With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Rafin]

Hello again. Haven't kept up with reading for a couple of years and am now rereading from the beginning. I just got to the chapter where they find Match.

On the Paragon side they locked him back up because Paragon side Kon wasn't patient enough to get telepath support. Whatever happened to Match afterwards? I can't remember.

I also am not sure I understand what caused Renegade side Kon to handle this so much better. Why was he able to call M'gann for backup where Paragon side Kon wasn't?

 

[Alan975]

I don't really get why people are reading this as OLs usual British 'humor'.
Is the hope in his voice not enough of a clue that he is actually stoked?

 

[Darko]

I don't really get why people are reading this as OLs usual British 'humor'.
Is the hope in his voice not enough of a clue that he is actually stoked?

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The hopeful bits do show that he's exited for it, but for some of the other things he said it can be difficult to tell.

Things like sarcasm don't translate that well in the written form unless things like the character rolling their eyes is mentioned.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Hello again. Haven't kept up with reading for a couple of years and am now rereading from the beginning. I just got to the chapter where they find Match.

On the Paragon side they locked him back up because Paragon side Kon wasn't patient enough to get telepath support. Whatever happened to Match afterwards? I can't remember.

I also am not sure I understand what caused Renegade side Kon to handle this so much better. Why was he able to call M'gann for backup where Paragon side Kon wasn't?

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It's... Been a while. I think it was because Grayven was willing to just break into Superman's Fortress of Solitude and take the data he needed to fix Match's brain, while the SI felt that leaving him with the people who understood his body and were motivated to help him would be better.

 

[Darko]

On the Paragon side they locked him back up because Paragon side Kon wasn't patient enough to get telepath support. Whatever happened to Match afterwards? I can't remember

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They eventually gave him to the Jor-El AI and he was able to fix Match.

 

[Mr Zoat]

21st September 2013
09:21 GMT -5

I'm leaning across the table before everyone's even sat down. "I'm having Hiro!"

"Egdod."

"Huh?"

The folder flips out of the way of my hand, and I give Zatanna a mildly betrayed look.

"I'd be a great fit for Hiro! Every time he got distracted I could just wave-."

Kaldur lays his hand on the folder. "We will not claim any students until we have discussed them all as a group."

"Yeah." Roy nods. "And since Robin's not here, none of the rest of us know who they are."

I sit back, trying to contain my disappointment. Leonid frowns thoughtfully. "How were these children selected? No Russians that I know of have been approached with an offer."

Kaldur shakes his head. "These were selected from amongst the potential candidates Batman viewed as most promising. Those who fought against Mannheim's forces or who acted to maintain stability afterwards."

Noriel scowls at a boy in a red demon costume. I'm honestly surprised that she's here, but she has the knowledge by now and… I assume that she convinced Batman that she's got the right attitude now. "If they already know what they're doing, what do they need us for?"

"Llits ria."

I try answering, but no sound emerges. Zatanna's gotten good at working around personal magic defences.

Kaldur smiles faintly at my predicament before answering himself. "The League feels that our understanding of Justice League procedures and techniques will allow us to both help them improve and make it easier for them to work with Justice League members in the future."

Roy snorts. "For the next worldwide disaster."

I tap the table with my knuckles, and then once I have everyone's attention nod emphatically.

Roy straightens up slightly. "What, is it already scheduled?"

I fan out my hands, palms upwards.

Zatanna shakes her head. "I only put enough power into that spell for a few seconds."

"Yes, but it's amazing how clearly some ideas can be communicated with body language. Should I ask why Blitzen isn't here? Or is it the obvious?"

Kaldur takes a moment to think about that one.

"Blitzen has only limited involvement with the Justice League, and is more familiar with the way in which the New Reichsmen operate."

Leonid looks stony-faced. "I know that she is learning to not be a Nazi, but I think it is best if she learns for longer."

"And Canis?"

Kaldur exhales sadly. "Canis has returned to the monastery where you found him. Learning that his exile was genuine has impacted him most profoundly."

"I suspect that he actually went back to finish his painting, but alright. Sooo…"

I start reaching for Hiro's folder again.

Kaldur picks it up and hands it to me. "Since you are so eager to recruit him, please describe him to the rest of us."

"Hiro Okamura, Japanese national, currently thirteen years old, genius engineer and technologist." I flip open the folder. "Ah. Apparently he spent January building giant animatronics to brighten everyone's day."

Leonid frowns. "Then why is he under consider-?"

"They also had eye-mounted plasma beam projectors!"

"Ah." Leonid nods. "Yes."

