Change is coming to the Fourteenth of Novosibirsk. The unit has been rocked by the loss of a trusted comrade and the fall of their once proud Golden Lion. The ranks have been replenished - with Nightmen - and an old friend is set to return. Things will never be the same.
All of it falls on the shoulders of Captain Nathaniel Clarke.
"Clarke is a very interesting character," said Epic author Lee Stephen. "Officially, he's the Fourteenth's leader. But is he really in a position to lead? When push comes to shove, who comes out on top of the chain of command?"
Few characters have been forced to endure the difficulties of Clarke's position. Few characters have been subjected to his level of stress. When Scott Remington and company first arrived at Novosibirsk, the British captain was ecstatic to have them, much to the chagrin of some the unit. Jealousy was rampant, as it became apparent quickly the Clarke had new favorites. By the end of Dawn of Destiny, Clarke's excitement turned to suspicion, as Scott was promoted by General Thoor to the rank of Epsilon - officer training. Clarke's trust was gained yet again when Scott became a faithful lieutenant, only to be shattered with his subsequent fall into the Nightman sect.
"I'm not sure any of us could deal with Clarke's situation," Stephen said. "Here he is, the leader of a squad, but at a base where EDEN rank means virtually nothing. If a Nightman were to defy him, could he react? If he were to order a Nightman to do something, would the Nightman be obligated to obey? These are all relevant questions. Of all the characters in Epic, he's in the most complicated position, on both a business and personal level."
So what's in store for Clarke in Hero? Not more of the same, according to Stephen. "Every character's journey is an evolving one. He wasn't the same person in Outlaw Trigger as he was in Dawn of Destiny. He won't be the same in Hero, either. How could he be?"
Stephen has stated that he believes Clarke to be one of the more under-appreciated characters in Epic. Not the case with Becan McCrae.
"It's rare to find someone who doesn't like Becan," Stephen said. "He's such in intriguing mixture. He's comic relief, but in a way he's also the reader's means of venting frustration. He can back up his antics with action."
Becan's defining moment in Outlaw Trigger came at the expense of Commander Yuri Dostoevsky. In a scene to rival the series' finest, the fiery Irishman confronted his fulcrum commander over the sufferings of his comrade, Scott. It was a brief, yet powerful moment - one that left Dostoevsky bleeding by the mouth. "No one else could have done that," explained Stephen. "There's not a single character who could have pulled it off in that way. That could rank as the most rewarding moment in Epic so far, for the readers. I get a lot of great feedback about that scene."
So what do we know about Becan? He's a loner, with apparently no family and no siblings. He's a goofball. He's a lethal weapon. Oh, and he's got a thing for women.
"He definitely has an eye for the ladies," Stephen said. "He's made a remark about almost every female character, with the exception of arguably the most wholesome character in Galina. Go figure." One of the more interesting relationships of Becan's is with Svetlana. "He and Sveta didn't exactly get off on the right foot. Not only did he catch her in the shower on their first night in Novosibirsk, but he wasn't exactly charming in the days that followed. But come the final half of Dawn of Destiny, you could tell he was genuinely concerned about her. He had a change of heart when he watched her suffer in losing Lieutenant Novikov. You know, deep down inside, that Becan is a good guy. His development with Sveta really shows that."
According to Stephen, Becan has an interesting journey in Hero. With his close friend and ally - Scott - now a Nightman, it will be interesting to see how the Irishman reacts to him. Will he still consider Scott a friend? Or will General Thoor's new toy be seen as an enemy? Time will tell.
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