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spandexinspace · 5 months

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Dreams Unwind

Verv Dox, Commander of L.E.G.I.O.N. and technically but in no way that counts Brainiac 4, comes face to face with the consequences of her actions in a reality where she at least doesn't have to pay most of her grandfather's debts too. Or, AU where Brainiac 4's soul wasn't sold to Neron. Part 1 of maybe 3?

“Commander Dox?” Verv stops and turns, her white coat swirling around her knees. The antechamber of the UP’s innermost meeting rooms dwarfs even her, its walls lined by towering stone columns inspired by long-dead Terran civilisations and the faraway glass ceiling adorned by artwork that must have cost the entire union more money than anyone dared consider. But if it makes her feel small it must make R.J Brande feel minuscule, craning his neck as he does just to look up at her.

“How can I be of service?” Verv says, pushing her flaxen bangs out of her face, the sudden turn having loosened them from her not particularly elaborate styling. One does not need to style one's hair while wearing a helmet, she still occasionally vehemently claims, even as her duties have taken her further and further away from a helm.

“I have some information you might find, let’s say, important,” the old man says, closing the distance between them and leaning in, as if he’s about to share some lurid secret. For all she knows he might very well be. R.J. Brande is a lot of things, but he’s not the fool others seem to take him for, and she is not one to believe his carefully crafted facade. Most people lie in politics, but Brande is something much more dangerous than a politician, or even a mercenary. He’s an industrialist.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, though I think it’s best we speak in a more private setting. These halls have so many eyes and ears,” Brande says, his words echoing throughout the room as he gives it a stern once over, which no doubt only serves to make said eyes and ears lean in even closer.

“In private, you say? On your property, perhaps unarmed and unaccompanied?” Verv clicks her tongue.

“By damn, commander,” he slaps his hand against his leg. “Bring as many weapons and companions as you’d like, I am far too old to even try to take control of an organisation like yours.” Brande’s eyes glimmer beneath his bushy, white brows. They speak of something even she can’t grasp. Most short-lived species already consider her ancient, but what she sees in Brande goes beyond that, stretching out in ways she can't help but feel too young and inexperienced to grasp. She’s not convinced even another thousand years would make her feel old and wise enough.

Brande has been there almost as long as she has. He appeared out of nowhere while her dad was still alive, already as grey and weighed down by time as he is now. He hasn’t aged a day since.

“I see. And may I inquire about the nature of this matter?”

“Personal, I would say.” Verv raises an eyebrow. She considers herself a private person, someone who cuts off problems at the root and cauterises them for good measure. Whatever an old businessman could have learned about her is either entirely useless or an urgent oversight. And with Brande, it’s presumably the latter.

“Discussing the matter in private does indeed seem like the best course of action, then. When should we schedule this meeting?”

“Why don’t you come by my office around ten tomorrow morning? I’ll tell our security to expect you, to avoid any unfortunate accidents, of course”

“That is acceptable. We will be there.”

“Good, good. Thank you for humouring an old man’s whims.”

“Right.” Verv gives him a curt nod, then turns on her heel and continues down the hall, her boots clacking rhythmically against the pale stone floor, polished so well she can almost meet her own worried eyes in it.

———————————

Verv isn’t surprised to find Ael in her quarters, a half dozen holos splayed out on the table in front of her and her jacket draped haphazardly over the back of the lone desk chair she’s sitting in. As Verv enters the room she looks up, her dark blue hair a spiky mess from what seems like a good hour of two of pulling at and combing through it with her fingers.

“Hi, boss, have you considered taking legible notes? Like, ever?” she says, chewing on the end of her stylus.

“No, I wouldn’t want to deprive my best employee of work.” Verv slides off her heavy uniform coat and boots, hanging the first on a hook by the door and disposing of the latter beneath it. She stretches her arms above her head as she strides across the room, feeling the day’s worth of meetings and the stiffness in her shoulder slide off with just slightly less ease.

“Because there’s not enough to do around here without your endless bird scratches… You know, I could always go back to Sklaria and let you deal with all of this on your own,” Ael says, scrunching up her face. It’s a familiar song and dance at this point, trading blows that have been telegraphed for so long they should be sold on asta-holo by now.

