Weka, born January 1st, 2011, is a hybrid of shark and jellyfish, standing at 6 feet tall. His brown hair streaked with pink highlights contrasts with his fully white, blind eyes, giving him an otherworldly presence within the Gloom family. Created by Ponnie to replace Nathaniel Gloom, Weka was designed to fill the void left by Nathaniel’s departure, assuming the responsibilities and role he abandoned.

Though blind, Weka has adapted remarkably to his environment, relying on heightened senses, vibrations, and an innate mapping instinct that allows him to “read” spaces without sight. His shark traits grant him power and agility in aquatic settings, while his jellyfish lineage provides bioluminescent communication, sensory pulses, and an electroreceptive sense that alerts him to emotional tension before anyone speaks. These abilities make him both resilient and perceptive; a quiet observer in a family that often forgets how loudly it moves.

His early life was defined by imitation. Weka spent his first months trying to emulate the routines Nathaniel left behind, following schedules he didn’t understand, stepping into responsibilities far too heavy for someone newly made. The pressure carved him into someone overly careful, overly responsible, always trying to be enough for a role that was never meant for him.

Weka’s personality is defined by determination, compassion, and an almost painful sense of duty. He internalized the idea that his existence was an assignment. He works tirelessly to uphold the balance within the hybrid family, embodying the role of a stabilizing figure in the wake of Nathaniel’s absence. His blindness, rather than a limitation, enhances his empathy, sharpening his ability to read tone, breathing, and emotional shifts. It also makes him prone to overextending himself; a habit formed from fear of being “not useful enough.”

A unique trait of Weka’s is his stress response: when overwhelmed, the bioluminescent patterns on his tail flicker erratically, revealing emotions he tries to hide. As a result, he developed an almost surgical self-control to keep himself from “glowing wrong” in front of others. Only Ponnie and Dallie know how to interpret those patterns clearly.

Within the Gloom household, Weka is both a leader and a caretaker. He respects Ponnie as his creator and follows her guidance while striving to maintain harmony among his siblings. He often mediates conflicts quietly; using soft pulses of light or gentle taps to regain someone’s attention without escalating emotions. His perspective, shaped by adversity, makes him a patient and understanding presence; a figure who balances strength with sensitivity.

He fears abandonment more than injury. His deepest insecurity is the belief that he’s loved for his function, not himself. This fear makes him overprotective, especially toward the younger siblings, and silently competitive with the idea of Nathaniel; not the person, but the expectation.

Despite this, Weka is slowly learning autonomy. His turning point came the first time Ponnie told him directly, “You don’t have to be him.” It didn’t fix everything, but it created space for Weka to exist without performing.

Weka’s story is one of adaptation and resilience: a being created to replace another, yet forging his own identity through courage, empathy, and unwavering determination. His legacy is not in sight but in the ways he senses, supports, and guides those around him; a guardian shaped by expectation, but defined by his own quiet strength.

GL2 design of Weka with his old design