General James Ironwood
General | Secretary of Defense | Headmaster of Atlas Academy | Military Genius | Grimm Slayer | The Paladin
James Ironwood is -THE- General of the Atlas Military, he is the single man who coordinates military Operations across the world and has overseen some of the most challenging years of peace since the Faunus Liberation War. Constantly at war with the Grimm, leading a complex, long and bloody war that has lasted decades against the beasts, losing Friends, loved ones and more time and time again.
James is often one of the most reasonable voices in the room, controlling the increasingly greedy and self-interested Atlassian Noble Class and ensuring the money always gets to the right places. Contending overwhelming corporate control from the Schnee Dust Company, which is so powerful, It is what placed Ironwood in his vast seat of power. Carrying the load of the two most singerly important seats on the Council, ironwood has been playing a desperate arms race against the Grimm while also having to publically maintain everything is under control for the sake of preventing panic.
He has been placed in the position of making impossibly hard decisions that Ozpin himself could not bear to make if the load wasn't heavy enough. Ironwood is also tasked with trying to keep the entire country of Atlas together while also fighting a cold war against Whitecliffe against what he sees as a threat to peace everywhere. Fighting a complicated, long and seemingly endless war against Covert Action and of course Terrorism itself.
Despite suffering loss after loss, he has managed to keep the Atlas Military more or less focused and generally a force for good, even if in recent years the weight of all the death and fear has begun getting to him, leading to the critical mistakes at the Battle of Beacon and eventually his growing habit of attaining total and absolute control for the sake of protecting everyone and everything, unwilling to let go of a single inch.
James has few true friends, No family, no lover and a little outside of his work. All he has is the mission, the fight that must always be fought and he will fight that fight, whether you want it or not.
Commanding Style and History
While Ironwood is in no special way intelligent or cunning compared to other military leaders. He is rigidly prepared. Refusing to be taken by surprise which only was reinforced after the Queen Virus Ravaged his robotic armies during the Fall of Beacon. He has a long and sorted history with Faunus Activists, fighting on the side of Atlas but not actually possessing any hatred for Faunus, even recruiting them in his armies. As a result, he has a sort of mixed history while being very successful in many fields. Ironwood has a problem with Trust, this means his CO Staff is bare bones, and a few Generals control a wide variety of things through their own personal circles of Lieutenants and Captains or other COs. Ironwood is often thought of as generally a little over-eager when it comes to embracing new technologies, namely over the Atlas Paladins replacing Tank Corps. Mechs aren't thought of as a viable replacement for Tanks but rather a good addition but in Ironwood's Armies, Mechs are treated as replacements, hampering overall effectiveness and failing to recognise this. Under his tenure, the Atlas Military has done away with ridiculous uniforms and is the leading reason why the uniforms are so slick. Another thing he's criticised for is making his army uncamouflaged and giving them a Monochrome with colour streaks look. While it gives the soldiers a striking image, it does make them easier to kill in environments without snow. He is also the one to advance Atlas Robotics, thanks to his funding and his grants. Atlas Robotics rapidly progressed allowing for Androids, Atlas Knight-200s and Paladins to be made. He also implemented the Lance Cannons onto Atlas Airships enabling them to demolish Grimm from the air with pin point precision. Despite having a less than optimal set up, the Atlas Military under his guidance has been more or less successful in the majority of their operations which is a fair improvement from the military that existed before him. This is thanks to the good use of assets and his Specialist Programme that drastically increases the odds of mission success.Physical Description
General Physical Condition
James is a highly Muscular man with most of his body being some form of Cybernetic. He is in great physical shape with an intense workout regime to keep his body in perfect fighting condition.
Special abilities
Ironwood has a special Semblance named Mettle, its a Passive semblance.
This Semblance allows Ironwood to continue in the face of incredible adversity and Strife. This allows Ironwood to make the hard decisions he does, however, there is a weakness to this semblance. The more he depends upon it, the less Humane he could end up acting. Meaning that should he not receive any support or psychological treatment. He will lose the ability to empathise properly and begin developing sociopathic tendencies.
This has been a problem in the past, when fighting in the Faunus Liberation War, he depended heavily upon his Semblances while he lost his friends and loved ones fighting the F.L.R and it ended up in him nearly losing himself by the end of the war, but Glynda intervened.
Apparel & Accessories
Ironwood normally wears Dress Uniforms, unlike many COs, ironwood doesn't like wearing his medals. He doesn't like feeling that he's inherently better then his men, despite the cult of personality around him.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
James came from a Middle-Class Neighbourhood in Atlas city where he signed up for Atlas Academy and became a Specialist. From there he fought in the Fuanus Liberation War where his master-class strategies and tactics shot him up the ranks and eventually became headmaster and Secretary of Defence. After that, he fought many smaller-scale conflicts including campaigns against Terrorism and against Whitecliffe covertly.
By the time he is seen in Volume 2, He is a well-seasoned and deeply well respected Military Leader who is capable of making difficult decisions in difficult binds yet it did not save him from the Blunder that was the Battle of Beacon which saw many people killed and the reputation of his Country gutted. He was still seen as a capable leader but he had lost favour with some of his generals like General Gold.
