one. born in houston, texas to an army vet turned mercenary turned mechanic, and to his amazing beautiful purely sweet wife. jackson didn't have a horrible or desolate upbringing, for for the first ten years at least. his parents were in love, and they loved him, their home was small but warm, they lived in a decent neighborhood with like-minded families. it didn't go downhill until his mother passed away, through a cancer they could've done nothing about. without her, jackson's father found himself lost and incomplete, and it was easy to return to the mercenary lifestyle he had before - this time including jackson. "there's nothing in the world losing your heart to," his father would say, his hand steady on jackson's thin shoulder as he stared down the scope of a rifle.

two. jackson bagged his first kill at sixteen, and he never really looked back. he was good at it, was the thing. was good at killing, at using guns like they were apart of his body, using his body like a weapon. he and his father worked as a team until jackson decided to join the army at eighteen, during a short stint of time he thought he wanted to be "normal." less than a year later, he was discharged after a ied left him missing his left hand. fortunately, the army paid for his hospital bills and a prosthetic arm before sending him off with a medal and disability pay.

three. he met alice, not too long after, in his first proper job alone. his father, without his son around, had spiraled into drinking and was never sober for more than hours at a time, so jackson decided to take it up on himself to get shit done. while it wasn't his first job, being without the familiar back up of his father was disconcerting. but alice, oh, alice was different. they fit like they'd been born together, as if their entire lives had been leading up to coming together and completeing each other. they haven't separated since, even after a short try at having a romantic relationship that fizzled.

four. meeting calder was the next best thing in jackson's life. calder took jackson and alice under his wing and taught them how to be better. jackson's relationship with calder is much different than the one he has with alice, but the same level of intensity is there. if jackson is the weapon, calder is the hand that fires him. if jackson is the attack dog, calder is the hand that holds the leash.

five. jackson's father died just two years after meeting alice, and jackson couldn't bring himself to think of it as anything but a blessing. the man had given up on life years ago, just holding because of some misplaces bullheadedness. he wasn't living with any kind of peace, and getting to bury him next to his mother was one of the most peaceful days of jackson's life. his father hadn't been a happy man, and at least now he didn't have to life with that.

six. having locke take jackson's little murdering family under his "sponsorship" of a sorts paved the way into making their lives a little easier. while they weren't hurting for jobs, by any means, having locke's direction meant that they could focus onnly the ones worth putting their time and effort into.

seven. jackson began working as a mechanic when he was twenty-three, pulling on the things he learned from his father, and has been doing it ever since. he's been with the same garage forever, works with the same men and women he did when he started, and he likes that it's the one part of his life that rarely changes. while, of course, his co-workers have noticed his strange hours and the collection of bruises that seem to grow and fade perpetually, they don't questions it.

eight. the cybernetic arm jackon (as apex) is known for was gained when he was fourteen, after an accident at the garage. a car slipped, fell, and he broke his left arm. the infection that settled in ravaged his body and jackson didn't think twice about telling them to take it off completely, an arm wasn't more important than his life. the new arm is more than capable enough and it only helps to make him even more terrifying when he's working a job. he has synthetic skin he covers it with when not at home or when working a job, because it's a little too memorable for his liking.

— has an odd need to keep his work life and his personal life separate, which isn't even working properly because he lives with alice, and spends most of his free time eating calder's food watching calder's tv. but he tries his best, and it's usually evident in his personality: he likes having the apex persona to let loose behind. apex is cold and ruthless and unstoppable and jackson in more-or-less all his glory, undiluted and free to play. on his off time, jackson is laidback and easy to deal with, quiet but not timid or shy or reserved, snarky and chatty when he's comfortable.

— likes guns. loves guns. guns are jackson's forte, but they're not his only skill set. there's a reason he's refered to as a bulldozer time and time again - if he can't use his guns, he'll use brute force to get his shit done. the arm helps, and it could be argued that jackson with his mind set on a target is possibly more terrifying than a man with a gun.

— has a whole get-up when he's out as apex, and it's intimidating.