Originally from New York City, Phillip found his younger years engaged with the normal going's on of every day city life. Nothing truly stands out as being different or life changing.
Yet, in the life developing realms; Phillip's father was an investor, his mother a socialite. Neither coddled nor spent quality time with Phillip after his fifth year, when the new of having a child wore off. Though a lot was expected from his parents; growing up on the Upper East Side and attending private school with all the other rich kids, Phillip was held to the high standards of personal and professional success no matter what the sacrifice. Anything less than an A on a test resulted in some form of punishment and the scorn of disappointment. In this, Phillip was always striving to achieve approval and gain the attentions of his parents through positive accomplishments. Unlike other kids who would have acted out, Phillip tried to be the 'good son'.
With investment in his blood, upon graduation from primary school, Phillip went on to attend Harvard Business School where he would receive a MBA with a focus in investing. During his college years, he joined a fraternal organization (PKA) and did his best to enjoy college life while maintaining his grades. This was a struggle. As the years passed not being under the parental thumb he discovered himself and his own desires. Investing was still a goal, but not Wall Street, not New York. Somewhere else. Some other avenue with the same pay-off and reward.
It was toward the end of his college career that he met Kyle Wright. Kyle had direction and the personality that could get him there. Aggressive. Phillip saw that Kyle's direction would take him to the streets of Hollywood in the role of 'producer'. Phillip researched the profit margins, the risks, and decided to pursue those goals as well. Being corporate minded, both choose to establish their own firm, Solomon and Wright Productions. Upon graduation, and against their parent's direct wishes, Phillip and Kyle went west.
After producing 10 feature films, 24 indy films, and countless side and smaller projects, Phillip found that he /owned/ the streets of Hollywood. Sitting on top of the world he looked down upon the peons and said, "It is good."
That's when the world turned upside down. Manhattan, November 8, 2006. - The explosion rocked the world. Especially Phillip's world. Not that he was any more affected than the millions of others, but because he lost his parents on that day. Both were attending a social function near ground zero. From his best estimates, it was quick. Or so he hopes. He was restricted from returning to Manhattan. But that's all he wanted to do. Though, it was a no-fly zone and he was stuck in Los Angeles as the US was essentially in lock-down.
His world essentially shut down. Hollywood froze in light of the disaster. All projects were put on hold and the restart was no where in sight. A month would pass and slowly, on-hold projects restarted and new projects began. But his focus was still on Manhattan; A place that he couldn't access initially. Not until the first month passed which allowed Phillip to make the trip. Phillip allowed Kyle to handle his side of things and as the no-fly bans were lifted, and time was allowed. Phillip made plans to go home; Regardless of any quarantine or threat.
That's when Phillip's adventure began.
Arriving as close to Manhattan as possible, JFK/Queens. From there he rented an SUV and did what he could to close the gap and reach his destination. Entering the city, regardless of many operational services, is a challenge. Yet Phillip is able to reach his parent's high-rise apartment in the Upper East Side. There he finds most things in tact. Yet, empty.
Phillip then set out to get all of his parent's affairs in order. Now that this part of the country was getting back on it's feet (in a functional sense), he was able to start the necessary procedures.
Shortly afterward, Phillip had the growing desire to go see the destruction. To see ground zero.
Perhaps he left too late in the afternoon, or perhaps it just wasn't the thing to do. Especially so soon after the incident. But this day would be the one that changed his life forever.
Working his way south west, and finding that the sun was descending faster than he anticipated, Phillip began to see the devastation unfold. Initially it was debris here and there. But eventually it became unbridled destruction and finally the 'crater'. It all began to play out in his mind. His imagination replaying many of the action scenes from movies he produced, editing for real life content. Picturing the faces of his parents, how their bodies would become charred paper due to the heat and radiation from the blast. Growing increasingly annoyed with every mental picture.
