DeShawn Monroe, nicknamed the Finisher, is a Navy SEALs Warrant Officer, and a Champion in the Fourth Great Games of the Hydra.
History[]
Early History[]
DeShawn Monroe joined the U.S. Navy SEALs some time after he had turned 18, and was eventually given the nickname the Finisher because of his reputation to finish the jobs he was assigned.
Monroe had apparently built up a reputation as a great soldier, and because of this he was selected by the King of Sea, Garrett Caldwell, to be one of his four representing Champions during the Great Games of the Hydra.
It is unknown if Monroe was unaware of this decision or even of the existence of the Games; either way, a short time before the Games were set to commence, he was taken to the Underworld, along with a few of his friends/family who were to be his hostages, and had an explosive device implanted in his neck.
The Four Legendary Kingdoms[]
Monroe, like the other participants in the Games, was left in a strange cell until he was eventually confronted by a strange man in a bull-shaped helmet. After killing his opponent, Monroe ventured out of the cell to find himself among thirteen others who had succeeded against their enemies. They were then all confronted by the man calling himself Hades, who explained that they were all participants in the Great Games of the Hydra.
Monroe was soon thrust into the Second Challenge and forced to make his way through a pit filling with water, all while contending against giant catfish, and the black and white lion-helmeted warriors Chaos and Fear. Monroe managed to complete the Challenge, then watched as the winner who had retrieved the Golden Sphere, Gregory Brigham, used his reward to have another Champion executed on the spot.
After the interim before the next Challenge, Monroe was informed by Vacheron to select one of his hostages to be handcuffed to for the next Challenge. Monroe and his companion were brought to the starting point for the Third Challenge, where they struggled through the army of minotaurs and armoured elephants and eventually made it through to the coward's exit.
After a nights rest, Monroe, the other Champions and hostages were brought on the hostage train to the wall maze comprising the Fourth Challenge, and Monroe selected two of his companions to help him try and obtain either one of the two Golden Spheres, or the "Golden Stag", the jester Mephisto. During the Challenge, Monroe left his two companions behind so that they could slow down any pursuers, but after hearing that both Spheres had been retrieved, Monroe instead hurried to try and reach the exit before his was trapped inside.
Fear, however, soon encountered Monroe and pursued the SEAL as he tried to find his way to the exit. Though he was nearly bested by the white-armoured warrior, Jack West Jr intervened at the last moment and engaged Fear. Jack asked the stunned Monroe to help him defeat Fear together, but after a moment's consideration, Monroe decided to take advantage of the distraction Jack had provided and instead bolted for the exit, making it through before it was closed off.
As the progression prepared to move on to the Fifth Challenge, Monroe was informed that he and the other Champions were invited to a lunch hosted by Hades, and would meet his sponsoring King, Garrett Caldwell. Monroe proceeded to dine with Caldwell, Edwards and Schofield, and when it was over, Caldwell surreptitiously gave him a syringe with a hyper-oxygenated blood additive, in order to give him an advantage in the subsequent Challenges if he needed it.
For the Fifth Challenge, Monroe took on his remaining companion as they entered a Light Strike Vehicle they were to use in a Circus Maximus-style race. Together they shrugged off the various attempts by the minotaurs and the Hydra to stop them, and soon Monroe took the lead in the race. Upon reaching and scaling the structure containing the Sphere, Monroe quickly climbed back up to the roadway, only to be felled by a crossbow bolt to the head fired by Brigham, who took the Sphere while Monroe's companion was also killed.
Skills[]
- Expert Combatant: As a trained soldier of the Navy SEALs, Monroe has been trained in several forms of hand-to-hand combat.
- Expert Marksman: Being a trained soldier, Monroe is an accurate marksman and capable of using a variety of different firearms.
- Expert Tactician: Monroe is a skilled strategist, able to formulate battle strategies to fit the changing needs of the situation.
Equipment[]
Vehicles[]
- Light Strike Vehicle: To Be Added.
Trivia[]
- Monroe is the second character in Reilly's written works to also have the nickname "the Finisher", the first was John Armstrong from the short story Complex 13.