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

[AmericanNumbers]

The power of friendship compels you.
ThE pOwEr Of FrIeNdShIp CoMpElS yOu!

Has Artemis met Luna yet?
When will Artemis(New God) meet Artemis(Old God)? They gonna have a cat fight. With actual cats. Big ones.

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Artemis met Luna after they came back from Summer's End. Luna thought she was being asked to join a harem and was girding herself before being corrected.

 

[AmericanNumbers]

I wonder if Renegade is gonna have access to the Omega Force now that he's apparently eaten original Grayven.

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I thought we said it was the care bear stare now.

 

[iamnuff]

"I'm going to shoot the concept of diplomacy into you with a bow."

 

[jasonh23761]

GO ARTEMIS GO!

 

[DrThoth]

I kind of hope Artemis can only do this with Renegade/Grayven because of her metaphysical ties to him. If she can just shoot (presumably non-lethal) arrows of emotional/personality traits at people...well, it won't be the most broken power out there, but it's certainly one of the most creative and versatile interpretations of a New God's domain that we've seen in the fic (the New Goddesses of Magic can probably do better, but that just make sense). It's still fun though.

I don't know if Mr Zoat was inspired at all by canon season 3's merging of Granny Goodness and Gretchen Good in the last episode.

Actually, since New Gods can function anywhere in the universe, even outside thaumospheres, what would New Gods of Magic like Circe and Zatanna be capable of exactly, if they were in space? Would they just tap into the Source directly to manifest the same magical effects or something?

 

[Darko]

The pretender's agent looks stunned, and without him interfering… I can dimly feel her, their relationship… Not an agent. I think he… Is this..? Love? I have no direct experience with it, but their bond is clearly not the domitor-subservient relationship that I'm used to.

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It is love, but more of the friendship variety.

I look down at my waist, where a Mother Box is attached to my belt. His Mother Box, but from the feel of it's spirit it will work for me just as well.

Puzzling.

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So it either automatically attached itself to him or he's in renegades body.

"Just so. Some ancient species arranges things

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'arranged'

and there is a relic of their work."

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'this is'

same God Name

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Maybe 'God-Name'

No, more than that, I appear to have acquired his ridiculous sword as well. And his rings. Could-?

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You have no idea how ridiculous that sword is.

Lantern Grayven, I would appreciate an-.
Clothing Is To Be Worn, Not Heard.

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I'm picturing Ringnestro never letting renegade live this down, since Actually Grayven may not be around to bitch at.

There's an arrow in my chest, and… Total autocracy is impractical in an empire of any size, what was I-?

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And there's renegade.

And that tell me where to shoot."

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'tells'

Ring, obey me!

I think not.

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Consequences you big grey bitch.

Grayven was kind of an ass,

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More than kind of.

Arrow Of Humor

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Laughter is the best medicine.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

1st September 2012
16:07 GMT

Worlds… Chained.

That's what I want. What I need. Why using the Orrery felt so natural, and why I could find it where these primitives could not. Some ancient god built this mechanism to more easily control its creation, and now it is mine. Arms connecting orbs which both represent worlds and in some sense are those worlds. Bound together by a single will.

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Ah, the bullshitery of cosmic-level DC powers. Good thing the not-angel that made it isn't around. I rather think he'd be upset with you for messing with his work. As it is, I rather suspect there's already a lot of unhappy people looking to give you a good kicking, Grayven.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

I'm not Darkseid. I don't want other people to be part of me. I want them subservient. I don't want to look upon my creation and feel fear at the sight of my reflection. I want to look upon my creation and see the ordered universe set in motion at my will. I want to feel satisfaction and the elegance and efficiency.

Apokolips was a pit. The more I saw of it, the more I hated it. Which was undoubtably why Father made a point of showing so much of it to me.

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I suppose he has that much in common with the Renegade. Both want orderly universes. But Grayven wants it to be his order.

"How did-?"

The pretender's agent looks stunned, and without him interfering… I can dimly feel her, their relationship… Not an agent. I think he… Is this..? Love? I have no direct experience with it, but their bond is clearly not the domitor-subservient relationship that I'm used to.

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Yes, not used to thinking of anyone as an equal, or even anything other than a tool to be employed, eh?

I walk slowly towards her feeling out the hole in her metaphysique left by the pretender's absence. She feels strong, and their relationship stable. She can't be a Fury; Granny would never allow one not emotionally stunted to be deployed with a New God of any significance. Where is she from?

"He was inferior. He no longer exists."

