Whirlwind Reyes

This is an article about Whirlwind the Hedgehog, a character created by CrimsonFlame2K on 08/21/2013. Don't let his casual demeanor fool your sorry *sses! Whirlwind the Hedgehog, full name Lucas S. Mason, will mop the floor with you if you push his buttons. He is a major protagonist in the Darkness Trigger series and the main anti-hero protagonist of the Wake Against Destiny trilogy. In Dawn of Destruction, the first of the latter series, he was young and chaotic hedgehog who distanced himself from others, for reasons known only to him then. Eventually, he grew over this and progressively opened up to his newfound allies and friends.

Some time before the events of the Darkness Trigger series, he was admitted to the Central Guard's 5th Division. As the years passed, he was slowly but surely making progress. By the events of Surge of Shadows, he reached the rank of "Major". Later still, he got promoted to "Brigadier General" and was appointed as one of the Seven Kings of G.U.N. sometime before the the Genesis Gear trilogy.

Physical Appearance
Whirlwind has yellow quills and a normal quill-style, along with some rather spiky cowlick-like quills sticking out. He also has a tan muzzle and white chest-fur. He is also very tall, standing at 5'8" (4'6" in the WAD trilogy). This is mostly due to the vigorous activities he's been doing throughout his life. During the events of the Wake Against Destiny trilogy, he also suffers from heterochromia: with his right eye being blue, while his left is colored red, sometimes transforming into a strange brand: a lime-green serpent constricting a red apple. In the Darkness Trigger series, his eyes return to normal due to his Abyss' death.

Wake Against Destiny trilogy
Whirlwind wears a black vest that's barely zipped up and a blue v-neck shirt under it, a pair of grey baggy shorts and blue sneakers. He also wears a pair of white gloves with white cuffs and cyan accents.

Darkness Trigger series
Normally, he wears a blue short-sleeved jacket, white undershirt, a pair of white fingerless gloves with blue cuffs, dark-blue baggy jeans, and the same pair of blue sneakers he had in his old outfit.

While in GUN, most of Whirlwind's uniform is colored white with cyan accents, including his longcoat, pants, and combat boots. However, whenever he goes into battle, he prefers to take off his longcoat, as it tends to limit his movements.

Wake Against Destiny trilogy
Whirlwind was a very serious and distant person, keeping quiet around others and not interacting with them much. This can lead him to be quite the Jerk*ss half of the time. Inside that tough exterior, however, lies a broken child just wanting to feel warm again. Ever since the deaths of his parents and his brother, he fell into utter depression and always felt afraid, as much as he didn't want to admit it.

In addition, inside his body lurked a great evil. This evil was the Wildfire Monarch, Abyss the Infernal, who Whirlwind himself was not aware of until halfway through Chaos Vengeance via matching the brand at his left eye with the brands of the Monarchs they've faced thus far. This is what influences his psychosis on working alone and distancing himself.

By Chaos Vengeance, he started to open up to the allies he's made a little more, especially with Glacier. But he was still a serious and sometimes can't stand jokes, to which merely facepalms. Despite this, he cares about his friends more. Whirlwind even seems to have developed a more moral side. The proof? He, the rough hothead, and Shadow, the calm GUN soldier, go through an ironic role reversal after the latter tries to decimate Malware into little chunks. The argument ends with Shadow ceasing his onslaught against the Tech Monarch.

Darkness Trigger series
With all the time that's passed, Whirlwind has matured considerably, but still shows a degree of his hot-headed nature, though in a more positive light. In all seriousness, Whirlwind has also been shown to be slightly more light-hearted and is much kinder than he was before.

However, Whirlwind still has some Berserk Buttons that should NEVER be pressed lest you have a death wish. One of these is even thinking about laying a finger on his wife, Glacier, or any of his children (Yes. He got busy with good 'ol Glace. Problem?), he will utterly destroy you.

Since he works with GUN as a Major (Brigadier General in the Genesis Unit trilogy), many GUN soldiers respect him and some even fear his strength. However, unlike most higher-ups, Whirlwind detests formalities and prefers to be seen as a friend by his subordinates. Another notable trait about him is his uncommon use of firearms. It's not that he dislikes using them, but he just likes to do his fists do the talking, a trait that's been around even before the Wake Against Destiny trilogy.

