#even her 'clones' carry on her legacy in the next chapter

[princescar]

"I've been telling you that running away is useless."

The classic Killer Killer panel but now Mukuro is in her dr3 outfit. Love trying to replicate manga shading.

[ashthewaterghoul]

“What if Ahsoka Went to Mustafar”

Chapter 8

The clones fresh out of surgery started to come round the corner, amongst them was Cody. Obi-Wan spotted his old commander and walked up to him.

“Hello Cody.”

“General.” He replied, not even able to look him in the eyes, not after he tried to kill him.

Kenobi placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t blame you Cody, so don’t blame yourself either. You were programmed and nothing could’ve stopped it.” His words reassured Cody, but he still felt extremely guilty. Rex walked over to comfort his brother, Kenobi left the two and walked over to Anakin.

“I’m surprised you haven’t gone to see Padmé yet.” He said.

“Rex said he couldn’t see her or the twins, I don’t want to see something that I’m not ready to see.”

“I’m fine as well.” Ahsoka was standing behind her old master “I was looking for you, I’ve just seen Padmé, she’s fine.”

He was overwhelmed with happiness as he ran to the med-bay.

She was sitting up in the bed and cried tears of joy when her husband entered the room. She got up and they ran into each other’s arms. They shared a kiss of joy, but were interrupted by their children crying. Anakin walked to their cribs, placed a hand on each and soothed them with the force.

“You are definitely in charge of that then.” Padmé said. Anakin grinned at his wife.

“Do I get to meet my niece and nephew now?” Ahsoka asked, half-joking, half-serious.

The parents laughed, welcomed Ahsoka into the room and Padme put her daughter in her arms.

“They look just like you! She looks beautiful and elegant, and he definitely takes after his dad, look at how grumpy he looks!”

Padme laughed while Anakin said

“Hey! That’s my son you’re talking about!”

“I’m just joking Skyguy!”

Obi-Wan and Rex entered the room.

“Do they get to meet their Uncles as well?” Obi-Wan asked in the same manner as Ahsoka.

“Of course” Anakin said and he put his son in Obi-Wan’s arms. A few minutes later, Kenobi put him in Rex’s arms, he was unsure as to how he should hold a youngling, it wasn’t exactly a necessary skill for combat, but after Anakin adjusted his arms, he felt a lot better. A few more minutes after that, Ahsoka handed the girl back to Padmé and Rex handed the boy back to Anakin. At that moment, Yoda walked in.

“From the clones, removed have the chips been.” He triumphantly declared. He walked towards Anakin and Padme, and motioned for them to bend down so the children were in his reach. He placed a hand on each of them and concentrated on the force.

“Strong with the force are they, trained as Jedi they should be. But take them away from you I will not.”

The two looked at each other with relief.

“I’ll train another Skywalker as long as he won’t be as much of an issue as the first one.” Obi-Wan quipped. Everyone let out a heartfelt chuckle. “Which reminds me…Ahsoka, is there something you want to say to Anakin? I don’t need to pass on the message anymore now that you are here.”

All eyes turned to Ahsoka, she took a deep breath and declared: “I want to come back to the order. That is if I’m still allowed back?”

Anakin’s face spread to a wide smile as he put his hand on her shoulder.

“I would happily take you back as a padawan, Snips, if you’ll have me back as a master.”

“Of course, Master.” Everyone in the room was smiling, she turned to her Master’s daughter “Besides, it looks like I’ll have a padawan of my own soon.”

“Her training will be in safe hands then.” Anakin said.

“Do they have names yet?” Obi-Wan asked.

“This is Leia.” Padmé announced.

“And this is Jinn” Anakin turned to his old master “After Master Qui-Gon.” Anakin saw a tear roll down Obi-Wan’s cheek. He looked to the corner of the room where he definitely saw his master, smiling and happy to know his legacy would be carried on, Anakin bowed his head at him and smiled back.

“Teach them to fear the darkside, we will not.” Yoda turned to face Anakin “A good method that was not.”

“Where exactly will they be trained now that the temple has been ruined?” Ahsoka asked.

“It just needs to be rebuilt slightly and it will still be a beautiful place to train Jedi.” Obi-Wan said.

“What of the starts of the Empire?” Padmé asked, concerned not only for the welfare of the galaxy, but also for her children.

“I think the Grand Army of the Republic can help with that.” Anakin said, turning to Rex.

“I’d be happy to serve again, sir.” He replied “But the rapid aging will start to affect us older clones soon.”

“Then find a cure we will, Captain. Speak to the Kaminoens about this I will.” Yoda declared.

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Let’s enjoy this peace while we can, because everything in the galaxy is currently quite chaotic.” Ahsoka declared.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” Anakin said.

Hello there! This is technically the final chapter! Next Tuesday (?) I’ll be posting chapter 9/the epilogue to this what if. I hope you’ve enjoyed this story! Please interact with my posts as much as you can and please leave any feedback or suggestions for future fics! You can also follow me on Instagram if you want @siriusly_a_jedi. Until next time, may the force be with you!

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[setsunatama3]

Chapter 12: the date and troublesome meetings

Chapter 12: the date and troublesome meetings

Naruto met up with Weiss at the docks to the bullheads. He paused to take in her beauty... She was wearing a form-fitting sleeveless bodice that wrapped around her neck.and a ruffled skirt that had coattails that extended to her shins adorned with her crest on the tails. And a pair of opera gloves. And blue stockings and a pair of heels. All in hues of blue and white. "Weiss, you look amazing."

