Create a Villain Theme Team!

[steriaca]

I vote for the Golden Scorpion myself. 

[death tribble]

Ok Pulp it is

 

NT: The Empire of the Golden Scorpion !

Who is the villainous Golden Scorpion and why does he want to take over the world ?

Stay tuned and you might just get the answers.

You either do 

(a) one of five members of the Golden Scorpion's group;

They don't need to be called Scorpion this or that or something Scorpion

(b) a rival of the Golden Scorpion who may be has their own domain like the sea or the sky (jet packs and submarines here we go !);

(c) a specialist brought in to do a job for the group or a scientist or similar forced to work for the group;

 Minimum total five entries excluding The Golden Scorpion who follows now !

Must be pulpy in feel so robots and gangsters are good

 

The Golden Scorpion

(Because yellow might be considered offensive, there are coward jokes being made and Golden just sounds better)

No-one knows who he, or she, really is. No flesh is visible. They wear a cowl and cape sort of thing (think Marvel Secret Order). They wear gloves. The cowl has a big golden scorpion design like the Templar Knights had the red cross on their tabards. 

They are out to conquer the world !

So they seek new inventions to exploit to do this. They have a secret base. They have a masterplan. They have loyal troops (which is a surprise).

Could it be more than one person ? Certainly the voice has changed and sometimes it has an accent. Other times not. They understand different languages but tend to speak Mandarin Chinese and English.

They have various devices to defend themselves. And they sit on a throne. Dare you face them ?

 

(And no just because there are a lot of exclamation marks does not mean a specific Mad scientist is involved. Honest.)

[Sundog]

Orcadius

 

Prince of the seas, lord of the oceans! Orcadius opposes the Golden Scorpion, not because of any positive feeling for the modern world, but because he seeks to conquer it himself!

Orcadius has an undersea base, not especially loyal minions (primarily due to his habit of feeding "failures" to his "Orcas" - actually, tiger sharks, as he hasn't managed to get Orcas to attack people). His major problem is that he isn't actually that smart, he's not a real mastermind, he just has a knack for getting people to do what he says, including captive scientists.

Orcadius does have good underwater tech, and his minions are competent, but his plans often leave something to be desired.

Orcadius looks like a man in a stylized, high tech deep sea suit, shaped to look like a Killer Whale, or Orca. Which is exactly what it is.

[Hermit]

Steel-Claw

Steel-Claw serves the glorious Golden Scorpion! Steel-Claw uses Steel-claw's mighty steelclaw, which Golden Scorpion gave Steel-claw to replace Steel-Claw's old left hand which was mangled! Steel-Claw prefers the Steelclaw! The hand was puny and weak. The Steel-claw is strong and snappy! Steel-Claw is strong! Steel-Claw is deadly at hand to hand..er hand to claw! Steel-Claw would die for Golden Scorpion! Steel-Claw does not use pronouns! Steel-Claw talks too loudly!!  Most find Steel-Claw tiring because of this!

[death tribble]

Telson

The sting in the tail, this femme fatale is one of the assassins used by the Golden Scorpion. She is an attractive woman with black hair that goes halfway down her neck. She bears no insignia like clothing or jewellery that shows her allegiance to the Golden Scorpion, similarly she has no tattoo that hints at who she works for. The only way she gives herself away is if she hears the oath to The Golden Scorpion to which she must reply 'For the Scorpion !' She lacks Steel-Claw's strength but makes up for it with deception and using anything handy as a weapon. She once killed three men in a bar with a pencil, an HB pencil. She is also a dab hand at espionage and passes information back to the organisation. She is skilled at using most bladed weapons, most guns and is an accomplished poisoner. So much so that she has built up a tolerance to them. It may also explain why she is immune to the effects of gas. Her costume in the bas is a unitard with no markings whatsoever. Her face is always visible and she has no mask.

 

(Telson is the end of the scorpion's tail) 

[steriaca]

Rock Gasher

 

Rock Gasher is his agent in the noral world. A gangster leader who the Scorpion bribed with advance technology to outwit the police, he provides information and manpower when the Scorpion needs it.