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Don't count your chickens before they're hatched, boy. And Now I see why they felt so at odds before. The edges of their metaphysiques weren't aligned the way Artemis and the Renegade's are. It would have been like mismatched gears, grinding and jerking against each other...

I must discover for certain what happened, but it is not of primary importance. And I will do that alone-

Ping.

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"Alone, you say? I think not." Ah, Mother Box, always the best lines.

-and not-.

I look down at my waist, where a Mother Box is attached to my belt. His Mother Box, but from the feel of it's spirit it will work for me just as well.

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Only because your gear and his are turning on the same axle now...

Puzzling.

I do.. not remember any instances of one New God killing another of the same nature and having anything like this happen. The orange avaricious light of his power ring interacted in some way with the Omega Force residing within my soul.

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I bet his Rings don't recognise you as a valid operator, though. While you may have shared the outline of a Godhead, your minds are far too different.

"No! That can't-. I can still feel him!"

"You feel me. Our metaphysiques are near identical. I am not sure what your bond was, but-" Sinthia readies herself for action, but I still her with a gesture. "-I will soon occupy his place in your life."

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No, you're going to serve as her archery target.

Her initial horror fades a little as the shock wears off.

"What's this-" Her eyes flick for a moment to the Orrery. "-thing for?"

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Good on, Artemis. The Mission above all else. And you need to know what he wants... So it can be taken away from him.

"Controlling the Vega systems. You are aware that it is not a natural formation."

"Too many systems too close together, and too many habitable planets. And then there's the moat."

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Yes, this has been noticed. To the point where some declare it a single system with multiple stars, rather than an entire sector...

"Just so. Some ancient species arranges things so, and there is a relic of their work."

Though now that the pretender is dead, the destruction of his nascent empire in Vega is no longer necessary. Indeed, it may be counterproductive, especially if the Controllers take advantage of the situation in order to take full possession of the Orange Central Power Battery. By My Will, Be Still.

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I suspect the Tamaraneans might have something to say on that matter.

The Orrery responds, the movement of the arms and the spinning of the spheres slowing. I will rearrange the interior later when I have their compliance.

I feel the comparative lack of resistance due to the pretender's absence. A moment more and I.. connect to what he built. The patterns of devotion and loyalty. Strange, but still compatible.

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Yes, such a strange feeling, eh? People willing to work together not out of fear of some mightier power, but of mutual goals. Take a look at what proper Conquest looks like, boy.

"How old are we talking here?"

"My Father did not yet rule Apokolips. Sinthia, fetch the queen. She has an accord to confirm."

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...That is a long-ass time. Given that the origin of it noted posits that it was created before Larfleeze chose Vega as his hidey-hole, that's older than our entire Solar System...

"Yes, my lord."

Sinthia leaves, the space around the Orrery itself distorting as the device makes an allowance for an object that has no equivalent in the Vega Systems themselves.

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In other words, she just flew right through the middle of it? Heh, blunt as I'd expect of someone following Grayven.

"Sending your bodyguard away." She raises her bow slightly to remind me of its presence. "Risky move."

"Not really. Your love for the pretender is now mine. Your soul and mine are meshing even now. Soon, you will not be able to separate us in your mind. Even now, you hesitate."

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Again, too hasty, boy. Perhaps you should give some thought as to what happened, rather than trying to immediately claim his stuff.

"You're not him." She frowns. "Or… Where did his body go, anyway?"

The disadvantage of strong servants is that they're not weak. A Fury would bow at once, but she maintains a sense of herself. Since she has, I suspect that an honest answer would serve me best. It is what she would have received from the pretender.

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Good to see you're not a complete idiot, then.

"I do not know."

"You kinda look like him."

"He was pretending to be me. Naturally, he would look like me."

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Bah! He was doing your job better than you were. I rather suspect, to some degree, that you were starting to look like him.

"No, it's more than that. Your armour's more like his than was, and the bits of your face where you got hurt… I think they're his."

She believes that we have merged? I know of no records of that occurring, but only Father and myself have used the Omega Force. I truly do not know what could occur when two New Gods with the same God Name are involved. Given how closely he copied me, it is entirely plausible that he could have integrated it as I have.

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Especially when the target is ramming pure Avarice into the barrel of the gun. Two very different, yet subtly related primal forces coming together like that? Who knows what might happen.

"And you've got his Mother Box and his rings. Shame about the personality."

No, more than that, I appear to have acquired his ridiculous sword as well. And his rings. Could-?

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Well, I expect the Renegade will be reconsidering the Surf-Blade after this. Alongside actually putting some effort into physical training.