"Rates of deaths by suicide and misadventure were far lower where he was operating than the Japanese average. The actual design specifications of the robots aren't that impressive, but that's because he was rushing them into the field."

Kaldur nods. "What kind of plasma? I would be concerned if he had already developed a casual attitude towards killing at such an age."

"No, it was low temperature electrified plasma. Like getting a solid punch to the chest combined with a taser shock. They could turn it up if the target was tougher than normal, but he always defaulted to a low lethality setting."

Roy snorts. "Maybe you shouldn't get him after all."

I give him a hurt look. "I default to low lethality."

"Yeah, but he's gunna find out what you do off Earth. I don't know if he should get the idea that that kinda thing's normal at thirteen."

I shrug. "That was how old Robin was when we went to Santa Prisca. But… Okay. Who here speaks Japanese?"

Noriel nods, and Zatanna raises her right hand with a shrug. "I can fake it with magic."

"I'd be faking it with a power ring."

Leonid frowns. "He does not speak English?"

"He does, but he's never spoken it with native speakers for a prolonged period of time. You know how-" He's nodding. "-different it is. Anyway." I flick through the file, but there's not much I didn't already know so I put it back on the table. "Feel free to read up on him, but I'd love to have him on board."

Zatanna raises her right eyebrow. "Onboard with the Justice League, or onboard with NEMO?"

"Both? Either? I think Earth needs him more at the moment, but I'll see how he adapts when I start handing him samples of exotic materials to play with."

Kaldur nods. "We shall take that into consideration." He reaches forwards and picks up a file, showing-.

Really?

"The Face. Orange Lantern and I met him on our mission to Aberrance."

"Yes. Yes we did. I can't say he impressed me with his comportment, and his abilities are marginal."

Leonid looks curious. "Why is he called 'The Face'?"

Kaldur turns the file around so that The Face's picture is visible to the rest of us.

"Ah."

Kaldur nods. "His appearance is strange. His life was saved by Doctor Otto von Schadel, who altered his body surgically after he was gravely injured by being struck by a car. He retained his metahuman ability to project fire, and Doctor von Schadel's work has increased his strength and endurance beyond normal human limits."

"Anything in there about his attitude?"

Kaldur flicks to the last page. "This file was compiled by Mister Atom."

There's a general wincing.

"I guess we can do interviews. Who else is on offer?"

 

[Graeme]

Learning that his exile was genuine has impact him most profoundly."


He retained his metahuman ability to project file, and Doctor von Schadel's work

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impacted
project fire (?)

 

[Darko]

I'm leaning across the table before everyone's even sat down. "I'm having Hiro

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Well I'm guessing you'd like to turn him away from conventional superheroics and just have him focus on inventing.

Noriel scowls at a boy in a red demon costume

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Hi, Eddie.

"If they already know what they're doing, what do they need us for?"

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Because you have more experience and know how to operate as a group.

"Llits ria."

I try answering, but no sound emerges. Zatanna's gotten good at working around personal magic defences

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I'm reminded of a scene in Supernatural where Dean and Crowley visit Cain and Cain magically shushes Crowley when he tries to speak.

And just like Dean in that scene, I'm sure everyone that sees Zatanna do this will want to learn it.

Roy snorts. "For the next worldwide disaster

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You joke, but yeah.

. Should I ask why Blitzen isn't here? Or is it the obvious?"

Kaldur takes a moment to think about that one.

"Blitzen has only limited involvement with the Justice League, and is more familiar with the way in which the New Reichsmen operate

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Yeah, maybe stay away from the Nazis.

Leonid looks stony-faced. "I know that she is learning to not be a Nazi, but I think it is best if she learns for longer."

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He would be one of the people on the Team that would have had a negative interaction with her, aside from Raquel and Kaldur, given his Slavic heritage.

And Canis?"

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Same issue as too much Nazi.

suspect that he actually went back to finish his painting, but alright

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I mean painting can be profoundly spiritual.

And it's probably doubly so for him.

Rates of deaths by suicide and misadventure were far lower where he was operating than the Japanese average

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And those are not small.

I give him a hurt look. "I default to low lethality

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Some Citadelians and Thanagarians would strongly disagree.

 

[Grimnar]

"Hiro Okamura

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Judging by the trivia on his wiki page, this kid is based as fuck and has great taste.

 

[BR549]

Some Citadelians and Thanagarians would strongly disagree.

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They're welcome to, except they made the mistake of forcing Paul away from that default, and wound up with a bad case of dead for it.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

21st September 2013
09:21 GMT -5

I'm leaning across the table before everyone's even sat down. "I'm having Hiro!"

