"Facial hair connects me to the secrets of the universe. It's the ultimate flavor savor. All the memories, secrets, sandwiches - a man's beard witnesses all things. And only I can decode the language."
—Ernest Franklin[src]
Ernest Franklin, also known as Beard Hunter, is a freelance mercenary. Using his beard-based metahuman powers, Ernest hunts the world's bearded men. Franklin is a pogonophiliac, and takes sexual pleasure from consuming facial hair.
Biography[]
Hunting Niles Caulder[]
In 2019, Ernest was living in West Seneca, NY, in his mother's basement when he was approached by the Bureau of Normalcy in order to find Niles Caulder. Ernest made his way to Cloverton, OH, where he found one of Jane's fliers prompting anyone with information on Niles' disappearance to call Doom Manor. He broke into the manor and made his way to Niles' bathroom, where he was able to collect and ingest Niles' facial hair.
After passing out in the bathroom, Ernest awoke tied to a chair, facing Victor Stone and Rita Farr. He was able to swallow a single hair from Vic's chin, allowing him to escape the manor. Ernest then tracked Niles' beard to the Doll Factory on Danny the Street, where he was confronted by the mysterious horned creature.[1]
Later, he is placed inside a painting alongside Mr. Nobody, where the two of them are kept prisoners for their crimes. However, by the times the scants invade Doom Manor, the Doom Patrol find out from Ernest that Mr. Nobody is nowhere to be found.
Powers and abilities[]
Powers[]
- Metahuman physiology: Through unknown means, Ernest’s DNA was altered, turning him into a meta-human.
- Psychic link: Franklin possesses the curious ability to form a psychic link between himself and another man by consuming some of that man's facial hair. This connection can be forged by eating as little as a single hair, and seems to grant Franklin all of his target's knowledge and forges a connection between them strong enough that he was able to anticipate Cyborg's movements and effortlessly dodge his punches, and even tap into his on-board computer system. After he consumed some of Dr. Niles Caulder's facial hair, Franklin seemed to gain an innate knowledge of Caulder's location and was able to track him this way.
Abilities[]
- Skilled hand-to-hand combatant:
Weaknesses[]
- Hormone disorder: Due to a hormone disorder, Ernest is ironically unable to grow facial hair. As a result, he is unable to satisfy his pogonophilia on his own.
Appearances[]
Season 1[]
- "Hair Patrol"
- "Frances Patrol" (mentioned)
- "Flex Patrol" (mentioned)
- "Penultimate Patrol"
- "Ezekiel Patrol"
Season 2[]
- "Fun Size Patrol" (painting)
- "Dumb Patrol"
Trivia[]
- Ernest Franklin is based on the DC Comics character Ernest Franklin/Beard Hunter. Though the comic character has no powers to speak of, he is driven by an obsession with murdering thick-bearded men.
- Ernest has hemorrhoids and prefers to treat them with Preparation H.[1]