Smiling at the compliment she looked him up and down seeing that he had left the vest behind  and now wore a black jacket with the sleeves rolled up and his chest on the right sleeve and a pair of orange pants with the same open-toed sandals. "so are we going to get on a bullhead Naruto?"

"Nah, I've got something better," Naruto said, pulling her to the side of the building. In a flash of light, they were gone. They reappeared in an alley a few blocks from the center of Vale's commercial district. 

"Wow, just wow that was… a lot better than last time." Weiss said Stumbling slightly from the disorientation when naruto caught her by the arm. Left grasping for straws at trying to describe the sensation of her second teleportation. 

"Yeah, you get used to it," Naruto said while holding her by the arm to keep her from falling.

"So where are we heading Naruto?"

"it's a surprise Weiss, Naruto said with a grin. As they started to walk down the street. Weiss started to notice the upscale buildings that they were passing. Until they turned the next corner. Weiss was stunned Pausing at the front door looking up at the letters on the signboard. It read LUX. As in one of Vale's most famous upscale restaurants. The same restaurant that had a year-long waitlist. Escorting her into the restaurant and walking up to the podium with the Maître d'. "can I get your name, sir?"

With a smile, naruto answered," it's Uzumaki."

Upon hearing the name, his eyes widened "right this way, sir," and the Maître d' immediately lead them to a private room in the back. With a table for two and a mini grill and prep tables.

After leading her to the table, Naruto took off his jacket and draped it over his chair. He reached into his back pouch, and grabbed two small scrolls, set them on the tables and grabbed the apron. Seeing all this Weiss was dying to get answers out of the blonde." naruto what is going on here?"

"Ah, right, I own this place. you would be surprised what you can afford to do once you set up an international information network and are an international bestselling author. After all you need to have several legitimate businesses." Rolling out the scrolls, he pulsed his chakra into them, unsealing his ingredients and a menu. "H-how," she questioned, unable to believe naruto.

Setting the menu on the table in front of her naruto gave his answer. "well smut sells Weiss. Also, I believe that I told you I'm old, far older than you. With age comes experience. I came to this world about two years ago. To hide and not draw attention to myself. Sarada and I almost literally took over the information apparatus of the world and for most of the organized crime in Vale and Mystral. In short, a lot of people answer to me."

Seeing the look on her face, he continued before she could start to speak." don't get me wrong I don't precisely control the organized crime in Vale like some kingpin I just set some ground rules to reduce crime and punish severely any who step out of line I really just act like an information broker. But they know that I can crush them anytime I want, so it's like I am a boogie-man to them."

Nodding in understanding, she gave her order." can I have the lobster risotto, beef wellington with potato puree, glazed root vegetables, red wine demi-glace."

Making his now-signature hand seal two clones popped into existence. And started to help cook within 4 minutes he had the appetizers ready than not long after that they were eating a full course meal paired with a finely aged wine. Making idle chatter and having a good time. "So princess tell me about the real Weiss Schnee."

"Well, I am the heiress of the Schnee dust company as many know. But what many don't know about me is while I want to take over the company. I want to restore the honor and reputation of my family's company." taking a pause to sip some wine to get her thoughts in order.

"I also like to sing.  My greatest desire is to live up to my family's legacy and become a huntress," she said with a smile.

They were having a good time until a waiter came in a handed naruto a note. That read "need to meet soon its urgent. -R.T.- "

Sighing he incinerated the letter with I burst of fire chakra.

"Naruto is anything wrong?" Weiss asked worried about the look on his face. 

"No, I just have a meeting I have to take care of later. Now, let's go do something fun," Naruto said with a grin on his face. 

The pair soon left the restaurant with Weiss on his arm. Soon they were heading to the city gates when she quirked an eyebrow and asked." and just where are we going, mister?"

"Well, I'm going to show you how shinobi really date it's going to be fun."

"And just how are you going to show me that."

As soon as she asked the question. Naruto picked her in a bridal carry and took off out of the gates. It wasn't long before he began to pick up speed and took off like a rocket into the forest. Weiss holding on with a death grip.skidding to a stop once he made it into a clearing far from the city he set her down and crouched down." get on." he said motioning to his back. Complying Weiss climbed on. Standing up, he lept into a tree then started leaping from tree to tree. With a final jump they were consumed by a golden aura. Closing her eyes after the jump expecting to be falling blinked her eyes and had to do a double-take. Because they were flying.

Allowing the truth-seeking orbs to form with his cloak he positioned one under Weiss. Landing on top, he set her down. With a smug grin, he said," see this is fun right." 

Weiss couldn't help but nod as they started to ascend higher and higher. Soon they broke through the clouds and could see the stars in the night sky. Stunned at the beauty of the night sky, Weiss couldn't help but utter," it's so beautiful."

"The only thing that makes it better is you, Weiss."

Hearing what naruto said she flushed red, making a lovely contrast to her hair. "I think it's time to get you home now Weiss it's almost time for curfew." naruto said and in a flash, they were gone and reappeared in her room. "I had a great time naruto." she then pulled him down for a chaste kiss blushing. And with the flash, he disappeared, leaving her there.

-]|[-

Reappearing in one of his flats on the outskirts of Vale. Naruto changed out of his outfit and walked over to his armory and started to put on his Anbu armor. Affixing a tanto to his back, he tapped on the Anbu tattoo on his shoulder with three quick pulses of chakra he sent a summons to Sarada. After putting on his kitsune mask, she soon appeared bleeding out of the shadows already in Anbu garb of her own with the Ryu mask and their hair shifted from blonde and black to red. Taping his tattoo twice, he sent out a message that they were on there way to the meet.

