Steel Sapien

Summary
Steel Sapien is a hero based in the universe of Earth 1138. A bright and gifted researcher working in Stark Industries, Tony Stark (of earth 1138) decided to take him on as a protege in order to continue the fight to protect the world when he is eventually unable to do so. Steel dons a new set of Iron Man armour to combat crime and villainy but is still mastering the art of juggling his civilian life with his hero life. However, through all this, he maintains a sense of optimism and good humour.

Recently, after a fight with Thanos (of earth 1138) and the severe damaging of his spine, Steel received the Extremis Enhancile and a newer variant of his armour. He is now faster, stronger, and overall more powerful, but the experience has left scars on his psyche...

History
Born Andrew 'Andy' Draile, Steel began life like most people. He went through school, graduated from college and a year later, upon discovering his pretty powerful intellect, got a job at Stark Industries, home to the one hero he admired over any other. Working in their innovations and technologies section, he worked his way into a solid job, although that is sometimes stressed by his tendency to occasionally post ridiculous inventions and blatant jokes (he once proposed designing a clown car that utilised extradimensional space to transport the clowns. Another time he proposed Stark Industries have its mechanisms converted to transform into a giant fighting robot). However, he has various odd hobbies and habits for a man of his age, one of which is not known to anybody else: He designs Iron Man schematics in his free time.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark had recently been made aware of his own frail mortality by Jarvis after a particularly rough engagement and was trying to figure out what to do. Recalling information he'd picked up with his private security cameras, Iron Man has Jarvis scour Andy's cubible and collect his schematics while calling him up for a meeting.

It is at this same meeting that Tony Stark meets Andrew Draile and tells him plainly that he wishes for Andy to become the next armoured hero. Despite his misgivings, Andy agrees.

Beginnings

After going through the motions typical to the apprentice of a highly public hero (intense training sessions with War Machine and a press conference), the newly christened Steel Sapien went on to use his powers to stop robberies, thugs, and the like until his first trial by fire came: Titanium Man.

The new Titanium Man, utilising complex and stolen technology, proved that despite his bulk and slower reflexes, he had enough raw power, durability and training to defeat Steel. Steel put up a good fight but ultimately had to be saved by Iron Man himself, who believed that his apprentice should have won that fight. The duo had an argument, prompting Andy to give up the mantle. However, the next time Titanium Man appeared, he was bigger, stronger, and more powerful, such that even Iron Man's present armour couldn't cope with its new features. Seeing his master in danger, Steel swiftly rejoined the battle and, using a cunning stratagem, was able to defeat Titanium Man this time. Boris Bullski II (Titanium Man) was placed in SHIELD custody, though his family was well taken care of at the behest of Steel.

Tony then realised that although Andy was vastly different from himself, he still possessed the key traits that make an Iron Man: Cunning, resourcefulness, courage, intellect, and an iron will. The two repaired their relationship and continued their respective jobs. With time, their bond would grow even stronger. Steel would remain a vigilant defender of New York City and some other places but would always attempt to continue living his normal life on the side. He maintains a nice, easygoing friendship with some of the newer heroes in his world, being seen as more approachable than his mentor.

The Titan

At some point, various planetary observation tools would notice a build-up of power, causing surges and temporary blackouts, each time increasing exponentially. Besides that, an alien craft is discovered orbiting New York. It is there that Steel and some of the newer heroes are sent to discover just what is going on. After a fight with the likes of the Shi'ar Guard, Super Skrull, and Ronan the Accuser, Steel discovers that the ship, a combination of all three races' technology, was made to monitor a being who was imprisoned on earth after his defeat and supposed death: Thanos the Titan.

Rushing back to discover Thanos had awakened, several superheroes tried to stop the Titan before his powers peaked, but to no avail. Steel valiantly attempted to stop Thanos using the most powerful tools at his disposal but, after being captured by the villain, ended up with a broken spine, thrown into a building. Only through the intervention of the latest Ghost Rider was Thanos defeated.

Working to save his apprentice's life, Tony Stark would use a modified variant of the Extremis Virus which gave him his new powers and abilities. Andy was saved, but he returned with significant differences. The death experience had left scars on his being, and the virus would later manifest some of its psychological effects...

Appearance
Andy is a regular young man of 22 with spiky jet black hair that falls forward like palm trees in the wind. He dresses casually most of the time, opting for collared tees and jeans, but will wear business apparel when it is required. He carries a briefcase and watch around, both of which can send a signal to Stark's Orbital Armoury, following which his armour and any design specifications requested are digitized and beamed down onto his body following the undersheathe blueprint kept under his clothes.

