DiasporaAdaptations:Cowboy Bebop Characters:Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel Character Gen

Spike's Aspects:

   {Wow, as described in the book, some of these phases are perfect for Spike. Perfect.}

Phase One: Growing Up:

Born on Mars, otherwise speculative.

Phase One Aspects:

Unassigned, x 2

Phase Two: Starting Out:

Spike became part of the Red Dragon criminal syndicate on Mars, finding that the street combat he found as a mob enforcer was a true calling for him - and where he found himself rising through the ranks.

   {There's more that can go here, but mostly connected to Certain Other Characters. Trust me they will arrive in time.}

Phase Two Aspects:

- Knows the underworld

- Fearsome combatant

   {The second one sounds a bit generic, but can apply to any combat if the player is willing to pay the FP}

Phase Three: Moment of Crisis

Spike continued to rise in the esteem of the feared Red Dragon, and was paired for many years with his partner and best friend, Vicious. After a shoot-out in the slums of Mars, Spike was seriously wounded and staggered into the home of Julia - Vicious' girlfriend.

Julia nursed him back to health, and they fell in love. Vicious discovered Spike's plans to elope with Julia and gave Julia an ultimatum: Murder Spike or die with him for their shared betrayal.

Spike managed to fake his own death in another violent confrontation, dropping off the Red Dragon's radar. He waited for Julia so they could escape together, but she never came.

Phase Three Aspects

   {There's a whole lot going on here, so if I were going to assign two of the unassigned Aspects, they'd probably connect to this Phase.}

- Vendetta with Vicious

- The Mystery of Julia

- [Optional] Died Once Already

- [Optional] Marked by a Bionic Eye

   {I have to have Julia and Vicious as Aspects: Julia drives Spike through the show in many ways, and Vicious is a landmark all of his own. On the other hand, 'Died Once Already' connects with Spike's apparently laissez-faire viewpoint on personal risk. It's practically his theme. Plus, his eye is also thematic - along with being specifically referenced in a particular episode as a bonus due to Interesting Circumstance.}

Phase Four: Sidetracked:

Spike met an ex ISSP officer called Jet Black who has cashed in his chips with the service and was going freelance as a bounty-hunter. Jet didn't ask many questions and seemed to have his own damage - and Spike didn't mean Jet's own cybernetic trophy of when something went wrong.

They developed an understanding, and a partnership. Or perhaps it was the other way around...

Phase Four Aspects:

- Has worked with Jet for years.

- Runs his own retrofitted, scary-ass fighter: Swordfish 2.

   {Can't think of a better phrase for his connection with Jet. Maybe "Unspoken understanding" would work, or something. Happy to take suggestions there. The positive element of "Has worked with Jet for years" is that I can see how it'd be something which could be invoked and compelled.

   Phase Four also seems a good place to bring up Spike's fighter.}

Phase Five: On Your Own.

Spike and Jet are continuing to survive a largely hand-to-mouth existence as bounty hunters tracking down the resourceful scum of a shattered solar-system. Spike is endlessly mellow right until he turns into a hard-edged, iron-willed killer - but there's no reason for him to go back to being that guy again, right?

And the Bebop seems to be collecting new waifs and strays, when Spike was comfortable living with Jet, and otherwise without deeper connections...

Phase Five Aspects:

- A swimming bird: All is outwardly calm, but a maelstrom beneath the surface.

- Indirect with emotions, and comfortably disconnected.

   {I always remembered that the Indian guy called Spike "Swimming Bird" in episode 1, and it took me forever to figure out why. Hence why it's an Aspect. I also figured that Spike's indirectness with emotions could be compelled to keep him from revealing much of himself, and invoked to not give much away.}

Spike's Aspects Roundup:

   {Nineveh, Q99 and Halfjack recommend replacing "Indirect with Emotions" with a different Aspect, "Maybe another gun will help."}

- Knows the underworld

- Fearsome combatant

- Vendetta with Vicious

- The Mystery of Julia

- [Optional] Died Once Already

- [Optional] Marked by a Bionic Eye

- Has worked with Jet for years.

- Runs his own retrofitted, scary-ass fighter: Swordfish 2.

- A swimming bird: All is outwardly calm, but a maelstrom beneath the surface.

- Maybe another gun will help...

   {The Optional ones are replaceable if you want to bring in something from Spike's early life, although at this point I think we could happily swap out anything. Although cool, I have to admit that there's some potential repetition of themes in there regarding Spike's dreamlike vibe.}

   {I had "Swordfish 2" originally as "Life is as real as a Dream," but I thought that with the thematic repetition already in there one could be taken out. Plus, Spike's fighter is pretty iconic in itself.}

Spike's Skills

   {Thanks to Tophocles for his suggestions for both Skills and Stunts.}

5- MG Brawling

4- Piloting, Agility

3- Slugthrower, Gunnery, Resolve

2- EVA, Profession: Bounty Hunter, Alertness, Charm,

1- Stamina, Stealth, Tactics, Culture/Tech*, Navigation

• Mars, plus Bounty Hunter society, dispersed as it is.

Spike's Stress Tracks:

Health: **** (Base 3 plus 1 from Stamina)

Composure: **** (Base 3 plus 1 from Resolve)

Wealth: *** (Base 3, no modification)

   {Now, some of what happens next depends on the grittiness of the Cowboy Bebop vibe you're looking for. I think that Cowboy Bebop is less gritty than Diaspora's baseline, so I'd be slightly flexible. For example, I'd let Piloting cover Aircraft as well, since in the context of the show there doesn't seem to be a big distinction, and the Swordfish can do atmosphere and space [covered when I get to vehicles!]}

   {Anyway, the Stunts change depending on where we go, with corresponding effects to the Skills. You'll see why.}

Spike's Stunts:

- Have a Thing: Swordfish 2.

   {When I get to Vehicles, it's going to count as an Interface vehicle as well as a ship in its own right, for getting down to planets. Also meaning that I think either Piloting or Aircraft could cover it nicely.}

- Military-grade Brawling: Automatic Defence 1 when using Brawling.

   {Works like armour, for Spike fending with his martial-arts.}

- Lucky: Consequence progression 2/3/4 instead of 1/2/4. Spike is tough.

   {An alternative idea from Tophocles was to make the Agility skill Military-grade Agility and allow it to be used as Micro-G for freefall combat. At the moment I figure that the Swordfish is a bigger part of what makes Spike distinctive, but YMMV: You can see what'd be swapped out if you have a different idea.}

Spike Spiegel Character Sheet

Spike's Aspects:

- Knows the underworld

- Fearsome combatant

- Vendetta with Vicious

- The Mystery of Julia

- [Optional] Died Once Already

- [Optional] Marked by a Bionic Eye

- Has worked with Jet for years.

- Runs his own retrofitted, scary-ass fighter: Swordfish 2.

- A swimming bird: All is outwardly calm, but a maelstrom beneath the surface.

- Maybe another gun will help...

Spike's Skills

5- MG Brawling

4- Piloting, Agility

3- Slugthrower, Gunnery, Resolve

2- EVA, Profession: Bounty Hunter, Alertness, Charm,

1- Stamina, Stealth, Tactics, Culture/Tech*, Navigation

• Mars, plus Bounty Hunter society, dispersed as it is.

Spike's Stress Tracks:

Health: ****

Composure: ****

Wealth: ***

Spike's Stunts:

- Have a Thing: Swordfish 2.

- Military-grade Brawling: Automatic Defence 1 when using Brawling.

- Lucky: Consequence progression 2/3/4 instead of 1/2/4. Spike is tough.