'''Real Name''': Henry 'Hank' McCoy
  
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'''Relatives''': [[McCoy Family]]: Norton and Edna McCoy(parents), William McCoy (adopted son)
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'''Codename''': Beast
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'''Education''': MD from NYU, PhDs in Physics, Genetics, Chemistry and Robotics. Nobel laureate.
 
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'''Relationship Status''': involved with [[Madelyn Bartlet]]
 
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'''Occupation''': Doctor and teacher at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters/Xavier Institute
 
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'''Team Affiliation''': [[X-Men - Phase 1|X-Men]]
 
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==Biography==
 
  
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===The Early Years===
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'''First Appearance''': [https://xp-beast.dreamwidth.org/384.html September 16, 2015]
  
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Henry - better known as Hank - McCoy was born late in life to Edna and Norton, a hardworking farming family in Iowa. His over-developed hands and feet marked him as a mutant from birth, but his parents were nothing but loving and supportive. As Hank grew, he demonstrated that not only did he have increased strength, mass and agility, but he was also extremely intelligent. Indeed, Hank was at his most troublesome when he was bored, and his parents struggled to keep him occupied lest his undirected inventiveness run riot.
+
'''Date of Birth''': September 4, 1997
  
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When Hank reached his teens, it became clear his intellect was far outstripping his education, and it was arranged that he attend a new, prestigious school in Westchester: [[Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters - Phase 1|Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters]], where he was part of the founding class along with [[Scott Summers]], [[Jean Grey - Phase 1 | Jean Grey]], [[Ororo Munroe]] and later, [[Warren Worthington - Phase 1 | Warren Worthington]]. The friendships Hank formed as a student lasted well after he graduated and began his illustrious academic career.
+
'''Place of Birth''': Dundee Illinois
  
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Hank obtained several doctorates, plus his MD. His great passion was genetics, and he worked in conjunction with such leaders of the field as [[Moira MacTaggart - Phase 1]] and [[Nathaniel Essex| Dr. Nathaniel Essex]]. He was also considered a leader in robotics, and much of the [[Danger Room]] and various of the mansion's other high-tech facilities were his doing. He worked for various private companies for a time after completing college, becoming well-known in scientific circles. During this time he also briefly dated popstar [[Alison Blaire - Phase 1 | Alison Blaire]], before they decided they were better friends.
+
'''Citizenship''': American
  
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Life seemed golden for Hank, until an accident with a genetic accelerant mutated him even further, turning him blue and furry, increasing his bulk and giving him [[Feral| feral]] characteristics including fangs and claws. Devastated by this, Hank tried several times to reverse the process, almost killing himself several times. It was only a promise extracted by Alison and Moira that prevented him from trying any more, and he sank into a deep depression. Fortunately his friends supported him through this trying period and he eventually was able to continue his career, albeit much subdued and self-conscious about his appearance. It was around this time he created the [[Image inducer| image inducers]] that projected a hologrammatic image of himself to the world; these devices were frequently used in the mansion by students with obvious mutations that made them unsafe.
+
'''Relatives''': Edna and Norton McCoy
  
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===Return To The X-Mansion===
+
'''Education''': High School GED, BSc in progress
  
−
Hank maintained his links with the school, frequently reappearing as medic, teacher and advisor on mutant powers and training, as well as an [[X-Men - Phase 1| X-Man]]. However his responsibilities to his research frequently took precedence, and he was an intermittent presence at best during 2003 and 2004. This changed at the end of 2004, when [[Sound and Fury| Alison's overload]] and various other disasters stretched the medical facilities of the mansion to the limit. Responding to a plea for help from Moira and [[Madelyn Bartlet| Madelyn]], Hank finally returned to the school on a full time basis in [[December 2004]].
+
'''Relationship Status''': Single
  
