Korsakoff

Korsakoff (date of birth unknown - 1993, real name unknown) is one of the central protagonists of Stormwatchers.

Wearing a sack on his head as a mask (which he considers his true face) with a grey hat on top, Korsakoff had been one of the members of the Stormwatchers, but continued his one-man battle against crime long after costumed vigilantes become both detested and illegal.

Early Life
Most of it is unknown, but what we do know is that his first name is Andrew, as stated by both James Radcliffe and Jesper Keene.

He used to be a criminal, a member of a gang of thugs that frequented the alleyways of New York City during the early 1960's. It wasn't too rough at the start, but when the rest of the gang killed an innocent family to rob them (except him, who just told them to leave them alone), Andrew simply watched in horror. This single event shook his mind, and scarred him; and was what decided to make him hate and despise criminals. Not long after, Andrew single-handedly murdered the whole gang, his former partners in crime. From that moment on, he was redeemed. He decided to become a crime fighter and battle for justice to protect the innocent. He fabricated a new identity that would strike fear in the hearts of the cruel... Korsakoff.

Beginnings as Korsakoff
He was first spotted in 1966 after brutally injuring a group of armed thugs. After a few months of fighting crime alone, he met Daniel Teach A.K.A. Eagle Eye, another vigilante who had mechanical wings and advanced weaponry. They joined forces and became crime-fighting partners.

Like the rest of the team, he joined the crime-fighting group "The Stormwatchers" in 1968. Unlike the other members of the team, who all knew each others real names, nobody knew who Korsakoff really was. Not even Eagle Eye, his best friend and crime-fighting partner. He was well known for his brutal methods of seeking justice. These include torture, murder, fear and crippling for life. Of all the Stormwatchers, Korsakoff was, without a doubt, the most intimidating and frightening. After costumed crime-fighting was made illegal in 1972, the Stormwatchers split up and retired from battling villains. Only he and James Radcliffe A.K.A. Strikeseeker decided to carry on fighting, despite being outlaws. These two were the last Stormwatchers.

1973. The Last Stormwatchers
In the harbour of New York City in the winter of 1973, Korsakoff and Strikeseeker were solving a new case: a cargo ship of mysterious origin had arrived at the docks. The two started investigating the cargo ship, which belonged to an organization known as "Triple M", and contained several Ford Granada's which were to be transported to Europe. The duo opened the trunk of one of the cars and found bags of cocaine, which made them guess that the cargo ship belonged to a drug trafficking cartel. Once they were spotted by the protectors of the cargo ship, they fought them off and escaped in the Stormmobile. Discovering that the ship came from Los Angeles, Korsakoff suggested they go to LA to start solving the case at the ship's place of origin. They took a long drive the other side of the country and eventually, after briefly breaking down close to their destination, made it to Los Angeles.

They headed to nearby Slab City, a run-down Californian desert town ran by bikers and rednecks that dealt with Triple M. After personally going out there to interrogate (and kill) the rednecks, Korsakoff told Strikeseeker to head to Fillmore, home to a massive drug farm which was kept a secret by corrupt cops. They both planned out the raid on the drug farm: Korsakoff kidnapped the farmer to get the information out of him, and Strikeseeker burned down the farm. The plan went almost exactly according to plan, However, Korsakoff got chased by Australian bounty hunter Jesper Keene, beginning a dramatic vehicle chase which took them through the city streets and the underground tunnels. Eventually, Jesper Keene got knocked off of his motorcycle by a careless driver, allowing Korsakoff and the kidnapped farmer to escape quickly. When the duo reunited at a motel, Korsakoff told his partner that the man in charge of it all was Marco María Martiánez ("Triple M"), the richest man in Los Angeles. They distributed the drugs in three: one part for the customers in Los Angeles, another was taken to New York by train, and the third was taken to Rio De Janeiro by plane for the South American customers. Korsakoff decided to go after the train, and Strikeseeker would stop the plane headed to Rio.

Korsakoff, on the freight train headed for New York City, detonated all the cocaine crates before being confronted again by Jesper Keene. They both revealed facts they knew about each other, but Jesper enraged Korsakoff telling him that he knew about his mysterious past life as a criminal. Korsakoff in an act of absolute rage, attacked Jesper and they fought on top of the train; with Jesper initially winning, but Korsakoff striking back with his hidden knife. Strikeseeker then came in flying with a seaplane, and Korsakoff jumped off the train and luckily managed to grab on to the wing of the seaplane and trigger the bombs to explode the train (and presumably Jesper Keene with it).

