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businessmanPlayer Information
Name: Rah
Age: 26
AIM SN: ncc gqmf
email: iamrah at gmail
Have you played in an LJ based game before? Yes
Currrently Played Characters: None
Conditional: Official Reserve Link: Here
Character Information
General
Canon Source: Breaking Bad
Canon Format: Live-action Television
Character's Name: Gustavo Fring
Character's Age: 46
What form will your character's NV take? A flip phone circa 2011. (Note: Edited due to new canon information.)
Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities: Gus has no supernatural abilities in canon, although at times he comes across as though he does. He has an extremely high IQ and almost pathologically high pain and fear tolerances. He's an accomplished liar (see history for many examples!) with no tells that would be recognizable to a baseline human. However, everything he does is within the bounds of normal human ability. In terms of physical fighting he's stronger than he looks, but ultimately he's a thin middle-aged human being with no special abilities. He generally relies on the elements of surprise and secrecy when it comes to committing violence, or has one of his men do it for him. The one thing he has going for him in a fight is the aforementioned lack of fear: he will literally walk into gunfire without flinching, or drink poison, just to get a one-up on an enemy.
He also speaks fluent Spanish (Chilean), English, and German, and is a highly skilled chef. With, of course, excellent knife skills.
Conditional: If your character has no superhuman canon abilities, what dormant ability will you give them? Electromagnetic eyes and ears; or, in other words, the ultimate surveillance. Gus is going to gain the ability to use any phone, computer, television set, radio, etc. -- anything that is or could be plugged into any kind of electromagnetic network -- as his own personal spy equipment, seeing through screens and listening through speakers. This is not the same as Gary Bell's power: he can't read the signals themselves, nor hack devices except by normal means. Rather, he takes over the device itself and uses it the same way one would use a telescope or hearing aid. In other words, if you're writing a text, he'd have to be looking through an adjacent camera or screen to see what you're writing. However, he will be able to hear conversations and see people through their communicators. Obviously, he will not be able to see through radios, or listen through any image-only equipment.
In theory, this turns Gus into Siren's Port's own living spy satellite, and he may ultimately become that as he develops his power. However, when it first awakens, it will have limitations: he will have to go into a trance-like state to listen to something, during which time he will obviously be vulnerable. He will also have to learn how to filter what he sees and hears, so even though he is good at multitasking, at first he will only be able to manage up to four images or two conversations at once, or a combination of the two equaling no more than four (i.e. one video feed with audio, one audio-only broadcast, two silent video broadcasts or monitored text conversations).
UPDATE: Upon arrival in the Port, Gus was also given the power of matter reformation from Jesse Pinkman. If part of his body is destroyed or removed, he can essentially pull himself back together, rendering him capable of surviving even an atomic blast. However, he is still vulnerable to attacks such as bloodbending or energy manipulation.
Weapons: One syringe filled with poison, instant-acting and untraceable by 2011 technology.
History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History: Breaking Bad Wiki for Gus. A few notes that the wiki leaves out:
Gus's past in Chile is extremely ambiguous in canon, but it's almost certain that A: Gustavo Fring is not his real name, and B: that he played a role in the Pinochet government with enough importance to spare his life from Don Eladio, but not enough to stop Don Eladio from murdering Max and using Gus afterwards. At one point he is referred to as "generalissimo" by Hector Salamanca. He also had enough power and money in Chile to pull Max "off the streets" and entirely finance his schooling.
Point in Canon: After 4x13, "Face Off." Shortly after returning from Mexico, Gus was informed by his henchman Tyrus that Jesse's girlfriend's son, Brock, was in the hospital, and that Jesse refused to work until Brock recovered. Gus came to the hospital personally to speak with Jesse, but when he did, he discovered that Brock had been poisoned -- and that Jesse seemed to be very angry at Gus, specifically, as though he thought Gus was involved. Gus left as amenably as he could, but in the parking lot, he realized that the whole thing was likely a trap set by Walter White and decided to leave his car in the lot.
