Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business v4 Revised – The fates of Erin & Blok

Introduction

As originally plotted for v4, Officer Erin was supposed to be killed by Roxxas, instead of Blok. As we covered this in the rereads thread, I felt that this decision had an impact on the major subplots of the book: the Dominator control of Earth, the reformation of the legion and the introduction of several new characters. What would the book have looked like if they had decided that Erin would be Roxxas’ victim? What would have happened if the fill in issues had contained more of the main plot instead?

I’ve split it into 3 reinforcing sections, covering the main plotlines, for issues 1-9. As the plotlines merge there, the remaining issues get single entries.

I’ve still have few questions to answer and tweaks to make too.

Dominator Plot

1 – Dirk Morgna is shown to be Earthgov liaison. Interspersed in his interview with Marella Tao, are shots of his heroism against Darkseid and the Fatal Five. He reminisces about the loss and sacrifice of Lyle and Andrew. Footage of Brek Bannin, in a far less heroic light, promotes a comment that the Legion has outlived its usefulness…

1 - Reep Daggle’s surveillance of Earth comms is intercepted by Earthgov security. They can’t be sure it’s Daggle, but it’s from Brande Ind, and that is enough to convince the shadowy figures behind Earthgov, that there are plans to reform the Legion.

1 – Troops wearing the SP insignia of Commander Circe arrive at a remote desert holding facility (Invasion Point – Australia from 1000 years before). We see them only distantly and then from their POV, as a cell is opened. Over comms to the troops, we learn that Reep’s Terran surveillance *has* been uncovered. This, and the movement of funds across Brande Industries has prompted their action. Concerned over the Durlan’s reasons, as it’s not the first time they’ve caught him, they are activating their contingency. They remove a figure from his holding cell, wondering what anyone would want from such a butcher.

1 – The SP shuttle, having dropped off its cargo, is destroyed mid-air. This would be reported as another terrorist incident, a reprisal for the cell Erin captured. Commander Circe arranged for a competitor and an aspirational ally to be the officers in the shuttle. Two threats to her career have been removed. The holding cell opens and its occupant finds that he has new employers, who wish for him to continue his activities.


2 – The prisoner from the holding cell is tasked with preventing the reformation of the Legion, and any related threats to Earthgov. The prisoner takes an interest in Earthgov resistance, as he changes out of his prison garb. It’s reinforced that Earthgov is no longer part of the UP and that the SPs are also independent. Circe gives him a breakdown of known members of the resistance. She also provides Erin as a possible link to it. It’s a name the prisoner knows well, and we see him in close up for the first time.

2 – Dirk Morgna calls Erin, but is interrupted by the appearance of Commander Circe from another room. Dirk hangs up, and it’s clear that Morgna and Circe are lovers.

2- In Metropolis, Roxxas begins stalking Erin. Commander Circe isn’t happy about having Roxxas loose, but her shadowy boss, with his hissing voice, disagrees.

3 – Circe and her shadowy boss look at an Omnicon showing a passenger manifest to Winath, including Salu Digby, and the destruction of a property on Rimbor, known to be associated with Jo Nah. The shadowy boss feels vindicated in the release of Roxxas, as Garth, Imra, Salu and Ayla are grouped together on the screen. That Daggle hasn’t been seen is only confirmation to him that the Durlan is plotting the Legion’s return. They wait for news on their agent’s operation against the resistance.

3 – In the old city, beneath Metropolis, squads of Circe’s troops set up a perimeter, killing resistance guards. With the perimeter secure, their agent, the Prisoner is sent in. He is well armed and slaughters a resistance cell. Erin is the last to fall, and she recognises her killer: Roxxas.

4 – Roxxas is watched by Earthgov handlers as he places the last of his charges around the statues on Shanghalla. He’s ecstatic about drawing all the Legionnaires to one spot and killing them all. All they need is a reason for getting there. His handlers are increasingly terrified of their prisoner’s mood swings brought on by his multiple personalities.

As they prepare the detonators, sounds can be gradually heard from beneath a memorial. Beneath them, another mind contains arguing personalities. A figure bursts through the ground and flies off into space. On Shanghalla, a distraught Roxxas jumps up and down over his ruined plan. He stares at the memorial to Mon El, and shouts at his handlers to get him Anti Daxamite weapons.

4 – The death of Erin is reported as the act of terrorists. Earthgov report that she was a casualty in an operation to capture a key resistance cell in Metropolis. Unspecified security measures are to be put into place. Morgna is genuinely upset over the death of Erin. It’s ambiguous whether he knew Roxxas would be targeting her, or that she might be involved with the resistance.

5 – Mordruverse issue. With no Trapper to create a Legion, Mordru sweeps to power in the United Planets. Mysa, Rond, Andrew Nolan and Glorith recreate the Trapper’s plans from secrets stolen from Mordru’s mind.

6 – Roxxas’ handlers provide him with access to an armoury they have developed to counter the Legion. It comes, in part, from the Legion’s own armoury, impounded with the shut down of that organisation. Roxxas tests a couple of the weapons on his handlers. He then extracts information on who his employers really are.

6 - With his handlers dead, Roxxas feels free (among other conflicting emotions) to go to the Legion, now that he feels his Shanghalla plot is broken.

7 – Earthgov deny any links to Labyrinth, citing that the person whose accounts were linked with illegal payments to the facility, has not worked with Earthgov for some time. They also deny that such criminals, in particular Roxxas or the Five, are being used to hunt down persistent resistance groups.