“And tell them what, exactly? That you ran off to chase tail and came back empty handed after — how many years has it been now?” Verv replies, leaning over Ael’s shoulder. Ael shakes her head.

“To think my mom thought I’d marry into money,” she says, sighing.

“I pay you very handsomely for your services. Now, let me tell you about the most curious thing that happened today.”

“Finally capped the Dominion guy?”

“No, those notes would have been far more interesting. R.J. Brande, the industrialist or philanthropist or whatever he pretends to be these days, approached me after the meeting and told me he wanted to discuss a personal matter in his office tomorrow.”

“That old guy? Ew.” Ael grimaces.

“I was not under the impression that that was his goal. I will be attending a meeting at his office at 10 tomorrow, I need you to keep an eye on the situation.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Ael gives her a particularly sloppy mock salute, one that would have gotten any other employee stuck on cleaning duty for well over a week.

“Thank you. Now, we need to take another look at the Tharrian contract, I believe there is an error in their transport documentation.”

———————————

Brande Industries’ building stands tall even in the Terran city of Metropolis, its bright shape fluid and nearly organic, a testament to the company’s outstanding wealth and Terra’s infatuation with extravagance. Few other planets would consider it anything but an uncouth display of affluence, though many of the same planets would gaze at it in envy when they thought no one else was looking. The UP speaks so fondly of post-scarcity, equality and unity, but have yet to vanquish the greed that seems so inherent to most sentients. To the benefit of some.

Verve doesn’t take her eyes off the tall structure until she walks through its entrance. The lobby is mostly empty at this time of day, though those few who still mill around it seem to turn towards her as one. A lot of humans do. Despite their supposed millennia of off-world contact they still seem to gawk at the slightest unfamiliarity, and she is by no means of slight unfamiliarity. Between her appearance, the emblem on her chest and her ancestry she’s almost as unfamiliar as bipeds come to these people.

Verv looks beyond them, they are of no importance. A slim glass elevator dominates the centre of the room, disappearing through the tall ceiling up into the rest of the building. Next to it is an oddly out of proportion reception desk manned by a short, red-headed human. She approaches him.

“I am here to see R.J. Brande,” she says. The man, to his credit, seems to compose himself quickly once there’s a task at hand.

“Of course, he’s expecting you,” he says, motioning to the elevator. Then adds, almost as an afterthought: “It’s the top floor.”

Brande’s office is as simple, yet as intentional as the outside of his building. Large, rounded shapes dominate the space, adorned with plants and lit up by large windows that look out in four directions. The air feels heavy with heat.

“Commander Dox,” he greets her, standing up from behind his long, wooden desk. He’s wearing a blue suit, as proper as any he’s ever worn to a meeting and as antiquated as the desk. “I’m glad you could come, please come sit down.” He gestures to the chair in front of his desk, a white, round piece that takes up far too much space. It’s flanked by two identical chairs.

“Thank you.” She crosses the room and sits down, which prompts her host to follow suit.

“I know you’re a busy woman and that what I’m about to tell you may sound absurd, so let’s cut right to the meat of the issue; I have received a quite reliable report that alleges that there’s a child on Colu who was created from your genetic material”

“Have you now?” Verv smiles a smile she’s practised so many times over, small and meaningless, a pleasantry more so than an actual expression. It hides the sudden weight that settles over her chest, heavy enough to choke her if she lets it. This cannot be true.

“I’m afraid so. I must apologise for my lack of concrete proof and the unofficial nature of our meeting, but I can assure you that my contact is trustworthy and that I wish for nothing but the safety of the child. A safety I suspect they’re sorely lacking on Colu.” She meets his eyes for a second, another whisper of that unknown ocean beneath his surface, then goes back to staring at the bridge of his nose instead. It’s safer that way.

“You do understand that this sounds truly irrational, do you not?” She would laugh politely if she wasn’t afraid her voice would waver. Sweat starts to bead on her forehead.

