Ender's Shadow

Unlike Ender Wiggin, who was raised in a relatively privileged family, Bean survives the brutal streets of Rotterdam as a toddler before being recruited by the International Fleet. His incredible intellect and survival instincts are forged in extreme poverty and violence. He eventually makes his way to Battle School, where his tactical genius rivals Ender's.

Bean is one of the few characters who figures out that their military 'simulations' are actually real battles commanding the human fleet against the Formic aliens. He realizes this long before Ender does, quietly carrying the heavy burden of this knowledge. Bean purposely plays the role of the supportive subordinate to ensure Ender can handle the psychological trauma of command.

Bean suffers from a genetic modification that continuously accelerates his physical growth and vastly expands his intelligence, ultimately dooming him to become a giant and die prematurely. This condition was artificially induced by a rogue scientist named Volescu before Bean was even born. He spends much of his life searching for a cure for his unstoppable growth.

Sister Carlotta is a Catholic nun working as a talent scout for the International Fleet who discovers Bean on the violent streets of Rotterdam. She becomes his fiercely protective guardian and surrogate mother figure throughout his early military training. She extensively researches Bean's mysterious origins to uncover the truth about his genetics.