Marco Mardon/Weather Wizard

Subject Facts

Full Name: Marco Mardon
Codename: Weather Wizard
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Archetype: Super Villain
Aliases: Mark
Marital Status: Single
Affiliation: Flash Rogues

Subject Attributes

Meta-Human Abilities: Atmokinesis - Through psionic force of will, Marco can control atmospheric phenomenon as he chooses. This includes the manifestation or dispersal of events, as well as, interestingly, the ability to physically generate/project elements of weather (hail, fog, sleet, etc) regardless of the ambient resources available at the time. For example, Marco doesn't need there to be organic moisture in the air to gather to form rainclouds, he can apparently create it.

Standard Abilities: Criminal - Even before Marco was the Weather Wizard, he was a criminal. Enough so that he was imprisoned and successfully escaped without use of his powers. Marco has contacts, resources, general know-how and understanding of the nuances of being a semi-successful criminal; super or otherwise.

Paraphernalia: Weather Wand - Originally, Marco believed that this object was the source of his powers. Recently it was revealed to be a psychological prop and he's come to understand his atmokinesis isn't dependent on it. Even so, Marco constructed a newer model of the wand (more a stave in length) as an implement to help him focus.

Subject Weaknesses: Hell and Back - Recently, Marco realized a distinct shift in his psyche following his death and resurrection at the hands of Neron; it was a turning point toward more ruthless and psychologically sporadic/extreme behavior. To that end he's sought counseling to help work through the mental and emotional ramifications and is feeling much more himself. (This added with admin approval.)

Mortal - Despite his powers, Weather Wizard is a mortal man with all of the shortcomings and frailty that that includes. He is susceptible to disease, injury, illness, aging and death.

Sins of the Past - Marco has done foul, unforgivable deeds in the near past. Many of which he's coming to regret and carry self-loathing for. He's been on the less gray area of the moral spectrum, and that means a lot of bridges were burned, some probably irreparably.

Enemies Abound - As a criminal, Marco has a long list of do-gooder enemies who want him in Iron Heights. As a criminal who flirts with more neutral territory, that earns him ire and disdain from most of the villain side, too. Outside of the Rogues, Marco doesn't really have any goodwill coming his way.

On the Run - Weather Wizard is an internationally-known super-criminal. No matter where he goes, the risk of being ID'd and then an arrest attempt being made on him is there.

Subject History

Marco Mardon lead a troubled and lawless life that landed him in prison as an adult. En route to the facility, he escaped the prison transport and immediately went to his brother, Clyde, for help. Clyde had just finished perfecting his research on creating a device that allowed the bearer to control the weather; the Weather Wand. He insisted he'd have to turn Marco in, that it was what was best for him. Distraught that the person he cared for more than anyone else in the world would do that to him, Marco grabbed the wand to use to evade capture. Touching the untested device, however, called down a miniature lightning storm that killed Clyde.

Marco reinvented himself as Weather Wizard and started a crime spree, usually focused on Keystone City, where he clashed repeatedly with the Flash, almost always ending in his defeat and temporary incarceration. Marco also found a fairly steady alliance with other Flash enemies, the Rogues. Following the first Flash's death, he made a grab for greater power with the Rogues, but was killed and inadvertently helped release the demon, Neron. Neron resurrected him and his allies as soulless puppets to use against the Flash's predecessor, Wally West, who managed to manipulate Neron and fully revive the Rogues.

Later, Weather Wizard joined Blacksmith's incarnation of the Rogues. During this time he discovered he had a son, Josh, from a one-night stand with a police officer. Josh showed Marco's powers, without use of the wand and he tried to kidnap the infant to figure out how that was. Naturally, he was stopped by the Flash and landed back in Iron Heights. He escaped (again) and, after Blacksmith's Rogues disbanded, joined the next incarnation helmed by Captain Cold, even acting as their representative/ambassador to the Secret Society of Super Villains before it was defeated.

Inertia approached the Rogues with a plan to kill the Flash, which Marco participated in, coming to find, through Inertia, that his powers weren't dependent on his wand. He played his part in the ploy, which was successful, but was shocked and horrified to discover that the Flash was a kid at the time and Inertia had manipulated them all. He was then captured alongside most of the other Rogues and put on a prison planet for super criminals, but eventually escaped.

Weather Wizard later rejected Libra's invitation to his Secret Society of Super Villains along with the Rogues. During an altercation with Inertia shortly thereafter, Libra abducted Marco's son to use as a hostage for revenge on their refusal. He tried to force Weather Wizard to kill his son, but he couldn't. Before Marco could admit as much, though, Inertia murdered him, sending the Rogues into a rage that ended with Inertia's murder.

Marco and the Rogues were perpetually on the run afterward, up until the recent encroaching of the Black Lantern Corps. He helped fend off the reanimated corpses of past Flash villains until the crisis was averted.

Subject Interview

"You've been making great progress, you know, Marco."

He didn't look up. His brown, half-lidded eyes were focused on the air above the coffee table, which he'd turned into a micro-thunderstorm. Flexing his powers during the sessions was like fiddling with a stress ball or fidget spinner. Let his thoughts run a little smoother, having the prop. Also let him avoid eye contact with the shrink, which he unabashedly did most of the time.

Worst part was, she said it was fine. That not looking at her could work better in the whole process, even. Couldn't even make acting like he didn't want to be there feel satisfying for the guy. Marco grunted in vague affirmation, probably. "Yeah, well, that's probably all you, right? Your-" he twiddled his fingers, letting some sparks fly from them.

Jana pursed her lips - he didn't see it, he wasn't looking, remember? He could feel it. "We've discussed this already. You were referred to me because of the possible ramifications of Neron's involvement on your soul. Any breakthroughs or developments are completely your own accomplishment, Mr Mardon." Marco rolled his eyes. Least she could do was sound patronizing.

Really, Marco couldn't remember how he'd made it to Jana's office that first time. Where her name had come up. She was, turned out, a therapist that worked for most of the magic weirdos - totally neutral, saw all manner of clientele. That was one of the main reasons Weather Wizard had agreed to go. Even if her office was in some kinda freaky pocket dimension that made him nervous to think about.

"Speaking of, you still not gonna give that one up?" he finally rolled his eyes toward Jana, obscured though half his face was by his miniature storm. She sighed, which meant "no." Jana never would say if Neron playing with his soul factored at all into the tangled-ass web of crazy his life had become since. Marco knew all the psychological reasons behind the choice, if he tried hard enough. Still pissed him off, though.

That was when the clock on the mantelpiece chimed. Marco was on his feet before the first note ended. He'd never admit how much the sessions were helping him feel like himself, but he was committed to kicking and screaming the entire time. "That's my cue. We good?" Jana paused, checked her phone to make sure payment for the session cleared, then nodded. "Next week." Weather Wizard was already walking to the door, waving his hand dismissively over his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah."

He opened the door and walked down the messed up stairs suspended in rainbow dust and wavering light, trying to pretend he wasn't between dimensions with each step. On the other side, Marco emerged in the room he'd been in when the door appeared to collect him. Soon as the thing closed at his back, it vanished, and Marco rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks, doc," he grumbled to the open air, then went to see if the Rogues had left anything remotely edible in the fridge.

Author's Notes

Player Alias: Di

Other Characters: Diana Prince

How did you find ARFD?: Founder/creator