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

Tyrantviewer · Oct 27, 2022

Old Knife said:
What do ya'll think about White Knight Joker?

Overly pretentious and hypocritical. His "heroic" plan involves mind controlling every other gotham rogue by FEEDING THEM CLAYFACE while keeping the mindjacked's shapeshifter's brain handy to use like a remote control for the others- said plan gets hijacked by Harley 2.0

I couldn't get through the whole story but it just struck me as an official version of one of those fanfics that try to go "realistic" when they really just end up bashing things the author doesn't like.

I enjoy stories where the consequences are explored- villians not having the world bend over to help them, heroes having to be smarter or have things go wrong-but White Knight rewrote everyone's backstory to make the Joker a good guy- ie I remember them saying he never actually killed anybody- while keeping Batman just as driven as if Joker did all the worst things he did in the comics, and make gotham even worse, and Bruce Wayne dumb by having a plot whereby the city's rich took advantage of some government program or building prices or something, that let them profit off of supervillian schemes, and divert funds from the poor. Then they pull out that pile of human rights violations of a plan, which Joker and Harley are fine with but don't tell the cops or sidekicks because they are still supervillians but just have good publicity now.

So yeah, the concept of Joker suddenly going sane is interesting, but then it turns into another supervilian plot but with constant retcons to established Batman lore to make the heroes look bad and try and make the Joker look good, while he still does horrible things that he doesn't seem to register as the horrors they are.

-----

On to THIS story, I love the bit with the Kobra members, I don't remember that bit about their cult's Hindu roots but Its nice to have a look at the logic behind their actions.

The nemesis talk was great, and overall i like how this hail mary of a recruitment drive will provide opportunities for interacting with all these people that Paul wouldn't, the rehab program was progressing and noone involved was enough of a heavy hitter for him to keep an eye on- We could have gone the whole story without seeing these people with how Paul has things going on in Space and in high level adventures.

Venustoise said:
If we're at the Tower of Fate (I think that's where we are right now but I'm not 100% certain?) I hope we see interactions with Construct-Lantern Demon Nabu. His and Paul's banter is, no joke, one of my favorites in the entire story. Maybe cause it's rare we see a Construct-Lantern snark back at him.

I think you are mixing up timelines again, Renegade made Nabu a construct, Paul fought him with Constantine and others and he went' poof, and Costantine got his order mojo, and Klarion's chaos mojo.

I hope we see more of Constantine in this arc though.

Prince Charon · Oct 27, 2022

Tyrantviewer said:
I hope we see more of Constantine in this arc though.

I strongly suspect that we will, the question is more how soon.

RoninSword · Oct 27, 2022

Tyrantviewer said:
I think you are mixing up timelines again, Renegade made Nabu a construct, Paul fought him with Constantine and others and he went' poof, and Costantine got his order mojo, and Klarion's chaos mojo.

There was Nabu, Lord of Offal from Earth-666. He melted the faces off of people when he was removed. Paul turned him into a construct and off screen managed to remove him from his host.

Mr Zoat · Oct 27, 2022

31st December 2012
15:37 GMT -5

"Burr?"

I shake my head as Batman's eyes remain fixed on… Looks a little like the globe hologram in X-Com. I'm assuming that one of the wizards set it up in our new command centre.

"Didn't even respond to me."

"And?"

"And he's a lunatic with little to offer us. If you just want canaries I'm sure I can find some who aren't theologically obliged to help Mannheim."

"Thornton?"

"Being helpful. Gaining his knowledge of history and demon magic was an interesting experience, but I don't think I'll be giving him the Fatty treatment."

His eyes dart towards me for a moment, then some sort of update to the globe comes in and he returns his full attention to it.

"You stole his identity."

"Indeed. What news?"

"We've had no contact with Atlantis or Themyscira. Still nothing from Green Arrow, Black Canary or Plastic Man. The entire team made it to the mountain, which seems to be holding the Anti-Life off."

"Any independents?"

"None."

