PERKS Assessment: Maxwell Martinez (Crossroads)
Classified Level: Confidential
I. Power Classification
Brain: Discrete Outcome Prediction
Code: B6/S/M/V
Rationale: Maxwell Martinez, known as Crossroads, possesses the ability to perceive and predict outcomes of inflection points, where a decision or action results in a limited set of discrete outcomes. This ability is categorized under ‘Brain’ due to its cognitive nature. The power is self-affecting (S), mental (M), and has a visual range (V), as it requires visual or cognitive engagement with the situation at hand.
II. Power Ranking
Crossroads’ ability to foresee outcomes of events with limited, distinct possibilities provides him with a strategic advantage, especially in situations requiring quick decision-making. The utility of this power is particularly significant in scenarios with binary or small-range outcomes, such as navigating choices in combat or crisis situations.
III. Control Rating
Control: 8/10
Crossroads exhibits substantial control over his predictive ability. However, his capability to ‘overclock’ and perceive immediate personal future outcomes, while powerful, is less controlled and understood, impacting his overall control rating.
IV. Hostility Rating
Hostility: 1/10
Maxwell Martinez has consistently demonstrated a protective and non-aggressive use of his abilities, focusing on aiding his team and minimizing risks in confrontational scenarios.
V. Collateral Damage Potential
Collateral Damage: 0/10
Given the non-physical and preventative nature of Crossroads’ power, the potential for collateral damage is minimal. His ability primarily aids in avoiding harmful outcomes rather than causing them.
VI. Overall Threat Level
Threat Level: 3/10
Considering his power ranking, high control, low hostility, and minimal collateral damage potential, Crossroads is assessed with a low overall threat level. His abilities are primarily geared towards strategic decision-making and crisis aversion. The concern for his well-being due to the ‘overclocking’ aspect of his power is noted, and medical monitoring is recommended.
PERKS Assessment Comments for Maxwell Martinez (Crossroads)
2020:
Officer’s Comments: Maxwell Martinez, aspiring as “Crossroads,” is a new applicant for a JLUMA. Demonstrated a unique cognitive ability to predict “discrete outcomes of inflection points” as he says, which means he can see coin flip outcomes. Brainy kid. Despite a lack of field experience, he shows a keen sense of understanding of his powers and a strong desire to use them for public good. His initial attempts at heroism, albeit enthusiastic, led to more than a few “black eyes”. However, these experiences seem to have fostered a more realistic approach to his capabilities.
-Officer Daniels
2021:
Officer’s Comments: In his first year as a licensed JLUMA holder, Maxwell has shown considerable growth. After joining the Young Defenders, he has started to harness his powers more effectively. Notable was his contribution in a hostage situation where his ability to predict the outcome of negotiations proved crucial.
-Officer Daniels
2022:
Officer’s Comments: Crossroads continues to be an asset to the Young Defenders. His decision-making skills, enhanced by his predictive abilities, have been instrumental in several successful missions this year. The concern remains about his tendency to ‘overclock’ his powers in high-stress situations, leading to physical side effects.
-Officer Daniels
2023:
Officer’s Comments: Maxwell has matured significantly over the past year. He has become more judicious in using his ‘overclocking’ ability, leading to fewer health incidents. His strategic contributions to the Young Defenders are noteworthy, particularly in planning and executing complex operations. He has developed a deeper understanding of the ramifications of his actions and decisions, showcasing a growth in both his personal and heroic capacities. I believe that after Puppeteer’s graduation, he will likely be tapped next for a leadership role in the Young Defenders.
-Officer Daniels
Interviewing Officer: Laura Daniels
Date: February 15th, 2023
Civilian Clerk: Ryan Thompson
Date: February 15th, 2023
Confidential Report: Power Assessment of Maxwell Martinez (Crossroads)
Assessment Agent: Dr. Stephen Harris
Date: March 2023
I. Introduction:
This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the metahuman abilities of Maxwell Martinez, known by his alias Crossroads, a member of the Young Defenders. The assessment focuses on understanding the mechanics, limitations, and practical applications of his unique predictive powers.
II. Power Overview:
Crossroads possesses the cognitive ability to predict outcomes of specific inflection points, where actions or decisions result in a limited set of discrete outcomes. His power operates at an accelerated perceptual rate, allowing him to foresee future events rapidly.
III. Mechanics and Functionalities:
- Prediction Speed: Crossroads perceives future events at a rate approximately 200 times faster than normal (specifically, 201.67x). A few seconds of concentration can yield insights into outcomes occurring minutes to hours ahead.
- Clarity and Range: Predictions are most accurate and detailed within the first 15 minutes of future sight, with clarity decreasing sharply beyond this point. Predictions become vague and less reliable after 30 minutes of perceived time, rapidly degrading to near-uselessness, becoming entirely incomprehensible (and thus non-usable) after 2 hours of perceived time.
- Sensory Experience: Visions are multi-sensory, experienced in the ‘mind’s eye’ but encompassing all senses, providing a comprehensive perception of potential outcomes. Crossroads is still capable of functioning while experiencing future visions, although apparently this was a problem when he first began to use his powers.
- Discrete Outcome Limitation: Accuracy is highest with binary choices, with effectiveness decreasing as the number of potential outcomes increases, becoming unreliable beyond six discrete choices.
- ‘Overclocking’: Crossroads possesses the ability to ‘overclock’, as he terms it, his own abilities during times of exceptional need, such as hand-to-hand combat. This allows him to exist in a state of continuous future-vision approximately 2 seconds ahead of real-time, at the exchange of increased cognitive load and risk of internal hemorrhage due to a manifestation of the bracing effect. Crossroads is currently unsure if this is a specialized form of his primary power, or a secondary power. Further testing may be required in the future.
IV. Limitations:
- Physical Strain: Use of an ‘overclocked’ ability to foresee immediate personal future events causes physical strain, typically resulting in nosebleeds or eye bleeds.
- Mental Concentration: The ability requires significant concentration, with effectiveness reduced in high-stress or distracting environments.
- Non-interactive Visions: Visions are strictly observational; Crossroads cannot interact with or alter the outcomes within his visions, although he can alter his current plans based on the outcomes foreseen in order to avoid specific non-desirable outcomes.
V. Tactical Applications:
- Strategic Decision-Making: Highly effective in scenarios requiring rapid decision-making, especially in combat or crisis situations.
- Crisis Aversion: Useful in preemptively avoiding harmful outcomes and planning strategic operations.
VI. Recommendations:
- Focus Training: Enhance concentration and mental discipline to maximize the effectiveness of his predictions.
- Health Monitoring: Regular medical check-ups to monitor the effects of his power’s physical strain, especially during overclocking.
- Stress Management: Develop techniques to manage stress and distractions, ensuring reliable use of his powers in various environments.
VII. Conclusion:
Crossroads’ predictive abilities provide a strategic advantage, with significant applications in various operational scenarios. While there are inherent limitations and challenges, his current mastery and potential for growth suggest substantial value in his role as a superhero. Continuous monitoring and support are recommended to ensure the optimal use of his abilities while safeguarding his physical and mental well-being.
Dr. Leonard Harris
Specialist in Metahuman Power Assessment for the National Superhuman Response Agency
Chum 