 

There is nothing special about him more than the ruthlessness to sell his own mother for money and the desire to destroy anyone who opposes him. Secretly his loyalty is to himself first and the Scorpion second.

[Quackhell]

Svengali Servo

 

It's origin's are a bit of a mystery, but this robot appeared suddenly at a charity gala and used it's Hypnotronic Eye to hold sway over the wealthy attendees. It would go on to operate as a gentleman thief speaking with a posh English accent and eschewing violence and barbarism in it's various heists and schemes. Servo clashed with the likes of  Captain Dare and her Sky Sirens, Herc Stronghold and most famously, Doc Copper. Recently he has joined forces with Golden Scorpion and his organization to help kidnap scientists and engineers for Project Scorpio Giganteus.

[death tribble]

The Golden Peds

These are the main agents of The Golden Scorpion. Peds from pedipalps which are the pincers of the scorpion. They can be men or women of any ethnicity but they tend to be predominantly one in the particular area of the world they are in. They wear jumpsuits, or overalls, with a gold scorpion on the left sleeve. In the bases they do not wear helmets unless on sentry duty or there is an alert on. Weaponry will depend on where they are. They follow their orders they are given despite the fact that they have not been brainwashed. However many are arrested there still seems to be a steady supply of operatives.

 

We are now passed the minimum so if someone wants to do a new team, go ahead.

But please no holiday themed teams as we have done those to death. 

 

 

[Hermit]

NT: Wicked Revival

The time manipulating villain known as Timelapse is hard to understand, but his powers are many. Recently, he used one of his most coveted- the power to restore youth, on a group of aged villains. Originally none of them were younger than 58 (and many much older than that), now they've all been restored to the physical ages between 21 to 26 years old.  He had a job for reach of them, to pay for this. And they eagerly agreed.

 

Those jobs done, the villains are young again, powerful again, and ... having to adapt to being back in the game among a generation they don't quite understand. Some maybe more evil than ever, a few may be having second thoughts. We look now at least five of these villains

 

[Lord Liaden]

Not really apropos to this thread, but for my game I used Timelapse to restore the classic Champs villain Neutron and his flunky Arc from their long-imprisoned, aged and weakened state (as presented in The Stronghold Files), back to their physical and power prime. I never got around to explaining why Timelapse did that, but as published his motives for changing certain people's ages are often mysterious.

[DShomshak]

On 12/12/2023 at 7:22 AM, death tribble said:

Ok Pulp it is

 

NT: The Empire of the Golden Scorpion !

Who is the villainous Golden Scorpion and why does he want to take over the world ?

Stay tuned and you might just get the answers.

...

They understand different languages but tend to speak Mandarin Chinese and English.

 

Kudos for postulating a Mastermind Villain who might be Chinese (though not necessarily), and not having "Dragon" referred to anywhere.

 

Dean Shomshak

[death tribble]

From the mid 1980s to the mid 2000s one of the most renowned martial artists around was the Crimson Cobra.

Unlike the stereotypical evil martial arts master who would other target martial artists and their dojos, the Cobra would target other people who worked with the martial artists and go out of his way to break their bones. He was also a 'good' team player who did play well with others which meant that he often got employed. The Cobra had to quit due to slowing do and the fact that injuries would take longer to heal. The deal was easy for him to make as he did not want to be the old mentor to new students. He also enjoyed the task he was set as it stretched his capabilities, after all anything worthwhile must need work.

People believe the reappearance of the Cobra is due to a son, a clone or an extra-dimensional version of the original turning up to take his place.  

[Hermit]

On 12/15/2023 at 9:28 PM, Lord Liaden said:

Not really apropos to this thread, but for my game I used Timelapse to restore the classic Champs villain Neutron and his flunky Arc from their long-imprisoned, aged and weakened state (as presented in The Stronghold Files), back to their physical and power prime. I never got around to explaining why Timelapse did that, but as published his motives for changing certain people's ages are often mysterious.