I nod sombrely. "Unsurprising. Where do you want me?"

"Have you been able to contact the Controllers?"

"I.. haven't tried. Do you want me to?"

"Lantern Stewart can't contact the Guardians. I'm concerned that they'll order him to leave."

"No, they won't. They might abandon him here, but Corps regulations won't allow them to order him to abandon his homeworld."

"Are you certain?"

"No, not… Certain. Anti-Life is a bit different to conventional threats, as is Darkseid getting active." Hm. "I suppose the only thing they can really give us is knowledge of other Anti-Life based attacks in their… Records. Which Guy might have anyway. Where is Guy?"

"Norway. They don't have any Alliance presence. He wants to see if he can keep the country functioning."

"Even if he can, it wouldn't be safe for me to try doing the same thing."

"We're well past the point of being safe."

"In that case, do you want to know-?"

"Demonic contract. Can you do any other demon magic?"

"I don't think so. And on the list of things that could actually make this situation worse, one of the few entries is 'more demons'."

"Attempt to contact the Controllers. If you can't, leave Earth until you can. We need anything they can offer."

"Will do."

I leave the operations room, because he's got a war to plan and doesn't need my chatter distracting him. There's a… Sort of vertical garden thing with a tree that glows blue/white rising up through several levels of banistered-off walkway. Vines covered in decorative leaves and flowers are draped over its branches, though I can't see anything growing from the tree itself.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

Nothing.

"Ring, are we getting through?"

"Unable to confirm."

"Alright." I walk towards the closest lift and step inside. "Front door, please."

The Tower's intelligence shimmers into being as the lift doors close. It's kept Kent Nelson's appearance, which I honestly appreciate.

"There's still quite a crowd out there."

"I don't have a boom tube generator. Do any of the crowd look like they're capable of fighting me?"

"It's hard to say. This tower would react to magic if they used any, and I can't see any costumes. But not everybody wears those."

"I'm not trying to go through the Dreamstorm again."

The lift dings and the door opens out onto the lobby, which now resembles a castle gatehouse, with bare stone and murder holes. The front door is steel-reinforced oak, though I'm sure that's just a skin for the magic construct that actually guards the entrance. I generate a construct ram that matches its dimensions and get ready to shove.

"Open."

The door swings outward, giving me an immediate view of the sea of people outside. It's not a solid mass; they're spaced out in.. even, curved lines.

And they're all staring at me.

I walk out through the doorway as it opens to ninety degrees, far enough forward that I can shield it as it closes. And they're still staring.

"Can I help you?"

"No." / "No." / "No." / "No." / "No." / "No." / "No."

Dozens of voices, not quite synchronised. Not the whole crowd, though, so it's probably not a hive mind effect. Or a sign of them all being simultaneously controlled by Mannheim. So… Why..?

Because it's their honest answer. They're just people, probably locals, who've been hit by the Anti-Life. They don't believe that I can help them, but they don't know where else… No, they don't have the motivation to go anywhere else.

Puts a rather different spin on things.

"I shall endeavour to prove you wrong. Good day."

I fly upward, until the town of Salem is a blot on the landscape.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

Nothing.

Up further, then. Up until I can clearly see the horizon curve.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

Nothing.

Up into space, so that the Earth looks peaceful… Would look peaceful, if not for the grey haze my empathic vision shows over the whole of the place.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

"What have you done now?"

BlueMangoAdea · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

"What have you done now?"

Not Paul's fault this time! I think?

Syphi · Oct 27, 2022

I actually don't think this situation is OL's fault. Just uh...my thoughts.

Stsword · Oct 27, 2022

Tyrantviewer said:
On to THIS story, I love the bit with the Kobra members, I don't remember that bit about their cult's Hindu roots but Its nice to have a look at the logic behind their actions.

Technically Zoat made it up, which would be why.

It's a logical enough conclusion- the king cobra imagery (being native to India among other places), the occasional use of Sanskrit "Naga-naga!" using the Hindu term Kali Yuga.