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Hank's presence decreased the load on the two other doctors, although there were some initial teething problems, particularly for Madelyn, who, up until his return, had been acting as field medic. The Doctors Three, however, managed to deal with everything the mansion threw at them, including Hank being targeted by [[Infectia]], the [[Reavers (plot)| third invasion of the mansion]] and [[Thermopylae| the events on Youra]]. The return of Jean Grey, apparently from the dead, proved a more disruptive, although positive event. Hank also became mentor to a number of students, including [[Forge]], [[Kitty Pryde - Phase 1 | Kitty Pryde]], [[Paige Guthrie]] and [[Kyle Gibney]]. His attempts to win over [[Amanda Sefton]] were less successful, especially after a botched attempt at over-protection following her over-use of [[Magic|magic]].
+
'''Occupation''': Researcher
  
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Hank fulfilled two life-long dreams during this time. In adopting [[Danielle Moonstar| Danielle Moonstar's]] son, [[McCoy Family| Billy]], he became a father. And in his successful wooing of Madelyn, he gained a partner. However, there were still moments of dissatisfaction, particularly with his work, and when Madelyn expressed a desire to leave the school and become director of [[The Anodyne and Cornucopia Foundation]] in Edinburgh, Scotland, Hank agreed to go with her, obtaining work at Moira's [[Muir Island Research Facility - Phase 1|Muir Island Research Facility]] as well as other locations in Britain. Hank and his new family relocated in December 2005 and maintain contact with various individuals at the school. 
+
'''Team Affiliation''': [[Generation X]]
  
−
===2nd Return To The X-Mansion===
+
== '''Biography''' ==
  
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Arriving at Muir, Hank immediately began to continue his genetics research with some of the mutants on the island.  For a while he was commuting from Edinburgh via helicopter, but this proved to be too risky and unpredictable since the occasional gale would make it all but impossible to get to work or back to home to see his family.  Hank moved the bulk of his research to a new laboratory in the Scottish city and started to telecommute to Muir.  For several years, he and Madelyn worked in their respective jobs in relative domestic bliss- not to say they never fought, but rather despite the little arguments over who was going to be allowed to apply for what grant or who should have won this year's Nobel Prize in Genetics, they were still very happy.  There were moments of strangeness though, which began to put a stress on both Hank and their relationship.  First, Hank's fur became a much darker, richer blue and his appearance began to take on more of a feline shape.  Old paranoia about being alone started to plague him and it took a very painful talk between the couple for him to remember that Madelyn loved him for what was beneath the fur, not the fur itself.  In addition to the physical changes, which were discovered to be lingering results of [[Infectia (plot)|Infectia's]] genetic toxin coupled with a more domestic lifestyle, his behavior began to change and there were moments when Hank was much darker than his usual self- almost menacingly so.  A series of anti-anxiety drugs helped keep him on a more even keel, but the thing that helped the most, aside from his loving partner, was Billy.
+
=== '''Childhood''' ===
  
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Billy became a source of constant joy in their lives.  Hank truly saw him and raised him as his own, letting Billy into his heart as a symbol of the love that he and Madelyn shared for each other. Hank began to become more and more of a homebody in 2007, staying home with his son while conducting research from within the comforts of their house. This was to be short lived though, after an accident involving a microscope, Billy and a severely reactive chemical compound Hank returned to working his lab as the couple hired a full-time nanny, though he would still eat meals with his son during the day.  
+
Edna McCoy called her son her 'miracle baby', born to her long after doctors had thought it possible that she and her husband Norton might ever have children. After decades of longing the bouncing baby boy was the answer to all his parents' wishes, even if they were mistaken for his grandparents whenever they would take him out in public. Indeed, they thought at first that it was their age that had caused the boy to be a bit 'funny', but as he grew it became clear that he was merely incredibly clever, so much so that he skipped a grade without even noticing it in elementary school and ended up in high school a year early. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise for it allowed him at least one 'normal' year of high school before things went wrong.
  
