I had the recent pleasure of once again talking with my friend William Corpening, creator of Kineto and our classic Champions Superhero RPG Campaign, 'The Age of Champions'.
We discussed, among many other things, how his version of Kineto differs considerably from my own. The reason for my Kineto diverging from his and the original 'canon' is quite understandable; my ideas about Kineto are based on my recollections of his appearances in our campaign.
Will's understanding of the character on the other hand are based on, well, Will made him up. He knows the character better in a way I never could. I'm working on memories from 35 years ago. Will's knowledge of the character is intrinsic. Will is the source of the OG incarnation.
The core of the two Kinetos are essentially the same:
- He is a former Superhero.
- He is now viewed as a Supervillain by most of Humanity, both Normal and Super.
- He is an extremely powerful Super who controls Inertia, Momentum, and Kinetic Energy.
- He believes Superhumans to be superior to Normal Humans.
- He believes himself to be the 'most superior' of all Superhumans.
- He believes the salvation of Earth and its people depends on Supers ruling Normals.
- The majority of Humans, Normal and Super, do not agree with Kineto's Manifesto.
- A small number of Supers do agree with him. A smaller number of Normals do too.
Much of Kineto's early 'history' and backstory - his origin and the death of his wife for example - remain the same between the two versions. Likewise, most of the in-game events I've described in previous Kineto posts happened in essentially the same way.
So the question is...how do they differ?
According to Will, the main difference is in their role in the universe. Will created Kineto on November 17, 1981 while sitting on the bus. The character was primarily inspired by Magneto (duh) but was used more like [the 1970s and 80s Marvel Comics version of] Thanos - a god-like, very big, very bad, Big Bad Guy.
Will explains that his Kineto isn't particularly subtle, layered, or deep. He's a villain plain and simple. He's also a megalomaniac, seeing himself as a God among Ants. Think about that for a moment; Kineto doesn't perceive himself as a god among men but among ants. Everyone and everything is beneath him and only he can save the world by taking control of it.
Will's Kineto is a nigh-unstoppable powerhouse, his only weakness his own massive ego and self-imposed code of honor.
***
Will describes my version as 'more nuanced' and I'll take that as compliment (though I feel his is more layered then he thinks it is, lol). My Kineto sees himself as a King among Peasants, with the peasants being normal Humans. Other Supers are somewhat like Knights or other low-level nobility. This alternate viewpoint is absolutely key to understanding the incarnation I use in my games.
Peasants aren't ants. They, along with Knights and such, are the King's subjects. He rules them but also protects them. He acts in the best interest of his people even if it's difficult for the common folk to understand his activities and goals. In fact, if my Kineto believed another King would be better at ruling he would hand the throne of the kingdom to that person. Of course he would insist on being kept on as an 'advisor' because someone has to make sure the king is doing their job [properly].
Adam's version of Kineto is just as powerful as Will's but more emotionally flawed. He has the aforementioned code of honor but it's more complicated as a result of his upbringing and experiences. The Kineto of Champions Earth-AD-1A is his own worst enemy, forever trying to fix a world that appears broken to him because he's viewing it through the lens of his own imperfections and regrets.
Just some thoughts and conversation with my favorite Superhero RPG Gamemaster. I'll continue with my series on Kineto soon, hopefully finishing up in one or two posts.
See you soon,
AD
Barking Alien
Another wonderful, and inspirational, insight into your campaign world(s). Thank you. Looking forward to the continuation of this series of articles.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim. I appreciate your interest as always.
DeleteI've got so many ideas on so many subjects lately I'm spending more time organizing my thoughts then I am writing them down and posting.
Thanks, Adam. In my defense, I was 15 when I created Kineto. Over the years, I developed another origin for him. in this, he was the second creature to venture forth from the primordial oceans, able to continually evolve as he deemed necessary. He has developed alongside dinosaurs and primitive mammals over the millennia. As humanity evolved, so did he, but their deeper understanding of reality also affected him. When those reckless humans invented physics, he developed a natural ability to manipulate and control physical reality. Ultimately, he became nigh-omnipotent. During the Superheroic Age, he met aliens for the first time -- a new opportunity for evolution.
DeleteIn terms of personality, he doesn't want to conquer Earth anymore. He owns it. After all, he was here first. That, and there are heroes to do the hard work. Instead, he wants to evolve once again, seeing alien life and technology as a means to do so.
I still love what Adam has done with the character. It took me years to mature Kineto to have defined motivations and nuances. It seems Adam did it far more quickly. Kudos!