"Egdod."

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Patience, OL. Can't jump straight to picking teams before you've read all the files. Or rather, before they've read all the files. Not everyone has a running log of all superheroes on Earth, OL.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"Huh?"

The folder flips out of the way of my hand, and I give Zatanna a mildly betrayed look.

Click to shrink...

At least it stayed together, presumably because of the conceptual nature of the spell.

"I'd be a great fit for Hiro! Every time he got distracted I could just wave-."

Kaldur lays his hand on the folder. "We will not claim any students until we have discussed them all as a group."

Click to shrink...

See, OL? No rushing ahead. There's a flow to events and you have to go with it.

"Yeah." Roy nods. "And since Robin's not here, none of the rest of us know who they are."

I sit back, trying to contain my disappointment. Leonid frowns thoughtfully. "How were these children selected? No Russians that I know of have been approached with an offer."

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Sadly, due to DC being so America-centric, capes of international origin are in short supply.

Kaldur shakes his head. "These were selected from amongst the potential candidates Batman viewed as most promising. Those who fought against Mannheim's forces or who acted to maintain stability afterwards."

Noriel scowls at a boy in a red demon costume. I'm honestly surprised that she's here, but she has the knowledge by now and… I assume that she convinced Batman that she's got the right attitude now. "If they already know what they're doing, what do they need us for?"

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Hopefully it's still just a costume, assuming that's Kid Devil.

"Llits ria."

I try answering, but no sound emerges. Zatanna's gotten good at working around personal magic defences.

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At which point OL can just project subtitles. Hardly going to stop him.

Kaldur smiles faintly at my predicament before answering himself. "The League feels that our understanding of Justice League procedures and techniques will allow us to both help them improve and make it easier for them to work with Justice League members in the future."

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In other words, basic training for League operations.

Roy snorts. "For the next worldwide disaster."

I tap the table with my knuckles, and then once I have everyone's attention nod emphatically.

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Not that he even needs metaknowledge to guess that.

Roy straightens up slightly. "What, is it already scheduled?"

I fan out my hands, palms upwards.

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Yeah, who knows what's next on the timeline given the alternate universe.

Zatanna shakes her head. "I only put enough power into that spell for a few seconds."

"Yes, but it's amazing how clearly some ideas can be communicated with body language. Should I ask why Blitzen isn't here? Or is it the obvious?"

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If anything, she'd be better as a candidate than a trainer. Especially if she might default to lethal force if pressed.

Kaldur takes a moment to think about that one.

"Blitzen has only limited involvement with the Justice League, and is more familiar with the way in which the New Reichsmen operate."

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Similar wavelengths. Better to let her learn our ways first before throwing her into larger scale operations.

Leonid looks stony-faced. "I know that she is learning to not be a Nazi, but I think it is best if she learns for longer."

"And Canis?"

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...Ah, yes. Wonder how he's dealign with your little shocking revelation.

Kaldur exhales sadly. "Canis has returned to the monastery where you found him. Learning that his exile was genuine has impact him most profoundly."

"I suspect that he actually went back to finish his painting, but alright. Sooo…"

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Why can't it be both? Heck, the emotional turmoil is probably giving him so much inspiration.

I start reaching for Hiro's folder again.

Kaldur picks it up and hands it to me. "Since you are so eager to recruit him, please describe him to the rest of us."

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I suspect if they left it to OL, he'd recruit all the people capable of advancing human culture in some way...

"Hiro Okamura, Japanese national, currently thirteen years old, genius engineer and technologist." I flip open the folder. "Ah. Apparently he spent January building giant animatronics to brighten everyone's day."

Leonid frowns. "Then why is he under consider-?"

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AKA a Toyman. I suspect he'd rather not use the typical naming scheme for teenage heroes, otherwise he'd be, well...

"They also had eye-mounted plasma beam projectors!"

"Ah." Leonid nods. "Yes."

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And no doubt some of them were cute anime girlies?

"Rates of deaths by suicide and misadventure were far lower where he was operating than the Japanese average. The actual design specifications of the robots aren't that impressive, but that's because he was rushing them into the field."

Kaldur nods. "What kind of plasma? I would be concerned if he had already developed a casual attitude towards killing at such an age."

Click to shrink...

Just imagine what he could do with actual technology, not just scraps and loose ends.

"No, it was low temperature electrified plasma. Like getting a solid punch to the chest combined with a taser shock. They could turn it up if the target was tougher than normal, but he always defaulted to a low lethality setting."

Roy snorts. "Maybe you shouldn't get him after all."

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Cheek.

