| Vincent VanDyke | |
|---|---|
| |
| Character Info | |
| Territory | First Earth |
| Alias(es) | Gunny Soft Spoken Hotel Worker |
| Residence | Manhattan, New York |
| First appeared | The Never War |
| Last appeared | The Soldiers of Halla |
| Physical Traits | |
Vincent Van Dyke (aka Gunny or Gunny Van Dyke) is the Last Generation traveler from First Earth. He is also the Bell Captain at Manhattan Tower Hotel. Gunny is the oldest of the travelers. He assisted Bobby on the territories of First Earth, Eelong, and Third Earth.
Abilities[]
Traveler Powers[]
- Traveler persuasion: Gunny has mastered his traveler ability to persuade people. Bobby has stated this at least twice and is seen in The Never War, when he uses his power against two gangsters.
- Quick healing: Travelers are known to heal quickly, not immediately, but quickly.
- Flume Usage: Gunny, like all the travelers, has the ability to use the flumes without damaging them.
During the events of The Soldiers of Halla, Bobby and his fellow travelers gain Saint Dane's abilities of transformation and self-resurrection, as well as the ability to travel without using the flumes.
Role in the Series[]
The Never War[]
After saving Bobby Pendragon and Vo Spader from being executed by mobsters that Saint Dane is using, Gunny reveals himself to Bobby and Spader. He hides the two in a room on the 6th floor of the Manhattan Tower Hotel, where he works as a Bell Captain. In such a position, he knows all about everything that happens inside the Hotel, including Max Rose's shady business enterprises. He saves Bobby and Spader from the mobsters who want to kill them after they are forced to deliver a message from Rose. Gunny then takes Bobby to Third Earth so they can find proof of Max Rose's plan to work with the Nazi Party, which is crucial to the future. When they return to First Earth Bobby and Gunny fly to Lakehurst, New Jersey, to make sure the Hindenburg is destroyed. A misled Spader tries to stop them, but Gunny manages to destroy the zeppelin.
The Reality Bug[]
While Vo Spader breaks on Cloral and Bobby checks out Veelox, Gunny disappears on Eelong. While Bobby is trapped in a Lifelight hallucination in between Zetlin's fantasy and the real world, he finds Gunny (who actually is a mere hallucination) tied to a dam. He almost manages to free Gunny, but has to end the jump. At the end of the book, Saint Dane delivers Gunny's hand in a bag to Courtney Chetwynde and Mark Dimond, complete with his Traveler's ring. Bobby goes to Eelong to rescue Gunny.
Black Water[]
Bobby spends the first half of the book looking for Gunny. He finds him when he follows a map left behind by Kasha's father to Black Water, a city of gars on Eelong. Being dark-skinned, Gunny is anointed as a "king from a distant land". He reveals that he lost his hand in a duel with the vicious, reptilian tangs of Eelong. He helps Bobby and company defeat Saint Dane's plans of conquering Eelong, but is stranded on the territory with Spader at the end of the book.
Pilgrims of Rayne[]
Gunny had sent a letter to his acolyte to give to Bobby explaining what happened after Eelong. Gunny and Spader are teachers there, and that they are both prepared to rejoin the fight against Saint Dane whenever they are needed, and when the flume on Eelong is repaired.
Raven Rise[]
Gunny is seen at the end of the story with the other travelers. He was stuck on Eelong with Spader but return inside of Naymeers flume.