Arthur (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
paradoxlol) wrote2018-05-09 10:54 pm
paradoxlol) wrote2018-05-09 10:54 pm
Entry tags:
OOC: App (Revised) [TLV]
User Name/Nick: Ros
User DW: selfindulgence
AIM/IM: pyrocornflakes
E-mail: rosloops at gmail
Other Characters: NOBODY
Character Name: Arthur
Series: Inception
Age: 28ish
From When?: After he escapes from the van in Yusuf's level of the dream.
Inmate/Warden: Warden. When he realizes Cobb stayed behind in Limbo to get Saito, Arthur makes a deal with the Admiral to secure their safe return to the waking world (partially to secure their safety, and partially because... Saito getting shot was sort of his fault, anyway). He's a serious, dedicated worker, so he plans on getting the job done with his inmate and leaving once it's finished.
Item: Smartphone.
Abilities/Powers: Arthur's highly intelligent and resourceful. He's a skilled fighter, fairly solid researcher, and he's capable of adapting to dangerous challenges without hesitation. Arthur's proficient in hand-to-hand combat and an array of firearms and explosives.
Personality: Arthur's occupation tells a great deal about who he is. Although it would be simplistic to sum him up solely as a Point Man-- as, despite his attempts at maintaining a professional appearance nearly the entirety of his presence in canon, he is more than his job-- it's the best place to start to get an idea of him. Arthur plays a nearly invaluable role to his partners, and he is regarded at the best at what he does. He's reliable, studious, hardworking, and attentive to details. Surrounded by creative types-- planners, forgers, architects-- Arthur's role is similar to that of a producer. He's the one who takes the plots and ideas and lays down the groundwork to make them happen. He acquires and sets up the workshop for everybody, researches the Mark's background, teaches Ariadne more about dream sharing and architecture, acts as the guinea pig for sedative/kick tests, etc. Not only that, but he tries to keep things in check during planning/brainstorming sessions. Where the creative types bounce ideas off of each other, Arthur asks the questions to remind them of potential setbacks or feasibility. Of the team, Arthur is the jack of all trades. He has numerous, adaptive skills, but he isn't the best at any one thing. He's good because he's attentive, organized and a researcher, and because he knows a little bit about everything. Arthur is the grounded member of the group, the one who has to corral the creative/emotional types.
Arthur is composed, confident and professional. He takes most things in stride, although his calm demeanor can give way to anger from time to time-- even then, though, he quickly returns his focus to the task at hand. Due to the often risky nature of his job, Arthur is no stranger to danger and pain (at least, in the dream world), and he doesn't shy away from it. When Mal has a gun to his head, it's Arthur who remains calm and shakes his head, indicating to Cobb not to give in to her. Although he screams and is obviously in pain when shot in the kneecap, Arthur mostly maintains his steady demeanor and, upon being put out of his misery with a shot to the head (thus kicking him back up a level in the dream), immediately stands up and begins to work on a way to give Cobb more time in the lower layer of the dream. He doesn't hesitate or dwell on his brief torture for even a second, and he doesn't even raise the issue with Cobb until the job is finished.
Unlike Cobb, Arthur can very clearly delineate dreams and reality, which helps him tremendously in the field. Aside from handling guns and explosives well, Arthur is also willing to jump into unarmed combat against armed projections. Knowing it's all a dream no doubt strengthens his resolve in a seemingly deadly situation, and it also helps him adapt to complications quickly because he knows how to manipulate the dream, or at least is prepared to react to the strangeness of a dream. Arthur's derided for being a "stick in the mud" with no imagination; however, that's far from the truth. In the real world, he may be focused on what is or isn't possible, but in dreams, his imagination shines. He is the one who introduces Ariadne to the concept of paradoxical architecture, impossible objects and Escher-esque traps to create a seamless maze, and he uses the same concept to trick a projection into a paradox. More than that, he manages to use his creativity to stage a zero-gravity kick, and in fact, he comes up with the solution to his zero-gravity problem pretty quickly. Rigging explosives to an elevator, he manages to use the force of the explosion to throw the dreamers back up into his level of the dream.
Of course, he could always stand to dream a little bigger... But still, grounded in reality though he may be, he manages to use it to his advantage, and his resourcefulness is certainly an indicator of creativity and imagination.
Because Arthur is so straight-laced and professional, seemingly focused on the job at all times, he can seem impersonal, condescending and bossy. This isn't entirely without merit, since Arthur is condescending and bossy sometimes. He may not be the leader of the entire operation, but he's Cobb's second in command, the one who tends to know the plan and the Mark inside and out, and-- most importantly-- the one tasked with making sure nothing goes wrong. He has to react to the unexpected and come up with plans on the fly, not only to ensure his own safety, but to ensure that the plan continues despite setbacks. As a result, he gives orders and berates screw ups, and he doesn’t let things sit. If he doesn’t do these things, then the entire job could be in jeopardy. When Sub Security unexpectedly show up in Fischer's subconscious, Arthur has to immediately react to escape, lose their tails and keep Fischer in one piece, all at once. So, he tells Eames what to do without hesitating and gets their asses out of their. And, in the beginning, when Nash ruins the job by messing up the carpet details in Saito's love nest, Arthur immediately confronts him on his poor work and insults him.
This isn't to say that Arthur is unfriendly, however, just that he can sometimes come across as stiff and uptight, like the team Giles or something. Still, he isn't all business, all the time, so much as he's very focused. There are exceptions, when he lets that hard, professional mask slip on the job and reveal his more personable side, showing that YES, the tight-ass stick in the mud does indeed have feelings. And a sense of humor. And, well, a human side. Arthur's more good-natured (and, in Ariadne's case, flirty) than he lets on. For instance, he uses a potentially life-threatening situation to playfully get a kiss out of Ariadne, and he makes no apologies for it. When Eames warns him about the Security that's about to be all over him, Arthur gives a light hearted response about leading them on a merry chase.
Being an Extractor, a Point Man, isn't just a job for Arthur. He really and truly loves what he does. The technology, the untapped potential of dreams, the ability to harness control over a world, to change and create, this is what he loves. His passion for the work is what keeps him in this dangerous and morally-grey business, rather than the money (substantial though it may be). It's worth noting that given the extremely violating nature of Extraction (and Inception) that Arthur isn't a "good" or "pure" person. He's a well-dressed gentleman thief and a con-man, although he isn't as good at the actual conning as somebody like Eames is (and his and Cobb's deception, in the beginning, is called out as "obvious" by Saito).