In his early carrier, Andy used an updated version of the Modular Armour (as seen in cartoons and fighting games) with the exception that the red paint job was now blue. It was more streamlined and less bulky but still retained ribbed portions to accept the modules and an overall more retro look.

After suffering near-death at the hands of Thanos, Andy would don a new armour more closely resembling Iron Man's modern armour. It still had the same blue colour scheme but lacked the mouth slit, resembling the modern War Machine armour's helm. The ribbed portions remained but were more streamlined, following the curves and edges of the suit, retaining mobility while allowing modules to be installed.

Personality
Andy is known to be laid back, preferring to work as little as possible, and optimistic, always sure things will turn out alright. His idealistic, easygoing and jokey nature makes him easy to get along with and he is very much the layman used in layman's terms. His interests are fairly simple (videogames, movies, comics, superheroes, cool technology) and he has a distaste for pretentious people who put on airs such as the uppercrust and movie snobs. He has a peculiar obsession with fan created material and writing and has contributed mildly to both fields. Although perfectly willing to try and see things from another perspective, if he is passionate about something, he can prove extremely stubborn about it.

Despite these eccentricities, Steel is a hero of iron-clad duty and honour. Although few things can prompt him to full dedication, he will always try his best to see things through to their end. He loves his job as a hero and has a deep desire to help people. Whenever he fails (whether in reality or in his own eyes), he is always determined to see if he went wrong.

Powers and Abilities
Powers

Steel derives basic Iron Man powers from his suit.

-Super strength

-Diamond hard durability

-Various ranged weaponry such as repulsor blasts, unibeam, and pulse bolts

-Various settings input into his armour, such as micro-explosives, sonic weapons, electricity discharges, emergency EMPs, and magnetism mode

-Various additional powers derived from modules suited for several mission profiles such as strength, durability, mysticism, unconventional weapons, emergency situations (like the Hulk) and of course, just looking cool

In addition, Extremis grants him the ability to cybernetically remotely interface with digital systems, a healing factor and an improved biological system.

Abilities

Andy is naturally intelligent and creative. His intelligence rivals the likes of Spider-Man, Hank Pym, Tony Stark, and the Black Panther, though he is not as experienced or dedicated as any of the above. His creativity allows him to come up with several brand new ideas and tactics to help him get out of trouble, though he doesn't always enact his plans perfectly.

Aside from that, Andy has (at the insistence of his mentor) received training in:

-Scientific fields from Reed Richards, Black Panther and Yellojacket

-Minor hand-to-hand combat from Captain America, Iron Man War Machine and Black Panther. The latter gave him a pair of sacred vibranium daggers upon completion of his training.

-Tactics for superhuman and non-superhuman combat and situations

-Theoretical knowledge of the various possible situations in the world (Hulk on a rampage, tear in dimensional fabric, one of several godlike beings wants to hold a competition, political intirgues from foreign enemies, etc.)

Strength Level

Andy possesses the strength and fitness of a man his age who participates in regular mild exercise.

In the current Steel Sapien armour, he possesses a base strength level of 75 tons. When the hydraulics are sufficiently powered, he can lift well in excess of 100 tons.

Weaknesses

Despite possessing Extremis, Andy is still very vulnerable outside the armour, being nothing more than a slightly enhanced human. He is susceptible to the various things that can kill humans, though his healing factor and slightly enhanced durability increase his odds of survival.

The armour itself is vulnerable to technological threats, although Stark and Steel have worked to place various countermeasures.

Andy is also prone to acting on emotion sometimes and isn't always able to pick the best choice in the middle of combat.

Unless using equipment specially geared for defense against mystic arts, magic is shown to be a good countermeasure against powered armours.

Adamantium, of course, counters most known things.

Psychic assaults also work despite Steel's surprising strength of will.

If he's not careful when using Extremis to digitally interface with things, he can leave himself vulnerable to an overload of information

Paraphenalia
Equipment: The Steel Sapien armour, model Mark 2.0. Also has infiltration based vibranium mesh weave suit for situations requiring....subtlety.

Transportation: The Steel Sapien armour, model Mark 2.0. Uses repulsor technology to provide flight. Owns a Camaro, 2008 model, custom painted into the colour scheme of his suit. Occasionally uses Stark Industries vehicles.

Weapons: The Steel Sapien armour, model Mark 2.0. Also has a pair of sacred vibranium daggers stored in secret.