Character Information
General Information
Full Name: John Sheppard
Nickname(s): Shep
DOB: January 5, 1967
Age: While chronologically 42 years old, Sheppard appears to be in his mid 30’s thanks to Todd the Wraith who not only drained his life, but restored it and then some.
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Nationality: American
Birthplace: United States of America
Homeworld: Earth
Marital Status: Divorced
Occupation/Position: Head of Atlantis Military/2IC of the Atlantis expedition.
Service Branch: United States Air Force
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Base Of Operations: City of Atlantis, Pegasus Galaxy

Physical Description
Appearance: Sheppard is physically fit and has a lean athletic build. He's not overly muscular like his teammate Ronon Dex, but it's readily apparent the Colonel keeps himself in shape.
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 172 lbs.
Eyes: A light luminous green.
Hair: Dark brown in color -- almost to the point of being black -- worn short.
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Sheppard continuously sports a 5 o'clock shadow that only adds to his rakish appearance. And while his hair is cut short as per Air Force regulation and kept neat, it appears to have a mind of its own, sticking up on his head where it pleases and giving him the eternal bed-head look. Also, when viewed from the side, his ears have a slightly elfish appearance to them.
Left, Right, Ambi: Right

Known Relations
Parents: Patrick Sheppard (father -- deceased from a heart attack)
Siblings: Dave Sheppard (younger brother)
Spouse/Significant Other: None
Children: None
Other Relations: Nancy (ex-wife)
Family Background: Sheppard doesn’t speak much about his family life and it’s presumed he possess no close family ties. When pressed about it, he generally responds by saying, “It’s complicated.” It is known, however, that he came from an affluently well off family. His father was a utilities mogul and had John’s life mapped out for him since the age of 14 -- expecting him to take over the family business -- but John had other ideas. Instead, he joined the Air Force – an action that put a heavy strain on his relationship with his father, causing them to never speak again -- leaving his brother Dave to step in and fill John’s shoes, something for which Dave probably resented.

John eventually married a woman named Nancy – who was with Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. -- which, according to his father, was the best thing he ever did. But due to John’s occupation as an Air Force pilot -- spending much of his marriage away and flying secret covert missions -- took its toll on their relationship and they divorced.

Sharing a laugh with Rodney and Teyla.

Friends: Dr. Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Dr. Carson Beckett, Major Evan Lorne, Dr. Radek Zelenka

Background Information
Personality: John Sheppard is a fairly laid-back and easy going individual. He is capable under pressure and is an excellent marksman along with being an outstanding pilot -- frequently claiming to be able to fly anything which lends him an air of cockiness. However, he invariably proves his claims correct, even being able to fly a Wraith Dart with little to no practice. He is very instinctual -- perhaps why he is such a good pilot -- and smart, having taken and passed the MENSA test. He’s frequently able to come up with ingenious solutions to complicated problems which some attribute to him being a closet mathematical genius although he’s had little to no scientific training. But despite this, he tends to be relatively humble -- being able to accept that sometimes there’s nothing he can do to help with the current problem and leave it up to more capable minds.

Sheppard has been labeled a smartass, mainly by his commanding officers. This has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. However, this reputation isn’t something he consciously pursues nor does he disobey orders just for the hell of it. As he once explained it to Dr. Elizabeth Weir -- after going against her orders -- sometimes he sees “a situation a little different” than what someone else would. In other words, he trusts his instincts and he’s not afraid to voice his opinions, particularly when the end result is in the best interests of a needy friend or teammate.

Though he can be a bit of a flirt, Sheppard has proven to be to be very understanding as well as open-minded to foreign cultures and is not afraid to share his own. He’s honorable, kind and generous, fiercely loyal to his friends, and will defend those under his protection to his death as exemplified by a selfless -- often dangerous -- drive in which to do so. And despite his rank, he has an easy rapport with the men and women under his command. He is in possession of a rather wry sense of humor, and frequently alleviates tension by cracking jokes to keep spirits up -- much to the annoyance of Dr. Rodney McKay.

Likes: Sheppard enjoys flying, Ferris wheels, college football, and "anything that goes faster than 200 miles per hour." He likes playing the guitar and while his musical idol is Johnny Cash, his tastes are diverse. He listens to everything from Bach to the Sex Pistols and generally categorizes his preferred brand of music as "head banger" stuff.

He's also a bit of a movie buff. Some of his favorite films pertain to the sci-fi/fantasy genre, which he often quotes from. Some of his most notable favorites are Star Wars, Jaws, Back to the Future, The Princess Bride, and especially Alien.

He’s a keen and avid golfer, and has displayed an aptitude for chess — having beaten McKay at least once much to the scientist’s chagrin. Sheppard also likes skateboarding, surfing, and SuDoku. Beer is his drink of choice and his favorite food stuffs consist of popcorn or turkey sandwiches. He also likes Athosian tea and spearmint gum.

Dislikes: Sheppard intensely hates Iratus bugs and it would be wise never to mention them around him. He also dislikes clowns, the Wraith, anyone who can stick their hand in his head, and the IOA.

