Codename:  Bear
Character Name:   Rhys Carter
Gender:   Male
Age:   16

Physical Description:  Rhys got his growth early.  At twelve, when puberty hit, it hit HARD.  He shot up to a respectable 6’5” over the course of a year and a half and his body broadened out to match.  By the time he was 15, Rhys found himself towering over his classmates and needing to be careful in games that involved contact.  Needless to say, he was recruited for the football team.  His hair, kept in a short spikey style, is pale blonde and his eyes grey.  His skin is average Caucasian with a tendency to tan easily in the summertime.   He tends to wear jeans and t-shirts when it’s warm out, hoodies when it’s cold.  His choice of footwear is almost always running shoes.

Personality:  Rhys is friendly and easy going.  Outgoing, he has no problem talking to people or speaking up when something isn’t right.  He knows with his size that he can look intimidating, so he usually has a disarming smile on his face.  He’s not a pacifist – he’ll fight when he has to – but he’d prefer to talk things out.  He comes across as the boy next door who is always willing to listen.  A BIG boy next door,  but boy next door nonetheless.

Mutant Powers:  Shapeshifter.  At the moment, he can only do a big polar bear easily, but he’s sure he could manage other things if he worked at it more.

Other Skills:  Rhys is strong, both in human form and bear form.  Human form, he’s on the level with a lot of power weight lifters.  Bear form, he can pull transport trucks with the right fitting harness and the promise of a snack afterwards.  He’s also a really good football player and has a weakness (and talent) for driving-style video games.

Weaknesses:  Rhys needs to eat a lot.  It’s very rare that he doesn’t have a protein snack on his person no matter where he is, and if he’s in a situation where he’s hungry, he tends to not be as useful or as strong.  Also, due to his size, he doesn’t hide well.  He stands out in crowds and don’t bother asking him to look inconspicuous.  Small cars are a no go – he simply doesn’t fit into them.

Previous History:  Rhys had a pretty normal childhood up until puberty hit when he got his growth spurt and became the hulking guy that he is now.  It was on a family vacation, camping in Algonquin Park, when his mutant powers first came out.  A brown bear cub had wandered into their campsite and Rhys’ father had been in the wrong place at the wrong time when Mama Bear came calling.  His father was swiped at by the protective female and Rhys bellowed at the bear to try and get her attention away.  It worked, but not because of his bellow – because he had changed form into a polar bear and was now double her size.  Mama Bear rounded up her cub and skedaddled – and Rhys took an hour to figure out how to become himself again.