Gabriel Flanagan

Gabriel Ringo Flanagan (Born February 6th, 2041) is an American boxing trainer and vigilante who operates in Gotham City as the vigilante Wildcat.

Childhood
Gabriel's father is a renowned geneticist turned mad scientist who loved cats. Scratch that, he was obsessed with them; their form, their grace, their hunting style and their strength. He was so obsessed, he tried to create human/feline hybrids but the test tube conditions just weren't right. Eventually, when he found out his wife was with child, he took advantage of her unconscious body and experimented on the embryo. This apparently worked as Gabriel was born like a mix of a baby and a cub.

When her husband was preoccupied, Mary didn't want her son experimented on any more so she took him and legged it back home to the Irish American district of Gotham; Snowside. There she stayed with her sister, Vivienne and continued to work as a seamstress to support the bills. When Gabriel said his first words, she came to terms fully of him being her son and a human being, educating him from home. When he was 8, he came across his ability to absorb DNA when he hunted down a rat that had infiltrated the apartment. When his mother found out, she hugged him in hopes of giving him a human form. She succeeded but consoled him when it faded after two hours. During that time, Mary met her second husband, Rory who, whilst unsure at first, grew to care for Gabriel although they do get into spats every so often, usually when he comes back home from patrolling with cuts and sprains.

Meeting Ted Grant
As Gabriel grew up, he became more adventurous, allowed to go outside the flat. One evening, when he was returning home, he noticed some False Facers mugging a couple. He tried to intervene but got stabbed through the hand. As he stumbled, he was saved by Tom, the acting Wildcat at the time. He was taken to the gym to get patched up and, whilst he thought no one was looking, he went back to his true form. He was spotted by Ted Grant, still in good health but older, who persuaded him to stay. The next day, he took up an offer to get taught boxing and other techniques from Tom and Ted so that he wouldn't be in that situation again. Over the years, Gabriel became a known regular at the gym, taking medals in local boxing heavyweight tournaments as he grew stronger

The Wildcat
Eventually, after stopping a robbery at the local pub, he asked Tom if he could join him on patrols. Eventually, Tom agreed. For a year, Gabriel went under the name Battle Puma until the battle against the returned villain, King Inferno. The old man could not beat the duo so, in spite, gave him the same curse he gave Ted decades ago. In order to save him, Tom contacted Zatanna who managed to change the curse into the Nine lives Spell, saving Gabriel's life. Tom, whilst being a werepanther, still faced the ravages of time so, 6 months ago, he retired as an active hero, giving the mantle back to Ted, who gave it to Gabriel. Now, as a part-time personal trainer at the Wildcat gym and the new brawling alley-cat, Gabriel wants to clean up Gotham's streets and do his mother, Tom and Mr Grant proud.

As of this moment, he has taken to training other heroes including Bunker.

Powers and Abilities
1) Enhanced feline strength, dexterity and senses, capable of lifting up to 1 tonne.

2) Can absorb the DNA of other species to become hybrids

3) The Nine Lives spell: A curse placed on him that will give him nine lives per lunar cycle and, like his predecessor, will slow down the aging process.

Skills
Gabriel is a great boxer in the making, but he's also got some knowledge of Capoiera and Muay-thai.

He's good at swimming

lifting heavy stuff, a decent acrobat, is an instinctive tracker and can speak and read Irish gaelic and German. He's also the designated first-aider at the gym.

What he is reluctant to admit is that he's a decent outfit designer, is a decent ballroom dancer, can sing and loves cooking, especially desserts.