The Keeper of Infinite Earths - Union of Peace

Created by Matt Parmenter

"Wraith" Created by Barry Mulvihil

Healer
Alter Ego:
Vincent Heston
Occupation: Superhero
Known Relatives: none
Group Affiliation: Union of Peace
Base of Operations: New York, NY

Background/History:
Vincent was a social crusading psychiatrist and pacifist living in NYC. Following a peace rally, he noticed an old man, apparently homeless, shivering in an alleyway. While miffed at the fact that no one else seemed to notice him, Vincent went over to check on him. The old man claimed to be fine, just hungry, and asked for some spare change. Vincent helped him up and insisted on taking him to a restaurant to make certain that the money went toward food. After he ate, he would take him to a clinic and shelter. The old man thanked him for his kindness and said he had a good heart. He handed Vincent his walking stick as a gift and as thanks for his kindness. When he took hold of the stick, the old man seemed to shimmer and, then, transformed into the god, Mercury. Mercury explained that he had been looking for an earthly agent deserving to wield his legendary Caduceus to heal the world of the evils that plague it. He was quite naturally stunned by the whole experience, after all, he didn’t believe in gods. Vincent did not know what to say, so Mercury told him to think it over and the Caduceus turned back into a walking stick. His mind ablaze with the bizarre occurrence, his attention was suddenly drawn by squealing tires. A van’s breaks had failed and the vehicle crashed into a parked truck. The driver was pinned in the wreckage and bleeding horribly. Vincent felt the walking stick shift form in his hand and ran over to the scene. He felt his strength increase and he pulled the door off to free the driver. Once he pulled her free from the wreckage, he touched her with the Caduceus and she was healed. Knowing that the Caduceus was real, he realized the awesome possibilities of what he could do with it. He began traveling to those who were sick and in need. He discovered that his powers seemed to be limited by how much the individual deserved to be healed, apparently a decision made by someone other than himself. A huge battle broke out in Times Square between the Attackers and Crypeace and the Duelist. Drawn to the scene by the suffering of innocents caused by the evil Attackers, Vincent became torn by his feelings of pacifism and the need to stop them from continuing to harm people, since he literally could not help the injured fast enough as more were being hurt. He joined the battle on the side of Crypeace and helped rout the Attackers. Crypeace was suitably impressed and offered Vincent a spot on the Union of Peace. He was hesitant, at first, but Crypeace explained how he could be an example and air his views more effectively as a member of the group which was, after all, dedicated to peace. He decided to give it a try and took the codename, Healer.

Personality/Motivations:
Always having been a liberal pacifist, he tended to be very active in movements and meetings, but was somewhat disappointed in how little difference was made in the lives of real people. Dealing with the conflict between his pacifism and the need to fight evil has put him in a somewhat odd situation. His work with the various members of the group such as Brain Trust and Stigmata has made him certain he chose the right path. He remains dedicated to solving problems in the most non-aggressive way possible.

Champions Character Sheet