As soon as they left the building, they faded away into the night.

After scouting out the meeting place at the warehouse, the two listen in on the conversation." roman do tell me why we are here?" a sultry voice called out. "If you must know I called for a meeting with our 'benefactor'." the now-named roman said. Taping the ash from his cigar.

Noting his posture and the lack of utter fear that she instilled in the man when they first met. The sheer lack of respect he was showing angered her considerably. Cinder thought to herself that she would need to remind him that this benefactor of his could not save him. That by the end of this meeting, this so-called benefactor would be nothing but ash, and he would know his place as one of her pawns.

Noting the guards in the building naruto nodded to Sarada by his count there were sixteen of them not counting the skilled pair behind the woman called Cinder. Signing to Sarada to take them out non-lethally. She nodded, and she set to work while he dropped from the ceiling behind Cinder and her associates soundlessly. The only one to notice him immediately was neo who looked to him, and he motioned for her to play along. And she went back to her scroll. Signing to Kitsune, " fine but you owe me ice cream."  naruto could only nod.

Standing there, he waited for them to notice the next to notice was roman due to his clear line of sight. Seeing the grin on Roman's face, he spoke up. "now roman why exactly did you call me? You know I don't like to be disturbed unless it's urgent."

Stunned that someone could sneak upon them, the trio turned to attack but found that they could not move. "What did you do," Cinder snarled despite the situation. His only response is to look down an action that they were forced to mimic. "You see that your shadows are connected to mine. It means I have complete control of your actions like this. I think that's all I am going to explain to you." he said to them.

"Now to business Roman."

"Yes, Boss."

"Roman," Kitsune growled. 

Unperturbed by the killing intent sent his way Roman continued to speak.

"Let us be serious for a moment here.you may call yourself an information broker but for all intents and purposes you are the boss here.you just proved that with your entrance. Even if you don't take any of the proceeds from your ventures. I mean for me your the best boss I've ever had we can do what we want as long as we don't step out of line and break your rules. I mean there fairly simple no killing civilians. Don't attract the Grimm. maintain the status quo and the biggest one of all you have don't under any circumstances mess with Beacon."  

After his little speech, Roman took a smooth drag from his cigar. Revealing in the fear coming off to the brats behind Cinder. With a smug grin, he knew now that all he had to do is wait and this metaphorical mess. With that bitch, Cinder would be cleaned up. Even if he would need to hire new minions to clean up the literal mess with a mop and bucket.

Looking to Cinder Kitsune freed her alone with an errant thought. As if to show just how powerless she is in the shinobi's presence. Kitsune walked over to the crate next to neo and sat down. Forcing the two bound by his jutsu to mimic to the best of their abilities. In this case, they walked over to the space parallel from him and fell on their collective asses.

After sitting, Kitsune directed his full attention to Cinder. "Explain now!" the shinobi sneered at her.

At this point, Cinder was absolutely furious with the man in front of her to the point that for the first time in a long time, she acted without thinking things clearly. And made to use her semblance to send a spike of glass into his chest. The only thing that stopped her was the blade at her throat. With some kind of energy flowing through it, making it vibrate and generate a slight ringing sound. But what really caused her to stop was the blade cut through her aura like it wasn't there. The blood blossoming from a small wound. She came to the revelation that the only reason she was not dead yet was because of the skill of the owner of this blade. Turning her head to come face to face with another masked individual with a dragon mask and armored similar to Kitsune.with hair as red as blood only long and flowing down her back.

"Ryu you can stand down for now," Kitsune said. 

Nodding Ryu stepped away and faded into the shadows.

Taking the time to recompose herself, Cinder took the reprieve to run through all her plans. Coming to the realization that without her maiden powers. In all likelihood, she would never leave this warehouse alive. if it came to it and either way, she wouldn't make it out unscathed. Not wanting to reveal that trump card just yet. She knew that the best way out was with words. And hopefully, he could be persuaded to her side by the end of things. So a halve truth it is then she decided.

"Well, for now, my goal is to steal as much dust as I can. But that only part of it I want revenge on a particular man."

"Why?" naruto asked, now curious about her reasoning and taking note of her posture. She lacked the confidence she had earlier. And it was evident that there was something that she was hiding. Then her blatant desire for revenge and the willingness to do whatever it took to get that revenge. And based on what he had sensed. The excuse that this was all because she no longer wanted to be weak and desired power above all. Else was to him utterly false. This situation reminded naruto too much of Sasuke and Itachi for comfort.

Crossing her hands underneath her bust to emphasize her beauty and regain some confidence.

"He killed someone significant to me," was her short answer. But to Kitsune, it was very telling how she maintained this facade of superiority. The act of careless abandon towards her companions. Cinders posture said it all for him.even if it cost her life the two he had bound would be her first priority. They were not just simple pawns.

With his mind made up, Kitsune stood up, and the pair mimicked him, and he walked to stand parallel to Cinder. And released his control over the couple.

"Provided that you do not step out of line you won't meet me again, Cinder. If you require information, I expect you to go through roman. You will only receive this one warning if you have stepped out of line we won't be having a conversation am I clear...." after making his stance clear, naruto started to step back into the shadows when Cinder called out to him.

"Wait! Would you be willing to help me? is there anyway at all to get you to join me?"