Lantern Grayven, I would appreciate an-.
Clothing Is To Be Worn, Not Heard.
"What exactly is the difference between him and you?"

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Rude, Grayven. Ringnestro will remember that.

"I won. My fleet is stronger, my planning better, my metaphysique more potent."

"Yeah, but in terms of what you want to do. If you want me to work for you, I'm gunna need to know that stuff."

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Because that's how it worked with the Renegade. He actually recognised that others might know better than he did on some subjects...

"You do not. You need to know how to obey."

"Sure, you're all about being in charge, but I'm gunna have to decide things on my own sometimes, right?"

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Which has to irk Grayven. What with his obsession with totalitarian dominance.

Not unreasonable. I have chosen to leave many gordanian social structures intact simply due to efficiency concerns, and it is helpful that I can predict their actions based on those habits.

"From what I have learned, I am more authoritarian. I do not tolerate alternate sources of authority in my domain. No lesser kings, no nobles with hereditary titles and no democracy. Authority flows from-"

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Ah, but that breeds discontent from those ruled, boy. Consider how the gordanians must chafe at following your orders that go against their normal instincts, their cultural traditions...

Hunter's Eyes.
"-me."

Something about that made me less able to feel her, and her expression is changing.

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Yeah, she doesn't like you. Surely this isn't the first time someone's defied you in full Conquest mode, Grayven?

"Thanks. 'cause now I look real close, I can see the differences."

"Good. That will be helpful-."
Arrow Of Collegiality.

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Collegiality... Friendship. Oh, hell yeah. Hitting him with all the things he lacks, eh?

There's an arrow in my chest, and… Total autocracy is impractical in an empire of any size, what was I-?

"And that tell me where to shoot."
Arrow Of Fellowship.

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Fellowship... Loyalty. Not the kind you espouse, though. That's simple domination.

Another in my arm. She's bypassing my armour. Ring, obey me!

I think not.

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I told you Ringnestro would remember that. And I doubt he even knows how to access the Orange Ring, but it would probably give him a resounding, "Command refused."

I stare-. No, this is Artemis, I'm not going to-.
Arrow Of Diplomacy.
An arrow appears in my left leg as I run towards her.

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Diplomacy... Honesty. Something you have no real concept of. Everything you are is a lie, isn't it, Grayven?

"Grayven was kind of an ass, but he was better-"
Arrow Of Uplift.

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Uplift... Generosity. Being gracious to those with less than you. Reaching out to build them up...

"-than-"
Arrow Of Self-Depreciation.

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Self-depreciation... Humbleness. Kindness. Everything you are not, with your self-aggrandizing posturing, boy.

"-you."
Arrow Of Humor.
NO-!

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Humor... Laughter, naturally. Something someone as serious as you, as edgy as you are, can't bear to do, can you?

Nice, Artemis. Calling on the Renegade's essence and channelling things that would bring his spirit into sharp focus. Not quite the classic six-point Harmony rainbow beam of doom, but I think Grayven is about to have a real bad time in his own head. Tomorrow is going to be big. Make sure you have snacks ready!

---

...built this mechanism to more easily control its creation...

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As a possessive 'it', wouldn't this be 'it's'?

...but from the feel of it's spirit...

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...but from the feel of its' spirit...

Arrow Of Humor.

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Double Space.

 

[Darko]

I suppose he has that much in common with the Renegade. Both want orderly universes. But Grayven wants it to be his order.

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Technically so does renegade.

I suspect the Tamaraneans might have something to say on that matter.

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True, but with Actually Grayven's God powers he may have been able to subdue them.

Humor... Laughter, naturally. Something someone as serious as you, as edgy as you are, can't bear to do, can you?

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The guy was created in the 90s.

He a 90s era comic book character.

Laughter or anything lighthearted isn't a concept that exists for him.

 

[Vaermina]

I wonder if Renegade is gonna have access to the Omega Force now that he's apparently eaten original Grayven.

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Renegade's dead.

So unless they hop over to the New God afterlife and drag his soul back the best we are going to get is Grayven with a few bits of Renegade tacked onto him.

I suspect the Tamaraneans might have something to say on that matter.

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Tamaran has minutes before it's scoured clean of all life by the combination of gamma ray's and other solar ejecta caused by the multiple colliding star's.

So I think the Tamaraneans have bigger problems to worry about.

 

[Lone Courier 6]

Renegade's dead.