Anyway, his moral compass is clearly skewed, and he doesn't really regard his marks as people. They're just a part of his job, a means to an end. As far as Arthur's concerned, he's just the dreamer doing what he loves, even if it's at their expense. He doesn't really stop and think about the consequences of what he does to these people. For example, when it comes to discussing Inception, Arthur isn't opposed to the idea of it, or how it could come to change a person's entire life. Instead, he's opposed to it on the grounds that it can't be done. It's impossible, as far as he's concerned, just like the Mr. Charles gamble-- that is, calling the Mark’s attention to the dream, in hopes that they will assume the Extractors are Projections and turn against the real Projections-- is impossible. Arthur is, in fact, fixated on what's possible and what isn't, which is particularly odd considering his interest in shared dreaming and paradoxes and adaptation. It's as though he doesn't completely understand dreams, at least, not on the intuitive/emotional level that Cobb or Eames does. Arthur, for all his paradox building and anti-gravity ninja moves, isn't willing to truly let go of reality and fully take advantage of all the potential dreams have to offer. He seems to understand things on a technical/conceptual level, but not on a creative/intuitive/analytical level. And, until he begins to understand the importance of emotion over reason in dreams, he still has a ways to go.
Arthur isn't perfect. For all his fastidiousness and hard work, he's capable of missing certain super important details... like Fischer's training in how to handle Extractors. You'd think that'd be the first thing Arthur uncovered. However, as point man it's not his job to freak out over these mistakes, and he won't make excuses for himself. He simply adapts, and quickly. While Arthur is great at learning about people and situations, mapping out plans and paying attention to the details, getting out of sticky situations, etc, he DOES lack a deeper understanding of others. He knows about Robert Fischer, but he doesn't understand him, which ultimately limits him as an extractor (but makes him an excellent point man. He's able to research his mark as a mark, not get involved or attached). In all the planning, it's Eames who provides the insights into Fischer and presents the best strategy for Incepting an idea, using psychology and his knowledge of the other man's feelings/relationships/etc. to come up with a solid plan. Arthur, on the other hand, is more literal-minded. While they're talking about emotions and catharsis, he's skeptical of the "maybes" and doesn't see how Fischer's lousy relationship with his dad is helpful or relevant. He has to ask Cobb and Eames the point of certain details like that.
Arthur isn't seen outside of a professional context much in the film, but he does have a few connections to others (outside of a strictly professional one), namely Cobb, Ariadne and Mal. While we never see Arthur and the real Mal interact, he considered her "lovely," and he obviously knew her before her descent into insanity. There isn't much that can be said about his feelings for Mal beyond speculation, but given that she was supposed to be this vivacious, fantastic woman, and she was clearly brilliant, intelligent and creative, I imagine Arthur looked up to her in his early days of dream exploration. Her breakdown and death likely shook him, and it certainly left him with the impression that LIMBO IS A VERY BAD THING. Despite his once-fond feelings for Mal, Arthur isn't taken back by her appearance in Saito's dream, indicating that this is not the first time he's seen her shade. In fact, he seems exasperated, like "NOT AGAIN" Rather than get swept up under Mal's "spell" like Cobb does, Arthur reminds him that they have work to do.
Arthur's grounding in reality makes him an ideal Point Man-- and friend-- for Cobb. It helps him keep Cobb on point where he may otherwise become distracted or go off the rails. When they run into Sub Security in Fischer's mind, for example, Cobb's the one to fly off the handle, while Arthur reminds him repeatedly that it isn't that big of a set back, that they'll work through it. When Cobb gets drawn into Saito's deal, Arthur's the one who stands there and reminds him that they have to go, and fast. He doesn't back down from the projections or from Cobb. He obviously respects Cobb, and although he doesn't show it overtly, he does care about him. He's deeply loyal to him, and he does try to confront Cobb on the Mal issue, but it's clear that Arthur's been down that road before with no success, so he doesn't push. He allows Cobb to keep his guilt, all the while looking out for him, trying to keep him in control of himself.
With Ariadne, Arthur builds a friendly connection with her, beyond the professional one he maintains with the others. He engages with her easily, and he shares her enthusiasm for learning about what can be achieved in dreams. More than that, Arthur seems to understand Ariadne's excitement, the way she feels about uncovering the potentials of dreams, the ability to engage in pure creation. Although they never have a heart-to-heart, he understands her feelings, and he's quick to show concern for her. The first time Ariadne encounters Mal, Arthur rushes to her side to give her comforting assurance that she's back in the real world. When he teaches her about totems and paradoxes, Arthur doesn't simply lecture her. He tries to engage with her, to have a dialogue with her, to share with her what he finds fascinating. And he seems to enjoy showing off to her… just a little. It doesn't hurt that she's a pretty, studious girl who likes talking about mazes and whatnot with him.
When it comes to more antagonistic co-workers, Arthur tries to take them with his usual professionalism and dignity. With Eames, he rarely instigates any exchanges of snide remarks, although Arthur will certainly snap at him (and others) when under pressure. Arthur is typically unresponsive, as though he's above getting into petty arguments or rising to Eames's taunts, but he has his silent reactions to the Forger, usually in the form of BITCHY LOOKS. Despite their antagonism, Arthur can clearly set things aside and work well with Eames, and he even offers him reassurance about his own safety. Given the way the two interact, there's obviously a professional history there, and Arthur's likely used to the other man's temperament. He doesn't dislike him as much as their brief exchanges may lead others to believe. In fact, Arthur has some respect for Eames, at least as a good thief and forger.
Also, Arthur is a pretty fashionable guy, and he keeps himself well dressed and well groomed-- especially when he's in a dream. When he’s the dreamer, the world takes on a classy, retro-chic look, much like Arthur himself. The décor in Arthur’s dreams is pretty distinctively, well, Arthur. He’s also fond of post-war British painters, and he probably digs the works of Francis Bacon, Emmy Bridgewater, Ben Nicholson. That style of art.
