[Corley](https://jdcspot.blogspot.com/) has some good things to say on this part of the game: > *The background questions are conversation starters. It should not be you, the GM, asking each player to go through the list, then moving on to the next player. Instead, always have at least a brief exchange. If the player (or you) can't think of anything else to say, maybe they need to adjust the answer a little bit.* > *As you go, write down each player character's background answers on a separate sheet of paper, separated by a lot of space. In that space write in relevant NPCs. So for like, the Bull, they say "yeah, a cult transformed me into a powerful warrior and I escaped,” so you write down "the mercenary hired by the cult to recapture you" and "the cult member who tried to look out for you and protect you from the worst of it" and ”the cult decides to try again with a new subject" and ”the person who went through the transformation before you, but is different" etc.* > *Then when you're not sure what to do, you have a list of like 15-odd NPCs who are all out there with an easily identifiable agenda which you can have them pursuing, all relevant to the PC. Beware the player who does not actually want you to use what they say in the background questions.* > *The whole group will look for overlaps between background questions. That's absolutely fine and good. The merc the cult hired is also one of the Reformed's contacts, etc.* > *Constantly, constantly, constantly introduce NPCs. Fellow teens, teachers at school, recurring cops or AEGIS agents, grownup superheroes, city officials, media figures, etc. The background questions will give you areas where they can be relevant on a long term basis, but it's fine if Professor Smarts at the Museum of Supervillainy appears one time, too. NPCs are how you reduce everything to the personal and literal. Have an Outsider and want to deal with some "prejudice" as a theme? Great, there's a NPC who is the leader of a group that wants to expel interdimensional aliens from earth. And the Beacon's mom is joining the group?! And an alien supervillain is attacking the group? And just play them all as real, who knows what will happen?*