Manuel "Manny" Gomez |
|
Portrayed By |
Daniel Louis Rivas |
Gender |
Male |
Date of Birth |
October 25, 1990 |
Age |
19 |
Zodiac Sign |
Libra |
Aliases |
Manny (preferred name) |
Place of Birth |
New York City, NY, USA |
Current Location |
New York City, NY, USA |
Occupation |
Unknown |
Known Relatives |
Ramon Gomez (father), Catalina Gomez (mother, deceased), Elena Gomez (older sister), Luis Gomez (brother), Juanita Gomez (sister) |
Significant Other |
Ophelia Hunter |
Known Abilities |
Degeneration |
First Appearance |
Watching, Always Watching |
The black sheep of the Gomez family, Manny is known to be more rebellious than his elder sister, Elena, or any of the other Gomez children. A skilled driver at even his young age, Manny is known to race cars, both legally and illegally…among other shady activities that have his family wondering about him.
History
Manuel "Manny" Gomez was born to Ramon and Catalina Gomez on October 25, 1990, a strong, healthy baby boy. It was a sort of strength that would carry him through most of his young life. Both parents were proud of their first son, and his sister, Elena, did her best to help her mother take care of him growing up. Like all the other Gomez children, Manny grew up well-loved by both his parents and his siblings. Like his older sister, he excelled in school, and while he wasn't as active with extracurricular activities as she was, he was extremely active with his public school's competitive programs. A social creature by heart, he turned down a scholarship to go to a prestigious private school in favor of a lower-tiered school so he could be with his friends who he had known since elementary school. All in all, his early life was quiet, with little complaints, and he was a happy child.
The family dynamic changed when Catalina allegedly committed suicide. Having been extremely close to his mother, his outlook in life started to change. While the death of Catalina affected everyone in his family, it could be arguably said that Manny took it the hardest. His grades started slipping, he started getting into fights, and he started running with a rough crowd. He would fight with his father, often and loudly, and his sister, Elena, was forced to play peacekeeper between them most of the time. He started growing closer to Ramon's brother, Gonzalo, who often used the boy's enthusiasm for his get-rich-quick schemes. It was his influence that drove Manny into committing more than his fair share of illegal dealings, and unlike Gonzalo, given his age he was caught more often than not.
While he started doing drugs as early as thirteen, his abilities manifested in such a shocking way that, unbenownst to his own father, discovering them had driven him to quit them. While doing experimental drugs in a friend's basement, his ability manifested due to the sudden change in his body's chemistry. He watched his friends deteriorate before his eyes, and he was so horrified by what he saw that he bolted from the basement and never looked back. A few months later, he had managed to convince himself that it had only been a "bad high" until he managed to make a neighbor's rosebush wilt while storming out after a fight with his father. This was when he realized that he had the power to cause a living thing to deteriorate, and quickly, and he has been aware of his devastating ability ever since. He has used this ability more than once against those who he thought did him wrong….and Manny has a prickly temper.
He continued running with a rough crowd, mostly other latino kids that he grew up with in his rough neighborhood. A rebellious kid by nature, he is a constant source of exasperation and frustration with his father and his older sister. And while deep inside he does have a conscience, he goes through great lengths to appear ambivalent towards almost everything, not unlike Ramon's infamous stoicism.
Timeline
OOC Note: Dates in IC time
- October 25, 1990 - Manuel was born to Ramon and Catalina Gomez
- July 19, 2001 - Manny discovers his abilities while messing around with friends
- November 15, 2003 - Catalina Gomez allegedly committed suicide
- 04/15/2007: The Jack and the Furious: After getting an emergency phone call from her grandmother about her younger brother, Manny, Elena enlists the help of Jack to get him back before he does something stupid. Peter goes along for the ride…in more ways than one.
- 05/01/2007: My Brother The Grim Reaper: In an attempt to defend her brother from his violent, former best friend, Elena is caught in the crossfire between two, volatile youths. Violence used against her unleashes Manny's terrifying abilities. Ramon returns to find blood on the walls.
- 05/02/2007: Like Father Like Son: Manny and Ramon discuss personal matters between the two of them. Elena arrives with a plant to test Manny's ability on something NOT human.
- 05/04/2007: The Mendez Method: Elena gets started on Desiree's training, trying to find out what triggers her visions. While she thinks up new theories, what Desiree says triggers the memory of a discussion she had with Peter about Isaac Mendez's abilities and uses her own to make something similar happen. While a huge breakthrough is made on Desiree's abilities, the result is not pretty.
