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"Okay, freakshow… The crazy train is comin' to a stop!"
Canon History
Rex was born in Geneva approximately sixteen years ago to Rafael and Violetta Salazar, a pair of scientists working on the Nanite Project. His father hailed from Buenos Aires and his mother from Mexico City. He rounded out their immediate family, which included Caesar, his significantly older brother who was also a scientist on the project team. (It is estimated that Rex was ten years old at the time of the Nanite Event. Caesar was likely in his early to mid twenties.) After Rex's birth, the family settled down somewhat to raise their youngest member while doing work at the Applied Nanite Research Center in Abysus along with a number of other specialists. Rex grew up in and around the labs (with summers spent at Abuela's compound in Mexico) and had a good deal of contact with those scientists working closely with his parents and brother. In fact, it was researcher and family friend Doctor Rylander who gave Rex his name at birth.
Unfortunately, there were those at the labs who wanted to use the developing Nanite Project for selfish purposes. They did not agree that its best uses were the elimination of disease and human suffering. They formed a splinter group and during an attempt to take control of the project, Rex was fatally wounded. The only way to save his life was to infuse him with the first batch of completed nanites. It was a risky move, but one that ultimately worked. Immediately following the successful operation, the splinter group seemed to fall back in line with their peers once more. However, they continued to operate their own agenda in secret and one day not long after, triggered a replication cycle in the main reactor. This caused the entire complex to explode, the massive shock wave sending billions of nanites with incomplete programming into Earth's atmosphere. Rex's developing powers saved him from being destroyed, but the event wiped his memory. Caesar escaped into sub-light drive using his mobile lab and vanished for the next five to six years. Rafael and Violetta were said to have died in the blast, likely incinerated instantly.
Over the next few years, Rex ventured out into the world and did whatever was necessary in order to survive. A large portion of that time is still shrouded in mystery as Rex has suffered a number of memory loss episodes. What is known, however, is that he was not always the good person he is today. There were times when he lied, swindled and stole to survive, backstabbing friends and clawing his way to the top of the pile in order to get his way. At one point in Hong Kong, he led a small gang of EVOs (Tuck, Cricket and Sqwydd), pretending to be their friend and leader of their little family while directing them them to commit bank robberies and car thefts. Rex answered as top lieutenant to an EVO crime lord named Quarry and eventually sold out his gang to the mob boss in order to buy his own freedom. It is not known how many different people Rex has been since the Event, but despite personality shifts, he always retained key information about himself, such as his first name and his learned sets of skills. What he forgets during blank outs are the names and faces of others, places and the events associated with them.
Rex's life finally made a real change for the better when another memory loss episode brought out his full bio-mechanical mutation and Providence answered the challenge. Back then, the EVO fighting group was little more than an organized band of mercenaries and scientists who were determined to win the war against the mutants threatening humanity's continued survival. After being ejected from his ruined shell body during the battle, Rex was found by a hired blade known only as Agent Six and taken to the still under construction Providence Headquarters. Having seen Rex's ability to cure EVOs in the field, Six was convinced that he was another option in dealing with EVOs aside from Providence's harsh contain or kill protocol. Six's partner, Knight, was too prejudiced to see things that way, however, and handed Rex over to head scientist Doctor Fell with the intention of having the youngster dissected on a molecular level. Six and another scientist, the good Doctor Holiday, managed to save Rex from that terrible fate (and from becoming a giant rampaging EVO again). In a bizarre twist, the process did end up affecting Knight before it was shut down, turning his hair white and eliminating every nanite in his body. Free of that which he so hated, Knight became White Knight, the poster boy and head representative for Providence, forced to live in a sterile office/apartment area within Headquarters where he could not be re-contaminated with nanites. Agent Six became Rex's handler and trainer, and Doctor Holiday his primary physician and the lead scientist in Providence's study of nanites. Along for the ride was a talking EVO chimpanzee named Bobo Haha, who had helped Holiday escape their shared containment unit when Fell locked her up, meaning to keep her out of the way during the dissection process. With Rex in place as a cure in the war against EVO-kind, Providence received the funding it required to become renowned international organization.
Believing the promise that Providence would help him learn about his past and locate his family, Rex attempted to maintain some degree of patience in staying on with the organization. However, the treatment of their newest secret weapon left something to be desired. Unhappy with being kept in a room that was little more than a cell and rarely being let out for much aside from training, fighting and medical testing, Rex began making it a habit to run away whenever an opportunity presented itself. White Knight made a number of attempts to control the young EVO, including hiring another teenager named Noah to be Rex's best friend. Needless to say, even though they survived a handful of dangerous encounters with EVOs before the truth came out, Rex was far from pleased when he discovered that Noah was spying on him. The truth nearly ended their friendship, but in the end Rex blamed White Knight instead of Noah. With their friendship salvaged and since strengthened, Noah has become something of an asset in the field with a bit of Providence grunt training, accompanying Rex on missions occasionally alongside Six, Bobo and sometimes Holiday. Additionally, thanks to the efforts of Six and Holiday, Rex's life in Providence improved a good deal in time with the addition of a real bedroom, a reasonable curfew and something resembling a life outside of work.
Over the last eighteen months to two years, Rex has been on a number of different missions and faced a variety of threats, ranging from incidents as "trivial" as an EVO trashing a grocery store to a jealous A.I. named ZAG-RS who wanted to destroy all nanites and thus annihilate all life on Earth. Rex has ventured into space and down into the depths of an ocean trench. He's battled anarchist highway pirates on desert roads and faced down a killer Chupacabra in a South American rain forest. He's dealt with prejudice because of his mutations, toughing it out while human civilians hurled trash and rocks at him. And he's chased after a number of potential significant others as one might expect of a teenager with raging hormones. Though not many teenagers can say they've nearly had their Prom night ruined for their entire party by a giant six-legged, six-eyed EVO rabbit with severe anger management issues.
Of all the enemies Rex has faced, however, the worst of them is Van Kleiss - leader of The Pack, a former "third rate lab hack" from the Abysus research center and an EVO with power to drain the active nanites out of others, turning them to stone. For the longest time, he claimed to be the only one with the information Rex so desperately sought about his missing family, taunting him with it and refusing to reveal much of anything unless Rex joined his cause of EVO world domination. Van Kleiss is essentially responsible for the death of Doctor Rylander, and he and Rex have taken their turns at stealing each other's nanites. Both regained their powers, however, and in doing so added to their personal arsenals. With Rex's old nanites in his sytem, Van Kleiss is now able to turn anyone into an EVO with a simple touch. On the other end of the field, with his new nanites under the control of the Omega-1, Rex is picking up new builds with increased power and range.