Overall, Arthur didn't change much from his time on the Barge. Despite his competence as a point man, Arthur wasn't a FANTASTIC warden. His inability to really understand others' psyches was be a setback; however, he adapted, and while he may not have been perfect, he always focused on his inmate's wellbeing. He was dedicated to doing the job and doing it well. Although his time on the Barge didn't change him much, Arthur is somewhat more considerate than he used to be. He understands now how badly his line of work can destroy lives, but his passion for dreamsharing will possibly pull him back into running jobs for others if the opportunity arises (see: the extraction he performed on Profit on behalf of Profit's former warden). However, he'll always draw the line at inception or anything like it-- to do anything else would feel like a betrayal of both Mal and Perry, two people he's still very loyal to. He's struggling right now with his wavering loyalty to Cobb, and it's left him feeling very ambivalent about his former partner. These feelings of betrayal on Mal's behalf-- as he's grown closer to her while on the Barge-- will be something he'll continue to struggle with, especially if Cobb ever appears.
Arthur’s totem will be especially important to him on the Barge. As a loaded die, it illustrates his desire to always know the odds, and to control the odds, even, and he won't allow anybody to touch it or see the number it lands on. And, beyond that, he'll want to test it frequently to make sure certain floods/ports aren't just another dream.
Path to Redemption: N/A
History: Arthur was born to a comfortably middle class family in White Plains, NY. His parents divorced while Arthur was around seven, and his mother eventually re-married an attorney. His parents-- both biological and step-- were typically too busy to give him much attention. They were loving, far from terrible parents, but somewhat detached. Arthur, in response, turned towards delinquency as he hit puberty. Highly-intelligent, he didn't often apply himself, and from the ages of 12 through 16, he ran around getting himself into trouble, bullying other kids, partying, and generally being a little jerk. He had a smart mouth and an ego the size of a planet. Still, he managed to get by in his classes, seemingly effortlessly (largely because they weren't challenging him).
As Arthur started to mature, he grew out of this lifestyle. Well, maturity, threats of boarding school, plus a close brush with the law after stealing his step-father's car for a joy ride all played a part. By 16, Arthur realized that if he kept on the way he was going, he wouldn't have much of a future to speak of. He refocused his energies on school, testing in Advanced Placement classes for his Junior and Senior years, which helped to ground him, as he was no longer bored and unchallenged in his classes.
It wasn't that Arthur was suddenly "cured" of his delinquent ways-- he still wasn't a model student or son-- but he became more discreet and was generally less of a pain in the ass to be around.
Arthur graduated from high school and went off to a university in California, where he flitted around with general elective classes for a few years, before settling into a major in Information Systems. At school, he enlisted in ROTC, which provided some structure to channel his energies into. In his sophomore year, he met Mal, who was, as a graduate student, teaching one of his psychology classes. Through Mal, he was introduced to her fiance, Dom Cobb. They became friends, and remained close even after Arthur graduated. Mal and Dom were like family to him-- especially since his own family was across the country-- and Mal had a tendency to mother him, make sure he was taking care of himself, all of that. While the two were studying dreams through some new, cutting-edge technology, Arthur himself didn't really do much except for assist them. It wasn't until after graduation, when he enlisted in the US Army, that Arthur had his first encounters with the PASIV.
Arthur excelled at marksmanship and showed remarkable control and resolve during training. Shortly into his service as a Military Intelligence Officer, he was drafted into a special program where they were testing the use of the PASIV on soldiers, to see if they could improve upon training. Arthur had a natural aptitude for working with the PASIV, and he developed a passion for the technology. Arthur's duty was to administer scenarios through the PASIV. This program had mixed results, with some soldiers all the better for it, and others growing unpredictable and unstable. Arthur did a tour overseas with a special unit, running them through missions before real-life execution.
Eventually, the program was shut down due to the instability in soldiers who could no longer distinguish between dreams and reality, who became obsessed with dream sharing. Arthur was assigned to arrange for the destruction of a cache of PASIVs, which he decided was a waste of good tech. Instead, he stole one of the PASIV units, destroying the others, and forged documentation to account for all of the units. This deception was soon uncovered and led to suspicion that he might have done something with the other PASIV units, rather than destroy them. An investigation into potentially missing PASIV units turned up inconclusive-- if he'd done anything (which he hadn't), they couldn't pin it on him.
Arthur spent 90 days in military prison for the stolen PASIV and received a Bad Conduct Discharge. Once out of the army, he developed the right contacts and became involved in the extraction business. Mal and Cobb, who were busy conducting their own experiments in dream sharing, knew what he did, but he never let them in on the details.
After Mal's descent into madness and subsequent suicide, Cobb became involved in the extraction business with Arthur, who provided the research and the groundwork to make many of their jobs possible, while Cobb was the big planner. An unstated amount of time passed, and then: FILM SYNOPSIS.
TLV History
Once the kick was completed, sending everybody back to Yusuf's level of the dream, Arthur realized that Cobb wasn't waking up. Forced to leave him to "drown" in the sinking van, Arthur swam to safety. Knowing the tremendous risk Cobb was taking, Arthur wanted some guarantee that his friend and partner wouldn't lose his mind forever. He ended up making a deal with the Admiral of an interdimensional space barge-- rehabilitate one dead criminal in exchange for Cobb's safety and sanity. Arthur accepted, although if you asked him why, he couldn't quite tell you. The details are hazy at best.
And so, Arthur found himself on the Barge, where his first inmate was a youthful vigilante who took to murdering criminals under the tutelage of her father. They clashed-- with the girl trying to kill him multiple times-- but eventually the two found an understanding with each other... just in time for her to be whisked off the Barge.
His second inmate was a fallen god, one who he could never find common ground with. The two butted heads, with the same attempted murder shenanigans repeating themselves (Arthur really had a knack for pissing his inmates off), and this time, one murder attempt succeeded, forcing Arthur to experience death on the Barge-- which was quite a change from death in a dream. After that, Arthur refused to work with his inmate, deciding that the god was a waste of his time, and that forcing himself to work with somebody so far from redemption would only delay his deal from ever getting fulfilled. He was about to request an inmate transfer when his second inmate vanished off the barge.
