Tropes: 25


ANTI-VILLAIN
BEWARE THE NICE ONES: Jean-Paul’s soft spoken and polite. Azrael is a merciless killing machine.
BLONDE GUYS ARE EVIL: Most of the Batman Family members have black hair; Jean-Paul's blonde locks set him apart.
CHURCH MILITANT: Religious zealotry is both Azrael's greatest weapon and his worst enemy.
CLOTHES MAKE THE SUPERMAN: Both his Azrael costume and the uniform he gets later.
DECEPTIVE DISCIPLE: His alliance with Savage has layers, we'll say that much.
FALLEN HERO
FAKING THE DEAD: For the past three years.
FLAMING SWORD
HEROIC BSOD: Jean-Paul had one back when he found out the truth about his origins.
IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS: Jean-Paul believes he is being guided by God, and that even his setbacks serve a higher purpose.
IN THE BLOOD: His family has taken up the Azrael mantle for generations.
KNIGHT TEMPLAR: The group that sired him even trace their roots back to the original Knight Templars!
LAWFUL NEUTRAL
LIGHT IS NOT GOOD: The avenging angel is justice devoid of temperance or mercy.
NIETZSCHE WANNABE
NEVER FOUND THE BODY: Back when he took a dive off a roof and was presumed dead.
NINETIES ANTI-HERO: He was originally created by DC to show fans what a ‘darker Batman' would be like.
PLAYING WITH FIRE: In addition to his Flaming Sword, he also has flamethrowers.
SUCK SESSOR: As AzBats, though it doesn't stop him from trying to claim the cowl a second time.
THE MOLE: He jumps on Vandal Savage’s ship at the request of higher powers…
TURNCOAT: Rejects a return to Batman's fold in favor of an alliance with Vandal Savage.
UTOPIA JUSTIFIES THE MEANS: Shares this with Savage at least.
WELL-INTENTIONED EXTREMIST
WICKED CULTURED: Just check out his scene with The Contessa for proof.

CODENAME: Azrael
CHARACTER TYPE: Canon
LJ: jpvalley_lives 

REAL NAME: Jean-Paul Valley
ALIASES: The Angel of Vengeance, Batman
AGE: 33
HAIR COLOR: Blonde
EYE COLOR: Blue
HEIGHT: 6’2”
WEIGHT: 210 lbs

RELATIVES: Ludovic Valley (father, deceased)

KNOWN ALLIES: Early in his costumed career Azrael earned the respect of Bruce Wayne, but other members of the Batman Family, while offering their support, have always been leery of Jean-Paul. Dick Grayson keeps his opinion of the Bat’s brief successor to himself, while Tim Drake makes no secret of the fact that he hates his guts. Helena Bertinelli and Jason Todd, themselves black sheep of a sort, have never met Azrael, although they have heard of him. It remains to be seen how they would react to Azrael upon meeting him. While not a member of the Batman Family, another stalwart ally is Talia Head, who Azrael once saved from the mad machinations of her father Ra’s Al-Ghul.

More recently Azrael has made some far darker allies: namely Vandal Savage, Jonah Hex, and Hans Von Hammer. This new turn of allies is almost guaranteed to cause friction in Azrael’s relationship with the Batman Family.

MAJOR ENEMIES: Ever since he turned his back on them, Azrael’s primary enemies have been the members of the Order of St. Dumas, the fanatical religious group that raised him from birth and was indeed responsible for his very conceptions. The Order has created several ‘new’ Azraels to take the mantle back from Jean-Paul, but to date each ‘successor’ has been killed. The Order was severely fractured when Azrael killed their leader Father Rollo, and it remains to be seen if the group even still exists.

A more persistent and perhaps even more dangerous foe is Bane, who suffered his greatest humiliation at Azrael’s hands. Several of Batman’s rogues bear grudges against Azrael as well for his rough treatment of them: Penguin, Catwoman, and the Joker to name a few.

