Simon J. Paladino, alias Gazerbeam, was a superhero from The Incredibles whose powers allowed him to generate lazer blasts from his eyes, assuming that he concentrated on his target; the helmet he wore allowed him to further control and intensify his blasts. The Operation Kronos Database assigned him a threat rating of 6.3.
Abilities
Gazerbeam had the power of laservision, but described having difficulties with it as staring too intensely could accidentally trigger his powers, which made it hard for him to form a relationship as people thought he was being rude or uninterested.
In civilian life, Simon worked as a lawyer, which shows a good level of intelligence. He seemed to have a strong sense of devotion to ethics and morality, as he was reputed to take cases pro bono for people in dire straits. Like Mr. Incredible, he detested the ban on Supers, although he tried to deal with it through different means, as he attempted an entry into politics in an effort to spearhead a legal movement to have the Super ban repealed.
Personality
He was known to struggle in personal relationships, unable to focus on women in fear of hurting them with his energy blasts, as well as having "No sense of humour".
The Incredibles
Gazerbeam's NSA files.
Gazerbeam was originally a member of the superhero team the Phantasmics, but rivalry with Everseer led to Gazerbeam's dismissal. After Dynaguy's death, Gazerbeam replaced him as leader of the Thrilling 3. He was only seen alive as one of the guests at the wedding of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, sitting at the frontmost bench of the chapel and in his superhero outfit.
After being forced into hiding, Gazerbeam used his civilian identity to launch a campaign to get the ban on Supers repealed. Frozone commented that he "had trouble adjusting to civilian life," much like his best friend Mr. Incredible had. Also, Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible's civilian alter ego) had learned in a Metroville Tribune newspaper that Gazerbeam had gone missing. According to the newspaper article, he was last seen outside his apartment on Traction Avenue ten days prior to the date of the article. His past advocacy of Superhero rights—which had lead some citizens to believe that he had actually been a superhero—would have made him a likely target (especially to Operation Kronos, a plan set forth by super-villain Syndrome).
Gazerbeam's corpse
Gazerbeam was one of several retired supers who were recruited to battle an Omnidroid on Nomanisan Island as part of the droid's battle education. He destroyed the Omnidroid v.X4, then was bested by its successor, the Omnidroid 5. He was killed by the 5, but not before learning about Operation Kronos. Though the film does not show how, he learned the password for Syndrome's database, "KRONOS," and used his powers to carve it on the wall of a cavern before he lost his life. While Mr. Incredible was on Nomanisan Island trying to hide from Syndrome, he ended up in the cavern, where he encountered Gazerbeam's skeleton by chance, the sight he initially recoiled at. Approaching cautiously at the skeletal remains and wiping some dust off from the helmet, he found out that they were what remained of the missing superhero. He then traced the track of blast from Gazerbeam's visor to find the message carved on the cavern walls. Mr. Incredible was able to avoid being detected and killed by hiding behind Gazerbeam's bones. Although he lost his life, Gazerbeam played an important part in helping the Incredibles foil Syndrome's plans for good, avenging the deaths of all the Supers killed by Syndrome.
Toy Story of Terror!
Gazerbeam, or rather his secret identity, made a cameo as a name on a tombstone in the beginning of Toy Story of Terror, which also noted him in the epitaph as being "a public servant with a unique vision".
Incredibles 2
Though not making a physical appearance, Gazerbeam makes a cameo in one of Winston Deavor's flashbacks. In said flashback, Winston reveals that his father was at the favor of the Supers, being friends with many of them, including Gazerbeam and Fironic. It's later shown that the night Winston's father was murdered by two muggers he attempted to call Gazerbeam, but as Supers were no longer legal, Gazerbeam never responded the call. It could have also been likely that Gazerbeam may have already been killed by Syndrome prior to the burgulary, and that Mr. Deavor was unaware that Gazerbeam was now dead.
Gallery
Trivia
- Gazerbeam's superpower and appearance is clearly inspired by Cyclops from Marvel's X-Men series.