Finally, Arthur was assigned to an inmate that seemed to stick: Perry Dawsey, a young ex-football player who'd been driven to murder and mutilation by an infection of alien spores in his body. Arthur and Perry rarely saw eye to eye, but Arthur didn't hate him, so that was already an improvement over his last inmate. However, Perry's particular issues left Arthur doubting himself for once in his life. Perry's mind had been invaded, controlled, by ideas implanted in his head causing him to do terrible things. It was too close to inception for Arthur to ignore the similarities, forcing him to examine his own role in ruining people's lives through extraction and, most recently, inception. This and the arrival of Mal Cobb as an inmate left Arthur doubting his lifestyle, wondering if he really deserved to even be a warden.
Mal also brought about other complications. Ever the actress, she faked her way into seeming like she was recovering, her facade culminating in a murder-suicide of an inmate who bore a strong resemblance to Cobb. It was her attempt at waking the two of them up that led to Arthur uncovering the truth behind what happened between Mal and Cobb, the inception gone wrong. Since then, Arthur's loyalty to Cobb has been shaken, and he more closely aligns himself with Mal these days.
Arthur underwent many trials and tribulations on the Barge, from injuries caused by Aztec gods to a nanomite "infection" that turned wardens against each other and took control of his inmate. Throughout everything, he stuck by his inmate, never taking Perry's shit, but being there for him to work through his issues-- or try to, anyway. Over time, Arthur opened up to his inmate... mostly unwillingly. Secrets were difficult to keep on the Barge, but Arthur mostly managed. But, whenever another detail of his criminal past was revealed to Perry (thanks to floods or ports or other strange incidents), Arthur would find himself opening up a little more to him, in an attempt to build some trust out of his house of lies.
He ended up making a promise to his inmate not to fuck around with people's heads anymore (at least while he's on the Barge), and he's making an effort to keep to it. The PASIV was locked up, and Perry was given one of the keys in a show of trust. More random Barge events happened, and then, around Christmas, Arthur was pulled from the ship.
Sample Journal Entry: A sample conversation. And a sample post from when he found out about what really went down between Mal and Cobb:
[For some rare vulnerability, here are the private, drunken ramblings about Cobb and Mal. Arthur's words are a little slurred. It's unusual for him to do any Dear Diary entries, share what he's feeling, any of that, but the alcohol helps. His perception of what went on between them has been unexpectedly turned on its head, and he's lost control just long enough for this.]
You think... you think you know someone. In and out. Like you've been inside them. Seen them at their most vulnerable. But you can look inside a person and never know what they're capable...
[There's a long silence, then he continues.]
How do we construct our realities? They're memories. Experiences. We take them, and we build our worlds. None of us really inhabit the same one. What I see, when I look at my family, my friends, colleagues, strangers I pass on the street... it's not what anybody else would see. People carry these complex internal lives, but to us, the... the "main characters" of our perception, they're just... [Projections.] roles to be filled, that we put them in based on what we know-- our memories, the images they project, the reality they put together to share with us...
You see, it's all very precarious. Reality. And a fundamental omission, once uncovered, it... [He chokes, then lets out a frustrated snarl after a beat.] Knocks the whole fucking house of cards down.
Sample RP: Sample log
Old sample FROM A TEST RUN THREAD, so uh, this may not make a ton of sense, since I'm removing it from its context:
The glass touches against the bar as he lowers it, his eyes glancing to the side to catch Ariadne's approach. Head turning slightly, Arthur looks over his shoulder and offers her a slight smile. She's a welcome sight, at least. He doesn't outright answer her question, but his response is enough to clue her in.
"Tell me I'm not that transparent." Then, with one hand, he pulls a stool out for her and motions at it in invitation. "Please."
His fingers brush against the condensation on his glass, and he looks up at the ceiling, then around the bar. "As far as prisons go," he begins, keeping his voice low as he speaks to her, "I think I'd prefer a maze. The illusion of freedom lends itself to a more open subject."
Oh, Arthur. You can't even make small talk without relating it back to work. His gaze drifts over to Cobb, then Fischer, and he quickly looks away from them, back to Ariadne. Fischer's appearance is, to say the least, something of a concern for him. In his research on the Barge and its inhabitants, he found out very quickly that secrets had a way of coming out, bluntly and inelegantly. He says nothing, though, schooling himself to appear as a total stranger to the former mark. His perfect neutrality is ruined, though, when a familiar presence settles down next to him. There's the slightest bit of tension in his shoulders at Eames's remark. "Yeah, thank you," he says dryly, ignoring the chuckle.
A bit of a kick. Right. He rolls his eyes and nods his head to the side as though to say "Haha, very funny" in the most long-suffering way he can without actually articulating it, then turns to the other man more completely. "In case you haven't noticed, Eames, we're not actually at sea."
[SNIP SNIP AND THEN THERE WERE OTHER TAGS]
He looks at Ariadne, considering her suggestion, and chuckles a little, taking a drink. He doesn't answer, though. In his experience, questioning reality too much once you're awake (and he knows. Nobody else knows the weight of his dice. Nobody knows the number it lands on. He's tested it countless times since his arrival) just blurs the lines. It's asking for trouble.
When Eames's hands go for his belt, Arthur puts on an exasperated expression and turns his head away just slightly. He's not going to give the forger an audience. "It should also interest you to know that we're in public, Eames," he adds in a mildly condescending voice, eyes flickering over to Fischer briefly.
Once Saito's name leaves Ariadne's mouth, he gives her a very quick, pointed look, a silent cue to tread carefully. For once, he's thankful for Eames's commentary, as it gives him a moment to loosen up and force an air of casualness before Fischer's approach. He looks at Eames and lets out a "good natured," self-deprecating laugh at the remark about his skin tone, then takes another drink.
"Hm?" He turns to look at the businessman, as though he'd just been pulled out of a pleasant conversation and didn't quite catch Fischer's question.
[SNIP SNIP AND THEN THERE WERE OTHER TAGS]
Arthur, meanwhile, doesn't have any of the same ties to Saito or Fischer. He'd barely spent any time with the businessmen during the mission, and in his research into Fischer's life, he kept himself coolly detached. Both men had been just another job to him.
"Competitor?" He lowers his glass to the bar and smiles slightly. Even when acting, Arthur isn't much for overt displays of emotion. "Now there's a topic that's bound to get messy." He nods to Fischer's own glass and adds, "Especially on a night off." He raises his glass, a friendly gesture. "We should be discussing pleasure, not business, Mr...?"
