#and then you know Zipp explains that he wants to be able to come out on his own terms and shares his worries

[eggos-gifs-and-co]

Prince Zipp!!! ✨️

☁️.☁️.☁️.X.☁️.💙.☁️.X.☁️.☁️.☁️.

[hidiingplace]

TODD HEADCANON + FOX VIGILANTE OUTFIT

general. okay i’ve been wanting to do this HC for AWHILE now but I’ve only recently found the perfect recourses for his fox-suit revamp. I’m going to break this post down by each picture/equipment and talk about the properties of each peice and then I’m going to talk about the functionality of the suit overall. HERE WE GOOO.

mask. okay so there are TWO fox mask pictures, but thats because one appeals the the shading aspect and the other refers to the shape of the mask. The first (far left) mask is a perfect example of the colour and shading on the mask. Distinct black ears, white trim, darkened eye holes. however the second mask (far right) is a more accurate shape. Because The Fox’s abilities are rooted in speed, it’s important that his ears are not massive and able to catch wind. even though he’s magical and it doesn’t really make a huge difference, it would be a nuisance to constantly have your head pulled at by the wind catching the ears of your mask.

logo. the middle picture at the top is the Fox’s logo. Originally he didn’t have a logo at all, but when people in NYC started showing their support by slapping a specific fox tag everywhere with his slogan ‘I ain’t no hero’ all over the place, he kind of leaned into it. The logo sits in the centre of his back.

claws. the Fox has very sharp claws, which are technically his only TRUE weapon. The Fox does not use knives or batons or anything, but it doesn’t make him any less deadly. The claws are sharp enough that he can cut glass enough to weaken it, slice through thinner metal, and definitely slice through flesh. it’s important to note that the Fox HAS killed people before, whether it was accidental or purposeful the public doesn’t really know 👀

necklace. The Fox’s necklace is the ONLY thing that Todd and the Fox share entirely. Tehy share aspects of one another, but the necklace is really the only thing that does not change AT ALL from his life as the Fox and his life as Todd. This necklace is the beacon through which The Fox and Zipp’s magic resides –– similar to that of a genie and it’s lamp. The Necklace is the only thing that Zipp’s illusion magic cannot affect, and thus it is something that if you are up close with The Fox, you may recognize. However, the Fox does an excellent job of wearing high collared suits that help hide the necklace pendant from view. but every hero makes mistakes from time to time. 

shoes. meant to look like your average wear, these shoes are actually more custom than they look. The laces are tight and unable to be untied while in the suit. In addition, the bottom of the shoe is INCREDIBLY sticky. This helps for both free-running, climbing, and also just straight up speed. Having good traction means having the ability to be far more agile and quick on his feet.

suits. The Fox has two suits, one for summer and one for winter weather. these suits are both designed from the same material, and give the Fox adequet protection. I’m going to explain each suit’s properties now.

summer suit –– this is the far left suit (i’d recommend clicking to see the full suit). it is made of thinner lyrca material with leather at key impact points such as the chest, his knees, and his hands/wrists. The longer glove on the right hand is there because when he does his free running and climbing, he often will use his elbow/forearm differently (either for support or to hoist himself up) so it acts as extra protection. This suit is sleeveless, and as I’ve covered before, the illusion magic The Fox has makes Todd’s tattoo’s disappear and make him look tattooless. As mentioned above, the leather vest if so extra protection against his most vulnerable section of his body. The x across his left bicep is actually as way to add additional support from a pervious injury, plus it just looks cool. his suit has multiple mesh components, and this is to help breathability in the hot months. If you’re a runner at all, you know that a lot of running pants have ventilation through mesh or other lighter materials. The mesh around the Fox’s upper thighs act in this way, ventilating his body so he doesn’t over heat. The mesh on his right arm is there for the same purpose, seeing as that is his dominate arm and he will likely use it more and create more energy/heat in that arm. both suits have the circular orange bit on the back, and this is where his logo sits. 