−
In 2009 Hank was awarded several grants and contracts to come up with nanites for medical purposes- tiny robots which could do the work of surgeons without ever having to cut into someone.  Taking his time, Hank worked on this project for the next eleven months and has made several breakthroughs in creating viable, cheap nano-robots.  During this time, things became more strained with Madelyn and Billy.  Hank started becoming Mr. Wizard again, ignoring the outside world for the fascinating science beneath his microscope. His time home from the lab was marked with increased moments of irritability and some rather harsh outbursts.  Thinking that all Hank needed a break from his research and that she needed a break from his being a phantom within their own home, Madelyn- after some very real arguing on the matter- got Hank to agree to take a break from work and to return back to Westchester for a brief vacation.
+
Hank hit puberty just as he was entering his sophomore year. Growing like a weed and a changing voice were bad enough, but parts of him didn't stop when the rest did and he ended up worse than gangly, with overlong arms and legs and oversized hands and feet that quickly earned him the nickname 'Apeman', among other less flattering appellations. Already a sensitive and self-conscious young man because of his intellect, Hank begged his parents to homeschool him so as not to have to go through the daily gamut of microaggressions his odd looks earned him at school. Once they agreed he all but taught himself and he earned his diploma at sixteen.  
  
−
However the best laid plans of mice and men certainly have a way of going awry and Hank, though he missed his family and heads back to Edinburgh at every opportunity, rediscovered something of the sense of belonging that he had when he was a student at the mansion many years ago.  Since his return, Hank [[X-Men Mission: Jailbreak|helped track down fugitives]], formed a bond with [[Laurie Collins]] (accepting her as his summer research assistant) and treated patients in need.  A part of him didn't want to leave the mansion and this was the part of him that has brought his work from Scotland back to the States.
+
Even then he was unable to face going back to school (despite craving the mental stimulation of classes and the desire for social interaction) and so he took a job as a wash-up technician in a lab on the outskirts of Chicago. It wasn't long before his obvious brilliance was recognised - thanks to a little after-hours tinkering with the equipment that led to a surge in successful experiments - and he was given a place at a bench and a box of XXL gloves. While working at the lab it became apparent that there was a distinct desire for a pharmaceutical solution to the 'mutant problem' and so Hank, with his interest in genetics and metabolism, took it upon himself to explore whether it would be possible to create a serum that could counter the effects of mutations, or even block them from manifesting altogether.  
  
−
===Back in Harness===
+
Even for an intellect of his stature this was a towering challenge; he didn't really have the resources or support to work on it properly and so it took over a year to synthesise something that he thought might be a viable product. Of course, tests on flatworms and mice could only prove so much: they needed a human subject. Development stalled as it was debated whether to take it into further testing; meanwhile, Hank loaded up a syringe and injected himself late one night, willing to put up with any number of side effects if it meant being normal again.
  
−
Hank's first eight months back at the mansion were busy. He had regular patients, for powers and for otherwise: [[Jean-Paul Beaubier - Phase 1 | Jean-Paul Beaubier]], [[Kevin Ford]], [[Alexander Lexington]], [[Carmilla Black]]. He had his work with Laurie, both with his projects and her development of her powers. He was involved in regular X-Men training and teaching the trainees and between [[Noise and Confusion|students being arrested]], [[A Brother's Protection|rescuing family members]], [[Lakshmibai Raj| protecting refugees]] and [[A Betrayal of Heart| the graduation disaster]], Hank was very busy indeed.  
+
Nothing happened. His physique remained outsized and stare-worthy and worse yet, the work he had dedicated a year of his life to had been a flop. Hank fell into a deep depression, barely bothering to quit his job before wallowing in his misery at his parent's house. It was only seeing his mother, now almost seventy, cleaning up after him and doing his laundry that shook him out of his funk. If he couldn't beat them, clearly, he'd have to join them.  
  
−
Following the disappearance of [[Nicholas Gleason]] at graduation, Hank threw himself back into his work, unable to deal with the loss of a student. For four months, he hid in his lab, before [[Garrison Kane]] reminded him that he was part of a larger community, that of the school. He resumed his mentoring of the trainees and younger X-Men, speaking to [[Doreen Green]] about her desire to join the team and awarding both Laurie and [[Yvette Petrovic]] their tags when the time came. He was part of the [[There Will Be Peace | mission to save Julian's kidnapped family]] and was the first to raise concerns about the [[The Best Deceptions| disappearance of a family]] at the same time [[Nanny]] and the [[The Orphan Maker|Orphan Maker]] escaped from their respective detentions. He also developed a new [[Danger Room]] scenario that mimicked the effect of an inhibitor, to better equip the team in dealing with sudden loss of their powers. He studied the powers of various individuals, in an effort to assist them with learning control, although occasionally there were accidents, such as the time [[Megan Gwynn - Phase 1 | Megan Gwynn]] accidentally 'dusted' him with her hallucinogenic dust. He even got involved in a prank war with [[Bobby Drake - Phase 1 | Bobby Drake]], both using [[Angelica Jones]] as their accomplice.
+
=== '''Living At The X-Mansion''' ===
  