I do not believe that DC comics ever actually officially linked the Kobra cult to Hinduism however.

Perhaps they didn't wish to link crazy snake terrorists to a major real world religion.

DC being DC, the Lords of Chaos and Order also use the Hindu term Kali Yuga so he could have just as easily canon wielded Kobra so that they are Chaos worshippers and Kobra is a wannabe Lord of Chaos.

Actually I'm kind of surprised Zoat hasn't done more with them. In the comics, they have their own magicians, they mass produced snake people, and they made Strike Force Kobra by reverse engineering the incidents that gave Batman villains their powers.

Ngamer11 · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat, the latest threadmark is missing it's number.

Handlewithcare · Oct 27, 2022

sound of shit breaking

...

"Grandmaaaa?"

"Oh for the love of the Source...WHAT???"

Chojin Patriarch · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
31st December 2012
15:37 GMT -5

"Burr?"

I shake my head as Batman's eyes remain fixed on… Looks a little like the globe hologram in X-Com. I'm assuming that one of the wizards set it up in our new command centre.

There are some things that just feel right. A brooding general looming over a map of the world. Troop movements ticking in, updating in real time. Intelligence reports from all over the world. Yes, X-COM is a good metaphor. Let's hope there's no 'failing to hit on a 95% chance of success attack', though.

"Didn't even respond to me."

"And?"

What use would he be? A warm body to throw in the way? a martial artist of middling skill compared to some? Eh.

"And he's a lunatic with little to offer us. If you just want canaries I'm sure I can find some who aren't theologically obliged to help Mannheim."

"Thornton?"

That's about all the use some of these goons will be, I think. Dumb muscle to fill out squads.

"Being helpful. Gaining his knowledge of history and demon magic was an interesting experience, but I don't think I'll be giving him the Fatty treatment."

His eyes dart towards me for a moment, then some sort of update to the globe comes in and he returns his full attention to it.

In other words, you won't be rolling him out for every fight you get in. Smart.

"You stole his identity."

"Indeed. What news?"

I mean, Satanus wasn't exactly guiltless or likely to walk free, but I can still see Batman being annoyed that OL basically executed him.

"We've had no contact with Atlantis or Themyscira. Still nothing from Green Arrow, Black Canary or Plastic Man. The entire team made it to the mountain, which seems to be holding the Anti-Life off."

Well, at least they're safe. Guess all those wards paid off.

"Any independents?"

"None."

So, it's basically some of the League, the Team and Task Force X to fight the entire world. Hoo-ray.

I nod sombrely. "Unsurprising. Where do you want me?"

"Have you been able to contact the Controllers?"

...Not sure off-world backup is going to be much use. Not if they aren't resistant or immune to Anti-Life, and that seems unlikely.

"I.. haven't tried. Do you want me to?"

"Lantern Stewart can't contact the Guardians. I'm concerned that they'll order him to leave."

Now, would John accept that order? Like hell he would. Which would result in his ring being revoked.

"No, they won't. They might abandon him here, but Corps regulations won't allow them to order him to abandon his homeworld."

"Are you certain?"

Would any Green lantern, no matter how blindly loyal, accept such an order? Well, other than the ones who don't like their homeworld.

"No, not… Certain. Anti-Life is a bit different to conventional threats, as is Darkseid getting active." Hm. "I suppose the only thing they can really give us is knowledge of other Anti-Life based attacks in their… Records. Which Guy might have anyway. Where is Guy?"

"Norway. They don't have any Alliance presence. He wants to see if he can keep the country functioning."

Heh. One guess why, and she's a very pretty blonde.

"Even if he can, it wouldn't be safe for me to try doing the same thing."

"We're well past the point of being safe."

Though I think 'mass alteration of humanity's desire networks' might be on the back-burner for now. That's one hell of a Godzilla Threshold.

"In that case, do you want to know-?"

"Demonic contract. Can you do any other demon magic?"

OL might not be able to, but Satanus...

"I don't think so. And on the list of things that could actually make this situation worse, one of the few entries is 'more demons'."