Recently, Rex finally learned the fate of his parents when his brother Caesar returned. After being stuck in sub-light drive for more than five years (fifteen minutes from Caesar's point of view), the elder Salazar brother tracked down the Omega-1 and found Rex with it. On White Knight's insistence, Caesar took up residence in Providence Headquarters as one of the organization's top scientific minds. Rex is still getting used to having blood related family again; his brother is a little kooky and easy distracted by interesting technology, but the two are reforging their bond. In the meantime, Rex has learned the valuable lesson that even though it's good to have a member of his original family back, he was never really without family in the first place thanks to Six, Holiday and Bobo.
Canon Personality
Rex is a normal teenager in many ways, despite being a so-called freak of science by some of his critics. He's at a point in life where he sometimes demonstrates a desire to be a mature adult, yet will act like a child if the urge strikes him. This may be due to the fact that he can't remember any part of his life prior to Providence and his early teenage years, leading him to make up for it in goofy ways, like playing with toys in the bathtub and occasionally narrating his adventures as if he's living in a comic book or television show. He's a fan of prank pulling and sneaking away from morning meetings to shoot hoops with Noah. He's also easily distracted by pretty girls and a regular participant in noogie wars with Bobo.
Even though he can act like a little kid, Rex doesn't enjoy being treated like one. Nor does he like being treated like an object or a tool. He may parade himself around as a living weapon, but the act is meant to boast his toughness over all else. He doesn't shy away from talking himself up, bragging with ease about how awesome or good looking he is, though he isn't so arrogant that he will refuse to apologize when he screws up. Some small part of Rex does remain insecure and it shows every so often in the form of biometric crashes when he feels betrayed or lets someone close to him down. For the most part, he does not care about what total strangers think of him, should their opinion be negative. He is accustomed to prejudice in his own world, a place where it is legal in the United States to kill any EVO that presents a threat, no matter how human they might appear. It is a sorry state of affairs for those EVOs who were once human and are not insane, and a situation that bothers Rex in terms of principle. But while he has learned to cope with the idea that not everyone accepts him, he does desire praise and acceptance from those closest to him and likes to be thanked when he's done a good job.
Rex cares about his Providence family, though he will sometimes choose to convey his fondness for them through teasing and “macho” physical gestures, such as rough one armed hugs from behind, rather than out and out say how he feels. He might gripe about them from time to time, but who doesn't complain about their own family now and again? Six is easily the closest he has to a father. And while Holiday makes for an excellent mother figure in Rex's life, it might work out a bit better if he eventually ceased hitting on her. To the good Doctor's credit, at least, she does not take his high-school-student-on-science-teacher-crush seriously and usually either ignores it or finds a way to deflect his less than impressive advances. Rex has actually had rather lousy luck with women on the whole, partially because his pick up lines are usually corny and due to the fact that the girls he ends up hanging around are often somehow hazardous to his health. (Circe joined the enemy's ranks, Annie is the bad luck Blonde Widow, etc.) He does have it in him to impress and be polite to a date, it's just a matter of actually getting far enough to prove it.
He is not a fan of authority, sometimes defying it simply because he can. Rex has been criticized a number of times for being reckless and overconfident, diving headlong into bad situations without much of a plan in place. Or any plan at all. But thanks to Six and lessons learned in the field over the last several months, Rex is getting better bit by bit about making smart, responsible decisions. In regards to orders, he can and will follow them if he's in the mood to do so. If he thinks a course of action is wrong, though, he will argue vehemently against it.
Rex gets his kicks fighting and taunting his enemies, laying down the insults along with the smack down. This can sometimes get him in trouble; not taking a situation seriously enough can lead to an opponent getting the better of him. To his credit, however, when the going gets tough? The tough really do get going. While not much of a strategist prior to battle, Rex is pretty decent at coming up with good ideas on the fly. The kind of inspiration that makes the old light bulb over the head flash on about five seconds before the other guy does something insanely irrational, like killing all the hostages or pushing the giant red button of doom. It is in the worst of situations that Rex is the most selfless, willing to sacrifice himself if necessary for others. There isn't much out there that scares him and if one were to dig the worst of his underlying fears out of his head and heart, they would involve the loss or betrayal of his friends and family, as well as concerns about what might happen the next time he loses his memory. Rex has come to like the life he has and is not interested in losing it.
Overall, Rex is an optimistic individual who would rather save lives than take them whenever possible. He believes a person is still a person, even if they've been physically messed up by something like nanite mutations. Still, he knows and understands that the majority are the ones he needs to look out for and if someone can't be reasoned with or stopped, he is willing to take the life of one to spare the rest.
Nautilus History
Upon arrival, Rex was a frustrated little ball of pent energy, angry that his powers had been taken away for what he viewed as no good reason whatsoever. He spent his first couple of weeks on Starscream's island doing little more than lazing about and complaining about the lack of activities open to him. He wanted people to entertain him and play video games with him. Most of what went on in the city didn't particularly interest him. In fact, his biggest concern was regaining his abilities and then going home again to finish his fight with ZAG-RS, an AI who had plans to destroy all nanites and thus do away with all life on Earth. Ironically, despite his enthusiasm to go back and finish what ZAG started, Rex did not miss his life at Providence all that much. He was still being treated too much like a weapon, his dislike of authority had him at odds with his boss and he didn't really lament the loss of contact with Six, Holiday, Bobo and Noah all that much. Not while he knew that as long as he was in Nautilus, he lost no time in his own world. So despite the disappointing power suppression grounding him in Nautilus, at least no one told him what to do. It was a free if somewhat limiting vacation from home life.
