#losh film

[missholloween]

I've just watched Little Shop of Horrors (1986) for the first time, going completely blind and I've had the time of my life. The site I watched it in has the original ending, and I was fucking GAGGED to see everything happen.

10/10, Seymour did nothing wrong (everyone has a bad day), it's stupidly funny and the practical effects are amazing.

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

My DCCU Interlude: The Legion of Super-Heroes (Part 1)

Prologue: Long Live the Legion

This year, I've decided to give into my unending nerd urges (...nerdges?), and have been writing essays on how I would create a DC cinematic universe, similar to how James Gunn and Peter Safran have been given to reins to do the same. Except, y'know, they're talented nerds with extensive filmmaking and writing careers, and I'm...a nerd. BUT nevertheless, I've been jumping in headfirst, and honestly, I've enjoyed it.

Up until now, I've finished a series on Superman. And that was a lot, but it's nowhere near the end. In fact, Superman is a lynchpin for a particular corner of my DCCU, focusing upon space and the cosmic (unsurprisingly). The other two lynchpins are Batman (for street crime and down-to-Earth stuff) and Wonder Woman (for magic and mysticism), which shouldn't be too surprising. But while they would each launch segments of my DCCU that would involve multiple other films and projects, television series would also be involved with each hero, ideally. James Gunn is, of course, doing the same, and Marvel's been doing this for years now. So, when I had to think about a series associated with the Man of Steel that I would want to see...well, there's only one choice, really.

I am a huge fan of the Legion of Super-Heroes. They've had a shit-ton of incarnations over the years, in comics and in other media, for good and for bad. But the Legion is one of the first DC hero groups I faithfully followed, starting with the 2005Waid/Kitson Reboot run, which I still remember fondly. And the Legion is, of course, inexorably linked with Superman, as their first appearance involved them recruiting a teenaged Superboy into the group from the 31st Century. So, naturally, this was the FIRST group I thought of when I thought about a TV series. After the animated series is one of the best adaptations of its time period, especially in the second season.

But why talk about this now? I mean, I'm in the middle of my Batman series, so why interrupt that? Well, it's Legion of Super-Heroes Appreciation Week here on the ol' hellsite, so for those people who are fellow fans of the Legion, and also want to read the desperate rambles of a midly-obsessive and frustrated nerd, why not take advantage? I would contribute art to this, but my time is weirdly limited. I have drawn my version of Saturn Girl, though, so feel free to check that out if you want to. Anyway, lemme get into the mini-series here. Starting with one question...why not a movie?

Chapter One: Soap and Space

Let me preface this by saying...I don't like the 2023 movie. At all. Don't get me wrong here. It looks great, voice acting is quite good, and some of the character designs are stellar. But goddamn it, for a Legion of Super-Heroes project, they dropped the ball SO goddamn hard, in a lot of ways. Also, Mon-El...what the fuck have you done to Mon-El? God, that movie pissed me off SO hard the entire time...but I digress. Jest because I didn't like that movie, that doesn't mean a film based on the Legion is impossible. But I also think that it...doesn't really work as well as a TV series would.

The reason for this, in my opinion, is because of what the Legion is at its best: a soap opera and a space opera combined. One of the best things about the Legion is its setting and its members. During its height, the Legion was a massive team brimming both with interpersonal conflict (because, after all, we're mostly dealing with teenagers at first), as well as set amongst a wider sociopolitical interplanetary conflict that these guys are supposed to navigate amongst. It's Teen Titans...IN SPACE. That rules. It rules so hard.

One of the things that makes the Legion so very compelling is simply the fact that you get to know the characters, and their personal struggles. And given that most of these guys are aliens, despite how human they often look, those interpersonal conflicts are made even more complicated, and even more interesting as a result. A movie honestly can't balance all of that in a way that feels authentic to the Legion. The animated series technically did this, but still steered away from a lot of the soap opera aspect in lieu of making it more of an action series. And obviously, it's gotta be an action series...but it could and should be much more than that.

OK, what about multiple movies? Again, for a group as large as the Legion is, even making a franchise isn't exactly guaranteed to work for all of these diverse characters. And, uh, that's assuming you'd be able to MAKE a franchise. How many times have we been comic book films made with a franchise in mind, only to perform so badly that the entire idea is scrapped? So, no, we're not relying on a possible set of sequels. Instead, let's plan a story over the course of seasons, with each season of this series acting as a discrete story (just in case it gets cancelled prematurely).

OK, what about medium? Should it be animated or live-action? Well...I actually vote for the latter, IF the budget it high enough. Let's not skimp on the budget for a wide-sweeping space opera, if we can help it. But the, if that's a problem, then animated is a viable option. After all, it's worked before, and it can work again. The only caveat here, for both, is that we're aiming for a platform like HBO, or at the very least not the CW or a more public network. Reasons for this are because more money is available from HBO and such, and also because...well, frankly, we want a mature show of actual good quality. CW quality ain't gonna cut it, sorry.

OK, so we have a mature-leaning series of good quality, packed full of drama in multiple facets, with a large cast that the audience can follow and latch onto. Lastly, because each season is meant to be insular to a certain degree, there's an overarching plot for each season, which concludes with the season finale. Commonplace, obviously, but important nonetheless. With all of that out of the way, we should now talk about a few things here, right? Those things are:

Setting: Where is our series set, and what are the day-to-day struggles associated with the setting? Where is the Legion within this setting, and how do they interact with it? What notable people or forces can be found here and drive everyday existence?

Cast: This is a huge potential cast, so who are we primarily following when the series starts? For that matter, how large is the Legion when the series begins, and will that number change over the course of the first season? Who are the major characters, and can the Legion be put into groups that can be followed? And finally, what are the backstories and interpersonal relationships amongst the primary cast of characters?

Story: What is the main conflict over the course of the season, and who are the major players? What are the stakes as we lead up to the season finale, and how will our characters resolve it? How will this conflict change our characters or the setting, whether or not the characters actually solve the problem? And what other problems or consequences will result from this resolution?

And all of those things, frankly, are super goddamn basic in terms of storytelling, but still important to keep in mind as we go through the planned season. For each season, we'll assume 12 episodes, which is a reasonable number of episodes to assume per season. And before I start plotting this whole thing out, I'm gonna put together a brief synopsis to sum up the season 1 plans. Once that's done, I'll be going through the above three points one at a time, then looking at a potential future for the series. And if people are interested in more, I may just oblige that request! So...what's this theoretical season one about?

The 31st Century is a peaceful utopia on a knife's edge. Building tensions are bringing the United Planets close to dissolution, if not to outright war. This strife has led to conflict, and a lack of faith in authority across the cosmos, especially on the famously rebellious planet Earth. And amongst all of this, forces are trying to widen the gulf between civilizations that much farther apart. A group of young heroes, inspired by legends a millennium past, have stepped up to the plate, calling themselves the Legion of Super-Heroes. Learning to work together under difficult circumstances, the young heroes must navigate many threats.

Leader of the group Rokk Krinn struggles both with his compatriots, and also the difficult role of leader thrust upon him, while struggling to balance a life amongst all of the stress placed upon him. The silent Imra Ardeen works against culture shock, while also feeling a deep and profound duty to her home world of Titan, and a palpable distance from her responsibilities to that moon of Saturn. Garth Ranzz comes from a planet in economic strife, on the brink of leaving the United Planets. With his older brother and twin sister on different sides of the conflict, he must navigate both family and political strife, while finding his own path amidst conflict with Rokk and burgeoning feelings for Imra.

Newcomers to the organization are now navigating this new environment. Chief amongst them is Lyle Norg, a superhero enthusiast and brilliant teenage scientist who has given himself powers of invisibility. Tinya Wazzo is a highly connected young woman with her own responsibilities, a mysterious demeanor, and an agenda of her own to pursue. Luornu Durgo is an exile from her home, which she talks about very little, but still seeks to return to with her good deeds. And Elgar Degep, who comes to the Legion on recommendation from a secretive benefactor, claims to be a descendant of ancient Earth heroes, but hides a much more insidious secret.