"Attempt to contact the Controllers. If you can't, leave Earth until you can. We need anything they can offer."

Though, as noted, unless said aid is resistant to Anti-Life, they're more likely to become part of the problem...

"Will do."

I leave the operations room, because he's got a war to plan and doesn't need my chatter distracting him. There's a… Sort of vertical garden thing with a tree that glows blue/white rising up through several levels of banistered-off walkway. Vines covered in decorative leaves and flowers are draped over its branches, though I can't see anything growing from the tree itself.

Ah, Arcane architecture. Always so picturesque.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

Nothing.

Might be a matter of being able to get signal in here. The Tower isn't exactly part of normal space right now.

"Ring, are we getting through?"

"Unable to confirm."

Ah, the power ring equivalent of one bar.

"Alright." I walk towards the closest lift and step inside. "Front door, please."

The Tower's intelligence shimmers into being as the lift doors close. It's kept Kent Nelson's appearance, which I honestly appreciate.

Probably the best memorial to him they can get, what with Nabu erased from the Helmet.

"There's still quite a crowd out there."

"I don't have a boom tube generator. Do any of the crowd look like they're capable of fighting me?"

Good plan to check that. Never know if they might have a Justified telepath or similar out there just waiting for a chance to crack a few brains.

"It's hard to say. This tower would react to magic if they used any, and I can't see any costumes. But not everybody wears those."

"I'm not trying to go through the Dreamstorm again."

Once was enough for a lifetime, thank you. ...Maybe after the next time you die, then.

The lift dings and the door opens out onto the lobby, which now resembles a castle gatehouse, with bare stone and murder holes. The front door is steel-reinforced oak, though I'm sure that's just a skin for the magic construct that actually guards the entrance. I generate a construct ram that matches its dimensions and get ready to shove.

"Open."

Very sensible precautions. No doubt the Tower has plenty of unseen Servants ready to make use of said murder holes.

The door swings outward, giving me an immediate view of the sea of people outside. It's not a solid mass; they're spaced out in.. even, curved lines.

And they're all staring at me.

...Oh, that's not creepy at all, no.

I walk out through the doorway as it opens to ninety degrees, far enough forward that I can shield it as it closes. And they're still staring.

"Can I help you?"

...Not unless you feel like putting on a Justifier helmet, I suspect.

"No." "No." "No." / "No." / "No." / "No." / "No."

Dozens of voices, not quite synchronised. Not the whole crowd, though, so it's probably not a hive mind effect. Or a sign of them all being simultaneously controlled by Mannheim. So… Why..?

Sounds like they're receiving instructions, but each is carrying them out individually. Like, if they see someone else is moving to answer, they stay silent. ...Like automata made of meat.

Because it's their honest answer. They're just people, probably locals, who've been hit by the Anti-Life. They don't believe that I can help them, but they don't know where else… No, they don't have the motivation to go anywhere else.

Puts a rather different spin on things.

And no doubt the Dark Side is looking through their eyes, trying to work out what you're doing.

"I shall endeavour to prove you wrong. Good day."

I fly upward, until the town of Salem is a blot on the landscape.

["Wake Up" intensifies.] Classy.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

Nothing.

The anti-life Broadcasts must be futzing up the Spectrum signal. It's like 'Can you hear me now?' all over again.

Up further, then. Up until I can clearly see the horizon curve.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

Nothing.

Still in atmosphere, and thus within the metaphysical boundaries of 'Earth'. Gonna have to go a little further. Like the Moon?

Up into space, so that the Earth looks peaceful… Would look peaceful, if not for the grey haze my empathic vision shows over the whole of the place.

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

"What have you done now?"

"Before I explain, let me say: This was not my fault."
"Bullshit."
"It wasn't! I swear!"

Ah, finally got a little bit of reception, huh? Let's hope all is well over on Maltus. I rather suspect the Ophidian has been a little surly since the broadcast started. At any rate, I suspect Hinon will be hitting the red-alert button once she hears what's going on. After all, White Light Entity holding pen plus Anti-Life outbreak is not a good combination...