Once they landed the seaplane in a junkyard, they started getting chased by the LAPD. Strikeseeker, in order to distract them and allow Korsakoff to escape, sacrificed his freedom to the authorities, jumping out of the car and attacking the police. While the police cought Strikeseeker and arrested him, (leaving Korsakoff as the only remaining active Stormwatcher), Korsakoff drove to Marco Martiánez's mansion in Beverly Hills.

Korsakoff snook into the mansion and confronted the criminal kingpin. The bounty hunter Jesper Keene, who survived the train explosion, refused to help Martiánez beat Korsakoff, deciding that it was time to go home to Australia. Korsakoff finally killed Marco Martiánez and kicked his body into his swimming pool. Days later, Korsakoff, in disguise as Mr. Walter Wilkinson (a fabricated identity), tried to negotiate with a lawyer to try and free James Radcliffe (Strikeseeker) from police captivity, but all the lawyer could do is get him a life sentence in prison. Korsakoff, seeing no other possible way, reluctantly accepted. As Korsakoff, he watched James being carried away into a police bus from a rooftop. The last thing Korsakoff heard James say before being taken away to prison: "Screw the law!". Korsakoff firmly stuck by this phrase, and used it as the basis for his new crime-fighting methods and schedule (he would later use this phrase against George Fillmore when talking about the team reuniting in 1993). That evening, Korsakoff gave the Stormmobile back to George Fillmore, formerly Captain Ares. Despite receiving criticism from George for continuing to fight crime illegally, Korsakoff refused to submit and, before walking away into the sunset, promised his former comrade that the team would reunite one day.

As the last of the Stormwatchers, Korsakoff continued fighting crime illegally, and became a fugitive on the run from the police.

Events of Stormwatchers
In the story's setting of 1993, Korsakoff, who was still operating illegally as a vigilante, heard a loud gunshot in Battery Park one night. He traced the sound of the shot to an apartment which he then entered. At first, he thought it was just the body of a normal civilian, but then he found a framed photograph of the old team, and realised that the Phantom Soldier had been murdered. He theorized that someone may have be trying to eliminate the Stormwatchers. He attempted to warn his retired comrades—his former partner Daniel Teach (Eagle Eye) and the team's former leader George Fillmore (Captain Ares), who at first dismissed the offer, but eventually agreed to reunite the team.

The reunited team went to the prison to break out James Radcliffe (Strikeseeker), who was captured not long after going on the run with Korsakoff in 1973. They break him out after a big fight with the police and prison guards, and escaped in the old Stormmobile.

In the raid on Mister Explosion (who had returned around the same time as the Stormwatchers)'s warehouse, Korsakoff entered round the back, where he successfully found Mister Explosion. After a conversation, Korsakoff threatened him and asked him what he knew. Mister Explosion simply replied "Muhammad al-Mualim" and shot himself to avoid capture. Korsakoff, outside, told the team all the information he got. The team then wondered where Strikeseeker is, and looked at the burning building, assuming he died in the fire. This greatly upset Korsakoff. Lionheart suspiciously walked away, catching Korsakoff's attention.

Investigating his company after that suspicious encounter, Korsakoff and Eagle Eye discovered that Francois was behind the Phantom Soldier's murder and Strikeseeker's presumed death. Korsakoff then recorded his final entry in his journal. Korsakoff and Eagle Eye confronted Francois at his desert retreat in New Mexico: the Aquitaine. Francois confirmed he did it because his plan was to sell nuclear weapons to an Arabic terrorist named Muhammad al-Mualim and in return regain his lost millions and revive his failing company. Phantom Soldier discovered Francois and Muhammad's plot, so he killed him to keep quiet. Korsakoff and Eagle Eye attempted to stop him, but Francois subdued them both.

When Captain Ares and Strikeseeker arrived and Muhammad sent a TV message saying that the plan is impossible, the whole team agreed to keep quiet about the failed plot. Korsakoff however refused to remain silent and prepared to leave, believing that if something like that would ever happen again, the world would be prepared to stop it. Eagle Eye fought him in the stairwell and successfully defeated him, but Korsakoff got up and simply continued. When the team lost hope and thought that there was nothing they can do, Strikeseeker went out into the desert to confront Korsakoff. After telling Strikeseeker to get out of his way, Korsakoff ripped off his sack mask and revealed his face, and then, after a heated argument in the burning New Mexico sun, forced Strikeseeker to shoot him in the head, killing him instantly.

Personality
Korsakoff in general is an unstable yet terrifying individual. He employs harsh and brutal methods on his opponents, and has no problem with murdering a common crook in the name of absolute justice. His weapon of choice is a knife.

