Application: Cobra Commander (Gray War)
Player Information
Name: Ros
Contact: pyrocornflakes (AIM), rosloops at gmail (email)
Characters: N/A
Character Information
Name: Dr. Richard "Rex" Lewis, aka The Doctor, aka THE (COBRA) COMMANDER
Journal Name: stopthat_destro
Fandom / Series: GI Joe: Rise of Cobra
From When: Towards the end of the film, right before Duke is brought to him. So, his real identity is still a secret at that canon point, and he still has his... lovely Professor Snape hair.
Function: He's versatile. Prior to his disfiguring accident, he was a Science Officer in the US Army. He has experience providing medical care to soldiers in combat. He's also an expert in engineering and programming, with specialization in nanomite technology and weapons development.
Preferred Side: Hospital, if allowed, although he has no real loyalty to anybody but himself and will lie to and backstab his supposed side if it suits him. As a newcomer to this world-- and one arriving with a substantial handicap-- he's likely to ally himself with whichever group will keep him safest. The hospital makes sense because it's neutral and would give him ready access to anything he'd need in the event his ventilator started failing. He's willing to work to gain confidence, and he'll introduce himself at his best behavior. He's well-trained and disciplined, and he comes across as professional and personable (if you can get past his appearance and glee for morbid topics). From there he's likely to work to gain as much power and influence from behind the scenes as possible. This means he'll probably defect to a side and covertly aid them. Particularly if his sister is on that side.
Abilities / Powers: Rex has no supernatural/magic/etc abilities; however, he's a pretty rad scientist. Did I say "rad"? I meant "mad." He's a mad scientist, and he has all of the skills that entails. Rex is a super science genius, specifically an engineer and programmer, since he mainly deals with weapons development and nanomite technology, using its extreme versatility to produce a wide range of effects.
And what are nanomites? They're tiny microscopic robots that can be programmed to do all sorts of things, like devour metal/people (particularly useful if you want to erase the "evidence" of a downed operative), alter features/bone structure, heal injuries, CURE DEPRESSION LOL, control minds, eject poison from bloodstreams, shut down certain parts of the brain, encase people's heads in metal. If that makes no sense to you, that's because nanomites are used as a ridiculous plot device within his canon. Rex was able to apply his skills to refine them to what he believes to be perfection, allowing him to create brainwashed soldiers with advanced strength and defenses (such as the aforementioned immunity to poison), along with diminished brain activity. Pain, fear morality, and anything else that would hinder a walking meat shield/soldier have been suppressed through the application of Rex's nanomites.
Given Rex's fondness for human experimentation-- and the fact that he has a combat medical badge on his dress uniform in flashbacks-- Rex has some degree of medical training, so he can administer basic-to-advanced medical care. He knows what it takes to keep his experiments alive through a barrage of physically devastating tests. Also, given the precision and degree of control evident in his nanomites' programming-- how they interact with the brain, the blood stream, etc.-- it's clear that Rex has well beyond the average understanding of the human body.
Despite being a weedy little science nerd, Rex was, at one point, a decorated soldier, so he has seen combat (although wasn't seasoned enough to be comfortable in a combat situation), and he does have experience being out on the field in wartime. As a science officer, he spent most of his time in the lab, but he still received at least basic combat training. He knows his way around a gun, and the one time he holds one in canon, he handles it without hesitation. He also... has a parachutist badge, so I guess he can rock out with a parachute if he needs to.
From the Joepedia Wiki, here's a (near?) complete listing of Rex's decorations, which give some insight into other skills he may possess (although it's worth noting that the props department might have just stuck all these badges on him to make his uniform look cool, and not to actually point to his real credentials): "When seen in the film wearing his class A blue uniform, Lewis's decorations can be visually identified as the Combat Medical Badge, Parachutist Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and Army Superior Unit Award."
Although these aren't abilities, he does have significant weaknesses that are worth noting. Due to the extent of his injuries, Rex is on constant life support, which hinders his mobility to some degree (although he can book it when necessary), renders his body largely unable to regulate its own temperature (so extreme heat or cold can cause him serious complications and even death), and makes it so that he cannot survive for very long without his ventilator. Although he can take limited gasping breaths, he will basically suffocate if it's off for too long.