7 – Circe’s warns her allies about Roxxas’ freedom as reports of his dead handlers reach her. One of them seems pleased that they now have a loose cannon who can dispose of their enemies. He feels it’s entirely up to Circe to ensure that no links are made between Roxxas and them. Roxxas can still cause as much damage to their enemies, before he is captured. They will ensure that he does not live further than his capture. The shadowy allies are far more concerned with resistance activity in the old city beneath modern Metropolis. They seek assurances from Circe that the area is well guarded.
7 – In an attempt to seem independent, Earthgov’s Dirk Morgna hires Celeste Rockfish. Rockfish investigated a previous paternity suit against Morgna. The former Sun Boy tells her about his real sense of loss over Erin’s death, telling her that they were close friends even after the Legion had run its course. Earthgov goes to great lengths to highlight Rockfish’s successes and capability.

Behind the scenes, Commander Circe, and her shadowy ally, are determined that Rockfish does not investigate the circumstances of Roxxas’ release or find any links between them and Labyrinth. Circe is threatened if the investigation does not go their way. Circe asks a subordinate for Erin’s record, jealous of Morgna’s affection for the deceased.

The shadowy ally is not working alone. He confers to a similarly voiced colleague. Their race has been working to control Earth for a Millennium and they will not risk it falling back into the control of humans now (could they be Manhunters?)

8 - Footage is released onto the newsfeeds showing Roxxas entering the old city beneath Metropolis. Earthgov are quick to own the release of the footage. They say it was captured by the heroic Erin, prior to her death, and hints that the released criminals may have been in League with would-be conqueror Universo.

Morgna appears on Marella Tao’s programme telling people that Earthgov had already began to investigate the matter, through the hiring of Rockfish. He laments that corruption following the Magic Wars may have caused such an incident, but that rogue elements should not cast doubts on Earthgov as a whole. Only by standing together with Earthgov and its friends, could the good people of Earth prevail against such criminal elements such as Starfinger, Universo or any other culprits.

Earthgov put a price on the heads of all criminals believed to have been diverted into the corrupt hands of now disowned former Earthgov officials. Their names were learned by Circe’s troops shortly before the disowned former employee’s suicide.

8 – Circe reviews Erin’s record again. Erin wasn’t at the resistance meeting in any official capacity. Therefore, she must have been tied to the resistance. Circe finds that Dirk had called Erin regularly.

8 – Rockfish reviews the criminals suggested to having been released illegally from Labyrinth. She reviews the evidence of the Metropolis Massacre and concludes that the most likely perpetrator is Roxxas. She has this confirmed through the footage released on Omnifeeds.

8 – On Cygnus IV, Roxxas learns that there is now a price on his head, and that his employers have put it there. His many personalities struggle to deal with the news. He takes it out on the locals, before realising that he needs to be somewhere more secluded if he’s to carry on with his own mission.

8 - Having reviewed the psych-profile and history of Roxxas, Rockfish interrogates one of Roxxas’ old henchmen. She’s looking into information regarding hideouts or goals. She learns of his obsession with wealth more than power, of his obsession in finding Arrah, the last of the alchemist like Tromites and of his eventual breakdown on Trom, haunted by the ghosts of those he had killed. Rockfish knows that Roxxas wouldn’t go back to Trom where he had a breakdown. But he did seek sanctuary at a villains haven, run by a man called Gorra, before his capture.

9 - A successful, but crooked, businessman in the post Magic Wars UP, Gorra is everything Morgna’s broadcasts warning of corruption suggest. He has already been visited by another party. A wounded and terrified Gorra tells Rockfish that he’s already told a bounty hunter about the location of his second villains Haven.

9 – Rockfish encounters Bounty on Haven, a refuge for those wanted across the United Planets. With the fall of the economy, many are free to pursue their crimes unhindered and use Haven as a meeting place. The villains are also uneasy about rumours many of them have disappeared form Labyrinth. Bounty and Rockfish encounter an incredibly well armed Roxxas. It looks bleak for the pair, but they are saved by the arrival of a heroic Dirk Morgna, and Circe’s troops. He reminds her that she was only to find Roxxas, not fight him. Morgna captures some of the crooks, but Roxxas escapes. Earthgov are quick to release footage of Morgna’s heroics, and of their determination to capture Roxxas. Morgna has lost contact with Rockfish and Bounty, although he saw them board a ship, and is recalled to Earth.

Morgna, full of his self worth, is cut down by Circe who reminds him that Roxxas is still alive to ruin their plans, and reminding him of who he works for.

Circe later comments to her allies that Morgna may also be more expendable than they thought, following discovery of his links with Erin.

As for the Daily Planet, Circe reminds her allies that the appearance of a free press, that they could keep within boundaries, is more beneficial than no press at all, creating an underground movement. That isn’t stopping her ordering her troops to increase the pressure on resistance sympathisers.

9 – Rockfish looks to pick up Roxxas’ trail. With the Haven destroyed, she looks to go back to his last residence on Cygnus IV. Bounty seems to be very sure, almost uncannily so, that the villain is going to Winath.

9 – A UP listening outpost picks up a trail of emerald energy heading into main UP space. Initially heading to Earth, it changes course towards Winath.

Legion reformed

1 – “Five Years Later”

1 – A robed figure bypasses Earthgov security protocols, with a little inside help, gaining access to their broadcasting. A probe advises him that one day the Terran authorities are going to catch him and the penalties are…

The figure views broadcasts featuring Sci-Pol Earth Officer Erin and Earthgov liaison Dirk Morgna…
The viewer is revealed as Reep Daggle. Daggle has decided that, having restored his father’s company, he can now focus on his father’s other dream: The Legion. He regrets it, like everything else, has “fallen to pieces..” He tells the probe to contact Marla to release funds.

