Real Name: Nicole ‘Nikki’ Cho
Alignment: Hero
Faction: Scarab Corps
Nicole ‘Nikki’ Cho hated injustice. She saw it everywhere as she grew up, and it saddened and angered her in equal measure. Empire City was awash with criminality. It impacted most those least able to protect themselves despite the best efforts of its superheroes. The city simply attracted or fostered a blight that seemed unstoppable.
Nikki had considered becoming a cop first, then a lawyer. Her parents had approved of the latter prospect but were then shocked when she chose to become a social worker. Nikki wanted to make a difference and she thought it would be the best route to do so. What she saw first-hand only strengthened her resolve that more could be done.
She ran an inner-city program to help kids whose lives were blighted by gang culture, something that had worsened as the various groups adopted masks and colorful street names emulating the supervillains on the news daily.
It was the program that caused Nikki’s path to cross the Blue Scarab’s. This was a woman who was tough but who had empathy for those who could be enabled to change their lives by the right support. Nikki felt inspired.
Nikki quickly put together a costume, not even thinking about the persona she would adopt, determined to do something more. She thought she could start a movement like the Guardian Angels, but her first night out almost ended in tragedy.
Nikki decided to patrol where she knew the hardened gang members operated, those souls too lost to accept another way. She would let them know that even if the cops were not watching them, someone was, someone who knew their world.
On her first night Nikki found two of them rousting a hapless local for cash. Breathing in deeply and steeling her nerves Nikki was determined that by making them aware they were being watched and recorded on her cell phone they could back down. She had gravely miscalculated.
Nikki woke up in hospital, with two stab wounds to her stomach. She recalled little of what had happened, but she was lucky to be alive. As she came too, she saw a figure step from the shadows. It was the Blue Scarab! The hero explained she had learned about what had happened and offered Nikki a chance to make the difference she sought. Nikki accepted immediately.
After her recovery and discharge from hospital, Nikki met Dr Coleen Franz who offered her a modified version of what she explained was the Scarab Serum. Coleen explained the effects would be unpredictable, but that did not deter Nikki. Days later the serum’s effects were stabilized and NIkki’s powers were apparent – she could enter the thoughts of others, as well as having limited superhuman strength like Blue Scarab, and even had a degree of psychokinesis. Outfitted with an armored costume Nikki became the White Scarab and joined the Scarab Corps!
“I am not sure what you think you had in mind punk, but I know that I have your mind now!”
White Scarab – Tales of the Scarab Corps #5