Personality: Rex changes his identity/persona at the drop of a hat, so who he authentically is tends to be buried underneath lies and false demeanors. Even before his accident, Rex's identity consisted of carefully crafted personas-- a trait that's become more severe as he's lost most of his attachments to humanity and withdrew (unwillingly, to be fair) from the outside world. When he's in a persona, Rex is controlled, confident. However, once there are cracks, once somebody tries to reach the real Rex-- whoever that may be-- he can be dramatic, histrionic and completely vicious, lashing out to heap blame on others, so that he can avoid responsibility for his own actions and the damages they might have caused to the people-- well, person-- he cares about. Rex is perfectly willing to change who he "is" to suit whichever role needs filling at the time. This is something that may occur once he's dumped into the Gray War, but more likely, he'll stick with the Doctor persona-- albeit with the sadism toned down.
Rex's current persona is quite ridiculous, with elements lifted-- probably unconsciously-- from his colleague and mentor, Dr. Mindbender, along with some beliefs he mimics from McCullen. Basically, once his accident "killed" Rex Lewis, he re-developed his personality to fit his new "Doctor" identity. As the Doctor, he doesn’t speak or act or even move like Rex did-- obviously, the accident had a lot to do with it, but even then, he tends towards the theatrical as the Doctor to such an extent that appears to be a deliberate act. He's also pretty fabulous and seems to like stroking/fondling/touching things. And then, of course, when he puts on his wacky Cobra Commander mask, his demeanor changes again, and he takes more charge and revels in blatant villainy, where before he was at least somewhat subtle. As the Commander, Rex outright cackles and makes cliched villain speeches.
On the surface, Rex once came across as a perfectly nice, if slightly awkward, young man. In the only flashback removed from a high stress, combat situation, he seems generally friendly and good-natured in the company of others, playful and teasing with his sister (as was his duty as Ana's younger brother), polite and thoughtful with his friends. However, even in these moments where he's smilingly allowing his sister to put him in a headlock and practically baby him in front of Duke, there's something a little "off" about Rex. He's on-- normal and affable-- when attention is on him, then seem to shut down once the focus shifted. His sister's own engagement seems to be more of a moment between Duke, Ana and Ripcord, while Rex stands off to the side awkwardly, making an ambivalent face, like he's trying to smile and keep the performance going, but doesn't feel much of a need to since nobody's watching. What he's actually feeling is a mystery, as his expression is very vague. This is the first indication that Rex may not be all that he seems, although it's a subtle one, easy to miss.
Given his age and credentials, it's fair to assume that Rex has probably skipped several grades, graduating from high school and even college without fully developing or maturing emotionally, missing out on many common life experiences that would have helped him become better prepared for the world. He's a case of somebody entrenched in academics, isolated by his projects, his obsessive need to excel and push the boundaries of technology. This likely accounts for why he's so undeveloped as a person, why he has to resort to these "characters," rather than act like a genuine person. Rex has never really fit in with his peers, and he wasn't terribly well socialized, hence the awkwardness, the stiffness that's present when he's no longer playing whatever role he thinks he should be playing.
Looking at Rex before his accident and the gleefully sadistic person he is now, it would be easy to think that he's become twisted and embittered by his injuries-- and while that's certainly a factor, it would be a mistake to think that Rex is the way he is solely because of this accident. The truth is, Rex has always had a "dark" side, although he wouldn't classify it as such. His nice, normal persona cracks pretty quickly when he's out of sight from Duke and the others, confronted with temptation. Rex's passion for science completely overrides what little empathy he might have for others-- and while most people wouldn't know how little he feels for others upon first meeting him, it becomes quite apparent if one throws science into the mix. The reverence Rex gives to science goes beyond what most would consider normal or healthy. When faced with footage of a man in agony, being experimented on (along with McCullen's helpful commentary that "science requires sacrifice"), his first response isn't horror, but amazement. He calls it beautiful, rather than awful, and is absolutely excited about what he sees in the potential advancement of nanomite technology. Rex's first and foremost love, even when he was "good," is science, not humanity. This divide between him and humanity only grows after his injury, but it was always present.