 

Thanks, glad I'm not alone in finding it a fun idea I remember wanting to do this with Timelapse since the Little plotseeds thread of yesteryear (Some of which was sadly lost)

 

[Hermit]

Omphalos

(Turned into a wall of text fiction so put in spoilers, but feel free to read)

 

Spoiler

Oliver Micheal Halley stretched lazily. The prostitute he had hired to relieve his manly needs had been quite the trooper. Ever since the once 80 year old man had been reverted to a strapping twenty six year old, he'd been full of vim and vigor to a degree he'd forgotten; stamina it was hard not to be proud of. The dating scene was weird and he'd held it off. Half the women he met in his age bracket of now seemed to be speaking a different language. And what was with all the tattoos or odd hair colors?  Were they sailors or parrots? No, it was better to get back in the swing of things with professionals, dames who knew there would be no attachment after a pleasant evening for him (not that he didn't hope they enjoyed it to- Pride was a factor) and a profitable one for her. He tipped generously. But even finding the 'right working girl' had not been so easy. Too many of them showed signs of drug dependency; track marks, red noses, and glazed eyes. It was a bigger turn off than any tattoo . He wanted to spend time with a woman, not with what she or her 'manager' put into her.

 

Idly, he flipped the card deck on next to his bedside and saw which card came up. Jack of Hearts. Then he flung it, hard, fast, perfect, and into a narrow crack between two bricks on the far wall he couldn't even have seen before the rejuvenation. It wedged in with accuracy bordering on the superhuman. God it was good to have better than 20/20 again! He'd seen the trick before, in comics, and In Hudson city of all places; so to show he could do it too. He had practiced it. He preferred his crossbow, of course. Silent, good range, and with an arsenal of trick quarrels. Then, inevitably, some jackass cape would try to disarm him, only to find out even without his crossbow, as long as he had a bolt to toss, the villain known as Omphalos was still a problem. Hell, he could break a man's jaw with a rock throw. Most men. Supers seemed tougher than ever.

 

The phone rang. He had made sure to install a landline. He knew what smartphones were, of course. He'd been old , not dead. But they were a mystery to him, and his old eyes couldn't make out details of tiny fonted texts. Now, eyesight was perfect, but the trust of the technology was iffy. He was looking into burner phones. It seemed technology now a days existed chiefly to snitch on what you ordered for lunch, where you lived, and other things that were no one else's business. Until he learned more on how to protect his privacy, he was going old school. Well, he was enjoying some of the new tech for his quarrelheads. There were some really fun new toys there.

 

He picked the phone up, "Yeah?" Not bothering to announce himself until someone asked.

 

"Omphalos, I presume?" Came the voice, masculine, but on the higher pitch end, and a touch nasally.

 

"Who wants to know?" Omphalos inquired.

 

"I represent the Голодные братья" he explained, "If you need the translation..."

 

"It's Hungry Brothers," Omphalos replied. He'd worked with Russians before, "Go on. How can you entice me to help them?"

 

"We wish to hire you for a pest control problem," The mouthpiece for the Hungry Brothers began to explain "The pay is ...excellent. The target? Easy."

 

Omphalos rolled his eyes. Another assassination request. Sure, his talents practically begged for it, but he missed the old days where the joy was not in killing your foe, but in showing you were better.  Leaving them tired up in wire while you walked off with the money. Watching them gasp in the knock out gas you set off at their feet. Even pinned to a wall by their on pierced costume. Was it his imagination, or had all the fun gone out of villainy? He tried to keep the audible sigh muted, "Easy bores me. Boredom costs extra. Who is this target?"

 

"You are familiar with El Capataz?" the voice sounded a bit annoyed at the talk of fees for boredom, but went on, "A latino gent, now quite aged?"

 

Omphalos smirked. It was ironic that El Capataz, once a feared organized crimelord himself, was now older, MUCH older, than Oliver was now, "I know of him. Last I heard, he could no longer even limp. Wheel chair bound? Well, at least he has body guards."

 

"Ahem, he's not the target" The voice said, "We've learned that he has a son, an illegitimate one, but the only patriarchal lineage he has. A son... and a grandson. This wayward strand of descendants don't even know he exists, but he knows of them, and has covertly provided small help in their boring drab little lives. They live in the suburb area of..."

 

Omphalos knew he should get the address but he was off guard, "Wait, this bastard and son, they have NO idea that they are descended from a semi-retired crime lord?"

