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

[Neruz]

Even if they could shapeshift that doesn't mean that they can alter how hard their body is or change their ability to deal with extreme temperatures, so they'd develop things like mining tools and clothing.

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Sometimes they can do that actually. Shapeshifting in fiction runs the gamut from 'only visual appearance' to all out true transformations.

Doubt it.

Any romantic feelings she may have had died the moment he killed her friends and snapped her neck.

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Becoming emotionally attached to your captor\abuser is a well studied psychological defense mechanism in humans.

 

[BR549]

And the Invincible stops smiling. Stops looking relaxed and starts looking… Uncomfortable.

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'then Invincible', I believe.

 

[Mr Zoat]

"others"

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'then Invincible', I believe.

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Thank you, corrected.

Sorry, it just clicked for me, that this Invincible isn't necessarily homosexual. But rather bisexual, if I'm remembering right, he's pined for both Eve and William. Right?

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...

The reason I had the others call him 'Gay Invincible' was because it annoyed me that the canon Invincible who expressed regret about the death of his best friend got called that because he, you know, missed his best friend. He's not gay. He's not bisexual. He's just capable of having friends.

 

[Chaoswind]

How many dead invincibles are there now?
Thong?

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Nearly all of them.

The cyborg dudes that fixed angstrom have mustache, and the GDA got dark invincible and Omniman invincible alive, bandana, veil, laughing and thong certainly died, armor and purple skin got to go back home and the rest got defeated with their living status being unknown.

 

[DAT_NOOB]

The pink beam of energy hits him right in the face!

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Why do I think there is a non-zero chance that Eve saw/heard that OL took down mark variants and is trying her luck now.

 

[Wivk]

Beyond that . . . Have to admit, I don't really think a lot of this Mark's attitude in this update really fits what we saw of him in canon.

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SHOULDN'T he be alot different from normal because OL is there?

 

[Khornelius]

The reason I had the others call him 'Gay Invincible' was because it annoyed me that the canon Invincible who expressed regret about the death of his best friend got called that because he, you know, missed his best friend. He's not gay. He's not bisexual. He's just capable of having friends.

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*Facepalm*

My sincere apologies, I genuinely misunderstood that.
Hmm, I think while reading the latest updates to this storyline, I was under the impression the other Invincibles called him gay half because of the care he had for his best friend and half because he brought backup. I knew this Paul wasn't in that kind of relationship with his Invincible.
But somewhere along the way, I was genuinely under the impression that this Mark and his William did have that kind of relationship. At the moment I can't remember which specific moments led me to this.

So thank you for correcting me and have a nice day.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

I wonder which version of Paul has it worse: Blue Lantern Paul or The Janissary? They'd probably be able to relate to each other really damn well due to their very similar ciscumstances.

 

[Ardy]

I wonder which version of Paul has it worse: Blue Lantern Paul or The Janissary? They'd probably be able to relate to each other really damn well due to their very similar ciscumstances.

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Zorina is probably not worse than Anissa, though much creepier (he did not sign up to be a pedo). On the other hand, the crime syndicate actually made things better in parts of Africa and Asia, so in terms of work-life balance.....

 

[PDV]

I'd bet heavily that Baul is happier than this one. Which one's more exhausted, IDK.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Something just occured to me: What happened to Euanthe in the other timelines/universes, or at least the ones that are similar enough to Earth 14 that she probably has a counterpart there?

I assume that she's probably dead in the Renegade, Sybarite and Tangseid timelines/universes because those versions of Paul would have no reason to meet and save her, but what about the Common Sense, Blue Lantern/Earth -14 and Mandated timelines versions of Euanthe? What happened to them? Is she even alive in those universes?

 

[Darko]

I wonder which version of Paul has it worse: Blue Lantern Paul or The Janissary? They'd probably be able to relate to each other really damn well due to their very similar ciscumstances.

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Baul lacks a lot of power, but he's generally surrounded by people that aren't overwhelmingly powerful.

Matthew on the other hand has power, but he's surrounded by people that can kill him with little effort.

Something just occured to me: What happened to Euanthe in the other timelines/universes, or at least the ones that are similar enough to Earth 14 that she probably has a counterpart there?

I assume that she's probably dead in the Renegade, Sybarite and Tangseid timelines/universes because those versions of Paul would have no reason to meet and save her, but what about the Common Sense, Blue Lantern/Earth -14 and Mandated timelines versions of Euanthe? What happened to them? Is she even alive in those universes?

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Sybarite and Tangseid may have interfered.

Granted, with them involved she may have died.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Sybarite and Tangseid may have interfered.

Granted, with them involved she may have died.

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Maybe not in Sybarite's case, because I don't think he would kill her. She might get baffled and confused at being rescued by a half-demon, though.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Something just occured to me: What happened to Euanthe in the other timelines/universes, or at least the ones that are similar enough to Earth 14 that she probably has a counterpart there?

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Do you mean 16?