So unless they hop over to the New God afterlife and drag his soul back the best we are going to get is Grayven with a few bits of Renegade tacked onto him.

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Dead is a very strong word for what has happened, but heir Souls appeared to have merged and what appears to be happening is a conflict of which version New God of Conquest will ultimately be left to continue their ways, with the abilities of the other added to themselves?

 

[Vaermina]

Dead is a very strong word for what has happened, but heir Souls appeared to have merged and what appears to be happening is a conflict of which version New God of Conquest will ultimately be left to continue their ways, with the abilities of the other added to themselves?

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If that's what Zoat was going for he did a really really bad job of portraying it.

Because there wasn't even a single "the dregs of his soul are fighting me" in there to support the idea of a merger instead of Grayven just blasting him to dust and gaining his metaphysical everything.

 

[Radiant Knight]

If that's what Zoat was going for he did a really really bad job of portraying it.

Because there wasn't even a single "the dregs of his soul are fighting me" in there to support the idea of a merger instead of Grayven just blasting him to dust and gaining his metaphysical everything.

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Yeah except Grayven didn't blast him into dust, and even the dialogue in the chapter points out that Grayven had no idea what happened to the body and that this sort of thing has never happened before. He just randomly disappeared.

 

[Vaermina]

Yeah except Grayven didn't blast him into dust, and even the dialogue in the chapter points out that Grayven had no idea what happened to the body and that this sort of thing has never happened before. He just randomly disappeared.

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I was being facetious... I didn't mean blast him to dust literally...

 

[Xelloss]

"I'm going to shoot the concept of diplomacy into you with a bow."

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Exalted player : "seems legit"

 

[Prince Charon]

Exalted player : "seems legit"

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I think that's happened (along with similar things) multiple times in various Exalted games. Like, it's a game where 'punching someone into next Tuesday' can literally turn the target into the the concept of 'next Tuesday.'

 

[Mr Zoat]

than was -> than it was

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' tells '

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'arranged'
'this is'

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Thank you, corrected.

same God Name

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No, I think that's alright.

Collegiality... Friendship. Oh, hell yeah. Hitting him with all the things he lacks, eh?


Fellowship... Loyalty. Not the kind you espouse, though. That's simple domination.

Diplomacy... Honesty. Something you have no real concept of. Everything you are is a lie, isn't it, Grayven?


Uplift... Generosity. Being gracious to those with less than you. Reaching out to build them up...


Self-depreciation... Humbleness. Kindness. Everything you are not, with your self-aggrandizing posturing, boy.


Humor... Laughter, naturally. Something someone as serious as you, as edgy as you are, can't bear to do, can you?

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YES THAT WAS A TOTALLY INTENTIONAL THING THAT I MEANT TO DO.

As a possessive 'it', wouldn't this be 'it's'?

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No, it's is always an abbreviation of it is.

I think.

...but from the feel of its' spirit...

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Not quite.

Double Space

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[DAT_NOOB]

I kind of hope Artemis can only do this with Renegade/Grayven because of her metaphysical ties to him. If she can just shoot (presumably non-lethal) arrows of emotional/personality traits at people...well, it won't be the most broken power out there, but it's certainly one of the most creative and versatile interpretations of a New God's domain that we've seen in the fic (the New Goddesses of Magic can probably do better, but that just make sense). It's still fun though.

I don't know if Mr Zoat was inspired at all by canon season 3's merging of Granny Goodness and Gretchen Good in the last episode.

Actually, since New Gods can function anywhere in the universe, even outside thaumospheres, what would New Gods of Magic like Circe and Zatanna be capable of exactly, if they were in space? Would they just tap into the Source directly to manifest the same magical effects or something?

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I assumed it was because it was sort of renegades body she was shooting, so it's more bringing him to the forefront rather than inserting characteristics into him.

 

[asparagus]

"Thanks. 'cause now I look real close, I can see the differences."

"Good. That will be helpful-."
Arrow Of Collegiality.
There's an arrow in my chest, and… Total autocracy is impractical in an empire of any size, what was I-?

"And that tells me where to shoot."

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So she's destroying the non-Paul parts of his soul?

 

[moralrelativity]

Thank you, corrected.
No, it's is always an abbreviation of it is.

I think.

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Yes.

 

[BlueMangoAdea]

So she's destroying the non-Paul parts of his soul?

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Or bringing the Paul parts forward.

 

[Sockmonkey]

Now if she had a common sense arrow, that would be OP as fuck.

 

[Darko]

Now if she had a common sense arrow, that would be OP as fuck.

