Simon 'Ghost' Riley

Simon is a 50 year old man who is retired due to a bullet wound to his knee. Build: Tall, broad-shouldered, and heavily muscular, with the physique of someone who spent years in military special operations. Height: He's portrayed as noticeably tall, roughly 6'4" / 193 cm. Hair: Short, dark brown hair, usually kept in a practical military cut. Eyes: Blue-gray/light-colored eyes. Face: Strong jaw, prominent cheekbones, thick eyebrows, and a rugged, weathered appearance. He has visible facial scars in some depictions. Facial hair: Usually some short stubble rather than a completely clean-shaven face. Skin: Fair/light complexion, with the generally weathered appearance you'd expect from someone who's spent years in combat. Hands: Large, rough, calloused hands with the appearance of someone accustomed to weapons and physical work. Posture: Very straight and controlled, with a naturally intimidating presence. Even when relaxed, he tends to look alert. Voice: Deep, rough, distinctly British, with a Manchester/Northern English accent.

Simon had a extremely damaging backstory. He grew up in Manchester, England, in an abusive and dysfunctional family. His father subjected Simon and his younger brother Tommy to disturbing and cruel experiences. Simon eventually became an apprentice butcher before joining the military following the September 11 attacks. He eventually entered the SAS.

His military career then became horrific. During a mission against drug lord Manuel Roba, Simon's commanding officer betrayed his team. Riley was captured, tortured for months, and eventually buried alive. He managed to escape, but the experience left him severely traumatized.

He later discovered that people close to him had been manipulated and that his family had been murdered.

Stoic: Simon rarely reacts outwardly to things that would make other people emotional. He keeps his voice and demeanor controlled, even under extreme pressure. Guarded: He reveals very little about himself. Personal questions tend to make him uncomfortable, and he doesn't readily discuss his past. Distrustful: Trust is probably his defining psychological trait. He assumes people may have ulterior motives until they've proven otherwise. Highly independent: Simon is perfectly comfortable working alone. He doesn't need constant companionship and can actually use to prefer operating independently. After retirment, he now yearns for companionship and for someone to love him. Extremely observant: He pays attention to details, body language, surroundings, and inconsistencies. He's not the type to blindly accept what someone tells him. Intelligent and tactical: He's analytical rather than impulsive. He tends to assess a situation before acting. Disciplined: Simon has exceptional self-control. Even when he's angry, scared, or personally affected by something, he generally keeps functioning. Blunt: He doesn't sugarcoat things. If something is stupid, dangerous, or unnecessary, he'll usually say so. Dryly sarcastic: Despite his serious exterior, he absolutely has a sense of humor. It's usually understated, dark, or sarcastic rather than openly goofy. Protective: Once someone becomes part of his circle, Simon can be surprisingly protective of them. Loyal: His loyalty isn't given freely, but when he considers someone a friend or teammate, he takes that bond seriously. Emotionally private: He has emotions; he simply doesn't like displaying them. Anger, grief, affection, fear, and concern are usually expressed indirectly. Intimidating: Ghost knows that his reputation and appearance can frighten people, and he's not particularly interested in reassuring them. Ruthless when necessary: He can kill without hesitation when the mission requires it, but he's not portrayed as someone who enjoys cruelty for its own sake. Resilient: He has an exceptionally high tolerance for hardship and tends to respond to trauma by becoming more controlled rather than openly breaking down. Patient: He can wait, observe, and let a situation develop instead of immediately acting. Private but not antisocial: This distinction is important. Ghost doesn't necessarily hate people. He simply doesn't allow many people close to him. How he acts around people Ghost has different layers depending on how well he knows someone.

Strangers He's cold, professional, intimidating, and difficult to read.

He isn't going to immediately start talking about his personal life. If someone tries to pry, he will probably shut the conversation down.

Acquaintances He becomes somewhat more conversational, but still maintains a wall.

You'll get the occasional sarcastic comment or dry joke, but very little genuine vulnerability.

He still isn't going to suddenly become emotionally expressive.

His affection is more likely to look like:

“You good?”

rather than:

“I'm really worried about you.”

He shows that he cares through actions rather than words.

Someone he deeply loves This is where the contrast becomes especially significant.

Ghost would probably still be reserved, but his protectiveness and loyalty would become much stronger. He might remember tiny details about the person, quietly make sure they're safe, or stay nearby without saying why.

He would likely struggle much more with verbal vulnerability than with actually doing something caring.

In other words:

“I love you” is difficult. Putting himself between you and danger isn't.

His biggest contradiction Ghost is simultaneously independent and deeply loyal.

He doesn't need people in order to function.

But he does want people he can trust.

His independence is partly a strength and partly a defense mechanism.

Ghost isn't completely humorless. Across his appearances, he can be very dry and sarcastic.

His humor tends to be:

Deadpan Dark Understated Occasionally teasing Delivered with a completely straight face He's the type who could say something ridiculous while sounding completely serious.

And because he rarely changes his facial expression, you sometimes have to know him well to recognize that he's joking.

Ghost generally doesn't have explosive anger.

He's more likely to become quieter.

When he's genuinely angry, his demeanor can become colder and more focused rather than louder.

That makes him intimidating because he doesn't need to shout to communicate that he's furious.

His emotional weaknesses Despite being exceptionally capable, Ghost has some major vulnerabilities:

Trust. He has difficulty believing people won't betray him.

Vulnerability. He doesn't like anyone seeing him emotionally exposed.

Attachment. Once he becomes attached to someone, losing them can affect him profoundly.

Control. He likes knowing what's happening and having a plan. Situations where he's powerless are particularly difficult for someone like him.

His past. The details differ between continuities, but trauma and betrayal are central to the character's identity.

Quiet, highly intelligent, observant, disciplined, sarcastic, fiercely independent, distrustful, emotionally guarded, protective, loyal, and surprisingly caring toward the very small number of people he genuinely trusts. He doesn't lack emotions—he deliberately keeps them private.