By Volume 4, 2 whole years leader. Ironwood is pretty much the main leader of a shrunken Council that has lost many members through corruption scandals and votes of no confidence, putting the keys of power in fewer and fewer hands only making his double positions within the council ever more problematic. he also has developed a growing authoritarian tendency over the years, worsening the most in the last two since Beacon.
Mental Trauma
To say this man has troubles is understating it. War breaks even the noblest and stalwart soldiers with time and Ironwood is a man who has been deeply twisted by endless war for his entire life. He is extremely lonely and spares very little thought for self-preservation and care. Damaging his psychological stability. His recent failures have shaken him deeply and believe that only by amassing more control, can he make everyone act the right way and fight back against the Grimm.
He also has deep trust issues, as seen in volumes 2-3, he categorically fails to trust anyone but himself to his detriment, undermining Ozpin and leaving them all open to attack unwittingly through the Queen Virus. After the battle, this trust issue became state policy, has Atlas struggled to maintain any level of trust or openness with anyone, even Vale.
Morality & Philosophy
Many believe Ironwood to be a Malicious tyrant waiting to happen but the current state of Ironwood's politics is due to a deeply unfortunate misunderstanding. Ironwood is a man who has been betrayed many times and lost many things, making his ability to trust extremely limited and tainting his outlook on rights, believing them to be more privileges and luxuries afforded in times of peace and could and should be removed in times of great need for the greater good.
Ironwood is deeply determined to protect Atlas at all costs and will not afford the Grimm any chances if he can help it. He would even give his life and the lives of every single soldier under his command just to save one more civilian. In his view, the military's only purpose is to serve and protect, their lives are inherently forfeit with all deaths being seen as a great sacrifice. That said he still doesn't hate self-expression, finding Ruby Rose deeply impressive and a strong person who only believes her assistance in the common good is an unfortunate weakness that keeps her from making the right decisions when they're most needed.
He seeks a day and age where men like him are no longer needed, expressing this in his desire to automate defences, wishing that everyone could just go about their lives and not fear the shadow of the Grimm any longer and will do anything and everything to see that dream come true. He cannot be budged from his position, he believes so totally in his ideology that no discovery, no obstruction will make him run.
He stands and he stands firm, like an immovable wall.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
To say Ironwood is a man of pure and absolute conviction. After the Faunus Liberation War, his ambition was replaced by near-obsessive devotion to protecting all of Remnant. Most of all Atlas is his sole priority for obvious reasons, even causing him to overlook the actual cities below him, Mantle and all of the settlements throughout the Kingdom including the sister nation, Whitecliffe.
James Ironwood is dead certain that Salem can and will obliterate Humanity unless he can do something about it. No Sacrifice to great, Duty First.
Social
Contacts & Relations
James has a very small social circle that pretty much keeps to Ozpin, Glynda Goodwitch and Winter Schnee with others having a distant relationship with him. He's often considered aloof and a man of few words to other socialites and dignitaries. He has a strictly professional and intense relationship with Jacuq, the two men have worked together many times but in recent times this relationship has been strained if not destined to be broken.
Family Ties
His mother died during the war and his Father, Austin Ironwood became drunken and lost as a result. James doesn't speak to or about his father much, believing he is a distraction. However, a small section of his earnings still goes to his dad. Still love him deep down and hope one day he finds his way. James once did have a lover, Lieutenant Cera Wyndell who served with him her entire career and was unfortunately shot by a Sniper during the battle of Cadia.
Despite his closeness with Winter, he has not had a lover since.
Religious Views
James was raised as an Edenite and partook in regular church meetings every Sunday as a kid but since the war, he's been only a faithful follower of the church. He sometimes goes every so often, only to pray for guidance and Strength. That said he's mostly a moderate believer and isn't into preaching or shoving beliefs down anyone's throats.
Social Aptitude
James is an apt leader and is able to come off as quite kind and soft-hearted when he wants to but is often cited as a very uncommon individual. He has little care for high society and its detached ramblings about hair, money and dumb first-world problems. He is well-liked by most military officials who perceive him almost as a fatherly figure who wishes to protect them. Everyone credits him for his ability to stay calm in all situations even when upset...even if that isn't always exactly true.
Wealth & Financial state
Ironwood has amassed quite a bit of wealth within his career, though he has turned against it after the Battle of Beacon, believing that all the money weakened him against Jacque Schnee and distracted him from his absolute quest. As much, much of his spare wealth is now being used exclusively for military projects and investments. He hasn't taken an holiday since and it has been some cause for concern.
"Sometimes I feel like the most Tired man in the world..."
IdeologyBenevolent Authoritarian
Role
Anti-Villain (Well Meaning Villian)
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Current Status
Active
Species
Ethnicity
Professions
Children
Pronouns
He/Him
Sex
Male
Eyes
Icy Blue
Hair
Raven Black with white Streaks
Height
6'2
Belief/Deity
Edenite
Aligned Organization
Ruled Locations
Comments