I give him a hurt look. "I default to low lethality."

"Yeah, but he's gunna find out what you do off Earth. I don't know if he should get the idea that that kinda thing's normal at thirteen."

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Could drill home that not everyone works like OL does.

I shrug. "That was how old Robin was when we went to Santa Prisca. But… Okay. Who here speaks Japanese?"

Noriel nods, and Zatanna raises her right hand with a shrug. "I can fake it with magic."

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I was surprised at Noriel, but then I remembered, Angelic powers. Naturally perfect translation.

"I'd be faking it with a power ring."

Leonid frowns. "He does not speak English?"

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Eh, it'd be a rare Japanese teen who doesn't, but he could be very bad at it.

"He does, but he's never spoken it with native speakers for a prolonged period of time. You know how-" He's nodding. "-different it is. Anyway." I flick through the file, but there's not much I didn't already know so I put it back on the table. "Feel free to read up on him, but I'd love to have him on board."

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If nothing else, he could build giant mechs for the team.

Zatanna raises her right eyebrow. "Onboard with the Justice League, or onboard with NEMO?"

"Both? Either? I think Earth needs him more at the moment, but I'll see how he adapts when I start handing him samples of exotic materials to play with."

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Oooh, that will be entertaining. Possibly in a similar way to a fireworks show.

Kaldur nods. "We shall take that into consideration." He reaches forwards and picks up a file, showing-.

Really?

"The Face. Orange Lantern and I met him on our mission to Aberrance."

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Ah, thinking about offering him a seat in a bigger league?

"Yes. Yes we did. I can't say he impressed me with his comportment, and his abilities are marginal."

Leonid looks curious. "Why is he called 'The Face'?"

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Just don't let him talk to reporters. Despite the name, he doesn't really fill the party role.

Kaldur turns the file around so that The Face's picture is visible to the rest of us.

"Ah."

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Yes, seeing an actual cephelothorasic conversion will do that.

Kaldur nods. "His appearance is strange. His life was saved by Doctor Otto von Schadel, who altered his body surgically after he was gravely injured by being struck by a car. He retained his metahuman ability to project fire, and Doctor von Schadel's work has increased his strength and endurance beyond normal human limits."

Click to shrink...

Which puts him up a bit on most capes. Most of whom are often squishy mortals.

"Anything in there about his attitude?"

Kaldur flicks to the last page. "This file was compiled by Mister Atom."

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...I take it the notes are extensive. Or non-existent because of irrelevance.

There's a general wincing.

"I guess we can do interviews. Who else is on offer?"

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Yeah, some guys really aren't suited to being public-facing heroes.

An interesting start and a clear sign that it's not going to be just teen heroes. Which opens up the ranks a lot more to minor heroes who haven't stepped up to the big leagues yet. Local vigilantes who keep a small town safe, folks whose powers aren't suited to crime-fighting, those whose personalities aren't especially compatible with team operations yet...

 

[Mr Zoat]

impacted
project fire (?)

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[boo600]

Zatanna is being quite rude. I don't believe Paul has ever used his abilities to shut her up or restrict her choices, bar that one time she was mind controlled (which didn't work).

And I don't understand why everyone is so ok with Canis leaving! He's clearly the best possible teacher for the new kids coming in!


/s, just in case it isn't obvious enough.

 

[hkim]

29th November 2282
08:11 EST

I use the rear sensors to watch as Iowa disappears behind me. With that cybernetic lunatic verifiably dead, Lafayette can work on turning his victims back into… People, when they can recover their bodies. Or at least removing their brain chips if we can't. Autumn and Company were pretty upbeat about actually having a success, doubly so when it was against someone so clearly malevolent in an uncomplicatedly good fight. The fact that the majority of his victims were cryogenically preserved pre-War humans and as such 'pure Americans' by Enclave standards doesn't hurt either. The only downside is that now they have a population large enough to sustain itself, Autumn might be a little more reluctant to accept migrants.

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It's been a hot minute but what did happen with those weird radiation-eating robots? If it happened offscreen like this I assume it's in a game somewhere but I've got no clue where or when.

 

[mastermenthe]

/s, just in case it isn't obvious enough.

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much appreciated

 

[Mr Zoat]

It's been a hot minute but what did happen with those weird radiation-eating robots? If it happened offscreen like this I assume it's in a game somewhere but I've got no clue where or when.

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Turning the few robots captured intact back into people turned out to be impossible. The vault is occupied by the Enclave State of Iowa, and its surviving population integrated.

 

[Steelplaza]

Leonid frowns thoughtfully.