AFFILIATION: In the past, Azrael has given his allegiance to the Order of St. Dumas and then to the ‘Batman Family,’ the group of crime-fighters rallied around the figure of Bruce Wayne. Today he has chosen to swear his loyalty to the likes of Vandal Savage, assisting the megalomaniacal immortal in his plans to build a new nation.


APPEARANCE: At six foot two and over two hundreds pounds of solid muscle, Jean-Paul can cut an intimidating figure. In the past he wore his blonde hair long – today he keeps it more short and sensible. Azrael’s stature can give a man pause, but what really causes people to hesitate about him are his eyes – dark blue and icy, they could realistically be described as unearthly, particularly as Azrael himself never seems to need to blink. Needless to say, he usually wins staring contests.

In his career Jean-Paul has worn a number of unique costumes, ranging from his first Azrael armour (a mantle handed down from the order of St. Dumas) to a steel suit of blues and golds that he wore during his time as the ‘new’ Batman. Today he can usually be seen wearing classy clothes, perhaps as a result of his exposure to the urbane and sophisticated Vandal Savage. However, he still retains the original Azrael armor, and does not hesitate to don it when needed. The spidery shroud of Azrael is a sinister silhouette, and is well enough to cow the common criminal into submission.


PERSONALITY: Jean-Paul’s psyche has always been a damaged thing, molded through trial in his childhood years by the order of St. Dumas using their rigorous ‘System.’ The System was successful in instilling the ‘Azrael spirit’ in Jean-Paul, but at the cost of fracturing his personality. For much of his life Jean-Paul Valley has been a man split in two; far from the dual identities of Bruce Wayne and Batman, Jean-Paul and his alter ego are almost a case of multiple personality disorder.

Jean-Paul Valley, the man, was long known as a quiet, even shy figure. Despite his hulking size, Jean-Paul always strived to be unnoticed, socializing little and preferring the peace of solitude. As Azrael, however, Valley became a brutal killing machine, murdering the guilty savagely and without pause. More like an animal than a man, Azrael lacked in tactics severely and usually just charged into battle. The two personalities were divided by the Azrael armor – outside of it gentle Jean-Paul maintained control, but once the mantle and mask were donned Azrael reigned, and his was a terrible reign indeed.

Presumed dead for many years, Jean-Paul has returned, and he seems to have come back as a new man. He has claimed to have ‘found peace with himself,’ and indeed the two personalities seemed to have merged. The Azrael armor is no longer a trigger – Valley can don it with no loss of self-control, and remove it just as easily. The armor that was so long a barrier between himself is now a tool once again, rather than the master it has been for so long.

The new Jean-Paul Valley is in many ways an amalgamation of Jean-Paul and Azrael. He retains Jean-Paul’s soft-spoken reticence, his devout faith and altruistic nature. However, he has also integrated Azrael’s savage thirst for vengeance; while the former Jean-Paul avoided conflict at all costs and would let himself be beaten rather than lift a fist, this new Jean-Paul employs the brutal skill and power of Azrael both in and out of costume, using it to crush those who challenge him quickly and with violent efficiency.

Jean-Paul has also demonstrated a few new traits all his own. The former Jean-Paul was a hardcore introvert as himself and a borderline sociopath as Azrael, but the new Jean-Paul has demonstrated new skill in social interaction. Forming an alliance with Vandal Savage was only just the beginning – Valley has even become a ‘face man’ for Savage’s efforts. A man who could barely hold a conversation has now become canny enough to persuade hardened businessman to throw their capital and their support behind Savage. The circumstances behind this sudden turn are largely something Valley keeps to himself.

Azrael claims his only motive is to help others, but he seems to have ulterior reasons all his own. The true extent of his agenda remains to be seen.


WEAPONRY/PERSONAL BELONGINGS: In addition to his physical prowess, Jean-Paul has always armed himself with a smattering of powerful weapons as Azrael. His traditional weapons have included wrist-mounted blades capable of igniting flames as well as gauntlets which allow these blades to be launched at enemies. The gauntlets also double as flamethrowers, which have impressive range. Azrael is further equipped with most of the toys the Batman Family has at its disposal – grappling guns, bolas, tracking devices, and so forth.