This small and young group of heroes has many opponents to their success. The Science Police of Metropolis are wary of their presence, and their extremely ambitious leaders are in constant conflict with the heroes they see as vigilantes. Behind the scenes, a cult named the Dark Circle seeks to take advantage of the strife, driving criminals across the United Planets to strike against the police and the Legion alike. And beneath it all, corruption within the United Planets itself seeks to set the Legion up for a fall, influenced by a greater power beyond their understanding.

A rough synopsis, but believe me...I have ideas. So very many ideas. But I'll go into that further in future essays. So, if you're interested, stay tuned for more of that! And if you actually read this mess...honestly, thank you, I appreciate it. Long like the Legion.

See you in Part Two!

[radioactive-earthshine]

Every now and then I come across Bart in fics where the author writes him as completely disinterested in older media or is contemptuous of black and white film when the comics make it very clear that Bart actually has a pretty wide range of interests across decades.

Impulse #21

During the LoSH vs Bart Allen debacle featuring the Cosmic Treadmill Bart quotes The Jetsons, the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon from the 1960s. In the 1990s reruns of this show was broadcasted very frequently alongside dozens of other cartoons so he would definitely have had an active choice to watch it or not.

Impulse #53

The Patty Duke Show from the 1960s is a little niche even for teens of the 90s and it is interesting that he watches it. The show was not colorized, and was aired on Nickelodeon during their "Nick-at-Nite" broadcast block in the 1990s.... which Bart should have been asleep for.... because his bedtime is 8:00pm... and that block started at 9:00 iirc.

But that's how it was for our world, for the comic world Pickelodeon may have had a completely different broadcast. Still it is a little charming to imagine Bart sneaking to watch this show, and maybe Helen would permit it and supersede Max's bedtime regime.

The premise of the show in relation to Bart and Thad's relationship is amusing and fitting, identical 'cousins' who are completely different in personality, taste and temperament as they get into shenanigans and fumble around displaced from home.

Impulse #57

On Christmas Eve it has been a long standing tradition for It's a Wonderful Life (in this case X-Mas) to air on American television. It is regarded as a treasure and is enmeshed in pop culture whose core premise of how one man can have a profound change on everything has been reused countless times across multiple other forms of media. The film is from 1946, has been colorized but is more frequently broadcast in black and white.

Bart admitting that he wants to watch it, and furthermore that it is his favorite Christmas movie is a little unusual for teens of the 1990s compared to the monolith of other options. He watched it among many others and decided that this beloved classic was his favorite over the others.

In closing; Bart Allen plays a lot of video games, watches MTV, cartoons, and movies that are rated R but he also watches older classics too and enjoys them.

Bart came to the year 1994 with very little prejudice and does not have any contemptuous opinions regarding older media. So for your next fic instead of having him turn his nose up at the idea of watching something from the far distant decade of... 1980... consider that he would be absolutely 100% all about it.

[leighlew3]

So lemme get this straight… Kara/Lena on SGCW = baited, open ended, Lena Luthor a hero Kara/Lena in DC CW comics = baited, open ended, Lena Luthor a hero Kara/Lena in future DC comics/movies = TBD, anything could happen

Meanwhile...

Kara/Mon-El on SGCW = ended forever Legion of Super-Heroes animated movie = Mon-El a villain, no romance

New DC Comics = Mon-El related to Kara, no romance Between all this + major DC artists and writers proving to be pro-Kara/Lena, I’d say “Supercorp” could still happen at some point in really any media, meanwhile Mon-El is a character that may never recover from the awful SGCW version and “Karamel” is dead forever in all versions so far. 

Interesting, and ironic.

P.S. Happy for KaraDox fans in the meantime, since the LOSH animated film apparently leans into that. I’ve never had any issues with that duo, though obviously I still think Supercorp is 100% the future as far as Kara’s romantic destiny if they want her to have an iconic, Clois or BatCat type of a lasting legacy that stands the test of time, as far as love interests are concerned. 

[lemonyinks]

Can you share any headcanons about the Foccart family (LOSH) please? 🥺👉👈

Oh boy, I sure can! This will be about the Post Zero-Hour Foccart family since I have not gotten around to properly reading the older stuff. I do fully consider Lyle part of their family btw so he's in some of these.

Mrs. Foccart is a well known chemist who used to work for the government but now she mostly focuses on personal projects and lives off of her hefty retirement payout.

She taught Lyle pretty much everything he knows. She was the one to introduce him to chemistry and the first person to support his love for the craft. They used to spend long days experimenting together.

Danielle also had an interest in chemistry from a young age and got a formal education in it.

Danielle is the only one of her siblings who has a college degree.

Mr. Foccart owns a film store that rents and sells old, vintage movies and TV shows. It is not very popular and it doesn't make much money, but he has a few diehard customers who keep his business open.

Jacques and Lyle used to go to work with him and he'd let them pick out a movie every time before heading home. They always chose old spy movies; this was what got them interested in espionage.

Lyle kept his distance from the Foccarts' after Jacques "death" because he blamed himself for it and thinks they should also blame him, but the family tried to keep in contact with him regardless.

Danielle regularly sent messages and life updates to Lyle's old contact info.

They moved houses when Jacques "died" and it was a painful decision, but it was more painful living in a house that had so many reminders of him.

When Jacques is eventually freed from Earthgov, the family is over the moon. They insist that he call them at least once a week and visits whenever he can, and he complies.

They have big family calls every Saturday, or whenever time allows them to. They eventually get Lyle (and by extension Querl sometimes) involved in these calls. It's always full of equal parts chaos and love.

Mr. and Mrs. Foccart met in college (he was majoring in history and film, she was majoring in chemistry) and got married shortly after graduating.

They met the Norgs at an event/gala back when Mrs. Foccart was still working for the government.

Mrs. Foccart wears her wedding ring around her neck on a chain. This is a habit she picked up because she would constantly be pulling it off to work and it was just easier to wear it that way.

When it comes to holidays, they go big or go home. They're the best at throwing parties.

Cooking is a family activity. They cook together and eat together as often as they can. They all know how to cook as a result, whether they can do it well varies from person to person. (Best to worst; Mrs. Foccart -> Jacques -> Lyle -> Mr. Foccart -> Danielle)

They like to go camping, but haven't done it more than once or twice since the kids were young.

They totally all pull pranks on each other. April fools day is an absolute nightmare in that house.

Similar to her dad's job, Danielle collects vintage media, but she's more into old music.

They can all play at least one instrument: Danielle can play the guitar. Jacques can play piano. Mrs. Foccart can play the piano as well as the violin. Mr. Foccart can play the clarinet. Lyle can play violin, but he's not the best at it.

[augment-techs]

“Why are you helping me?” + LOSH Phantomwolf please!

"That's such...a stupid...question..."

No powers, no ship, no shelter. Just an injured Brin on her back, wrapped up in her cloak like a child in a brace, and Tinya climbing up the side of a mountain in the rain. Her mother would probably say she was, "Being a little too ambitious," but FUCK THAT. “You’re...my friend... We are... teammates... Why wouldn’t...I help you... Oh, grife, my ribs...” Lowering herself so that Brin was anchored up while her face was down near the ground, almost touching a sodden flower that looked so very close to a dandelion, she breathed in and exhaled slowly.  Talking to him now was ridiculous. He had been unconscious for nigh on hours. He couldn’t hear a word she said and talking out into the void of rain and nothing was doing her no good. But she needed to vent. Venting would keep her from following after Brin into the unconscious; a place neither of them needed her to be out in the wilderness, where long-legged beasties were doubtless waiting to pounce from the shadows on something warm with blood. …And now she was internally narrating like the heroin in an off-brand arthouse film of the 20th Century. Inhaling again, she spat the blood that had steadily been accumulating from biting her inner cheek on impact with the side of the mountain, adjusting her grip on obnoxiously thick arms, and groaned on her return to a vertical position. She stiffened a little, the feeling of Brin taking what felt like a painful gulp of air for himself against her neck setting off alarms and bells in her head. There was a crack across the sky, silver lightning hurtling onto the other side of the mountain, the thunder hurting her ears, but probably hurting Brin more. She set off again for the top of the mountain; for the hope of shelter, somewhere dry, somewhere to set Brin down and wrap his wounds a little tighter before showing off how good she was with the outdoor survival techniques she had learned because Superman wouldn’t shut up about it for a week until Brainy made them all go through the motions of learning how to at least start a fire and build a small den out of dead foliage. (It would be awful. It would be gross, and sticky, and she would burn her hand; but Brin would be dry and safe, and there would be something for the rescue party to see in a flame tended to with care.)