“I do. But I know a thing or two about Colu, young lady, and I wouldn’t put it past them, especially not when it comes to your family.” Brande stands back up and turns his back to her, staring out the window down at the glistening city below. “I thought it fair to offer you the chance to deal with the situation, but I must warn you, I might interfere if you chose not to.”

“And why would you do that?” Her pulse pounds frantically in her ears. She tugs at the collar of her jacket, suddenly too tight and restrictive.

“Let's just say that an old man has many old debts to repay.” Brande falls quiet, seemingly lost in thought. Verv feels sick to her stomach. She watches him, clammy hands and a face arranged to reveal nothing.

“Was that all?” she eventually asks, thanking the Lords of Luck that her voice holds as steady as it does.

“Ah, yes,” he says, once again turning around. “I hope you take this to heart and do what you feel is right with it.”

“I will consider your… information.”

He nods.

“I suppose that is all I can ask for.”

She’s barely outside of the building before her com explodes into a sea of chatter.

“Holy nass! How did he find out about that? I thought you didn’t tell anyone? Is he sprocking with you? Did someone tell him how to sprock with you? What could he even want from you, it’s not like he made any demands?” Ael rambles, questions pouring out of her like a leaking coupling. Verv takes a deep breath. The another.

“I don’t know,” she says, interrupting Ael’s barrage. “Can you try to pull some threads? Find out if any of this is true or, if not, what he’s trying to accomplish.” She hates how small her voice sounds. How she suddenly feels like every stray gaze from a passing stranger is a pointed attack, keeping an eye on her every move for want of an opening. Letting her guard down was a mistake.

“Will do, boss.”

“Thank you, Dox out.”

#my writing #losh #dc comics #rj brande #brainiac 4 #fair warning this is one third OC and one third character so improvised they may as well be an OC #canon characters to follow?#also Brande cryptid time

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sebeth · 2 months

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Legion of Super-Heroes #5 (Bendis)

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

The issue picks up where the previous issue ended: the confrontation with the Science Police. Brainiac 5 convinces the Science Police to stand down. Superboy (Jon) is told to finish the orientation packet.

The Legion speculates on why the President of the United Planets sicced the police on the Legion. Is it because of Mordru? Aquaman’s Trident? Imprisoning the ruler of Rimbor in their basement? A combination of all three?

Shadow Lass talks trash about the Invisible Kid. Jacques Foccart, the “Invisible Gentleman” is sick of the disrespect and quits the Legion. Bendis included an actual canon person of color only to have them appear and quit in one panel? Was there a point to this?

Jacques was never a favorite of mine mostly because he was relegated to the back to mutter a random French phrase. I did enjoy Jacques’ role in the “5 Years Later” era. He became a respected leader of the resistance and had an adorable relationship with Infectious Lass. I would love to see more of that Jacques.

Brainy sends Ultra Boy, Dawnstar, and Shadow Lass to find the Trident. Jo isn’t happy because he wants to remain and deal with his father. Brainy tells the group that if they see Timber Wolf, Monster Boy, or Wildfire to grab them. I’m pretty sure we saw either Timber Wolf or Monster Boy a few pages ago. The Legionnaire had the colors of Timber Wolf and the chest symbol vaguely looked like Brin’s. The person’s build was too bulky for Brin and his head had a Frankenstein-type appearance so I’m assuming it was Monster Boy.

Brainy confronts Chameleon Boy on his secret: Reep’s mother is the president of the United Planets. This has roots in previous continuities as Reep was revealed to be the son of RJ Brande’s son (the Legion’s founder and financial backer) in the original version. RJ Brande also served as the President of the United Planets (the reboot if I remember correctly). Bendis may have also taken inspiration form Lyle Norg’s story in the threeboot – he was revealed to be the son of a high-ranking Science Police officer during a SP-Legion confrontation.

Reep says he has a complicated relationship with his mother, but they are on speaking terms. He just wanted to get out from under her reputation.

We turn to Bouncing Boy and Superboy. Chuck reveals his father was trash. Did we know much of Chuck’s parents in the previous continuities.