Special Notes: Arthur will have the PASIV with him, along with a supply of Somnacin that will replenish every month, assuming we still allow consumables that characters arrive with to replenish monthly. Both will be locked up tight in his cabin.
User DW: selfindulgence
AIM/IM: pyrocornflakes
E-mail: rosloops at gmail
Other Characters: NOBODY
Character Name: Arthur
Series: Inception
Age: 28ish
From When?: After he escapes from the van in Yusuf's level of the dream.
Inmate/Warden: Warden. When he realizes Cobb stayed behind in Limbo to get Saito, Arthur makes a deal with the Admiral to secure their safe return to the waking world (partially to secure their safety, and partially because... Saito getting shot was sort of his fault, anyway). He's a serious, dedicated worker, so he plans on getting the job done with his inmate and leaving once it's finished.
Item: Smartphone.
Abilities/Powers: Arthur's highly intelligent and resourceful. He's a skilled fighter, fairly solid researcher, and he's capable of adapting to dangerous challenges without hesitation. Arthur's proficient in hand-to-hand combat and an array of firearms and explosives.
Personality: Arthur's occupation tells a great deal about who he is. Although it would be simplistic to sum him up solely as a Point Man-- as, despite his attempts at maintaining a professional appearance nearly the entirety of his presence in canon, he is more than his job-- it's the best place to start to get an idea of him. Arthur plays a nearly invaluable role to his partners, and he is regarded at the best at what he does. He's reliable, studious, hardworking, and attentive to details. Surrounded by creative types-- planners, forgers, architects-- Arthur's role is similar to that of a producer. He's the one who takes the plots and ideas and lays down the groundwork to make them happen. He acquires and sets up the workshop for everybody, researches the Mark's background, teaches Ariadne more about dream sharing and architecture, acts as the guinea pig for sedative/kick tests, etc. Not only that, but he tries to keep things in check during planning/brainstorming sessions. Where the creative types bounce ideas off of each other, Arthur asks the questions to remind them of potential setbacks or feasibility. Of the team, Arthur is the jack of all trades. He has numerous, adaptive skills, but he isn't the best at any one thing. He's good because he's attentive, organized and a researcher, and because he knows a little bit about everything. Arthur is the grounded member of the group, the one who has to corral the creative/emotional types.
Arthur is composed, confident and professional. He takes most things in stride, although his calm demeanor can give way to anger from time to time-- even then, though, he quickly returns his focus to the task at hand. Due to the often risky nature of his job, Arthur is no stranger to danger and pain (at least, in the dream world), and he doesn't shy away from it. When Mal has a gun to his head, it's Arthur who remains calm and shakes his head, indicating to Cobb not to give in to her. Although he screams and is obviously in pain when shot in the kneecap, Arthur mostly maintains his steady demeanor and, upon being put out of his misery with a shot to the head (thus kicking him back up a level in the dream), immediately stands up and begins to work on a way to give Cobb more time in the lower layer of the dream. He doesn't hesitate or dwell on his brief torture for even a second, and he doesn't even raise the issue with Cobb until the job is finished.
Unlike Cobb, Arthur can very clearly delineate dreams and reality, which helps him tremendously in the field. Aside from handling guns and explosives well, Arthur is also willing to jump into unarmed combat against armed projections. Knowing it's all a dream no doubt strengthens his resolve in a seemingly deadly situation, and it also helps him adapt to complications quickly because he knows how to manipulate the dream, or at least is prepared to react to the strangeness of a dream. Arthur's derided for being a "stick in the mud" with no imagination; however, that's far from the truth. In the real world, he may be focused on what is or isn't possible, but in dreams, his imagination shines. He is the one who introduces Ariadne to the concept of paradoxical architecture, impossible objects and Escher-esque traps to create a seamless maze, and he uses the same concept to trick a projection into a paradox. More than that, he manages to use his creativity to stage a zero-gravity kick, and in fact, he comes up with the solution to his zero-gravity problem pretty quickly. Rigging explosives to an elevator, he manages to use the force of the explosion to throw the dreamers back up into his level of the dream.
Of course, he could always stand to dream a little bigger... But still, grounded in reality though he may be, he manages to use it to his advantage, and his resourcefulness is certainly an indicator of creativity and imagination.
Because Arthur is so straight-laced and professional, seemingly focused on the job at all times, he can seem impersonal, condescending and bossy. This isn't entirely without merit, since Arthur is condescending and bossy sometimes. He may not be the leader of the entire operation, but he's Cobb's second in command, the one who tends to know the plan and the Mark inside and out, and-- most importantly-- the one tasked with making sure nothing goes wrong. He has to react to the unexpected and come up with plans on the fly, not only to ensure his own safety, but to ensure that the plan continues despite setbacks. As a result, he gives orders and berates screw ups, and he doesn’t let things sit. If he doesn’t do these things, then the entire job could be in jeopardy. When Sub Security unexpectedly show up in Fischer's subconscious, Arthur has to immediately react to escape, lose their tails and keep Fischer in one piece, all at once. So, he tells Eames what to do without hesitating and gets their asses out of their. And, in the beginning, when Nash ruins the job by messing up the carpet details in Saito's love nest, Arthur immediately confronts him on his poor work and insults him.
This isn't to say that Arthur is unfriendly, however, just that he can sometimes come across as stiff and uptight, like the team Giles or something. Still, he isn't all business, all the time, so much as he's very focused. There are exceptions, when he lets that hard, professional mask slip on the job and reveal his more personable side, showing that YES, the tight-ass stick in the mud does indeed have feelings. And a sense of humor. And, well, a human side. Arthur's more good-natured (and, in Ariadne's case, flirty) than he lets on. For instance, he uses a potentially life-threatening situation to playfully get a kiss out of Ariadne, and he makes no apologies for it. When Eames warns him about the Security that's about to be all over him, Arthur gives a light hearted response about leading them on a merry chase.
Being an Extractor, a Point Man, isn't just a job for Arthur. He really and truly loves what he does. The technology, the untapped potential of dreams, the ability to harness control over a world, to change and create, this is what he loves. His passion for the work is what keeps him in this dangerous and morally-grey business, rather than the money (substantial though it may be). It's worth noting that given the extremely violating nature of Extraction (and Inception) that Arthur isn't a "good" or "pure" person. He's a well-dressed gentleman thief and a con-man, although he isn't as good at the actual conning as somebody like Eames is (and his and Cobb's deception, in the beginning, is called out as "obvious" by Saito).