- 05/09/2007: Grieving? Ella Wouldn't Be Grieving...: Meeting Jane, Manny talks racing and movies with her.
- 05/21/2007: Work It Out: Desiree talks to Manny about his relationship with his sister and what's to come.
- 05/26/2007: To Thine Own Self Be True: The puppet in Desiree's visions comes to visit the Gomez residence to do ill will. Ramon and Manny prevent the vision from coming true, and gets the extra benefit of bringing back a woman that has been missing for several years.
- 06/05/2007: The Reapers Touch: Peter drops by to surprise Elena with a thank-you gift for her visits at the hospital while he was in a coma. He comes face to face with Manny, who isn't too pleased to see him.
- 06/05/2007: How'd It Get So Bad?: Immediately following The Reapers Touch, Desiree takes Manny outside from fresh air and perspective.
- 06/06/2007: Para Ti: After the unfortunate accident with Peter, Manny's talk with Desiree spurs the Black Sheep Gomez to make a surprising change his life. But at what cost?
- 06/13/2007: The Suddenly Full House: Two guitarists meet, play, and discuss music. Then they go inside, and there's suddenly a very full house.
- 07/02/2007: More Cars: Trina and Manny discuss cars at a car show. Trina earns cool points from Manny by noticing a snag in his fan belt.
- 07/08/2007: Te Amo Mi Hijo: After a long day, the Gomez men and Desiree come back to the apartment, only to find a surprise waiting for them.
- 07/13/2007: The Gomez Family Values: Heidi and Peter visit Manuel in Beth Israel, both having their own reasons to talk to Manny and Elena….and somehow ending up meeting a good chunk of Ramon's family.
- 07/14/2007: Her Own Power: Thanks to Peter's visit to his room, Manny is released early from the hospital. Elena asks her father permission to move out, and Ramon requests his children to accompany him to Catalina's grave.
- 07/26/2007: An Alien in the Driveway: There's an alien in the front driveway, Manuel and Ramon set a giant fire, and the future gets discussed in more ways than one.
- 08/19/2007: Mind Your Manners: Ophelia and Manny meet for the first time in a long time.
- 08/23/2007: Manny's Got A Gun: Manny learns something about Ophelia's step family and, in his infinite wisdom, decides to do something about it. Something of the biblical variety. And yes, Manny has a gun. And more.
Quotes
- Ophelia: (What, you mean that's not your girlfriend?) // Manny: (Well, she offered, but after she hooked up with John and Roberto on the same day, I passed.)
- Manny: If…you EVER…put your hands on my sister again…I swear to god, I'll rip your head off faster than anything you've ever seen.
- Elena: Hence….the plant. If it works….this would be the safest way to get you started, Manny. // Manny: So, what? I try and destroy the plant?
- Ramon: <Dezi sees the future, Manuel. It is through this that she saved my life twice.> // Manny: <How could I have known that, Papa? All I've gotten out of this is she has images of food.>
- Manny: Grieving? Ella wouldn't be grieving. She'd be pissed.
- Manny: I'm not LOOKING to fight with her…just…she's trying to play hero for some things that don't need one…
- From Work It Out on Desiree's prediction that a bad fight between Elena and Manny will break out.
- Ramon: Manuel I said /not/ to hurt her. // Manny: She's stopped, ain't she?
- Manny: You missed the /thud/?
- Manny: "Ya know…sometimes, there's people that make your life…I dunno, the way it should be…Stable, I guess? Normal?" // Desiree: "Yeah… sure, I got a few of those." // Manny: "Sometimes…those people mean a little more to you than just that kind of thing, though…And in some cases, you can't think to lose 'em…"
- Ramon: (Jesus. Put that thing in the freezer or something until we're sure its not a bomb). // Manny: (I know it's better to be safe, papa…but do we really think someone like her's handin' Ella a bomb?)
- Elena: You're telling me the only way to get you back-up that won't ruin the deal is me to stand-in as collateral again? // Manny: No. I'm telling you I won't have backup. You're NOT going, Elena. That's it.
- From Para Ti about the only way to get Manny out of Armando's gang for good.
- Manny: Yeah…I rode shotgun with him in a race with that same old friend of mine I won the transmission from…Course…it got me in hot water with the rest of his gang, but let's not get into that…
- From More Cars to explain to Trina how Manny knows Jack.