 

"Not a clue," A chuckle, and the address was given. It was a nice neighborhood, a safe neighborhood. The kind of place mildly successful but dull people lived their tedious lives in a way that one either mocked, envied, or both, "Wipe out the last of his male descendants, and you will be paid handsomely. We could do it ourselves, but we have other projects underway and your doing it will mean he won't be on the look out for it."

 

Omphalos felt insulted. He was being hired because they were busy? And.. more than insulted, he felt the prickling of something he thought he had gotten rid of when he was restored to his 20s; conscience? It couldn't be that. But, he had to ask "How old is this grandson?"

 

"Eight and some months, I don't know what his birthdate is, and it doesn't matter. Now, shall we talk price?" the spokesman for the Hungry Brothers asked.

 

"One million dollars." Omphalos lied. He had already decided no. Still, he had to play along, for now. He knew a million didn't buy what it used to, but it was still a lot of money for a day's work to ask, "But what if I refuse?"

 

"That, would be.. most unwise, Mr. Omphalos. We would want assurances of your silence. And .. frankly, if you decline, we'd feel less than assured," He explained, the subtext obvious, "We'll pay your million , for your discretion AND service. After the job is done."

 

"Half in advance," Oliver demanded, "Cash. Unmarked bills."

 

"No one DOES that anymore, Mr. Omphalos," the lackey sounded geniunely surprised.

 

"I do," The marskman explained, "Near the alley behind Billy's Barbershop. Three hours."

 

There was a long pause, then "You mean, The Squall Mart? Billy's has been gone for years."

 

It was? DAMN it. That place gave decent cuts at reasonable rates. A pause "how about the parking garage at Winchel street?"

 

"Still open, yes, we'll meet you there with the money.  We'll be there in FOUR hours," An attempt at one upmanship that seemed more petty than effective, but Oliver didn't complain, "Glad to have you on board, Mr. Omphalos" And the voice hung up.

 

Omphalos began to gather his gear, the protective costume (It was not a GD uniform, he wasn't a cop, he was a supervillain), the crossbow, and his arsenal of trick ammo for it. As he did so, he checked the landline for any signs of tapping from older methods. Finding none, he made another call, "I need to talk to El Capataz. He's busy? Tell him, Omphalos is calling. Tell him for one million dollars, half up front. I will kill the leaders of the Hungry Brothers... who just tried to hire me to take something from him that is...very precious. Tell him, For TWO million, I will make sure not a stone stands of the Hungry Brothers organzation... but with the caveat, that no one under 18 will be harmed. Tell him the last part is non negotable. And I want the money in... three hours. Did you get all that?" He smiled as the person stammered, and then assured him that El Capataz himself would be coming to the phone shortly.

 

Omphalos had never liked assassinations. He was ideal for them, but as a rule, he preferred a chance to leave folks alive, and in awe. Still, he would be lying to say he hadn't done them before. He would do it now. It wasn't conscience, he assured himself. He stood to make two and a half million dollars if he played this right. It wasn't conscience. The Hungry Brothers were strongarm sociopaths who would hunt him down for saying no. No, this was ruthless greed and brutal necessity. Not conscience.

 

And yet, in his minds eye, he imagined an eight year old kid, probably glued to some game system, weren't they all now a days? And then putting a bolt in the boy's innocent eye. He shuddered. He was young again,  Omphalos again. The BEST again. But he'd be damned before he let Omphalos become THAT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[death tribble]

It is nice to see Hermit doing something on the thread and I am glad to see someone else doing a lot of writing so I had no problem with the wall of text.

 

Back to our scheduled programming

 

Mausoleus

 

From Turkey comes the legendary hard man Mausoleus named after the 7th wonder of the world found there. Beginning in the 1960s he was employed originally as muscle and an enforcer for Turkish criminals before several masterminds saw his potential and employed him. He earned the name as he usually killed his opponents regardless of age or sex. Prisons could not usually hold him as he would break the bars or walls and simply walk away. His heyday was from 1970 to 2000, after which he slowed down and could no longer do what he used to do. He could still pick up a car on his own but not a trawler. Someone may have contacted Timelapse on his behalf as he may have been suffering from Dementia or Alzheimers. Now he is back and ready to deal with anything and anybody. He still has ambitions, I mean has anyone ever picked up an thrown an aircraft carrier ?