Anyway, his moral compass is clearly skewed, and he doesn't really regard his marks as people. They're just a part of his job, a means to an end. As far as Arthur's concerned, he's just the dreamer doing what he loves, even if it's at their expense. He doesn't really stop and think about the consequences of what he does to these people. For example, when it comes to discussing Inception, Arthur isn't opposed to the idea of it, or how it could come to change a person's entire life. Instead, he's opposed to it on the grounds that it can't be done. It's impossible, as far as he's concerned, just like the Mr. Charles gamble-- that is, calling the Mark’s attention to the dream, in hopes that they will assume the Extractors are Projections and turn against the real Projections-- is impossible. Arthur is, in fact, fixated on what's possible and what isn't, which is particularly odd considering his interest in shared dreaming and paradoxes and adaptation. It's as though he doesn't completely understand dreams, at least, not on the intuitive/emotional level that Cobb or Eames does. Arthur, for all his paradox building and anti-gravity ninja moves, isn't willing to truly let go of reality and fully take advantage of all the potential dreams have to offer. He seems to understand things on a technical/conceptual level, but not on a creative/intuitive/analytical level. And, until he begins to understand the importance of emotion over reason in dreams, he still has a ways to go.
Arthur isn't perfect. For all his fastidiousness and hard work, he's capable of missing certain super important details... like Fischer's training in how to handle Extractors. You'd think that'd be the first thing Arthur uncovered. However, as point man it's not his job to freak out over these mistakes, and he won't make excuses for himself. He simply adapts, and quickly. While Arthur is great at learning about people and situations, mapping out plans and paying attention to the details, getting out of sticky situations, etc, he DOES lack a deeper understanding of others. He knows about Robert Fischer, but he doesn't understand him, which ultimately limits him as an extractor (but makes him an excellent point man. He's able to research his mark as a mark, not get involved or attached). In all the planning, it's Eames who provides the insights into Fischer and presents the best strategy for Incepting an idea, using psychology and his knowledge of the other man's feelings/relationships/etc. to come up with a solid plan. Arthur, on the other hand, is more literal-minded. While they're talking about emotions and catharsis, he's skeptical of the "maybes" and doesn't see how Fischer's lousy relationship with his dad is helpful or relevant. He has to ask Cobb and Eames the point of certain details like that.
Arthur isn't seen outside of a professional context much in the film, but he does have a few connections to others (outside of a strictly professional one), namely Cobb, Ariadne and Mal. While we never see Arthur and the real Mal interact, he considered her "lovely," and he obviously knew her before her descent into insanity. There isn't much that can be said about his feelings for Mal beyond speculation, but given that she was supposed to be this vivacious, fantastic woman, and she was clearly brilliant, intelligent and creative, I imagine Arthur looked up to her in his early days of dream exploration. Her breakdown and death likely shook him, and it certainly left him with the impression that LIMBO IS A VERY BAD THING. Despite his once-fond feelings for Mal, Arthur isn't taken back by her appearance in Saito's dream, indicating that this is not the first time he's seen her shade. In fact, he seems exasperated, like "NOT AGAIN" Rather than get swept up under Mal's "spell" like Cobb does, Arthur reminds him that they have work to do.
Arthur's grounding in reality makes him an ideal Point Man-- and friend-- for Cobb. It helps him keep Cobb on point where he may otherwise become distracted or go off the rails. When they run into Sub Security in Fischer's mind, for example, Cobb's the one to fly off the handle, while Arthur reminds him repeatedly that it isn't that big of a set back, that they'll work through it. When Cobb gets drawn into Saito's deal, Arthur's the one who stands there and reminds him that they have to go, and fast. He doesn't back down from the projections or from Cobb. He obviously respects Cobb, and although he doesn't show it overtly, he does care about him. He's deeply loyal to him, and he does try to confront Cobb on the Mal issue, but it's clear that Arthur's been down that road before with no success, so he doesn't push. He allows Cobb to keep his guilt, all the while looking out for him, trying to keep him in control of himself.
With Ariadne, Arthur builds a friendly connection with her, beyond the professional one he maintains with the others. He engages with her easily, and he shares her enthusiasm for learning about what can be achieved in dreams. More than that, Arthur seems to understand Ariadne's excitement, the way she feels about uncovering the potentials of dreams, the ability to engage in pure creation. Although they never have a heart-to-heart, he understands her feelings, and he's quick to show concern for her. The first time Ariadne encounters Mal, Arthur rushes to her side to give her comforting assurance that she's back in the real world. When he teaches her about totems and paradoxes, Arthur doesn't simply lecture her. He tries to engage with her, to have a dialogue with her, to share with her what he finds fascinating. And he seems to enjoy showing off to her… just a little. It doesn't hurt that she's a pretty, studious girl who likes talking about mazes and whatnot with him.
When it comes to more antagonistic co-workers, Arthur tries to take them with his usual professionalism and dignity. With Eames, he rarely instigates any exchanges of snide remarks, although Arthur will certainly snap at him (and others) when under pressure. Arthur is typically unresponsive, as though he's above getting into petty arguments or rising to Eames's taunts, but he has his silent reactions to the Forger, usually in the form of BITCHY LOOKS. Despite their antagonism, Arthur can clearly set things aside and work well with Eames, and he even offers him reassurance about his own safety. Given the way the two interact, there's obviously a professional history there, and Arthur's likely used to the other man's temperament. He doesn't dislike him as much as their brief exchanges may lead others to believe. In fact, Arthur has some respect for Eames, at least as a good thief and forger.
Also, Arthur is a pretty fashionable guy, and he keeps himself well dressed and well groomed-- especially when he's in a dream. When he’s the dreamer, the world takes on a classy, retro-chic look, much like Arthur himself. The décor in Arthur’s dreams is pretty distinctively, well, Arthur. He’s also fond of post-war British painters, and he probably digs the works of Francis Bacon, Emmy Bridgewater, Ben Nicholson. That style of art.