[thevindicativevordan]

I suppose you already saw the new DC Gods and Monsters announcement by gunn. What are your opinion and speculations?

Anonymous asked:

Commentary on James new DCU plans ?

At long last: the wait is over.

Running through the list:

Film

Superman: Legacy - Not really much to go off of other than the name being rather boring. Probably chose it over something like Superman: Man of Tomorrow simply to make sure people wouldn't confuse it for a MoS sequel. It's coming in 2025 and will be the first "proper" DCU film, which means we will get casting by the end of 2023 at least. I've seen some folks speculate that "Legacy" means the real focus will be on Clark mentoring Kara or Jon and I don't see that happening. If that was the plan then there's no need to drop Cavill, since he just would be playing support. Whoever the new Superman will be, he will be front and center.

The Authority - No one saw this one coming. How the hell this will work in the DCU is anyone's guess. I think they'll have Manchester Black form the team as a reaction to Superman, and ultimately there will be a clash between Supes and the Authority that ends with Black being ousted in favor of Jenny Sparks. Perhaps it will even lead into an adaption of Morrison S&tA given the Morrison influence seen elsewhere in the slate? Either way I'm very excited to see what Gunn does.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow - I loved the mini, I'm excited for this.

Lanterns - I get both of my favorite Lanterns in the DCU! Surprising that they would scrap Berlanti's show right after signing a big deal with him. I'm going to guess that they discover evidence of the White Martians invading, and that's what leads into the DCU JL forming.

The Brave and the Bold - Skipping right to Damian is surprising but that might be to avoid stepping on Reeves toes. I guess there will be another age gap between Superman and Batman?

The Batman Part II - Batman fans eating good, you'll get solo gritty dark Batman and more comic-y Batman.

Swamp Thing - As if you needed any more confirmation that the Abrams JLD projects are dead. I love Swamp Thing but I'm going to need more info.

Television

Creature Commandos - Exact sort of obscure property we were expecting Gunn to love. Good to see DC is investing in animation still.

Paradise Lost - Might be good if they look to Historia for inspiration. "Game of Thrones with the Amazons" could go sour really quickly depending on how they characterize the Amazons.

Waller - If Bloodsport shows up here I'll watch it, otherwise I think I'm good.

Booster Gold - Never really cared for Gold myself but this character is exactly the kind of character Gunn loves. If he casts Pratt in the role all hell will break loose and I would be there for it.

Misc.

Seems like Levi, Gadot, Momoa, and even Miller(!!!) might get to continue in their roles. You won't see actors play two characters at the same time in the DCU, so I guess Momoa won't be Lobo after all? Look, part of the problem is that Gunn can't say anything that will negatively impact the box office returns for 2023, meaning he's not going to say they're done even if they are because then people might go "these don't matter", and stay home. The Wrap claims that The Flash is going to get the Elseworlds brand which makes it unlikely Calle would continue on as Supergirl, but it's too early to say at this point.

Keeping any of the main Leaguers in their roles is going to cause the same kind of continuity clusterfuck as the New 52 not rebooting Batman and GL did, but you know what? At this point I don't care. Not my problem, all I want are good Superman and Supergirl movies, with some exciting spinoffs like LoSH too. Don't give a rat's ass if the JL film sucks or the continuity makes sense as long as I get what I want. I'll follow the projects that look interesting and ignore the ones that don't.

There's a "brain trust" of writers advising Gunn, one of whom is Tom King which is sure to piss off plenty but leaves me rather happy. Maybe King is even writing the script for Supergirl? Morrison and King are clearly Gunn's guiding lights, and far as Superman goes they're two of his best writers. Adam Strange fans are in for a rough ride no doubt.

Gunn also confirmed that they continue to plan on synergy across multiple mediums which makes me nervous. If his Superman sucks then I'm going to be stuck with a take I don't like showing up everywhere in a way not even Snyder/Cavill's take did. On the other hand the emphasis that the synergy will include DCU games makes me hopeful that maybe we might finally get a goddamn Superman game, and if that happens then I'll take that synergy. S&L may get to run for 1 to 2 more seasons - wasn't clear if S3 is included in that 1 to 2 more - but that will hopefully let S&L last for 4-5 seasons which is a solid tenure for a show. Not sure how MAWS will fit into Gunn's plan, but I hope he just lets it run and makes his own Superman cartoon if he wants one.

Feels nice to be excited after years of flinching and dreading every DC announcement. Not a perfect slate, not what *I* would do, but there's a healthy mix of A-Listers, B/C-Listers, and oddballs that appeal to Gunn. Not all of the slate has been revealed, and I'm sure we will get another JL movie before the decade is done, but for a starting slate I think DC's future looks bright.

[stranger-who-writes-fiction]

thoughts on the trailer for the animated Legion of Super-Heroes movie?

I actually had a post saved in my drafts when the news first dropped that we were getting a SUPERGIRL AND LoSH MOVIE, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023, but at the time there weren't many details so I scrapped it. XD But! Now we do have details! AND SO...SOME THOUGHTS!

Personally not a huge fan of the current DC animated film style, but, I think everyone looks pretty good, considering.

The overall design of the Legionnaires appears to be a blend of the 'classic' costumes as well as the recent Sook redesigns--I recognize most of the characters, but there's a few that I can't quite place? Maybe a few more watch-throughs and I'll get 'em.

(But also: Ferro Lad! Sensor Girl! Arm-Fall-Off Boy!)

And much like the costume designs, the plot itself appears to be a bit of a blend too, pulling some of the broad-strokes set-up of the New 52 Crucible arc for Kara (basically Space Boarding School where she fits in better b/c of her Kryptonian upbringing) but also maybe a bit of the JLU cartoon as well where Kara initially has a contentious relationship with Brainy but ultimately decides to stay in the 31st century. It's all wrapped up in the more current looks for the characters, WITH a dash of Classic Legion flavor, courtesy of The Dark Circle.

(Dang, this is making me want to re-read some LoSH comics. XD)

Josie Campbell is the writer and she's currently crushing it on the Mary Marvel book so I'm really excited to see her take on the Legion as well as Supergirl!

Voice cast seems...fine? I forget who they cast as Supergirl but she sounds good in the trailer. (I guess it's really just the Batman/Superman stuff that's coming across as bland/stiff, but who knows! Maybe it'll be better in the full film.)

AND SO, IN GENERAL: Looking forward to this because OH MY GOSH, LEGION CONTENT??!??!?!?! WITH KARA??!??!?! Be still my heart! :D (But also, like. Tempering my expectations because it's direct-to-video DC fare, which I personally feel is fairly hit-or-miss.)

....Also if Matter Eater Lad isn't in this we riot. XD

[firebunnylover]

LoSH S2 discussion

I love Legion of Superheroes. And i love season 2, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about how it could have been improved. In terms of quality, it varies more than season 1. Some parts are top tier while others… eh.

Season 2 is darker than season 1. And there’s the inherent stigmatism that darker means better. But it’s not true.

A horror schlock film is not inherently better than an animated film.

I don’t blame the staff on all its shortcomings. Kids WB was on its deathbed, so they probably had less time to work and iron out ideas. And executive meddling.

The second season had a lot of good elements, but there are things that weighed it down. I am here to discuss how to improve said things.

Heads up: ended up editing part of this post after rewatching the episodes.

This first bit is more of a personal preference, but instead of the 41st century, maybe move the original source of conflict to a farther region of space, one that the UP doesn’t interact with, and has been growing in terms of turmoil until they finally resort to bringing the Legion over. In other words, it has just been put aside by everyone else to the last minute.

Parallel to Brainy’s relationship to Brainiac. He doesn’t want to deal with it. He never brings it up. But maybe if he did, he wouldn’t have gotten corrupted.

