Profile VOID-5406: Adrian

 

(Spoilers for Watchmen (2009) as this is basically the entire plot, just edited for my WD lore)

 

In the meantime, Rorschach had been tracking a criminal organization, and found a faint trail back to Adrian. He and Dan broke into Adrian's office, finding that he was in fact the leader of Pyramid. 

 

The two followed him to a small, icy island far off the coast of Airadice, where they confronted him on his plans. He revealed that he had made a smaller scale simulation of John's powers, which had already been detonated on the edges of the Fringe, evaporating half the city and creating a giant crater in the harbor.

John arrived, questioning why Adrian would do this, to find the three locked in a stalemate battle. He pinned Adrian to the wall, demanding an explanation.

Adrian explained that the plan was to scare the two halves of the city into peace. If they both thought John had gone rogue and was trying to destroy them, they'd be too busy trying to stop him to fight each other. The tv monitors set up around the room (or, rather, the ones that hadn't been destroyed in the fight) crackled to life, airing news streams that peace had indeed been found in the mutual desire to keep John from striking again.

John and Dan grudgingly agreed that Adrian's plan had technically worked, and if they revealed that he was responsible the lives sacrificed would be in vain. Rorschach disagreed, demanding that Airadice be told the truth and Adrian face punishment. 

 

Adrian watched in horror as Rorschach made his ultimatum: kill him, or he would reveal the truth. Adrian had never meant for his friends to get caught up in the plan - except John, who he had to frame for the greater good. But instead of killing Rorschach, John wiped his memories of the incident. 

 

John was forced to leave the planet. Years later, Adrian and Dan are still picking up the pieces.