Walking away, back into what was left of the streets. Phillip was approached by three males in their teens or early twenties. Phillip was in no mood for what they requested - his wallet, his clothing, anything of value. And they had a gun. Phillip was in no mood to think rational; and instead of doing the smart thing, he denied their request. A fight broke out, the handgun was discharged, and the slug struck Phillip square in the chest. Phillip fell back, landed on his bottom clutching his chest. But in the seconds thereafter, he, and his assailants, realized that he had been unharmed.
Instead, the slug had been stopped by some unseen force or by his skin alone that prevented penetration. Such that he pulled open his shirt to find the smashed slug falling to the ground between his legs. And though he felt the impact, he wasn't injured or in any significant pain. Instead, he was just as surprised as the three assailants.
Realizing he needed to take the advantage and that he may have been extremely lucky. Phillip then jumped to his feet and engaged his attackers. Grabbing one by his jacket, Phillip threw the youth into another. Knocking them both back several yards. It was then he turned his attention on the more distant muggers. The one with the gun.
Several more shots were fired over the next few seconds as Phillip attacked. Slugs impacted but did not penetrate. It was when Phillip punched the kid did he realize he had something more than 'luck' on his side. Facial bones were shattered as Phillip's fist struck the would-be attacker square in the cheek. The sound was horrific which was followed by the collapse and screams of agony. Phillip stood over his fallen attackers as he inspected his own body for damage. Bullet holes in his clothing, but nothing on his skin. Not even his fist showed a scuff mark from the impact. Phillip then realized he was different. He ran.
The days would pass to weeks, the weeks to months, and months to years.
During this time, Phillip secured his parent's estate, returned to Los Angeles and resumed what normalcy he could attain. Though it was an unachievable goal due to the internal struggle of what he had become. It was also during that time that Phillip was faced with what he was. On Feb 17, 2007 when the truth was revealed to the world, Phillip came to learn that he was one of the 'Evolved'. His strength and invulnerability was a natural change in his development - his evolution. And that he was not alone.
Again, the world changed. Its people, its perspective. He watched as the world turned on 'his kind'. As the so called new threat bore its ugly head. In this revelation, Phillip decided to keep quiet about who and what he had become.
Though secretly he was curious about his limits of what he could do. He's seen the movies, the television shows. The ones that detail about how a person with powers could learn about themselves.
So he gave it a shot. Stabbing ones self in the thigh with an ink pin isn't the smartest thing to do. But if he could stop a bullet, why not a ball point writing utensil? This went horribly wrong. And after the visit to the emergency room and having to explain to his office staff how he accidently stabbed himself with the pen, he came to realize that there had to be some trigger to turn his power on.
The trigger was later revealed to be adrenaline. But not after many attempts of other stupid stunts.
What he did learn, when juiced up on adrenaline, is that he was super strong and could stop bullets, knives, and other damaging implements. He also learned that it's nothing to play with and if he's not in the right state of mind, he could get seriously hurt.
In time, as the world's story continued to unfold and the Linderman Act installed on June 15th, 2007. Phillip had seen the movies, red the books, recalled childhood. The moment the government (or anyone) knows that you're different, you're picked on. Why stand out? Why be different? Why paint a target on your own back and say, 'kick me'. He choose not to register. Not to be on anyone's books. He wanted no part of the potential concentration camps of Auschwitz.
And the world still spiraled out of control. Phillip did what he could to maintain status quo in Hollywood. To continue doing what he did best, produce; and try to keep his little corner of Hollywood moving forward.
The next couple of years had their ups and downs. But ultimately things leveled out. Or as much as they could become level considering the circumstances. It /seemed/ society was on the mend. With this in mind, Phillip decided to return to New York and see what he could do to help things along while trying to find answers to personal questions that had been building inside of him. Mostly he was curious about the what's and the how's. The why's were obvious - typical human nature.
Leaving Kyle in charge of the company, Phillip traveled back to the greater New York area to begin his journey. A journey of discovery.