Once the bending lessons with Starscream began, however, and America aided Rex in getting his powers back, he went home for a while and, upon returning, began exploring Nautilus more and settling in with a bit more ease. It was about this time that Rex realized that if he was going to remain Awake, there were certain things he would have to take into account without Holiday and Six around to watch his back. A first major step in personal responsibility. One of the biggest issues was the possibility of nanite overload. Granted, Rex had no idea at the time how such a thing might be possible with no other EVOs in Nautilus, but it was something he felt he needed to address. He took the initiative and went to Wheeljack with the problem, hoping the Autobot engineer could build something to extract, contain and deactivate nanites if necessary.
Over the next few months, other Wakened and reality storms put Rex into situations that either forced or encouraged him to think outside his usual box. He had to contend with a blood starved Damon Salvatore during the Inhibitions reality storm, eventually learning afterward to put aside his anger so that he wasn't at constant odds with the vampire. Rex met Kairava and Raye Hino, two people who have helped shaped Rex as a person in Nautilus. With Kairava, Rex learned what it meant to be a teacher and to have patience with someone who was completely unfamiliar with a lot of the technology that appeared with frequency in the city. Raye was the first girl Rex pursued with great interest after developing something of a friendship with her, his need to impress encouraging more mature behavior on his part. And with the zombie invasion post-Halloween, Rex found himself without powers yet again, relying partially on teamwork with the likes of Kai, Raye and Damon to survive the week long siege.
November brought the forced famine prior to Thanksgiving and even though Rex found it bothersome, he accepted the lesson that came with it: always be grateful for what you do have and don't take it for granted. It also brought what has since become an ongoing dispute with Sideswipe about attitudes regarding other species. Being an EVO and therefore a “freak” in his own world, Rex has issues with prejudice, particularly between species. He does not believe that any one species is better than another by default.
It was also about this time that a trip home and an incident there with particularly vicious EVO rabbit prompted Nautilus to bring the six-legged nightmare in as a new playmate for Rex. After a number of attempts to kill or imprison the rabbit, all ending in failure due to its tendency to die and re-spawn later, Rex accepted the idea that he would have to somehow co-exist with his enemy. Perhaps even tame it to the point where it would no longer be a danger to himself or anyone else. It's been a long process, working with the EVO bunny, but over the months Rex has managed to convince it through kindness that it has no need to be such a menace anymore.
In December there were more holiday festivities and with them, parties, an official hook-up with Raye, the city curse that turned all food Rex touched to coal for three days, and a Christmas Eve field trip with Death as the Hogfather. Despite his reservations about dressing up as an elf for the adventure with Death, Rex bit the bullet and pulled on the green garments and fake ears in order to do right by his friend. There are, after all, points at which friendship means far more than personal dignity. Besides, the cause of delivering gifts to the people of Nautilus was a good one Rex could easily get behind.
The start of the year brought about something that was a long time in coming, however – homesickness. After months of living in Nautilus and only visiting home a few times, Rex began to realize just how much he had taken his original life for granted. Life in the city was good and he had come to care deeply for his friends and family there, but he felt incomplete without active connections to the Providence crew. Another trip home brought him a good deal of emotional suffering, however, when he learned a few things about his past through a mission to Hong Kong. Finding out that he had been a thieving, lying, backstabber who sold his friends out to an EVO crime lord had been bad enough, but learning that he was subject to blank outs was even worse. His Unwakened self was not as deeply concerned, however the Wakened version had learned too much about the workings of the multiverse to take it as lightly. That was a definite turning point in Rex's life, a milestone marker that brought him closer to understanding just how incredibly important memories can be to a person. How much they define someone. He theorized that losing his memories at home could cost him his Wakened status; after all, how could someone return to Nautilus if they forgot it existed? His Wakened self stood to lose more than his memories of home, but also those of so many who were important to him in Nautilus. In what he deemed a wholly selfless act, Rex attempted to break off his relationship with Raye in order to spare her the trouble and pain of losing him should he ever blank out and return to Sleep. Raye would have none of that, however, and after a heated argument between the two of them, Rex gave in and the two patched their relationship back up again. Concerned that the information about his memory issues would do more harm than good if it ever became common knowledge, Rex confided in only a couple of others besides Raye – Starscream and Kairava. They, along with a journal of daily activities he keeps, are his back-up plan in case he ever blanks while still in Nautilus.
While the zombie reality storm tested Rex's ability to survive without his powers and rely more on teamwork with friends, the Pokemon storm left him in a position of responsibility and leadership he had not previously held before. One of the few to escape the effects of the storm altogether, Rex rallied against the idea of holding Wakened-turned-Pokemon captive and forcing them to fight one another. He declared Pineapple Island a no trapping zone and a haven for anyone who wanted to escape the trainers. He also made the effort to connect with some of the changed Wakened in order to keep them both free and safe, dedication which led him to an encounter with an enraged Xemnas in the Manhattan sector. Rex saved Firo from being repeatedly crushed by falling debris, but fell victim to Xemnas' wrath and was impaled on two long shafts of metal in half destroyed building. Much as he forgave Damon for attacking him months prior, however, Rex did not place blame on Xemnas. Similarly, when tainted chocolates post-Valentines Day began to cause relationship issues throughout the city, Rex did not blame Raye for practically dumping him while she was under the influence of the candy.
Come the end of February into the start of March, Rex finally fell victim to a city trick that changed him into a version of himself from another reality. The change is one he is still rather embarrassed about, yet he recognizes the importance of the shift. It coincided with his first encounter with Labyrinth, who “warned” Rex that Starscream would betray him someday. Rex's alternate self suffered a betrayal at the hands of a good friend, something that the Wakened version had already dealt with to a lesser degree when he learned at home that his friend Noah was actually a spy for White Knight. Few things bother the young EVO quite like being turned upon by someone he thinks he can trust, so the change helped him further face that personal fear . Especially since Starscream was one of those to come to his aid while he was stuck as his alternate self. After all, the words of Labyrinth were based upon Rex's own doubts and not so much on a definite future. Since that time, Rex has not doubted Starscream, convinced that even though the Seeker's past is a dark one, he can be trusted. It also has reaffirmed Rex's belief in Nautilus as “the City of Change”, that even the worst villains can redeem themselves if they'll just seize the opportunity.
It was not long after that change that Rex again stepped up to the plate to help others in Nautilus, particularly the most recent sets of newly Wakened. Bothered by Sideswipe's attempts to “warn” newcomers about what an awful place the city is, Rex took his turn to explain Nautilus over the network, laying out both the pros and cons while at the same time providing valuable advice on how to survive in the city. He reached out to several near total strangers, determined to teach them and guide them so that fear of the city wouldn't send them back to Sleep.