This place still has plenty of old documentation of the original age of superman, so Kell is disillusioned with the ideal glory days. Keep Kell Edgy.

Kell’s home and K3NT still gets destroyed - reflects Krypton’s own destruction.

SPEAKING OF KELL:

Make his story more apparent that it’s one realizing that kindness is not an inherent weakness. And neither is being soft. He was raised for fighting and killing Imperiex, and was taught to think that they were weaknesses. Have him realize his identity can be beyond the Clone of Superman made to kill Imperiex. Or rather, have him react more to realizing that he’s moving beyond his given identity.

To clarify; they do address his development in the show a few times, but I want more continuous development instead of the rapid nods we get. Have him try to interact in a more humane way with others. Especially with other members of the Legion. Where they have to take a double take in seeing him acting not that edgy. Maybe offer more flashback of him fighting Imperiex in comparison, and how he treated allies then.

Also put K3NT’s story under the microscope. I doubt Imperiex just came out of nowhere with his attacks. Plus the fact they went far enough to send a hitman after a fucking child? That screams yikes and maybe we need to double check the story.

And an overall issue to be addressed is what rights do robots have and what conditions need to be met? Because let’s face it, we make robots to do complex work for us. But Colu is a culture where the main people ARE robots. Like in Transformers. What line do we draw between non-sentient robots vs the sentient ones in the 31st century? And what about cyborgs/people who give up their original bodies for robotic ones?

Plus Imperiex himself came to be because of the perfected combination of organic tissue and robotics. This topic of robots and individuality/personhood could have been a fun topic to explore.

Don’t sideline the girls. Leave TG alone. 

Don’t put SG in a coma for nearly the whole season - seriously it’s the reason why the guys make one bad decision after the other. Although with that said, it’s because she’s not around we got the majority of s2 plots. She’s the goddamn mom of the squad. Just make her busier and unable to keep an eye on her idiot boys for the plots based on bad decisions to happen. 

Or have her deal with after-effects of what Esper did to her. Maybe after a whole season of being the emotional support character, have her be the one in need of emotional support or not being able to help directly, especially when the group needs emotional support. Emotional support paradox.

Maybe don’t make Cosmic Boy appear as much as a dick in the episodes where he does show up. He’s trying to hold this goddamn team together, and there’s a goddamn tyrant trying to conquer the galaxy. HE’S FUCKING TIRED AND STRESSED. AND IM SURE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF JERKS WHO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO DISSOLVE THE LEGION. Better yet, throw in some more backstory with him and his little brother Pol!

And in regards to Imperiex… The dude has a lot of potential. I like his voice actor, Phil Morris. The guy voiced Dr. Sweets from Atlantis.

But his writing needs help.

In the original DC comics, he’s the embodiment of Entropy. Anyone who’s seen Madoka is probably familiar with what that is. But if you're not, here’s a definition: “ the measure of a system’s thermal energy per unit temperature that is unavailable for doing useful work...” He’s the embodiment of that energy that cannot be used for anything. And Entropy grows over time.

Another definition of what Entropy is “lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.”

In the comics, he’s more of a cosmic being as a result of him being an embodiment of unusable energy. He’s been in existence since, well, the beginning. He had destroyed the universe and recreated it multiple times. Okay, so that lines up with how the show portrays him. And technically, he does get the universe to reset itself in the 41st century when he alters the 31st century enough.

But I personally feel that making him a cosmic being is kinda… meh?

I personally prefer more personal villains most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, an Eldritch being done right makes a great character, but I can’t see Imperiex as one. At least not LoSH’s version.

Plus I like it when the protagonist sees the villain has a point and has changed as a result for the better.

You know, over a year ago, I used to think that it was impossible to make a tyrannical villain who’s presented as real evil seem complex.

And then… I was introduced to TFP Megatron.

Now for you LoSH fans who haven’t watched Transformers Prime, Megatron was once Megatronus. A low caste member who worked in the mines and Gladiator games. He wanted to fix the growing corruption of Cybertron. To make things better.

But his worse personality traits took over, and he lost that good motivation. Now he’s just fighting to win and defeat Optimus Prime. 

But despite the change of goals and ideals, he doesn’t want to simply abandon his relationship with Optimus. He and Optimus, or as he used to be called, Orion, were fighting for the betterment of society. And they meant something to each other. Megatron doesn’t want to just get it over with. He wants fanfare for his victory over Optimus. And he doesn’t want anyone else to rob him off that. But he isn’t opposed to getting Optimus/Orion back on his side. It’s because of this you can still argue that there is a remaining shred of good in him.

They were the best young lovers anD NO I AM NOT CRYING OVER THEM!

Also, the fact we know he was part of a minority group in the form of the lower cast  that was enslaved can make us sympathize with Megatronus of the past, as well as understand how he came to be.

It doesn’t mean we forgive him for his actions - and he has done a lot of shitty things. And I mean a lot.

But his history is more understandable. TFP Megatron’s a fall from grace.

OK I’m done dissecting TFP Meg’s writing.

We know Imperiex was a slave, and was originally organic, who’s from a society where his purpose is literally just to fight, and was gradually stripped of his original body. He was originally stripped of any agency before then though.

But he says this was a good thing. Calling his original body a weakness. And refers to his old self as a pathetic slave.

He gave up whatever softness he had.

Also, this is where K3NT’s story needs to be reexamined. Imperiex was made during what K3NT described as “A Time of Extended Prosperity”. That time had freaking slaves. And K3NT says that when Imperiex did rise up, they were unprepared. So… they were prosperous, but lacked defense to prevent anything like that happening? Or perhaps those who were in charge were that unpopular that it was easy for Imperiex to start the war.

What made him decide conquering the galaxy was the next thing to do after he had every bit of his original self stripped away? Why go as far as destroy it?

What I’m trying to say is that they could borrow a few pages from the Megatron book. Maybe he was once trying to better the society he was part of, but he decides to play the violent card at some point. And somewhere along that strategy, he starts to lose sight of the initial goal. With that, being the victor and in control becomes the main one.

Or perhaps he has grown cynical of the galaxy as it is and decides it just needs to go all together, and then start from scratch.

Like the second definition of Entropy, he gradually declines in predictability and descends into disorder.

Maybe to juxtaposition the fact that Brainiac became the main threat at the end, make him the opposite or foil to him. Rationality or logic do not serve as first-or-second influences to decisions under pressure. Emotions and his own perceived ideas do.

Speaking of Brainiac, maybe offer more of the OG Brainiac. Give us more of that smooth-voiced Corey Burton. 

Or TFA Megatron.

Seductive Bastard.

I’m sorry I have fallen for the shady-business-mafia-boss-but-morally-grey robot.

Also, the members of the legion that only get one episode focus? Give them more screen time. You can’t just introduce superman’s new adopted son Karate Kid and just not bring him for another speaking role again!

Actually, that brings me to another point.

As @spandexinspace​ pointed out, his episode is not the best, and is arguably the worst written of the whole series. Things that are issues do get brushed off to the side.

So a proposal on potential rewrite:

First, have the legion look over its current rules and what exceptions/changes they need to make.

Explore the subject of kids having to participate in these fights.

To clarify, kid shows are meant to be escapism for kids.

Shocking, I know.

So it makes sense that some characters would be the same age as the viewers. 

But while this is good representation, as you get older, you find yourself going “WHY WOULD THE ADULTS LET THEM ENDANGER THEMSELVES?!”

Kids having to fight at that age does have consequences. Batman Beyond certainly addressed it. So did Steven Universe Future.

Steven ended up being responsible for so much, that when he no longer needed to take care of things, he was unsure of who he was. And then there’s the fact he ended up with PTSD because of him having to fight so much. Then you have the fact that Greg and Rose never intended to raise him like their caretakers did... but as good as their intentions were, they still caused damage. Rose for… all the gem stuff. And look, Greg is a great dad, but not enforcing anything for Steven when he’s growing up still has it’s cost.

With Batman, he’s obviously going to do his damn best to keep kids safe, including the Robins. But sometimes, it’s not enough. He wasn’t able to keep Tim safe in the event with the Joker in Batman Beyond. Where he was held captive and tortured.