Official

 * Sonic the Hedgehog - When Whirlwind first came across the Blue Blur, he came off to him as immature and arrogant. This sometimes led the two to fight, with Sonic usually losing. However, when he saw the blue hedgehog's determination to stop the Myriad for the sake of the world, Whirlwind felt nothing but respect for him, despite his arrogance. As time passed, Sonic and Whirlwind grew closer and considered the Blue Blur an important part of his life.
 * Miles "Tails" Prower - Tails was one of the few Whirlwind could at least tolerate when he first came across Team Heroes and co. His massive IQ of 300 and impressive inventions simply amaze Whirlwind every time, even if he didn't want to admit it [at first]. As with Sonic, he eventually became close friends with the two-tailed fox.
 * Knuckles the Echidna - (Later.)

Canon/Fanon

 * Glacier Von Fang - (Bleh.)
 * Blitz the Wolf
 * Knockout the Wolf
 * Zagan the Gravebringer

Official

 * Amy Rose - (Revamping.)
 * Shadow the Hedgehog - /revamp/ /heugh/
 * Rouge the Bat - She finds her flirtatious personality and manners a bit... distracting.

Enemies

 * Phantom the Frightful - Whirlwind's arch-nemesis and the main antagonist of the Wake Against Destiny trilogy, also known as the High Monarch. Phantom possesses tremendous strength and frightening skill to match. Phantom represents the fact that all evil is made with the hands of mortalkind, which is true, considering he was made by mortals and ended up evil.
 * Vile the Vicious - The main antagonist of Dawn of Destruction, also known as the Blood Monarch. Vile is the first of the Monarchs that Whirlwind has faced. Eventually, it was revealed that his host body belonged to none other than Tyrone, Whirlwind's younger brother.
 * Abyss the Infernal - The Wildfire Monarch and the antagonist of Countdown to Extinction. Abyss is the main influence of Whirlwind's attitude earlier on. However, with his experiences, he began to lose control of Whirlwind, despite having absorbed his rage numerous times. In the end, Phantom resorted to letting the Wildfire Monarch feed on his rage by transferring his soul into his sword, effectively giving Abyss his power in the process.
 * Sigma the Tyrant - While he hasn't actually seen him in person, Whirlwind dislikes Sigma because of his ambitions and the fact that he inadvertently made the Hell Prizm a constant threat until the end of Savage Retribution.
 * General Serges - considered to be his main rival in the Darkness Trigger series, Whirlwind lost to him the first time they fought during the events of Surge of Shadows. However, when he finds out that Serges is alive during The Cybermal Onslaught, he's actually somewhat happy about that, stating that he's been granted the chance to even the score.

Aerokinesis
Inherited from his father, Whirlwind possesses Aerokinesis, the ability to manipulate air. He usually utilizes it to enhance his physical attacks, but is capable of other applications such as firing projectiles via pressurized air, using compressed air pressure to unleash bursts of speed, potentially making him as fast as Sonic for at least a few seconds.

While this remains unchanged in the first Darkness Trigger installment, Whirlwind had donned twin enhancer/limiter gauntlets to his Aerokinesis called the Typhoon Breakers by the second game. It enhances his powers and increases his potential physical usage, but limits it at the same time in that it prevents Whirlwind from overusing it via a pressure gauge on both gauntlets.

Pyrokinesis
​While Abyss was inhabiting Whirlwind's body, the flames flowing within can be used in conjunction with his Aerokinesis. Due to Abyss representing the wrath that burns all in its way, Whirlwind's air transforms into large bursts of fire that compared to the roar of a devil. However, after Abyss' demise, Whirlwind can no longer do this.

Wildfire Transformation
Whirlwind is able to transform into Wildfire Whirlwind when the situation calls for it. The first time he transformed was out of pure rage and hatred. As time went on, Whirlwind has been keeping control of this form in terms of power and self-restraint.

In this form, both Whirlwind's Aerokinesis and Pyrokinesis are given a massive boost in power. His speed and strength are also given a massive boost and can potentially give even Sonic and Knuckles, respectively, a run for their money.

Weaknesses
Despite being very strong, Whirlwind has his fair share of weaknesses. First and foremost, being one more aggressive than others, Whirlwind tends to be reckless during a fight. To add up to his aggressive nature, he usually haves trouble with enemies who sneak around the field. Fate the Gambling is one good example.