Rex has issues with control, which are tied in with his obsession with science/technology. Rather than allow the chips fall where they may, Rex would rather seize control in order to ensure that his own goals are met. This doesn't merely extend to situations or organizations, but also people. Literally. He'll brainwash or "reprogram" people without any remorse or hesitation, with no respect for their own autonomy or sense of self. This willingness to control others extends from his grunts/minions to individuals on more equal footing to him, such as McCullen/Destro and Zartan (although he did fail to inject the latter with his brainwashing nanomites). He has no qualms with betraying others and will do so as soon as it becomes convenient for him. Despite the fact that he and McCullen seem to be on pretty good terms with each other (well, as good as two megalomaniacal supervillains can be) and their goals are pretty similar, he still schemes to stage a coup behind McCullen's back, and he's sadistic enough to devise a particularly poetic method of doing so, although it's worth noting that, in his way, Rex does help McCullen even as he hurts him. The nanomites do heal McCullen's injuries, just not in any way he would have liked. It's a complicated relationship, as Rex likely feels some degree of attachment to him (as McCullen is responsible, in a way, for rescuing him and healing him. Given that he was rescued from certain death by MARS, likely treated and recovered in MARS's custody, Rex probably has a small degree of Stockholm Syndrome, which further complicates things), but he's not content to play second fiddle. Even though McCullen's plan was going to allow for Rex to do all of the science and research he wanted, Rex wouldn't be satisfied unless he was the boss. Although Rex pretends to only be concerned with research, it's clear that his ego and his controlling tendencies drive him to desire more.
As Rex is primarily interested in technology, facts and his own ambitions, he doesn't hold much stock in emotions/connections. At least, the emotions of others. Rex, himself, is pretty emotional once he starts to lose control of all that rage he has simmering below the surface, but he's so self centered that he doesn't care about the thoughts, feelings or even autonomy of others. This disconnect from humanity becomes worse after his disfiguring accident. Where once he seemed to care about Duke, he now regards him with loathing (as he's twisted his interpretation of his accident in order to make Duke the "villain") and takes joy in having the opportunity to make him into a monster, rather than kill him. Not only does this reveal some rather happy sadism, as Rex sounds positively gleeful over the prospect of turning Duke into a monster, but it also reveals some of Rex's complications with his own image. Given his paranoia, the way he tends to blame others for his actions, it's likely that he has this idea that others see him as a monster, although he probably doesn't regard himself as one. And so, because he believes that he will be regarded as a monster for his appearance, he may as well act like a monster. This further drives Rex to cut himself off from past attachments, and, really, anything and anyone but himself.
Even his sister, whom he claims to love, isn't really given much consideration. Although he could have spared her (and Duke) a great deal of grief by letting Ana know that he survived the explosion, he instead runs off with Dr. Mindbender in pursuit of perfecting nanomite technology. In fact, he regards the funeral service held for him with amusement, indirectly mocking his sister's grief. Still, he does become passionate when he explains his motivations for experimenting on Ana, even though he's ultimately playing a big old victim blaming game and using twisted logic to avoid taking responsibility for his actions. He claims to have brainwashed her for her sake, rather than his. He points out that in light of Duke's abandonment of her and his own 'death,' Ana 'felt truly alone' in a way that Duke could never fathom. In using nanomite technology to rid her of her feelings for Duke, Rex makes Ana empowered: she becomes the Baroness, rather than a passive mess who relies on Duke to do everything (like she pretty much becomes when she overcomes his nanomites. Yaaay). However, by the end of the film, Rex has become so corrupt by his greed for knowledge and power that he does threaten to kill Ana-- but, it's worth noting that although he can kill her with a push of a button, he doesn't push the button.
On a lighter note, Rex isn't all business. He's not an austere, stoic sort of villain. Instead, Rex is a gleeful, enthusiastic fella, who takes pleasure in gloating, guffawing, and chortling over his victories. Not just that, but he even takes to explanations and presentations with eagerness and enthusiasm, and he positively eats up compliments from others. He enjoys being respected, having his intelligence recognized. Rex practically preens when McCullen calls him a genius-- again, some indication that he's got a complicated relationship with the other man, simultaneously seeing himself as above him, but also wanting his approval.