Later, he was informed that Hector Salamanca had been seen talking to the DEA, and not suspecting that Hector could have also teamed with Walt, went to pay Hector a visit. Although Tyrus checked Hector's room carefully, he neglected to spot the explosives strapped to Hector's wheelchair. With a sigh, Gus decided it was time to complete his revenge against Hector, and drew out a syringe to kill him... only to realize too late that it was his own death he was facing. Hector set off the bombs and blew Gus's head open, killing him not-quite-instantly.
Character Personality:
There are two Gustavo Frings. That's not to say he has a split personality, just that the facade he presents to the world and the person behind the mask are so completely different that they're almost unrecognizable as the same person. Extraordinarily few people ever see the "real" Gus, and generally, the people who do tend to wish they hadn't.
Outwardly, Gus seems like not only a model citizen, but a model human being. He presents himself as an earnest and hardworking man who immigrated to America, started a business from the ground up, and now lives comfortably in the upper middle class. Except for the last part (Gus is, in fact, extraordinarily rich in canon, thanks to his real business as a drug kingpin), this is technically true, but probably not in a way that your average person would think of. He comes across as very warm, caring, and generous: often donating money or food to charitable causes, even personally making visits to hospitals and retirement homes to see the sick, wounded and elderly. He's smart, but not arrogant; funny, but not mean-spirited; kind, but not pushy. He speaks of his family with great affection and is happy to talk to other people about theirs. He's such a decent guy that he was even invited to the home of the local DEA's ASAC, where he taught him how to grill fish.
At work (that is, at Pollos), he comes across as slightly more stern, but ultimately a good boss. He demands a certain level of excellence from his employees, and is nearly fanatical about the cleanliness of his restaurants, but as long as his standards are met, he remains fair-handed, open-minded, and personable. This is the personality most people in Siren's Port will see most of the time: a decent if slightly obsessive guy, a family man, a guy to know.
Even in his other work, this is how many people see Gus. To the cartel, before "Salud," he's essentially a middle manager -- a man they can do business with, but also a man who can be pushed as needed. To the people who work in his meth distribution business, his reputation isn't necessarily that different from that of Gus-the-Pollos-owner, and he commands a great deal of loyalty and respect. However, unlike at the chicken restaurant, Gus's meth business operatives know just how easily they can wind up dead if they cross him.
Because while all of that is Outside Gus, Inside Gus is cold, hard, and utterly without mercy or remorse. He is far smarter than he lets on to most people and far, far more dangerous. He is a master manipulator and will say and do nearly anything to get what he wants. If he's betrayed or disappointed by an employee, he has no qualms about murdering them in cold blood. Nor does he have any high-minded concept of honor that would prevent him from having a hit ordered instead. Although he tends to claim he wouldn't hurt innocents or children, he once threatened the family of Walter White, including White's disabled son and infant daughter. He also may have had a connection to the murder of 11-year-old Tomas Cantillo -- it's unclear as to whether he personally condoned (or even ordered) the killing, or simply didn't do enough to prevent it from happening (my personal interpretation is the latter). Either way, it's clear that he feels no guilt over the boy's death.
Gus has a variety of mental tics that he keeps in very tight check, although they happen to suit his personality and line of work. He is particular about cleanliness and order to the point that he may have untreated OCD. He is intensely reclusive in the drug world, which has helped him survive for over 20 years in the trade. For example, before Jesse Pinkman, he refused to work with drug addicts, and he had Pinkman closely monitored by cameras and guards, and eventually directly supervised by his own bodyguard Mike Ehrmantraut. He tries to be meticulous in planning so as to keep his operation hidden.
When not operating in the "normal" world (i.e., when he can drop the good-natured restauranteur act), Gus appears to be nearly emotionless. Indeed, his feelings are also often kept on a very short leash. But he's certainly not above feeling very strongly at times: for example, the anger he had towards Walter and Jesse when they successfully conspired to murder his protege Gale Boetticher, which led to Gus, in turn, murdering his henchman Victor in cold blood for being spotted at the scene of the crime. Paradoxically, he developed kinder feelings towards Jesse later on, despite openly wanting him killed on multiple prior occasions; not exactly warm and loving, perhaps, but he did begin to see Jesse as a genuine member of his team, and even felt stirrings of pride towards Jesse's contributions in Mexico. Similarly, he seems to have felt some small affection for Gale, although this and his warmth for Jesse pale in comparison to his feelings towards his original protege, Maximino.