1 – Rokk Krinn was part of the losing forces in the Braal-Imsk war. He has lost his magnetic powers at Venado Bay and suffers from PTSD. He wakes from twisted nightmares. Even his domestic life with pregnant Lydda Jath veer towards dark places such as how the Legion was railroaded. Rokk leaves to visit his friend Loomis. Scene ends with “if you could see Braal now”

1 – On an Imskian detention vessel above Braal, Salu Digby is dishonourably discharged. She contacts Ayla Ranzz, whose letters have meant so much to her during her captivity. Digby intends to go to Winath, where the Ranzz family have farms. She hopes that her invitation to Winath holds and that she realises that they had something special in the Legion. Scene ends with “here goes nothing…”

1 - Rokk waits to pass through a checkpoint, into a wasteland. He has a flashback to Venado Bay triggered by what he thinks is graffiti in blood. Kent mentioned (was his later published inclusion post-Mordruverse?) as there’s some gruesome suggestion of injuries. Rokk meets Loomis checking traps. Loomis, seeing that Rokk is shaken, suggests he waits for him in his home. Rokk is frustrated as Loomis invited him out there.

At Loomis’ home, Rokk meets with Reep. The Durlan is confident of evading “little prying eyes” but the two remain inside. Reep reminds him of what it was like as a Legion founder, saving RJ Brande from 2 assassins with Garth and Imra. Then in a shot of the early Legion members in battle, Reep reminds Rokk how important he was to the group.

2 – Jo Nah and Sklarian Brita An’nan, survive a joint attempt on their lives from Rimborian authorities and the Khunds. Nah runs a Silverale smuggling operation on Rimbor. It’s revealed that Tinya Wazzo died in a transport incident crossing the buffer zone.

2 – Lydda Jath and Loomis travel to Kathoon.

3 – On Winath, Salu and Ayla view the Legion memorial statues that Garth Ranzz has managed to obtain. Ayla had dreamt of finding Salu’s statue here. Elsewhere, Garth (injured by the Validus plague), Mekt (reformed) and Imra (pregnant) take different views of a shipment of produce that has mysteriously been transported.

3 – Rokk and Reep arrive on Rimbor and eventually make contact with Nah by following Furball. As they’re reacquainted, Reep asks about Brin, although we don’t see Nah’s response. At a sauna, Reep convinces Jo to join them. They’ll need his strength as they plan to go after Mysa.
3 –On Tharn, Lord Emperor Mordru destroys Rond Vidar’s power ring. The Green Lantern had attacked the palace, and is being magically consumed repeatedly by a creature in a pit. Mordru is interrupted by a messenger. His seers have detected that there is a threat to his reign. Mordru is not surprised, telling the tortured Rond that he can expect company. The Emperor summons Vrykos to prepare their defences.

3 – Rokk views the wreckage of Jo’s apartment block (a block does die in this story) as he composes a letter to Lydda telling her that they will pull the team together, even though the stakes are so high.

4 – A revived Lar Gand visits Tasmia Mallor, who is still in mourning over his death. The pair travel to Colu, where Imra has told Tasmia that Querl Dox is now working. They meet him as the Coluan is working on a cure for the Validus plague.

Lar tells the others that he’s a vessel of the Time Trapper, and that a seed of the Trapper lives within him. As Querl tries to isolate the Trapper’s personality from Lar’s, the villain transports Lar to the Pocket Universe.

There, the Trapper reveals that Mordru was supposed to conquer the galaxy, but the machinations of the Trapper in creating the Legion thwarted the Sorcerer’s plans. But the Trapper had created its pawns too well. They now also threatened the Trapper itself. In their final confrontation, only a seed of the Trapper survived in a comatose Lar. Faced with these truths, and the knowledge that the Trapper in his body would be unstoppable, Lar destroys the villain. The Trapper has told him that his creations, including Lar and the Legion, would be undone. But Lar knows that someone would rise to take the Legion’s place in the universe to come.

5 – Mordruverse issue. With no Trapper to create a Legion, Mordru sweeps to power in the United Planets. Mysa, Rond, Andrew Nolan and Glorith recreate the Trapper’s plans from secrets stolen from Mordru’s mind.

6 – Daggle’s group seek an audience with Mordru regarding the release of Mysa. Elsewhere, Mordru is upset that they would dare to take someone from him who is there by her own free will. When he monitors their threat to attack him, should Mysa not be released, Mordru subdues them with their own worst nightmares. Mordru shares their nightmares with Mysa who is part of his harem. Only Rokk seems aware that the nightmares are the work of Mordru. Vrykos tells guards to prepare Rokk for the Emperor’s audience while the others can languish in the dungeons.

Viewing the fate of her colleagues with telescopic vision, a blond haired, headband wearing heroine flies towards Tharn.

A text piece shows that Glorith has now called the Trapper in this continuity, as well as indicating her personal enmity with Lar Gand. Lar and Tasmai are revealed to have left UP space and are exploring the worlds beyond.

7 – Laurel Gand attacks Mordru’s palace, uncovering the fate of Rond Vidar and coming into conflict with the vampiric Vrykos. As Reep’s team recover from their capture, Rokk Krinn negotiates with Mordru over dinner. Repelled by An’nan during his battle, Vrykos turns his attentions to Rond Vidar. The vampire is seeking a way around Mordru’s orders of engagement to drain the life of someone with powers. Elsewhere, Mysa overcomes her fears to try and rescue Rond. Mysa is captured by Vrykos and used as a hostage. Vrykos’ goading of Mysa is his undoing as she mystically attacks him, turning most of him to ash. Rokk bargains for the relase of Mysa and Rond, while Mordru gains more time to consolidate his power base on Tharn and in the post Magic Wars UP.