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Renegade would become a serious Mary Sue if he had common sense.

 

[BlueMangoAdea]

YES THAT WAS A TOTALLY INTENTIONAL THING THAT I MEANT TO DO.

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Wait. It was accidental?

 

[WereDragon]

Arrow Of Collegiality.
Arrow Of Fellowship.
Arrow Of Diplomacy.
Arrow Of Uplift.
Arrow Of Self-Depreciation.
Arrow Of Humor.

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I know trick arrows are the Arrow family's "thing" but that is getting ridiculous.

 

[PrinceJonathan]

Arrow Of Diplomacy.
An arrow appears in my left leg as I run towards her.

"Grayven was kind of an ass, but he was better-"
Arrow Of Uplift.
"-than-"
Arrow Of Self-Depreciation.
"-you."
Arrow Of Humor.
NO-!

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Grayven-16: "I used to be a Conqueror like you, then I took several Arrows of Friendship to the knee."


I just had to do it. I'm not sorry.

So basically the Elements of Harmony are the Anti-Anti-Life.

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You could have just said "Life Equation".

IIRC Darkseid got on the whole Anti-Life kick because he heard some alien race hypothesized the existence of a mathematical equation that proved the validity of Life (or something like that). So he figured if there was math that proved Life true, then there had to be an opposite equation to prove Life false.

Just like how Subtraction is the opposite of Addition.

So the Anti-Anti Life would just be the regular Life Equation. Which if you think about it, might just be what the Elements of Harmony are a part of.

You know since these things are basically magical math problems, I'd love to see the Anti-Life fail to work on someone because they flunked Math class.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Now if she had a common sense arrow, that would be OP as fuck.

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That would require one Grayven to have common sense.

Wait. It was accidental?

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NO OF COURSE NOT.

I know trick arrows are the Arrow family's "thing" but that is getting ridiculous.

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Please note the presence of the meow arrow.

 

[Darko]

That would require one Grayven to have common sense.

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One version is an Apokaliptian, the other one is a Paul.

Both are things that are not known for their common sense.

Frankly Common Sense Paul's existence is a miracle.

Please note the presence of the meow arrow.

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I can't tell if this is an actual comic or something someone drew as a joke, but hot damn that's a ridiculous arrow.

 

[Coda]

Because there wasn't even a single "the dregs of his soul are fighting me" in there to support the idea of a merger instead of Grayven just blasting him to dust and gaining his metaphysical everything.

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Did we read the same update, Vae? "The dregs of his soul are fighting me" absolutely happened in there. You just didn't recognize it for what it was, because it wasn't written so bluntly and inelegantly as a cliche of multiple personalities.

Even before Artemis shot him, the Renegade's thought processes were pushing at his behaviors:

Though now that the pretender is dead, the destruction of his nascent empire in Vega is no longer necessary. Indeed, it may be counterproductive, especially if the Controllers take advantage of the situation in order to take full possession of the Orange Central Power Battery.

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The Renegade gets what he wanted.

"My Father did not yet rule Apokolips. Sinthia, fetch the queen. She has an accord to confirm."

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The Renegade gets rid of a source of outside interference.

I suspect that an honest answer would serve me best. It is what she would have received from the pretender.

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The Renegade continues to empower his partner.

This is what a real mind whammy looks like. It's not unexplained impulses contrary to your nature that you comply with regardless. It's having your nature altered so that you rationalize those impulses as something you think you would have done anyway.

 

[Old Knife]

And when PAul is reformed using Grayven's body, he'll get ALL DA PERKS.
(New body, Fully matured New God powers, Worshipers, Apokolptian BIG SHIP, Harem)

What's he going to do with the Gordanians?

 

[Darko]

Did we read the same update, Vae? "The dregs of his soul are fighting me" absolutely happened in there. You just didn't recognize it for what it was, because it wasn't written so bluntly and inelegantly as a cliche of multiple personalities.

Even before Artemis shot him, the Renegade's thought processes were pushing at his behaviors:


The Renegade gets what he wanted.


The Renegade gets rid of a source of outside interference.


The Renegade continues to empower his partner.

This is what a real mind whammy looks like. It's not unexplained impulses contrary to your nature that you comply with regardless. It's having your nature altered so that you rationalize those impulses as something you think you would have done anyway.

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Plus there's this.

There's an arrow in my chest, and… Total autocracy is impractical in an empire of any size, what was I-?

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Though seeing as you're arguing with Vaermina, using logic, reason and evidence, which Vaermina does not recognise as being things, I think you're just wasting your time.