BABEL
A seemingly ordinary man transformed by extraordinary power, Eliot Weiss appears unremarkable until he speaks. When Babel unleashes his abilities, his eyes burn with intense golden energy, and his mouth stretches unnaturally wide, revealing what some witnesses describe as "geometries that shouldn't exist." Faint yellow-orange fracture patterns spread across his face when he channels his abilities at full strength, making it appear as though his very skin is cracking under the pressure of the impossible language he speaks. The specialized headphones he wears aren't to enhance his power but serve as a crucial failsafe to prevent accidental activation when he's not in combat. Years of using his disruptive speech have taken a physical toll, with signs of premature aging evident in his face—the literal and figurative weight of words etched into his features. When Babel speaks in his power voice, the air around him seems to distort, and those nearby report seeing fragmented symbols and incomprehensible writing floating momentarily in the space between speaker and listener. Before unleashing his full power, he whispers his warning catchphrase with genuine concern: "Cover your ears. This will hurt."
CHARACTER FACTS
Backstory:
Eliot Weiss was once a brilliant linguistics professor whose academic career focused on ancient texts rumored to contain "words of power"—linguistic patterns theorized to affect human consciousness in specific ways. Colleagues dismissed his research as pseudoscience, but Eliot persisted, convinced that certain phonetic patterns could directly impact neurological processes. His obsession led him to an obscure archaeological site where he discovered a previously untranslated manuscript containing symbols unlike any known writing system. While attempting to pronounce the phonetic patterns transcribed in the margins, Eliot experienced a seizure that lasted three days. When he finally regained consciousness, doctors were baffled by dramatic changes in his brain activity. Eliot soon discovered that the structure of his brain had been fundamentally altered, allowing him to speak in patterns that directly disrupt cognitive functions in others. His first uncontrolled outburst in the hospital caused an entire ward to experience mass hallucinations and temporary aphasia. Horrified by what he had become yet fascinated from an academic perspective, Eliot isolated himself to study and control his abilities. After months of careful practice, he emerged as Babel, using his power selectively against those who abuse power. Though he now fights on the side of justice, he remains deeply conflicted about his abilities, knowing that extended exposure to his disruptive speech can cause lasting psychological trauma. This ethical burden has led him to develop a graduated system where he uses different "intensities" of his ability based on the threat level he faces.
Abilities:
- Cognitive Disruption Speech - Speaks in patterns that directly interfere with neural processes
- Thought Scrambling - Words create confusion and disorientation in listeners
- Power Neutralization - Speech interferes with concentration needed for other metahumans to use abilities
- Frequency Modulation - Can target specific individuals in a crowd by changing vocal patterns
- Psychic Resistance - Partial immunity to mind control and telepathic attacks
First Appearance:
Sage Comics #3 (2025)
Relationships:
Unwittingly helped translate code that led to Babel's discovery of the ancient text containing words of power.
Helps translate ancient botanical texts with linguistically unusual properties that supplement his research.
Object of mutual fascination as Babel's linguistic patterns seem to transcend normal time, similar to Recursion's quantum existence.
Shares research on cognitive influences, as her telepathic abilities offer insight into how his linguistic patterns affect minds.