OOC
GAME: Road to Nowhere
DESCRIPTION: RPG based on the TV series Supernatural.
DATE: July 2007
PB: Alona Tal
JOURNAL: wayward girl
CONCEPT: Britt convinced me to try out this character for a Dean/Jo PSL. I wasn't certain I could do it, but Jo would eventually turn into one of my favourite canon characters to explore. And the PSL itself would later become an entire game. She's a tomboy with pride issues, a bit of an Electra complex, a thing for older men, and a desperate desire to prove herself. The fact that Supernatural's rabid fandom hates this character so much makes me sad, and I take refuge in corners where other people like her too.
TRIVIA: Still vaguely working on creating a copy of Jo's actual physical journal. Will be posted at harvellediary.
IC
basics
name Joanna Beth Harvelle
email address moc.liamg|harvellej#moc.liamg|harvellej
phone number (402) 802-9514
nickname Jo and nothing but.
occupation Hunter and sometimes-bartender.
race Human, what do you expect?
current residence The back of a bar close to the Harvelle roadhouse.
last known location Nebraska.
hunting with Whoever feels like it.
appearance
birthdate April 7th, 1985.
age Twenty-three.
height 5'4"
hair Dirty blonde
eyes Brown
distinguishing marks? A tattoo by her shoulderblade. A plaited sign to denote success and protection against evil forces.
handwriting Looks like this.
relationships
father William Anthony Harvelle, deceased.
mother Ellen Harvelle.
siblings None.
friends Her 'uncles', Ash McCoy, Gordon Walker, the Winchesters, Moses Henry, Chris Wandell and Megan-Anne Prescott. … Wait, you mean non-hunter friends? What non-hunter friends?
romance Used to have a huge blazing idolising crush on Gordon Walker. Previously dated a hunter named Rick, who simply left one day and didn't come back. As for today, Jo is now officially seeing Dean Winchester. And is extremely content doing so, despite his expiry date.
pets The family used to have a dog when she was younger, but he got run over when Jo was nine.
background
personality If it might seem like Jo Harvelle's got a chip on her shoulder, it might very well be because she does. She's not downright unfriendly — in fact, she makes a point to speak to any hunter who visits the roadhouse these days — but there's a sort of standoffishness and distance to the young woman which could easily be misinterpreted. Her father's death had an unpleasant formative effect on Jo when she was ten; fixated on hunting and desperate to grow up just like Bill, Jo tries to give men their comeuppance as often as possible while dealing out her characteristic snark and wit. She's used to the banter of the roadhouse, and grew up constantly trying to knock the boys down a peg or two. At the same time, however, she scrambles to earn their respect and to be viewed as a complete equal: the hunting network is her life and blood and the pinnacle of what she aspires to become. Men are rivals, and women… well, Jo's incredibly glad to see the rare female hunter. (She rarely says as much to Ellen, but she's disappointed by her mother's decision not to hunt. They're saving the world. It's hard for her to understand not wanting to do that.)
The easiest way into Jo's good graces as a child was to treat her like an adult, and the same applies today: she reacts very, very badly to patronising attitudes. But respect will earn mutual respect. She's a capable fighter and hunter, if lacking in practical experience, and a fierce friend once you've got her.
quirks/habits Does not smoke, but drinks liberally when the occasion calls for it. Growing up in a bar will do that to you. Has a distressing tendency towards wanting to clear up her own messes without help, and jumping headfirst into troublesome situations. Retains a bit of a superiority complex when it comes to 'civilians'; helpless sheep who need to be protected from what they're too ignorant to understand, or so Jo's old prejudices tell her.
history Jo Harvelle has always been much more like her mother than either of them dared to admit. The Harvelles weren't exactly your standard nuclear family, and though he never said it aloud, William Anthony had always expected their firstborn to be a son. When little Joanna came along, however, he got exactly what he'd bargained for. She's been a feisty little thing since her childhood, but once upon a time, she still went by the name Joanna. She wore pigtails while running around in the garden, and clamoured at her father to get her a bow and arrow set "just like the one you've got in the closet". She was daddy's little girl, and the apple of his eye. Never mind the fact that her father more often than not disappeared for weeks on end, and returned bruised and bloody; his long absences made Joanna all the more attached to Bill when he was around.
Then he died when she was ten.
She was a tomboy before, but after this, the little blonde became downright driven and difficult to deal with. She threw herself into her father's work, and filled that well of grief in her heart with facts and trivia and hunter's code. He'd told her bits and pieces before, and now it was Joanna — no, Jo's — turn to figure out the rest. She got an enthusiasm and determination that was almost frightening, and without her father around, ended up turning on her mother. Both women refuse to take any shit from each other, which doesn't make for the most idyllic home life.
This is around the time Jo started distancing herself from her schoolmates, and developing a subconscious distaste for 'civilians'. They were all obsessing over My Little Ponies while she was reading about werewolves and picking the locks to her late father's knife collection. She gravitated towards anything with hunter lore or the men who passed through the roadhouse: the closest thing she'd had to a large and bustling family, and the closest thing to Bill's lifestyle. Growing up in the roadhouse surrounded by hunters, Jo's concept of normality became utterly twisted — girlish sleepovers didn't seem right, but sneaking out of the house to exorcise ghosts with the boys? Hell yeah. She's absolutely desperate to prove her worth and to be seen as "one of the guys"; because in her eyes, there is absolutely no compliment bigger than being taken seriously as a hunter. If anyone dares give her sass, she gives it back, and twice that. She refuses to be condescended to. Any efforts to patronise or coddle the girl would go wasted.