I assume that she's probably dead in the Renegade, Sybarite and Tangseid timelines/universes because those versions of Paul would have no reason to meet and save her, but what about the Common Sense, Blue Lantern/Earth -14 and Mandated timelines versions of Euanthe? What happened to them? Is she even alive in those universes?

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In the Renegade timeline, superheroes who backed the purge eventually went into the caves under London. Their versions of the Cornwalls slowly and carefully patched her up before returning her to Greece.

In the Sybarite's timeline, Nergal's actions resulting in Wonder Woman being called in. That didn't go well for Nergal.

In Tangseid's timeline, the events associated with her capture never took place.

In the Common Sense timeline, she was eventually recovered during a methodical search of arcane sites worldwide.

In the Blue Lantern timeline, Nergal, Angel of Perseverance, was able to keep the evil dryad contained.

In the Mandated timeline, the events associated with her capture never took place.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Do you mean 16?

In the Renegade timeline, superheroes who backed the purge eventually went into the caves under London. Their versions of the Cornwalls slowly and carefully patched her up before returning her to Greece.

In the Sybarite's timeline, Nergal's actions resulting in Wonder Woman being called in. That didn't go well for Nergal.

In Tangseid's timeline, the events associated with her capture never took place.

In the Common Sense timeline, she was eventually recovered during a methodical search of arcane sites worldwide.

In the Blue Lantern timeline, Nergal, Angel of Perseverance, was able to keep the evil dryad contained.

In the Mandated timeline, the events associated with her capture never took place.

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Yes, my mistake, I meant Earth 16.

So, in a way, Grayven did save Euanthe in the Renegade timeline, because if he hadn't done the purge, she would never have been discovered by the British heroes.

Also, I guess since Sybarite never met Euanthe, she never developed a crush on him like Euanthe-16 did for Paul. But would Sybarite have even reciprocated? I mean, sure, he's a horndog, hut does his libido extend to plant people?

Plus, how would an evil Euanthe even work in a Crime Syndicate world, anyway? Her morality is already pretty alien and bizarre by human standards, so what do you get when that ends up being inverted on a mirror-morality world?

 

[Mr Zoat]

6th March 2025
21: 39 GMT

"You killed-"

Invincible winces, jerking his head back slightly-

"-hundreds-"

-then raises his arms to shield his face as the shots keep coming.

"-of thousands-"

I generate a wall construct between them-

"-of people-"

-which she keeps battering because she has completely lost her cool.

"-because-"

As it starts to crack I realise that more extreme measures are necessary. Construct chains projected from the inside of the bubble grab her arms and haul them back while construct armour covers my body as I interpose myself.

She glares ferociously at us both.

"-you thought you should?!"

"I-. I mean I-. Wouldn't.. put it like that-."

I raise my right hand towards him. "I appreciate that was a big deal for you, but-. Stop talking. Please."

He sighs, but nods.

"Eve."

She glares at me, though thankfully the pink glow has gone out. "What!?"

"Histrionics are not helpful. Invincible has chosen to open up to us. We should consider how to proceed rationally and dispassionately. And if you can't do that, then accepting his offer is probably the wisest course of action."

She… Well, she's regularising her breathing while refusing to look at either of us, and that's probably as much as we're going to get right now.

Okay.

I turn back to the awkward-looking young tyrant. "Okay. Invincible? What are you hoping to get out of telling us?"

"I-. Dunno? Friends, I guess? I mean, we.. work together, we're trying to make the same thing happen… And there's no way we can fight the Viltrumite Empire, so we're just.. making the best of it."

Eve's head snaps back to him "Don't pretend you're not on board with this!"

"Compared to what, Eve?! If Dad was just a regular superhero, none of this would have happened! Hell, if Immortal had just-."

"Stop." I hold out my right hand again, realising that on top of everything else both of the people I'm dealing with here are teenagers. "Think very carefully whether or not what you're about to say adds anything to the discussion."

He nods. "Immortal could have made it a negotiated surrender. How many people on Earth right now have even seen a viltrumite? A few hundred?"

"You keep killing them."

"We had a global war! And after me and Dad won, they thought they could change that by moaning about it! The whole reason things got that bad was because the governments couldn't just accept that they lost, and they wanted to carry on doing that instead of fixing things! And yeah, I know I could have done things better-."

"You could have fought him too!"

"I already-!" He bites down his instinctive response. "The Invincible of the world we went to did that. His dad threw him around a city and killed hundreds of people with him before he somehow convinced him to quit. But there was another Invincible who came with us all covered in scars. His dad decided he was defective and put him in viltrumite prison for re-education. The me with the Mohican asked why Angstrom didn't bring more of us, and he said that in most realities we don't even make it this far. Mostly, either Dad kills me or the other viltrumites do when they get here. So whether I fought him or not, it didn't make any difference."

"Except the one time it did."

"No, the other viltrumites are just giving him a little while longer to complete Dad's mission. Then they'll send Conquest, and he'll be dead too. And because it's Conquest, the guy the other viltrumites think is a violent nut job, he'll probably kill even more people. Or just fly right through the planet and wreck the whole thing!"

