Joel Williams was born on March 29, 2191, in Houston, Texas. When he was fourteen years old, he made it into the WSEA Academy and spent a year touring the Solar System colonies. A year later, when synchronized attacks from the Refinery brought about the First Solar War, Joel was able to make it back to Earth. His parents had been killed in the initial attacks, so he spent the duration of the war doing his best to keep his sister Amanda safe. He also rescued Kelly McBride from a Refinery attack near the end of the war. When the First Solar War ended, Joel's skills with a bow made him a valued hunter for the community of Nameless.

Joel was among the four people involved in discovering travolite in a cave near Nameless, and became a key member of Resistance leadership during the Second Solar War.