Strengths/Weaknesses: Sheppard’s strengths also tend to be his weaknesses. Though self assured, he most fears himself and failing his friends. While he cherishes and draws strength from his friendships, he's a tortured soul, fearing the loss of those he cares about and is haunted by everyone he’s tried to save but couldn’t -- something for which he beats himself up for daily. This is perhaps why he doesn’t seem to have any close, lasting relationships – that was until he arrived in the Pegasus Galaxy. This may also be a result of whatever happened within his family that severed those familial bonds.
Quirks/Habits: Tends to be a bit of a smartass.
Sexual Preference: Straight/Heterosexual

History: Blessed with rugged good looks, John Sheppard is an experienced and talented pilot in the United States Air Force with a checkered past. His reputation was tarnished when he disobeyed a direct order in Afghanistan in an unsuccessful attempt to save the lives of several servicemen. He was subsequently reassigned to the remote outpost of McMurdo Air Force Base in the frozen wasteland of Antarctica, a post which he surprisingly liked due to the quiet. At least there, he didn’t have to worry about being shot down.

When called upon to transport General Jack O'Neill to the research base that had been established at the nearby Ancient defense facility, the then Major Sheppard inadvertently discovered that he not only had the ATA gene, but that he was also naturally proficient in using it. Dr. Weir took note and decided she absolutely had to have him on her team, though Sheppard was not immediately inclined to go. After some doubts, he finally joined the expedition to Atlantis though Col. Marshall Sumner – the Atlantis military commander -- made it clear he was not pleased about Sheppard's being a part of it, no doubt aware of the Major’s colorful record.

Once in the Pegasus Galaxy Sheppard was sent on a mission to the planet of Athos in the hopes of recovering additional ZPMs to power the sunken city of Atlantis. There he met the Athosian leader Teyla Emmagan and her people, and the two immediately hit it off. He learned of the threat of the Wraith, who had once defeated the Ancients, and witnessed a culling of the Athosians -- including Teyla -- and Sumner, his commanding officer. Sheppard returned to Atlantis with the surviving Athosians and embarked on a daring rescue mission to recover them. He was successful -- but in the process, he was forced to shoot Col. Sumner as he was being fed upon by the Wraith Keeper of the hive ship. Despite the fact that Sumner tacitly requested that Sheppard shoot him, Sheppard's motives for doing so were later questioned by his superiors. Sheppard killed the Keeper but not before she awakened the entire hive and ultimately all the Wraith, setting off a massive culling cycle of the humans in the galaxy.

As the most senior surviving member of the Atlantis expedition's military contingent, Sheppard served as the head of the officers stationed there -- making him second in command of the base to the civilian Weir – as well as leading the base’s main reconnaissance team. One year later and with the support of Weir, he was promoted to Lt. Colonel and solidified his role on Atlantis as the city’s military commander.

Since then, the expedition has changed leadership a few times and despite Sheppard being on the shortlist to assume overall command of Atlantis, he has been content to remain the base’s military leader. He’s been a first hand witness to the political and bureaucratic crap Weir had been put through and wasn’t anxious to endure the same. Therefore, he’s right where he wants to be -- having someone to rage against.

Weapons: Other than the standard TR P-90 machine gun and MK 3 Navy Seal combat knife he carries in the field, Sheppard’s sidearm of choice is a P14.45 -- a Para-Ordnance modified Colt M1911. This weapon is equipped with a BOMAR sight, elongated beaver tail, skeletal firing hammer, and a stackable clip – which allows the gun to fire more rounds than a standard M1911 or Beretta with far more stopping power, which is a good thing when it comes to the Wraith. Also, when more heavy fire power is required, Sheppard is known to discard his P-90 in favor of the G-36K carbine assualt rifle.

Special Skills/Training/Abilities/Education: Sheppard has a college education and is an exceptional pilot, something for which he does without thinking. He’s skilled in and has had training in flying most Earth-based aircraft, such as the AH-1 Cobra, AH-64 Apache, OH-58 Kiowa, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, the CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and an F-16 fighter jet among others. He’s also quite adept in flying space faring craft such as the F-302, puddle jumpers, and Wraith darts, as well as having demonstrated the ability to pilot Earth’s deep space heavy cruises.

In addition, Sheppard is an outstanding marksman, having been trained in the use of standard military combat weapons, small arms, and explosive devices. He’s also picked up a fair amount of knowledge in the use of alien weapons such as Wraith stunners and the Goa’uld zat'ni'katel. And he has the ability to use Ancient technology with little to no thought or effort due to his natural possession of the ATA gene.

Medical History
Allergies: No known allergies.
Injuries/Illnesses: For the most part, Sheppard hasn’t had any major illness or severe injuries -- at least nothing that would be considered out of the ordinary for a young boy and someone who made their career in the military. However, the term “ordinary” and the nature of his injuries became subjective once Sheppard stepped through the wormhole, entering the Pegasus Galaxy.