And although he didn't manage to put a stop to ill intent in progress, Rex atttended Balthazar's party with the well being of the other guests in mind, going so far as to ask Lelouch to be his partner on the outside in case anything went wrong. It was also at the party that Rex gained his third form – that of a Chupacabra – which he is now adept at changing to and from.
While he is still young in comparison to many other city dwellers, Rex is a Wakened who is quickly learning what it means to be one gear in the larger machine that is Nautilus. He does still occasionally display signs of arrogance, bragging about how great he is, but deep down Rex has come to accept the idea that teamwork is an important factor in getting a job done, more often than not. The city has taught him over time that he is not as strong as he thought and that he can't do everything on his own, he does have the opportunity to become stronger. To become more than he was when he first arrived. He has also learned to be more emotionally open with those he has come to truly trust. Though not one given over to frequent episodes of anxiety by any means, the young EVO does have his share of fears and concerns, and he has come to understand that he need not hide them behind a tough guy act when it comes to his friends. For as much as he is willing to aid them, those in his adopted family are just as willing to help him and there is no shame in accepting that help.
Even outside of his close family circle, Rex has extended assistance to many people, whether saving them from physical dangers or simply teaching them new skills, as he did in introducing Blurr to bending. Additionally, for someone who so often identifies as a world saving hero, Rex has also been very open to building friendships with those one would assume a hero would not be willing to associate with… Beyond Starscream, Rex has befriended Death and to a degree, one might argue, Xemnas and Damon. He also takes great pleasure in his conversations with Megamind, particularly when it comes to debating the “rules” of heroes and villains and whether or not there are shades of gray in between. And in regards to Sqwydd, the only other person in the city from Rex's world, the young EVO considers himself responsible for his friend's overall well being. Something that he feels he owes Sqwydd after finding out that he betrayed their group in Hong Kong. Rex places value in people and experiences over material possessions and even power, and has shown an intense interest in learning new skills from others, such as combat bending from Starscream, archery and meditation with Raye, and even baking with Death. He is an experienced bender and while a bit on the mischievous side (he really did toilet paper Xemnas' home purely out of affection!), he is willing to give one hundred and ten percent when a situation turns grim.
Canon Update Chart and Episode Listing
The following is a list of season 1 and 2 episodes. Those titles in bold have been experienced. The rest will follow with future canon updates outside of Nautilus.
Season 1
1) The Day that Everything Changed
2) String Theory
3) Beyond the Sea
4) Lockdown
5) The Architect (Point of Waking)
6) Frostbite
7) Leader of the Pack (Update #1)
8) The Hunter
9) Breach
10) Dark Passage
11) The Forgotten
12) Operation Wingman (Update #2)
13) Rabble (Update #3)
14) Gravity
15) What Lies Beneath
16) The Swarm
17) Basic
18) Plague
19) Promises, Promises
20) Badlands
21) Payback
Season 2
1) Rampage
2) Waste Land
3) Lost Weekend
4) Alliance
5) Robo Bobo
6) Divide by Six
7) Mixed Signals
8) Outpost (Canon Update #4)
9) Haunted
10) Moonlighting
11) Without a Paddle
12) Written in Sand
13) Night Falls
14) Hard Target (Canon Update #5)
15) A Family Holiday
16) Exposed
17) Grounded
18) Six Minus Six
19) Lions and Lambs (Canon Update #6)
20) Back in Black
21) Crash and Burn
22) Heroes United (Ben 10/GR Crossover)
Timeline Notations:
It should be noted that the series begins five years after the Nanite Event takes place. Rex's anniversary with Providence/his "birthday" is celebrated one year after his arrival at Providence at the end of season one in "Promises, Promises." Early in season two at the start of the episode "Waste Land", Six makes the comment that Rex's current memory set is eighteen months old. Time continues to pass and by the end of "Lions and Lambs", a complete six month shift has taken place.
It can therefore be assumed via those references that Rex was likely with Providence no more than six months by the time events of the first episode take place. His total time with Providence by the end of "Lions and Lambs" must be more than two years and likely closer to two and a half years. As he was estimated to be age fifteen at the series start, it can then be assumed by that point in time that Rex is seventeen years old. (This is keeping in mind that in this series, time travel has not been perfected and a living creature's true age will catch up with it within hours if it travels ahead in time. Therefore, even though Rex did not actually live through the six month time skip in "Lions and Lambs", his body should have automatically aged that extra six months post arrival in the future.)
(Also note that my math on this ignores every "five years ago" reference to the Nanite Event post first episode, including the "six years" of lost time in "Six Minus Six." For whatever reason, the writers have stubbornly stuck to the five year mark half the time no matter how much time continues to pass in canon even though it is incorrect.)
Abilities
Rex is what's known as an "E.V.O." on his version of Earth - an "Exponentially Variegated Organism." Nearly all living creatures on the planet are infected with nanites, which spread through the atmosphere more than five years ago when the main reactor in the Applied Nanite Research Center in Abysus exploded. For the majority of those living things, the nanites are harmless as long as they remain inactive. The second they activate, however, they mutate and bond with the DNA of their hosts in a variety of different ways, typically resulting in two main types of EVOs - the kind that cannot reason and often rampage, destroying property and attacking people, or the sort that maintain a human level of intellect. Rex is a rarity among his own kind, maintaining his original form when his powers are not in use. This may be due to the fact that he is the first EVO ever created.
The generation of various machines is Rex's main and most obvious power. His nanites build and break down metal within seconds, transforming parts of his body into weapons and methods of transport. From the very beginning, he managed a set number of machines that could be referred to as "ingrained." He did not have to learn how to build them out. They are as follows:
The Boogie Pack
A flight pack supported by twin turbines, both of which are armed with bola and grappling hook launchers.
The Rex Ride
A highly maneuverable, hover-style vehicle. Sports a retractable battering ram in the front.
Punk Busters
Huge mechanical boots that increase leaping ability and land speed. Thrusters in the heels allow for high-speed round house kicks, and spikes can be extended from the soles for extra traction and administration of pain!
Smackhands
Rock 'em sock 'em robotic arms that are good for heavy lifting, boxing and can spin like super-charged drills.