I'm sure I can find some who aren't theologically obliged to help Mannheim.

Double Space.

iamnuff · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
The entire team made it to the mountain, which seems to be holding the Anti-Life off."

Oh it's almost like somebody went very far overboard when warding the mountain.
For some reason.
Who was that again, I can't quite remember?

Vaermina · Oct 27, 2022

BlueMangoAdea said:
Not Paul's fault this time! I think?

No, it is.

He half assed his original inspection duties when the towers first started going up and relied solely on his Ring scans even knowing the proliferation of ring blocking stuff making its way around the globe.

After which he started low key supporting the Alliance because they were doing a thing he liked.

Ganurath · Oct 27, 2022

BlueMangoAdea said:
Not Paul's fault this time! I think?

Catalyzing event was the League raid on Apokalypse, which was caused by butterflies he set in motion when he initially fused with Ophidian.

So, it's Martian Manhunter's fault.

NightmareWarden · Oct 27, 2022

I hope Weaponer Kalmin interrupts the call and decides to join the fun personally. Destroying a piece of the Source (some anti-life) beyond recovery could be fun. There is SCIENCE! to be done.

crazygrox · Oct 27, 2022

Syphi said:
I actually don't think this situation is OL's fault. Just uh...my thoughts.

I mean, if you take an extreme view of his ability to accidentally passively influence others into following his wants, then you could blame the general success of the Alliance of the Just on his desire that superheroes be more organized.
And there may have been opportunities to be more nosy when they were setting up those unscannable quantum communication systems briefly mentioned around the chapters involving the heartland, or the more recent teleportation systems.
And his action led to the League of Shadows' destruction, which halted their policy of assassinating neophyte superheroes, and may have significantly enhanced the rise of the Alliance of the Just.

But it's pretty reasonable to miss that they were up to up to anything, and he's not really directly responsible for their existence or infiltration, I don't even buy the desire influence explanation myself, unless it was something he primarily did by accident during the Ophidian possession that's effects are only gradually making themselves known ages later.

OL is clever guy and a good strategist, but maybe the lesson to learn from this incident is to be more unreasonably paranoid about making sure he knows everything about everything going on? So as to be even better prepared.

Pinklestia · Oct 27, 2022

Syphi said:
I actually don't think this situation is OL's fault. Just uh...my thoughts.

Yeah is actually certain British mage fault.

Mr Zoat · Oct 27, 2022

Stsword said:
I do not believe that DC comics ever actually officially linked the Kobra cult to Hinduism however.

Hinduism had Thugees. I think they'll live with a fictional demonimation of evil.

Ngamer11 said:
Mr Zoat, the latest threadmark is missing it's number.

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh. One guess why, and she's a very pretty blonde.

Her hair's white.

Double Space.

Thank you, corrected.

Darko · Oct 27, 2022

BlueMangoAdea said:
Not Paul's fault this time! I think?

Syphi said:
I actually don't think this situation is OL's fault. Just uh...my thoughts.

It kinda is, since Paul's fusing with the Ophidian lead to the Forever People staying away from the mountain and that allowed them to confront Desaad and Manheim and lose, which lead to this.

Clell65619 · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
31st December 2012

"Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

"What have you done now?"

There is nothing quite like a judgmental supervisor.

Windona · Oct 27, 2022

Well, it is interesting to see how the broadcast interferes with ring communications. And to see Batman side eying Paul even as he let's those actions slide.

Darko said:
It kinda is, since Paul's fusing with the Ophidian lead to the Forever People staying away from the mountain and that allowed them to confront Desaad and Manheim and lose, which lead to this.

Aha! It's Martian Manhunter and Batman's fault!

BartlettMagic · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
Orange Lantern to Controller Hinon."

"What have you done now?"

yay! i love grumpy old Aunty Orange!

Bud-E · Oct 27, 2022

BartlettMagic said:
yay! i love grumpy old Aunty Orange!