−
During a mission in [[Madripoor]], Hank, along with several of the team, was injured when they were [[X-Men Mission: The Grotesque and the Sublime|ambushed]] by a resurrected [[Weapon X - Phase 1|Lady Deathstrike]] and her team. Hank was benched for a time and it was longer before he recovered fully, with Jean and [[Amelia Voght]] having to take on his share of the medical duties.  
+
It took some time after his arrival at Xavier's as a grad student in [[September 2015]] for Hank to feel comfortable enough to interact with his fellow residents in any way. His normal shyness was exacerbated by the strangeness of the location and he focused on his studies as a familiar way to deal. The fact his presence unnerved a number of the [[:Category: Phase 1|Phase 1]] residents who remembered 'him' from a previous time added to his awkwardness, although he was unaware of the reason for the strange looks he sometimes got. He found himself in demand as a tutor, both in academics and powers and as a lab assistant, and found comradeship in equally-awkward [[Reed Richards]] who arrived later, and Reed's definitely-not-awkward but also science-savvy friend [[Susan Storm]], and slowly began to reach out. He even accepted an invitation from [[Hope Abbott]] to a science dinner, which she was attending on behalf of her employer, Keller Industries. The event was equal parts heaven and torture for Hank, who enjoyed the talks by prominent scientists but who shrank from the social small talk and Hope's teasing banter. At some point he and Reed had a heart-to-heart about their mutual lack of dating history and resolved to study the matter scientifically and improve their social skills.
  
−
Following his recovery, Hank was [[Don't Close Your Eyes| trapped in a nightmare]], along with several of his former and current students, when the mansion was attacked. Hank was a dark and twisted shadow of himself, a Dark Beast, who enjoyed hurting others and who kidnapped and sold mutants for experimentation and slavery. In the dream, he tortured [[Sarah Vale]] while her friend Yvette was helpless to stop him, for the sheer joy of it. When freed of the nightmare, he was able to push his own reactions aside in the face of his and Sarah's skills being needed to defuse a bomb that was planted in [[Cerebro]]. The loss of Amelia was hard, even harder was seeing his long-time friend and colleague, Jean, sunk into a coma following her defeat of [[Nightmare]]. Eventually she was able to be revived, but the incident was difficult for Hank to handle, and once again he sank into the safety of his work, hiding in his lab.
+
Hank managed to avoid most of the drama of the mansion, but did come to the fore when a mission required a scientific solution, such as a [[The Dulcet Sound of My Voice|Faraday cage adaptation to restrain a teleporter]]; studying [[SHIELD]] technology following an [[X-Men Mission: A vs X|X-Men clash with the Avengers]]; [[Green-Eyed Monster|identifying and finding a containment for an emerald deadly to mutants]]; and accompanying the [[X-Men]] to [[X-Men Mission: Skull Island| an island of giant monsters for research purposes]]. He also struck up an unlikely friendship with the abrasive and extroverted [[Quentin Quire]] which lead to him experiencing a far wider social range than he'd been used to and an [[Murder They Tweeted|invitation to a family wedding which turned into a murder investigation]]... and sleeping with Quentin.
  
−
In [[February 2012]] Maddie sent word to Hank that their son had fallen quite ill. Not one to stay so far away when he felt his son needed him, Hank immediately made preparations and left to be with William and Maddie on the other side of the Atlantic.
+
Eventually Hank achieved the confidence in himself and his mutation to take on a dream job - research in Paris alongside his friend and mentor, Reed Richards, leaving the mansion in [[May 2019]].
  