Basically, he's like a dorky kid who loved sci-fi so much that becoming a supervillain is like living the dream... soooo, he's like a marginally more successful and way more sadistic Dr. Horrible... with Darth Vader's voice alteration. He also has a great enthusiasm for snakes and can spout out factoids about them-- in fact, it's implied that not only does he enjoy doing this, but he does it with such regularity that McCullen can't even bring himself to feign interest in whatever Rex is saying when he starts babbling ab out snakes. Actually, it's probably more of an 'obsession' than an 'enthusiasm,' since, in addition to chatting about snakes, he also keeps dangerous snakes as pets, and he likes to name everything after them, too. Rex is also, by nature, an inquisitive person, as he's driven to always improve on and push science to the furthest possible levels. In the setting of the game, he will probably be very interested in figuring out the workings of the HOOD Device.
Like his animated predecessor, Rex drags words out (particularly THE LETTER S and vowels) and uses a similar speech pattern to the cartoon Cobra Commander. The difference is that his voice is more gravelly and less high-pitched, and he doesn't drag his S's quite as much as his cartoon counterpart. BASICALLY his voice sounds like as realistic a version of Cobra Commander's as possible.
Also, he holds a grudge forever, and has a particular hatred for the Joes. Obviously. And he's a huge coward who values self-preservation over everything else.
History: Here’s some headcanon to fill in the blanks: Rex was born to a nice, loving, affluent family in Palo Alto, California. His mother (Dr. Lewis) was a neurosurgeon and his father (Dr. Lewis) was a professor of sociology at Stanford, and his sister Ana was, well, only a few years older than him, so she really didn’t have any accomplishments by the time he was born. At an early age, he excelled in academics and advanced well beyond his classmates, resulting in many skipped grades (which also had the side-effect of making him miss out on a lot of normal development with his peers). When he was sixteen and well into his undergraduate studies, his parents died quite suddenly, leaving him and Ana with nobody but each other. Rex focused his post-graduate studies on biomedical engineering and on programming, and received two PhDs for his hard work. Afterwards, he enlisted in the army as a science officer, which brings us to WIKI:
WIKI.
Sample Journal Entry: Sometimes, Rex talks about science. He really likes science. He also likes snakes. And sometimes he likes to pretend he's actually good at being a supervillain.
Sample RP: Have some lying and blackmail against an enemy. Some canonmate banter. Some lying, emotional manipulation and revenge. AND SOME CRACK.
Name: Ros
Contact: pyrocornflakes (AIM), rosloops at gmail (email)
Characters: N/A
Character Information
Name: Dr. Richard "Rex" Lewis, aka The Doctor, aka THE (COBRA) COMMANDER
Journal Name: stopthat_destro
Fandom / Series: GI Joe: Rise of Cobra
From When: Towards the end of the film, right before Duke is brought to him. So, his real identity is still a secret at that canon point, and he still has his... lovely Professor Snape hair.
Function: He's versatile. Prior to his disfiguring accident, he was a Science Officer in the US Army. He has experience providing medical care to soldiers in combat. He's also an expert in engineering and programming, with specialization in nanomite technology and weapons development.
Preferred Side: Hospital, if allowed, although he has no real loyalty to anybody but himself and will lie to and backstab his supposed side if it suits him. As a newcomer to this world-- and one arriving with a substantial handicap-- he's likely to ally himself with whichever group will keep him safest. The hospital makes sense because it's neutral and would give him ready access to anything he'd need in the event his ventilator started failing. He's willing to work to gain confidence, and he'll introduce himself at his best behavior. He's well-trained and disciplined, and he comes across as professional and personable (if you can get past his appearance and glee for morbid topics). From there he's likely to work to gain as much power and influence from behind the scenes as possible. This means he'll probably defect to a side and covertly aid them. Particularly if his sister is on that side.
Abilities / Powers: Rex has no supernatural/magic/etc abilities; however, he's a pretty rad scientist. Did I say "rad"? I meant "mad." He's a mad scientist, and he has all of the skills that entails. Rex is a super science genius, specifically an engineer and programmer, since he mainly deals with weapons development and nanomite technology, using its extreme versatility to produce a wide range of effects.