Overall, Arthur didn't change much from his time on the Barge. Despite his competence as a point man, Arthur wasn't a FANTASTIC warden. His inability to really understand others' psyches was be a setback; however, he adapted, and while he may not have been perfect, he always focused on his inmate's wellbeing. He was dedicated to doing the job and doing it well. Although his time on the Barge didn't change him much, Arthur is somewhat more considerate than he used to be. He understands now how badly his line of work can destroy lives, but his passion for dreamsharing will possibly pull him back into running jobs for others if the opportunity arises (see: the extraction he performed on Profit on behalf of Profit's former warden). However, he'll always draw the line at inception or anything like it-- to do anything else would feel like a betrayal of both Mal and Perry, two people he's still very loyal to. He's struggling right now with his wavering loyalty to Cobb, and it's left him feeling very ambivalent about his former partner. These feelings of betrayal on Mal's behalf-- as he's grown closer to her while on the Barge-- will be something he'll continue to struggle with, especially if Cobb ever appears.
Arthur’s totem will be especially important to him on the Barge. As a loaded die, it illustrates his desire to always know the odds, and to control the odds, even, and he won't allow anybody to touch it or see the number it lands on. And, beyond that, he'll want to test it frequently to make sure certain floods/ports aren't just another dream.
Path to Redemption: N/A
History: Arthur was born to a comfortably middle class family in White Plains, NY. His parents divorced while Arthur was around seven, and his mother eventually re-married an attorney. His parents-- both biological and step-- were typically too busy to give him much attention. They were loving, far from terrible parents, but somewhat detached. Arthur, in response, turned towards delinquency as he hit puberty. Highly-intelligent, he didn't often apply himself, and from the ages of 12 through 16, he ran around getting himself into trouble, bullying other kids, partying, and generally being a little jerk. He had a smart mouth and an ego the size of a planet. Still, he managed to get by in his classes, seemingly effortlessly (largely because they weren't challenging him).
As Arthur started to mature, he grew out of this lifestyle. Well, maturity, threats of boarding school, plus a close brush with the law after stealing his step-father's car for a joy ride all played a part. By 16, Arthur realized that if he kept on the way he was going, he wouldn't have much of a future to speak of. He refocused his energies on school, testing in Advanced Placement classes for his Junior and Senior years, which helped to ground him, as he was no longer bored and unchallenged in his classes.
It wasn't that Arthur was suddenly "cured" of his delinquent ways-- he still wasn't a model student or son-- but he became more discreet and was generally less of a pain in the ass to be around.
Arthur graduated from high school and went off to a university in California, where he flitted around with general elective classes for a few years, before settling into a major in Information Systems. At school, he enlisted in ROTC, which provided some structure to channel his energies into. In his sophomore year, he met Mal, who was, as a graduate student, teaching one of his psychology classes. Through Mal, he was introduced to her fiance, Dom Cobb. They became friends, and remained close even after Arthur graduated. Mal and Dom were like family to him-- especially since his own family was across the country-- and Mal had a tendency to mother him, make sure he was taking care of himself, all of that. While the two were studying dreams through some new, cutting-edge technology, Arthur himself didn't really do much except for assist them. It wasn't until after graduation, when he enlisted in the US Army, that Arthur had his first encounters with the PASIV.
Arthur excelled at marksmanship and showed remarkable control and resolve during training. Shortly into his service as a Military Intelligence Officer, he was drafted into a special program where they were testing the use of the PASIV on soldiers, to see if they could improve upon training. Arthur had a natural aptitude for working with the PASIV, and he developed a passion for the technology. Arthur's duty was to administer scenarios through the PASIV. This program had mixed results, with some soldiers all the better for it, and others growing unpredictable and unstable. Arthur did a tour overseas with a special unit, running them through missions before real-life execution.
Eventually, the program was shut down due to the instability in soldiers who could no longer distinguish between dreams and reality, who became obsessed with dream sharing. Arthur was assigned to arrange for the destruction of a cache of PASIVs, which he decided was a waste of good tech. Instead, he stole one of the PASIV units, destroying the others, and forged documentation to account for all of the units. This deception was soon uncovered and led to suspicion that he might have done something with the other PASIV units, rather than destroy them. An investigation into potentially missing PASIV units turned up inconclusive-- if he'd done anything (which he hadn't), they couldn't pin it on him.
Arthur spent 90 days in military prison for the stolen PASIV and received a Bad Conduct Discharge. Once out of the army, he developed the right contacts and became involved in the extraction business. Mal and Cobb, who were busy conducting their own experiments in dream sharing, knew what he did, but he never let them in on the details.
After Mal's descent into madness and subsequent suicide, Cobb became involved in the extraction business with Arthur, who provided the research and the groundwork to make many of their jobs possible, while Cobb was the big planner. An unstated amount of time passed, and then: FILM SYNOPSIS.
TLV History
Once the kick was completed, sending everybody back to Yusuf's level of the dream, Arthur realized that Cobb wasn't waking up. Forced to leave him to "drown" in the sinking van, Arthur swam to safety. Knowing the tremendous risk Cobb was taking, Arthur wanted some guarantee that his friend and partner wouldn't lose his mind forever. He ended up making a deal with the Admiral of an interdimensional space barge-- rehabilitate one dead criminal in exchange for Cobb's safety and sanity. Arthur accepted, although if you asked him why, he couldn't quite tell you. The details are hazy at best.
And so, Arthur found himself on the Barge, where his first inmate was a youthful vigilante who took to murdering criminals under the tutelage of her father. They clashed-- with the girl trying to kill him multiple times-- but eventually the two found an understanding with each other... just in time for her to be whisked off the Barge.
His second inmate was a fallen god, one who he could never find common ground with. The two butted heads, with the same attempted murder shenanigans repeating themselves (Arthur really had a knack for pissing his inmates off), and this time, one murder attempt succeeded, forcing Arthur to experience death on the Barge-- which was quite a change from death in a dream. After that, Arthur refused to work with his inmate, deciding that the god was a waste of his time, and that forcing himself to work with somebody so far from redemption would only delay his deal from ever getting fulfilled. He was about to request an inmate transfer when his second inmate vanished off the barge.
Finally, Arthur was assigned to an inmate that seemed to stick: Perry Dawsey, a young ex-football player who'd been driven to murder and mutilation by an infection of alien spores in his body. Arthur and Perry rarely saw eye to eye, but Arthur didn't hate him, so that was already an improvement over his last inmate. However, Perry's particular issues left Arthur doubting himself for once in his life. Perry's mind had been invaded, controlled, by ideas implanted in his head causing him to do terrible things. It was too close to inception for Arthur to ignore the similarities, forcing him to examine his own role in ruining people's lives through extraction and, most recently, inception. This and the arrival of Mal Cobb as an inmate left Arthur doubting his lifestyle, wondering if he really deserved to even be a warden.
