Application @ badfic_manor.

[pointofspecificity]

OOC Information:

Name/Alias: Emma
Age: 25
E-Mail//MSN//AIM: [ E-Mail ]: rebelledagainstheaven[at]gmail[dot]com || [ AIM ]: CaptainVibranium
Personal LJ: xrainbowcloud
How did you hear about Badfic? A friend had been asked to join and asked if I wanted to take a set of characters over that we had been looking to home together.



IC Information:

Character Name: Arthur || The Point Man
Name that appears on plaque: Arthur
Character Journal: elegantinmind
Canon: Inception
Point in Canon: Mid-film; arrives there after riding the kick down the layers.
Age: 29 (see below)
Birthday: None stated in canon, but I often use the actor's birthday, which is the 17th of February, 1981
Appearance: Arthur is around five foot ten inches, slender in general build, but carries broad shoulders that are decievingly stronger. Dark brown hair that looks black in certain light, chocolate-brown eyes, and dimples to die for. He might be considered handsome and built compactly, but he carries plenty of strength with him and stays in good health.

Arthur has a prominent scar on his lower abdomen just above his left hip where he was once stabbed, a knobble of scarred flesh on his upper left arm from a gunshot wound, plus other less significant scars from the army days littered here and there, and three tattoos, two of which are from his military days. One is across his upper back between his shoulder blades as an on-running joke amongst his peers, the second one is on the inside at the top of his right arm is an American flag with the names of friends he lost written into the stripes, and the third is an elegant scrawl of his mother's name just over his chest where his heart is placed.






Abilities:

Personality:
“Hmm Arthur; you’re still working with that stick-in-the-mud?”
“He is good at what he does, right?”
“Oh, he’s the best. But he has no imagination.”
“Not like you.”
-- Eames & Cobb

On the spectrum of right-brain/left-brain, Arthur is high up on the left-minded side of things. But as straitlaced as he appears, sticking to logic and following rules, both mind and body organised and orderly, he is able to surprise people on occasion. He prefers to stick to the plan, following it step by step with precision to the carefully acquired details, but even he knows that it isn’t always possible. When things go awry, he is able to act on his own initiative, improvising with what is available to him in any given situation, and is therefore able to reach the planned outcome even if it means taking a few unexpected risks and alternate routes. However, he is one to play things safe, to avoid risks at all costs, and because he’s good at analysing things, picking something apart and examining all of its pieces individually to understand how it works before looking at the bigger picture, he does usually manage to avoid hiccups along the way. So where some people might consider him to be a ‘stick-in-the-mud’ or as having ‘no imagination’, they cannot fault him for the methods in which he uses because he really does know what he’s doing, and even if he does work better with people to play off, he’s willing to admit it. But he should never be underestimated, because whatever he’s believed to be, he’s probably not, and he just might prove exactly what it is he’s capable of when he’s forced to.

Arthur is cool, calm and collected; someone that chooses logic over emotion, and who accepts reason before passion or instinct. He might not be able to read a person as easily as someone who relies on impulsive risk taking, who becomes involved in a situation and fails to rationalise, but he can read signs, see the patterns that unveil themselves, and he knows when it is and isn’t safe to remain in any one circumstance or when it’s time to get out immediately. But because he’s better at taking orders, at following those around him who come up with the bigger and brighter ideas, he goes with the flow of things and when they go wrong, turning sour in a way that he predicted and warned, he merely takes satisfaction in throwing a pointed look in the direction of the idiot who lead them into danger and nothing more. But unfortunately people tend to dismiss his caution and he’s the one then left to get them out of trouble. And because Arthur is so grounded in his beliefs and sense of reality, he’s the one keeping a close eye on Cobb’s disintegrating reality rather than paying attention to his own.

