Castiel Luciano

A brilliant, well-mannered courtroom assistant who won the 190th season of The Program. Since then, he’s become one of the most publicly, socially active Champions, working with the government to tackle crime and deliver justice.

His ascension in both authority and public image has beget a pride like no other.

• A paralegal and judicial assistant since college, Castiel has worked with both judges and lawyers on a wide variety of cases. His degrees in criminal justice and communications, as well as his dutiful professionalism, elevated him amongst those in his field. He even assisted in police investigations, finding it mentally stimulating to analyze crime directly.
  • Despite his esteemed reputation, he seems relieved that his Program victory allowed him to move beyond this career, as he found it too limiting.
• The origin of his Color Code is from a nickname he was given as an infant - Morning Bird. His mother affectionately called him such, since he always rose with the sun and accompanied the songbirds. He would adapt his now-current Code after their passing.
  • Though he prefers to keep this part of his background private, it would leak through interviews with his childhood neighbors after his Championship. He claims that it’s fine. It probably isn’t.
  • His younger sister, Caroline, jokes that she’s the Mourning Bird of the family.
• His fame as a Champion far exceeds anything ever seen in decades. Typically, when a new Champion joins the pantheon, previous ones become overshadowed. However, Castiel has remained the most active and thus the most popular, even though more than a decade has passed since his season. Such recognition from the public has been one of his greatest assets while working with those in power.
• Rivals with Inigo Guo during the competition, Castiel begrudgingly cooperates with him post-Championship due to their placing high enough to reap some reward. His charming professionalism is most tested with Inigo’s disloyalty, so the two often devolve into bitter, long-winded arguments.
  • Diana Morozov, the salutatorian of their season, gets along with the both of them and is usually tasked with maintaining the peace. Though she finds their strange animosity very entertaining.
• Orphaned at a young age, Castiel and his sister went from shelter to shelter until they were eventually taken in by the Tōnatihue community. A spiritual group in the highlands plateau of central Mexico, they follow a Mesoamerican Synestheism that focuses on the sun’s role in bestowing light and energy to the world.
  • The Lucianos were informally adopted by a woman named Serafina, who wore striking robes of saffron and greatly softened the otherwise jaded and distrustful Castiel.
  • Members note that the Lucianos were great troublemakers growing up; Castiel in particular.
• Never without some form of self-defense, Castiel keeps a semi-automatic pistol in his briefcase.
• Energy Connection (JOULE) not only encompasses kinematics (such as heat and electricity) but also the energy within beings. Castiel notes that he has a unique understanding of people and Specters.
  • His talent as a child was assessing people’s Values, since he could ‘see’ their energetic potential.
• According to close friends, Castiel’s home residence is at a condominium in Goldopolis (the exact location kept a secret from the public) It’s said to be quite bare, as his work usually keeps him moving.
• Blonde hair, stylistically, can be credited to Caroline, who had cajoled him into being her fashion test subject. Though he wouldn’t admit it at the time, he ended up liking it more than he thought he would. So, he makes the effort to maintain the look to this day. Even if his roots tend to show quicker than he likes.
• Office and administration work are left up to his secretary, Mélis Quinby. They stand between Castiel and everyone who isn’t well-acquainted or important, so they’re almost always taking calls and juggling contacts.
  • He has expressed a disinterest in working with multiple assistants or even a large team. Mélis attributes this to an abundance of trust in himself, with little to spare for others.
• Vestiges of his teenage years can be seen in his music taste, which include a lot of intense rock songs.
• Ever since the Program’s inception, it has claimed that Championship will fulfill the desire of whoever wins the competition. Some have interpreted this literally, believing that the victorious will meet with a COVET (Fulfillment Control) user. Castiel played with this conception, stating in his audition that his ‘wish’ would be to see the Chromadeities - particularly Wisce - and share his vision for the perfect world.
  • Of course, no evidence exists of this theory, especially since COVET is an apocryphal Value. But this motivation seems to resonate with strong Synestheists like himself.
• Grace Nejem, the current sitting Champion of the Synesthetic Program, regards Castiel as a kindred spirit. She is particularly fascinated by how he sees absolute judgment as his ambition rather than an inevitability.
  • Castiel, on the other hand, finds Grace to be eerily similar to his sister and is less enthusiastic about picking apart her psyche. Though he respects her more than her contemporaries.
• On one particular interview, Castiel admits that his ideal partner would be someone who understands him innately, thus knowing when they shouldn’t pry. Like bothersome reporters and fans.
• Disappointed that Championship hasn’t quite led to the ascension he wanted, Castiel has been very active behind the scenes of the upcoming season - alongside Grace, Inigo, and Diana. He has assured the public that the 200th season will be one to remember for generations.