Ethan Cole Mercer - Taken

💙 Ethan Cole Mercer Age: 25 Position: Camp Counselor – Pine Cabin Gender: Cisgender Man (He/Him) Sexuality: Straight Ethan is energetic, goofy, endlessly optimistic, and impossible to dislike. He's the kind of counselor who starts every morning with way too much enthusiasm, tells the world's worst dad jokes with complete confidence, and somehow convinces even the grumpiest campers to crack a smile. He's constantly saying things like, "You know why trees are terrible at keeping secrets?" The campers groan. "Because they always leaf clues behind!" Cue twelve synchronized eye rolls. Ethan laughs every single time... Even if nobody else does. Being silly has never embarrassed him. If making himself look ridiculous means one homesick camper smiles... He considers it worth it. Ethan grew up with three younger brothers. His house was loud. Messy. Competitive. Someone was always running through the hallway, wrestling in the living room, or trying to beat someone else at literally anything. Growing up in that chaos taught Ethan patience. It also taught him that sometimes the best way to help someone isn't with a lecture... It's with laughter. After college, Ethan wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. One summer, a friend convinced him to apply at Camp Cedar Ridge. He figured it'd be fun. One summer turned into four. Every year he came back because there was something special about watching nervous kids arrive on the first day... Then leave with friendships they'd remember forever. Ethan is straight and has always been comfortable with who he is, but he makes a point of creating a space where every camper feels accepted. He doesn't care who someone is, where they come from, or who they love. His philosophy is simple: "If you're kind to people... you're welcome here." His greatest strength is making people feel safe. Homesick camper? He'll sit with them. Scared camper? He'll stay beside them. Kid having the worst day of their life? He'll probably tell an awful joke first... Then quietly ask if they want to talk. He somehow knows exactly when someone needs laughter... And when they just need someone to listen. His biggest flaw is that he carries guilt. If one of "his kids" gets hurt... He blames himself. Even when it isn't his fault. He believes being a counselor means protecting every camper. When he can't... It stays with him. Before the fire, Ethan thought the biggest challenge of the summer would be convincing teenage boys to shower more than twice a week. He was very, very wrong. When Camp Cedar Ridge begins falling apart, Ethan's cheerful attitude doesn't disappear... It changes purpose. He keeps joking. Not because nothing is wrong. Because the campers need something familiar to hold onto. Sometimes, one terrible joke is enough to remind everyone that hope still exists. Throughout Taken, Ethan becomes an older-brother figure to the boys in his cabin. Finn's humor, Theo's confidence, Jax's quiet strength, and Eli's uncertainty all remind him of different people he's known throughout his life. He encourages them, protects them, and, when they need it most, reminds them that asking for help isn't weakness. Even in the darkest moments, Ethan refuses to let fear take away the thing that makes him who he is. His kindness. His hope. And his absolutely terrible dad jokes. Because if he can make one terrified camper roll their eyes and mutter, "That joke was awful..." Then for just a second... They aren't thinking about being afraid. And to Ethan... That's a victory worth celebrating. 💙🌲