• A Pegasus insect called an Iratus bug, attached itself to Sheppard’s neck, feeding upon his life force much like the Wraith – who are thought to have evolved from the insect species. The only way in which to remove the insect was to stop Sheppard’s heart with a defibrillator in order to simulate his death so the bug would relinquish its hold on him.
  
  
• Sheppard received several cracked ribs and a flesh wound to his upper left arm after a bullet ricocheted off his P-90 from unfriendly fire while trying to retake a confiscated Jumper from a Wraith.
  
  
• After being attacked and 'bitten' by a young Wraith female who had injected herself with Dr. Beckett’s Iratus bug retrovirus, Sheppard nearly turned into a human-sized monster-esque version of the insect himself. But Dr. Beckett was able to reverse the transformation at the zero hour by introducing Iratus bug stem cells programmed with human R.N.A. into Sheppard’s system.
  
  
• An alien consciousness took temporary control over Sheppard’s body and sabotaged Atlantis in an attempt to kill Weir and the alien conscious that had inhabited her. After being possessed, Sheppard was winged in his left shoulder by friendly fire when McKay began firing Sheppard’s own sidearm in a blind panic. The entire incident ended with Sheppard going into convulsions when the alien’s “imprinting” lapsed, leaving Sheppard himself again.
  
  
• As a means of torture and coercing Dr. Weir into meeting his demands, a former Genii military commander named Kolya captured Sheppard and had a starving Wraith prisoner – later to be dubbed Todd -- slowly feed on him, taking his life from him little by little. After Sheppard and the Wraith joined forces, they over powered their guards and escaped only to have the Wraith nearly drain Sheppard’s life to garner enough strength to combat their pursuers. Though once Kolya’s men had been dealt with, the Wraith bestowed Sheppard with the “gift of life,” essentially restoring the Colonel’s life to repay his debt.
  
  
• Under the influence of a Wraith machine, Sheppard began hallucinating and reliving past events of an unauthorized rescue mission he partook while stationed in Afghanistan. While under the machine’s influence, Sheppard didn’t recognize the members of his team and viewed some of them as Taliban, causing him to shoot both Rodney McKay and Ronon Dex. But once power was cut to the machine, its mind altering effects were immediately neutralized.
  
  
• Sheppard suffered a mind-numbing headache and ruptured ear drums as a result of a mass ultra-sonic communication attempt from Lantea’s whales to warn Atlantis’ inhabitants of an impending solar disaster.
  
  
• Dr. Keller administered an electrical shock with a defibrillator to Sheppard’s system in order to purge an alien entity he unknowingly brought back with him from an away mission to M3X-387. This entity took great pleasure in drudging up its victim’s greatest fears in the form of nightmares while they slept, sometimes killing the victim in the process.
  
  
• After being struck by a common childhood illness to the Pegasus Galaxy known as Kirsan fever, Sheppard – along with the rest of the Earth expedition – experienced a form of amnesia that would eventually lead to his death until Teyla disseminated the cure through Atlantis’ ventilation system.
  
  
• Encountering a fluke solar flare while traveling through the Stargate, Sheppard was transported 48 thousand years into the future and spent another 800 years in a stasis chamber until another solar flare would occur to send him back to his own timeline – which ended up being 12 days after the initial time he disappeared.
  
  
• While infiltrating one of Michael’s labs in a search for the then missing Teyla, McKay triggered a booby trap which caused the facility to implode, collapsing the building. Sheppard was trapped under 3 thousand pounds of rubble and severely injured. He sustained a concussion, several cuts and lacerations, and a deep puncture wound from a steel rebar embedded roughly 4 to 5 inches into his right side along with major blood loss as a result of it.
  
  
• About 3 weeks after the above incident and back on active duty, Sheppard was impaled in the stomach by an alien tendril while trying to free Dr. Jennifer Keller who was ensnared in its mass. He was also infected by the same alien organism that Keller was, however Sheppard volunteered to test the cure -- a phage -- that Dr. Beckett had developed which was successful.
  
  
• The upper left quadrant of Sheppard's back was peppered with several small wounds caused by flying glass debris after he used his own body to sheild Dr. Radek Zelenka when the Atlantis Stargate exploded, destroying both the Gate and Control Rooms. He also suffered a brief bout of acute tinnitus -- ringing in the ears -- due to his close proximity to the blast.
  
  
• (In game play) Sheppard suffered a concussion as well as sustained a scalp laceration on his right temple and 3 cracked ribs after being slammed into his jumper's flight controls during a crash landing.
  
  
• Sheppard was knocked unconscious when the forward section of Todd's destroyed Hive ship crash landed into the ocean.

Mental Health: Despite everything he’s been through and seen, Sheppard’s mental health is remarkably stable.
Eyesight: 20/20
Hearing: Selective — Sheppard generally has excellent hearing, except for when he’s purposefully ignoring McKay.
ATA Gene: Positive — Sheppard is a strong, natural carrier of the gene. Somewhere along the branches of his family tree, he had an Ancient for an ancestor.