Another obvious weakness is that Whirlwind's aerokinesis is logically weak against Pyrokinetics and Electrokinetics. Although, it's more of a 50% chance in the case of Pyrokinetics as air can also put out fire.

When reaching enormous levels of rage, Whirlwind will impulsively attack his foe, which can leave him wide open for foes that are more strategic. Though, this seems to be the opposite against telepaths, as most are not able to read actions made throgh impulse.

One of his more recent weakness is that the Typhoon Breakers can short-out temporarily if Whirlwind overrides his limit without the use of the Galeforce Drive.

Minor weaknesses include his fear of heights and the past catching up to him, at least in the Wake Against Destiny trilogy for the latter case, and the fact that he's allergic to lemons... The fruit, not the other one. One other weakness he had during the events of the WAD trilogy was whenever he used his powers, Abyss would feed on the rage he feels, making the Monarch grow stronger overtime.

Equipment
In the Wake Against Destiny trilogy, the only weapon he ever used aside from his fists and legs is his handgun. Nowadays, since The Cybermal Onslaught, Whirlwind mainly sticks with a pair of gauntlets that are useful to his fighting style.
 * (Note: ​Weapons that he currently does not use are not in bold.)

Melee

 * Typhoon Breakers - Two gauntlets that balance out his immense Aerokinetic powers and physical prowess.
 * Galeforce Drive - Installed into each gauntlet, Whirlwind uses it to amplify his Aerokinesis. It only lasts temporarily though, so he has to be careful when and where to use it. In addition, his Storm Impact move will be disabled for a few seconds.

Ranged

 * Crimson Comet - Whirlwind's custom-made handgun, complete with a red paintjob. It's been recalibrated to fire rapidly. After the events of Countdown to Extinction, he abandoned use of this weapon.

Statistics
Attack: 7 - A veteran of many battles, Whirlwind has fought with the best of them and become stronger as a result.
 * Stats are based from 1-10. 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.

Defense: 5 - His defensive capabilities are decent, especially compared to Sonic's.

Speed: 7 - His speed can be enhanced with his aerokinesis, giving him a boost for a few seconds.

Magic: 8 - His natural mastery over wind, as well as his pyrokinesis from long ago, make him stronger in combat.

Evasion: 7 - His speed compliments his power by letting him evade powerful blows and dish out his own striking moves.

Intelligence: 7 - Slowly maturing over the years has made Whirlwind think more about what does.

Skills: 8 - His adventures have made him grow into the powerful fighter he is today.

Accuracy: 6 - Training in GUN has made him fairly accurate in battle.

Stamina: 7 - He is quite strong and able to keep going in battle for a while.

Tolerance: 7 - His adventures have toughened him up and made him less susceptible to pain.

Overall: 69%

Aerokinesis

 * Storm Rocket - (Delayable) Serving as his Trigger in the Darkness Trigger games, Whirlwind charges his gauntlets and unleashes a powerful punch.
 * Zephyr Blade - (Delayable) Whirlwind unleashes a lethal blade of Aerokinetic energy. Can be performed in midair.
 * Rising Hurricane - (Delayable) Whirlwind launches the opponent to the sky with a powerful uppercut.
 * Typhoon Comet - Whirlwind knocks the opponent back to the pavement with a deadly dive kick.
 * Monsoon Cutter - (Delayable) Whirlwind leaps forward and unleashing a deadly kick in a Hurricane Kick-esque motion that unleashes.
 * Split-Second - Whirlwind summons a clone. Depending on which approach he chooses, he’ll either charge head on or strike from the air.
 * Cancel - Whirlwind makes the clone disappear.
 * Swift - Whirlwind slides past his opponent.
 * Tornado – Whirlwind unleashes a powerful uppercut imbued with wind.
 * Gale Impact - Whirlwind unleashes a powerful straight.
 * Squall Crusher - Whirlwind unleashes an ax kick that knocks the opponent to the ground.
 * Lightning Onslaught - Whirlwind unleashes a barrage of blows and ends it with an uppercut.
 * Cyclone Thorn – Done in midair. Whirlwind unleashes a mighty ax kick.
 * Zephyr Fang – Whirlwind fires.
 * Mistral Lance – Done in midair. Whirlwind shrouds his arm with Aerokinetic energy and strikes his opponent to the ground.
 * Typhoon Spear - (Delayable) One of Whirlwind's Critical Triggers. The hedgehog gathers a great amount of Aerokinetic energy and unleashes a gigantic spear towards his foe.
 * Galeforce Outbreak - Whirlwind's other Critical Trigger. He unleashes a quick barrage of punches and ends it with a huge Zephyr Blade.
 * Galeforce Siege - Whirlwind's Overkill in the series. He engages his Galeforce Drives and unleashes a frenzy of punches then sends his opponent into the sky. As his victim falls down, he charges one of his Typhoon Breakers and performs a devastating punch that sends them to places unknown.