During his initial years of crime-fighting, he spoke with a raspy, but higher pitched and more comprehensible voice; like in The Last Stormwatchers. The older and maturer Korsakoff seen in the film has an even raspier, deeper, unpleasant and sometimes monotone voice. He has been called a psychopath by his teammates, specifically Lionheart and Captain Ares. It is unknown if he is aware of his comrades' opinion of him, but he greatly cares about his teammates.

Aydan Woodward explained, "He tries to show the viewers his dark, creepy perception of our world. His black and white view of reality. He's clearly mentally disturbed but he is an honorable man who wants to help the oppressed no matter the cost".

Eagle Eye
"See you round, Eagle Eye."

- Korsakoff leaving Daniel's house after seeing him for the first time in years.

During their early years of crime-fighting during the late 1960's and early 70's, Korsakoff and Eagle Eye were best friends. An inseparable dynamic duo that truly shined in the Stormwatchers' roster. Eagle Eye was the brains and the techno-geek, Korsakoff was the brawn and the terror. However, it is apparent that Korsakoff is ashamed of his best friend for quitting and retiring, and openly mocks him for his lonely life away from the city and the action, calling him "a hermit living far away from the rest of society in his house on the hill". Despite this though, Korsakoff deep down really cares about Daniel, and briefly hesitates having to kill him in their stairwell fight in the Aquitaine.

Captain Ares
"What? That I'll break your neck next time you creep up on me like that?!"

- George Fillmore threatening Korsakoff while holding him by the neck, after he breaks into his house.

It is evident that Korsakoff and Captain Ares relationship was somewhat strained. Korsakoff openly viewed him as a good leader, and came to his house after Elias Bones' murder asking him to lead the team again like the old days; but he did feel constantly insulted or underappreciated by his former leader. Captain Ares never really liked Korsakoff, and simply viewed him as a delusional psychopath. Also, they argued a lot after the team split up, with Korsakoff seeing him as a coward and George being disgusted by Korsakoff for breaking the law. Like in the final chapter of the audiobook The Last Stormwatchers, in which the two of them have a small confrontation outside George's house.

Strikeseeker
"Strikeseeker, a true costumed hero. He believed in justice. Of all the Stormwatchers he was the best. Incorruptible."

- Korsakoff talking to George Fillmore about their former comrade.

Korsakoff enormously respected Strikeseeker, because the two of them were the only remaining members of the group after it split up. They continued fighting crime until James was arrested in 1973 after an operation against Marco María Martiánez in Los Angeles, and this action made Korsakoff admire and respect Strikeseeker for the remainder of his life for his decision to fight for justice no matter what. Because of this, he admits to George Fillmore decades later in 1993 that Strikeseeker was the best Stormwatcher. However, Korsakoff's conservative belief that costumed adventurers and crime-fighting couldn't ever end was slightly tainted when he realized in the desert confrontation in 1993 that the new James Radcliffe that he had just broken out of prison wasn't the one he knew all those years ago: he saw that James had become emotionless and a lot less agile and strong; and Korsakoff told him to shoot him, having come to his senses and realized that hope was lost, that the age of vigilantism was over, that he was trying so hard to continue something that was long expired.

Lionheart
It is unknown what Korsakoff and Lionheart's relationship was like during the team's existence, but it is likely that Korsakoff considered him to be the typical rich businessman that truly didn't care much for the lower classes, and felt slightly uneasy around him, seeing him as possibly corrupt. Unbeknownst to Korsakoff, he indeed was somewhat corrupt, having made deals with kingpins like Marco María Martiánez and mafia leaders.

In 1993, Korsakoff viewed him with great suspicion and carefully studied his nervous body language. His suspicions were proven correct when he and Eagle Eye discovered his plans for Project 17.

Phantom Soldier
Korsakoff and Elias Bones/Phantom Soldier's relationship was never really explored onscreen, but it is likely that Korsakoff looked up to him as a symbol of hope and inspiration to the rest of the team, and he was the first to find out about his murder. Korsakoff cared so much that he was the one that suggested the team's reunion to solve his murder.

Trivia

 * In The Last Stormwatchers, Korsakoff uses the fabricated identity of "Walter Wilkinson" to save his old comrade Strikeseeker from death or prison. 'Walter' is the real name of Rorschach, the Watchmen character who Korsakoff is based on. If we piece together 'Andrew' (Korsakoff's only known name) and 'Wilkinson' (the supposedly fabricated surname of his disguise), it is possible that Korsakoff's real name is Andrew Wilkinson, but it hasn't been confirmed by anyone at Zebcast Studios or any characters in the film.