The B.F.S.
A giant double-edged sword that can transform into a buzz saw. Can generate from either arm.
Slam Cannon
A massive projectile launcher that can generate from either left or right arm. An automatic rear-loader can pull in metal or rock to use as ammunition.
Sometime after joining up with Providence, Rex went on a mission that put him contact with a man named Doctor Gabriel Rylander, who injected him with something he referred to as "everything." In less vague terms, it was the Omega-1 Nanite, a control nanite that is allowing Rex to learn new builds one by one through training and practice. Unlike the above builds, which are copper/orange, silver and gunmetal gray in color, the "Omega Power" builds are primarily blue and black with a neon blue glow. At this time, Rex currently knows how to create the following builds (and will likely pick up a few more via future canon updates with mod permission):
Blast Caster
Creates a generator on Rex's back, along with an extendable whip on one arm. The Omega-1 can channel bursts of electrical energy from the generator through the whip to stun enemies.
Funchucks
A pair of nunchuck/wrecking ball style extensions that build off both arms and can be spun/swung and launched at targets. When charged and crashed into one another, they fire out an electrical burst.
Bad Axes
Generate similarly to the Smackhands and Fun Chucks - one large ax on each arm, each with a neon blue energy blade.
Shield Arms (Unofficial Name)
Similar in design to the Smackhands, though smaller and in shades of teal, black and silver. A generator on the back of each can create a shield of super charged atoms than can deflect physical and energy based assaults.
Rex tends to recover and heal quickly from being electrocuted, run down, hurled into walls and used as a pin cushion. He can take the kind of physical punishment that would kill a normal human and still manage to at least stagger away on his own two feet after a fight. And, as one might guess, he is far stronger than the average human, able to easily perform such feats as overturning cars while his machines are in use. He wouldn't be able to utilize his own machines, otherwise.
Despite how tough he is, Rex is not invulnerable, his body not completely indestructible. Any of his nanite generated weapons and vehicles can be shattered if crushed or struck with enough force, and that kind of damage does cause him pain. In such cases, the metal falls away and his normal limbs are exposed underneath. As long as he doesn't suffer a biometric crash or his nanites aren't affected by an outside force, he can regenerate lost machines within seconds. His ability to use his nanites is also affected by his emotional and physical statuses. Occasionally during moments of great stress, extreme exhaustion, irrational rage or loss of self esteem, for example, his biometrics (usually used in place of “biometric readings”, the highs and lows of his nanite activity levels) can crash and leave him without his powers. These crashes (though rare at this current point in canon) can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on how long it takes Rex to regain his composure and/or catch his breath. If his problem is emotionally based and he receives moral support from someone he is familiar with, that will usually be enough to get him back on track. If the problem is exhaustion, he'll need at least a few minutes to find a second wind. Powerful as he is, however, Rex is a living weapon who is still learning a few things about how to fight. He is agile, though not always entirely graceful, as that can be difficult when one is making use of a seven foot long broadsword. Opponents of smaller or equal size with more lightweight weaponry have managed to get the better of him in the past.
Rex's nanites serve a few other main purposes aside from generating builds. He can use them to cure other EVOs, reversing their mutations and absorbing their active nanites as long as they're not prepared to deny him access. Every so often, he does require an offload of nanites so that his own system does not overload with them and force his body through freakish, agonizing mutations. Rex also possesses the ability to communicate with machines via physical contact, which allows his nanites to briefly flood and connect with other mechanisms. This permits him to control, repair or even overload many different types of non-sentient machines. His nanites also serve as his protectors, often dismantling any foreign and unwanted objects injected into Rex's body (such as tracking devices), as well as allow him to overcome the effects of many sedatives such as sleeping gas. However, it should be noted that Rex can choose to be affected by such substances; it is merely a matter of him "informing" his nanites that they do not need to combat the effects. He is also able to fight and overcome some toxins, such as sea urchin venom, whereas a stronger toxin such as that of a Chupacabra can only be held at bay for so long before he will eventually perish. And while Rex is not technically immortal and/or invincible, there is one case in which his nanites brought him back from the dead. At this point, it is unknown how far they are able to go in order to keep him among the living, but the Omega-1 was able to jump start his heart after Rex drowned in a lake. The rest of his nanites maintained his other vital organs in the meantime. This so-called resurrection ability would not be applicable in-game, but bears mentioning as part of a list of canon abilities.
Lastly, there is a side of Rex that exists beneath the surface and, at one point, battled Providence before Agent Six brought him on board for training: the bio-mechanical EVO. This rampaging monstrosity is several stories high and is essentially the culmination of almost all of Rex's various ingrained builds. It could be said that this is Rex's true EVO side, the ultimate nanite defense protocol as triggered by a severely traumatizing event. It may also be responsible for Rex's memory issues (to be covered in the history section below) and it is unknown at this time whether or not this side of him is capable of ever surfacing again.
In terms of abilities beyond what his nanites provide, Rex is something of an artist. He's used his BFS in buzz saw mode in the past to create sculptures out of rock. He's also an excellent volleyball player (in sharp contrast with the fact that he can't shoot a basketball to save his life), a strong swimmer and quite agile. He has more than done his share of parkour style roof running.
Though he is fluent in both English and Spanish, Rex's use of the latter language is sometimes rather unsophisticated. He often mixes Spanish words with his English dialog, leaning toward Mexican and urban slang, likely for the sake of sounding cool.
Relationships
Italics denote castmate.
Agent Six
Rex is fairly sure that the man in green is the one who found him and brought him into Providence, initially. Granted, he can't remember much at all about that time. Most of what he does recall are a few fuzzy mental images and associated emotions. But for as much as Six sticks by him whether on orders or not, Rex just has that feeling that his field partner is the friend he's had the longest. Though he has butted heads with Six many times, Rex respects and likes his fellow agent. He trusts Six and as long as the man isn't giving out orders that go against what the EVO believes is right, he'll often listen and follow through (though granted, this was not necessarily the case from the very beginning, but rather something that Rex grew into over time). Recently, Rex came to understand just how much Six and his other friends mean to him, that they are his family at home, perhaps even moreso than his own blood related older brother. Deep down, Rex has a desire to earn Six's respect. He actually is concerned with what the man thinks of him and that has caused biometric crashes in the past. Ultimately, Rex strives for approval, even though he can often get frustrated in trying to earn it.