Pyrokinesis

 * Crushing Fang: Whirlwind dashes forward with a fist wreathed in flame. His aerokinesis fuels the flames further, resulting in a much more powerful blow.
 * Skyward Claw: Whirlwind performs an uppercut, sending his foe toward the sky. He can also perform this move ala Shoryuken, so he can continue attacking his foe midair.
 * Roaring Inferno: Whirlwind fires off a pyrokinetic construct via a single hand swing.
 * Cyclone Dragon: Whirlwind dashes past his opponents as they are assaulted by a fire tornado.
 * Vengeful Dominance: Whirlwind focuses a large amount of pyrokinetic energy into his fist and punches the ground with great strength, releasing a massive shockwave that destroys the competition.
 * Rave Cannon: Whirlwind gathers a massive amount of energy and fires a massive stream of fire that decimates anyone in its path.
 * Magnum Massacre: Whirlwind's second most powerful attack in the WAD trilogy. He unleashes a series of attacks that damages all enemies within range before turning into... something... and unleashing one final strike that destroys everyone of them. EVERY. ONE. OF THEM.
 * Bahamut Rend: Whirlwind's most powerful move in the WAD trilogy yet. He creates a massive sword construct composed purely of fire and unleashes a mighty slash. It takes a lot of time to charge the move, as it consumes a crapton of energy to just create the construct. Whirlwind has only used this move once.

Wake Against Destiny trilogy
"Justice is a subjective term and one doesn't simply choose to be a hero. People are only called heroes as a form of praise when they've done something for them... Now, take a good look. Think long and hard of the destruction seen by all, the blood my hands have spilled, the carnage my rage has brought upon the world! No matter what you or anyone else think, I have and will never see myself as a hero... If anything, I'll become one... by my own standards."

- Whirlwind berating Sonic's foolish view on justice and heroism (and himself) in Dawn of Destruction

I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin
This is his main theme during the Wake Against Destiny trilogy. It represents the struggles he went through and his unwillingness to give in against his mortal enemies.

Connection to Character

 * Now the dark begins to rise... / Save your breath, it's far from over! - Whirlwind facing evil beings known as the Monarchs of Chaos and choosing to stop their machinations
 * Leave the lost and dead behind... / Now's your chance to run for cover! - Whirlwind having lost his family, and wanting to get revenge on those who took them away from him
 * I don't want to change the world! I just want to leave it colder! / Light the fuse and burn it up, take the path that leads to nowhere! - Whirlwind initially being a serious, abrasive, and distant character during the events of Dawn of Destruction
 * All is lost again... / But I'm not giving in! - Whirlwind not willing to give up even at the face of death
 * I Will Not BOW! I will not BREAK! I will shut the world away! / I will not FALL! I will not FADE! I will take your breath away! - Whirlwind refusing to back down against those that threaten him and his allies, including Abyss who seeks to control him
 * Watch the end through dying eyes... / Now, the dark is taking over... - Whirlwind's actions being influenced by Abyss, particularly while angry
 * Show me where forever dies! / Take the fall and run to heaven! - Whirlwind discovering the origins of the Monarchs while trying to stop their plans
 * And I'll survive! Paranoid! I have lost the will to change... / And I'm not proud! Cold-blooded fake! I will shut the world away! - Whirlwind being seen as a stern jerk*ss, when he is actually broken inside and wanting to have a normal life again

Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin
The credits theme of Dawn of Destruction. It represents the hardships and heartbreak Whirlwind went through throughout the game.