But the Batkids are never expected to resolve this stuff by themselves. Because Batman knows how much you can get screwed up as a kid. He fucking cares.

And to be fair, in most continuities I’m aware of, the other sidekicks came out pretty okay overall.

Except Jason Todd.

So my proposal?

Have Val originally with Grimbor, as a sort of Protege. But have the legion capture him, only to go “uhhh this is a child with no powers”. And Superman, being the good, wholesome paragon we all love, takes him under his wing.

In all honesty, I want Superman pulling a batdad for Karate Kid in his intro episode the whole time. That was the best part of the episode for me.

Plus after the events of “Cry Wolf”, the Legion should examine the no-killing rule. Because they do need to kill Imperiex to save the universe. But that goes against the code. But they can argue it’s a necessity. But Mar Londo is also a monster. He’s the everyday monster some of us have grown up with.

When do you need to make exceptions to kill someone?

And my final main suggestion:

Add more Mekt.

What the heck were you guys expecting? You all KNOW me by now. I LOVE MY GARBAGE BOY.

Joking aside, here’s what I would do.

Have the Chained Lightning episode pushed back, but have Mekt with Imperiex earlier. Most of us would yell “Why the heck would you join the guy whose main goal is to destroy the galaxy?!” But this is one of the easiest things to address.

Explore more of his past. Use the comic sources with him being outcast for being a solo on Winath. With that in mind, him deciding to side with Imperiex can make sense.

Why try protecting something that has done nothing but hurt you?

There’s actually a pretty good reason why he would side with Imperiex, as seen in Champions and Lightning Storm. Remember, Mekt was willing to cheat to get ahead of the sports competition he was introduced in. And also was thrilled when fighting Garth and was beating him on his own. He likes being in power.

Imperiex offers him that.

As for why Imperiex would bother with Mekt? That’s a little harder to answer. He knows that Mekt has a soft spot for his brother, and in turn sister, which proves to be the reason why the Tachyon Cannon fails. You’d think Imperiex would remove a huge fatality.

But he doesn’t.

Maybe he could hold another type of value for Mekt. Perhaps... nostalgia?

I’m still sold on the idea that they were sleeping together.

Also, give us a conclusive answer on where Mekt stands with the LSV. In the comics, he was the leader, but that role was given to Tyr in the cartoon more or less.

OK I think this has been polished enough for me to post now. What you guys think? Feel free to add on!

[factionzero]

@nightshine629 Asked for movie night headcanons for LOSH ♡ This was a lot of fun ♡ Though it did turn a little shippy hehe ~

Who sits next to who?

Bouncing Boy always has the Triplicates on all sides, they say he's the comfiest out of all the Legion to lean on and he's not complaining.

Timberwolf will try to sit next to Phantom Girl when he can but usually ends up on the floor in front of her, if Lightning Lad or Chameleon boy is near he'll rest his feet on them and be a nuisance.

When Brainiac 5 can be pulled out of his room he is always next to Superman. If someone (usually Kell-Ell) is in his way he'll pout for the entire movie.

Saturn Girl always ends up centre couch but she's also the kind of person to ask questions during a movie. 'Wait who is she again?' 'She's the main character, Sat.' '......But who is she?' 

Lightning Lad is too shy to sit next to Saturn Girl though he really wants to. Ends up on a beanbag on his own and throws popcorn at the easiest target.

Snacks! 

Chem and Timberwolf eat the most, mostly barrels of salty popcorn and soda. 

B5 (since becoming human) has a taste for sticky sweets, Clark always asks for them and B5 gets to feed him since he doesn't want his fingers to get sticky. It's a win win.

Triplicate girl argues with herself over salty or sweet till White comes in and gives them their own popcorn each. This happens every movie night.

Cosmic boy is above snack food and eats fruits and healthy junk and won't shut up about it. 

Saturn Girl tries to copy him but will lean over to steal some sweets from Brainy. 

Movie choices!

We all know Bouncing Boy loves his horror films but every week someone else gets to choose a movie.

Triplicate Girl loves a good action movie. Die hard number twenty four "the hardening" is her favourite.

Superman always chooses a comedy, he likes films like Airplane and will bring movies from the past for the group to watch.

Sometimes the humour doesn't carry over...

Phantom Girl is a big fan of Disney movies and while Timberwolf teases her for her taste in movies he secretly loves them too.

Superman is surprised when Brainy picks out a romance of star-crossed lovers.

Everyone else is not.

[eileniessa]

When you get this, answer with 5 things you like about yourself, publicly. Then send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers. (Only if you want to obviously)

Thank you for the ask. I’d like to start off by saying that this hasn’t been sitting in my inbox for weeks because I have terrifyingly low-self esteem (I mean, I do have self-esteem issues, but in a healthy dose), I just forgot about it... Sorry.

1) I’m honest. Some people might claim I’m too honest, which I think is true at times, but I like that with me (at least I think), what you see is what you get. I wouldn’t give you a compliment I didn’t mean, I wouldn’t give you a piece of advice I don’t believe in, and if you’ve done something to piss me off or annoy me, you can probably tell by my face. This isn’t to say I go around telling people exactly what I think about them, but if you ask me for an opinion I’ll give it to you straight, with maybe a little sugar coating if I know you’re not going to like it. And I never lie.

2) I’m passionate. I’ve recently been spamming a certain Witcher discord with photos and praise for the game I finished recently called Divinity Original Sin (enhanced edition) and bombarding my followers here with reblogs (mainly of my top origin character Loshe and her assassin girlfriend Sebille). I am very passionate, and at times obsessed, it has to be said, with the things that I love and enjoy. The things I could tell you about certain fandoms - it’s shocking, really. Despite how huge The Witcher 3 (DLC included) is, I’ve played it twice, and I know at some point I’ll likely replay DOS2 (even though it took me 127 hours to complete the first time), and I’ve rewatched films like Coco multiple times because I really enjoy them.

3) I’m creative. I’m a bigger daydreamer. I have notebooks and pages full of stories and summarise for original content and fanfiction. You can’t beat living in a world or your imagination (or of someone’s else's that your squatting in).

4) I’m organized. And I mean excessively. Toiletries evenly spaced, labels facing forwards. Socks organized by length. Meticulously labelled photos, folders and documents. I never lose anything and I finish my work weeks before a deadline.

5) I’m committed. When I take on a job or start a new chapter in my education, I’m making a commitment to myself and others, and I will fulfil it. I study hard and never put tasks off. For university, I worked 0900 to 1500/1600 every weekday and would always find something to do. I work hard and don’t take days off sick unless I really need them, this includes not drinking myself shitless when I know I’ve got a shift coming up. It’s important for me to be dependable to friends, colleagues, employees and in many ways, to myself.

I wonder if any of these will make you see me differently. If anything is surprising...

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

My DCCU Interlude: The Legion of Super-Heroes (Part 2)

Chapter Two: Foundations

OK, so now that I've laid out some of the threads to be explored in this prospective series, who are our main players? Obviously, the Legion is a massive organization in the comics, whose roster has fluctuated wildly over the years. And would I love to include some crazy-ass characters in my Legion show? Oh, abso-goddamn-lutely. Gimme Tellus, Gates, Blok, Comet Queen, et cetera, PLEASE. But again, I'm talking about the first prospective season of this show, which should entice the audience to watch, and the studios to renew for future seasons. So, OK, nothing crazy.

The main characters really should be some iconic members of the Legion, upon whom we build the rest of the cast. And sure, a lot of properties, including the animated series, have included the group I'm going to propose here. But the difference here should be in characterization. This is going to be a lived-in galaxy, and we'll see quite a few unique characters and cultures, despite the familiar names. Honestly, Young Justice did this really well, even though we barely saw the Legion outside of a few members.

By the way, as I talk about these characters, I'm mostly going to focus on my ideal versions of them, rather then break down their comic book appearances and iterations. And that's because, frankly, there are...a lot of them. I'll be taking all of these incarnations into account with my versions of the characters, but I'll also be thinking about what character traits would work well in a series, and what I think each of these characters represent. There are a lot of accounts of these characters, and I encourage you to look into them if you're curious...but there's a lot of history for these guys, as well as at least 5 versions of the characters in some cases. It gets...complicated.

