Changes: Byron Lewis (Watchmen)

Byron Alfred Lewis, known to the public by the vigilante name Mothman, was one of the original Minutemen that protected New York City before being forced into retirement and going insane. While in a mental institution, he became close friends with Reggie Long and convinced him to become the next Rorschach.

History

The Rise and Fall of Mothman

Byron Lewis was born into a wealthy family in Bethlehem, Connecticut.^[1] In his young adult life, he sought adventure around the world, at one point making an extended visit to Africa. When he returned home from his journeys, Lewis saw that his country had been taken storm by crime fighters. Seeking to help the less fortunate and fight oppression and corruption himself, Lewis utilized his inventive talent to create special wings that allowed him to glide through the air, taking to the streets as 'the Mothman'.

Shortly after, Lewis joined the crime fighting group 'the Minutemen', which were based in New York City. After years of vigilantism, crime fighting began taking its toll Lewis, who became addicted to liniment and alcohol to cope with the pain.

At the height of the McCarthy era in the 1950s, Lewis came under pressure of the House of Un-American Committee trials due to previously befriending left-wing friends during his student days. Because of the investigations, Lewis was committed into a mental asylum - the Fitzgerald Mental Home - in Maine in 1962, becoming the second Minuteman to officially go into retirement.^[2]

Later Years and Death

Having spent several years in the mental home, Lewis would frequently write letters to his sister Betty, remembering memories from their childhood and staying in touch. Lewis was present in the asylum the day a giant space alien attacked and killed three million people in New York. With his wealth still in his possession, he would make several hefty donations to the massacre victims donation fund.

Having never lost his Mothman talent, Lewis had developed a reputation for being crafty and escaping the asylum due to his ability to craft incredibly successful moth wings out of just his bed sheets and bed springs.

Sometime after the attack in New York, Lewis befriended Reggie Long, a New York survivor, who had been institutionalized due to trauma from the attacks. Lewis and Long would bond for some time, with Lewis retrieving some of Long's father's possessions from his old home on one of his nights escaping the asylum. Lewis would even go as far as to train Long in the ways of the Minutemen, reliving his days when he was allowed to freely be Mothman.

When suspicions went public that Adrian Veidt had secretly caused the invasion of the alien that destroyed New York, Reggie Long organized an escape from the asylum in order to seek out and assassinate Veidt, setting the mental institution ablaze. Leaving his friend Reggie with a handwritten letter and a gift he had picked up on one of his escapes - Rorschach's mask, Lewis couldn't bring himself to escape the burning mental institution, believing his destiny was to stay, returning and perishing in the burning building like a moth to a flame.^[1]

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

Aviation: In his obituary, it was claimed Lewis moved to New York City to pursue his interest in aviation.^[1]
Genius Level Intellect
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
- Gadgetry: Lewis is resourceful, able to constantly build moth wings that allow him to fly out of just a bed sheet and some springs.^[1]

Weaknesses

Alcoholism
Drug Addiction

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Moth-Wings: Lewis' moth wings allow him to glide through the air for short periods of time, making him appear as though he can fly.

Notes

Lewis' death was revealed via a newspaper obituary seen in the supplementary material in^[3].
Lewis died Sunday, October 11, at the age of 80.^[1]