Nautilus and its Wakened have spoiled Rex somewhat since his own Awakening. Starscream rough houses with him and calls him family, treating him like a son and praising him openly when he does well. Kairava and Sqwydd are like brothers, both willing to hang out with Rex, never afraid to speak their minds. V and Death are like uncles, accepting of Rex for who and what he is, both showing affection to the teenager in their own unique ways. And Raye, never afraid to be firm with her mischievous boyfriend, yet fearless in telling him often that she loves him and will never abandon him, even in the case of another blank out. For as happy as Rex is to have Six with him in Nautilus, he now struggles a bit with the lack of emotion in his partner. A part of Rex desperately wants to see Six open up and show some emotion as others have already done. It is a difficult thing… Having someone with you that has always been there at home for as long as you remember, yet feeling as though you're never sure just how they feel in return.
America (Returned to Sleep)
Another super hero, apparently? With an alien sidekick named "Tony"? Rex wasn't sure what to make of all that, whether it was legit or not. As it was, America's explanation about being the personification of an entire country was a little brain breaky. Still, he was a nice guy and easy to talk to. Plus America offered to help Rex get his powers back and hey, what do you know, it worked! Too bad the dude went back to Sleep.
Ash Ketchum (Returned to Sleep)
Rex wants to like Ash, he really does. He seems like a nice enough kid, if a little clueless at times. The EVO just has trouble dealing with the whole "gotta catch 'em all" mentality Ash tends to have in regards to anything that looks like it might be a Pokemon. (See Chupacabra incident and Pokemon reality storm.) It is likely that if Ash can better explain his choice of hobby and learn to chill out a little, Rex will learn to accept him as someone who can be trusted. For the moment, however, Rex remains a little on the wary side. Especially if a red and white ball is in play at any point.
Cho Hakkai
Hakkai is like that nice, but odd neighbor everyone has living down the way or right next door. He's easy to talk to, he's always polite and he'll gladly let you have a cup of sugar if you ask, but there's something about him that just seems…a little weird. Rex has never met anyone as completely laid back as Hakkai, nor anyone who seems to be as good at evading certain questions. Nevertheless, he seems like a cool enough dude and he's friends with Raye. Plus he came to the Pineapple with Raye when Rex was trapped in a trance by his own nanites. That has to count for something, right? Maybe one of these days, Rex will find out just what the guy's deal is…
Damon Salvatore
Early on in Rex's time in Nautilus, Damon expressed interest in playing video games with Rex while he was still minus all of his powers - a definite way to win points with the young EVO early on while he was bored and largely disinterested in the affairs of the city. However, during the Inhibitions reality storm, Damon showed his true colors as a vampire and ending up draining Rex of a good deal of blood. This was Not a Good Thing for one big reason… In ingesting some of Rex's blood, Damon also ended up with a lot of nanites. And we all know what nanites do… Turn people into rampaging EVOs. In an effort to better keep an eye on Damon and not make things more difficult than necessary between them, Rex accepted the idea that the storm was wholly responsible for the attack. It was during the zombie invasion that Rex began to think of Damon as someone he could trust, perhaps even a friend when the vampire helped him out of a bad situation involving two dozen brain eaters down a dark alley. Damon further impressed Rex when he did not take advantage of the tainted candy situation, instead merely doing what he could to keep Raye busy without doing anything that would damage her relationship with Rex in the long run. Because of all this, Rex considers Damon a friend. Someone he can count on to have his back in a fight. In a way, he does understand that the feeling may not be entirely mutual, however. Damon seems to be enough of a lone wolf and a trouble maker on a different level that he doesn't think of Rex in quite the same manner. Not that thinking that may be the case deters Rex at all… Optimistic as he is, Rex is convinced that if he just keeps working at it, Damon will eventually change enough to be more accepting of the idea of open friendship.
Doctor Helen Magnus
Doctor Helen Magnus is yet another adult Rex could claim as a parental figure in Nautilus. From the get-go, she reminded him of Doctor Holiday in that both of them are scientists who are concerned with the study of "monsters" in a safe and/or natural setting. Even though he often doesn't worry about what others in the city think of his mutations, Rex feels a sense of ease around Doctor Magnus, one which he attributes to her understanding of those who are outside of the norm. Granted, he is still learning to trust her as much as he does other members of his adopted family, but Helen is rapidly proving herself to be someone who is safe to speak with about personal issues. At the same time, Rex knows that she is not one to be trifled with… Again, much like Holiday, Magnus is a scientist who knows how to take charge of a situation and hand out a beating when absolutely necessary. An easy comparison is that she is much like the kindly, older college professor who lives down the street and is fun to visit with if you know how to behave. Stay on her good side and she may have cookies for you. Incur her wrath and she'll come through that door with a shotgun at the ready.
Doctor Holiday
Slowly but surely, Rex is learning to view Doctor Holiday as family rather than a good looking woman he can hit on. Initially, Rex's interest in the Doctor came around because he believed that normal human girls would never want to date an EVO. As Holiday already liked him (though as his physician and friend only), he somehow got it into his head that he could one day win her over despite the more than ten year gap between them. At home, time and contact with females like Circe and Annie have served to get Rex off that track. In Nautilus, hooking up with Raye has pulled him off that line of thought completely. One in a while, he may attempt to drop a pick-up line on Holiday for old time's sake, but he honestly is no longer interested in pursuing her romantically. What she is now is a dear friend, someone who has always been there for him, much like Agent Six. Teasing does occur between the two from time to time, and likely Holiday's contact with Raye will only result in further embarrassment for Rex, but nothing is ever out of malice. Doctor Holiday is very much the primary maternal figure in the kid's life and even though he has yet to fully realize that, Rex loves her for it.
Jameson, J. Jonah (Returned to Sleep)
Cranky old man was kinda cranky. At least he was cool with Rex calling him "JJ"… Or really, it was more like he knew Rex was going to do it anyway and couldn't be arsed to argue over it. JJ's got an astronaut for a son and he really liked talking about that particular subject, which Rex didn't mind too much. At the time, he didn't know what become of his own father and it was good to know that some parents really care about their kids. Plus hey…space is awesome. It's hard not to respect a guy who raised an astronaut.