One reason he is so cautious with his feelings in the present day is the love he felt for Max and the depths of his rage towards the men who murdered Max and humiliated Gus twenty years ago. It's this rage that led Gus to set up a revenge ploy so vicious and cold that it took two decades and poisoning himself to fulfill it. This rage, of course, is also his greatest weakness, along with perhaps a dose of hubris: it is his anger and pride towards Hector Salamanca that leads him to leave Hector alive for years while he murders the rest of the Juarez cartel, and ultimately leads him to be murdered by Hector and Walt in turn.
Character Plans:
In terms of reacting to the Port and the Core, Gus will obviously be nonplussed at first, but he'll endeavor to regain his cool quickly, and he certainly won't let anyone else see him angry, except maybe Walt (but definitely not Jesse). Once he learns enough about the city, he'll want to quietly test his boundaries as much as possible -- for example, seeing how far he can get before the Pull makes him seriously ill, or attempting to venture into the Darkness. He'll be extremely interested in both SERO and AGI and will probably explore the virtue of playing both sides to whatever degree that's possible, although he may attempt to maintain the appearance of neutrality. He will definitely be interested in relaunching his business in the Port... by which I mean Pollos at first, but he won't have any hesitation about jumping back into drugs or a new illicit market if he sees potential in it.
Ultimately, his primary goal will be to reestablish himself as a man of wealth and power by whatever means necessary. His secondary goal will be to revenge himself upon Walter White, but he's content to let that develop over time.
Appearance/PB: Played by Giancarlo Esposito: Have a few pictures.
Writing Samples
First Person Sample
[The video turns on to show a slim, dark-skinned man standing in the exact center of the screen, wearing a dark plaid suit with a black shirt, a striped tie, and thin wire-rimmed glasses. He carefully adjusts his cuffs, and then the tie, and then the frames, and flashes the camera a quick smile. When he finally speaks, his voice is tinged warmly with a hint of a Chilean accent.]
Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Gustavo Fring. Gus. I'm very grateful for the warm reception I've already received to your city. If the greeters are able to receive messages over this network, really: thank you. That said, I believe I'm a few years behind, so if anyone wouldn't mind helping me get up to speed, I'd very much appreciate it.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to ask for anyone with experience in developing small business on the island. Back home, I owned a number of restaurants, and I'm eager to relaunch the franchise here. Please contact me if you have any interest.
To the rest of you, I'll look forward to seeing you at the grand opening, of course.
Third Person Sample
There was blood on Gustavo's shirt. That was a problem.
It was a secondary problem, of course, to the one he was currently facing: that everything he'd heard about the infamous Pull appeared to be true. It had taken time to gain the necessary funds, and more to obtain a boat from someone who would sell, at any price, even without a pilot attached. Madness, lunacy, all had said. If the Pull didn't kill him, the whirlpools would.
But Gus Fring was not a man who left his circumstances in the hands of others. Not for any longer than he had to.
So, to see for himself, to assess the truth. By the time the boat left the dock, he was already feeling nauseated. He carefully took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves before throwing up neatly over the side. Then the fever, sweats, dizziness; he clung to the steering and stared out over the water, grim and grey-faced. He knew, at this point, he would not make it to the mainland. Now, it was just a matter of seeing how far he would.
It turned out to be before unconsciousness claimed him, but after the dry heaving had started to bring up blood. With trembling hands, he carefully noted down the time and distance, and then turned the boat around and sped back to the Port. It wasn't until he was limping through the town, back towards his apartment, that he noticed the spot of red clinging to his dark shirt.
Gus stopped where he stood and closed his eyes wearily, breathing in once, out once. He reached out with his newfound gift and did a quick check from every surrounding eye: how visible was it? Had anyone noticed? Commented? Reacted?
The answer seemed to be no, but he still folded his jacket over his arm, covering the stain, as he limped on. There was no such thing as too much caution. There was never such a thing.