He is intelligent, able to adapt and adjust, even when he knows it’s not going to be an easy ride; he’s a realist, he knows that nothing comes without a price. But it isn’t the money that drives Arthur, it’s the wonder of it all, the fascination, and the unique challenges that the job offers. He’s good at keeping his emotions in line, always in full control of his every thought and action, but there are buttons that, if pressed, can momentarily reveal the quiet temper beneath. He is rarely prone to emotional outbursts, though he is only human at the end of the day, but he’s always willing to offer a piece of his mind, even if it does mean a meaningful glare or a powerful right hook. He is an active person, always ready and waiting for the next job, and not often stopping for breath. He doesn’t drag things out any longer than is necessary, never lingering once he’s done what he has to do, and always moving onwards and upwards. Anything less than won’t do, and if he feels that he isn’t pulling his weight, he soon rectifies it.

Contrary to popular belief, Arthur is good with people. He works well with people he can relate to, those who can keep up with his quick paced explanations and precise way of handling matters. He is subtle, has a dry sense of humour, and tends to look at everything with an unsurprised sense of understanding. He obsesses over details, examining every piece of the puzzle to figure out how it works and how best to fit everything together in order to make a complete plan of action, which is why he’s good at what he does. He might not be the one that comes up with the original idea where his profession is concerned, but he is the one who does the grunt work, putting time and effort into research and planning, checking every aspect thoroughly to ensure everything is in place.

”Inception. Is it possible?”
“Of course not.”
-- Saito & Arthur

It takes a lot to surprise Arthur, and even when something does cross his path that he doesn’t understand or believes impossible, it doesn’t take much for him to be persuaded into finding a way into it, though he will continually point out that it’s stupid and dangerous, and that it’s putting everyone involved at risk all the while providing you with facts and prior examples of why exactly it’s not a good idea. He thought inception to be impossible, being dragged into it with a skeptical view, but because of his loyalty and not wanting to pass up the chance to explore something new and fascinating he went along with it anyway against his better judgement.

Arthur is a man who has full control over his life, who knows what he believes to be right and wrong depending on the ever-changing circumstances he’s confronted with, and that accepts the world isn’t as black and white as people would like to think. Knowing his own mind is something that is needed in the dream-sharing business, being able to rely on himself completely to get through anything with a relative amount of success and to know who to trust and who to avoid. He’s aware of his own capabilities and has confidence in them, but he also knows when to ask questions and which ones will get him the information he needs. The world is a cruel place, full of intelligent people that know how to manipulate others into getting what they want, who would sell their own family down the river if it means they’ll gain something. But he can be just as cold and cruel when he needs to be; he might not always like it, but if it’s going to keep him alive and take the bad guys out then he knows that it’s a necessary measure. There aren’t many people who have remained in his profession for as long as he has and that’s because he knows how to cover his tracks, keeps his personal life and his work life as two separate entities so there’s no leverage available to entrap him.

And as much of a good guy as he is underneath it all, he is a morally ambiguous one, and no matter how he might seem there is always the loaded Glock carried about his person just in case it’s needed. Business is business, after all.



Relationships aren’t something we are able to see a lot of throughout the film, but the few insightful moments that we do witness are interesting to say the least and offer that little bit more of his personality. The friendship that he has with Cobb, for instance, is complex at best. The man walks him into dangerous situations on several separate occasions, purposely misleading him and the team, and despite Arthur’s better judgement he follows him blindly. This shows us that when he’s placed his faith and trust in someone he’s an incredibly loyal person, even when he perhaps shouldn’t be. There are things that Cobb has done that he seems to be oblivious about, but considering what Arthur does for the team and the journey he’s been on alongside his friend through thick and thin it’s safe to assume that, though he never outright admits it, he no doubt knows exactly what happened with Mal, especially since taking the pieces of the puzzle and working out how they fit together is what he does best. But this also leaves the thought that in order to get to where they are when we meet them, before Mal’s death, that they shared an experience together that based the grounds for their entire friendship, perhaps during the days when the military were using the technology of their business as a training program and they were both involved.

”What was she like in real life?”
”She was lovely.”
-- Ariadne & Arthur

The brief mentions of Mal as she was in life as opposed to being a shade of that strongly suggest that she and Arthur were close prior to her death, especially the way his tone of voice evidently softens when he speaks of her, and how he pauses, however briefly, and allows a sad, haunted glint to cross his eyes. He obviously knew her well and suffered a great loss as a result. And when she appears in the dream-state, the only betrayal is Cobb’s doing as it’s his subconscious that creates her, projecting her as she never was when she was alive, and because he has a firm grip on what’s real and what isn’t, he doesn’t hold it against the memory of her, though when he first notices the shade the tone he uses speaks volumes where both she and her husband are concerned.