Connection to Character

 * I have nothing left to give, I have found the perfect end, / You were made to make it hurt, disappear into the dirt... - Whirlwind growing saddened after the realization that Vile used Tyrone's body as a physical vessel
 * Carry me to heaven's arms, light the way and let me go, / Take the time to take my breath, I will end where I began! - Whirlwind experiencing sorrow, death, and hardship during the events following the Black Myriad's onslaught and seeing more of it in years to come
 * And I will find the enemy within! / Cause' I can feel it crawl beneath my skin! - Whirlwind choosing to eradicate the Black Myriad and other villains like them so they cannot harm others
 * Dear Agony! Just let go of me! Suffer slowly! / Is this the way it's gotta be? Dear Agony...! - Whirlwind having been cold and distant since his family died, and having to live with the sorrow and guilt of not being able to save them
 * Suddenly, the lights go out... let forever drag me down! / I will fight for one last breath! I will fight until the end! - Whirlwind vowing to remain vigilant against those who harm him and his allies, no matter what
 * Don't bury me! Faceless enemy, / I'm so sorry...! - Whirlwind becoming both angry and heartbroken at Vile controlling Tyrone's body
 * Leave me alone, God, let me go, / I'm blue and cold! Black sky will burn... - Whirlwind being stoic and distant, as well as afraid for what might come
 * Love pull me down, hate lift me up, / Just turn around, there's nothing left...! - Whirlwind deliberately separating himself from others, and being regarded as an unpleasant person despite his past
 * Somewhere, far beyond this world... / I feel nothing anymore... - Whirlwind having not felt anything like love from family or friends due to his hardships

Carry On by Avenged Sevenfold
This serves as Whirlwind's main theme in the Darkness Trigger series, representing his will to fight against the odds at all costs.

Connection to Character

 * Some people LIVE that selfish desire! Some choose to shout when they speak, and they'll be the START...! - Whirlwind taking note of the selfish goals of the series' antagonists.


 * Caught in the flame of those deep in fire! Seeking out those with a voice! ONE FOR TOMORROW...! - Whirlwind relentlessly taking part in the battles the heroes face.


 * Search endlessly...! Fight till we're free...! Fly past the edge of, the sea...! No bending knee, no MOCKERY! Somehow we still, CARRY ON! - Whirlwind staying steadfast even against the looming darkness that is coming


 * Silence your FEAR! We've got to move higher! / Unlock the stars in the sky! Guiding us ALL! - Whirlwind joining his allies to band together and use their powers to fight back against evil.


 * Battle the WILL of those who conspire! / Take back the passion to live! VANISH THE SORROW...! - Whirlwind vowing to prevent the enemy's actions from tearing the world apart


 * Destroy their perfect crime, / Watch the power fold! - Whirlwind taking the fight to the villains and preventing their plans from coming to fruition

Blow By Blow by Traz Damji
This is his VS Theme against Darksteel Fanglance, who is General Serges reborn as a Cybermal. The theme emphasizes their rivalry that has reached a boiling point in the conflict against the Destroyer.

Connection to Character
''I don't NEED a gun! I've got you on the run! / HERE I COME! You think that you can BEAT me?!'' - Whirlwind and Darksteel using melee weapons as their weapons of choice

''SAVE YOUR SOUL! You're gonna meet your maker! I'M STONE COLD! / You won't BREAK me! KNOCKED OUT COLD! I'm gonna give it to ya BLOW! BY! BLOW!'' - Whirlwind and Darksteel using their full strength against each other

''No pain! No gain! / I'm unchained, gonna show you NO MERCY!'' - Whirlwind wanting to even the score with Darksteel

''You don't MESS with me! You just wait and see! / LOOK OUT! I don't wanna fight fair!'' - Whirlwind being a respected officer in GUN, and willing to use his full power to win

Trivia

 * Whirlwind shares a few similarities with Cyclone the Hedgehog.
 * Whirlwind's surname, Mason, is a reference to Alex Mason, the main protagonist of Call of Duty: Black Ops. (The choice is understandable once you realize that Black Ops is the only CoD game Crimson has ever played.)
 * However, it could also be a reference to one of his hobbies, stone masonry. This is further proven once you realize that his middle initial, S, stands for Stone.
 * Whirlwind's height is a reference to how his creator (that's me) is one of the tallest people among his peers; 5th tallest to be exact.
 * Anyone getting Major Armstrong vibes whenever Whirlwind strips off his longcoat? ...No? ...Okay then.
 * An aerokinetic afraid of heights... Ironic, huh?