Azrael also wields a steel sword which is capable of igniting in flames on its own. Due to the cumbersome weight of the weapon, he rarely uses it.

While not a weapon, the Azrael armor offers significant protection, proofed against both flames of any temperature and most types of ammunition. Most common firearms are no threat to Azrael.

Finally, Jean-Paul owns a cross necklace, which he is almost always wearing underneath all his armor and/or his clothes. The simple necklace is a reminder of his faith, which is still strong after all the other changes in his life.


POWERS: Like his ‘father,’ Jean-Paul Valley was genetically engineered to be the peak of human physical potential. His genes were augmented with the DNA of powerful animals, giving him increased strength, stamina, and reflexes.

Azrael has also alluded to having discovered ‘abilities I didn’t even know I had’ during the time of his life currently shrouded in mystery. Whether he is referring to his increased level of control over himself or something else altogether remains to be seen.


WEAKNESSES: In the past, Azrael’s greatest weakness has always been his fractured psyche. Broken to the point of developing multiple personality disorder by the rigors of the Order’s ‘system,’ Jean-Paul developed significant and alarming dissociative tendencies, such as the reliance on the Azrael armor to effectively distinguish between his two personalities. Batman was able to take advantage of this mental instability to defeat Azrael with a minimum of actual physical combat, but how effective such tactics would be in the wake of this new and seemingly mentally whole Jean-Paul remains unknown.

Though extremely powerful, Jean-Paul has also suffered from a significant lack of agility. Not exactly the most nimble of fighters, Azrael has usually subdued opponents through raw force, and has experienced trouble with smaller, faster fighters such as Nightwing and Lady Shiva. He seems to exhibit greater physical prowess in addition to his mental wellness, but this weakness could still lurk beneath the surface.


OTHER SPECIAL SKILLS / ABILITIES: Jean-Paul’s intensive mental and physical training has left him as a vastly above-average hand-to-hand combatant. While not on the same level as Batman or Prometheus, Azrael is a close second to them, and is more than capable of handling most types of physical threats.

Although he is not nearly as adept as Oracle or Prometheus, Jean-Paul does possesses advanced computer skills, both as a result of his education at Gotham University and from his extended travels.


CHARACTER HISTORY:
Azrael's story cannot be told without recounting the Order of St. Dumas, the fanatical religious group that bore and bred him. An offshoot of the Knights Templar originating in the 14th century, the Order splintered from the main sect of Templars because their leader, the brutal and zealous Dumas, believed that the Templars had become too merciful towards the guilty. Allying themselves with the corrupt men who dismantled the Templars, the Order survived, sinking into the shadows and becoming a sort of assassin group, taking it upon themselves to judge the guilty. Whatever the crime, the punishment was always the same: death.

Over the centuries the Order cultivated a 'system' that was equal parts genetic engineering, mental conditioning, and physical training. The goal of this 'system' was to bring about the reincarnation of the Order's patron angel: the angel of vengeance, Azrael. Over the years the System was refined and cultivated, resulting in progressively stronger and more powerful 'incarnations' of Azrael. A mantle was created and passed down through the generations, along with hypnotically-imparted knowledge that was impressed upon the successors at the time of their infancy. Though the individual Azraels would grow old and die, the threat of his flaming sword would remain throughout the centuries, looming above those who would seek to betray the Order no matter what the age.

Thus Jean-Paul Valley came into being, the latest in a long line of eugenically-cultivated warriors. A test-tube child, Jean-Paul's genetic structure was augmented with animal DNA, engineering him to be capable of feats beyond those of a normal human. He spent his formative years conditioned by the Order, before being released into the world with his childhood memories repressed. Oblivious to his dark past and darker legacy, Jean-Paul excelled in the educational environment of Gotham City, taking on a computer science major at Gotham University.