”Your subconscious is looking for the dream: me. Quick, give me a kiss.”
“They’re still looking at us.”
“Yeah, it was worth a shot.”
-- Arthur & Ariadne

Ariadne is new to the business of dream-sharing, and though it is his job to know where everyone is and what they’re doing, he takes on the role of a mentor as he guides her into it, explaining everything that she needs to know and ensuring she’s on the right path with the ability she brings forward to the team. They are the youngest of the team, and whether or not that plays a part in how well they get on is questionable, but they appear to form an instant bond. She also brings out a side to Arthur that we don’t see when he interacts with anyone else, a more relaxed and patient side that makes him at easy, though this might be because she’s new to the extraction business and he doesn’t want to place too much pressure upon her, but they seem to have a playful and functional friendship.

”Eames, I am impressed.”
“Your condescension, as always, is much appreciated, Arthur, thank you.”
-- Arthur & Eames

”Security’s going to run you down hard.”
“And I will lead them on a merry chase.”
“Just be back before the kick.”
“Go to sleep, Mr Eames.”
-- Eames & Arthur

Arthur’s relationship with Eames is an interesting one, seeming to be a mixture of rivalry despite the fact they both work from different angles and meet in the middle, and a playfully teasing male friendship that somehow works and comes across more natural than any of the other relationships throughout the film. Despite the constant banter between them, always calling the other out on something, there’s always a smile in the mix that shows that even though they are serious when it comes to the work and each fight their corner, there’s no hard feelings at the end out of it. Eames is always making the point that Arthur doesn’t think big enough, that he sticks with what he knows when he could get the job done just the same, if not better, with something a little more out there. And while Eames clearly plays down his intelligence, Arthur is always the first to mock him whenever he says anything remotely useful, which, to his credit, helps the team get to where they’re going. Together, however, they make the perfect team; they play off of each other, both professionally and socially despite being from different sides of the spectrum, and though they’re capable of holding their own, it’s obvious that there’s a form of trust there between them, especially during the taxi shootout scene when they cover each other’s backs. In many ways they couldn’t be more different, but at the same time they’re not that dissimilar. And where Eames can remind Arthur that he is actually human beneath the hard exterior, Arthur can in turn remind Eames that he is in fact not invincible to the endless risks he takes. It’s a perfect way to keep each other grounded that little bit more when they need a reality check.

”If you can steal an idea, why can’t you plant one there instead?”
“Okay, this is me, planting an idea in your mind. I say: don’t think about elephants. What are you thinking about?”
“Elephants?”
“Right, but it’s not your idea. The dreamer can always remember the genesis of the idea. True inspiration is impossible to fake.”
-- Saito & Arthur

Saito and Arthur don’t interact that much with one another, but when they do Arthur is explaining the concept of what they do while Saito is challenging it and trying to push them to go further. They don’t not get along from what little we do see, but it’s unlikely that they would ever come to develop anything other than a professional relationship, and considering how serious Arthur does take his work and how powerful a business man Saito is, that is perhaps as much as either would be willing to try for.

”You couldn’t have peed before you went under?”
“Sorry.”
-- Arthur & Yusuf

”And you. You knew about this and went along with it?”
“I trusted him!”
“You trusted him. What, when he promised you half his share?”
“No, his whole share.”
-- Arthur & Yusuf