Tharn: Daggle, Krinn, Nah, An’nan, Londo, Gand, Vidar, Nal
Winath: Ranzz G, Ranzz I, Ranzz A, Digby

8 – Information on Erin’s death, and other Earthgov activities, is passed to Cham through the channels he used in #1. Laurel and Rond visit Zirr, where Laurel removes some Khundian forces from the planet. We learn more about Laurel’s background in a flashback. Rokk talks to Rond about what he’s gone through and of Mysa also staying on Zirr. Rond was combatting Mordru, due to the Emperor’s growing magical threat and expansionist plans. He’s evasive about any connection with the Lantern Corps.

8 – In the dungeons of the Emperor’s palace on Tharn a burst of emerald energy escapes into the heavens. The sorcerers of Mordru’s court tremble at their inability to prevent its departure to the stars. The Lord Emperor will punish them.

8 - Marla Latham arranges for the release of significant funds, now that Daggle’s plans are becoming a reality. He recalls the similarities between Reep and RJ Brande in an extended flashback. Two assassins attack RJ Brande.

8 - Laurel reveals that the reason they’re on Zirr is because her infant daughter is there.

8 - Cham takes Jo, Brin and An’nan to Trom to give Jan Arrah the news about Erin. There are rumours of the caretaker of Trom vaporising trespassers. Instead, Jan Arrah seems to be a spiritual, peaceful presence there.

9 – Cham and Rokk review the information passed to them from Earth (Jacques). Perhaps overconfident after their encounter with Mordru, they know that they can’t ignore the problems there any longer.

9 – Nura contacts Rond and Laurel to check on her sister. They had originally looked to contact Querl to aid her recovery. But Querl felt that empathy wasn’t one of his strong suits and referred them to the people who aided his own recovery. Mysa remains withdrawn, watching holos of her Legion days in happier times. Laurel wonders about how to contact Blok.

9 – Jan Arrah reveals that he split up with Erin to selfishly follow what he called his own spiritual journey. Now he has doubts about that path, and wonders why they couldn’t have travelled it together. Jan is set on finding, and dealing with Roxxas. He is outwardly calm, but his friends know that he’s anything but inside. The others know that Jan’s actions could mean taking on Earthgov itself.

9 - Cham makes a call to Imra, telling her that the decision to fully reform the Legion was at hand, and the group leave for Winath.

9 – At the statues of fallen Legionnaires, Salu cries at the thought of facing Rokk after the Venado Bay incident.

Earth Resistance

1 – One of the comms viewed by Daggle is of the capture of an Earth terrorist cell. Marella Tao’s news broadcast focuses on the escape of Universo. Sci-Pol Lt. Erin starts a statement about their tireless hunt for the terrorist. Officer Erin provides some quotes, in front of a ruined, smoking building as prisoners are led past her. Their leader, Universo remains at large.

1 – At her office in a bustling SP precinct, Erin wonders over the identities of the terrorists she has captured. It’s clear that there is more than one resistance group against Earthgov, and that she is connected to one she hopes would never take such drastic measures as Universo’s group.

2 – Following a dead letter drop, Erin returns through the grim streets to her apartment. There, she discovers flowers sent to her by Dirk Morgna. Security has been tightened due to an increase in Universo’s activities. Other troops have been seconded to “special duties” Erin’s worries are interrupted by a call.

3 – Erin travels through the old part of the city. The resistance cell she’s in contact with has new information for her. She travels beneath the surface, through 1000 years of history. As she goes further in, the guard points she has passed through are killed by Commander Circe’s troops. As Erin travels down to a domed central chamber, she meets Double Header who tells her that their new contact has contacts within Earthgov itself.

3 – Devlin O’Ryan is late, as he stumbles through a disused sewer system in the depths of Metropolis. He hates to let anyone down, but had to be sure that the resistance cell checked out through his own contacts. The information he’s obtained from within Earthgov is too vital to be lost. Worse, he can’t afford for his sources to be uncovered. His editor, Iris West, only knows some of those. A mishap results in Devlin falling into a pool of, what he hopes is, water. His submersion saves him as a squad of Earthgov troops passes overhead.

3 – Devlin evades some guards and hides. He has no way of warning the resistance, although he tries to get as close as he can. He’s stopped form going closer as the guards have also stopped. He gets footage of a single figure going past the guard points, and further into the sub-city. When they have departed, he takes footage of the massacre and flees as forensic teams arrive. Nothing human could have caused such carnage.

4 – A dirt encrusted, and scared, Devlin awaits Iris West in her Daily Planet office. Devlin shares the footage of the massacre with her. West wonders if this is connected to the information on criminals working for Earthgov that Devlin brought to her before. Devlin doesn’t tell West he was joining the meeting, instead telling her that he was only going to observe it, following a tip off.

Devlin is keen to publish the information as quickly as possible (and while he can). Iris looks for more to tie the event to Earthgov. West passes the footage to one-time Legion applicant to confirm the identity of the individual who seemed key to the massacre. Camera Lad gets to work.

5 – Mordruverse issue. With no Trapper to create a Legion, Mordru sweeps to power in the United Planets. Mysa, Rond, Andrew Nolan and Glorith recreate the Trapper’s plans from secrets stolen from Mordru’s mind.

6 – The identity of the individual in the massacre is identified by Camera Lad as Roxxas. But in confirming the identity through datalink, he’s triggered an Earthgov alarm.