Name: Rah
Age: 26
AIM SN: ncc gqmf
email: iamrah at gmail
Have you played in an LJ based game before? Yes
Currrently Played Characters: None
Conditional: Official Reserve Link: Here
Character Information
General
Canon Source: Breaking Bad
Canon Format: Live-action Television
Character's Name: Gustavo Fring
Character's Age: 46
What form will your character's NV take? A flip phone circa 2011. (Note: Edited due to new canon information.)
Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities: Gus has no supernatural abilities in canon, although at times he comes across as though he does. He has an extremely high IQ and almost pathologically high pain and fear tolerances. He's an accomplished liar (see history for many examples!) with no tells that would be recognizable to a baseline human. However, everything he does is within the bounds of normal human ability. In terms of physical fighting he's stronger than he looks, but ultimately he's a thin middle-aged human being with no special abilities. He generally relies on the elements of surprise and secrecy when it comes to committing violence, or has one of his men do it for him. The one thing he has going for him in a fight is the aforementioned lack of fear: he will literally walk into gunfire without flinching, or drink poison, just to get a one-up on an enemy.
He also speaks fluent Spanish (Chilean), English, and German, and is a highly skilled chef. With, of course, excellent knife skills.
Conditional: If your character has no superhuman canon abilities, what dormant ability will you give them? Electromagnetic eyes and ears; or, in other words, the ultimate surveillance. Gus is going to gain the ability to use any phone, computer, television set, radio, etc. -- anything that is or could be plugged into any kind of electromagnetic network -- as his own personal spy equipment, seeing through screens and listening through speakers. This is not the same as Gary Bell's power: he can't read the signals themselves, nor hack devices except by normal means. Rather, he takes over the device itself and uses it the same way one would use a telescope or hearing aid. In other words, if you're writing a text, he'd have to be looking through an adjacent camera or screen to see what you're writing. However, he will be able to hear conversations and see people through their communicators. Obviously, he will not be able to see through radios, or listen through any image-only equipment.
In theory, this turns Gus into Siren's Port's own living spy satellite, and he may ultimately become that as he develops his power. However, when it first awakens, it will have limitations: he will have to go into a trance-like state to listen to something, during which time he will obviously be vulnerable. He will also have to learn how to filter what he sees and hears, so even though he is good at multitasking, at first he will only be able to manage up to four images or two conversations at once, or a combination of the two equaling no more than four (i.e. one video feed with audio, one audio-only broadcast, two silent video broadcasts or monitored text conversations).
UPDATE: Upon arrival in the Port, Gus was also given the power of matter reformation from Jesse Pinkman. If part of his body is destroyed or removed, he can essentially pull himself back together, rendering him capable of surviving even an atomic blast. However, he is still vulnerable to attacks such as bloodbending or energy manipulation.
Weapons: One syringe filled with poison, instant-acting and untraceable by 2011 technology.
History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History: Breaking Bad Wiki for Gus. A few notes that the wiki leaves out:
Gus's past in Chile is extremely ambiguous in canon, but it's almost certain that A: Gustavo Fring is not his real name, and B: that he played a role in the Pinochet government with enough importance to spare his life from Don Eladio, but not enough to stop Don Eladio from murdering Max and using Gus afterwards. At one point he is referred to as "generalissimo" by Hector Salamanca. He also had enough power and money in Chile to pull Max "off the streets" and entirely finance his schooling.
Point in Canon: After 4x13, "Face Off." Shortly after returning from Mexico, Gus was informed by his henchman Tyrus that Jesse's girlfriend's son, Brock, was in the hospital, and that Jesse refused to work until Brock recovered. Gus came to the hospital personally to speak with Jesse, but when he did, he discovered that Brock had been poisoned -- and that Jesse seemed to be very angry at Gus, specifically, as though he thought Gus was involved. Gus left as amenably as he could, but in the parking lot, he realized that the whole thing was likely a trap set by Walter White and decided to leave his car in the lot.