As he slid back and into the shadows till only his face remained, he responded." at the moment no, the path you walk is very wrong. And your master will care not when you fall. It will only end in your death Cinder fall the next fall maiden." he slipped into the shadows and disappeared.

"So that was rather enlightening don't you think Cinder." Roman snarked to the stunned woman who was left speechless.

While all she could think was that this Kitsune and Ryu know everything. So stunned, she missed Romans last cutting remark as he left. "ha, you came here and tried to play with a stacked deck. And you forgot one simple rule the house always wins."

-]|[-

After making their way back to one of the flats to store their armor. Naruto and Sarada made their way back to beacon separately on his way to the dorms. Naruto was stopped by the headmaster. "Mr. Uzumaki a word if you would in private."

Following the headmaster up to his office, Naruto waited for the man to speak.

"Mr. Uzumaki Ever since you enrolled here at Beacon, you have gone above, and beyond my expectations, you have gained my attention. And I would like to know what do you know of fairy tales. More specifically, the story of the seasons."

Now more alert than ever naruto extended his senses to encompass all of Beacon in an instant. Before zeroing in on the headmaster after determining no one was listening in on their conversation.

"Headmaster, if this about some nonsensical story where four girls get an incompetent wizard to pass his responsibility to them. I think I'll have to pass." 

Without being excused naruto turned to leave. But stopped with his hand on the door. "headmaster if you're wondering what I think about that story you should ask yourself why was a man of such great power in hiding in the first place." 

Leaving Ozpin to question the further growing mystery that was Naruto Uzumaki.

-]|[-

Naruto slipped into his room and after shedding his clothes and putting on his nightwear. Shifting into his bed  to find a shock of blonde hair and lilac eyes staring back at him. "yang, what are you doing here?"

"It was cold in my room." 

…

"You could have turned up the temp."

"Naruto "

"Yea?"

"shut it, you have a hot girl willing to use you as a pillow. besides, I like to cuddle."

"You could have cuddled with blake."

"Your better."

"Whatever."

The two soon fell into a blissful sleep.

-]|[-

-Location atlas -

"Dr. Weller, how is project Gen: lock preceding?"

"Yes, general ironwood the project is having some success we just need candidates. However my variant project P.E.N.N.Y. is already operational honestly she is astounding and may surpass Gen: lock. As it stands, she is compatible with Gen: lock."

"Understood we shall begin a trial run on Penny while you look for candidates. I will have transport sent to the anvil."

Ending communication, the general turned his chair to look out the window of his flagship the Prydwen.thinking to himself over the information of three students of his. Pulling up the files on his display readout: Pyrrha Nikos possible candidate for Maiden inheritance, Sarada Uchiha likely candidate for Maiden succession pending further investigation, Naruto Uzumaki optional recruit allegiance unknown. "Damnit oz just what are you playing at ."

[sasusakuotpuniverse]

Why I think Sakura is a Feminist Character

The thing about Sakura is that the style Kishimoto wrote her character in subverted the heroine trope, which is especially prevalent in action genre media. We all know that superhero/secret agent/sci-fi/fantasy action movie, book, or comic. It’s the typical overcoming the monster, quest, or voyage and return story plots. The male protagonist is your average guy, nothing special - until he meets super hot, sexy mysterious woman who saves his ass from this newly discovered evil the protagonist encounters. She is so strong, smart, witty, etc. She is a combat master in judo, has great aim with her weapons, and/or supernatural powers that dazzles our hero. He eventually enlists in the Forces of Good to battle the evil because the World as We Know It will be destroyed. He trains under the heroine. He slowly becomes stronger than our heroine after only a faction of the time the heroine has trained for. She falls in love with our hero and suddenly is now a damsel in distress. 

THEME: Love is our heroine’s downfall. She becomes weaker because of it.

Then there’s the other kind of heroine - the teen girl in the young adult sci-fi/fantasy genre. She, like our male hero, discovers an evil foe beyond the likes of anything she could ever have imagined. The Forces of Good realize that she has innate abilities that could help defeat their enemy and save the world. She meets Tall, Dark, Hot, Mysterious, and Brooding - her love interest. Her abilities wax and wane in relation to his. Either she is weaker than him or equally strong. He loves her more than the sun, moon, and stars, though at first he resists for some idiotic reason. She is constantly thinking about him. Her reason for fighting is because of the Big Picture or for some touching, profound notion or memory - or because, well, she just has to. A/N: This is a relatively common trope for YA fiction, particularly apocalyptic and/or oppressive government in theme.

THEME: Love ties into our heroine’s development maturity-wise, but it doesn’t give her her power. She does not fight for the sake of love, but it overshadows her potential.

What Kishimoto does is characterize Sakura in such a way that her love for her companions is her source of strength, much like Naruto. Her love for Sasuke is a catalyst for her development. It’s her constant reminder of WHY she needs to be stronger - so she and Naruto can bring him back. Together. She actively works on becoming level with her comrades. She despises the thought of losing easily. She curses at her shortcomings. And unlike the action movie heroine, she isn’t objectified or there for sexual appeal. 

