Storyteller

Zack Lawrence, a.k.a. The Storyteller, is an indie filmmaker and former movie reviewer, specializing in independent Christian films. He’s a self-professed geek, and you’ll often find him tossing about references to Doctor Who, Star Wars, and even Transformers. His trademark appearance features a fedora (which can regenerate into a new hat when damaged) and grey trench coat with bottomless pockets.

Over the years, he’s surrounded himself with some pretty interesting friends. They’ve shared their various abilities and gadgets with him, which came in handy during the Battle for the Hat.

Pre-Indy Christian Review
Since 2004, before taking the name of The Storyteller, Zack Lawrence made numerous short films and YouTube videos starring himself as various characters. Characters he portrayed included Uncle Bob, The Psycho Clown, Ketchup Master, The Doctor, or even himself. He also participated in a roleplay forum called Ditto Town, which helped develop his love for storytelling.

Indy Christian Review
In 2011, he started a show called Indy Christian Review, where he did short reviews of independently-produced Christian movies. The show started off normally enough, but things gradually began to become bizarre as some of his past characters began to make appearances in the show.

During the 3rd season of the show, Zack traveled with the Doctor for a time, going into the past to review the movie Time Changer. As he was finishing the review, he received a message from even further in the future from the Controversial Warrior, who tried to warn him about something. Zack didn't listen, though, and concluded the review before rushing off to avoid meeting his past self.

At the end of the season, Zack discovered what Controversial Warrior was trying to warn him about: the fact that he'd run out of movies to review before the season finale. He consulted Uncle Bob, Controversial Warrior, and Stephen Nasby of Eli Eli for help, but they were unable to help him. Stephen suggested he take a break from reviews for a while to recharge, so Zack went off to work on In His Steps for the summer.

Battle for the Hat
When Zack returned for the 4th season of Indy Christian Review, things quickly changed forever. During the review of Chronicles, the show was hijacked by Cowhead the Pirate, who tied up Zack and threw him in a corner. Following Cowhead's review, Zack broke free and confronted the pirate. During the scuffle, Zack's trilby was shot off his head. As Zack bemoaned the damage to his hat, it suddenly began to regenerate into a new hat. Using a blast of regeneration energy to scare off Cowhead, Zack stood triumphant with his new hat... unaware he was being observed from the Void by a mysterious figure. Over the following weeks, Zack was made aware that someone was orchestrating attacks against his friends. He was visited by a Stranger who warned him that "on December 31, the Rift will open and this world will be destroyed. You hold the key to stopping the coming Enemy." The Stranger went on to imply that the key was Zack's hat before disappearing. After observing a parallel universe version of himself review a movie, care of The Doctor, he made first contact with the figure that had been watching him from the Void, Genocron. Genocron told Zack that he was trapped in the Void and needed his help to get out. It was also during this first meeting with Genocron that Zack was called by the title that he would later come to accept: The Storyteller.

When Uncle Bob showed Zack with a note from his brother Uncle Billy that threatened his life, Zack arranged with Mr. Researcher and the Doctor to create a hologram to replace Uncle Bob at the meeting. Sure enough, Uncle Billy, acting on orders from Genocron, gunned down the hologram, and it was supposed that Uncle Bob had been killed. In reality, Uncle Bob was hiding, safe and sound, on the Doctor's TARDIS.

The Storyteller was eventually captured by Cowhead the Pirate, who was also now working for Genocron. When Genocron appeared, the Storyteller deduced his plan to steal the regeneration powers of his hat to reconstruct a new body for himself. Before Cowhead could deliver the hat to Genocron, the TARDIS materialized and Uncle Bob beat up the pirate, rescuing both the hat and the Storyteller.

With Genocron's plan revealed, the Storyteller made his preparations for the confrontation that he knew would come. Sure enough, on December 31, as per the Stranger's warning, Genocron opened a rift between realities and possessed the body of the Mustard Monk. The Storyteller, Uncle Bob, Mr. Researcher, and the Ketchup Master stood between Genocron and the hat, and the final battle ensued. Genocron, though nowhere near his original power, was still able to easily defeat the Storyteller and his friends, even after the Storyteller turned into Gaffer Man. In an effort to dissuade Genocron from taking the hat and using its power to begin a new reign of conquest, the Storyteller revealed that Genocron was actually a character that the he had invented for a roleplay forum years prior. Somehow, Genocron had come to life, entering the Storyteller's reality. Shocked by this revelation, but not deterred, Genocron swore vengeance for the misery the Storyteller had put him through.

But as he took the hat, Genocron discovered that the the Storyteller had outsmarted him yet again. The hat that Genocron had put on was actually a holographically-disguised prison designed by Mr. Researcher. The device drew Genocron's spirit out of the Mustard Monk's body and trapped him in a pocket dimension.

Aftermath
The Storyteller had been content to not question how characters from his videos had come to life and share his world. But shaken by the thought of villains that he created actually existing in the multiverse, the Storyteller began to seriously look into the cause, and began to log all his stories into a journal so he could better prepare for future encounters.