Later, he was informed that Hector Salamanca had been seen talking to the DEA, and not suspecting that Hector could have also teamed with Walt, went to pay Hector a visit. Although Tyrus checked Hector's room carefully, he neglected to spot the explosives strapped to Hector's wheelchair. With a sigh, Gus decided it was time to complete his revenge against Hector, and drew out a syringe to kill him... only to realize too late that it was his own death he was facing. Hector set off the bombs and blew Gus's head open, killing him not-quite-instantly.
Character Personality:
There are two Gustavo Frings. That's not to say he has a split personality, just that the facade he presents to the world and the person behind the mask are so completely different that they're almost unrecognizable as the same person. Extraordinarily few people ever see the "real" Gus, and generally, the people who do tend to wish they hadn't.
Outwardly, Gus seems like not only a model citizen, but a model human being. He presents himself as an earnest and hardworking man who immigrated to America, started a business from the ground up, and now lives comfortably in the upper middle class. Except for the last part (Gus is, in fact, extraordinarily rich in canon, thanks to his real business as a drug kingpin), this is technically true, but probably not in a way that your average person would think of. He comes across as very warm, caring, and generous: often donating money or food to charitable causes, even personally making visits to hospitals and retirement homes to see the sick, wounded and elderly. He's smart, but not arrogant; funny, but not mean-spirited; kind, but not pushy. He speaks of his family with great affection and is happy to talk to other people about theirs. He's such a decent guy that he was even invited to the home of the local DEA's ASAC, where he taught him how to grill fish.
At work (that is, at Pollos), he comes across as slightly more stern, but ultimately a good boss. He demands a certain level of excellence from his employees, and is nearly fanatical about the cleanliness of his restaurants, but as long as his standards are met, he remains fair-handed, open-minded, and personable. This is the personality most people in Siren's Port will see most of the time: a decent if slightly obsessive guy, a family man, a guy to know.
Even in his other work, this is how many people see Gus. To the cartel, before "Salud," he's essentially a middle manager -- a man they can do business with, but also a man who can be pushed as needed. To the people who work in his meth distribution business, his reputation isn't necessarily that different from that of Gus-the-Pollos-owner, and he commands a great deal of loyalty and respect. However, unlike at the chicken restaurant, Gus's meth business operatives know just how easily they can wind up dead if they cross him.
Because while all of that is Outside Gus, Inside Gus is cold, hard, and utterly without mercy or remorse. He is far smarter than he lets on to most people and far, far more dangerous. He is a master manipulator and will say and do nearly anything to get what he wants. If he's betrayed or disappointed by an employee, he has no qualms about murdering them in cold blood. Nor does he have any high-minded concept of honor that would prevent him from having a hit ordered instead. Although he tends to claim he wouldn't hurt innocents or children, he once threatened the family of Walter White, including White's disabled son and infant daughter. He also may have had a connection to the murder of 11-year-old Tomas Cantillo -- it's unclear as to whether he personally condoned (or even ordered) the killing, or simply didn't do enough to prevent it from happening (my personal interpretation is the latter). Either way, it's clear that he feels no guilt over the boy's death.
Gus has a variety of mental tics that he keeps in very tight check, although they happen to suit his personality and line of work. He is particular about cleanliness and order to the point that he may have untreated OCD. He is intensely reclusive in the drug world, which has helped him survive for over 20 years in the trade. For example, before Jesse Pinkman, he refused to work with drug addicts, and he had Pinkman closely monitored by cameras and guards, and eventually directly supervised by his own bodyguard Mike Ehrmantraut. He tries to be meticulous in planning so as to keep his operation hidden.
When not operating in the "normal" world (i.e., when he can drop the good-natured restauranteur act), Gus appears to be nearly emotionless. Indeed, his feelings are also often kept on a very short leash. But he's certainly not above feeling very strongly at times: for example, the anger he had towards Walter and Jesse when they successfully conspired to murder his protege Gale Boetticher, which led to Gus, in turn, murdering his henchman Victor in cold blood for being spotted at the scene of the crime. Paradoxically, he developed kinder feelings towards Jesse later on, despite openly wanting him killed on multiple prior occasions; not exactly warm and loving, perhaps, but he did begin to see Jesse as a genuine member of his team, and even felt stirrings of pride towards Jesse's contributions in Mexico. Similarly, he seems to have felt some small affection for Gale, although this and his warmth for Jesse pale in comparison to his feelings towards his original protege, Maximino.