In contrast to many young adult novel heroines, she embraces her femininity. She likes the color pink, happily takes care of her body and grooms it within reason, enjoys flowers, and celebrates her body with flattering clothes. Her profession is in the medical field, yet this isn’t necessarily feminine. Her proficiency/genius in the field doesn’t designate her solely as caretaker, though this is still an aspect of her character that is just as important. Her monstrous brute strength, which is stereotypically a masculine trait prided by male heroes, balances and even adds an element of diversity to her. (She’s got brains and brawn). Her quick temper, also a cliche masculine trait, is a contrast to her compassionate nature. Her combat clothes are practical and well-suited to her fighting style and medical profession. Her hair is kept short for easy maintenance, as well as mobility and evasion. She is quick, nimble, physically strong, intelligent, temperamental, caring, logical, impulsive, and most of all, human. 

Kishimoto has described Sakura as probably the most human character in the series for a reason. Her actions and thoughts are sometimes irrational, but have good intent. Her personality traits described above are on opposite sides of the spectrum - because her character is exceptionally dynamic. Her love for Sasuke may be well a large motivational factor in her training and growth, but this is eclipsed by her own reasons - since from the beginning of the academy days, she’s wanted to be her own person. In other words, Sasuke doesn’t make Sakura stronger. He rather inspires her. Perhaps her love for him is irrational, but since when is this a factor in love? Kakashi states that we don’t need a reason to love. She explicitly thinks solely about Sasuke himself and her love for him maybe somewhere above 10 times total in a 700 chapter manga, and even that might be pushing it. Most of these moments largely consist of her missing him as a person and worrying for his well-being and especially his happiness. This is almost exactly Naruto’s concerns in regards to Sasuke, but unlike Sakura, these thoughts are a prominent theme of the manga - they are constantly mentioned with flashbacks to boot. Both Sakura and Naruto wanted to save Sasuke by killing and dying with him.

Sakura knows that the likelihood of Sasuke reciprocating romantic feelings is dismal at best or so she believes. She’s constantly reminding herself of this, especially in part 2, i.e. her confrontation with Sasuke with the intent to kill him, and her second confession to him in an attempt to stop him from fighting Naruto. During the battle against Madara, Sakura charges forward as a decoy and is stopped by Madara’s invisible clone and effectively skewered by the real Madara’s sword. Afterwards, as she is held by Naruto, she glances at Sasuke, who looks unaffected as usual. She believes he doesn’t care about her at all, which would be painful considering just how much she cares for him, and this speaking not strictly romantically, but as a person, an old comrade, or equal. In effect, Sakura believes Sasuke looks down on her, is uninterested in her well-being, and holds no respect for her. She is convincing herself of this because there are no obvious signs that he even feels a fraction of what she feels. 

I won’t go in depth here about this, but there are many very good comprehensive analyses of Sasuke’s body language, words, and actions that actually make sense and ultimately confirm that he cared deeply for Sakura. Sasuke was never a man of many words or a man of outspoken physical affection either. It would only make sense that his reactions were just as subtle as the rest of him is. It would also actually discredit Sakura as a character in such analysis in regards to romantic dynamics. If Sasuke were the doting boyfriend seen in most of today’s YA books, not only would it be out of character, but Sasuke would be much more heavily involved in her life - readers would see Sasuke and Sakura, not just Sakura, or just Sasuke even, for that matter. Their relationship would not be as complex as we’ve seen in Gaiden. Because of the lack of understanding and miscommunication seen in part 1 and 2, they must learn to navigate and grow in the relationship not just as partners, but also as people. In essence, perhaps a more realistic and healthier reflection on relationships.

Lastly, but most definitely not least, Sakura raises her daughter alone without resentment for Sasuke, but rather thinks only of his love for his family, Sakura and Sarada, and Sakura and Sarada’s love for him. She misses him and regrets his absence with a quiet longing and that he’s the only one who could do the mission. There is no bitterness, but a love waiting to welcome him home. First, the rarity of a powerful, main couple having a girl for their first and only child is a large contrast to the vast majority of classic literature/stereotypes. In these cases, an infamous man almost always breeds an even stronger son, i.e. Dragon Ball Z, Zeus and Heracles, Prison Break, Odin and Thor (from ancient Norse paganism), etc. Female protagonists tend to have sons, most likely because the family name will continue to the next generation or the bias for men as heroes, i.e. Jane Eyre, Bleach, Naruto (Hinata gives birth to Boruto as the oldest child and only son), Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. Additionally, children of whichever gender will tend to carry on their father’s legacy, such as Hunger Games, Lion King, Superman, Raven (from Teen Titans), etc. However, Sarada is born of Sakura and Sasuke as their first and only daughter. While she inherits her father’s Sharingan, her true display of strength in the end against the army of Shins in Gaiden is the inheritance of her mother - precise chakra control in the manifestation of brute strength, Sakura’s signature style. The story itself left no doubt that she was an Uchiha and would activate the Sharingan. The true question was of Sarada learning the love/power of her mother and using it in a bout of desperation - another typical theme for heroes unlocking their powers/legacies inherited from their fathers.

To conclude -

THEME: Love is the heroine’s strength and weakness. It enables and discourages her in her actions and motivation. Her determination and loyalty stems from it. She becomes more three-dimensional because of it and more relatable as a character. 

[aion-rsa]

DC Comics: The 15 Biggest Moments of 2016

DC Comics endured yet another year filled with recalibration and revelations. The publisher underwent a “Rebirth” to restore some semblance of sense between the pre-“Flashpoint” era and the New 52, while still keeping the new continuity intact. The product? A year of mind-games, clues and hints as to what actually caused all this fragmentation within the DC universe and just how cohesive it could be if put back together.

