 Created by: Rodney Lockett Other Picture:  | Real Name: Mike Richards Hair: Brown Eyes: Green Height: 5 foot 8 inches Age: 24 Country of Origin: England Ethical alliance: Evil History Mike was a smart kid but his overconfidence sometimes made him lazy. He liked to cut corners, believing he had all the answers before anyone else, he had little patience and hated protocol. Having to wait for others to confirm what he already knew, incensed him. And although this recklessness of his should have cost him his post at the University Research Center, the results of his experiments could not be denied. Mike was a genius and the University could not afford to lose him. Mike was eventually made head scientist on a new project he had proposed. He claimed he could produce a new type of fertilizer that could multiply by a factor of one hundred the growth of plants. Seeing the immense potential of such a discovery, the University granted him the money to pursue it. What Mike hadn't told them, was that he only had a vague idea how to do what he had proposed. He had only pitched them the idea to secure himself a prominent post. But now that he was where he wanted to be, he needed to show them results. He and his team spent weeks developing new compounds and although some did seem promising, none were near what he had proposed he could do. His colleagues started to wonder if Mike could really deliver what he had claimed, and their concerns were soon brought to the University Board. Mike was given an ultimatum by the Board. If he couldn't show them concrete results by the end of the week, he would lose his grant money. Mike blamed the lack of progress on his inept colleagues, stating that they envied his genius and wanted him out of the way so they purposely ruined his experiments. But the Board would not be swayed. Mike had a week left. With so little time, Mike decided that the best course of action would be to concentrate his efforts on the experiments that had proven successful, though not to his satisfaction. He knew he was on the right track but something still eluded him. Then, he had his answer. One of the failed experiments had been placed in a refrigerator, but unknown to all, the fridge had malfunctioned. Mike opened it and foliage poured out of it. Somehow the composted material had continued to ferment and the seeds that had been a part of it had flourished. Mike kept the news to himself by hiding all traces of that project's existence and proceeded to reproduce the experiment, but this time, on a grander scale. If the University wanted results, he would give them some. Before his colleagues could find out about the source of their newest experiment, Mike set it in motion. By the time they arrived, the experiment was already showing promise but the week was almost up, and there was still much to do. Feeling that the process was taking too long, Mike tried to hasten it by speeding up the decomposition rate of the compound. It worked, but in so doing, it produced more gas than had been anticipated. Mike had not configured the containment area for this extreme change in pressure and when the alarms sounded, the lab was evacuated. Mike refused to leave and tried to redirect the gases through a secondary exhaust vent, but the gases were forming faster than they could be released and the containment area exploded. Mike was hospitalized and was in a coma for months. When he awoke, he received the visit of the University Dean. The Dean announced him that he was not to return to the University. With the lab completely destroyed and all his notes with it, Mike had been fired. As he half listened to the Dean's rant, Mike could not help but notice the flowers and plants his visitors and brought during his coma. The flowers were fresh and the plants were over grown. Strange, since he had been told he had not received any visitor for over a month. The nurses told him that they had never seen flowers stay so healthy for so long. They should have been dead after so much time had past. And indeed they should have, for when Mike checked their flasks, all had been dry for a long time. The flowers had bloomed even though they had no water. In time, Mike found out that the mixture of gases and fertilizer he had been exposed to had changed him. He could now communicate with plant life and with a simple thought, he could make them grow and to some extent even move. He eventually revealed what he could do to the few trusted friends he had and when they told him he'd be a fool not to use his gift to help people, Mike simply replied, "What's in it for me?" And so, he would become the fool. Helping the world had never been his intention. Helping himself had. He took on the name of Fool's Parsley and started robbing banks and armored trucks. He was soon approached by Mr Okada about joining the Society of Evil. His response was "Yeah, if you pay me." Powers Florakinesis: Fool can control all types of plants. He can make them grow out of the ground and direct them as he wishes. Power lift: He uses trees for the heavy lifting and is able to lift objects in the 2 ton range. Poison: Fool also uses poison plants as his arsenal. Healing factor: By extracting salve from plants, he can speed up his healing abilities. Barrier: Fool can hide or protect himself by erecting foliage or tress around him. Weaknesses: He possesses the normal body of a man and can be killed or injured. |