And what are nanomites? They're tiny microscopic robots that can be programmed to do all sorts of things, like devour metal/people (particularly useful if you want to erase the "evidence" of a downed operative), alter features/bone structure, heal injuries, CURE DEPRESSION LOL, control minds, eject poison from bloodstreams, shut down certain parts of the brain, encase people's heads in metal. If that makes no sense to you, that's because nanomites are used as a ridiculous plot device within his canon. Rex was able to apply his skills to refine them to what he believes to be perfection, allowing him to create brainwashed soldiers with advanced strength and defenses (such as the aforementioned immunity to poison), along with diminished brain activity. Pain, fear morality, and anything else that would hinder a walking meat shield/soldier have been suppressed through the application of Rex's nanomites.
Given Rex's fondness for human experimentation-- and the fact that he has a combat medical badge on his dress uniform in flashbacks-- Rex has some degree of medical training, so he can administer basic-to-advanced medical care. He knows what it takes to keep his experiments alive through a barrage of physically devastating tests. Also, given the precision and degree of control evident in his nanomites' programming-- how they interact with the brain, the blood stream, etc.-- it's clear that Rex has well beyond the average understanding of the human body.
Despite being a weedy little science nerd, Rex was, at one point, a decorated soldier, so he has seen combat (although wasn't seasoned enough to be comfortable in a combat situation), and he does have experience being out on the field in wartime. As a science officer, he spent most of his time in the lab, but he still received at least basic combat training. He knows his way around a gun, and the one time he holds one in canon, he handles it without hesitation. He also... has a parachutist badge, so I guess he can rock out with a parachute if he needs to.
From the Joepedia Wiki, here's a (near?) complete listing of Rex's decorations, which give some insight into other skills he may possess (although it's worth noting that the props department might have just stuck all these badges on him to make his uniform look cool, and not to actually point to his real credentials): "When seen in the film wearing his class A blue uniform, Lewis's decorations can be visually identified as the Combat Medical Badge, Parachutist Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and Army Superior Unit Award."
Although these aren't abilities, he does have significant weaknesses that are worth noting. Due to the extent of his injuries, Rex is on constant life support, which hinders his mobility to some degree (although he can book it when necessary), renders his body largely unable to regulate its own temperature (so extreme heat or cold can cause him serious complications and even death), and makes it so that he cannot survive for very long without his ventilator. Although he can take limited gasping breaths, he will basically suffocate if it's off for too long.
Personality: Rex changes his identity/persona at the drop of a hat, so who he authentically is tends to be buried underneath lies and false demeanors. Even before his accident, Rex's identity consisted of carefully crafted personas-- a trait that's become more severe as he's lost most of his attachments to humanity and withdrew (unwillingly, to be fair) from the outside world. When he's in a persona, Rex is controlled, confident. However, once there are cracks, once somebody tries to reach the real Rex-- whoever that may be-- he can be dramatic, histrionic and completely vicious, lashing out to heap blame on others, so that he can avoid responsibility for his own actions and the damages they might have caused to the people-- well, person-- he cares about. Rex is perfectly willing to change who he "is" to suit whichever role needs filling at the time. This is something that may occur once he's dumped into the Gray War, but more likely, he'll stick with the Doctor persona-- albeit with the sadism toned down.
Rex's current persona is quite ridiculous, with elements lifted-- probably unconsciously-- from his colleague and mentor, Dr. Mindbender, along with some beliefs he mimics from McCullen. Basically, once his accident "killed" Rex Lewis, he re-developed his personality to fit his new "Doctor" identity. As the Doctor, he doesn’t speak or act or even move like Rex did-- obviously, the accident had a lot to do with it, but even then, he tends towards the theatrical as the Doctor to such an extent that appears to be a deliberate act. He's also pretty fabulous and seems to like stroking/fondling/touching things. And then, of course, when he puts on his wacky Cobra Commander mask, his demeanor changes again, and he takes more charge and revels in blatant villainy, where before he was at least somewhat subtle. As the Commander, Rex outright cackles and makes cliched villain speeches.
On the surface, Rex once came across as a perfectly nice, if slightly awkward, young man. In the only flashback removed from a high stress, combat situation, he seems generally friendly and good-natured in the company of others, playful and teasing with his sister (as was his duty as Ana's younger brother), polite and thoughtful with his friends. However, even in these moments where he's smilingly allowing his sister to put him in a headlock and practically baby him in front of Duke, there's something a little "off" about Rex. He's on-- normal and affable-- when attention is on him, then seem to shut down once the focus shifted. His sister's own engagement seems to be more of a moment between Duke, Ana and Ripcord, while Rex stands off to the side awkwardly, making an ambivalent face, like he's trying to smile and keep the performance going, but doesn't feel much of a need to since nobody's watching. What he's actually feeling is a mystery, as his expression is very vague. This is the first indication that Rex may not be all that he seems, although it's a subtle one, easy to miss.