Jon resumes Computo’s orientation program. We witness the UP President announcing the formation of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Oh, and we discover the President’s name is R.J. Brande. RJ is female instead of male as in the previous continuities, but does gender mean much to a race of shape-shifters?

RJ references previous heroic teams like the Justice League and the Teen Titans. Crav the General Nah and President Omacc of Rimbor aren’t fans of the idea. Is Ommac a reference to OMAC? OMAC, or One Man Army Corps, started out as a Jack Kirby creation. It was not part of the Fourth World/New Gods line but one of his sci-fi flavored ideas like Ben Boxer and Kamandi.

OMAC was radically altered when it was part of the “Infinite Crisis” tie-ins. They were multiple OMAC machine-like beings. Sasha Bordeaux (Bruce Wayne’s former bodyguard) was partially changed into an OMAC. The New 52 had a version of OMAC but I never read it so I don’t know the details.

Does President Omacc or Braal now have connections to OMAC? Do we need another connection to the 20th/21st century?

RJ pitches the idea to Imra, Garth, and Rokk. Garth has no idea who the Justice League is as “They don’t teach any Earth on my planet”. Rokk fanboys out: “The original Superman and the Batman from Planet Gotham. And there was a Thangarian classic with those awesome wings.” Rokk’s knowledge makes sense as he was a big-time 20th/21st century historian in previous continuities.

Garth also notes his planet “barely teach us to read our first language”. I don’t recall illiteracy being a problem on Winath in previous era. Mostly I recall a twins-majority population and a focus on agriculture.

RJ notes Jon Kent invented the United Planets. Do you know how old Jon would have to be to have formed the United Planets? I understand the lifespan of a Kryptonian varies from the different eras but Jon would be ancient. And why are the Legion allowing Jon to view this? Wouldn’t that be an outside source influencing the course of his life? I seem to recall the Legion not telling Clark of his life in the past so they wouldn’t impact the course of his 20th century life.

Rokk, Imra, and Garth agree to form the Legion. Sgt Blokk of the Science Police walks by and Rokk offers him membership. Blokk agrees. I’m not positive he is aware of what he agrees to.

I love Blok, he’s so sweet, gentle, and endlessly curious about those weirdo organic beings he hangs with.

The trio then travels to Colu to recruit Brainiac 5 (Querl Dox).

Brainy agrees and reveals his knowledge of the past heroic era impacts the future. I’m not typing out the whole page of dialogue but I will this quote: “When earth broke into pieces so did its already rebooted and revised history and timeline. Earth could not be more important to us and our survival and yet…it’s all broken. To be translated, interpreted, misinterpreted.”

I could rant on the hot mess that is DC’s continuity but I’ll save that for another post.

Brainy announces Jon Kent is the one to teach them how to hero. Seriously? I understand Bendis was writing the Superman titles at the time but Jon is not at the point in his career where he could be a mentor to other heroes. He’s still a rookie himself

Brainy reveals Jon will be “the one true Superman” Yeah, that Clark guy? He’s nothing!

Jon is overwhelmed after this info dump. Imra attempts to reassure Jon but is interrupted by Brainy announcing: “All legionnaires! They found the Trident! It’s here. Evacuate immediately!”

Legion Roster Formation Order:

Cosmic Boy (founder)

Saturn Girl (founder)

Lightning Lad (founder)

Blok

Brainiac 5

The big change is Blok joining the group immediately after its formation. In the original continuity, he was a late Silver Age/early Bronze Age addition.

Pros:

Rokk the 20th/21st Century historian-fanboy!

Blokk! More child-like than normal but still a sweet, gentle soul.

Cons:

The heavy focus on “Jon the savior”. Bendis is telling, not showing, why Jon is necessary. The only thing Jon has done so far is knock out Crav – which Mon-El accomplished in a previous issue.

Rokk as uncertain leader. He was useless in the Legion-Science Police showdown. Bendis should read the Threeboot to see how Cosmic Boy handles the Science Police.

The story moves at a snail pace. I know Bendis loves the decompression style but this would have been accomplished in less than two issues in the 1980s.

