Alex Royce


 * “Look, I’m not saying that I’m right. I’m just saying that when people start springing up from the dead and trying to eat our faces off… of... our faces, we should consider the possibility that I am right and have always been right… And maybe some sort of commendation is in order... Oh! Or a crown. Because I wouldn’t mind being a king. I’d like to think I’d make a kickass king.”
 * - Alex, explaining why he's awesome

Alex Royce is one of the Point of View Characters and a survivor of the outbreak in Generation Undead. He is a former cadet at George S. Patton Academy, who at times acts as cadets' moral compass and comic relief in the midst of the zombie apocalypse. He was sent to George S. Patton Academy in Pandora, Colorado at the behest of his older sister, Sydney (a graduate from GSPA herself) when he was 12 because... well, he actually doesn't know why she sent him away. By even his own admission, Alex isn't military academy material. Despite his shortcomings he was able to attain the rank of Cadet Staff Sergeant before the Outbreak.

Pre-Apocalypse
Alexander Renzo Royce is originally from Southern California. He is the baby of the family. The last failed attempt to keep an already sinking relationship afloat. It of course didn’t work. His pops left and a few years later started a new family in on the East Coast never to return. Alex, was just an infant at the time, wasn’t so affected by it as his older brother was and didn’t feel he had anything to prove himself as a man. But as his mother’s son, Alex always felt over-shadowed by her firstborn, a fierce, dynamic, but overbearing whirlwind of an older sister, Sydney and his older brother Derrick, a son she could be proud of. His sister had already gone through GSPA, holding practically every school record in history. Records only broken when Derrick started to walk GSPA’s halls. And what was Alex doing at the time? Sorting mail and writing… He was always writing. He had dreams to one day write comic books or teleplays or novels or all three and so much more. But those dreams seem like they are far off, like they belonged to another person.

Physical Appearance
Alex isn’t as tall or oh so pretty like his brother. He looks like he can’t anything seriously. His dark olive skin hints at an extremely diverse background that includes Japanese and Native American, among other things. He likes to keep his hair short because he’s lazy when it comes to his appearance and doesn’t like to style it. He is about 5’7” and is skinny and awkward. He’s got dark brown hair and dark brown eyes (exciting, I know).

Personality
Alex’s most notable character trait is his sarcastic, flippant attitude and sardonic views on life. He often jokes in serious situations or when someone makes what was intended to be a dramatic statement but for some reason strikes him as funny. He frequently quips about his life. Though, this could simply be a cover for his dislike of it. He is scared of failing his friends as well as not making something of himself. Although Alex is often laid back, he can overreact in certain situations and lose his temper. He is very protective of his friends. He serves as the straight man of the gang but will speak his mind on issues involving his people and is always willing to stand by and fight for his friends when necessary.

Derrick Royce
Dare and Alex get along just fine. Alex is envious of his brother but tries not to take it out on his big bro. It's not his fault he got all of the good DNA and Alex got all the crap DNA.

Greg Reznik
Over the years a few people have confused these two as being an item. Really, there are just good friend. Alex just doesn't bother to correct anyone anymore. They are going to think what they are going to think.

Jordan Mills
Alex's crush since she came to the Academy a year after he did.

Quotes
“Dare and I don’t share secrets. Mostly because I don’t have any secrets worth sharing and Dare… well he’s not a sharer so… I’m guessing she also slapped the crap out of you recently because your face is pretty red and-- Anyway, I just guessed. I mean, I thought everyone knew about you and Ronnie.”

“King Alexander… Has a nice ring to it. I’d be a good king. A wise king. Peaceful unless you crossed me, then I’d crush you.”

“This is a common term for a global mass extinction or an event that is described as the end of the world... 'The Apocalypse...' I would have also accepted 'What is the Apocalypse, Alex?' Because I'm a sucker for a well-placed Jeopardy pun... And my name is Alex... And I sorta set you up for it...”

Tropes Associated with the Character

 * Non-Action Guy + Deadpan Snarker = Non-Action Snarker
 * I Just Want to Be Special
 * Shipper On Deck
 * Genre Savvy
 * The Chick (In a Five-Man Band: Where Bryan is the the Leader, Ronnie is the Lancer, Charlie is the Big Guy, and Greg is the Smart Guy. Also just in general.)
 * Muggle Best Friend
 * The Slacker
 * Quirky Bard

Trivia

 * Alex is a silent nod to Alexander Harris, a popular character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (Both Kelly and Tiffany are fans of Joss Whedon.) His character is based a little on Xander from BtVS, Wash from Firefly, and Topher from Dollhouse.