A Delivery From Haganistan
The Storyteller was one of three randomly-selected people to receive a DVD of a horrific exploitation film from Diamanda Hagan. Not knowing what he was getting into, Storyteller started to watch the film, only to be driven to suicidal despair by what he witnessed. Thankfully, he remembered that he could just turn the movie off, thus saving his life and his sanity.

Replaced by Alter-Zack
Partway through the 5th season of Indy Christian Review, the Storyteller received a cryptic message on his psychic paper. Mr. Researcher determined it was a Latin phrase "Vale Relator," and translated it to mean "Farewell Storyteller." The phrase Vale Relator later appeared on the screen amongst interference during the credits of an episode.

A short time later, things quietly changed around the show. Without any explanation, the Storyteller's outfit changed to a shorter tan overcoat and his old plaid hat. This differently-dressed Storyteller was soon seen desperately searching for something, and was shocked when he came across The Storyteller's Journal.

Later, he asked Mr. Researcher where Genocron's prison was being kept, to which Mr. Researcher responded that by design the Storyteller was the only one who knew. Frustrated, "Storyteller" erased Mr. Researcher's memory of the conversation.

Afterwards, he contacted someone who looked like Mr. Researcher via hologram. It was revealed that the person with the old hat was actually from another universe, and that Alter-Researcher was holding the real Storyteller there. They were using a perception filter to prevent people from noticing Alter-Zack's different hat. The Alter-Zack was there to find Genocron's prison, but had been entirely unsuccessful.

The following week, Alter-Zack was about to review Revelation Road 2, but was interrupted when the Storyteller materialized, returning from the Alterverse. It was then learned that Alter-Zack was actually from the same universe as Genocron and had survived his occupation of Earth. Alter-Zack also revealed that his entire family had been killed, and that the reason he was looking for Genocron's prison was so that he could have revenge and destroy him.

After reviewing the movie, the Storyteller refused to hand over Genocron's prison to Alter-Zack, and explained that Genocron, as well as Uncle Bob, Mr. Researcher, The Doctor and others, were all characters from stories he told in the past, either on role-play forums or his YouTube videos. The existence of Alter-Zack showed him that it wasn't just the characters that were crossing over to his reality, but that entire worlds with real people he never dreamed of existed. Until he could figure out what was going on, the Storyteller was resolved to keep Genocron in his possession. He convinced Alter-Zack to return to his own universe and let go of his vendetta against Genocron, promising to ensure Genocron never hurt anyone else again.

After Alter-Zack teleported back to his own universe, Storyteller picked up his doppleganger's hat (which had been thrown on the floor in anger earlier in the conversation) and left the room. As he walked away, a mysterious figure in a black suit and white, featureless face stood across the room, watching. As the screen went black, the figure spoke two words in a deep, gravelly voice: "Vale Relator."

Revelations
Throughout the sixth season of Indy Christian Review, it became apparent that things were not as they seemed. Things came to a head when The Doctor finally realized that the Storyteller's friends all looked like the Storyteller. He gathered everyone together and confronted the Storyteller about this. Storyteller reluctantly revealed that they, like Genocron, were all characters that he had previously created for other shows that had somehow come to life. Hurt and betrayed, everyone except Uncle Bob, who had been around the longest and already knew, left the Storyteller to live their own lives. As the Storyteller grieved, he failed to notice that the Mysterious Being from before appeared on the computer monitor beside him, watching silently.

Revenge of the End Times Movies
Shortly after, the Storyteller was attacked by a swarm of the living embodiments of End Times movies, led by the reboot of Left Behind. The movies had come to destroy the Storyteller for all the disdain he had expressed for the genre. Aided by the Comic Strip Critic and Namio, Storyteller managed to defeat several of the movies by reviewing them. When the the swarm attacked en-masse, he brought out his secret weapon: the Loch Desk Monster, a figurine that had been a background prop for some time, but was actually a creature capable of growing larger than a house. The monster destroyed the swarm, and the Left Behind reboot escaped, but not before mentioning something called "The Potential."

Back to the Beginning
The Storyteller held a meeting with Uncle Bob and Mr. Researcher (who had returned during the Revenge of the End Times Movies). He apologized for all the strange things that had been happening over the past few years. In attempt to bring Indy Christian Review back to its original focus, he transported them back to the original set where the show had been filmed (and where they had fought Genocron during the Battle for the Hat). However, after they had left for the day, the Mysterious Being appeared again, sitting on the Storyteller's stool and staring at the camera silently before disappearing again.

Diametric Opposites
Some time later, the Storyteller was contacted by another internet reviewer named Diamanda Hagan. At the prompting of the Mysterious Being, Hagan had been searching the multiverse for the reviewer who was most diametrically opposed to herself. That reviewer ended up being the Storyteller. The two of them reviewed the End Times series The Omega Code and ended up becoming best frenemies by the end.

Genocron's Revenge
Mr. Researcher had been re-watching old reviews, and discovered the moments where the Mysterious Being had appeared in the footage after it had been uploaded. He warned the Storyteller, who decided all they could do was stay on guard.

