User blog:Izunna Nwogbo/My OC: Latke

"Hi, I'm Latke. Welcome to Gravity Falls. By this point, you probably want to know why I'm named after a fried potato dessert. Well, pull up a chair and I'll explain as much as I can..."

- Latke "Latke" Katsopolis is a young boy (13-14 years old) born and raised in Gravity Falls, Oregon. He lives with his parents who promote their popular breakfast cereal Sugarfrosted UFOats™.



 History

Early Life
Latke earned his nickname "Latke" due to an incident that took place during his school’s potluck in the fifth grade. It involved potato pancakes and the aftermath resulted in the intervention of the entire fire department. The details of the matter are his darkest secret and he doesn't like to talk about it. Shortly after this experience, Latke found himself being bullied relentlessly by his peers. Though he has acquired a dislike for potato pancakes, he seems to prefer his nickname to his real name and has grown quite fond of it over the years.

Growing up in Gravity Falls
Latke gave his parents, Pete and Pamela Katsopolis, the idea of putting prizes at the bottom of their cereal boxes so they put him in charge of that job. Latke uses this opportunity as an excuse to go searching for strange and wondrous curios in the forest. Latke even came up with the slogan - "A meteorite in every bite". The Katsoplis residence also doubles as a youth hostel establishment that offers cheap accomodation for travellers. There is a seperate hallway that bears a total of 16 extra rooms with the number printed on each door. Adventures On the first day of summer break Latke trekked to the Mystery Shack in order to get some answers out of it's manager, Mr. Mystery. Being one of the few residents in town that knew of Stan's con-artist exploits at the time, Latke thought it best to investigate. Fearing that he might get busted, Stan tried to deny all of Latke's suspicions but soon made a deal with the boy to work at the shack and make sure nothing funny went on for himself. Latke met a girl named Maddie who had just moved into Gravity Falls and been recently hired like him. After enjoying each other's company, the two became good friends. Latke spent the first couple of days palling around with his good friend Luna. She introduced him to her fellow werewolf friends, who didn't take to kindly to her hanging out with a mere mortal.

After a week, business at the Shack was beginning to boom. The fruitful summer sales proved to be quite taxing for Maddie and Latke, so Stan had a heart and decided to throw a big party. In doing so, more customers were bound to know about his livelihood, and his employees could finally catch a break. Volunteering as DJ, Latke was enthralled when all his friends showed up.

Personality
Latke is daring, funny, kind, confident, genuine and just an all-around good guy. As a cheerful extrovert, he strides through life looking for the next adventure around the corner. Latke would do anything for you, even if he doesn't know you. He couldn't care less about what happens to himself as long as those he's sworn to protect are safe and out of harm's way. People often say to look up to the firemen in Gravity Falls as role models, but truthfully, Latke is the straightest arrow out there, and his actions do a good job of reminding us that. Wits He is intelligent, but that doesn't mean he's wise. Latke can be impulsive which causes him to leap before looking. He has a smart mouth and a knack for mischief. Latke is also a bit clumsy and eats insatiably when he's nervous. That being said; he is good at science and is artistically inclined. Latke will never miss a clue, and is sharp enough to get the answers and outcomes he wants through methods such as reverse-psychology or playing dumb. He also exhibits a level of quick-witted tactical genius, being able to formulate solutions in the stickiest of situations. It is often pointed out that Latke is "inquisitive", as he tends to ask a lot of questions - even silly ones. Nerve Latke is brave, and while not immune to fear, he has the willpower to overcome it. This allows him to undertake dangerous situations, especially if his friends and family are on the line. His biggest pet peeve is when people bully or hurt others, particularly those closest to him. Latke prefers to reach out to and even befriend his foes instead of outright fighting them. However, if you manage to force his hand, he won't hold back. Verdict Heart of gold, nerves of steel, and a diamond in the rough: Latke is never down for the count against the unknown mysteries that Gravity Falls has in store.

Appearance
Latke sports shaggy black hair, brown eyes, and Caucasian skin. He wears a beige sweater with a red collar and cuffs, blue pants, a yellow belt, white socks, and black round dress shoes. He is of average height for his age with a slight build. He is very good-looking, but is not particularly aware of it. Latke keeps a slingshot in his back pocket. Pinochle Pinochle is the name of Mr. and Mrs. K's food manufacturing business. Their most successful line is their cereal division, namely Sugarfrosted UFOats. Though they do make other produce, such as peanut butter and corn dogs.

Water tower
The Gravity Falls water tower is really Latke's centre of operations. Though the tower looks normal on the outside, there is a hidden door that leads to the inside which looks like a big futuristic rec room/observatory. Not only does it contain beanbag chairs, a refrigerator, and a flat-screen TV; but there is also a large computer with a triangular monitor and trapezoidal keyboard along with a built-in surveillance system of the town so Latke can keep track of things he's discovered in Gravity Falls.