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I remember that Leonid is the young Russian superhero, who goes by "Starfire" in some continuities, but I don't remember what his deal is in the "With This Ring" continuity. Backstory, powers, hero name, that sort of thing. Anyone got a refresher on where we met him?

"The Face. Orange Lantern and I met him on our mission to Aberrance."

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Can anyone provide a link to the relevant post?

 

[Mr Zoat]

I remember that Leonid is the young Russian superhero, who goes by "Starfire" in some continuities, but I don't remember what his deal is in the "With This Ring" continuity. Backstory, powers, hero name, that sort of thing. Anyone got a refresher on where we met him?

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Joined up a while ago. Powers come from a crashed alien spacecraft he was exposed to, after which he... Whatever the conscripted version of 'voluntold' is, to join the Russian state security apparatus. He's well paid, well treated and well regarded, he just can't quit. And he's actually fine with that.

Can anyone provide a link to the relevant post?

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Here is the Renegade meeting him. The SI's meeting isn't shown, but it was worse.

 

[Darko]

He's well paid, well treated and well regarded, he just can't quit. And he's actually fine with that.

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He has great job security.

 

[Steelplaza]

I did a quick lookup on "Red Star" and as an interesting aside, it doesn't look like DC comics has ever explored in any continuity where the exploding spaceship that gave him his powers came from, or provided details about the aliens that built it. The closest was an appearance where his status quo is having fought off an alien invasion by aliens connected to the spaceship, but it seems to have been all narrative statements rather than actually showing the invasion, even in flashbacks. Why exactly he developed superpowers from merely being near an exploding spaceship, also unexplained. Did it activate a latent mutation? New god source energy shit? Connection to the quantum field like Captain Atom? Who knows!?

So there's some unmined territory for you, I guess. I wonder if a ring scan would show anything useful about the nature of Leonid's abilities. Given he does basic "flying brick with energy blasts" stuff, it seems very possible there are more sophisticated applications of his powers he just doesn't know how to use.

Thanks for the link to the Grayven story post with The Face. I see now why OL was so skeptical of him.

 

[hkim]

Turning the few robots captured intact back into people turned out to be impossible. The vault is occupied by the Enclave State of Iowa, and its surviving population integrated.

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Ta. Was that an OWB focus tree or a story-unique thing? Curious about whatever details might remain there.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Ta. Was that an OWB focus tree or a story-unique thing? Curious about whatever details might remain there.

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I made it up.

I did a quick lookup on "Red Star" and as an interesting aside, it doesn't look like DC comics has ever explored in any continuity where the exploding spaceship that gave him his powers came from, or provided details about the aliens that built it. The closest was an appearance where his status quo is having fought off an alien invasion by aliens connected to the spaceship, but it seems to have been all narrative statements rather than actually showing the invasion, even in flashbacks. Why exactly he developed superpowers from merely being near an exploding spaceship, also unexplained. Did it activate a latent mutation? New god source energy shit? Connection to the quantum field like Captain Atom? Who knows!?

So there's some unmined territory for you, I guess. I wonder if a ring scan would show anything useful about the nature of Leonid's abilities. Given he does basic "flying brick with energy blasts" stuff, it seems very possible there are more sophisticated applications of his powers he just doesn't know how to use.

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Sounded a bit like what happened with Icon to me.

 

[Darko]

Sounded a bit like what happened with Icon to me.

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In Icon's case his ship apparently transformed him to look like a local in case they were hostile to alien life.

 

[Mr Zoat]

In Icon's case his ship apparently transformed him to look like a local in case they were hostile to alien life.

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And gave him super powers. Humans aren't naturally as strong, tough or long lived as he ended up being.

In other news, I'm trying to find a quote and Google is being aggressively unhelpful. It's something like 'The only people who objected were those with strong beliefs concerning personal liberty, but that is never the majority of people', and I think it was originally said about the Nazi take-over of Germany. Does it sound familiar to anyone?

 

[Steelplaza]

Sounded a bit like what happened with Icon to me.

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I got to be honest, I don't see the Icon comparison.

And gave him super powers. Humans aren't naturally as strong, tough or long lived as he ended up being.

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Sure, but that's handwave stuff. We understand how Icon got where he ended up, what civilization his spaceship/lifeboat was from, and why it made him look like a human being. Maybe the details of his powers are a little fuzzy, but "if you're stranded on an alien world the Consortium life boat will make sure you're as juiced up as is possible" at least makes some sense.

That's pretty different from. "There was an alien spaceship in Russia for some reason, and it gave Red Star powers for some reason, and we don't know why it was there or anything about the society it came from."