Appearances in Other Media

In the film adaption, Mothman/Byron Lewis was portrayed by Niall Matter.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{DC Database:Character Template
 | Theme                   = Watchmen
-| Image                   = Mothman 003.jpg
+| Image                   = Byron Lewis Watchmen 001.jpg
-| RealName                = Byron Lewis
+| RealName                = Byron Alfred Lewis
-| CurrentAlias            = Mothman
+| MainAlias               = Mothman
 | Aliases                 =
 | Identity                = Public
 | Alignment               = Good
-| Affiliation             = Formerly [[Minutemen (Watchmen)|The Minutemen]]
+| Affiliation             = Formerly the [[Minutemen (Watchmen)|Minutemen]]
-| Relatives               =
+| Relatives               = Unnamed parents (deceased)<br/>Betty Lewis (sister)
 | Universe                = Watchmen
-| BaseOfOperations        = [[New York City]]
+| BaseOfOperations        = [[New York City]], [[New York]]
 | Gender                  = Male
 | Height                  =
 | Weight                  =
-| Eyes                    =
+| Eyes                    = Brown
-| Hair                    =
+| Hair                    = Blonde
+| Hair2 = Grey
 | UnusualFeatures         =
 | Citizenship             = American
 | MaritalStatus           = Single
-| Occupation              =
+| Occupation              = Formerly Vigilante, Engineer
-| PlaceOfBirth            =
 | Creators                = Alan Moore; Dave Gibbons
 | First                   = Watchmen Vol 1 1
-| Death                   = Doomsday Clock Vol 1 2
+| Death                   = Doomsday Clock Vol 1 4
+| Overview = '''Byron Alfred Lewis''', known to the public by the vigilante name '''Mothman''', was one of the original Minutemen that protected New York City before being forced into retirement and going insane. While in a mental institution, he became close friends with [[Reginald Long (Watchmen)|Reggie Long]] and convinced him to become the [[Walter Kovacs (Watchmen)|next]] [[Rorschach]].
-| HistoryText             =
+| HistoryText =
-===Origin===
+===The Rise and Fall of Mothman===
-Byron Lewis had a privileged upbringing and sought adventure around the world. When he returned home from a trip to Africa he saw that his country had been taken storm by the crime fighters. Seeking to help the less fortunate and fight oppression and corruption he decided his thirst for adventure and heroism could be sated by becoming the Mothman.
+Byron Lewis was born into a wealthy family in Bethlehem, Connecticut.<ref name=DC4>{{C|Doomsday Clock Vol 1 4}}</ref> In his young adult life, he sought adventure around the world, at one point making an extended visit to Africa. When he returned home from his journeys, Lewis saw that his country had been taken storm by crime fighters. Seeking to help the less fortunate and fight oppression and corruption himself, Lewis utilized his inventive talent to create special wings that allowed him to glide through the air, taking to the streets as 'the Mothman'.
-Due to his family's money and inventive nature he created special wings that allowed him to glide through the air. However, years of dangerous adventure and crime fighting was taking its toll on the man and he became addicted to liniment and alcohol to cope with the pain.
+Shortly after, Lewis joined the crime fighting group 'the [[Minutemen (Watchmen)|Minutemen]]', which were based in [[New York City]]. After years of vigilantism, crime fighting began taking its toll Lewis, who became addicted to liniment and alcohol to cope with the pain.
+At the height of the McCarthy era in the 1950s, Lewis came under pressure of the House of Un-American Committee trials due to previously befriending left-wing friends during his student days. Because of the investigations, Lewis was committed into a mental asylum - the Fitzgerald Mental Home - in Maine in 1962, becoming the second Minuteman to officially go into retirement.<ref>{{C|Watchmen Vol 1 9}}</ref>
-===[[Minutemen]]===
-Despite the pain and suffering and faulty equipment, he joined the Minutemen to do good on a higher level and had many adventures with them over the years. He was the second member to leave the group before it became officially defunct; he left due to his increasing mental instability.
-===Retirement===
+===Later Years and Death===
+Having spent several years in the mental home, Lewis would frequently write letters to his sister Betty, remembering memories from their childhood and staying in touch. Lewis was present in the asylum the day a [[Watchmen Vol 1 12|giant space alien attacked and killed three million people in New York]]. With his wealth still in his possession, he would make several hefty donations to the massacre victims donation fund.
-At the height of the McCarthy era in the 1950s, Lewis came under pressure of the House of Un-American Committee trials due to previously befriending to left-wing friends during his student days. Because of the investigations, Lewis was committed into a mental asylum in Maine in 1962. He was briefly released for the Minutemen's reunion, but was still in a mentally fragile wreck.<ref>[[Watchmen Vol 1 9|''Watchmen'' #9]]</ref>
+Having never lost his Mothman talent, Lewis had developed a reputation for being crafty and escaping the asylum due to his ability to craft incredibly successful moth wings out of just his bed sheets and bed springs.
+Sometime after the attack in New York, Lewis befriended [[Reginald Long (Watchmen)|Reggie Long]], a New York survivor, who had been institutionalized due to trauma from the attacks. Lewis and Long would bond for some time, with Lewis retrieving some of Long's father's possessions from his old home on one of his nights escaping the asylum. Lewis would even go as far as to train Long in the ways of the Minutemen, reliving his days when he was allowed to freely be Mothman.
+When suspicions went public that [[Adrian Veidt (Watchmen)|Adrian Veidt]] had secretly caused the invasion of the alien that destroyed New York, Reggie Long organized an escape from the asylum in order to seek out and assassinate Veidt, setting the mental institution ablaze. Leaving his friend Reggie with a handwritten letter and a gift he had picked up on one of his escapes - Rorschach's mask, Lewis couldn't bring himself to escape the burning mental institution, believing his destiny was to stay, returning and perishing in the burning building like a moth to a flame.<ref name=DC4/>
 | Powers                  =
 | Abilities               =
+* {{Aviation}}: In his obituary, it was claimed Lewis moved to New York City to pursue his interest in aviation.<ref name=DC4/>
 * {{Genius Level Intellect}}
+* {{Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)}}
+** {{Gadgetry}}: Lewis is resourceful, able to constantly build moth wings that allow him to fly out of just a bed sheet and some springs.<ref name=DC4/>
 | Weaknesses              =
 * {{Mental Illness|Alcoholism}}
@@ Line 52: / Line 61: @@
 | Weapons                 =
-| Notes                   = * Lewis' death was revealed via a newspaper obituary seen in the supplementary material in {{c|Doomsday Clock Vol 1 1}}.
+| Notes                   = * Lewis' death was revealed via a newspaper obituary seen in the supplementary material in<ref>{{c|Doomsday Clock Vol 1 1}}</ref>.
+* Lewis died Sunday, October 11, at the age of 80.<ref name=DC4/>
 | Trivia                  =
 | OtherMedia              =
-* In the [[Watchmen (Movie)|film adaption]], Mothman/Byron Lewis was portrayed by [[Actors:Niall Matter|Niall Matter]].
+* In the [[Watchmen (Movie)|film adaption]], Mothman/Byron Lewis was portrayed by [[Niall Matter|Niall Matter]].
 | Wikipedia               =
 | Links                   =