The entire roof of the water tower is able to open up like a hatch, in response to Latke's ejecting-chair function.

Willow Cooper
"Latke? Like the food? I'm Willow. Like the tree."

- Willow first meeting Latke

Willow is the youngest cop in Gravity Falls and a close friend of Latke's. She is bold, fiercly loyal, and hard to be restrained. They often go on adventures and mystery hunts with each other.

Luna Ellos-Lupin
"Luna doesn't only wolf up when there's a full moon. Other things can trigger the transformation. Annoying things. How do I know? Because I'm usually the one who does it."

- Latke describing his relationship with Luna

Luna and Latke are close friends who have been through a lot together. They're both aware of the weirdness in their town and often go adventuring together. Latke thinks her werewolf/witch background is 'neat', a unique genus he refers to as a "werewitch" and "care were". He is secretly jealous that she can grow more body hair than he can.

Maddie Jameson
<p class="MsoNormal">"Big mouth for such a small brain."

- Maddie teasing Latke

<p class="MsoNormal">The yin to his yang, Maddie is the 16-year-old friend and co-worker of Latke who brings new meaning to the term "women's intuition". They work together in the Mystery Shack as Miss    and   Master Mystery. The two like to trade banter and make gibes at each other's expense, but their undeniable bond runs deep. Latke cares for Maddie as if she were his real sister, and the rest of Latke's family views her as such.

Finn Rooney
"Finn once handcuffed me to a flagpole and forgot I was there. He made up for it the next day by buying me all the peanut-butter and jellyfish sandwiches I could eat. Which wasn't a whole lot...but Abe liked them."

- Latke describing Finnow Finn is one of Gravity Falls' finest cops and also one of it's youngest. When trouble is afoot, Finn tends to take charge while Latke takes heart. He likes being viewed as manly, but is soft on the inside. He and Latke get along fairly well and are good friends.

Jade Northwest
"Don't sound so jaded, Jade."

- Latke encouraging Jade to enjoy herself

Jade and Latke are acquaintances who are on each other's good sides.

Latke's parents
Latke's parents, Pete and Pamela, care very deeply for their son.

Latke's siblings
Latke has younger 10-year-old fraternal twin siblings. While occasional disputes arise, Latke truly does love his brother and sister and is quite protective of them.

Aberdeen Angus "Abe" Katsopolis: Is the older twin (by 6 minutes). Abe is the quintessential recipe of "snips, snails, and puppy dog tails". He is good-humored and self-aware. He's also a bit of a smooth-talker, but brutally honest, saying the truth without regard to hurting people's feelings. Abe can take things too literally or just miss the point altogether - often to the annoyance or amusement of others. He never gets tired and always has plenty of energy, but what he does with it is up to him. Similar to Latke, Abe has black hair, but his eyes are bluish green. Abe is rather non-confrontational, as shown by his signature weapon; a circular green shield with a dark green four-leaf clover in the center and a matching dark green ring on the outer edge.

Waverly "Wave" Katsopolis: Is the younger twin (by 6 minutes). Wave is a master of disguise. She dresses up as different people and things when she needs to get out of situations, spy, exact justice, or when she's simply in need of a laugh. She considers herself the plucky daredevil of the duo when paired with her twin brother. By keeping her pet parrot tucked in her coat's collar, she's able to simulate perfect vocal-mimicry. Waverly has long red hair and brown eyes. Her most useful tool is a disguise kit she carries around which can provide almost any costume or cosmetic needed. She is Willow Cooper's biggest fan.

Enemies
Huckleberry "Huck" Piper: A youth (15-16 years old) with a bad-boy rep. He wields a fife that's music can control people's minds and his favorite hobby is poetry. Huck owns a pet albino ferret named Winter. He has neat platinum blond hair and gray eyes. He has something of a rivalry with Latke and Finn.

Justine Thyme and Nikov Thyme: Time-travelling twin siblings from 207̃012 Russia who wreak havoc on the present day.

Other Allies
Xeer Quinton: Xeer is a young but brilliant CSI, not to mention the newest member of the Gravity Falls Police Department. Despite his friendliness, Xeer can get a little carried away when he's trying to enact justice and forget what's really important. He is good friends with Bucky Rhodes.

Announselor: The Announselor is a camp activities director in Gravity Falls. Often tasked with hosting special events, he serves as the announcer<span id="cke_bm_46E" style="display:none;">  and counselor to all who participate. He is very (or perhaps too) enthusiastic in everything he does, encouraging his campers to do the same.

Sweety Sue: Is a popular American superhero that Luna accidentally brought into the material world when she, Latke, Willow and Finn went to The Royal Ragtime Theater. Sweety's heart beats for justice, but that heroic nature doesn't extend to wolves - who are the minions of her sworn enemy, The Wolf Master.