Given his age and credentials, it's fair to assume that Rex has probably skipped several grades, graduating from high school and even college without fully developing or maturing emotionally, missing out on many common life experiences that would have helped him become better prepared for the world. He's a case of somebody entrenched in academics, isolated by his projects, his obsessive need to excel and push the boundaries of technology. This likely accounts for why he's so undeveloped as a person, why he has to resort to these "characters," rather than act like a genuine person. Rex has never really fit in with his peers, and he wasn't terribly well socialized, hence the awkwardness, the stiffness that's present when he's no longer playing whatever role he thinks he should be playing.
Looking at Rex before his accident and the gleefully sadistic person he is now, it would be easy to think that he's become twisted and embittered by his injuries-- and while that's certainly a factor, it would be a mistake to think that Rex is the way he is solely because of this accident. The truth is, Rex has always had a "dark" side, although he wouldn't classify it as such. His nice, normal persona cracks pretty quickly when he's out of sight from Duke and the others, confronted with temptation. Rex's passion for science completely overrides what little empathy he might have for others-- and while most people wouldn't know how little he feels for others upon first meeting him, it becomes quite apparent if one throws science into the mix. The reverence Rex gives to science goes beyond what most would consider normal or healthy. When faced with footage of a man in agony, being experimented on (along with McCullen's helpful commentary that "science requires sacrifice"), his first response isn't horror, but amazement. He calls it beautiful, rather than awful, and is absolutely excited about what he sees in the potential advancement of nanomite technology. Rex's first and foremost love, even when he was "good," is science, not humanity. This divide between him and humanity only grows after his injury, but it was always present.
Rex has issues with control, which are tied in with his obsession with science/technology. Rather than allow the chips fall where they may, Rex would rather seize control in order to ensure that his own goals are met. This doesn't merely extend to situations or organizations, but also people. Literally. He'll brainwash or "reprogram" people without any remorse or hesitation, with no respect for their own autonomy or sense of self. This willingness to control others extends from his grunts/minions to individuals on more equal footing to him, such as McCullen/Destro and Zartan (although he did fail to inject the latter with his brainwashing nanomites). He has no qualms with betraying others and will do so as soon as it becomes convenient for him. Despite the fact that he and McCullen seem to be on pretty good terms with each other (well, as good as two megalomaniacal supervillains can be) and their goals are pretty similar, he still schemes to stage a coup behind McCullen's back, and he's sadistic enough to devise a particularly poetic method of doing so, although it's worth noting that, in his way, Rex does help McCullen even as he hurts him. The nanomites do heal McCullen's injuries, just not in any way he would have liked. It's a complicated relationship, as Rex likely feels some degree of attachment to him (as McCullen is responsible, in a way, for rescuing him and healing him. Given that he was rescued from certain death by MARS, likely treated and recovered in MARS's custody, Rex probably has a small degree of Stockholm Syndrome, which further complicates things), but he's not content to play second fiddle. Even though McCullen's plan was going to allow for Rex to do all of the science and research he wanted, Rex wouldn't be satisfied unless he was the boss. Although Rex pretends to only be concerned with research, it's clear that his ego and his controlling tendencies drive him to desire more.
As Rex is primarily interested in technology, facts and his own ambitions, he doesn't hold much stock in emotions/connections. At least, the emotions of others. Rex, himself, is pretty emotional once he starts to lose control of all that rage he has simmering below the surface, but he's so self centered that he doesn't care about the thoughts, feelings or even autonomy of others. This disconnect from humanity becomes worse after his disfiguring accident. Where once he seemed to care about Duke, he now regards him with loathing (as he's twisted his interpretation of his accident in order to make Duke the "villain") and takes joy in having the opportunity to make him into a monster, rather than kill him. Not only does this reveal some rather happy sadism, as Rex sounds positively gleeful over the prospect of turning Duke into a monster, but it also reveals some of Rex's complications with his own image. Given his paranoia, the way he tends to blame others for his actions, it's likely that he has this idea that others see him as a monster, although he probably doesn't regard himself as one. And so, because he believes that he will be regarded as a monster for his appearance, he may as well act like a monster. This further drives Rex to cut himself off from past attachments, and, really, anything and anyone but himself.