Jean-Paul's past caught up with him, however, when his biological father, Ludovic Valley, crawled through his apartment window one night, bloody and broken. Garbed in the mantle of Azrael, Ludovic revealed himself to be Jean-Paul's father, giving the son he never knew instructions and support before dying, leaving him with the words, "I have failed. You must not." Following his father's dying instructions, Jean-Paul located a hidden cache of money, complete with a passport in his name. Jean-Paul traveled to the mountains of Switzerland as his father had instructed him, meeting there the diminutive Nomoz - a servant of the Order of St. Dumas.

Nomoz explained to Jean-Paul the nature of his father's role as the Order's enforcer, and his legacy as the new Azrael. Using a hypnotic trigger to bring this knowledge to the fore, Nomoz began conditioning Jean-Paul to take up his father's mantle, the harsh mountain wilderness honing the boy's body to match his newfound knowledge.

By luck or fate, it was here that Jean-Paul would first cross paths with the infamous Batman, Bruce Wayne. Having traveled to Switzerland to investigate the murder of Ludovic Valley (with butler Alfred in tow), Azrael and Batman initially found themselves at odds with one another. But when Batman was captured by Ibis (the murderer of Jean-Paul's father), Azrael chose to rescue his foe, dragging a drugged and fatigued Bruce Wayne from the flames of a burning building. Azrael and Batman cornered Ibis, and in the critical moment, Jean-Paul chose to spare the killer's life, rejecting the violent and brutal methods instilled in him in favor of Bruce Wayne's sense of duty and compassion.

Seeking to help the young man, Bruce took Jean-Paul under his wing, inviting him into his home and introducing him to the world of crime fighting on Gotham's streets. And in a startling move - perhaps believing only Jean-Paul's enhanced abilities could be equal to the task - Wayne named the young man as his successor after he was crippled by Bane, choosing Jean-Paul over his older disciples, Dick Grayson and Tim Drake. Despite Tim's protests and Dick's reserved disapproval, Valley served as an effective replacement for Bruce Wayne - at least for a short time.

However, as Jean-Paul continued fighting crime as Batman on a regular basis, the Order's mental programming slowly began to eat away at his sanity, tormenting him with spectral visions of both his father and of St. Dumas himself. As his humanity slipped away, Azrael discarded the Batman uniform, choosing instead a suit of razor-edged armor. He also became much more cold and cruel, using increasingly more brutal tactics against the criminals of Gotham City. Two-Face, the Penguin, and even the Joker all received savage beatings from the new Batman, in some cases taking months to recover.

Azrael's violent methods alienated many of Batman's former friends and allies. Tim Drake refused to work with him, Catwoman did not trust him, and even Commissioner Gordon withdrew his support. But the last straw came when Azrael allowed the murderer Abattoir to fall to his death. For Bruce Wayne, allowing a man to die crossed a line he could not tolerate, and he fiercely sought to rehabilitate himself, seeking out Lady Shiva to help him return to his former fighting strength. After months of training, Bruce returned to Gotham City to take back his mantle, taking it back in combat after Azrael refused to relinquish it. Using guile and strategy, Bruce was able to overcome Azrael's superior strength, tricking him into removing his armor and thus triggering the return of Jean-Paul's persona. Beaten and bereft of purpose, Jean-Paul wandered away from Wayne Manor in a daze, the mantle of the Bat passing back to its rightful owner.

Jean-Paul spent the next few weeks wandering the streets of Gotham, homeless and destitute. Eventually Bruce Wayne found him again, with the weeks having softened the anger. Bruce felt guilt at what Jean-Paul had been reduced to, and more guilt at knowing he had brought it about by appointing him to be his successor when he knew, deep down, that the youth had not yet been ready. Wanting a fresh start both for Jean-Paul himself and for their friendship, Bruce extended his hand once more in friendship, giving Jean-Paul access to as much capital as he needed and guiding him towards his next step in life - discovering the truth about the 'System' which held his mind in thrall.