winter suit –– this suit is esstentially the exact same as his summer suit with some minor adjustments. There is no more mesh or exposed skin, and instead the full length sleves are made of plyable leather to keep him warm in winter months. There is an additional leather jacket that sits over his vest that clips in the middle to keep it from flying open and being annoying while he’s doing vigilante things. the pant portion of his suit is made of warmer material, but not leather as it would be next to impossible to run in leather pants for any length of time. the opening from the end of his rib cage and the beginning of his pant line at his hip is purposeful for better movements like twisting, bending, and contorting which he does a lot of in his fighting style and free-running movements. in the winter he trades his shoes for some clean, ankle height boots so as to allow for extra warmth and traction in the snow while also allowing him free movement in his ankles while running.

extra notes –– the Fox does not have any strap on weapon holders, and his design is sleak. The throwing knife/weapon holds at the knees in the middle and right photo are not of the Fox’s suit as it would do him a disservice while running, fighting, or even trying to slide into places he shouldn’t. The Fox also has complete control and creative freedom with his suit. His suit looks this way because it’s how he chose it to be. As a result, The Fox can easily switch from winter to summer and vice verse in the blink of an eye.

functions. as as I’ve discussed in other HCs, The Fox is a magical super hero. think sailor moon without the flamboyance. his magic comes from Zipp, the celestial spirit fox who has protected Todd since he was about 10 years old. Zipp’s magic is contained outside of his body in the fox necklace that Todd and Zipp share. When Todd transforms into the Fox, Zipp needs to be inside the necklace on Todd’s body. The first thing that appears is the mask, and then magic spins outwards from the necklace, coating his body with it. The suit allows healing in all the ares where the suit covers him. It’s not instant, but it’s mild enough to generally keep broken bones and internal bleeding from becoming a huge problem. In order to change out of the suit, The Fox must remove his necklace or his mask –– the Fox generally removes the mask as it’s far easier than removing the necklace from his suit. 

illusion. The Fox only has the ability to use illusion magic when he is fully covered in his suit. meaning that Todd’s identifying features, like his tattoos and piercings, will not disappear until his suit is fully formed. the whole process doesn’t take very long (between 1-2 seconds) but it’s long enough that if someone saw him do it, they could likely identify him later. in addition, Todd’s eyes go from their bright blue, to absolutely glowing and slitted like that of a fox. in addition, Todd’s filed down canines go from noticeably a different, pointed shape to a much longer and sharper point to resemble that of a fox.

[hidiingplace]

TODD REBANE + RECKLESSNESS.

general. okay so BIG BIG BIG disclaimer and I want to make this extremely clear; this headcanon will involve discussion around s*lf-h*rm (SH) and s*icidal ideation (SI). PLEASE do not read if there are triggering topics for you or if they make you uncomfortable. While Todd’s methods and ideation for the afore mentioned topics are not extremely obvious depictions of SH or SI, I will be discussing them in depth. Please tread with caution. 

recklessness. Todd is a very reckless person with a general lack of self-preservation. Much of this stems from his mental illness which I’ve covered partially in this HC here. However, Todd’s Bipolar I disorder comes with its fair share of challenges beyond that of just the rising of mania and the falling of depression. Todd’s recklessness is a means to an end –– a coping mechanism of the unhealthy sort that he has struggled with since the age of 9. Let’s dissect this a bit.

becoming the fox. Todd did not originally become the Fox to be a hero, a vigilante, or even a villain. The Fox was a method for him to SH and potentially follow through with his SI. Todd knew that if he was jumping around the streets, flinging himself off buildings, fucking with criminals, fucking with cops, that somehow, someday, he might end up killed. This was his original driving force behind becoming the Fox. He had pent up rage and trauma and sadness inside him with nowhere to put it. So he put it into something physical in which he had an excuse to throw his body around and put himself in dangerous, compromising positions in which he could be murdered or seriously injured. This dark, tragic, and sad origin of The Fox is not something he talks about, and he struggles with explaining to people WHY he wanted to become the Fox in the first place when he is someone who prides himself on not only not being a hero, but also on not being a villain. 

