Stingray isn’t your average pilot. He got his start as a hacker, pirate media personality and performance artist in the streets of Metal City. Running his free pirate television show, Free Metal TV, that broadcasted across the city and the wastes, he rose in popularity as many came to watch his exploits, a true underdog fighting against the oppressive tyranny of the world.
Of course, said ‘Tyrants’ didn’t feel the same way. It took some time, and no small amount of effort, but the Sect of Metal managed to find Stingray’s broadcasts, cracking down on the pirate. Tried as a criminal in spite of his young age, the boy found himself faced with exorbitant fines in damages against the city.
The Sect of Metal wanted him dead, but the fans cried out for his freedom, and he had many fans. The Sect of Metal knew that they couldn’t come down too hard on him, so they did the next best thing; they bought his debt, and pressed him into service in the Arena. In the Arena, Stingray found the truest way to express himself and each bout became a new performance piece. Rebellious and with serious issues against authority, especially the Sect of Metal, the kid is an idol to all those who feel the oppressive weight of the Patrons or the Sect bearing down on them. However, despite all of that, one of the biggest reasons he stages his performances, broadcasts his shows, and challenges the status quo is to show the world that anything is possible if you’re willing to push the envelope. He does it to give those he sees as his “people” hope, and they love him for it. Which is why when it became apparent that the Sect couldn’t make Stingray disappear, they chose instead to put him in the Arena, hoping he would die and their problem would go away.
It didn’t. He didn’t die. What was worse was with his showmanship in the Arena, his popularity exploded to all sectors of Metal City. Now Stingray is a tacitly accepted media icon amongst the upper crust of society and the higher-ups in the Sect. However, he hasn’t forgotten from where he came. Even though Stingray and his videographer Lenz have to shoot Sect approved shows, his pirate broadcasts are still the most popular thing amongst the outsiders and the disenfranchised amongst the city.