- Manny: Fuck…fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck…MOVE
- From Te Amo Mi Hijo when Manny realizes there's a bomb strapped to his car.
- Elena: Does it hurt too much? // Manny: Physically? Only when Nita jumps on me.
- Manny: (You always plannin' on stealin' my food, Ella?) // Elena: (Would I do that?)
- From Her Own Power when Manny comments about the constant war between the Gomez family over the last bit of food in the house — in this case, pizza.
- Ophelia: At least you still know how to be somewhat of a gentleman. // Manny: Now, if only I had a lady.
- Manny: Now listen…to me. Whether you care or not, I could give a damn; I don't know how you managed to get a wife, but I'd wager on her not being in much better shape.. *referring to Ophelia* I'm taking her out of your house. You don't get to argue this…you don't get to say anything. And if she decides she wants to come back here, and you so much as look at her wrong, believe me when I say I will find out…and there ain't a damn thing your boy, your bat…nothin' can do for you. Got me?"
- From Manny's Got a Gun, proving Manny is at his most eloquent when shit's goin' down.
Car
Manny is very, very proud of his car. It's a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350. It's his baby, to put it lightly. He gets pissed if it's so much as scratched, and when someone keyed it one time? Umm…hell was unleashed. When he was involved more directly with Armando's gang, this was the car he used to race for them. Recently, though, he's stopped racing as often, but he's never given up working on it, and is more than confident that if he ever does race again, he'll still smoke everyone.
The first picture is the way Manny bought the car; the second is what he's turned it into.
His car was recently blown up by John Carter.
Power Information
- Power: Degeneration
- Stunts
- Oh Snap!: Manny has the ability to weaken bone so they're easier to break. It's possible that with training this ability could cause hairline fractures in bones but Manny has not trained his ability enough to be aware of this. Right now he can only weaken the bone making them more prone to snapping. Difficulty: GREAT. Defender roll: STAMINA.
- Open Up: Manny has the ability to open wounds that haven't sufficiently healed. This is a fairly easy thing for him to do but is by no means something he can do just off hand. Difficulty: GOOD. Defender roll: STAMINA.
- He's A Bleeder!: Manny has the ability to thin blood once a wound has been opened causing his target to bleed faster than normal. This requires a decent amount of focus on his part and he might find himself stopping other activities to cause this. Difficulty: GREAT. Defender roll: STAMINA.
- Sit Down Kid: Manny's ability allows him to weaken a part of the body of his choosing. It takes some focus but he can start to atrophy the legs arms even neck muscles of his target. Difficulty: GREAT. Defender roll: WILLPOWER.
- Reaper's Touch: Manny's most devastating ability. Through force of will the young man can quite literally will the person to go out and rot. Essentially Manny can cause the body to experience the wormy apple core effect….he can cause vital organs to start degenerating to the point that the body literally starts decaying from within. This ability has manifested only once in Manny's past - something he was able to reverse fortunately due to the fact that he was so horrified when it happened. He has no idea what caused his powers to do it and frankly has no desire to repeat it. Difficulty: SUPERB. Defender roll: STAMINA.
Personality Analysis
ESTPs are spontaneous, active folks. Like the other SPs, ESTPs get great satisfaction from acting on their impulses. Activities involving great power, speed, thrill and risk are attractive to the ESTP. Chronic stifling of these impulses makes the ESTP feel "dead inside." Gamesmanship is the calling card of the ESTP. Persons of this type have a natural drive to best the competition. Some of the most successful salespersons are ESTPs. P.T. Barnum ("Never give a sucker an even break") illustrates the unscrupulous contingent of this type.
Almost unconsciously the ESTP looks for nonverbal, nearly subliminal cues as to what makes her quarry "tick." Once she knows, she waits for just the right time to trump the unsuspecting victim's ace and glory in her conquest. Oddly enough, the ESTP seems to admire and respect anyone who can beat her at her own game. "If I was any better, I couldn't stand it!" To an ESTP, admission of weakness feels like failure. He admires strength in himself and in others. "Shock effect" is a favored technique of this type to get the attention of his audience. ESTPs love to be at center stage, demonstrating feats of wonder and daring.
- Extraverted Sensing: These are the ultimate realists. Extraverted Sensors are at one with objects and experiences now, in the only living, pulsing moment that ever really exists. The Sensor is compelled to see, touch, taste, smell and feel all that moves, wafts, tingles, tinkles, scintillates, vibrates or resonates. Some ESTPs are keenly discriminating; only those elements of singular quality and experience will suffice. Others revel in earthiness. If baseness can elicit shock from more squeamish observers, so much the better.