skateboarding, fighting, free running. these are all methods of SH for Todd. Todd is what his friends call ‘the crash dummy’, meaning that Todd’s humorous way of throwing himself into dangerous tricks, precarious situations, and other reckless activities KNOWING he will come out injured is something most of his friends assume is done for attention. However, Todd’s hobbies all include an element of danger, coupled with his lack of self-preservation and willingness to do idiotic shit, Todd actually seeks out injury in many, many ways. Todd will not treat injuries for the sake of continuing the cycle of SH, as well. Todd has been known to fall off buildings, crash into walls, break bones, sprain ankles, get deep and painful cuts and bruises, and get up and keep going. While Todd often frames these activities as a fun way to ‘blow off steam’, there are many times when Todd’s need to get out and enjoy his hobbies if fuelled by an intense urge to SH. This isn’t to say that every time he picks up his skateboard, goes dirt biking, or free-running that he is looking to SH, but they are vehicles through which he can SH when the urges occur and no one will bat an eye because the SH is masked by his passion and talent. This injury-seeking gets worse while he is manic, which we will talk about in the next section.

bipolar i & it’s influence. When manic, Todd experiences a ‘euphoric’ high and rush of energy that makes everything he experiences more intense. His anger is more intense, his joy is more intense, his sadness is more intense, and unfortunately, this breeds in him a delusion of grandeur that he is unable to be harmed, or that it takes a lot more to harm him. This intense feelings are NOT a pleasant experience for Todd. Many people who experience Mania say that it is like living in a hell. He looses his sense of control, he becomes more irritable, more ‘unhinged’, and also experiences delusions about himself and others he cannot rein in through logic. While many people might assume that it makes him dangerous to be around, in this state he is actually far more of a danger to himself than to others. During fits of Mania he has jumped off buildings without his suit or any way to catch himself. He has been hit by cars, he has egged on cops to shoot him, he has punched walls, destroyed property, and other various reckless activities that put him in REAL danger of being hurt really badly or even killed. This is fuelled by those intense feelings and the urge to act on this energy that he has no where to put. It makes him a danger to himself, and this is apparent as soon as the crash of depression hits after the mania episode ends. During the crash, his SI swings and smacks against him like a ton of bricks that it hard to shake from his head, and he is more likely to act on it at this time. It is very common for Todd to come back from a Manic episode with a serious injury. There are many times that the only reason he is not dead is because Zipp puts the Fox suit on Todd without his consent in order to protect him and save his life. He has woken up from mania episodes in hospital in terrible condition before. His medication helps him regulate his manic episodes and level out his depression, which takes away the SH urges and SI very well if he is consistent with his medication. Unfortunately he is not always consistent with his medication. 

addiction. It should be noted as well, that Todd’s connection with addition through his father and bio-mother have a huge part to play in Todd’s recklessness and thrill seeking. Todd may not see the connection, but his father (Joey) does. Because of Todd’s trauma and depressive side of his Bipolar I, Todd chases the high that comes with the adrenaline rush of danger. He’s addicted to it in his own way. He feels that he can level himself out a little bit better when he is able to do something dangerous –– effectively pushing the depression away for a moment and allowing himself to feel even and ‘normal’. So even when the SH and SI is suppressed, he really enjoys these things because they provide him a rush of positive feelings that feel akin to the levelling out his medication provides him, without the feeling of numbness that sometimes comes with his medication.

summary. Todd struggles daily with the urge to SH and with the persistent SI that lives in his illness. The question of which came first (Todd’s SH and SI or his reckless nature) is a chicken and egg situation. It’s hard to separate the two as Todd has been struggling with Bipolar I disorder since he was 9 years old (undiagnosed until 19), and as such, has had SH urges and SI since about that age as well. Todd is only vaguely aware that what he is doing could be considered SH. He’s aware of his SI but rarely talks about it, and the SH behaviour he does not really recognize because he was not educated on it during his very short time in therapy.

note to RP partners. if your muse is a friend/partner of Todd’s, it will take them a VERY long time to figure out that Todd has SH urges and SI. He is very good at masking this with his attitude, tucking his SH into misadventures with his hobbies, and never opening up about his SI. Given the lifestyle Todd leads, him being injured is a common thing and would be a common thing even without his SH or SI. This is something to keep in mind. Your muse would need to either be a psychologist/psychologically educated/trained, have someone they know who experiences Bipolar I with SH and SI, have themselves be Bipolar I, have spent A LOT of time with Todd and seen him go through MULTIPLE Manic episodes and Depressive crashes, or be a mind-reader. This isn’t to say your muse can’t notice Todd’s recklessness is a little too much or that they cannot voice concerns about his self-endangerment, but confronting him about SH or SI would be a very strange thing to do if they’re not in his life for a very extended period of time, or have education on the subject.