Kairava
A fish guy who Rex met while the city was trying to turn Kai into a block of ice with a personal snow cloud. Rex dug Kai out of his snow filled home and bended up some warm winter clothes so that his new buddy wouldn't freeze to death. The two seem to be taking to one another in that odd way that teenage boys do… Giving each other crap while still actively relying on one another for support when things turn ugly. Rex is doing his best to educate Kai on things like how kitchen appliances work and what animals on Earth are like, meanwhile wondering just how anyone could have such terrible luck with microwaves and refrigerators. (The microwave exploded, the 'fridge shoots soda.) After an incident at Kai's home on the mainland with a yeti, Rex convinced Starscream to allow Kai to move in on the island and he's been living there ever since. Kai survived the zombie invasion over Halloween alongside Rex and Raye, and both Kai and Rex have learned how to turn to one another during difficult times to discuss their problems. Kai is one of only three others who knows about Rex's reoccurring amnesia.
Lelouch vi Britannia
At first, Lelouch was not someone Rex paid much attention to… He was some guy who seemed interested in city affairs and did things here and there to be helpful to Nautilus. It was Raye's connections with Lelouch and his household that finally made the EVO take real notice of him, pushing the kid to come up with more of an informed opinion. Since the zombie invasion and then going to the Christmas Eve party, Rex has gained a good deal of respect for him. He finds Lelouch to be an intelligent individual, someone who can be trusted and turned to when the stakes are high and the situation is grim. And while Rex has learned to be more respectful of authority over the last several months, that doesn't mean that he'll listen or obey just anyone. However, Lelouch is rapidly becoming one of those who Rex will set his rebellious teenage ways aside for when orders are given. On the more personal side of things, Rex views Lelouch as a nice guy in general. He is respectful and willing to listen to others, something that Rex can always appreciate since at times his own age can lead people to ignore his opinions. To Rex, Lelouch is a friend and an important ally.
Mitham
A young kid with sticky fingers who led a not so great a life back in his home world, consisting largely of regular beatings and sometimes slavery. Mitham is wary of strangers, it seems, but Rex managed to win him over by being open, friendly, honest and well…awesome. Rex worries about Mitham the way he might worry about a younger brother (and the way he eventually might in canon, given he's about to find out he's got a brother somewhere, though it's unknown whether he's older or younger). He's interested in helping Mitham were possible and generally playing cool teenage role model to the kid. At some point, Rex owes Mitham a flight around Nautilus.
Orihime Inoue
While Orihime is not yet someone who Rex would necessarily refer to as a friend just yet, she does strike him as a sweet, outgoing individual who he would like to get to know better at some point. From everything he's seen, she cares about the city and its people, and given all that both go through on a regular basis, her attitude is a good one to have.
Raye Hino
Rex first met Raye over the network when she unceremoniously Awoke, appearing half asleep on the ground in her panda bear pajamas, an accidental video feed plastering her less than dignified situation all over the network. While he was initially amused by her PJs and attracted by her looks, Rex did his best to explain what he knew of Nautilus to Raye, who in turn was immediately suspicious of this be-goggled teenager and his motives. Given a little time, however, Rex managed to prove himself a pretty nice guy and Raye regretted being rude to him from the get-go. They went on one casual, on-the-fly date to Furmans for root beer floats and ice cream, and Rex asked Raye to Neriae's Halloween Ball at Monticello. She accepted and they both arrived to the party in formal wear and masquerade masks, Rex giving his date a red rose corsage at the archway entrance to the party. After helping one another to survive the zombie invasion over Halloween, the two spent some time flirting on and off and taking the time to get to know one another a bit better through November and well into December. Then, over a date on Christmas Eve after going to a dinner party at the vi Britannia home and a romantic flight over the city, the two acknowledged their relationship as official. That night, Rex was Raye's first kiss.
The biggest major bump in their relationship to date came when Rex returned from a trip home to learn that he had been a criminal in a "past life" and that his amnesia was reoccurring. In an effort to protect Raye from heartbreak, as memory loss is inevitable at some point, he nearly broke up with her. But she was steadfast in her insistence that she wouldn't abandon him and that even if he forgot her, she would do whatever it took to make him fall in love with her all over again. Won over by her loyalty, Rex broke off his attempt and apologized for nearly ending their relationship. Raye forgave him, the entire incident only having served to strengthen their relationship, all said and done. Since that time, other trials have tested them (such as the tainted candy incident), but each time the pair has come through with their relationship still intact.
Rex is very much in love with Raye and is highly possessive and protective of her, even though he is well aware of just how strong and independent she is, especially now that he is aware of her alternate identity as a Sailor Scout. Every so often, he'll suffer a moment of doubt that will shake his confidence somewhat, worrying that a human girl (reincarnated alien princess part aside) will never stick with an EVO like him. He's honestly not had the best luck with girls back home, after all. Raye, however, is proving to be the big exception and Rex greatly appreciates that.
Rex struggled to overcome the fear that he might finally lose Raye if it turned out that she had indeed been infected with some of his nanites. He fet that if such turned out to the be the case, he felt he has no one to blame for that but himself for being both careless and irresponsible. Even selfish. Given the fact that Raye is such a proper girl and even kissing was something of a big deal for a while, Rex honestly did not know what she'd think of having something in her that is supposed to be part of him. In his mind, it was borderline unintentional violation against her well being. For as tough as Rex is, Raye is one of the people in Nautilus who has influenced change in him and softened his heart. For him, she is a regular dose of normalcy and one of his best friends. Losing her would hurt him more than any physical injury he has ever sustained. Fortunately for him, when it turned out that she was infected, she did not blame him and continued to offer him reassurances that she both loved him and wanted to stay with him.
Sqwydd
While Rex still harbors some guilt over turning the Hong Kong gang over to the EVO crime lord Quarry in his younger years, he never shies away from spending time with Sqwydd, someone who is rapidly beginning to think of as another adopted brother. Sqwydd can be the moody sort, but Rex is accepting of his friend's usual demeanor and often takes that as a challenge to work a smile or even a laugh out of his fellow EVO. And despite his looks, Sqwydd is someone who really can exemplify the old saying about not judging a book by its cover. Loyal, courageous and tough, he can be counted on to pull his weight in a bad situation. When something needs to be done, one can count on him to do just that. Rex may never entirely forgive himself for abandoning Sqwydd and the others in Hong Kong, but in Nautilus, he knows he can make it up to his friend.