 
== '''Physical Characteristics''' ==
 
== '''Physical Characteristics''' ==
  
 +
'''Height''': 6'2"
  
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'''Height''': 5' 11"
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'''Weight''': 175lbs
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'''Weight''': 310 lbs
 
  
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'''Eyes''': blue
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'''Eyes''': Blue
  
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'''Hair''': blue
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'''Hair''': Brown
  
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'''Other Features''':  Hank is covered by a thick pelt of blue fur. He has fangs and claws, and his arms are somewhat longer than the norm and are used as much for locomotion as his legs and feet. His facial features are somewhat bestial, with pointed ears, a wider than normal mouth and a shortened nose.
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'''Other Features''':  Longer than average arms and legs, oversized hands and feet. Wears glasses, though it's unclear whether they're prescription or merely an affectation.  
  
 
== '''Powers''' ==
 
== '''Powers''' ==
−
Prior to his accident, Hank had increased agility, speed and strength, plus over-sized hands and feet that aided him in climbing. After the accident, that agility and strength increased, as did his bulk, and he developed more [[Atavistic|atavistic traits]], such as fur, claws and fangs. Hank is able to leap further than a normal human, can balance and walk on his hands as easily as his feet, and is capable of lifting weights up to two tons.
 
  
 +
Hank's mutation gives him increased strength, speed, reflexes, agility, flexibility, coordination, balance and endurance - not superhuman levels, but certainly peak of human condition. He is more suited towards acrobatics and gymnastics than long-distance running; indeed, he moves faster on four limbs than two. His feet are also extremely dexterous and when barefoot he can climb nearly any surface with hand/footholds available.
  
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Hank's fur also keeps him warm in cold climates and acts to protect him somewhat. He has an accelerated healing rate, although not a full [[Healing factor|healing factor]].  Given the further mutation he's undergone, Doctor McCoy also has [[Enhanced Senses|enhanced senses]] of hearing, sight, smell and taste.
+
In terms of hard and fast limits, he can lift up to 500kg in a clean and jerk, though sustained lifting tires him quickly and he can probably only support about 200-300kg for any length of time. As stated, he's more of a sprinter and an acrobat than a distance runner, so he can maintain bursts of speed of about thirty miles per hour for short periods on all fours. One area that he really excels in is leaping - he can leap over five feet vertically and thirty feet horizontally with a running start.
  
 
== '''Equipment''' ==
 
== '''Equipment''' ==
  
−
Hank carries a utility belt of his own design, containing myriad useful items of a medical nature, from tranquilizing darts to bandages to sutures.
+
His brain.
−
 
 
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When around the mansion, Hank typically carries a touch screen Netbook of his own design, which is synced to the mansion's computers and can connect to most his medical diagnostic equipment.
 
  
 
== '''Trivia''' ==
 
== '''Trivia''' ==
  
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Hank was known during his time as a student as a prankster extraodinaire, with the older alumni often telling stories of his exploits. It was Hank who made the snow catapult for [[Miles Blaire]].
+
Has an occasional tendency to use archaic slang.
  
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The most recent upgrades to the [[Danger Room]], incorporating holograms to the programming, were implemented by Hank on a recent visit to the school.
+
=='''External Links'''==
  
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== '''Plots''' ==
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[https://xp-communication.dreamwidth.org/tag/c:+hank+mccoy xp_communication posts]
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===2003===
 
  
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[[X-Men Mission: MLF]]
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[https://xp-journal.dreamwidth.org/tag/c:+hank+mccoy xp_journal posts]
  
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===2005===
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[https://xp-logs.dreamwidth.org/tag/c:+z+available:+hank+mccoy xp_logs posts]
  
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[[X-Men Mission: Adirondacks]]
+
== '''Plots''' ==
  
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[[X-Men Mission: Hole in the World]]
+
===2015===
  
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[[X-Men Mission: Mercy Flight]]
+
[[December 2015|Roadside Assistance]] - ''event''
  
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[[Growing Pains]]
+
===2016===
  
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[[Lost and Found]]
+
[[The Dulcet Sound of My Voice]]
  
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[[Infectia]]
+
===2017===
  
−
[[Reavers (plot)]]
+
[[Green-Eyed Monster]]
  
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[[Upgrade]]
+
===2018===
  
−
[[High Cost Of Living]]
+
[[Murder They Tweeted]]
  
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===2009===
+
[[The Danger Room Paradox]]
  