I sigh. "Perhaps if we move on to something actionable?"

"Okay." Invincible nods. "Okay. What do you want?"

Ah… "Could you please stop calling me 'buddy' in that really creepy way?"

"'Creep-?" His face falls. "You found that creepy? I was trying to be friendly."

"While I don't know how you spoke to Mr. Clockwell, I assure you, friendliness was not what you were communicating. Furthermore, when you're super strong, wrapping your arm around someone's shoulders has rather different implications."

"Like what?"

"Like 'if I squeeze, your head comes off'." It's a threat pantomiming friendliness."

He looks like I just shot his dog.

I blink rather heavily. "Did you really not do that intentionally?"

"No!" … "I mean, maybe a little bit threatening, but more 'I'm keeping an eye on you', not 'I can rip your head off'." I look at him expectantly. "Okay, no more 'buddy' and no more… Arm around the shoulders."

"Thank you. In return, it seems to me that having the most human viltrumite being as strong as he can be is in our interests. I took scans of the training equipment the other G.D.A. used for their Invincible, and I can set that up for you. I can also ask Anissa what sort of equipment she used, and… I can have Angstrom look for Earths with other training opportunities."

He nods. "Okay." … "Thanks."

"And I can also cough pointedly when I think you're leaning into the 'deranged alien overlord' bit a little too hard. Just in case we're in company."

"Yeah, I-. Apparently I need that."

"Alright." I offer him my right hand, and after a moment's hesitation he takes it with a weak smile. Then I turn to Eve, dismissing the construct chains. "Do you have anything you'd like to contribute?"

"What do the viltrumites actually want from Earth? Is it just..? Breeding?"

He shrugs. "That, and so there are people who can do all the jobs in the Empire that aren't fighting. Dad says they usually wait a generation or two before training people for anything important…"

"But why Earth?"

"I dunno? I guess because we look like them. I mean, if you could get a.. fish pregnant, would you want to?"

"What's the plan for educating the new children?"

"I don't know. I guess they'll probably get tutors. They'll have enough for a whole class…"

"Human tutors?"

"Ah. Maybe? Early on, I… Guess so."

"Find out."

I raise my eyebrows. "Do you have a plan?"

"If the only thing that can beat a viltrumite is another stronger viltrumite... Then we need to make sure that the next generation is on our side."

 

[TFTwink]

"Find out."

I raise my eyebrows. "Do you have a plan?"

"If the only thing that can beat a viltrumite is another stronger viltrumite... Then we need to make sure that the next generation is on our side."

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Expected but spicy plan, nonetheless. I wonder how many viltrumites will notice and then just go 'meh' before someone takes it seriously? Because if it's 1, that might just scrap the plan entirely at the get-go.

 

[yingyang590]

Once again reminded that Mark's kinda an idiot at this stage.

 

[Darko]

"I-. Dunno? Friends, I guess

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Mark, the only way you're likely to get a positive reaction from Eve by being in the same room as her is if she sees you dying a slow and painful death.

And there's no way we can fight the Viltrumite Empire

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I mean, yeah there are.

No, the other viltrumites are just giving him a little while longer to complete Dad's mission. Then they'll send Conquest, and he'll be dead too

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Not quite.

"'Creep-?" His face falls. "You found that creepy? I was trying to be friendly

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Mark, you're a mass murdering lunatic.

Everything you do is creepy.

Furthermore, when you're super strong, wrapping your arm around someone's shoulders has rather different implications."

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Especially when you've killed thousands of people for minor things.

d because it's Conquest, the guy the other viltrumites think is a violent nut job

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Funny that they'd see him like that, since if you think about it, Conquest actually is everything the current Viltrumites try to be.

 

[Old Knife]

"If the only thing that can beat a viltrumite is another stronger viltrumite... Then we need to make sure that the next generation is on our side."

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Good plan. Just has point of failure at 1 viltrumite raising a ruckus.
Or Thragg visiting.

No one knows the upper limits right now.

 

[BR549]

Funny that they'd see him like that, since if you think about it, Conquest actually is everything the current Viltrumites try to be.

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Which, really, says a lot, doesn't it?

 

[ForeverShogo]

Really, it's not his fault so many people are so willing to commit mass suicide. Your strongest heroes couldn't stop them and they have a proven willingness to slaughter just about anyone and everyone who tries to stand up to them. (This Eve is literally only alive because this Mark wanted to fuck her. Literally everyone else that opposed Alt-Mark and Alt-Omni-Man was killed.)

But surely another act of resistance will work where all others failed miserably.

I think I'd prefer it if Mark remained a believer in the benefits of the Viltrum Empire instead of apparently being willing to try to subvert it, but humanizing the Viltrumites is something that works so it should probably work. Conquest isn't the only Viltrumite that's lonely, though most of the others probably haven't figured it out yet.

 

[Rebu]

The me with the Mohican asked why Angstrom didn't bring more of us

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Mohawk?

And in case anyone is wondering, the hairstyle is named after the native Americans.