RELATED: Marvel Comics: The 15 Biggest Moments Of 2016

Fans also saw the beloved Trinity being pushed to the limits, mentally and physically, with character deaths and returns sprinkled all over their precious pages. With the Justice League and Suicide Squad embedded in an even bigger spotlight due to the burgeoning DC cineverse, creators  churned out some pretty monumental moments that truly defined and dealt with DC’s legacy and evolution. Without further adieu, CBR brings to you the biggest DC Comics jaw-droppers from 2016!

SPOILER WARNING: The below contains spoilers for multiple DC Comics titles.

THREE JOKERS

“Justice League” #50 from Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok was one of DC’s most action-packed comics. It wrapped “Darkseid War,” which saw the Justice League barely overcome a resurrected Darkseid, under the control of his daughter, Grail. In the aftermath, a recovering Batman revealed crucial information on the Joker, which he found out before this fiery finale.

In Issue #42, while imbued with the universal knowledge of the Mobius chair, Batman inquired into Joker’s true identity and finally revealed to Hal Jordan that there wasn’t one, but three Jokers. Theories are that the three correspond to different phases in Joker’s career: one resembling the Golden Age Joker, the other resembling the ’70s and ’80s-era Joker, and lastly, the modern one from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Multiple Jokers would explain why he’s always cheating death, why his past is so vague and why his personality shifts so much from silly prankster to psychopath. Fans are eager to see more of this mystery unveiled in 2017 because of the impact it will surely have on the Batman mythos.

DARKSEID DIES (AGAIN)

“Justice League” #50 delivered another emphatic Darkseid death. This was his second demise after the Anti-Monitor and Flash/Black Racer infusion killed him last year in Issue #44. This time, Johns and Fabok scripted Grail as her father’s murderer. With the Anti-Life Equation extracted from the Anti-Monitor, leaving Mobius behind, Grail used it to weaponize Steve Trevor to kill the powerhouse. Eventually, she took back the Equation and merged it with the Omega Sanction (taken from Lex Luthor) into the son of Superwoman and Mazahs (both of the Crime Syndicate), reviving another iteration of her father.

She held full control over this Darkseid and used him to pummel the League. However, her Amazonian mother, Myrina Black, realizing her daughter was becoming a tyrant like her father, urged her to cease her lust for war. With Wonder Woman restraining and calming Grail via her lasso, Myrina beckoned her daughter to rid her slave of the Equation. An emotional, repentant Grail obliged, with her Omega Beams piercing through both her parents, removing the Equation from Darkseid. It was all part of a stormy finale that revealed Superman’s ill-health, Jessica Cruz as a Green Lantern, Lex ruling Apokolips and Wonder Woman’s twin brother.

SUPER SONS BRAWL

“Superman” #10 offset all the dark and gritty clouds that covered the Rebirth era with something a bit more fun in the shape of a pint-sized super-brawl featuring the sons of the World’s Finest. Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason constructed a lighthearted story of Batman’s son, Damian, kidnapping Jon Kent, Superman’s (pre-New 52) son, after becoming concerned that the latter couldn’t control his evolving powers. Batman immediately chastised Damian upon finding out, only for a peeved Superman to come crashing through the Batcave, angry that Jon was whisked away without permission.

As both fathers worked out their differences and began testing Jon’s DNA for abnormalities, the kids apparently reached a truce through Alfred and their love of animals. However, Damian’s constant antagonizing brought a truly hilarious moment that saw a fed-up Jon punch the volatile Robin in the gut for his insults about the youth’s emerging powers. They ended up scrapping only for their fathers to break it up with looks of disapproval. Jon’s punch was certainly a laugh-out-loud moment that sets the stage for their “Super Sons” book, slated for a February 2017 release.

THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN BOOMERANG

“Suicide Squad” #2 threw us for a loop when it took Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness) off the table at the hands of General Zod. Fans were shocked that Rob Williams and Jim Lee scripted his death, especially after the Rogue’s breakout role in David Ayer’s film. On a mission with the team under Rick Flag’s watch, Squad members Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc, Katana and Enchantress infiltrated an underwater facility housing a cosmic artifact.

After locating their prize and picking up a new teammate, Hack, they found out that it was a portal to the Phantom Zone. Stunned, Flag urged his team to get away as they were in over their heads. However, before a prying Boomerang could escape, Zod promptly dispatched him via heat vision before revealing himself to the Squad. It ended up being a temporary removal as the character returned in Issue #8, thanks to Hack, who revived him from digital entrapment during a prison breakout and riot at Belle Reeve. It was a sigh of relief for his cult following who thought his newfound popularity fell on deaf ears.

THE DEATH OF LOIS AND CLARK

DC swung for the fences when they killed off the New 52 versions of Lois and Clark, making way for the classic versions to take center stage again. The New 52 Superman exited in Tomasi’s “The Final Days of Superman” arc in “Superman” #52, when the icon died from kryptonite poisoning, surrounded by friends and the pre-“Flashpoint” Superman. He exploded and turned to ash, simultaneously emitting energy bolts that powered up both the New 52 Lois and Lana Lang, making way for “Superwoman” #1.

However, Lois’ stint would be short-lived as artist/writer Phil Jimenez killed her off in the same inexplicable manner. She also turned to ash instantly while fighting off a Bizzaro-Superwoman clone belonging to Lex’s sister, Lena; aka, Ultrawoman. On perishing, she hinted that she saw the dead Clark and that she finally understood why he died, leaving Lana alone to carry the mantle. With this Lois dying, the pre-“Flashpoint” Lois decided to take up her identity. It was a bold move to take two big players off the chessboard in this way, but with another Lois and Clark present, fans were already looking to the next chapter (and honestly quite happy to have the return of more familiar faces).