- Introverted Thinking: Even a consummate Sensor needs to decide which hand to grasp the gusto with; Introverted Thinking is her preferred yardstick. Introverted, and auxiliary to Sensing, the T function maintains a low profile, keeps its opinions mainly to itself, and readily yields to allow Sensing to savor a special moment. The ESTP preference for mental, physical and emotional toughness surely can be traced to this detached, rational function.
- Extraverted Feeling: Though only a minor character, Feeling plays an important role in a favorite pastime of ESTPs. This is not to say that ESTPs don't care deeply for others, yet Feeling is such a ready hand-puppet, expedient in disarming the "victim" and exposing the jugular. Sincere Feeling is tertiary and thus relatively simplistic in this type. As such, it can be the undoing of ESTPs at the hands of those they (perhaps unconsciously) come to trust.
- Introverted iNtuition: In the inferior (fourth) position, intuition may be virtually absent much of the time. Haziness of inner, symbolic vision is the psychic price of the clarity of sensory awareness. As do other SPs, ESTPs reserve a certain "gut" sense of timing and luck. When repression and stress empower the Shadow, it likely finds expression through intuition in stereotypic perceptions of groups and individuals whom it perceives and hostile or hurtful.
- Famous ESTPs: Ernest Hemingway, Lucille Ball, Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy
Trivia
- Like his father, Manny doesn't stop for small animals.
- Phone Number: 283-4639
- Despite fairly consistently defying his sister's or father's wishes, Manny has a fierce attachment to his family. If he feels that something has put any of them in danger, he's the first to jump to action over it.
- He also, despite being younger than Elena, fiercely defies the notion of her having any kind of boyfriend that Manny doesn't approve of.
Nicknames
- Manny — What he usually goes by
- Manchild — From Jack
- Nanel — From Juanita
- Manners — From Ophelia. He HATES this one.
Relationships
- Father: Ramon Gomez. Famously stoic, uncaring of the local small animals. A psychic who can delve into people's minds. Manuel's biggest influence in his life, whether he'll ever say it or not. Ramon, more than anyone, knows how to appeal to Manny's hidden sense of honor.
- Mother: Catalina Gomez. Deceased. Originally alleged a suicide, Catalina Gomez's killer was actually serial killer John Carter. Ramon and Manny were both devout in their belief that it could not have been a suicide, but Manny finds little comfort in knowing that the man is dead at his father's hand. Unknown to even his family, postmortem, Catalina probably knows the most about Manny from one of several visits to his mother's grave.
- Older Sister: Elena Gomez. Academic, intelligent girl able to manipulate the chemicals in the human body to induce any feeling she desires. Manny secretly looks up to Elena, but also finds that she has a tendancy to intrude on places she shouldn't. Above anyone else in the world, Manny's sense of honor and loyalty is proven by his unspoken relationship with his elder sister.
- Younger Sister: Juanita Gomez.
- Younger Brother: Luis Gomez.
- Ophelia Hunter: Ophelia is Manny's ex-girlfriend, the only one outside of his family that Manny legitimately CARES about. The young man is as protective of Ophelia as he is of Elena, including going out of his way to make sure Ophelia is safe. Manny has recently discovered the reason for their break up to be little more than Ophelia panicking about Manny knowing some…secrets about her life. Those issues have been resolved, and the two have decided to give it another shot, if (according to Manny, who can never hold up to this) Ophelia "drops that damn nickname."
- Jack Derex. Blew up Armando. Enough said.
- Desiree Russo. As far as Manny can tell, his father's girlfriend, and if she makes him happy, then Manny's content. She's helped Manny on a couple of occasions, and is probably the biggest catalyst, aside from his own realizations, to Manny wanting out of Armando's gang.
- Trina Mah: Manny met Trina at a car show, and her knowledge of his car even surpassed Manny's. She caught flaws under the hood that Manny missed. As such, Manny immediately gained a respect for her. Plus, she knows Jack. Always a good thing in Manny's eyes.
- Peter Petrelli. Learned firsthand how dangerous Manny is, both in life and with his abilities. He's not sure where he stands with Peter, as his brief encounters with the younger Petrelli brother were…unique. However, upon further examination, Manny's realized Peter's on the good side of Elena. Which is a plus.
