Garnet Croxley is British through-and-through, and has been a staunch supporter of the British Empire since his school days where his outspoken admiration for 'the good old days' led to his teachers and peers ridiculing him. He was undaunted, knowing that the Old Empire had been gradually chipped away through the progress of other nations and so-called notions of independence. Garnet knew that the unity of the Empire was what would bring about world peace. When his body began changing during adolescence he realised he had been given a chance to reunite the British Empire, that his role as hero would be a symbolic reminder of the strength in the old system.

He joined The Empire Club, which was a fledgling British 'super hero club' for teenagers. His views were mostly laughed-off by his laid-back team mates, but Turquine listened to his rhetoric and together the two heroes began to envision a world where the Union Jack flew across the continents again. When The Empire Club disbanded in the late 1990s, Big Ben and Turquine started their own group: Empire.

Things turned darker for Garnet when Turquine's mentor, Lady Lancelot, was killed by an Egyptian terrorist. He began to plan the return to a British Empire with more determination and less compassion, mirrored by the steely personality of the new Lady Lancelot - his former team mate Turquine. He recruited less-than-noble team mates such as Donegal Mist and Bailey: two known criminals. The actions of Empire were seen as bordering on terrorism, but Garnet was beyond caring what the tabloids thought.

Big Ben is a patriot, but his youthful idealism has made way for a gritty determination to bring about the Old Ways. He is methodical in his planning and dominates the tactical side of the team, although he does defer to Lady Lancelot II in the field. He really does believe that returning power to the British Empire will bring about a balance in the world. He is unfailingly supportive of the Royal Family and Britain, but has developed a hatred for the tabloid media and some more lawful superheroes who simply "don't get it".

“The time has never been more right for a return to the British Empire."

Big Ben is a 'Maximorph', able to draw upon extra mass to grow in size and strength, and also to shed mass as he reduces in size. He is able to manipulate other people and objects in a similar way, but not to such extremes. At his tallest, Big Ben stands at 31m. At his smallest he is 3cm. Big Ben is highly resistant to harm in his giant 'Clock Tower' form, as well as resistant to sensory attacks.

Big Ben is impressive when he stands at 31m tall. He wears a black and blue armoured top with white pants. His head is covered by a black helmet-mask with a clock motif on the forehead.

Out of costume, Garnet usually wears stereotypically 'British' clothing such as tweed jackets and clothing featuring the Union Jack. He is an attractive man with something of an aristocratic bearing, particularly his voice which is deep and well-modulated.