THE “DEATH” OF TIM DRAKE

James Tynion IV and Eddy Barrows delivered quite a stunner to Tim Drake fans, without even following through on killing him. In “Detective Comics” #940, the Bat-family took down Batwoman’s father, Jacob Kane, and his rogue military operation, The Colony. Tim, aka Red Robin, stops Kane’s fleet of weaponized drones by reprogramming them to target himself instead of innocent Gotham citizens. A wounded Tim survived the first strike, only to discover a second unstoppable wave that seemingly destroys him, leaving his staff alone behind.

However, the issue’s big twist is that while he is injured, he is alive, transported to a cell at an unknown location. There, he’s confronted by the same hooded stranger we saw in the “Rebirth” one-shot who’s also been keeping tabs on Superman in “Action Comics.” The mysterious entity, Mr. Oz, cryptically says that because Tim had been “reconnecting threads that could not be reconnected,” he needed to be taken off the playing field. It was a painstaking moment to see Tim expressing hope that his allies will find him, with his fate appearing very bleak as everyone is grieving. It’s hard to come back when no one’s searching for you, though we suspect we’ll see him back in action soon enough.

MAX LORD RETURNS

In terms of being the ruthless megalomaniac we’re accustomed to, Max Lord has remained relatively low-key post-“Flashpoint.” Leading Checkmate, he did battle Brother Eye and the new O.M.A.C., but it’s “Justice League vs. Suicide Squad” that sees him return to his despotic ways in grand fashion. The former League benefactor assembled a third team, filled with villains, and all sharing the objective of taking out the stalwart chief of the Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller… by any means necessary.

It’s exciting to see this conniving attitude once more from the man who once put a bullet through the head of Ted Kord, the original Blue Beetle. He rounded up Lobo, Emerald Empress, Doctor Polaris, Johnny Sorrow, Rustam and Eclipso, to get to Waller, even if it means going through her Task Force X unit or the League themselves. The cold, cruel and bloodthirsty manner in which he broke his team out from The Catacombs prison, using his mind control to turn the guards on themselves, showed that he means business. We can’t wait to see how Joshua Williamson and Jason Fabok craft Lord’s new mission, which, ironically enough perhaps, involves “saving the world.” We’ll believe it when we see it…

I AM SUICIDE

“Batman” #12 by Tom King and Mikel Janin shockingly elaborated on what the arc “I Am Suicide” truly meant. It wasn’t in reference to Batman’s makeshift Suicide Squad that attacked Bane’s Santa Prisca base to extract Psycho Pirate, but rather, a confession to his teammate, Selina Kyle (Catwoman), who was being transferred to Arkham Asylum for allegedly murdering 237 people. In a letter, he told her of a childhood trauma, confiding that he resolved to dedicate his life to crimefighting, only after attempting suicide via razor blade.

It was his way of showing her that there was hope to be reborn, with the admission painted against a backdrop of Batman overcoming an army of attackers. It was a daring revelation by King that spoke volumes of the eternal struggle raging within Bruce Wayne, overcoming despair to find a real purpose. It also showed that he was just as invested as Selina was, in fighting for her life and her very soul, adding another dimension to their complicated love story. The breathtaking visuals made the experience all the richer and continued to show the caped crusader in an inspirational, if decidedly more human light.

INFANTISEID

In “Darkseid War,” every issue raised the stakes, with Issue #50 being the most provocative. It’s not often we see Darkseid killed, let alone twice, and then used as a pawn, but Grail managed to play her father like a fiddle. She manipulated the Anti-Monitor, Crime Syndicate, Steve Trevor and to some extent, the Justice League, in aid of achieving her goals. That comes as no surprise, given how focused she was since Myrina escaped Themyscira with her and raised her as an instrument of war.

In a twist-filled finale, Grail finally grew compassion and understood that she didn’t have to inherit her father’s destructive ways, releasing him from the grasp of the Anti-Life Equation, seemingly at the cost of both her parents. However, she escaped with Darkseid, who was reduced to an infant, and in the closing scenes, was seen soothing him. She told the child how she intended to raise him so that he has a second chance, away from his destiny to conquer and rule with an iron fist. While Grail promised to love him, the cutaway showing the child’s glowing-red eyes was ominous to say the least, hinting at just how much of Darkseid’s power — and demeanor — the child retained.

THE THEMYSCIRA LIE

Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp delivered a game-changer in “Wonder Woman” #11, wrapping “The Lies” arc. Diana’s journey to self-discovery came to a screeching halt as she found out what had been haunting her recently. It was revealed that the Themyscira trips she’d been making in the past were to a fake one and upon discovering the real island, it turned out to be abandoned and derelict, leaving her clueless as to who put up this facade that kept her in the dark all this time.

She and Steve Trevor were left baffled at the run-down, low-tech state of the real island. It was a heartbreaking moment that dealt her a huge blow because of how important it was to her heritage and eventual destiny. In reality, Wonder Woman’s never had a homecoming until now and it’ll be intriguing to see how she traverses across dimensions to try to find the fake Themyscira she’s familiar with and the Amazonians she calls family. With the mirage revealed, fans can’t wait to see what is actually going on, and just who has been messing with the routes whenever she tries to go back.