One reason he is so cautious with his feelings in the present day is the love he felt for Max and the depths of his rage towards the men who murdered Max and humiliated Gus twenty years ago. It's this rage that led Gus to set up a revenge ploy so vicious and cold that it took two decades and poisoning himself to fulfill it. This rage, of course, is also his greatest weakness, along with perhaps a dose of hubris: it is his anger and pride towards Hector Salamanca that leads him to leave Hector alive for years while he murders the rest of the Juarez cartel, and ultimately leads him to be murdered by Hector and Walt in turn.
Character Plans:
In terms of reacting to the Port and the Core, Gus will obviously be nonplussed at first, but he'll endeavor to regain his cool quickly, and he certainly won't let anyone else see him angry, except maybe Walt (but definitely not Jesse). Once he learns enough about the city, he'll want to quietly test his boundaries as much as possible -- for example, seeing how far he can get before the Pull makes him seriously ill, or attempting to venture into the Darkness. He'll be extremely interested in both SERO and AGI and will probably explore the virtue of playing both sides to whatever degree that's possible, although he may attempt to maintain the appearance of neutrality. He will definitely be interested in relaunching his business in the Port... by which I mean Pollos at first, but he won't have any hesitation about jumping back into drugs or a new illicit market if he sees potential in it.
Ultimately, his primary goal will be to reestablish himself as a man of wealth and power by whatever means necessary. His secondary goal will be to revenge himself upon Walter White, but he's content to let that develop over time.
Appearance/PB: Played by Giancarlo Esposito: Have a few pictures.
Writing Samples
First Person Sample
[The video turns on to show a slim, dark-skinned man standing in the exact center of the screen, wearing a dark plaid suit with a black shirt, a striped tie, and thin wire-rimmed glasses. He carefully adjusts his cuffs, and then the tie, and then the frames, and flashes the camera a quick smile. When he finally speaks, his voice is tinged warmly with a hint of a Chilean accent.]
Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Gustavo Fring. Gus. I'm very grateful for the warm reception I've already received to your city. If the greeters are able to receive messages over this network, really: thank you. That said, I believe I'm a few years behind, so if anyone wouldn't mind helping me get up to speed, I'd very much appreciate it.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to ask for anyone with experience in developing small business on the island. Back home, I owned a number of restaurants, and I'm eager to relaunch the franchise here. Please contact me if you have any interest.
To the rest of you, I'll look forward to seeing you at the grand opening, of course.
Third Person Sample
There was blood on Gustavo's shirt. That was a problem.
It was a secondary problem, of course, to the one he was currently facing: that everything he'd heard about the infamous Pull appeared to be true. It had taken time to gain the necessary funds, and more to obtain a boat from someone who would sell, at any price, even without a pilot attached. Madness, lunacy, all had said. If the Pull didn't kill him, the whirlpools would.
But Gus Fring was not a man who left his circumstances in the hands of others. Not for any longer than he had to.
So, to see for himself, to assess the truth. By the time the boat left the dock, he was already feeling nauseated. He carefully took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves before throwing up neatly over the side. Then the fever, sweats, dizziness; he clung to the steering and stared out over the water, grim and grey-faced. He knew, at this point, he would not make it to the mainland. Now, it was just a matter of seeing how far he would.
It turned out to be before unconsciousness claimed him, but after the dry heaving had started to bring up blood. With trembling hands, he carefully noted down the time and distance, and then turned the boat around and sped back to the Port. It wasn't until he was limping through the town, back towards his apartment, that he noticed the spot of red clinging to his dark shirt.
Gus stopped where he stood and closed his eyes wearily, breathing in once, out once. He reached out with his newfound gift and did a quick check from every surrounding eye: how visible was it? Had anyone noticed? Commented? Reacted?
The answer seemed to be no, but he still folded his jacket over his arm, covering the stain, as he limped on. There was no such thing as too much caution. There was never such a thing.