Starscream (Left Nautilus)
For a while, Rex was a little hazy on what makes a Decepticon a Decepticon and an Autobot an Autobot. To him, they were all giant robots and all of them were in a very long war with each other at some point. What he did know, however, was that Starscream was honest with him about where he was when he Woke and what would happen if he tried to go home again through the gates. The Seeker is also providing Rex with a roof over his head and bending/combat bending lessons. At this point, Rex is quite happy to remain a member of Starscream's household, as the two of them have developed a degree of mutual respect for one another. Rex thinks of Starscream as family, someone who gives a damn about him without being overly demanding and controlling, unlike White Knight. Starscream is, in turn, highly defensive of the teenager. Attacking Rex is a surefire way to piss off the Seeker. Occasionally, they will rough house with one another, though Rex has yet to beat his guardian at that little game. Recently, however, their relationship has been slightly strained, largely due to the appearance of a sentient piece of the Labyrinth in the city. It caused Starscream to go crazy and run loose through Nautilus, being taken over by many of his alternate personalities while his mind tried to cope with the strain of being exposed to the Labyrinth again. Rex faced Labyrinth over the network and after demanding to know what it had done to Antovil, was subjected to the creature's ability to dig up all of one's worst fears, self loathing and hidden doubts. Confused over whether Labyrinth knew that Starscream will betray him or whether that's just a terrible doubt from his own mind, Rex forced himself to wait patiently for his guardian's return home - a period that lasted about a week and a half. After the Seeker's return and following an incident where Rex was forced into contact with Labyrinth, himself, the youth no longer doubts Starscream's loyalty. After his nanites dragged him down into a zombie-like state in order to protect his frazzled mind, Starscream broke Rex clear of his own defense mechanisms and downloaded his current set of memories to guard against future blank outs.
Stefan Salvatore (Returned to Sleep)
Rex knew even less about Stefan than he does about Damon, but he was aware of their family ties and that Stefan believed himself to be responsible for his brother. Following Damon's blood sucking attack, Rex warned Stefan about the possibility of his brother turning EVO.
Toothless (Returned to Sleep)
A black dragon wearing a saddle living by the Great Library in the Northern District. Rex tried his hand at riding the beast and almost got slammed into the pavement with winged lizard on top of him. Still, Rex was the only one to have guessed Toothless' name correctly and while their relationship was tenuous at best, the kid was convinced that one day he'd get to ride Toothless without being squished or thrown. Unfortunately, the dragon went back to Sleep before that could happen.
V
V is that semi-mysterious, good-natured, intelligent uncle who likes things that flash and explode. For as many times as Starscream has placed the care of the island and its inhabitants in the masked man's hands, Rex has no problems whatsoever placing his own trust in V. He is grateful to V for being there for him to explain bits and pieces of Nautilus' history in the Seeker's absence, particularly when Rex was experiencing moments of fear and doubt as to what may lay ahead. V represents stability, someone similar to Doctor Magnus who Rex can speak with and not worry about being judged for who or what he is as a person and an EVO. At the same time, "Uncle V" is also one of those people who the youth is eager to impress. He only craves the man's approval a bit less than that of Starscream and Six.
Wheeljack
Another Cybertronian, this one an Autobot. He helped Rex get off Starscream's island for a little time away to explore the mainland. Like a lot of the people and robots around Nautilus, Wheeljack seems nice enough and might be helpful in the future as someone who can help Rex better manage his nanites since Doctor Holiday's not around…
Wing
Seeing as how Rex has already learned to treat Cybertronians in Nautilus as individuals and not base his opinions of them on their faction insignias, it is no surprise that he has little difficulty seeing Wing for who he is and not a token Neutral among others who long ago chose sides. In Rex's mind, Wing is the Cybertronian epitome of laid back and awesome - the closest thing he can imagine to a robot samurai. A voice of reason and an advocate of understanding, Wing has managed to impress the young EVO with not only how open minded he is, but how willing he is to put his well being in Rex's hands if need be. Following a duel with Sideswipe wherein Wing was damaged, Rex was allowed to use his nanites to partially heal the Cybertronian, rebuilding sections of his damaged inner workings. This forged something of a connection between them, as while the nanites did not directly interface with Wing's spark, they did pick up on enough energy feedback for their keeper to be aware of it. The experience left Rex with a good deal of respect for Wing and even though he has yet to get to know the big guy as well as he'd like, he hopes that he'll have more opportunities to talk and work with him in the future.
Xemnas
While Xemnas was not someone Rex would have readily associated with under normal circumstance, Nautilus provided situations that have ultimately drawn the young EVO closer to the First whether he likes it or not. The entire mess began with a discussion about the loss of memories, something that just about all Nobodies seem to have in common with Rex to some extent. Feeling a kind of kinship with Xemnas, whose lack of a heart plus time in Nautilus seemingly gave him the kind of patience necessary to deal with someone like Rex, the youth has since gotten mixed up in the First's business a number of times…whether it was tackle-hugging him to the floor during the tainted candy incident or dragging him to Helix to get him away from the painful influence of The Marker. Rex even gave Xemnas a palm-sized mechanical heart, an unspoken show of faith that he is sure that one day Xemnas will once again possess the real thing. Xemnas is another of Rex's adopted uncles and while he is not someone the kid feels he can go to with personal issues due to the whole lack-of-real-emotions business, he has developed a degree of loyalty to the Nobody. Face it, Xmenas. You may never be rid of this one!
Zack Fair (Returned to Sleep)
All in all, a pretty nice guy and alright in Rex's book. He seems like he's got a lot of "get up and go" to him, which the EVO can definitely respect. At the same time, Zack also strikes the kid as a pretty carefree spirit, someone who might be a lot of fun to hang with at a party. Rex has yet to really get to know Zack on a personal level, but he does feel like he can count on the guy to pull his weight when things get hairy, such as when they went up against EVO!Sephiroth (no pun intended).
Entries still required for: Kovu, Optimus Prime, Blurr, Sideswipe, Death, Augie Farks, Alexander Wolfgang, Lavana, Xigbar, Megamind, Roxanne Ritchi and KITT.