Um, actually it's grumpy old Granny Orange.

BartlettMagic · Oct 27, 2022

Bud-E said:
Um, actually it's grumpy old Granny Orange.

my mistake. the "generally wise and curmudgeonly" types around here are usually Aunts, so that's where i tend to default.

Duke Long · Oct 27, 2022

The first two of these are from previous days.

Mr Zoat said:
The enpacted on the other hand hesitate, not out of fear but in the same way a predator would an open space.

'in an', or something like that.

Mr Zoat said:
If you have any strategic or organisation questions, please address them to me or to any member of the Justice League.

'organisational'

Mr Zoat said:
"No." "No." "No." / "No." / "No." / "No." / "No."

Should they all have /s between them, or is it deliberate to show asynchronicity?

Just caught up from the last few chapters, and I liked them quite a lot. Thought the theology was neat, and the idea that this is going to be a protracted campaign is interesting. When Paragon sorted people from Belle Reve into groups, did the wizard group only include staff wizards, or was it also criminal wizards? If the latter, I wonder if he also sent his wizard constructs. He has a couple of those now. Also, wonder how Construct-Lantern Morrow is doing right now. He's still around, right?

Mr Zoat · Oct 27, 2022

Duke Long said:
The first two of these are from previous days.

'in an', or something like that.

'organisational'

Should they all have /s between them, or is it deliberate to show asynchronicity?

Thank you, corrected.

Just caught up from the last few chapters, and I liked them quite a lot. Thought the theology was neat, and the idea that this is going to be a protracted campaign is interesting. When Paragon sorted people from Belle Reve into groups, did the wizard group only include staff wizards, or was it also criminal wizards? If the latter, I wonder if he also sent his wizard constructs. He has a couple of those now. Also, wonder how Construct-Lantern Morrow is doing right now. He's still around, right?

Wizards in America are either very powerful (like Mr. Zard) or barely worth mentioning, and they're pretty rare in either case.

Duke Long · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"And so do we. That's literally all it can be used to do: destroying things."

'destroy'

From Anti-thesis, ages ago. Was looking back because I remembered liking that episode, especially the part where they discuss Kalmin's philosophy.

Mr Zoat · Oct 27, 2022

Duke Long said:
'destroy'

From Anti-thesis, ages ago. Was looking back because I remembered liking that episode, especially the part where they discuss Kalmin's philosophy.

Thank you, corrected.

Bud-E · Oct 27, 2022

Mr Zoat I know it was stated earlier that there is only a handful of Guardians left is that also true for Controllers and Zamorons?

Mr Zoat · Oct 27, 2022

Bud-E said:
Mr Zoat I know it was stated earlier that there is only a handful of Guardians left is that also true for Controllers and Zamorons?

Sort of. There aren't all that many purely Maltusian Zamarons, but there are plenty of hybrids. Controllers slightly outnumber the Guardians, but the significant thing there is that there are unaligned maltusians who are more inclined to join them than another faction.

Doccer · Oct 28, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"Something called the Danner Formula. Gives people super strength, but only works in fetuses. They wanted to find a way to make it work on adults." He flexes his arms and chest. "Amazing what a few stem cell injections can do."

"Apparently make you look like an aborted fetus that didn't die."
"Look like a what if a human and a warthog had a furless baby that grew up in a very angry home. With insomnia."
"Acts like G-Virus lite, now with less eyeballs, lucky you."
"I wanna make a Stevenson reference but there's no 'Dr. Jekyll' here. More of an outside matches your insides. Which is butt ugly really."
"Was that with or without years of you drinking contaminated water from a chemical factory?"
And the number one burn is! *Drumroll*:
"By the way I am all about giving people superpowers, for free, and hardly anyone accepts them, but I've personally Dannered several people without them looking like the Thing we sell to the circus. The US could've just called me up to Danner their distinguished soldiers. My phone number is public, you know?"

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

lord of all I survey

Just zis guy, you know?

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