In this essay, we'll look at the core members, with the newbies for the season getting their own essay. We're looking at a seven-person roster, after all, with some initially getting more attention than others. And again, these should be familiar, especially to those Legion fans out there who may be reading this essay, or pretend-watching this pretend show. So, let's get started with the basics.

Oh, and, uh, strap in. This is a long one.

Cosmic Boy: Hero of Braal

Rokk Krinn , of all the original members of the Legion, is probably the most stereotypically lawful good. Serious about being a hero, as well as interested in the moral good, he's definitely the goodest of boys...ideally. And that kind of character is...never really the most popular. So, every version of Rokk Krinn has had flaws and conflict to grapple with, from outside or within. For the most part, Cosmic Boy has been shown to be a bit too controlling, or a bit too self-serious. And while that's usually seen to be a consequence of balancing responsibilities, I have a different take.

The way I see him, Rokk is a hero worshipper. And I'm referring specifically to the heroes of the 21st century, especially Superman. While Superman shouldn't be the only hero known to the future, Rokk should revere him greatly. I actually think it's Rokk's idea to form the Legion of Superheroes in Superman's image, based on his love for him, as well as what he represents to Earth and the galaxy at large. So, my Rokk will be trying to live up to the legacy of Superman, as well as the expectations he puts on himself, and placed upon him by others. Which means...yeah, he's gonna be a little stressed out.

But that's not to say that he has no fun. Let's talk about my version of Braal for a second. Braal is Rokk's home planet, and there hasn't been a whole lot about it presented in the comics. So, for this theoretical TV series, that makes it essentially a blank slate for my to carve into. There are two things I'm keeping about Braal from the comics. One, its inhabitants, or at least a decent group of its inhabitants, have the ability to manipulate magnetic fields. And two, they're big sports fans. And combining both of these gives us an interesting foundation, in my opinion.

My version of Braal in a world in economic crisis, and in desperate need of better representation on the global stage. See, Braal will be one of the first worlds of the United Planets, referred to as the "First Ring" by some. While not the most disparaged world in the system by any means, there's a serious class dispute on this world, with the bridge between the classes being based in entertainment and amenities. Essentially, it's a throwback to ancient Rome at its most corrupt, but in a somewhat more futuristic setting. I guess, technically, I'm making...oh, shit.

Gah, shit, I'm making The Hunger Games, aren't I? Well, you know what? Fuck it. Sure. Braal is essentially Panem from the Hunger Games, at least in terms of class division. The higher classes coordinate with the United Planets on behalf of the lower classes, but mostly end up serving themselves. Entertainment, especially in the form of sports, is a way for the lower classes to ascend, and an appeasement measure in turn.

Those not in sports can seek opportunity through the thriving export business of Braal, which specializes in refining metals and manufacturing metal goods. This goes back to the history of the planet, which was settled in the year 2271 by human astropioneers and prospectors, looking for a planet rich with resources to settle. They happened upon the metal-rich Braal, which they founded as a mining planet. To easily harvest this material with limited manpower, the pioneers utilized a unique innovation of their time-period: Infinity Serum. Derived from a number of developments made centuries prior by many individuals, these serums originally utilized the genetic material of metahumans, isolating their abilities to bestow these abilities on non-powered individuals. And, yes, I am absolutely referring to something in my Superman proposed film series (check out this essay for more info). Young Justice fans also know that I'm talking about here.

So, that said, these astropioneers had a number of old serums that they brought with them in order to quickly adapt to the conditions of the planet they settled. In this case, because of the need to quickly mine and refine metals, the settlers used IS: Magenta, an Infinity Serum originally derived from genetic material collected from metahumans Frances Kane, Neal Emerson, William Everett, Jacob Baker, and Rhea Jones. Once readings of the planet were taken on approach, the pioneers began a regimen of this serum, eventually developing the magnetic powers that would allow them to harvest metal and move quickly (via flight) over the planet's surface.

Because of the nature of this planet, the architecture is essentially entirely metallic. A civilization of chrome and metal, they use magnetic technology for transportation, as well as the ability to manipulate magnetism for flight for much of the population. Not all Braalians have the same amount of magnetic ability, which is due to individual genetics and family lines, as well as emigration onto the planet early in its history. However, those who wish to gain those abilities may be granted permission to obtain new serums, which are restricted by government control.

There's a lot more to think about when discussing a civilization essentially built around metal and magnetism, but I like to imagine Braal as a sort of neo-Rome, with the masses gathering around big arena sports. One of the most prominent is the sport of magno, a ball-sport with similarities to the Mesoamerican ball game and gladiator sports, in which the athletes harnessed their magnetic abilities, while the arena added more entertainment by bringing in new and unknown environments and threats during the games. And Rokk was one of the finest athletes in Braal.

A native of its capital city, Venado, he was a young magno prodigy, starting from an early age, and ascending from relative poverty. His prominent role in his family and as a people's hero of sorts is imposed on him at an early age. Which, y'know, is obviously problematic for a teenager with a still developing brain. At the age of 16, he was chosen as one of a group of young ambassadors to represent Braal to the United Planets on somewhat of a diplomatic mission. Thus, Rokk's sense of responsibility and duty towards his home begins early, as he's sent to NuMetropolis, the seat of the UP, as an advocate for his economically struggling homeworld, and for the lower end of the vast class divide that plagues it.

And there's the set up for our first member, and first leader At least, he's the first leader at the beginning of the season. See, Rokk's first season story will, unsurprisingly, revolve around his dealings with the weight of his responsibility, which will seem fairly easy on first blush, but takes quite the toll on him over time. And his successes and failings (of which there will be plenty) will add up by the end of the season. And who knows? By the end, Rokk may not be the leader any more. And who would be the leader? Well...I know somebody who would initially want the role, at the very least.

Lightning Lad: Rebel of Winath

Before I jump into this guy, I wanna preface this section by saying this: my Lightning Lad is not necessarily White or Black. Why is that important to stay up front? Well, firstly, I used the original Garth (whom I very much enjoy) in the cover image for the section. That's because I'm using all of the Final Crisis covers for these three, since I like them, and they shoe multiple designs of the characters in each image. Good artwork courtesy of the late, great George Perez.

And secondly, I want to make something absolutely goddamn clear: Bendis' version of Lightning Lad is genuinely offensive to me as a Black person. Why? Oh, I dunno, maybe it was the idea that making Garth dark-skinned was an after-thought, rather than the original concept for that version of the character, as evidence by the original artwork of the new Rebirth Legion, which was quickly recalled by editorial for the sake of pandering. And that's made even WORSE when you see what Bendis DID with the subsequent choice to make Garth dark-skinned. Not a Black American, but dark-skinned. AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT GODDAMN DISTINCTION. Why?

...Bendis, what the fuck?

Really? You're asked to make a character dark-skinned instead of his normal light-skinned origin, and you decide the right origin for that character is to show them fighting the cops, because they come from a poor, low class ghetto world, and then showing that they come from a too-big family struggling to live within limited means? YOU GAVE LIGHTNING LAD THE MOST STEREOTYPICALLY BLACK ORIGIN, DESPITE HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH EARTH

That is...enormously offensive in every possible way to me. DC Comics editorial pandered to modern movements and made him Black, when that wasn't originally the plan, and Bendis responded by making THE WORST POSSIBLE ORIGIN FOR A DARK-SKINNED CHARACTER POSSIBLE. Look, I'm not saying that Garth needs to be a white ginger kid, a black kid, or any particular race in general. Same with Rokk and Imra, by the way. They come from different planets, and even if they're descended from humans, why the hell do they need to adhere to any particular race or skin color? Race-blind casting if this is a live-action show, that's what I say.

And you maybe thinking, "Calm down, Lonely, it was probably a response to BLM protests happening at the time." NOPE! This was a full FOUR MONTHS PRIOR. Goddamn it, this shit gets me so fucking angry. That said, though, there's one more argument both for and against Garth being dark-skinned, and that's having to do with his powers. Because, uh...in case you don't know...

