Joseph Noah Samson

Joseph Noah Samson is the son of evangelical preacher Michael Samson and former candidate for Texas' 1st Congressional District. After his metahuman abilities manifested, Joseph declared himself the "vessel of divine justice", adopting the moniker of Child of God.

History

Early Life

Joseph Noah Samson was born on the 17th of August, 1971, to Michael Samson and Regina O'Malley. Michael Samson was a well-known evangelical preacher in North Texas, who would later become one of the most well-recognized faces in televangelism. Joseph was the only child Michael would have with Regina, as less than two years after Joseph's birth, his mother Regina would pass away under mysterious circumstances. An investigation would find no foul play, though these findings would later come under scrutiny after Michael married Angela Reeves, the lead on the investigation.
Growing up as the eldest child in a highly religious household, Joseph was saddled with all sorts of responsibilities. His father had expectations of the young boy, believing that Joseph will carry on the work he started after he's gone. To that end, his childhood was essentially replaced with bible readings, religious studies, and (after his father married his second wife) childcare. By the time he was nine, he was already helping his dad and step-mother raise their children, and when he left to attend college, he would regularly return home to help ease the burden on his parents. By the time he graduated college, he was the eldest of seventeen kids across four mothers.
Joseph attended the University of Juarez in Chihuahua, pursuing a degree in theology and biblical studies. As with the rest of his upbringing, his time in college was intended to prepare him to succeed his father and help spread the gospel to a new generation. Unfortunately for his father's grand plans, Joseph was expelled from the university following an altercation that turned violent. During a student protest on the University of Juarez's campus, Joseph was among the counter-protestors verbally harassing the students. When a young woman attempted to direct them away from the protest, Joseph got violent, assaulting the woman and two other students who came to her aid. He was arrested and charged with assault, though his father was able to settle the matter out of court.

Politics to Powersets

In 2016, Joseph entered the race for Texas' 1st Congressional District seat as a Republican. His candidacy was heavily criticized, both for his connections to far-right evangelical organizations through his father and for his assault charges. Despite heavy pushback from members of his campaign team, he doubled down on the more contentious aspects of his campaign. He would go on to lose the primary, having only received 16% of the vote. In 2018, he entered the race again, only to lose even worse, earning only 9% of the vote.
Shortly after his second failed campaign, when attending church with his family, Joseph experienced an awakening. His powers manifested suddenly, though it wouldn't be until after the service that his newfound abilities would be discovered. When pulling open the front doors of the church, both doors were ripped from their hinges, leaving the assembled crowd shocked and confused. His father, seeing a golden opportunity, attributed Joseph's newfound strength to God, and specifically, to his own sermons. It was through Joseph's devotion to the faith, his father argued, that God had granted him strength to carry the burdens of the faithful.
Over the next few months, Joseph and his father Michael would work to transform his development into a boon for the church. Chief among them was the creation of a new identity, one designed to spread the word of God. To that end, Michael's fourth wife, former stage actress Rebecca Velázquez, helped create the identity of Child of God, a hero "chosen by God to be a vessel for His divine justice".