Again, Arthur doesn’t really interact that much with Yusuf, though we can assume that since Arthur takes care of what goes on with the PASIV and Yusuf being the one dealing with the sedative dosage, as well as the montage of clips we see of them testing out the kick working with the drug, it’s safe to say that the two of them were forced to work together. At the beginning of the first level, Arthur playfully teases Yusuf about the rain, though he doesn’t have as much of a reaction to it compared to when Eames throws a comment his way, but the two of them were acquainted beforehand whilst this is the first time Arthur has worked with the chemist. However, as much as their friendship seems to be along the lines of boys-will-be-boys, there’s obvious not as much trust there as there is with other characters, and when Yusuf admits to having known about Cobb’s plan and the risk they were taking while keeping the others in the dark so he could gain from it, Arthur’s reaction proves it because he realised straight away what had happened and he didn’t seem that shocked over it. On a personal level it seems somewhat unlikely that the two would get on in any other situation, but they do have a pretty good working relationship; perhaps if they had the chance to form some sort of mutual trust they could become good friends, but it does appear that Arthur, not one for being irrational and allow emotions to get in the way of things, struggles to trust others, though it’s clear that when he does he’s as loyal as they come.

Strengths:
➞ Logical
➞ Intelligent
➞ Strong
➞ Well-organised
➞ Loyal
➞ Independant
➞ Observant
➞ Passionate
➞ Honest
➞ Well-rounded
➞ Adaptive

Weaknesses:
➞ Skeptical
➞ Defensive
➞ Imperfect
➞ Cynical

History:
Arthur is somewhat of a mysterious character, as he was intended to be, and therefore there is little known about him bar what we witness during the film. But there is enough information provided throughout to fit a few pieces of the puzzle together and presume what aspects of his life were like prior to the point of entry should it ever be brought into question.

As Point Man, Arthur is in charge of doing the research, gathering intelligence, and taking care of the details. While other members of the team are involved with more focused areas of the job, Arthur oversees everything, and helps to piece things together to form a plan of action that will work not only in theory but in practice, which makes the role that he plays vital. He encourages the team, pointing out flaws and discussing options, as well as allowing the others to work to their full potential and keeping everyone on schedule in order to get the job done. But, as fellow colleagues point out, he does seem to lack imagination when it comes to some things, sticking to what he knows and trying to maintain a low-risk route to success wherever possible, which has gained him a reputation for being a ‘stick in the mud’.

Whilst working a job, Arthur is professional, organised, and focused. Whenever things don’t go to plan he is easily angered, addressing the people who are at fault as he does with Nash for getting the carpet wrong and Cobb for bringing Mal into the dreamstate during the Extraction job where he’s introduced – he isn’t afraid to speak his mind when it’s required. He is a perfectionist when it comes to detail, though when things do go wrong he’s a good improviser, always finding a calm and collected way of meeting the desired goal, and is good under pressure, which begs the question of whether or not he does lack a more creative and imaginative way of approaching things, or if he simply prefers to leave that to the others whilst ensuring that no one goes overboard, controlling the situation and trying to keep a balance. And, as we see on a few occasions, Arthur isn’t shy of taking out a notebook and scribbling down notes, nor is he afraid to ask questions when he’s unsure of something in order to grasp a better understanding of things – he might take pride in the work that he does, but he’s willing to admit that he doesn’t know everything there is to know, though he does try hard to ensure that he does.

As emotionless and robotic as Arthur may sometimes appear, he does have a lighter, more compassionate side when the job isn’t taking over that is often overlooked. The sarcastic banter with Eames, for example, shows that he does have a playful side, albeit with dry humour, and he does know how to have fun – this could also be said for stealing the kiss from Ariadne under false yet not malicious pretences – an everyday cheeky chap. He also shows a caring side when asking Cobb if he’s all right after the experience with Mal during the Extraction job and doesn’t have his mind solely on the work, though realising the boundaries of their friendship he doesn’t push the subject, as well as asking Eames if he’s okay after being shot at in the taxi and taking care of Saito’s gunshot wound. There is also the fact that he consoles Ariadne after dying in a dream and the sadness that he expresses when explaining the Mal situation. Put into a normal, everyday and risk-free environment, Arthur has the potential to be a sociable character, though it does seem likely that he would spend some of his own time doing research with the dream-sharing technology as he’s driven by its fascinating nature and the wonder of it.