Abilties
Time and time again, Latke has defied insuperable odds and brought down heinous villains and forces through sheer determination, strategy, moral fiber, luck, and help from his friends. He is righteous, courageous, and selfless - making him a natural leader when a situation calls for one. Latke has dazzling hand-eye coordination, capable of effortlessly hitting targets from far away using a slingshot. He is a scout member of the Flying Pigs; and so owns a Swiss Army knife and has survival experience ranging from knot-tying, to starting a fire, and foraging food.

He is very flexible and acrobatic, which helped him earn his black belt in kung fu. Latke can place both of his legs over his shoulders as well as perform cartwheels, handsprings, and other aerial flips and manuevers. However, his best skills lie in his creative thinking and problem solving. Always outside the box, Latke's next move is never quite easy to predict. If his opponent is too big or strong for him to overpower physically, he will resort to more crafty and cerebral approaches.

RPs

 * 101. "Neander Falls"
 * 102. "Mystery Kids"
 * 103. "Big Brother Blues"
 * 104. "Alatkezam!"
 * 105. "Killer in Gravity Falls"
 * 106. "GFPD: Stakeout"
 * 107. "GFPD: Breakout"
 * 108. "Piper, No Piping"
 * 109. "Reunions"
 * 110. "Slumber Party Switcheroo"
 * 111. "Trial and Terror"
 * 112. "Jade vs. Wilderness"
 * 113. "Camp Wherenow?"
 * 114. "Very Sue"
 * 115. "Project Jade"
 * 116. "The Future is in the Past" (coming soon)
 * 117. "Cereal Killers" (coming soon)
 * 118. "Monster Falls" (coming soon)
 * 119. "I Heart Tuesdays"  (mentioned)

Side RPs

 * 002. "Shades of Great"

Quotes
<p style="font-size:16.9599990844727px;line-height:23.7439994812012px;">"If you ever find yourself in Gravity Falls, you've got a futon to crash on."

- Latke vowing open-door hospitality

<p style="font-size:16.9599990844727px;line-height:23.7439994812012px;">"Truly being a hero doesn't take a lot of effort, it's about the little things you do. A hero is someone who does not give up, in spite of the walls and obstacles in their way, will not stop running - ever. You recognize that life is not about the big leap, but the first step."

- Latke

<p style="font-size:16.9599990844727px;line-height:23.7439994812012px;">"I'm allergic to bees! And unlike them, you're not gonna enjoy the stuff that comes out of my  hives."

- Latke

<p style="font-size:16.9599990844727px;line-height:23.7439994812012px;">"I'm not sure what I push more. People's buttons, or my own luck."

- Latke acknowledging his quirks

Trivia

 * Stan and other people often get Latke's name wrong; calling him by other dessert variants (e.g. waffle).
 * Similarly to Stan, Latke likes to use smoke bombs.
 * Latke is allergic to bees.
 * A running gag is Latke's somewhat vague age. He's about 14, but when someone asks him how old he is he'll typically respond with "old enough".
 * Latke regularly practices kung fu and resorts to it during combat.
 * He owns a slingshot. Latke uses the candy from his Pinochle-brand peanut butter Smez dispenser as ammo.
 * His favorite character from Fight Fighters is Joe Zambique.
 * When Latke was 8, he had to apply a special lotion all over his body every night for three whole weeks so he wouldn't get "moonburn".
 * Latke is double-jointed and very flexible in general. He enjoys weirding people out as a "human pretzel". This would eventually earn him the title "King of Limbo" during the seventh grade.
 * His favorite food are apple fritters.
 * He is ambidextrous, meaning he can use each hand with equal skill.
 * Latke owns a black cat named "Sesame" and Waverly owns a blue parrot named "Jangles".
 * He sings in his sleep.
 * Latke and Luna battled an army of "barf fairies" deep in the woods to obtain a werewolf flea collar.
 * Latke occassionally spent summer breaks with his wealthy Uncle Ace and Aunt Ellen, who have an amusement park in their backyard. Meanwhile, their daughter (Latke's cousin) would spend summers with Latke's family.
 * Abe and Latke invented a new sport called "Boy Tennis" where they play billiards using a Magic 8-Ball.
 * Latke has a flair for giving people nicknames and monikers. He has an assortment of his own, including:
 * Lat.
 * Tiger.
 * Mad Latter.
 * King of Limbo.
 * Danish pastry.
 * Waffle.
 * Master Mystery.
 * Lactose.
 * Wiener Sue.
 * Lucky, the Boy Scout.
 * In the roleplay "Reunions", it is revealed that Preston and Priscilla Northwest used to sponsor the business of Latke's parents.
 * Latke actually owns many versions of his iconic sweater, but the cuffs and collar are a different color for each one - orange, purple, blue, green, yellow, indigo, and black.