Even his sister, whom he claims to love, isn't really given much consideration. Although he could have spared her (and Duke) a great deal of grief by letting Ana know that he survived the explosion, he instead runs off with Dr. Mindbender in pursuit of perfecting nanomite technology. In fact, he regards the funeral service held for him with amusement, indirectly mocking his sister's grief. Still, he does become passionate when he explains his motivations for experimenting on Ana, even though he's ultimately playing a big old victim blaming game and using twisted logic to avoid taking responsibility for his actions. He claims to have brainwashed her for her sake, rather than his. He points out that in light of Duke's abandonment of her and his own 'death,' Ana 'felt truly alone' in a way that Duke could never fathom. In using nanomite technology to rid her of her feelings for Duke, Rex makes Ana empowered: she becomes the Baroness, rather than a passive mess who relies on Duke to do everything (like she pretty much becomes when she overcomes his nanomites. Yaaay). However, by the end of the film, Rex has become so corrupt by his greed for knowledge and power that he does threaten to kill Ana-- but, it's worth noting that although he can kill her with a push of a button, he doesn't push the button.
On a lighter note, Rex isn't all business. He's not an austere, stoic sort of villain. Instead, Rex is a gleeful, enthusiastic fella, who takes pleasure in gloating, guffawing, and chortling over his victories. Not just that, but he even takes to explanations and presentations with eagerness and enthusiasm, and he positively eats up compliments from others. He enjoys being respected, having his intelligence recognized. Rex practically preens when McCullen calls him a genius-- again, some indication that he's got a complicated relationship with the other man, simultaneously seeing himself as above him, but also wanting his approval.
Basically, he's like a dorky kid who loved sci-fi so much that becoming a supervillain is like living the dream... soooo, he's like a marginally more successful and way more sadistic Dr. Horrible... with Darth Vader's voice alteration. He also has a great enthusiasm for snakes and can spout out factoids about them-- in fact, it's implied that not only does he enjoy doing this, but he does it with such regularity that McCullen can't even bring himself to feign interest in whatever Rex is saying when he starts babbling ab out snakes. Actually, it's probably more of an 'obsession' than an 'enthusiasm,' since, in addition to chatting about snakes, he also keeps dangerous snakes as pets, and he likes to name everything after them, too. Rex is also, by nature, an inquisitive person, as he's driven to always improve on and push science to the furthest possible levels. In the setting of the game, he will probably be very interested in figuring out the workings of the HOOD Device.
Like his animated predecessor, Rex drags words out (particularly THE LETTER S and vowels) and uses a similar speech pattern to the cartoon Cobra Commander. The difference is that his voice is more gravelly and less high-pitched, and he doesn't drag his S's quite as much as his cartoon counterpart. BASICALLY his voice sounds like as realistic a version of Cobra Commander's as possible.
Also, he holds a grudge forever, and has a particular hatred for the Joes. Obviously. And he's a huge coward who values self-preservation over everything else.
History: Here’s some headcanon to fill in the blanks: Rex was born to a nice, loving, affluent family in Palo Alto, California. His mother (Dr. Lewis) was a neurosurgeon and his father (Dr. Lewis) was a professor of sociology at Stanford, and his sister Ana was, well, only a few years older than him, so she really didn’t have any accomplishments by the time he was born. At an early age, he excelled in academics and advanced well beyond his classmates, resulting in many skipped grades (which also had the side-effect of making him miss out on a lot of normal development with his peers). When he was sixteen and well into his undergraduate studies, his parents died quite suddenly, leaving him and Ana with nobody but each other. Rex focused his post-graduate studies on biomedical engineering and on programming, and received two PhDs for his hard work. Afterwards, he enlisted in the army as a science officer, which brings us to WIKI:
WIKI.
Sample Journal Entry: Sometimes, Rex talks about science. He really likes science. He also likes snakes. And sometimes he likes to pretend he's actually good at being a supervillain.
Sample RP: Have some lying and blackmail against an enemy. Some canonmate banter. Some lying, emotional manipulation and revenge. AND SOME CRACK.