Visiting a planet popular with off duty Labyrinth personnel, Devlin O’Ryan learns about the links between Labyrinth and Earthgov. Keeping so many powerful convicts together had always proven to be a lightning rod, such as their release at the hands of the Emerald Empress. After the economic collapse, corruption became more difficult to prevent. Defences and facilities also became much harder to maintain. The fate of super criminals was not high on any UP-planet’s agenda. As a result, a number of prisoners found themselves released early, or passed across to other penal facilities and programmes. One of those programmes was run by Earthgov. O’Ryan gets details of Earthgov contacts.

7 - Iris West and her beleaguered Daily Planet staff have published links suggesting a relationship between Earthgov and the release of convicts into their care. One of those prisoners was Roxxas, the butcher of Trom. Others include members of the Fatal Five. The whereabouts of these criminals is currently unknown. The outgoing warden of Labyrinth confirms that none of these criminals should have been released, and evades questions regarding his own culpability. Camera Lad is burned to death in his apartment. Something else had melted its way through the walls to get to him.

8 – Daily Planet editorial team arrange the release of the Roxxas footage independently. They know that Earthgov would come after them if they owned this news. They need the truth to be out there, and to be able to operate.

8 - At a closed and sealed museum where Central City once stood, Iris West delivers an Omnicom to an invisible man with a French accent.

9 – Earthgov harassment of Daily Planet reporters continues, with some trumped-up arrests, some beatings and new press guidelines to ensure publications don’t give support to subversive groups.

9 – A terrorist incident in Ontario results in damage to the Powersphere there. Although there to help, Don and Dawn Allen are arrested. Iris West, their mother, remains resolute.

9 – Earthgov announce that trials of resistance agents will begin. Amongst those to be tried will be former Legion leader Brek Bannin.

10

A disguised Roxxas arrives on Winath for one stop Legionnaire shopping. Abandoning a tourist group, he makes his way to the Lightning Ring plantation, home of the Ranzz family.

There, Garth and Rokk meet while Ayla oversees the repair of an old Legion shuttle. Reminsicing about how effective it was, Ayla thinks that the Leigon itself could be reformed.

Querl, visiting to perform tests on the Ranzz family in relation to the Validus plague, confers with Reep. Querl suggests that such a gathering of ex-legionnaires could act as a target for Roxxas. Cham feels they are safer here, rather than being picked off one by one.

Salu continues to worry about meeting Rokk. She’s been avoiding the Braalian since he arrived. She’s not above asking An’nan about him though. An’nan is more concerned with getting off the plantation. She’s been grounded.

An arriving Bounty and Rockfish track Roxxas straight to a silo station. Although the Ranzz family home is a known location, Bounty’s tracking of Roxxas within it seem superhuman to Celeste. Rockfish is reluctantly sent to raise the alarm while Bounty gets closer. Rockfish feels just as well trained as Bounty in dealing with the threat. (1) In the complex, Roxxas dons another disguise and runs into Mekt.

Thinking Mekt is also there to attack the Legion he tries to reach an arrangement with him, only to then attack, and seriously injure, the reformed villain. Bounty attacks Roxxas, but is defeated by nerve agents. It’s clear that Roxxas is stronger and more resistant than a normal human. Bounty is surprised, as he shouldn’t be that tough. Roxxas recognises Bounty as “one of them.”

Not knowing the plantation layout allows Roxxas to catch up to Rockfish, just as she reaches Reep. Having encountered the pair on Haven, Roxxas knew that Rockfish wouldn’t be far from Bounty. Roxxas shoots the Durlan in the head, and then brutally interrogates Rockfish regarding Earthgov.

Seeing flames from the silo, Jan knows that Roxxas has arrived. Jo uses ultra-speed to get ahead of him. Lives are at stake, but there’s the concern about what Jan would do. Jan contacts Imra, who tries to find Roxxas telepathically. She’s overcome by his multiple personalities, but confirms the location. Jo pummels Roxxas. Again, he’s lot tougher than he should be. Roxxas boasts about his kills. Ironically Jo, who wanted to prevent Jan killing the villain, is prepared to rid the galaxy of the Butcher himself. Roxxas uses his anti-Daxamite technology to remove Jo and part of the floor.
Gravely injured, and now with no weapons against Laurel Gand, Roxxas wonders if he’s in over his head.

Ahead of Brek Bannin’s trial, celebrity lawyer, archaeologist, politician and hero Tenzil Kem arrives on Earth as Bannin’s defence council.

11-

Tenzil Kem’s Wild Archaeology advert. The programme is viewed by Circe as a joke, but she & Morgna don’t want to be too dismissive of a former Legionnaire who will be representing Bannin. Morgna thinks that Bannin is going to get a prison sentence, and Circe doesn’t disabuse him of the idea. She knows a different fate is planned for him.

Earthgov release a statement critical of the former Legionnaires allowing Roxxas to escape. They cite the success that Morgna had in capturing many of the criminals on Haven (not mentioning that Roxxas was there too). They are also critical of other SP services, who have also failed to capture Roxxas or other known Labyrinth felons.

On Winath, the former Legionnaires secure the plantation. Brin picks up Roxxas’ scent, but the villain is able to overload Brin’s senses and make an escape.

Circe reports to a chamber within Earthgov’s central offices, the atmosphere is humid and the rooms filled with alien plantlife. Her shadowy allies are revealed to be Dominators. When news reaches them of Roxxas’ attack on Winath, they still feel that they have a chance of success. Roxxas may still destroy the nascent Legion as planned. The important thing is that the villain is not captured alive. Circe remarks that if Roxxas survives, they may well be his next target.

Devlin O’Ryan is reported missing after an encounter with two SP thugs. Devlin has managed to escape, miraculously unscathed, and continues to meet his contact.

