If any so-called "silver spoon" kid tries to tell you that they've had a hard life, some parents might say you have full permission to clock them. Such would have been the lesson learned coming from one Christopher Summers. A man hailing from wealth and influence, he grew up knowing the importance of hard work - as was passed down from his father, and his grandfather -- and what he would pass down to his own children. The eldest of what would be two children born to Christopher and Melinda Summers, Spencer had the luxury of growing up never having to worry about where his next meal would come from, or if a family vacation was something they could afford. While money wasn't at the forefront of the family, he was aware they had it. It was important for Christopher however, that his children never act like spoiled brats. It was important for him that the children who carried the Summers name earned a certain discipline and responsibility to their behavior.

Growing up in Weston, Mass was idyllic - and really rife for getting into plenty of trouble. From the time he was small, Spencer had a rebellious side to him that only grew with age. He challenged authority, allowed himself to be reckless, and found himself in detention more than a few times. Spencer wasn't entirely a screw-up, in fact he actually liked his studies and was pretty good (except for math, dammit) - but for his focus after school just ... not quite there. His parents paid for multiple tutors to keep him on track, but he was often so bored by the work that he didn't quite make it worth their while. For high school, his parents decided to send him to boarding school in New York, which -- was both great for him and his freedom, and a whole hell of a lot of work. He didn't have as much time to make trouble and the strict rules took a lot of effort to get around and trick. Overall, his high school years had him thriving academically - if only because he didn't have much time to do anything else.

The strict upbringing courtesy of his father was always something that Spencer consistently felt oppressed by -- yet again, don't ever feel bad for a kid who was gifted a (used) car at eighteen. Spencer fought much against what his parents wanted for him, which included his father's wish that Spencer would go to medical school. He would harp often on the importance of having direction in his life, but Spencer just wanted to travel and see the world. Compromise came in the form of university rather than "taking a year off" that Spencer wanted to do. Spencer was accepted into Boston University, where he entered as a business major. It felt like a safe bet.

Upon graduation, the keys to the metaphorical castle came into his possession in the form of his trust fund. It was only then that Spencer took the time to travel wherever he wanted to, allowing a full irresponsible era of his life to begin. For two years, his life was full of travel and learning of different cultures, experiencing different corners of the world. What was supposed to be solely reckless fun instead turned towards a real learning experience. Spencer returned to Boston, where he decided to go back to school in order to get his teaching credentials. After college he had a series of interviews at various schools around the east coast, but ultimately decided he wanted to go elsewhere. His roots were in New England, but traveling had given him an appetite to go elsewhere and build a life of his own away from the comfort of what he’d always known.

Teaching seemed like the most natural thing for him to do, and something that gave him a sense of purpose. His years spent traveling had been eye-opening, and there was a lot of catharsis in teaching the high school students who came into his classroom. That seemed to help keep his head on straight ... for the most part. At his first school, he clashed quite a bit with the school board with his sometimes unorthodox teaching style. He was know for holding class outside because the indoors were stifling, or having his students recreate historical moments in "sober drunk-history" style, but it worked for his students and he felt like he'd found his calling. When the 2010 school year ended, Spencer decided to move on to a new school at George Washington High. A much better fit, Spencer settled in well for his career.

extra info

began working on getting his pilot’s license in 2019

big movie lover, he likes pretty much every genre. Even the odd rom-com … but he might not admit that.

powers & abilities: classified power level 7

optic blast: project a powerful beam -- focused our of his psionic field -- of concussive, ruby-colored force from his eyes.
energy resistance: resistant to the effects of his own powers.
expert pilot
master strategist & tactician: as a leader of the x-men, he has developed excellent leadership skills, as well as honed skills of strategy and tactics.
expert martial artist: holds black belts in judo and aikido, skill level suffieicnt to defeat six normal men with his eyes closed, and hold his own in hand to hand combat with otherwise powerful enemies.
telepathic resistance: years of being around and involved with telepaths has allowed him to enhance his mind to resist telepathic intrusion from high level telepaths.

gear

visor: lined with powdered ruby quartz crystal, prevents random discharge of optic blasts. finger operated control on either side of mask, as well as in gloves to allow optic blasts through.
x-suit: basic costume designed by Charles Xavier; fire retardant, made of kevlar, allows resistance to electric shocks, force impacts and other basic attacks.

tie-ins

⊗ last name summers
⊗ oldest of two boys
⊗ teacher