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ABOUT NICKY

Nicolò Di Genova, also known as “Nicky,” is a canon-based immortal character from the Image Comic Universe for The Old Guard. His depiction pulls from both the graphic novels and from the Netflix film.

Born in the 11th century, Nicky discovered his immortality when he died fighting as a Milites Christi at the Siege of Jerusalem during the First Crusade. The man who killed him, Yusuf Al-Kaysani (later known as “Joe”), would turn out to also be immortal, and eventually become the love of Nicolo’s life.

Over the course of a thousand years, Nicky and Joe travel the globe together, seeking out places where people are suffering and offering their skills as aid. They are joined by fellow immortals Andromache the Scythian, Quynh/Noriko (MIA), Sebastien Le Livre, and Niles Freeman, coming together with purpose to form The Old Guard.

PERSONALITY

Overall, Nicky appears to be a quiet, easy going individual. He’s generous with his smiles and soft looks, but rarely talks to people he doesn’t know well. Nicky typically allows Joe to speak for the both of them, only voicing an opinion when he has something relevant to add. This doesn’t mean he’s a push over, or lacking in personality. If one can get him enthused about a topic (such as ancient calligraphy or baking), he will shed his typical stoicism & become endearingly animated.

It’s not advisable to piss him off. Angry Nicky is terrifying.

FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS

Nicky has a straightforward view on Familia. As a young man prior to immortality, the concept of family had meant duty & obligation. After a thousand years, he finds it is far simpler than that. The foundational cornerstone of Nicky’s family is (and always will be) Yusuf. From that foundation, he has built out a familial unit consisting of Andy, Nile, Booker…. Even Quynh, though she is no longer with them in person.

Familia is about the people Nicky is willing to die for, again and again. But it’s also about the people he wants to see happy, to see fed and nurtured, to love unapologetically through action as well as word. That these people are not blood-related means nothing.

After a thousand years of life to learn about himself, Nicky identifies as demiromantic and demisexual. Though even that seems somewhat disingenuous, since he is utterly and irrevocably devoted to Yusuf in all canon verses. This is non negotiable in his characterization. There will be no other romantic shipping options for Nicky at this time, certainly none in a canon based verse. Alternate Verses may be subject to reconsideration, but it would be heavily dependent on chemistry and organic character development..

SKILLS & PROFICIENCIES

CHARACTER TIMELINE & HISTORY

Born to a family of seafaring merchants in the city-state of Genoa, Liguria, Nicolò was the fourth (and quietest) of six sons. Though middle class, his family lacked the distinct affluence & political weight to ensure an education for all of their children. So at age 13, Nicolò entered the seminary to apprentice for priesthood. He received an education in literacy & the Latin language, was taught to transcribe bibles & tend gardens for the clergy. At age 20, Nicolò was promoted to sub-deacon. By 1090, he had obtained the position of deacon himself.

Not long into Nicky’s priesthood, Saint Hugh of Châteauneuf gave an impassioned sermon at the Church of San Siro in Genoa. His lesson about piety and servitude inspired Nicolò to convert his cause, becoming Milites Christi and traveling to Israel. There he fought in God’s War (later known as the First Crusade), a bloody and dishonorable invasion of the Holy Land that culminated in the 1099 Siege on Jerusalem. Already disillusioned with the morality of his kinsmen, Nicolò fought and died on the battlefield outside the city’s walls. He was slain by a Muslim named Yusuf Al-Kaysani. A man that he killed in return moments before life left his body.

Less than twenty four hours after his death, Nicolò came back to life. He rose from that battlefield, only to discover that his enemy had risen as well. They fell upon each other in violence again, each killing the other a second time. And then a third. And so on, for nearly the entire 40 day span of the Siege of Jerusalem. By the time the walls fell and the city was burning, both men had come to realize that death held no sway over them any longer, and killing one another was getting them nowhere. So, horrified and frightened by the things they had witnessed (by the things they themselves had done), Nicolo and Yusuf fled Jerusalem. They spent the next two hundred years traveling together, growing closer than companions and more emotionally intimate than family. They fell in love, and from that love pledged eternal devotion to one another.

Nicolò and Yusuf also found other immortals. Or, more accurately, other immortals found them. They banded together with Andromache the Scythian and Quynh (sometimes known as Noriko), fought alongside them when the cause seemed right (the Baussenque Wars, another ill-concieved Crusade, civil unrest and religious persecution). The group was separated when Andromache and Quynh were captured in England, convicted of witchcraft and imprisoned. Nicolò and Yusuf were unable to break them out of prison before the clergy forced Quynh into an Iron Maiden and dropped her to the bottom of the ocean in an unknown location. The three of them spent the next several hundred years trying to find her. They never did.

In the 1800s, the team discovered a new Immortal named Booker. A quartet once more, the Old Guard traversed the globe for the next two hundred years, trying to make a difference. They fought in the U.S. Civil War, in World War I and II, in the Spanish Civil War, in the Crimean War, and in the Vitenam War. They helped people in need during civil unrest in Montenegro, in France, in Cuba, in the Congo, even in the U.S. during the Civil Rights Movement. They take jobs and fulfill contracts, staying under the radar as best they can in an increasingly connected world.

In 2019, a former contact named Copley arranged a mission for them in Sudan. It ended up being a trap that revealed their secrets to a powerful, wealthy investor named Merrick. One of their own, Booker, betrayed them for a chance at ending his immortality, and Nicky was captured alongside Joe, tortured and experimented upon in the name of Science. He, along with the rest of the team, were rescued by their newest immortal teammate, Nile Freeman. With Andy now mortal, the Old Guard must decide their next move.

HEADCANONS

Faith & Early Misconceptions

Under Duress

The Last Resort

Language Barriers

English, Ugh

Conflicts of the Heart

On Reinventing One's Self

Healing & Food & Love

The Tomato, WTF!?

Mali, the Islamic Golden Age, and the University of Timbuktu

Nicky's Favorite Historical Advancements

Nicky & Pottery

Packing Light

The AIDS Crisis

The "Paris Commune" Crap

To Love Every Wrinkle

Miscellaneous Headcanons

"He Made His Choice, Joe."

Ten Quick Headcanons

UNIVERSES & TIMESTAMPS

We Can Do Some Good
(Main Verse) Unless indicated otherwise, Nicky's adventures & interactions default into this standard verse. It may encompass any point in the timeline of his immortal life, and can span both canon and crossover engagements.

Sins of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Ghost
(First Death Verse) Events within this verse take place within the first 100 years of Nicolò's immortality, after his initial death at the gates of Jerusalem in 1099AD. This universe involves a lot of questionable behavior on Nicolò's part, and the process of him learning that both his worldview and his faith are wrong and deeply xenophobic.

A Family Fractured
(Post TOG verse) Events within this verse take place after the conclusion of The Old Guard film. Nicky and his family have escaped Merrick, but they are no longer unified. Quynh is still presumed to be trapped in the ocean, while Booker has been exiled for 100 years. Nile is just learning how to live an immortal life, with help from Nicky and the rest of their found family.
Note: It is optional whether Andy has lost her immortality in this verse.

I Love You for Infinity
(Joe/Nicky Ship Verse) This verse is a catch-all for interactions between leschanceux's Yusuf and my Nicoló. Because they are soft immortal husbands and we love them.

The Moon in Darkness
(Supernatural Creatures Alternate Verse) This AU places The Old Guard cast in a world where Supernatural creatures are known members of society. Werewolves and Vampires have been at war with one another for centuries, with extensive blood spilled on both sides. Nicky is a Lycan, Andromache is both the alpha of his pack and one of his dearest friends. He meets the vampire, Yusuf, first on the battlefield (as enemies)… and then later, in different circumstances. In spite of their history and the animosity of their communities, they fall in love and must work towards a world where they can be together in peace. this verse is ship exclusive with robiinmuses's Yusuf.

Til The End of the Line
(Winter Soldier AU) Nicky and his family are in the thick of it during WWII, attempting to help the civilians that are caught in the bombings from both allied and enemy forces. Nicky gets caught in a napalm bombing, his body seemingly destroyed beyond resurrection, and despite the Guard (namely Joe) searching for him for the rest of the war, they are unable to recover even a trace of him. He’s believed dead…. at least until the Guard starts crossing paths with an assassin who is taking out pivotal targets on a global stage. With Copley’s tracking expertise, they are able to pinpoint a pattern and intercept the assassin at his next mark, only to find that the assassin is Nicky. Except he has no memory of that name, or who the Guard are, or who Yusuf is. This verse is the long journey of bringing him back in from the cold and restoring his fragmented memories.

You Mark Upon My Heart
(Soulmate Mark Alternate Verse) This alternate universe utilizes the 'Soulmate Mark' trope within The Old Guard fandom. As soulmates, Nicolò and robiinmuses's Yusuf bear the first words spoken to one another upon meeting. These words disappear and reappear with every death. Shenanigans ensue.

Eternally Drift Compatible
(Pacific Rim Alternate Verse) Nicolò was entering seminary when a Kaiju destroyed the port city of Genoa, killing his entire family and his faith in God with it. He enters the Pan Pacific Defense Corps, serving as a soldier and a sniper for several years, but his mental and reflex assessments put him on Jaeger Recruitment’s radar. Eager to exact vengeance on the Kaiju Threat, he enters the Jaeger Academy, where he meets Andromache and Quynh (a drift compatible pair with more Kaiju Kills on record than any other Jaeger Ranger Team), and - later - Yusuf. Nicky and Joe are not immediately drift compatible, but they get there, and co-pilot the Jaeger, Immortal Destiny, a Mark-4 with a XIG Supercell Chamber core, a uniquely configured conn-pod, and dual-blade weapons.

This character is awesome!

This character is awesome!

This character is awesome!

ABOUT SIMON

Simon, commonly known as "The Convict," is the protagonist of the Iron Lung film adaptation. A former Brother of Eden and veteran of the conflict between Eden and the Consolidation of Iron, he is infamous for his participation in the destruction of Filament Station, an attack that earned him the title "The Butcher."

After surrendering to the Consolidation of Iron, Simon is imprisoned until he is offered a deal: explore the blood ocean of AT-5 aboard the SM-13 submarine, recover photographic evidence of anomalies beneath the surface, and earn his freedom. What begins as a simple mission quickly turns into a descent into cosmic horror, betrayal, and the unknown.

Throughout his journey Simon struggles against impossible circumstances, clinging stubbornly to life even when everyone around him has accepted death. His final acts of defiance ultimately result in both the destruction of the Monster beneath the ocean and the preservation of knowledge that may help humanity survive.

PERSONALITY

Simon is defined by a fierce survival instinct. Although burdened by regret, fear, and guilt over his past actions, he refuses to surrender in the face of overwhelming odds. Unlike many characters around him who speak of sacrifice or destiny, Simon simply wants to live.

Years of warfare and imprisonment have left him suspicious, defensive, and prone to anger. He is quick to challenge authority figures, particularly when he believes he is being manipulated. Beneath that hostility, however, is a thoughtful and adaptable individual capable of solving problems under extreme pressure.

Despite his reputation as "The Butcher," Simon repeatedly demonstrates compassion and humanity. He insists that he never intended to become a mass murderer, and much of his characterization revolves around the conflict between who others believe him to be and the person he hopes he still is.

FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS

Simon was raised among the people of Eden and refers to its members as his brothers. Though his faith in Eden's teachings becomes strained over time, its influence on his life never completely disappears.

The most significant remaining connection to his past comes in the form of an Eden seed pendant containing a seed from the so-called Last Tree. Throughout the events of the film, the pendant serves as a reminder of both his upbringing and his unresolved relationship with the beliefs he once held.

His interactions with Ava and the Consolidation of Iron are complicated. While Ava presents herself as someone willing to help him earn his freedom, Simon ultimately comes to view the mission as yet another example of those in power exploiting him for their own purposes.

SKILLS & PROFICIENCIES

CHARACTER TIMELINE & HISTORY

Simon grew up in the shadow of the Quiet Rapture, raised among the people of Eden in an age where resources were scarce and conflict was common. As a young man he became a soldier, eventually earning the feared nickname "The Butcher" for the bloodshed associated with his military campaigns.

His life changed forever during the assault on Filament Station. Following the battle, Simon surrendered himself to the Consolidation of Iron and was imprisoned. Stripped of his freedom and his future, he became little more than an expendable asset in the eyes of his captors.

Everything changed when he was offered a bargain: complete a mission aboard an aging submarine called the SM-13 and go free. Simon accepted, descending into the vast Blood Ocean of AT-5. There he discovered impossible lifeforms, evidence of previous expeditions, and secrets capable of reshaping humanity's understanding of the universe.

As conditions inside the submarine deteriorated, Simon endured physical injury, radiation exposure, hallucinations, and mutations caused by prolonged contact with the ocean. Even so, he continued forward. His determination to survive gradually evolved into a commitment to protect the truth hidden beneath the surface.

In the end, Simon chose defiance over surrender. Refusing to allow the Monster beneath the ocean to destroy the recovered data, he fought until his final moments. His death aboard the Iron Lung marked the end of his journey, but also secured a future for those who would come after him.