Blake Hargreaves
Blake Hargreaves (a.k.a. Dark Flame, Helion)
Blake is an unpopular student with a moody, impatient attitude and short-fused temper who resents anyone who seems to have it easy in life. He’s the youngest of two and his older sister abandoned the family several years ago—a betrayal he refuses to talk about with anyone, even his best friend, Quinn McAlester. Blake’s financial situation is dire. Since his parents don’t chip in to buy him anything, he must purchase everything he needs and wants with his earnings from Kaffee Vonsolln, a coffee shop in Portsmouth, NH. Whenever he can, Blake likes gets out of the house and spend most of his time with his best friend and a few select others from school, including Ravone Timber and Loren Davis.
Blake walks the line between hero and antihero, a former villain seeking atonement but never quite sure if he deserves it. While he fights alongside The Guardians, he will always carry the scars of Dark Flame, and only time will tell if he can truly become the hero Quinn believes he can be.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Blake Hargreaves never had a stable home life. Raised by an abusive, alcoholic father and a neglectful mother, he learned early on that strength meant survival. His only escape was Quinn McAlester, his best friend and the one person he truly trusted. That trust, however, would be tested beyond breaking.
After being exposed to an Orgone Energy Reactor Core in Rangeley, ME, both boys developed superhuman abilities. But while Quinn saw their powers as a gift, Blake saw them as a means to take control of his own life. He grew frustrated with the world’s injustices and quickly fell under the influence of Victor Kraze, leader of The Order, who promised him the power to deliver his own form of justice.
Adopting the identity Dark Flame, Blake became a feared enforcer, using his ruthless efficiency and lethal force to eliminate those he deemed irredeemable. He severed ties with Quinn, believing his best friend was too naïve and weak to make the hard choices necessary to fix the world.
However, as Dark Flame, he began to question his own actions. His loyalty to The Order wavered as he realized he was being manipulated just as much as the criminals he hunted. His eventual confrontation with Quinn ended in his apparent death, but through the very energy that created him, he was resurrected—stronger, but no longer the same person.
Now calling himself Helion, Blake fights for redemption, struggling against the dark legacy of Dark Flame while trying to rebuild his fractured relationship with Quinn.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Brooding & Reserved: Blake is deeply introspective, often keeping his emotions buried beneath sarcasm and stoicism.
Angry & Vengeful: While he tries to control it, rage still fuels much of his decision-making.
Loyal but Guarded: His past betrayals have made him reluctant to fully trust again.
Moral Ambiguity: He wants to be better but still believes some people don’t deserve mercy.
Seeking Redemption: Though he no longer wishes to be the monster The Order created, he struggles to define what kind of hero he wants to be.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Quinn McAlester (Blue Spekter) – Best Friend, Rival, Brother Figure
Once inseparable, they became bitter enemies when Blake joined The Order.
Their battles were some of the most personal and emotionally charged conflicts in superhero history.
After Quinn refused to give up on him, Blake was saved and reborn as Helion.
Though they fight side by side again, their friendship remains fractured—built on trust that has yet to be fully repaired.
Victor Kraze (Nightmare) – Former Mentor & Manipulator
The leader of The Order, Victor saw Blake’s anger and used it to mold him into a weapon.
Even after turning against The Order, Blake still fears he may never fully escape Victor’s influence.
Ana María García – Superhuman Ally & Mentor
While she trusts Quinn, she remains wary of Blake.
She sees him as a wildcard—potentially invaluable, but also dangerous.
Darien James – Past Rival, Unclear Future
Blake once bullied Darien, but after his own fall from grace, their dynamic has changed.
There is lingering tension, but also a strange sense of understanding between them.
Family Ties
Blake's Parents are Ralph and Stella Hargreaves. He has an older sister named Elizabeth.
Ralph is a hot-tempered, functional alcoholic mess. He works at Granite State Minerals in Portsmouth and loves to frequent bars and the private lodges he and his wife hold memberships at. He is envious of his children and puts them down to tough them up. His actions only fueled resentment in his firstborn daughter, Elizabeth, who left
Stella expresses alcoholic tendencies when stressed—which is most of the time. She’s quiet, harbors a ton of regret and grief for the way they treated their now-absent daughter, and can’t get beyond the past in order to take care of the present, including her son, Blake.
Elizabeth left home at at seventeen and never returned.
Religious Views
Blake is not religious or spiritual.
Current Location
Species
Age
17
Children
Pronouns
He/him/his
Sex
Male
Gender
A cisgender straight male.
Presentation
Masculine
Eyes
Brown
Hair
Black
Quotes & Catchphrases
"Justice isn’t always clean, Quinn. Sometimes it’s ugly. Sometimes it’s fire and blood."
"I can’t take back what I did. I can only make sure I never become him again."
"Do you really think redemption is that simple? That one good deed wipes away the rest?"
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Character Prototype
Enzo Carini
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