There are many qualities of Arthur’s character that, though not stated one way or the other, could be speculated upon as to whether or not he was once in the military. The title of his role is something that would be given to a solider, for instance, and the way in which he holds himself, the fact that he’s not only physically fit but that he’s able to go into combat without gravity and win against several security members that attack him, as well as handling the shooting scene in the taxi and the choice of gun that he uses whilst taking down assassins surrounding the warehouse, which has a connection to the US military. Putting this together with the fact that he’s good at taking orders, and even when he does stop to question them, he ultimately carries them out in the end – that he does openly object to ideas and doubt some directives could imply that he wasn’t low in rank. On top of following orders, he prefers to stick to set rules and almost seems unsettled when things interfere with that. Also, the way he dresses, even when more casually so, he’s neat and immaculate in appearance, and when seen wearing an outdoor coat it’s that of a military style. The dream-sharing device was, after all, used originally by the army to train soldiers in authentic battlefield conditions, and Arthur, who happens to be the one to explain the military connection, had to have come by the technology somehow.

But despite the holes in Arthur’s life story, past and present, there’s a general understanding of his character, enough to build on, and, assuming that he would cease to continue working Extraction and Inception jobs to the extent that the team had been due to Cobb’s retirement, he would be left to rediscover himself away from that and start over.

(Outside of what we do know from the film itself, and what we are able to speculate on, I do have my own headcanon for Arthur, nothing too far-fetched from the facts, but enough to fill in some of the blanks should it ever come into question. This, although it isn't yet done, will be typed up and posted in his journal with an easy access link once I am able to find the time to do this properly.)

First Person Sample:
[ A groan fills in the room and following that the sound of someone jumping up suddenly with alarm, the metallic noise of a gun being cocked audible. Something hard hits a surface and rolls for a short time. ] Reality. Great. Who the fuck's after us this time?

[ The rattle of a doorknob turning carries around the area and the creak of the door opening. ] Whoever you are, whatever you want, I'm sure we can come to an arrangement. Make a deal. What do you say? You located me and managed to drag me here, so you're obviously smart. You want intel? Let's discuss matters and see what we can settle here.

Third Person Sample:
The biggest job ever known in the dreaming-sharing business is officially over, a successful outcome that leaves further cases with a lot to be desired, and all there is now is to reap the rewards and figure out what the next move is.

Arthur is drinking coffee in the back corner of a busy café while he waits, hidden from view because the habit of taking caution is so deeply embedded, the quality not something he would ever wish to experience again, and the din surrounding him is giving him a headache. Ariadne is late, but he’s a patient man when he needs to be. But the thing is that he doesn’t really know why he’s here at all, the money from inception something impressive, but not something that he can’t wait for. He would collect it from Cobb himself, but while he continues to claim he wants out of the business he wants everyone to keep a low profile for a while, which means not drawing attention to themselves by being seen together.

The chair pulls out from across the table, but when Arthur looks up it isn’t Ariadne that he’s faced with.

“Hello, darling,” Eames says with that infuriatingly cheesy grin that Arthur assumes is supposed to be endearing. “I bet I’m the last person that you expected to see again so soon, mmm?”

“What the hell are you doing here, Eames? I’m supposed to be meeting—“

“Ariadne sends her apologies, love, but it looks like you’ll have to make do with me. Are you drinking that?” Without waiting for an answer, Eames reaches across and snatches up the coffee cup.

Arthur glares across the short distance, leaning closer over the table top, and lowering his voice when he next speaks, the familiar rush of being confronted with this man making his heart race and his blood boil, and out comes the usual bravado that makes everyone question whether they hate each other or love each other.

“Hand over what I’m owed, Mr Eames, I have better things to be doing.”

“That so? Well, in that case, you’re gonna have to work for it.”

And with that, Eames gets up, drops some money onto the table to pay for the coffee neither of them finishes, and heads off. Arthur sits there, exasperated, and then he gets up and follows. He never could resist a chase.

Links: Inception Wikia

Notes: Arthur appears as very well-organised and well-rounded on the job, confident but not to the point of arrogant, not afraid to ask questions and point out flaws. But there is very little we really know about what he's like outside of that environment, and therefore I have my very own headcanon and will often use it to fill in the blanks. He isn't quite as full of himself or as cold as he might make himself appear at times, not once the trust is gained and the walls start to come down.

Bonus: