Application @ quantum_slide.

[pointofspecificity]

PLAYER
NAME: Emma
AGE: 25
PERSONAL LJ: xrainbowcloud
TIMEZONE: GMT
CONTACT INFORMATION:
[E-mail]: rebelledagainstheaven[at]gmail[dot]com
[AIM]: CaptainVabranium
[Plurk]: specificity

PLEASE LIST ANY CHARACTERS YOU CURRENTLY PLAY IN QS:
Alice Cullen
Angel Salvadore
Brian Kinney
Charles Xavier
Howard Stark
John Watson
Katniss Everdeen
Steve Rogers


CHARACTER

NAME: Arthur
AGE: Unknown (I base my headcanon on the age of the actor at the time of the film, which is 29.)
CANON: Inception
CANON TYPE: Movie

BACKGROUND: Inception Wikia

CANON POINT: Mid-film

WORLD INFORMATION: The world of Inception is based in the world that we all know in reality, but with the exception that technology in some respects is far more advanced. Dream-sharing is still very much an underground thing with very few people outside of the military training program aware of its existence. But there are some, like Arthur and the team, who fall into this world and build a career on it while others hire their services, usually very big and powerful people who can afford to buy information, and use them in order to gather intelligence on business competitors. Or, in the case of inception, to plant an idea to manipulate them into taking their business in a certain direction to ensure the safety of the future for their own. We can assume that other matters are also used when it comes to extraction, and that none of them are ever exactly legal.

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 straight-laced 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 and fill in the areas his way of thinking overlooks at times, 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 sceptical view, but because of his loyalty and not wanting to pass up the chance to explore something new and fascinating he goes 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, and he very rarely leaves anything to chance unless there is no other option. 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 ease, 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 that's fresh and not yet tainted by the world in which they work.

”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 shoot-out 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 while taking a few of his own along the way so subtly that they get overlooked. 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. Arthur may see the shades of grey, but unless it's a trusting move it seems unlikely that he would be foolish enough by his own definition of the word to mix business with pleasure without good reason.

”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, although 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 formula, 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, his dry and sarcastic humour slipping out as it does, 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 obviously 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 in their line of work in or around that, though it’s clear that when he does he’s as loyal as they come.

POWERS / ABILITIES:
• Dreams: He is fully trained to infiltrate the human subconscious with the use of the dream-sharing technology.
• Combat: He is highly trained in hand-to-hand combat and shows the use of initiation and improvisation, which helps him to take anyone down who happens to cross his path at the wrong time without the need for weapons or back-up.
• Weaponry: He proves to have adequate skills when it comes to weapons, particularly firearms that range from a basic handgun or pistol to a sniper rifle, and is no doubt familiar with the basics of others. Considering the model of weapons he uses and the way in which he holds and conducts himself on the job it is safe to say that he has a military background of some sort – this could also explain how he came to be involved with the dream-share technology.
• Intellect: He is able to think fast in the most stressful situations, always remaining calm and collected, and managing to successfully solve problems under pressure. As the team’s Point Man, he is left to take the original idea and make it into something that will work, structuring an outline and filling in the details with intense research in order to produce a plan that will work with little to no error, and because he uses logic above all else he’s able to judge easily whether or not something is going to work, even if it is just in theory. If he makes an error in judgement or makes a mistake, he’s the first to admit to it and rectify the situation. Despite the fact that the others create the big ideas, he’s the one that brings everything together, that makes it work by going over everything with a fine comb, and without him the team would be lost.

In reality, Arthur is an average, every day human being and is only capable of doing what is physically possible within the basic human limits with no superhuman or supernatural powers. However, in the dream world where his organised mind proves most useful and the laws of physics don’t always apply, it’s always best to watch your back, especially if he’s been working away at the Penrose Stairs again.

SAMPLES

FIRST PERSON:
[ Arthur's eyes flicker as he wakes up, disorientated, and the ghost of being drenched and frozen to the core lingers. But before he opens them properly, he focuses his thoughts, goes through everything quietly in his mind to put it all in order.

The inception job. Did it work? He should be lying back in the seat of the plane. But then he realises that there is no sound of an engine, the slight buzzing noise he gets in his ears from being up so high in the air.

His eyes open sharply, body looking as relaxed as before he came to his senses, but he is ready for action if he needs to be. But it's not necessary. He's sitting back in a cinema seat, the room alight and the curtains drawn. ]

What the fuck? [ He gets up, goes in search of life, and makes his way outside. He looks calm and collected, expression giving little away. He checks his totem. Unless it's been compromised, this is very much reality. ] But it can't be.

I swear, Eames, if you drugged me again as a practical joke I'm laughing on the inside. [ The street is quiet, and he finds a wall to try and retry his totem. ] There goes my plan to go home and check in with everyone. Here's to exploring. [ He makes a face, hand ghosting over where his gun really should be. ] It looks like I'm on my own with this. I wonder if there's a coffee house near here.

THIRD PERSON: An example of how your character would post in the Quantum Slide Logs community. Posts should be written in the past tense and should take the form of prose. In this section we would like to see a demonstration of how your character thinks, as well as what motivates them and how their personality affects the way they think. This sample can be as long as you would like, but should be a minimum of 250 words.

Please note that we do not accept links of posts from other games as samples.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your character that hasn't been covered in another part of the app?