Tenzil for the Defence ad as the Bismollian prepares for the trial of Bannin.

Querl treats the wounded from Roxxas’ attack. Celeste is dying. Reep is recovering having switched organ location for defence some years before. Bounty’s unaturaly tough skin has enabled her to survive Roxxas’ attack. Querl confirms Bounty’s physiological match to Dawnstar and that she will recover. Mekt will also recover from more serious injuries, while Jo has disappeared entirely and is presumed dead.

In the face of Earthgov opposition and trial rigging, Tenzil manages to get Brek Bannin free on a technicality in a trial that often borders on farce. They, and Taryn Loy, leave Earth hastily, narrowly avoiding being intercepted by the SPs.

Protests around the trial are brutally supressed by Earthgov forces.

Roxxas kills a tourist driver and has reached a health clinic. There, he has tortured the staff into supplying treatment.

Devlin meets his contact, a representative of Universo’s group. He’s led to the resistance leader himself. (

Jo Nah finds himself in a strange land that doesn’t remind him of Winath. He sets off groggily towards civilisation, not realising that he’s entering an area controlled by both Dominion and Khundian forces.

12 –

Teams organised by Rokk track Roxxas across Winath. (Jan, Ayla and Vi) with (Rokk, An’nan). It revealed that Roxxas used diplomatic security tags to evade the cordon that Garth had placed around the plantation as a precaution. The tags enabled Roxxas to slip through undetected.

At the Lightning Ring plantation, an emerald light approaches the medical centre. Inside, Querl looks on at the dying Celeste. Behind him a recovering Reep blames himself for allowing Roxxas to attack them. Querl tells him about the mission teams to track down the butcher. Roxxas hasn’t broken the spirit of the Legion.

Celeste dreams of her cousin Leyland McCauley, of her travels in the UP and of the encounter she had with an emerald artefact. Its glow dominates her dream, as a similar light fills the medical centre. Querl is blinded by the light. Reep adjusts his vision to that of a creature used to such environments. He approaches Celeste’s bed. Cham finds Celeste surrounded by an Emerald aura, and completely healed. The ring that had been her necklace has now vanished.

On Zirr, Laurel takes a break from destroying Khundian ship engines as Rond doubles over in pain. An emerald glow surrounds him. He becomes slightly transparent and then it fades, leaving him weakened. Laurel takes him home.

Escalating incidents on Earth result in a state of emergency being declared. Earthgov show that criticism of their insular policies are unfounded, by reaching out to their allies in a time of crisis. The Dominion will help ensure energy and food supplies across Earth.

Brin Londo wakes from Roxxas’ attack in an animalistic, but recognisably human form. He knows it won’t last and he’ll return to being Furball. He goes deeper into the plantation until the change happens. He doesn’t want the others to know who he is.

Communications are lost in a local hospital and Vi’s team converges on the site. Scanning the buildings they discover flickering scans. Jan recalls pulling the trigger on Roxxas before and how hollow he felt. Vi brings him to the task at hand.

Vi goes in first, using her powers to go through the ventilation system. The three communicate through telepathic earplugs.

Vi discovers the flickering is coming from bodies burned by Roxxas to confuse readings. With the confused readings, Vii nearly doesn’t see Roxxas attack. He releases an electrified snare that nearly fries her. Stunned, she falls back into the vents.

Ayla and Jan, knowing her location race to the third floor, Jan not hesitating to transmute walls to ease their passage to the killer. Jan is shot in the arm by random blaster fire. Jan has a chance to use his powers on Roxxas. He remembers Erin, and transmutes the blaster instead. Before Roxxas has a chance to release anything more deadly, Ayla fries the equipment he holds.

Roxxas is staggered by the surge. He clutches one more device. One he claims is shielded from such attacks. One that will kill them all. Ayla, Jan and the recovered Vi see how much damage Jo has done to the man. Had he still been human, Jo would surely have killed him. With the doctor’s hasty work, he resembles Two-Face, almost matching an image Tenzil found in the Batcave during his Metropolis Batcave dig. On Roxxas’ forehead, there is a blood red wound, resembling the discs of the Dominators who released him. Roxxas gives an ultimatum, as the Legion taunt him into surrendering.

Roxxas detonates the device, killing everyone in the building. Or so he thinks. Instead, other voices in his head would feel robbed at the lack of being able to accept the praise for his works. They can’t allow him to die. The Legionnaire’s watch Roxxas talk to himself for a few moments and fall over.

Vi thinks that the villain deserves to die. Ayla is disgusted with him but it’s Jan who tells them what they would lose of themselves if they allowed him to die here.

Later news reports tell the audience that Roxxas has been captured. The villains’ survival was down to first aid applied by the Legionnaires on site, prior to the arrival of med crews. A Med truck skims into the sky behind the reporter.

Watching the news Reep congratulates Rokk on sending out the teams. Rokk is saddened that not everyone survived Roxxas’ attacks. Reep looks to cheer him up by showing him new Legion outfits. Each is uniform, in differing shades for each member of the team as required. If Rokk wears his, the others will wear theirs. The Legion is back.

12 – “The Legion of Super Heroes.”

12 – On Quarantine, the Persuader slices through staff and guards in pursuit of a child patient there. He’s met with opposition in the form of ex-Legionnaire (but previously unseen) Kent Shakespeare. Shakespeare falls to a feint from the Persuader and the villain raises his atomic axe to strike a killing blow.

12 – On Earth, The Dominion make plans to kill Roxxas before he can talk. Their control of Earth cannot be revealed.

I am impressed!

Good work, Thoth.

I see now that, if Giffen had shut out the "save Erin" demands from the Bierbaums and Gordon, and stuck to his original plans, there could have been a strong opening arc, instead of one that started out so promisingly and then went off the rails.

