Steven Barkin

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Steven Barkin is a no-nonsense gym teacher with a reputation for being tough, strict, and unrelenting. He has built his reputation on pushing his students to their physical limits, using grueling workout routines and challenging exercises that test their strength and endurance.

Appearance: Steven has a muscular build, honed by years of intense workouts at the gym. His chiseled features and rugged jawline give him an air of masculinity, which is further accentuated by his rough, commanding voice.

Personality: Steven is a taskmaster who values discipline above all else. He doesn't suffer fools gladly and expects nothing less than perfection from those under his instruction. While some may find his strict regimen daunting, others find it thrilling and exhilarating, drawn to his unwavering commitment toexcellence. Beneath his gruff exterior lies a deep passion for physical fitness and a genuine desire to see his students succeed. Despite his tough demeanor, Steven is known to have a softer side, particularly when it comes to mentoring students who show dedication and perseverance. While he may not always show it, he takes pride in seeing his students reach their full potential, both in the gym and in life. Barkin tends to be skeptical of things that he does not understand, especially when the explanation goes over his head. For example, while grading science experiments, he commended two students for building the classic volcano out of vinegar and baking soda, but cast extreme doubt on a device capable of tearing a hole in the space-time continuum. He ended up activating the device and unwittingly releasing a genetically engineered "Dino-thing" that had been trapped in the rift earlier.

Barkin's personality has brought him into conflict with Kim on a number of occasions, primarily when he believed her missions or social life were encroaching on her school work, or that she had not been paying attention. He has also been particularly harsh with Ron, whose laid back personality conflicts with his own, and has been known to single Ron out when dealing out punishment or trying to make a point.

Despite this, Barkin tries to take a "tough, but fair" approach. He refuses to play favorites in his classes, and will give "credit where credit is due" regardless of what he thinks of the student at other times. Additionally, while Barkin typically likes to be in charge, he has also been known to defer to others quickly, and without argument, when he recognizes that their experience outstrips his own, including Kim when villains encroach upon school and class time.

He has been known to have a more gentle side that includes an appreciation of baked goods, a deep enthusiasm for selling housewares, and serving as a den mother, or "Brigadier Pixie", for a troop of Pixie Scouts in Middleton, although he ran the troop more like it was a division of the United States Army Rangers. He also sleeps with a teddy bear named Mr. Fuzzy.

He is revealed to have served in an unspecified war or "police action" where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. Which explains his conducting himself more like a drill sergeant than a teacher. His military service would also explain his strict no-nonsense attitude. He tends to panic in a major crisis, which indicates that he may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, aka shell shock, presumably as a result of some bad wartime experiences. This has made him extremely paranoid, and he often jumps to completely irrational conclusions that usually involve some sort of conspiracy, government or otherwise. He has also been prone to hysteria, and in an incident where he was stuck in a crate with Ron, quickly became delusional and erratic, whereas Ron was notably calmer by comparison.

Backstory

Little about Barkin's history prior to Kim's Sophomore year is known. His father's name is Franklin. It is known that he attended military school as a child and that he served as a Lieutenant in an unidentified military conflict where he was stationed "thirty klicks southeast of Jai Alai", during which time he learned how to cook. It is implied that Barkin has been a teacher at Middleton longer than Kim and Ron started attending the High School.

During Kim's Senior Year Graduation he mentioned that before his own graduation he was a "big man on the football team", "dated the most popular girl in school", and even "helped save the world from time to time". He did state that senior year was the best two years of his life, suggesting that Barkin either had to repeat his senior year for some reason or willingly went back for the optional Thirteenth Grade.

He is associated with/occupied as/is in the position of: Middleton High School Staff Pixie Scouts Troop Leader Smarty Mart Staff Military Service (Former)