- Portia and Parker Maddox. Children of Desiree, Manny hasn't really been able to form an opinion of them of yet. Parker showed an interest, briefly, in his car, which made Manny both proud of and cautious of the child. Portia, he's unsure about; he hasn't found anything similar between himself and her of yet.
Body Count
- Peter Petrelli. Hey, he can recover.
Rap Sheet
- Illegal Speeding Contests (Manny was a racer in Armando's gang, he's undoubtedly got a record for this)
- Aggrevated Assault (Manny's not shy about taking biblical justice upon those he feels deserve it, including Ophelia's step-father and step-brother)
- Grand Theft Auto (He was part of a gang; you really have to ask?)
- Resisting Arrest (Manny has evaded arrest at least once in his life, sparing him several charges on that particular chase. Doesn't mean they don't know about him, though.)
- Homicide (Manny kinda killed Peter through Reaper's Touch one time, but only he, Elena, and Peter know it.)
Soundtrack
- Disturbed "Indestructible" - This is to demonstrate the way Manny acts. He has that teenage mindset of "I can't be hurt, so I'm gonna take XYZ chance," but he also feels like a lot of his life is a conflict.
- Lyrics
Another mission
The powers have called me away
Another time
To carry the colors again
My motivation
An oath I’ve sworn to defend
To win the honor
Of coming back home again
No explanation
Will matter after we begin
Another dark destroyer that’s buried within
My true vocation
And now my unfortunate friend
You will discover
A war you’re unable to win
I'll have you know
That I’ve become…
Indestructible
Determination that is incorruptible
From the other side
A terror to behold
Annihilation will be unavoidable
Every broken enemy will know
That their opponent had to be invincible
Take a last look around while you’re alive
I’m an indestructible master of war
Another reason
Another cause for me to fight
Another fuse uncovered
Now, for me to light
My dedication
To all that I’ve sworn to protect
I carry out my orders
Without a regret
A declaration
Embedded deep under my skin
A permanent reminder
Of how we began
No hesitation
When I am commanded to strike
You need to know
That you’re in for the fight of your life
You will be shown
How I've become….
Indestructible
Determination that is incorruptible
From the other side
A terror to behold
Annihilation will be unavoidable
Every broken enemy will know
That their opponent had to be invincible
Take a last look around while you’re alive
I’m an indestructible master of war
I'm…
Indestructible
Determination that is incorruptible
From the other side
A terror to behold
Annihilation will be unavoidable
Every broken enemy will know
That their opponent had to be invincible
Take a last look around while you’re alive
I am indestructible (indestructible)
Indestructible
Determination that is incorruptible
From the other side
A terror to behold
Annihilation will be unavoidable
Every broken enemy will know
That their opponent had to be invincible
Take a last look around while you’re alive
I’m an indestructible master of war
- t.A.T.u. "Stars" - This song is dedicated to Ophelia. In some ways, it fits their relationship to a T.
- Lyrics
How did we ever go this far?
You touch my hand and start the car
And for the first time in my life
I'm crying.
Are we in space? Do we belong
Someplace where no one calls it wrong
And like the stars we burn away
The miles.
(Russian)
How did we ever get this far?
It shouldn't have to be this hard.
Now for the first time in my life
I'm flying.
Are we in love? Do we deserve
To bear the shame of this whole world?
And like the night we camouflage
Denial.
(Russian)
How did we ever go this far?
You touch my hand and start the car
And for the first time in my life
I'm crying
Are we in love? Do we deserve
To bear the shame of this whole world
And like the night we camouflage
Denial.
- Slipknot "Before I Forget (Dark Future Remix)" - The entire reason Manuel fights the fight in the Dark Future is to avenge the loss of his siblings, lest he forget their fates.
- Lyrics
Go!!!!
Stapled shut, inside an outside world and I'm
Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home
Claustrophobic, closing in and I'm
Catastrophic, not again
I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline
I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene
Catch me upon all your sordid little iserections,
I've got no time to lose, I'm just been caught up in all the cattle
Fray the strings
Throw the shapes
Hold your breath
Listen!
I am a world before I am a man *
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!
I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt
and I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt
Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions
I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up in all the battles
Locked in clutch
Pushed in place
Hold your breath
Listen!
I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!
I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!
My end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
The end of the road and my end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
THE END OF THE ROAD!
I! am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!
I! am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!
I!! am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, OH!