Very well done. Thanks.

Notes/comments as I was re-reading this:

The fill-in issues don't matter; you present Andromeda's history in a flashback - important since she's new.

Nice touch to include Invasion Point - Australia.

Better to have Reep/Brande Industries engaged in more active surveillance rather than watching news-feeds.

Circe is super-ambitious, taking out a rival for her position. This contrasts a bit with her later/final turn against the Dominators when they murdered her officers. I say "a bit", since there's nothing to indicate that she wouldn't eliminate a rival while protecting the rest of her subordinates.

Would Shvaughn have a burial on Shanghalla? Did the Legionnaires pull strings to have her included among the heroes?

Nice parallel between Roxxas' multiple voices and the arguing personalities entombed on Shanghalla. I didn't pick up on that similarity in the original.

Dirk's interrupted call to Shvaughn - originally, I figured he was calling to flirt with her, ask her out - but here there's a possibility (in my mind) that he's alerting her to Circe's threat. In any event, I like that his loyalties would be open-ended. Is he a sell-out, or deep-cover infiltration for the resistance? (It always annoyed me that he was a weak-minded traitor. Good story, but disappointing.)

Good to bring the corruption problem into the open in the post-collapse U.P. - it explains a lot more than Roxxas' release and is realistic.

Hooray! Celeste does some real investigating, proving that she's not just a lightweight playing detective with Daddy's money.

Does she meet Bounty for the first time on Haven? It was never clear how they connected in the original.

Reep asking Jo about Brin gives a bit more of a clue to readers who Furball might be. I've wondered if Reep reads physical beings with his antennae and if he knows Furball is Brin.

The green energy escaping from Tharn's dungeon - good; you can't keep a Lantern ring down.

Hooray! Nura shows an interest in her sister's plight.

Camera Lad! Don't remember if he existed or if you've made him up. Expendable, obviously.

Like Celeste, Devlin is treated a lot more seriously in your version, which strengthens him as a character.

Mentioning the Fatal Five (or is it Fatal Three at this point? Where's the Eye?) suggests that it's Mano who melted the walls. For a moment, though, I wondered if Dirk could have done it, assuming he's fully gone over to the dark side.

Ah! Ze inveesable man!

The Resistance is growing and more open; it's not just Brek who's on trial.

Makes sense that Brin would be tracking Roxxas as well.

A late reveal for the Dominators. Who might we have thought the shadowy figures were? Dark Circle? Servants of Mordru? The Dark Man?

Not sure what's happening with Rond and the emerald glow - is that Lantern energy leaving him, or is this the Eye? Was it the Eye that escaped from Mordru's dungeons and not the ring energy? I'm complicating things.

The flickering energy signal turns out to be from burning bodies. In the original, I though it was Celeste, Brainy and Kono surrounded by the green energy. This makes more sense.

Jan actually uses his powers. About time.

Roxxas' forehead wound like a disk: true, didn't pick up on this in the original.

Will Blok show up, now that he's not dead?

A delightful read!

Thanks for reading.


The Erin/Blok decision really does seem to have pushed plots off in directions they weren’t originally intended to go. Sadly, the original intentions often remained at set points, resulting in it not having the strength it could have. Not helped, of course, but the fill ins etc.



The framing sequence would have given some clues as to her later history with the Khunds. Possibly leaves of absence around the time of Supergirl not being around, or a mix. The flashback would have had her origin.


Thanks. Just a throwaway as I was typing. The reasons the Dominators wanted the planet, and Invasion, would get a mention in the next year’s worth of issues.


I thought so. Issue one should have been more of a “Let’s put the plans I’ve been making into place” rather than a “Time to start things off.” Cham’s espionage training would have surely taught him to have cultivated intelligence on an ongoing basis. Having to put his father’s business together would have surely meant he’d run into a lot of issues already.

The throw away of his inside contact on Earth would turn out to be Danielle Foccart; the one person most likely to breach Earth-comm security. Chlorophyll Kid would be handling the Dominator technology.



Circe has climbed her way up through an Earth Sci-Pol that has become corrupt. Following the Magic Wars and the economic collapse Earthgov has also gone that way. The Dominators aren’t that dissimilar to the reptiles she deals with elsewhere. Considering her name, I look at others around her being shown as their true, animal selves. The Dominators - let loose from all their homeworld caste restrictions, obsessed with controlling Earth; Dirk – Wanting to be seen and admired as a hero, with all the trappings that come with it, even if that means justifying away a few unhelpful truths along the way. Her rivals and the likes of Wellington would be seen next arc.


No she wouldn’t be buried there. In the book, Roxxas thought that Blok would be buried there. Even though he posted Blok’s remains, it was never clear why they didn’t return to Shanghalla for a ceremony, rather than stay on Winath. Perhaps both were to be used, but after fill-ins, they kept with Winath.

I had Roxxas plant a lot of his armoury on Shanghalla, ahead of a strike there. He would then plan to get them there. That might mean an attack on the scattered Legion. Blok, being the last of his kind would work. Instead, I’d probably have had Roxxas go after the others who were with Jan at the time of his breakdown.

Before leaving Earth, Roxxas tries to kill Dirk Morgna. That’s used by Earthgov as proof that they couldn’t be behind the criminal (it also has parallels with Moore’s Watchmen plot, which would have tickled panel Giffen)

Chemical King’s grave is desecrated. But we might see hints of gene splicing, as a tease to a future character.

Thom Kallor would seem to be a likely victim. He wasn’t used much in v4, and it opens up story options for Atmos, Xanthu and Nura.