Paul Levitz’s retro-boot run wasn’t great but all future Legion creators should refer to his classic runs on the Legion to see how he seamlessly interwove a large cast with multiple plots and kept the plots moving at a fast pace. He also had great character interactions and defined personalities for the members of the team.

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earth-ai · 1 year

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Rokk Krin was a space explorer from a distant galaxy whose one-man vessel was snared by a black hole. For eons he was held on event horizon, although to him it felt like a few hours. He witnessed the birth and death of stars. He lost consciousness as he fell into the black hole he lost, and when he woke he found himself in our galaxy in the Earth AI time period of the 31st Century, his body aged backwards to late adolescence.

Rokk soon discovered that as a result of his incredible journey through the black hole, he had gained the ability to create and control magnetic force. His fantastic adventure inspired him to call himself "Cosmic Boy".

Shortly after, on a shuttlecraft in the Sol system, Rokk helped to save quadrillionaire R.J. Brande from terrorists. A gratified Brande invited Rokk and the two others who teamed with him, Irma Ardeen and Garth Ranzz, to form a special ops team, the Legion of Super-Heroes which was later chartered by the UP as its membership mushroomed.

#legion of super heroes #legion #cosmic boy #imra ardeen #rokk krinn #garth ranzz #earth ai #dc multiverse #dc universe #rj brande

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sprockyeahlegion · 5 months

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“Ultimately ended in the Six Minute War”

#encyclopedia galactica #Chameleon Boy #Durla #RJ Brande

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protytwo · 1 year

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LoSH Appreciation Week Day 7 - Vacation Planet

What could possibly be more relaxing than a little vacation on a private planetoid?

And when the private planetoid belongs to RJ Brande you know that no expense has been spared to make it as safe and secure as...

Oh no! A research fusion dome in a runaway meltdown?!?

Placing a fusion dome on his own planetoid certainly saved in regulatory fees and his own commute time, but in hindsight it seems foolish.

Of course Brande couldn't have anticipated that Doctor Regulus would invite himself to the vacation planetoid.

Is this the end of the vacation planet, and life on Earth as well? Who will defeat Doctor Regulus and save the day? Well, pick up a copy of LSH #286 on sale December 29, 1981, and find out for yourself.

#loshweek #loshweek23 #day 7 #vacation planet #Legion of Super-Heroes #RJ Brande #Doctor Regulus

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kingnd · 1 month

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Good counter-argument to RJ Brande "being a good billionaire" being unbelievable is the fact that this shitstain:

Exists in LSH to be your "Musk Bezos Trump" stand-in.

Like seriously Leland was a good counter-balance from RJ's more ethical way of dealing with his Buisness. The guy was literally responsible for the genocide of Mano's planet & probably in inhumane experiments on the Vygrans for god sake! (Yes I know Ra's was doing that but let's be honest Leland probably started that after The Blight fiasco)

#kingnd rambles #dc comics #legion of super heroes #leland mccauley #rj brande

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rjcity1 · 4 months

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Billie Starkz | Hey!(EW)

youtube

#aew #hey ew #rj city #billie starkz #big starkz brand #roh #ring of honor #hey!(ew)#space jesus #all elite wrestling #Youtube

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blackberryjambaby · 9 months

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trying to do my grocery shopping online but am overwhelmed with despair (ten mandarins cost thirteen dollars)

#rj speaks #aotearoa #oh so countdown can afford to re(de?)brand to woolworths but they cant afford to let me eat fruit??

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ulrichgebert · 1 month

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Geben hiermit zu Protokoll, daß wir jetzt auch Breaking Bad angeschaut haben. Da sich ungefähr alle Leute wunderten, daß wir es nicht schon längst gesehen haben, gehe ich mal davon aus, daß es sonst alle sowieso schon gesehen haben.

#Breaking Bad #Bryan Cranston #Aaron Paul #Anna Gunn #Betsy Brand #Bob Odenkirk #Dean Norris #Giancarlo Esposito #Jonathan Banks #RJ Mitte #Fernsehserie angeschaut

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silveragelovechild · 2 years

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The Silver Age Legion of Super-Heroes have been a longtime favorite of mine. A little while back I asked Artist Bevis Musson to do a series of commissions for me - a set of time traveling Legionnaires in his playful Edwardian Style. (Edwardian refers to the era of British King Edward VII (1901-1910).