...the number of Black characters with electricity powers is, frankly, ridiculous. And sure, you could say that Lightning Lad being black is a fun little nod to that weird comic-book trend. But, uh...honestly, it's getting to be a stereotype at this point, and I'm don't know if I'm about that. So, is my Garth Black? I, uh...I don't know. I like it for the sake of diversity, obviously, but I'm also not a huge fan of contributing another Black electricity user to the public zeitgeist, especially because I'd also be including his sister and brother in that number, making the problem even more prominent. I dunno, come up with your own opinion here, but...for now, let's take race out of the equation.

'Cause, uh, here's the fun thing about writing a character or origin for a character: race doesn't have to matter. Not saying it never should, because it obviously should in some instances, but, like...you can write a character however you want to despite race if you want. You, uh...you got that comic book writers? 'Cause you don't seem to. Looking at you, origin of Ironheart that includes her Dad being killed in a drive-by shooting, for Chrissakes. Who wrote that anyw...GOD FUCKING DAMMIT BENDIS WHAT THE HELL

...

Winath. An agricultural planet, Winath is a pretty normal place. Which is pretty astonishing, considering its surroundings aren't quite as hospitable. A Goldilocks planet with a mostly temperate climate, this was settled with the intention to act as a breadbasket for the galaxy. It was, however, a fairly large planet, and early 24th Century colonists had an innovative way of settling it quickly. Like the colonists of Braal, they used one of the Infinity Serums to inoculate themselves and provide useful powers. In this case, they used IS-Black, which used the genetic material of ancient metahumans such as Danton Black, Jaina Hudson, Frederick von Frankenstein, and Simon Ecks to bestow the power of self-replication upon the user.

This worked well at first, until three generations in, when scientists realized two problems. One, this would inevitably lead to excess inbreeding, and two, population growth at that kind of exponential rate would exhaust the resaources of this planet, similar to what had occurred on Earth. So, two solutions were developed. First, genetic limiters were placed on the populus to block their abilities. This didn't fully work on everyone, instead putting limits on how many duplicates an individual could produce in some cases. Therefore, the second measure was put into place, and the colonists who retained this ability traveled to a nearby world within the system: Cargg. More on that one later, of course.

So, who was left on Winath? Powerless colonists who farmed the lands and expanded normally, never gaining too far beyond their means, and working together in cohesive agrarian communities to supply food to their corner of the galaxy and themselves. But an unseen quirk had emerged as a result of the genetic tampering. While an individual could no longer create a duplicate of themselves, the next generation of Winathians showed a massive proportion of twins born. This side-effect would continue, and most births of Winathians would be twins. This eventually resulted in superstition surrounding individual births, and those single siblings would become somewhat ostracized by society.

However, another interesting quirk would eventually be discovered. It turns out that the serum limiters suppressed the ability for Winathians to divide. But what wasn't known by anyone, due to spotty record-keeping in the 21st century, was that one of the sources of metahuman DNA, Simon Ecks, was also an electrokinetic. Which meant that, given the right stimulus, Winathians could potentially develop a secondary ability to control, store, and release energy in the form of electricity. However, on a peaceful agrarian planet like Winath, what could cause that amount of electricity, other than some kind of freak accident?

Enter the Ranzz children, Garth, Ayla, and Mekt.

Born in the 31st Century, the Ranzz siblings came from a normal family. Mekt was a single birth, the result of a troubled pregnancy (which is actually rare on Winath), and was born with white hair (another feature inherited from Simon Ecks). As such, he was ostracized as a child, and grew up quite troubled. However, always rushing to his defense were younger twin siblings Garth and Ayla, who really did love their brother, and were loved by him. An important note there to revisit later. Also, Garth and Ayla being fraternal twins rather than identical ones was also a point of contention for many people.

In any case, the Ranzz kids grew up fairly happy and content, with the exception of Mekt to a degree. His troubled life eventually caused him to fall in with a less-than-savory group of single kids in his generation, worsening his reputation. When he was 16, and Garth and Ayla were 12, Mekt was accepting controversial smuggling jobs as a part of his gang, hired by off-worlders such as the interplanetary gang leader Tharok. On one of these jobs to a nearby dangerous moon, Garth and Ayla hid as stowaways on Mekt's ship. But unbeknownst to all of them, this was a trap, and what Mekt was smuggling was a powerful EMP bomb meant to knock out Winath's power supply, crippling a corner of the galaxy as part of a terrorist plot by the Dark Circle. Yup, I'm getting rid of the Lightning Beasts. 'Cause that's silly (even though the animated series did a GREAT job with it, admittedly).

Needless to say, though...things didn't go as planned. Mekt was meant to take the fall, but with Ayla and Garth revealing themselves in the midst of the affair, Mekt was delayed just long enough for the blast to detonate in an isolated field, away from the intended target. Once detonated, an electric field powerful enough to vaporize most people went off. And yet...the Ranzz siblings survived, changed permanently as a result.

Garth and Ayla took a bit to recover from this, but eventually awoke with electrokinetic abilities, which were awakened by the inherited instability of the Ecks serum. Dubbed miracles by most, the two were arguably made better by the experience. Mekt, on the other hand, realized that this would be an even more isolating experience. And, feeling guilt for having changed his siblings' lives forever, he sought revenge against the person who sought to frame him: Tharok. After that, Mekt disappears for a while, not truly saying goodbye to his siblings and disappearing for several years. But just before he leaves, he goes after Tharok. And let's just say that only half of that guy is gonna survive the encounter.

As time passes, though, Garth becomes less than satisfied with his life on Winath. While Ayla adapts to her powers and this new existence (and maybe learns how to use them slightly differently than her brother does), Garth wants to use his powers to help people, like he had failed to do for his brother (in his eyes). Despite the protests of his family, Garth sees an opportunity to leave and explore the galaxy in the form of the United Planets summit on Earth, and sneaks away in the dead of night to do so, and to fulfill his destiny, while also trying to find his lost brother. And this, of course, will lead Garth to found the Legion of Superheroes.

Garth's story is that of the accidental hero with a chip on his shoulder. His perceived failings leaves him eager to prove himself any way he can, and that leads to rash decisions and actions that his friends have to deal with. It'll also eventually lead to the loss of his arm, but that's another story for another season, of course. His role in this Legion isn't exactly the hothead he is in some incarnations, but the one of the passionate hero who tends not to look before he leaps. So basically, he'll have a lot of consequences to deal with throughout this series, almost all of his own making. And then...there was one.

Saturn Girl: Child of Titan

We're finally at the girl character! Look, more often than not, as I'm sure you know, reader, the token female character is portrayed as the heart of the team, or the sensitive one, or some other stereotypical folderol. In this case, though, I'm leading HARD into Jean grey vibes with Imra, as a person who can read minds and understand people...but is also a bit too powerful for her own good...or for her own people. So, since this has already been WAY too long, let's jump right into my version of the moon Titan.

One of the oldest of the First Ring planets, Titan is a moon of the planet Saturn, and was the first one settled in the early 23rd century. Meant essentially as an outpost to other worlds beyond the solar system, Titan was an intriguing colony location with some problems. Mainly, the lack of breathable air there is somewhat of a problem for long stays, which were often necessary. So, they used the early and easily-developed serum IS-Clay, which used the genetic material of...hoo boy, here we go: Simon Jones, Lilith Clay, Steven Dayton, Tommy Monaghan, Hector Hammond, Manchester Black, an unknown source, and a source kept top-secret. Yeah. Lots of stuff in there. Anyway, that serum gave the recipients psychic abilities, and was later perfected and limited to just supply telepathic abilities. This was so communication could take place without the need for breathing, and instantly over large distances. After all, comms equipment may not work well in a corrosive and flammable atmosphere, so exceptions must be made.

Over time, physical changes amongst the population would occur, simply due to changes in the gene pool over time. Vocal cords, without usage, would likely atrophy somewhat. Not completely, but definitely to the extent where Titanians would speak essentially with their minds, not their voices. Because of lower temperatures, and because of Allen's rule, Titanians would be on the shorter and stouter side, being a bit stockier as a result. So, ideally, the design or actress for Imra would match those parameters.