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[[X-Men Mission: Jailbreak]]
+
[[X-Men Mission: Skull Island]]
−
 
 
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===2010===
 
−
 
 
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[[Lakshmibai Raj]]
 
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[[A Brother's Protection]]
 
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[[A Betrayal of Heart]]
 
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[[There Will Be Peace]]
 
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===2011===
 
−
 
 
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[[The Best Deceptions]]
 
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[[X-Men Mission: The Grotesque and the Sublime]]
 
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[[Don't Close Your Eyes]]
 
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[[Christian's Angels]]
 
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===2012===
 
  
 
== Meta ==
 
== Meta ==
  
−
'''Player''':  
+
'''Player''': [[Zoila]]
  
 
'''E-mail''':  
 
'''E-mail''':  
  
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'''AIM''':
+
'''Player Icon Base''':  [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0396558/ Nicholas Hoult]
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'''Player Icon Base''':  [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001288/ Kelsey Grammer]
 
  
 
'''Meta Trivia'''
 
'''Meta Trivia'''
  
−
Formerly played by Cory and Dyce. Played by Ryan from [[October 2009]] until [[February 2012]].
+
The [[:Category: Phase 2|Phase 2]] version of Hank was apped by [[Erin]] in 2015 and played until life interrupted in [[May 2019]]. [[Zoila]] adopted him in 2023.
−
 
 
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[[Category: 2003]]
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[[Category: 2015]]
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[[Category: 2005]]
+
[[Category:Generation X]]
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[[Category: 2009]]
 
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[[Category: Unplayed Characters - Phase 1]]
 

Latest revision as of 22:24, 31 January 2025

This page is about the Phase 2 incarnation of the character. For other uses, see Henry McCoy (disambiguation).

PHASE 2
Henry McCoy
Hank.jpg
Portrayed by Nicholas Hoult
Codename: Beast
Affiliations: Generation X
Birthdate: September 4, 1997
Journal: xp_beast
Player: Zoila


Knowledge is always dangerous, but then so too is ignorance.

A new arrival to the mansion, Hank came to terms with his mutation and being in a place that accepted him for him. He is currently working and studying in France.



Details

Character Journal: xp_beast


Real Name: Henry 'Hank' McCoy

Codename: Beast

First Appearance: September 16, 2015

Date of Birth: September 4, 1997

Place of Birth: Dundee Illinois

Citizenship: American

Relatives: Edna and Norton McCoy

Education: High School GED, BSc in progress

Relationship Status: Single

Occupation: Researcher

Team Affiliation: Generation X

Biography

Childhood

Edna McCoy called her son her 'miracle baby', born to her long after doctors had thought it possible that she and her husband Norton might ever have children. After decades of longing the bouncing baby boy was the answer to all his parents' wishes, even if they were mistaken for his grandparents whenever they would take him out in public. Indeed, they thought at first that it was their age that had caused the boy to be a bit 'funny', but as he grew it became clear that he was merely incredibly clever, so much so that he skipped a grade without even noticing it in elementary school and ended up in high school a year early. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise for it allowed him at least one 'normal' year of high school before things went wrong.

Hank hit puberty just as he was entering his sophomore year. Growing like a weed and a changing voice were bad enough, but parts of him didn't stop when the rest did and he ended up worse than gangly, with overlong arms and legs and oversized hands and feet that quickly earned him the nickname 'Apeman', among other less flattering appellations. Already a sensitive and self-conscious young man because of his intellect, Hank begged his parents to homeschool him so as not to have to go through the daily gamut of microaggressions his odd looks earned him at school. Once they agreed he all but taught himself and he earned his diploma at sixteen.

Even then he was unable to face going back to school (despite craving the mental stimulation of classes and the desire for social interaction) and so he took a job as a wash-up technician in a lab on the outskirts of Chicago. It wasn't long before his obvious brilliance was recognised - thanks to a little after-hours tinkering with the equipment that led to a surge in successful experiments - and he was given a place at a bench and a box of XXL gloves. While working at the lab it became apparent that there was a distinct desire for a pharmaceutical solution to the 'mutant problem' and so Hank, with his interest in genetics and metabolism, took it upon himself to explore whether it would be possible to create a serum that could counter the effects of mutations, or even block them from manifesting altogether.