BRUCE WAYNE RETURNS

Following the Joker’s “Endgame,” Batman was taken off the table, with Bruce being reborn without his memories or crime-fighting skills. James Gordon was then installed as a police-sanctioned Batman, with a high-tech armored suit. However, Scott Snyder brought Bruce back as Batman, reinvigorated like never before. His body was fully-healed and it was indeed a rebirth as he even boasted a cocky sense of humor.

In the issue before, Bruce broke the hearts of his girlfriend, Julia, and Alfred, by stating he wanted to download a copy of his brain back into his body: a contingency plan he always kept in case he died. Alfred didn’t want him erasing his life of happiness, finally, just to go back to the cowl. Jules, on the other hand, eventually got the process started, as she knew the city needed their guardian. Issue #50 saw his return, in a quippy exchange with Bat-Gordon, as he began his retaliation for Bloom’s assault on the city. Bruce stemmed the threat and a hospitalized Gordon would go back to his old job, inspired after realizing just why vigilantes needed to operate outside the law.

GREEN LANTERN HEAVEN

“Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps” #10 told some of the most stellar stories Robert Venditti’s written since dabbling with the mythos. His current “Rebirth” arc saw Hal return as a Green Lantern, forging a new ring from his own will. He was also literally changing into energy, becoming willpower itself after going on the run with the Krona Gauntlet to take the blame for all the Corps’ misdeeds. Re-powered, he ended up fighting a rejuvenated Sinestro in a battle that seemingly cost both their lives, which led Hal to the Emerald Space, aka Green Lantern heaven.

Rafa Sandoval beautifully illustrated Hal’s inspirational meeting with his successor, Abin Sur, as well as emotional moments with deceased Lanterns. It featured heartfelt messages from Katma Tui to John Stewart, and from Tomar-Re to his son, Tomar-Tu, reinvigorating Hal just before he was plucked back to the land of the living by the White Lantern, Kyle Rayner. This issue also offered immense fan service to any Corps fan, setting the stage for Hal to lead an assault on Larfleeze, who had imprisoned the Corps that disappeared and whom Hal was searching for at the end of “The Lost Army.”

SUPERMAN RETURNS

When the New 52 Superman died, he had help in his final mission from the pre-“Flashpoint” Superman, who was living in hiding with his wife, Lois, and their son, Jon. In passing, he made it clear the world needed a Superman and the old-school version decided to take up the mantle once more. In Tomasi and Gleason’s “Superman” #2, he found himself in full, public swing; clean-shaven and back in uniform, just like the good old days, helping out a uranium-powered submarine and its crew.

After he realized that there was no regeneration matrix in the Fortress of Solitude to bring the New 52 Superman back in this universe, vintage Clark knew that it was up to him to replace the hero, not just in Metropolis, but with the Justice League, too. Seeing him take flight and assist like a true boy-scout was both nostalgic and endearing in a way the character hadn’t been in some time, enhanced by how he used the task as a lesson to teach Jon about being a superhero. It was an incredible moment not just for the character, but for DC Comics, as the old Supes triumphantly donned the cape and emerged out of the shadows for truth, justice and the American way once more.

THE WATCHMEN COMETH

Speculation has been rampant that it’s Doctor Manhattan who’s been tinkering with the DC universe all this time, taking a valuable 10 years away from it to create the New 52. While that’s yet to be confirmed in the comics, the “Rebirth” one-shot planted a lot of seeds and colossal moments indicating that the “Watchmen” universe did indeed have an integral hand in shaping things. Johns wrote off Pandora, who many believed was responsible for the era after “Flashpoint” in a manner similar to how Manhattan killed Rorschach, more than suggesting it was his semi-divine hand that had something to do with the soft reboot.

Also, the issue showed Batman finding the blood-tainted smiley face button associated with the Comedian, as well as an ending that depicted what appeared to be Manhattan conversing with Ozymandias while fixing a watch on Mars: all signature stamps of Alan Moore’s epic. Other hints include Manhattan (allegedly) obliterating Owlman and Metron in “Justice League” #50 in what seems to be his distinctive style of dispatching enemies, as well as Mr. Oz’s monitoring and potential manipulation of Superman, not to mention his kidnapping of Tim Drake. With Johns teasing at writing some “Watchmen”-related stuff in 2017, prepare yourselves for even bigger shockwaves when the truth comes out.

WALLY WEST RETURNS

Wally West’s return was one that made grown geeks cry. Taken out the equation after “Flashpoint,” the “Rebirth” one-shot saw him trying to find a tether back to the present reality and away from the Speed Force. He first haunted the Batcave before journeying to the love of his life, Linda Park, but she too had no memory of him. Unsuccessful in finding that anchor point back, he had an emotional last-ditch interaction with Barry Allen. Barry finally remembered Wally and pulled him back into current continuity, with Wally revealing that some omnipotent being — believed to be Doctor Manhattan — warped their reality into the New 52.

Both embraced in a tearjerker moment that had fans rejoicing at the sight of seeing the Flash duo united once more. Wally was younger and wearing the Kid Flash costume, but was clearly relieved to be back to try to fix things. Later, given an upgrade in costume, he’d continue to find clues in “Titans” as to who’s been toying with everyone’s lives. What his return really represented, however, wasn’t just someone to help solve a lingering DC mystery; it offered promise that DC’s universe can be fixed, reshaped into what it should rightfully be.

What do you think was DC’s biggest moment in 2016? Sound off in the comments!

The post DC Comics: The 15 Biggest Moments of 2016 appeared first on CBR.com.

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