Mal also brought about other complications. Ever the actress, she faked her way into seeming like she was recovering, her facade culminating in a murder-suicide of an inmate who bore a strong resemblance to Cobb. It was her attempt at waking the two of them up that led to Arthur uncovering the truth behind what happened between Mal and Cobb, the inception gone wrong. Since then, Arthur's loyalty to Cobb has been shaken, and he more closely aligns himself with Mal these days.
Arthur underwent many trials and tribulations on the Barge, from injuries caused by Aztec gods to a nanomite "infection" that turned wardens against each other and took control of his inmate. Throughout everything, he stuck by his inmate, never taking Perry's shit, but being there for him to work through his issues-- or try to, anyway. Over time, Arthur opened up to his inmate... mostly unwillingly. Secrets were difficult to keep on the Barge, but Arthur mostly managed. But, whenever another detail of his criminal past was revealed to Perry (thanks to floods or ports or other strange incidents), Arthur would find himself opening up a little more to him, in an attempt to build some trust out of his house of lies.
He ended up making a promise to his inmate not to fuck around with people's heads anymore (at least while he's on the Barge), and he's making an effort to keep to it. The PASIV was locked up, and Perry was given one of the keys in a show of trust. More random Barge events happened, and then, around Christmas, Arthur was pulled from the ship.
Sample Journal Entry: A sample conversation. And a sample post from when he found out about what really went down between Mal and Cobb:
[For some rare vulnerability, here are the private, drunken ramblings about Cobb and Mal. Arthur's words are a little slurred. It's unusual for him to do any Dear Diary entries, share what he's feeling, any of that, but the alcohol helps. His perception of what went on between them has been unexpectedly turned on its head, and he's lost control just long enough for this.]
You think... you think you know someone. In and out. Like you've been inside them. Seen them at their most vulnerable. But you can look inside a person and never know what they're capable...
[There's a long silence, then he continues.]
How do we construct our realities? They're memories. Experiences. We take them, and we build our worlds. None of us really inhabit the same one. What I see, when I look at my family, my friends, colleagues, strangers I pass on the street... it's not what anybody else would see. People carry these complex internal lives, but to us, the... the "main characters" of our perception, they're just... [Projections.] roles to be filled, that we put them in based on what we know-- our memories, the images they project, the reality they put together to share with us...
You see, it's all very precarious. Reality. And a fundamental omission, once uncovered, it... [He chokes, then lets out a frustrated snarl after a beat.] Knocks the whole fucking house of cards down.
Sample RP: Sample log
Old sample FROM A TEST RUN THREAD, so uh, this may not make a ton of sense, since I'm removing it from its context:
The glass touches against the bar as he lowers it, his eyes glancing to the side to catch Ariadne's approach. Head turning slightly, Arthur looks over his shoulder and offers her a slight smile. She's a welcome sight, at least. He doesn't outright answer her question, but his response is enough to clue her in.
"Tell me I'm not that transparent." Then, with one hand, he pulls a stool out for her and motions at it in invitation. "Please."
His fingers brush against the condensation on his glass, and he looks up at the ceiling, then around the bar. "As far as prisons go," he begins, keeping his voice low as he speaks to her, "I think I'd prefer a maze. The illusion of freedom lends itself to a more open subject."
Oh, Arthur. You can't even make small talk without relating it back to work. His gaze drifts over to Cobb, then Fischer, and he quickly looks away from them, back to Ariadne. Fischer's appearance is, to say the least, something of a concern for him. In his research on the Barge and its inhabitants, he found out very quickly that secrets had a way of coming out, bluntly and inelegantly. He says nothing, though, schooling himself to appear as a total stranger to the former mark. His perfect neutrality is ruined, though, when a familiar presence settles down next to him. There's the slightest bit of tension in his shoulders at Eames's remark. "Yeah, thank you," he says dryly, ignoring the chuckle.
A bit of a kick. Right. He rolls his eyes and nods his head to the side as though to say "Haha, very funny" in the most long-suffering way he can without actually articulating it, then turns to the other man more completely. "In case you haven't noticed, Eames, we're not actually at sea."
[SNIP SNIP AND THEN THERE WERE OTHER TAGS]
He looks at Ariadne, considering her suggestion, and chuckles a little, taking a drink. He doesn't answer, though. In his experience, questioning reality too much once you're awake (and he knows. Nobody else knows the weight of his dice. Nobody knows the number it lands on. He's tested it countless times since his arrival) just blurs the lines. It's asking for trouble.
When Eames's hands go for his belt, Arthur puts on an exasperated expression and turns his head away just slightly. He's not going to give the forger an audience. "It should also interest you to know that we're in public, Eames," he adds in a mildly condescending voice, eyes flickering over to Fischer briefly.
Once Saito's name leaves Ariadne's mouth, he gives her a very quick, pointed look, a silent cue to tread carefully. For once, he's thankful for Eames's commentary, as it gives him a moment to loosen up and force an air of casualness before Fischer's approach. He looks at Eames and lets out a "good natured," self-deprecating laugh at the remark about his skin tone, then takes another drink.
"Hm?" He turns to look at the businessman, as though he'd just been pulled out of a pleasant conversation and didn't quite catch Fischer's question.
[SNIP SNIP AND THEN THERE WERE OTHER TAGS]
Arthur, meanwhile, doesn't have any of the same ties to Saito or Fischer. He'd barely spent any time with the businessmen during the mission, and in his research into Fischer's life, he kept himself coolly detached. Both men had been just another job to him.
"Competitor?" He lowers his glass to the bar and smiles slightly. Even when acting, Arthur isn't much for overt displays of emotion. "Now there's a topic that's bound to get messy." He nods to Fischer's own glass and adds, "Especially on a night off." He raises his glass, a friendly gesture. "We should be discussing pleasure, not business, Mr...?"
Special Notes: Arthur will have the PASIV with him, along with a supply of Somnacin that will replenish every month, assuming we still allow consumables that characters arrive with to replenish monthly. Both will be locked up tight in his cabin.