Additionally, Titan was one of the few planets of the First Ring that had pre-existing civilizations. Long before the human settlers, Martians had settled the planet, with the Red subspecies in particular being the inhabitants of this world. But due to their war with the White Martians, their civilization on Titan was destroyed long before human settlement. The last of these was Jemm, Son of Saturn, who lived during the 21st century, and was known by settlers as a historical figure. However, after a few generations of regular mental communication, some Titanians developed a makeshift hive-mind of sorts, breaking off from the main society and forming their own eccentric collective known as the Espers. This eccentric group would worship Jemm and the ancient Saturnians as essentially gods, and they would become a sort of terrorist group on Titan, trying to change the burgeoning society into something far different from Earth's and more alien. These extremist views got worse and worse over the centuries, until considered a very dangerous cult in the 31st century as a result. And those who know...know.

But the Espers aren't Titan's only issue. As generations pass, the telepathic abilities of the population get progressively stronger and stronger. Personal boundaries begin to disappear due to greater telepathy, leading to the development of even stronger mental boundaries and walls. Most of this power development is peaceful, and Titan is a typically peaceful society. But there is a fear of the next generation being far more powerful than the last. Enter Imra Ardeen.

Born to a fairly well-off family (she's the high-class to Rokk's low and Garth's middle), Imra is one of the most powerful members of her generation. Now, obviously, this is the direction in which Mary Sue walks, but this power isn't effortless for Imra. Not only is this power genuinely difficult for her to control, but it alienates her from those around her. Because she has to keep her power hidden from those around her, she closes herself off mentally, which is a no-no to a society that's mostly open with each other. And the uncertainty surrounding her behavior leads to mistrust. Mistrust leads fear, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and...well, you know.

Imra is the misunderstood hero, and rather than leaving Titan voluntarily, she's effectively exiled from her home, amidst fears that she's secretly an Esper, or...well, even more dangerous than that. And to be honest, Imra is INCREDIBLY powerful, due to the inheritance of a powerful psychic gift. She's also one of the few Titanians to speak out loud, purely to avoid using her mind. And that is, of course, another Titanian taboo. So, Imra, isolated and ostracized from an entire planetary society, leaves Titan. And if she can help it, she's not going back. This is a shame and a secret for her to bear. However, she will be sought out by the Espers, who seek to add her to her number, especially their own child prodigy, one Meta Ulnoor. Again, if you know, you know.

Imra, once she gets to Earth, is a private and closed off person, but also picks up information very quickly due to her gifts. She's constantly holding herself back, and is always on guard as a result. However, her friends, especially Garth, will eventually get her to enjoy life on Earth, open up a bit, and even guide towards a way to control her powers and emotions that doesn't revolve around repression. Yeah, Imra's an interesting one in my estimation, and seeing her change and open up would be very interesting in my opinion. And given that she's one of the most popular and iconic of the original Legion, I think that's pretty fitting. Even though, ironically, her entry is the shortest one here, but come on...this essay is long enough.

Epilogue: A Balanced Trio

So, there you have it: my versions of the original three with the potential for interesting stories and interrelationships. The more responsible and dutiful Rokk reigns Garth's wilder tendencies in, while Imra grounds Rokk into a more practical reality (and away from hero-worshipping idealism), and Garth helps Imra to enjoy life and let her guard down a bit more than usual. The three balance each other out, but each have distinct personalities outside of each other's influence.

In the first season, these three obviously will be major players, and each will serve as the main anchor for a season-long story, which will tie together by the end of the season. In fact, I've already hinted at that ending story at least twice, although I've obviously left a lot out. We'll get there, though. In the meantime, we have more members of the Legion to fill out. And, in fact, they'll come together as a separate anchor for the season's storyline...but again, we'll get to that one later. In the meantime, I'm taking a break for a minute. This essay took...a while. See you soon!

See you in Part Three!

[vulcan-highblood]

so I feel like this isn't going to happen, and he'll be okay because there were photos taken of Jesse outside filming the finale, but I do really want this 'Brainy almost dying because radiation poisoning' thing to have lasting consequences! put him in a modified version of Kara's Daft Punk suit! put him in a healing tank! give him a robot suit like Brainy originally had in LOSH! put him in a coma for a while and have Kara go into his mind-palace! really anything. so many possibilities.

Ayyy so I’m finally on my computer and not mobile so I can respond to this properly (mobile eats the text so I can’t see what im replying to) LASTING ANGST CONSEQUENCES?? YES PLEASE put him in a coma, give him a suit, put him in a tank, just like, make him struggle to stay upright or require he assistance of mobility devices or  ...dare I say it... show him like, Sleeping All Over Everything because he really shouldn’t be up and about yet but he insists he’s fine and no one has figured out how to lock him in his room without him overriding it yet

[shikai-the-storyteller]

I’m rewatching that one LoSH clip and Brainiac 5 just made THE Transformers transforming noise and my brain was like “!!!” but I just looked it up and THIS CARTOON PREDATES THE BAYVERSE FILMS WHICH MEANS BRAINIAC 5 WAS MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO “TRANSFORMING ROBOTS” BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT TRANSFORMERS WAS...FRICK

[kevintumbles]

Theatre Review: ‘Holiday’ at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater

Arena Stage continues its 2022-23 season with the gentle, romantic comedy, “Holiday,” a very good-looking show underscored by a solid ensemble cast, directed by Anita Maynard- Losh. (Audiences may be familiar with the 1938 film starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn). The play opens on Misha Kachman’s period-faithful set, richly furnished befitting the 1920s setting. […] See original article at: https://mdtheatreguide.com/2022/10/theatre-review-holiday-at-arena-stage-at-the-mead-center-for-american-theater/

[augment-techs]

10) A dead phone, a map, a bowl of cereal + LOSH (Timberwolf and Lightning Lad bc there's never enough of their shenanigans!)

“Explain to me why we’re watching this again?”Timber Wolf remained in his comfortable position upon the sofa, absently grabbing more dry yogurt and wheat cereal that he and Phantom Girl had been eating since Garth had eaten the last of the popcorn the week before when he was trying for a romantic evening with Imra watching chick flicks and snuggled under a blanket like two pillbugs. He waited until after the leading woman of the movie dived into the water to look for the corpse before answering so he knew he wouldn’t interrupt any dialogue.“Bouncy said this was the one movie from the early 21st century that could objectively be called a good bad horror movie. I found it in the old archives and since absolutely nobody except Bouncy has even glanced at it in over ten years, it felt like something we could do for Halloween.”Tinya scooted a little closer to Brin, the other giving off heat like a radiator, and tried to pretend that she wasn’t mentally rolling her eyes at her boyfriend’s idea of a lark; her eyes too focused on the really beautifully dark background and activity on the screen as both main leads were in a morgue with a doctor, looking over the victim that had apparently been autopsied before she died; organs in perfect little bags laid out on metal slabs and a tube of lipstick being pulled out of the stomach. A little note wound inside.“Wasn’t she bound the entire time?”“I…think so.”“Then how did she manage to…?”“Maybe this sort of thing was hand-waved back then? Or the ghost did it.”“Sure, why not; if she can get a guy to try and stop a train by just standing there, why shouldn’t this be possible.”“I don’t think that really counts since he was pretty far down the death tunnel by then. For all we know, he thought it might not have even been real. Or trying to end it more quickly.”Tinya grabbed some of the baubles of yogurt that were steadily diminishing as they got to the last twenty minutes of the film; the part that Bouncy swore up and down was a show of divine brilliance. She kinda believed him since, while she and Brin rolled their eyes at the bit about the sentient internet and the naked, dead German kids, Bouncy hadn’t lead them astray about anything else.They’d both probably savor this later, despite not having a trace of candy anywhere in the vicinity of headquarters, “Then I agree with his old writing buddy; Polly-Dolly was fucked up.”It was a win, truly, that she could get Brin to burst out a snort when the screen showed the murderer’s personal home, complete with maps of old nuclear power plants converted into landmarks and the multiple skin-stripped and obviously taxidermized corpses of other victims.