Astra's OCS - Criminal Case

Digger Douglas

Biographical information

Full Name: Ryan "Digger" Douglas

Alias(es): Digger (nickname)

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Bisexual

Status: Alive

Age: 70 (season 3)

Birth: 1946

Race: Human

Nationality: Australian

Origin: Melbourne, Australia

Residence:

* Melbourne, Australia

* New York City, USA (formerly)

Past profession(s): Military Private

Family:

* Poppy Douglas (wife)

* Lars Douglas (son)

* Oberon Douglas (son)

* Nathan Pandit (son-in-law)

* Namgung Angela (ex-daughter-in-law) (incarcerated)

* Avi Douglas (grandson)

* April Douglas (granddaughter)

* May Douglas (granddaughter)

* June Douglas (granddaughter)

Affiliation(s): Australian Military (formerly)

Profile

Height: 5'7"

Age: 70 (season 3)

Weight: 165lbs

Eyes: blue

Blood: AB+

The father of Lars and Oberon Douglas, Digger is an older man of average height and weight with slicked-back white hair, blue eyes behind his black-framed glasses, and a trim beard of stubble surrounding his mouth. He wears comfortable blue jeans, brown work boots, a military green bomber jacket, and old silver dog tags. He also wears a watch on his left wrist and his gold wedding band on his left ring finger.

Synopsis

Digger was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, with his parents and siblings. He joined the military after graduating high school because he decided to follow in his father's footsteps. He obtained the rank of Private before retiring from active duty. He remained in the military and served as an instructor until he fully retired.

He had met his wife Poppy in high school, and the two had started dating during their graduation year. While their lives took separate paths, they remained in touch through letters. He still remembers the day he first heard one of her songs playing on the radio while stationed overseas. He had never felt prouder and bragged to everyone who would listen that it was his girlfriend singing on the radio.

They got engaged and married in their early twenties after Digger had returned from his overseas assignment. They later welcomed their first child, Lars, and the couple had never been happier. They adored their son and how Lars could always bring a smile to their faces with a simple giggle.

About ten years later, Digger and Poppy welcomed their second child, Oberon. Oberon was a quiet baby compared to Lars but was still full of joy and laughter. Digger and Poppy were sure that their sons would do great things in their lives and would be proud of whatever paths they took.

Digger remembers the pride and joy he felt when Lars told him and Poppy they were going to be grandparents. The couple was surprised when they heard that Lars and Angela were expecting triplets, but twins and triplets run on both sides of the family, so maybe they shouldn't have been so surprised. He and Poppy moved to New York to be closer to Lars and his family and were ecstatic when they finally held their granddaughters for the first time.

A couple of years later, Digger gets a call that Oberon has been in a house fire and is currently in a coma recovering at the Concordia Memorial Hospital. He rarely heard from his second son after Oberon joined the military, but Digger didn't know he was living in the USA. The family flew to Concordia and stayed by Oberon's side until the doctors decided he was ready to awaken from his coma.

Oberon's recovery had been hard for everyone, but it got even more complicated once they learned about Oberon's secret family. It was shocking to discover that April wasn't his first grandchild, and he and Poppy mourned the boy they had never met. They also grieved for the son-in-law they never knew and wished they could have met the man who made their son so happy.

But the family got through the hardship together. Digger ensured Oberon knew he could ask his father for anything and that his son never missed medical appointments or therapy sessions. He supported his son when Oberon decided to move to Australia and renovate a house he bought. After he and Poppy returned to their homeland, Digger assisted in repairing and updating the home.

Digger finally got to meet Lars's teammates when the Bureau stopped in Melbourne to follow a lead on SOMBRA. He met Jack when Lars and the agent had come to check on Oberon after closing their case. Later, he helped Oberon and Lars bring Poppy and the triplets to the Bureau plane after a threat had been issued against the team's families.

Once everyone was safe, Digger met Oberon's husband and son, who were unknowingly still alive. He could see why Oberon had decided to marry Nathan and welcomed him and Avi to the family. Later, they saw the Bureau's boat off as the team sailed away to SOMBRA's secret island.

Digger would later return alongside Poppy following the Bureau's victory over SOMBRA. After worrying themselves nearly to death about their sons hunting down a criminal organization, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The pair both worried about Oberon's hearing after learning it had been further damaged in an explosion (finding out Angela was responsible for it did NOT get over well!). But Nathan assured them that once Oberon's ear healed and he was fitted with new hearing aids, their son would hear again. So, Digger and Poppy hugged their family close after so long apart, grateful that they survived to see the new world and could finally come home.

Story Information

First appeared: United in Ashes

Trivia

* I picked the name Ryan after the character from Saving Private Ryan

* His nickname, "Digger," comes from a history of Australian soldiers being given the same moniker. His father had the nickname, and after joining the military, his family began calling him Digger too

* "You can take the man out of the military, but you can't take the military out of the man" is a true statement for Digger. While some habits have been broken, others are still there. Like using military time, waking up early, and being a stickler for cleanliness

* His character is based on some veterans I know IRL

* Along with being in the army, Digger also briefly served in the Royal Australian Air Force as a fighter pilot