This week I’m sharing his wonderful illustrations with you. Here are Brainiac 5, Dream Girl abd Star Boy. Below is Matter Eater Lad, RJ Brande and Proty.

@bevismusson

#legion of super heroes #Bevis Musson #matter eater lad #Proty #dream girl #Star boy #brainiac 5 #RJ Brande

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radioactive-earthshine · 1 year

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Wait, is Dox the AI named after Braniac?

THIS is what I was aggressively researching last night but I was attacking another angle entirely and did not come up with any clear answers, because there is something very interesting about Dox the AI that I feel most readers would miss entirely.

Up until you actually SEE Dox the AI we have no idea what he was supposed to look like, but it is none-the-less interesting that Bart claims that his name is Dox which is synonymous to the Brainiac family line. When you finally see what Dox is supposed to look like he is friend-shaped and has a body built like Ti'Julk Mr'azz (Gates of Vyrga) and does not seem to look like any Coluan from which the name Dox is from.

His appearance I feel throws a lot of people off that his name has anything to do with the Doxes until you pay attention to one small detail and that's when things get interesting.

Impulse #64

Here's Dox! He's just a little guy. But he has a very iconic emblem on his abdomen, some of you might immediately recognize it but I feel it's fair that most readers have no idea what it is.

It's actually the L.E.G.I.O.N. emblem which is solely specific to Brainiac 2, Vril Dox II whose base of operations was in the 20th century.

L.E.G.I.O.N. and then R.E.B.E.L.S. (1994) are adult comics that follow Vril's story and they ended in 1996 prior to the publication of Impulse #64, which was published in 2000. There were couple specials where Vril showed up in between 1996 and 2000, most notably in Showcase '96 #12 where he saved Querl from his tyrannical and deranged father, but other than that the comic title was complete. Finished. The story was wrapped up and given an end in the 20th century.

Why does a 'nanny AI' with the name of Dox have the L.E.G.I.O.N. emblem on his abdomen?

Why are they linking two comics that are VASTLY different in target audience, content and rating? If Black Label printing was a thing back then, L.E.G.I.O.N. probably would have been released under it because it was pretty edgy containing some very violent themes that are difficult to talk about openly without people getting very upset (and it's part of the reason why I am hesitant to talk more about these comics).

I was desperately trying to find an in-world link between them that was firmer evidence other than speculation, and when I came up with nothing, I reached into looking through letters to editors to try to see if someone asked if there was some link between Dox the AI and Vril Dox II.

No one did, and if they did, it was not published in the comics I have physically (because internet archives often omit the letters which can sometimes contain some really insightful stuff). I also began looking into the artist for this issue (the awesome Eric Battle) to see if he had any link to either of Vril's comics and... nothing.

So we're left with speculation as to why this AI is named Dox and WHY he is linked specifically to L.E.G.I.O.N.

Just by having that L.E.G.I.O.N. emblem on his abdomen confirms at least by intent I believe that he was at least named for Vril Dox II.

It could be that this AI's creator, whoever they are, had a keen interest in L.E.G.I.O.N. and named him after Vril as a sort of fond homage to history and there is no other real link.

The facility that was holding Bart in his VR containment we know for sure could not be highly reputable and very likely was employed by morally dubious scientists at the heels of Thaddeus Thawne I, so that is another angle that can be speculated on as L.E.G.I.O.N. for all the good it did do in the galaxy was a morally dark grey entity. Vril, is morally dark grey teetering on solid grey. So you have two sketchy entities together on this and no real link to either of them.

It's fascinating and frustrating and I might return to this later.

#bart allen #dox the ai #dox #vril dox ii #vril dox #brainiac #brainiac 2 #l.e.g.i.o.n.#impulse #dc comics #i thought maybe rj brande might be involved but we don't know if rj brande of earth 247 #is vril's durlan for sure at least i think #so it's a fun rabbit hole

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