With the financial aid of Batman and the guidance of the information dealer Oracle, Jean-Paul returned to the mountains of Switzerland where it all began, this time tracking down the Order to its source - a cathedral of ice deep in the mountains. There he encountered Father Rollo, the head of the Order, who welcomed Jean-Paul on one hand and bluntly denied his request to learn more about the System on the other. Jean-Paul found a would-be-ally in Sister Lily, a devotee of the Order with her own designs on power. Telling Jean-Paul she could help him uncover the truths about himself, but only after Father Rollo was killed, Sister Lily manipulated Azrael into attempting to assassinate the Order's leader. The assassination failed, and Rollo announced both Lily and Azrael himself to be heretics. The pair narrowly escaped from the Order's headquarters with Oracle's help.

Jean-Paul found an unlikely ally in Ra's Al-Ghul, who saw in the youth a potential successor as well as a means to destroy the Order of St. Dumas, who had plagued him for some time. Ra's tested the young man, judging him to be a potential successor before learning of his unnatural origins and declaring him unworthy. Jean-Paul escaped Ra's thanks to his daughter Talia, and in the escape he saved the woman's life. It was an encounter neither of them forgot.

After escaping Ra's Jean-Paul returned to Gotham, helping his mentor during the Contagion fiasco, and declaring himself to be an 'agent of the Bat.' Shortly after the contagion was dealt with Sister Lily returned to his side, claiming to have found a way to topple the Order once and for all. Seemingly having not learned his mistakes from his first experience with her (or maybe it was just Jean-Paul's inexperience with women in general), he eagerly agreed to help her. But the setup turned out to be a trap - Lily had made a deal with Father Rollo, luring Azrael to captivity in exchange for a return to the Order. Rollo slew the treacherous Lily as soon as Jean-Paul was in chains, and planned an elaborate execution for Azrael himself. But an unlikely savior came in the person of Nomoz, who had grown fond of Jean-Paul and could not stand to see him die. With the aid of Oracle, Jean-Paul devised a meaning to stop the Order once and for all.

Using her technology, Oracle sent orders that diverted the bulk of the Order's forces to Rome, while Azrael invaded the Order's headquarters alone, challenging Father Rollo to a final showdown. Rollo attempt to deploy a chemical superweapon against Azrael, but the attempt failed and Rollo was slain by his own diabolical device. Rollo's henchmen activated bombs to collapse the Ice Cathedral, but Jean-Paul narrowly escaped. The collapse of the Cathedral was about more than the destruction of a building - much of the Order's power was destroyed that day, and Azrael never heard from them again.

Jean-Paul returned to Gotham, his home, just in time to take up his Agent of the Bat role once more as an ally to Batman during the No Man's Land crisis. But his time assisting Batman was short - one of his old enemies, the Joker, remembered him from the savage beating he had given him, and plotted revenge. Finding the murderer Jean-Paul had spared so long ago, Ibis, the Joker manipulated both men into a rooftop showdown. Jean-Paul fought off Ibis and the Joker's men as best he could, but was shot through his armor by multiple armor-piercing bullets and fell off the balcony with Ibis. His bloody costume was recovered, but his body was not, and he was presumed dead for years.

Azrael has very recently returned, though the circumstances behind his survival and his activities in the years between his disappearance and return has yet to be explained. In a move no one would have expected from him, Jean-Paul has joined forces with none other than Vandal Savage, the immortal megalomaniac.

Do you think that the prosperity shining so blissfully on you and your house will last?

The Order taught me well and I recognise the signs. We are still ignorant, fearful, selfish, animals of tooth and claw all. Only the terrain changes. We carry the monsters within ourselves, and each day we release a little more of their poison upon the world and call it progress.

If God returned today to deliver us, Talia, do you think he would look down on Gotham City and see that it is good, or would He have the flood roll over us as we drown?

Whether it's the apocalypse we plan or the one that will take us by surprise, whatever is coming, I will survive it - I will endure.

This way you will as well.

He leaves no conventional signature; Talia will recognise the symbol.

Will she recognise the stone?

It doesn’t matter. She’ll have it. And, when the time comes, she’ll need it.

Sealing the package, Jean-Paul Valley smiles.

“And now… to work.”