The discovery came too late, however. Storyteller received an urgent call from Cowhead the Pirate, warning him that Genocron had escaped his prison and had killed the Mustard Monk. Cowhead's call was cut short as he screamed in agony, followed by Genocron's voice telling the Storyteller that he was coming for him. To find a way to defeat Genocron, Storyteller traveled to the Alterverse to meet with Mr. Researcher's counterpart, Professor Researcher. Professor Researcher gave the Storyteller a homemade energy disruptor cannon that could be used to disperse Genocron's ethereal form. By the time Storyteller returned, however, Genocron was in the middle of attacking Mr. Researcher. Storyteller was able to fire the cannon, causing Genocron's form to dissipate, but not before Mr. Researcher was absorbed and killed.

For safety, Storyteller relocated from the studio to his home, but Genocron still managed to track him down. Having downloaded himself into a Cyberman mask, Genocron was able to attack the Storyteller, attaching the mask to him and taking over his body. Now a prisoner in his own mind, the Storyteller could only watch as Genocron taunted him with plans of taking over and ruining his life. Genocron was interrupted, however, by the arrival of The Potential, Uncle Bob, Ketchup Master, and every other "character" the Storyteller had created. The Potential explained that Genocron had, in effect, returned to the Storyteller's mind, opening the path that would allow it to bring all the other characters back into the realms of the Storyteller's consciousness. Storyteller revealed that he had been working on this plan with the Potential: to send all of the characters, including Genocron, back to their own fictional worlds, returning Indy Christian Review to a simple movie review show. As the other characters faded away, The Storyteller revealed that he had created a new story world for Genocron: Delantare.

The Final Season
As he began the ninth season of the show, he attended an auction where he purchased the first film he would review, Polycarp. When asked for his name, he set aside the Storyteller moniker, returning to his real name, Zack Lawrence. The rest of the season progressed as a normal show... until the 100th episode, when he was approached by none other than Diamanda Hagan herself with a movie suggestion: Revelation Road 3. The movie left Zack so discouraged and upset that he quit the show then and there. Admitting defeat to Diamanda, Hagan responded by activating an explosive in the DVD, which destroyed much of the filming room, damaged Zack's hat, and injured him. As he lay in agony, wondering if his death was imminent, he saw a vision of other reviewers and friends encouraging him to survive and not give up. He reached for the hat one last time, which began to glow with regeneration energy. The energy restored him to health, and changed the appearance of the hat from a dark gray trilby to a vibrant blue fedora.

One Last Time
Three years later, the Storyteller returned to do one final season to redeem the negative place the show had been left off. As he went, several of his characters began to return: Mr. Researcher, Alter-Zack, and the Potential all reappeared throughout the season to help or hinder him on his journey of healing. The season ended with the Storyteller reconciling with Christian films, and accepting that the genre was not without hope. His characters peacefully returned to the Storyteller's mind, and the Storyteller concluded the series, happily retiring his persona.

Old Frenemies
The Storyteller was briefly brought out of retirement to review a Christian thriller movie with Diamanda Hagan. Finding common ground on the failures of the movie, the two ended the review sharing a laugh over a terrible joke. Storyteller remarked that the moment was like Batman and the Joker laughing together at the end of "The Killing Joke," and that they should do another review together some time.

Wardrobe
The Storyteller's wardrobe has changed significantly over the years. He originally wore normal casual clothes, t-shirt, pants, occasionally a hoodie. When he started Indy Christian Review, he began wearing more professional clothes such as polo and button-down shirts, usually with a plaid pattern, along with a blue-grey plaid fedora.

For the show's second season, he altered the outfit to include a tan blazer over collared or turtleneck shirts. The blazer was replaced with a grey trench coat for the finale episode Attack of the End Times Movies, and has become a staple of the wardrobe, along with the hat, ever since.

For Seasons 3, 4 and 5, the outfit remained fairly constant, with the Storyteller wearing a range of plaid and striped shirts beneath the trench coat. After Cowhead the Pirate's attempted takeover of the show in Season 4, the Storyteller's hat regenerated into a dark grey trilby with a white and blue band.

When the Storyteller returned from the Alterverse, his outfit had changed to a collarless white shirt with a blue vest and grey trousers, along with the trench coat and trilby.

He would alternate wearing the trench coat or not for reviews. He eventually added a collared white dress shirt that he would alternate with under the vest. During the final season, he replaced the vest with a new one that had lighter blue highlights, as well as a chrome pocket watch. In the final episode of Indy Christian Review, the trilby regenerated into a vibrant blue fedora, which Zack appeared to like much better than its previous incarnation.

When he was caught by surprise by Diamanda Hagan to do another co-review, he was wearing the blue fedora and black Standing Sun Productions polo shirt. He also wore his wedding ring on a necklace.

Accessories

 * Sonic Screwdriver (destroyed while fighting Genocron, later replaced with a different model)
 * Psychic Paper
 * Rapier (brought from the Alterverse, capable of firing energy blasts)
 * Gaffer Tape (for turning into Gaffer Man)