But what gets him to Winath, would be Ayla. In parallel with Rokk, Cham and Laurel, she also wants the team back. We’d see more of that. With at least one Legion casualty in all that, they’d go to Shanghalla. Following that, Roxxas would have his confrontation with Jan.

As I was trying to keep roughly to the published plot, I had the emergence of Lar detonate a lot of Roxxas’ devices spoiling his Shanghalla plan before it got off the ground. That, and having discovered his employers, sends him to Haven to plan.



Nor did I until I was typing away.



It would be left open as we went. Dirk has already crossed some lines. There are others’ that he’s crossed, but pretended he hasn’t. He is a hero. But he wants to be known as a hero. He wants the rewards of it. And that has compromised him. Circe knows that his loyalties are not always with her, so she’s as much his handler as his superior/lover. Dirk wants to be Erin’s hero, so there is communication. Circe makes sure to play that. She’s monitoring Dirk’s contacts. In trying to give away fairly useless tit-bits of information, Dirk might be doing the resistance more harm than good. It didn’t do Erin much good, as Roxxas knew where to find her easily enough and he got help from (jealous) Circe’s troops too.



The Dominators really needed to be kept in the shadows a lot more than they were. As it went, they could be shown to be Earth’s allies in difficult times. Science failed. But if impacted the UP more than it did the backward Khunds or the Dominators, who use a different basis for theirs. That biotechnology could have been used to build diplomatic bridges with Earth, as a precursor to control.

Going back through it, I’d make the Dark Circle and Universo hinted at more in the shadows. . The Dark Circle plot would be a huge one, on par with the Trapper reveal. They also play a part in the resistance. So, get them there early. Likewise, Universo would be a candidate, playing a deeper game than simply dominating politicians.



I do think some of their plot was dumped. It just doesn’t go anywhere useful.

She does meet Bounty for the first time there. It’s better than Bounty just handily sitting in her office as Devlin conveniently approaches. It also explains why Celeste hasn’t found out more about Bounty’s background by the time we meet them.

Camera Lad was the failed applicant in Element Lad’s first appearance, which had Roxxas as the villain. It seemed fitting to have him here.

Likewise, Haven was in Roxxas’ follow up story in Superboy #211. That’s where he went mad from the voices of Trom.

I do think Devlin was supposed to have a much bigger role, but it got cut. Reading between the lines, he’s part of the Daily Planet investigations, and he has a bigger part to play than we see in the next arc too.
An early nod to Jacques was put in, partly because I was hinting at Danielle in #1. But I did toy with having a Sub in there. Jacques adds to the espionage feel to it though.

I though it important to have a growing sense of unease on Earth throughout. It would lead up to the next arc. It’s not just the sudden revelations regarding Roxxas. It’s all the other things that Earthgov and the Dominators have been doing in the background too. A real sense of oppression should be in the air.



I’m sure someone has posted that Durlan antennae scan and stored genetic information to enable future transformations. How it would react to a creature that mutates, as Birn does would be interesting.
Brin got dumped from the Mordru scenes because Laurel had arrived. He seemed to get dumped on the Winath scenes as he would have spoiled the Roxxas/ Jan confrontation (or for fill in space reasons). So, it was fitting he’d have more here.



I’m sure I had read that TMK destroyed Rond’s ring as they weren’t supposed to use Green Lantern mythos. But that’s possibly a faulty memory in the interview regarding the Super Office (or it’s me that doesn’t recall it clearly). Yet, they made it a central part of Celeste’s origin.

I’m connecting the two here. In the book, it’s hinted that the Green Energy travels all the way out from Oa on a tour to find her. It handily starts the journey, before it even knows she’d be in trouble. Here’s, there’s more to Rond than meets the eye (especially post Mordruverse). Mordru tried to bind the energy for study, and it’s more a part of Rond than previously shown. So it’s Celeste’s ring draining the available Oan energy into herself. The ring needs the energy, rather than having a lot of Oan energy conveniently on hand as published. If I go back through it, I might pick either Tharn or Rond as the source and not both. I might have overcomplicated that



It’s later revealed that Flare and Caress are in the SW chambers. Here, it’s not just Roxxas they have running around doing their dirty work. It’s also a hint that Roxxas’ abilities are so much later because of Dominator experimentation on him. Dirk’s powers were a red herring, because you never know what he’s been asked to do. It was actually Caress.

Nura and Jan are too important to be coat hangers for plot points. They have to be seen to be more proactive.

When I was typing away and got to #7, I did think for a moment that Blok dying there would enable me to combine the plots around Erin’s death with getting the team in one place, as per Blok’s death. Then I though Stone Boy might die along with Erin. He was a Legionnaire in the 5YG. But I moved away form it pretty quickly. In the end, he’ll be back as part of Mysa’s recovery story. He viewing of happier times will feature more and more of Blok.


Thanks for taking the time to read it. And for my extra blabbing if you got this far too.

Blabble on, young Thoth! You blab, I'll read.

Same here. In the words of Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook, "Babylon and On"

I just finished re-reading this thread. It really does convey a strong sense of how good the first 12 issues of v4 could have been, if the working conditions had been more accommodating, and, of course, if Erin had died as originally planned. The confrontation between Jan and Roxxas, with Ayla getting in a good zap, is superb.

Blok returning to help with Mysa's recovery would have been wonderful. So would have been the use of Nura as something far more than comedic body shaming.

One quibble: Does Bounty necessarily have to turn out to be Dawnstar? I'm not just asking because I hated that bit in the Canon v4, but also because I remember some speculation during the Archive Re-reads that it may not have originally been planned that way.

Hope you continue this project, Thoth.