Even for an intellect of his stature this was a towering challenge; he didn't really have the resources or support to work on it properly and so it took over a year to synthesise something that he thought might be a viable product. Of course, tests on flatworms and mice could only prove so much: they needed a human subject. Development stalled as it was debated whether to take it into further testing; meanwhile, Hank loaded up a syringe and injected himself late one night, willing to put up with any number of side effects if it meant being normal again.

Nothing happened. His physique remained outsized and stare-worthy and worse yet, the work he had dedicated a year of his life to had been a flop. Hank fell into a deep depression, barely bothering to quit his job before wallowing in his misery at his parent's house. It was only seeing his mother, now almost seventy, cleaning up after him and doing his laundry that shook him out of his funk. If he couldn't beat them, clearly, he'd have to join them.

Living At The X-Mansion

It took some time after his arrival at Xavier's as a grad student in September 2015 for Hank to feel comfortable enough to interact with his fellow residents in any way. His normal shyness was exacerbated by the strangeness of the location and he focused on his studies as a familiar way to deal. The fact his presence unnerved a number of the Phase 1 residents who remembered 'him' from a previous time added to his awkwardness, although he was unaware of the reason for the strange looks he sometimes got. He found himself in demand as a tutor, both in academics and powers and as a lab assistant, and found comradeship in equally-awkward Reed Richards who arrived later, and Reed's definitely-not-awkward but also science-savvy friend Susan Storm, and slowly began to reach out. He even accepted an invitation from Hope Abbott to a science dinner, which she was attending on behalf of her employer, Keller Industries. The event was equal parts heaven and torture for Hank, who enjoyed the talks by prominent scientists but who shrank from the social small talk and Hope's teasing banter. At some point he and Reed had a heart-to-heart about their mutual lack of dating history and resolved to study the matter scientifically and improve their social skills.

Hank managed to avoid most of the drama of the mansion, but did come to the fore when a mission required a scientific solution, such as a Faraday cage adaptation to restrain a teleporter; studying SHIELD technology following an X-Men clash with the Avengers; identifying and finding a containment for an emerald deadly to mutants; and accompanying the X-Men to an island of giant monsters for research purposes. He also struck up an unlikely friendship with the abrasive and extroverted Quentin Quire which lead to him experiencing a far wider social range than he'd been used to and an invitation to a family wedding which turned into a murder investigation... and sleeping with Quentin.

Eventually Hank achieved the confidence in himself and his mutation to take on a dream job - research in Paris alongside his friend and mentor, Reed Richards, leaving the mansion in May 2019.

Physical Characteristics

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 175lbs

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Brown

Other Features: Longer than average arms and legs, oversized hands and feet. Wears glasses, though it's unclear whether they're prescription or merely an affectation.

Powers

Hank's mutation gives him increased strength, speed, reflexes, agility, flexibility, coordination, balance and endurance - not superhuman levels, but certainly peak of human condition. He is more suited towards acrobatics and gymnastics than long-distance running; indeed, he moves faster on four limbs than two. His feet are also extremely dexterous and when barefoot he can climb nearly any surface with hand/footholds available.

In terms of hard and fast limits, he can lift up to 500kg in a clean and jerk, though sustained lifting tires him quickly and he can probably only support about 200-300kg for any length of time. As stated, he's more of a sprinter and an acrobat than a distance runner, so he can maintain bursts of speed of about thirty miles per hour for short periods on all fours. One area that he really excels in is leaping - he can leap over five feet vertically and thirty feet horizontally with a running start.

Equipment

His brain.

Trivia

Has an occasional tendency to use archaic slang.

External Links

xp_communication posts

xp_journal posts

xp_logs posts

Plots

2015

Roadside Assistance - event

2016

The Dulcet Sound of My Voice

2017

Green-Eyed Monster

2018

Murder They Tweeted

The Danger Room Paradox

X-Men Mission: Skull Island

Meta

Player: Zoila

E-mail:

Player Icon Base: Nicholas Hoult

Meta Trivia

The Phase 2 version of Hank was apped by Erin in 2015 and played until life interrupted in May 2019. Zoila adopted him in 2023.

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