She's been learning how to fight since she was twelve and wrangled one of the hunters, Shawn, into giving her lessons. Her tomboy shell, her fierce attitude, her obsession with hunting: all of these things combine to form Jo's quest to get to know Bill Harvelle better. She carries his knife, but she also carries his life in her heart. Idealistic as the wish may be, she wants to see the world through his eyes and to be like the man she idolised. To be entirely honest, the woman might have a mild Electra complex, if we can call it that — she is only ever attracted to older men, and those who are hunters. The kids from high school never drew her eye, but a few select men from the roadhouse did.
When she was twelve-going-on-thirteen, a nineteen-year-old Gordon Walker showed up at the saloon for the first time — the girl really didn't stand a chance. She developed her first massive, idolising crush, and stayed close to him, learning as much as she could until their ill-fated hunt together. After the subsequent falling-out with Ellen, he was banned from the roadhouse, but Jo created her first email address in order to keep in touch with him in secret.
The times passed. She kept up her training, graduated from high school, and then eventually got together with another hunter, Rick, in January '05. Eight months later, he went missing. This event took a massive toll on her — no supernatural creature snatched him, but he went off the grid of his own volition. Heartbroken and still wanting to hear from him, she even accepted some maternal consolation from Ellen. Jo kept going for another year making the occasional post on the hunters' blogs, sorting through her memories, and trying to accomplish some sort of direction in her life. Finally, twenty-one years old in the summer of 2006, she finally decided to bite the bullet and go to McCook Community College — about a three hours' drive from the roadhouse — using her assembled savings. She enrolled in theology, Latin, and computer science. She moved out and into the dorms. She brought her knives, and she kept calling her mother and emailing both Gordon and Ash.
College did not go well.
"A freak with a knife collection" weren't her words; they were her roommate's. The two women looked similar enough with their long blonde hair, but she and Lisa couldn't have been more different if they tried. The other girl was delicate and curvy and fond of strappy sandals. Jo dressed like a tomboy, wore lumberjack shirts and pretty much looked like a yokel. She couldn't understand the appeal of getting dressed up to go clubbing, nor the delicate drinks with stupid tropical names that the other girls ordered. Instead, she threw herself into kickboxing classes, and surprised everyone with how well she knew hand-to-hand fighting. Her essays had a kind of blunt energy to them, and a sardonic edge that the professors liked. The schoolyear started off optimistic, and for all her withdrawn nature and social hiccups, Jo was prepared to try. She wanted to do well.
She never made it to Christmas.
Housing and conferences administration — plus school counselling — had to intervene after one too many arguments, when an antagonised Jo started pulling punches at her roommate. A teary Lisa refused to return to their room, and a hurt and angry Jo refused to return to school. She was home by the end of October — just in time for the Winchesters' arrival on the 13th of November.
Two years later, the roadhouse has burned and been rebuilt, Ash is presumed dead, she's officially together with Dean Winchester, she's finally hunting properly, and things are on the brink of change. There's a war going on. She intends to be a part of it.
zodiac
Aries: You are ruled by the mythical God, Neptune, which describes your nature most adequately. Just like the vast ocean you are restless, moody and fond of change and travel. You love the water and places connected with the sea.
You possess unusual and original ideas on religion and philosophy. It means your compassion has risen to sublime heights and you will do anything for a person in need. In this respect, you must learn to balance your own needs lest you become a victim of the people you are trying to help.
soundtrack
Located here.
LOGS
April, 1989: A four-year-old Jo meets Uncle John for the first time (link)
May 16, 2007: Anniversary of her father's death. The roadhouse burns down, and Ellen calls to share the news (link)
June 4, 2007: Sam's funeral. Present: Ellen and Jo Harvelle, Bobby Singer, Dean Winchester (link)
June 4, 2007: Jo bumps into Dean in the truckyard immediately after the funeral (link)
September 2, 2007: Dean reappears at the Roadhouse, to the surprise of Jo Harvelle (link)
March 22, 2008: Jo Harvelle & Dean Winchester make plans to meet up for a werewolf hunt over the phone (link)
April 1, 2008: The werewolf hunt happens. And goes a little sour. (link)
April 1, 2008, later: Fresh off fleeing from a werewolf and a psychic, Jo bumps into Savnock at the Sultana. And gets taken hostage. (link)
April 1-2, 2008: Twelve hours into captivity with Savnock, Gordon Walker plays hero. The day is saved! (link)
April 24, 2008: A call from Dean, and Jo's still recuperating from her hunt. They discuss his father and engage in random banter (link)
May 23, 2008: Officially begins relationship with Dean (link)
May 29, 2008: Quits job at Kovac's (link)
June 1, 2008: Reunites with Sam, almost a year after his funeral (link)
June 21st through 23rd: Dean Winchester's double appears in Nebraska (link)
Dean Winchester himself is actually in Louisiana, finishing up a case, and receives a call from Jo Harvelle (link)
He makes the drive to Nebraska — they have a confrontation, and double!Dean flees (link)
Sometime after that: Dean surprises Jo with a trip to Atlanta (link)
August 26, 2008: Dean's time runs out, and Lilith shows up (link)
Undated: Baking pie with Dean (link)
