CAPTAIN FISHOOK, THE PILLAGING SHARK

FULL NAME - Bruce Ozzie Fishook

AGE - ? (Estimates for the shark are 10-15 years while the human mind is 35-45 years)

GENDER - Male(?)* (See footnote)

CAUSE OF DEATH - Eaten by a shark/Harpooned

TIME OF DEATH - Early 1700's

LIKES - Meat on the barbie, beer, singing sea shanties

DISLIKES - Eating fish, animal cruelty, seeing his crew in distress

NOTABLE RELATIONSHIPS - William MacFrights (best friend), Delfina, Enguio, Nagi, and Awahia (his ghostly animal crew)

QUOTES

'I hate ta tell ya this, mate. But if that green bloke and the sheila don't get here soon, I'll be forced to roast ya on the barbie.'

'That's right, mates. G'day ta you too. Like the ship? She's a real beaut, ain't she?'

'What's a coupla sooks like you doing on me ship anyhow? It ain't good for a bloke like you ta be all the way out in me watery outback.'

'I forgot to tell you the conditions. If ya blokes lose, I get ta roast you on the barbie!'

'I'll give you chooks credit. You've got some bloody impressive brains.'

'Calm down, mates! Calm down! I know you wanna defend me, but I don't wanna put you in danger. What kind of captain would I be if I did that? No, you mates gotta stay outta this. I'll deal with the mortals meself. No more barrels! I've got a much better idea.'

BIO

Anyone who sees Captain Fishook for the first time typically has the same question – why is he a shark? Or, more accurately, how? He wasn't always like that. Back when he was still alive, he was actually a human who hailed from Down Under, who really liked water and wanted to take to the seas. He summoned his own crew and bought his own ship, and next thing he knew he was pillaging off other ships over the seven seas.

He had a tough exterior befitting a sea captain, but in contrast to his cruelty to enemy ships he was a benevolent leader to his own crew. He only killed those who tried to harm his friends, usually doing so by delivering his trusty hook directly to their stomach or heart. He was not above roasting said heart or stomach for dinner that night, mostly because as pirates they didn't exactly get much good stuff to eat.

So, when does the shark come in? After sinking another enemy ship, Fishhook got a little cocky and decided to swim in the wooden remains of the ship that floated on the water's surface. A shark thought he was a seal and tried to eat him. It would've been fine, had he not tried to impale its eye with his hook. He was eaten immediately.

But he wasn't quite dead yet. With his human body now a digested mess, his soul had bonded to that of the shark. This sometimes happens if a person died via getting eaten by an animal. With their souls united as one, he proceeded to wreak havoc as the beast of the sea, much to his delight. He even enjoyed devouring schools of fish, or at least he did until he got caught in a fishing net. Though his resourceful human mind was able to get himself free, it made him realise how scary it is for a fish to be eaten and swore off it. He settled for other humans instead.

His reign came to an end when a whaling crew succeeded at harpooning him. His soul was set free to roam the world without a physical body, but because his human soul had merged with the shark's soul, something went a little wrong. He returned with a human mind but a shark body. Luckily for him, he think it's freaking awesome. The shark body appears to be that of a female, so make of that what you will.

As he drifted through the watery outback as a ghost, he encountered the souls of four sea critters - Delfina the aggressive dolphin, Enguio the sarcastic electric eel, Nagi the pessimistic leopard seal, and Awahia the box jellyfish. Unlike Fishook himself, who has the mind of a human, these four were the ghosts of ordinary sea animals. All were the victims of cruel humans - Delfina had been caught in a net and drowned, Enguio was fished by mistake and left to suffocate on a fishing boat, Nagi had her head bashed in with a club, and Awahia died after getting beached and not being rescued (which, to be fair, is what you're supposed to do). They are now part of Fishook's ghostly crew.

Fishook is tough, brawny, and loves some good vegemite-on-toast. He loves all kinds of meat on the barbie, but he will NOT - under any circumstances - eat his fellow fish. Which is why Hellen leaves him in charge of a seafood restaurant: it riles him up, ready for any battle. While the eyepatch is the result of him stabbing the shark in the eye before she ate him, the hook is a self-inflicted injury so he can feel more comfortable in his body.

*While his mind is male, thus making that his gender, his biological sex is technically female due to his feminine shark body. Debates have risen over whether or not his gender should be listed as male or female. Since the term used here is 'gender', we have listed it as 'male'. Do not start arguments about this. Please.

EXTRA NOTES

-He's Australian because why not, and an unapologetic stereotype too.

-He does NOT hate all humans, which would be pretty hypocritical considering that he has the mind of one. Even if you eat seafood, he's willing to be friendly as long as you're respectful and kind to the sea critters currently living. If not, well, that hook ain't just for show.

-He can speak English, thanks to his human mind, but his sea critter crew can only communicate in their native language. In case it isn't clear, Enguio is male while Delfina, Nagi, and Awahia are female.

-His going through a painful process to feel more comfortable in his own body (the hook) has inspired and encouraged other people suffering from body/gender dysphoria to go through with their own transitions.

BEHIND THE SCENES

I am rather patriotic for an Aussie (we typically only celebrate our country on Australia Day), and an Aussie accent seemed appropriate for a shark. 'Bruce' was the most stereotypically Aussie name I could think of, and it also doubles as a neat Finding Nemo reference.

The whole 'his crew consists of ghostly sea animals' thing was thought up literally on the fly when I got to the scene where his crew emerges. I was about to have the regular Oozers appear before I was all like 'I've got a cunning idea!', which is usually how things like this happen to begin with. As for his hatred of animal cruelty... no one seems to realise the implications of a sapient shark being the mascot of seafood restaurant.

The whole 'man-inside-a-shark-body' is intentionally played out like a metaphor for being trans, especially the whole 'the hook is a self-inflicted injury' thing.