He understands Greek, Turkish, Russian, English and French. He has made people believe that he found a remnant of power from the Olympian Gods and that is what restored him. Someone has also put a story in his mind to that effect to mess with telepaths and mind controllers.

He looks relatively normal but stands at 6 feet 10 inches and is heavily built.

[Sundog]

Croweater

 

Michael Deward was probably the oldest on Timelapse"s list. At 115 he'd been a doddering, senile resident of a nursing home, forgotten by everyone, he'd even outlived his grandchildren. But once, he'd been the scourge of the Klan.

 

Back in the 1920s and 30s, a young black man with bulletproof skin, pyrokinesis, and anger issues, he'd cut a swathe across the South. Finally, a bunch of heroes decided they had to stop him, he was killing too many people, even the ones that sympathised agreed he needed to be stopped.

 

And, after a brutal fight, he did face a court. Michael was sentenced to 120 years in prison, but only because they couldn't figure out a way to execute him.

 

He broke out half a dozen times, and went right back to killing Klanners. The last time, PRIMUS took him down when none of the hero groups were willing to get involved. Croweater as just too problematic morally for most.

 

Michael was sent to a nursing home in the early 80s due to the onset of Alzheimers. Given the politics of the day, it as the equivalent of sweeping an old shame under the rug. He's been there ever since.

 

But now - well, he recognizes that the Klan ain't what it used to be. But he's still angry, and he's still out to get the people he blames for keeping the black man down - but now it's prosecutors who give preferential treatment to non-blacks. Cops who make their quotas off black neighbourhoods. Politicians who set those quotas, knowing full well what they're asking.

 

He's gonna eat the new Jim Crow just the same as the old one. It's all gonna burn.

[Hermit]

Retro Gal

Rebeccca "Becky" Garfield has been a lot of things. Born in poverty and a drunken mother, Retro Gal could not leave the rural hill country fast enough. She always felt smarter than them, but when she hit her teenage years, she found out why. Her intelligence, already impressive, grew leaps and bounds. She was a mutant with many brain enhancements... one of them? Super-Genius. She grasped scientific concepts and engineering with amazing ease. She also proved to have other psychic abilities, including close contact telepathy and telekinesis! At 16, she used the latter to set her whiskey soaked mother on fire with a nearby candle after one too many slaps. It was the 1950s, and 'muties' were not loved them. Very little 'different' was. Becky went on the lamb, looking for a better life, and by better, she meant profitable. Had she more maturity then, she might have realized that invention with a few patents would be a safe and legal way to build it up. Instead, she met Mr. Dread. Oh she fell for him hard and he ? He showed her the ropes of villainy. Becky doesn't blame him for her going wrong, per se. She made her own choices. But there's no denying she was taken advantage of.

 

She grew to be a hardened criminal who went by the name "Ms. Rocket" , well she thought she was hardened anyway. She mostly assisted other villains in their plans, and yes, she robbed banks. She liked robbing banks. Made her feel like she was getting something back from Rich people. A lot of her devices were quickly taken up by the male members of the various teams she joined, some even stealing credit. THAT annoyed her and after a bit, she decided to get saucy about it. Perhaps a bit too saucy... when they had an encounter with a superhero team dubbed 'The Virtue Brigade' and started to lose, her team left her behind. Well, she ended up in Super prison, escaped twice, only to be caught again. At age 35, she finally was let out of jail, a reformed woman. She was a full decade behind the times and the new tech, and she raced to catch up. It was hard, an ex convict and a known mutant?  That's when she met Dr. Daryl Garfield. He was a brilliant man, a former boy genius now grown, shy and skittish. She was smarter than him, but rather than be intimidated, he delighted. He taught her what she had missed. And she? she caught up, and improved it. He didn't want anything from her but her company and for her to be happy. And she was.. .just not used to that. She actually found a decent man.

 

She had forgotten the world takes advantage of decent men. Time marched on. Marriage , children, and more. Becky found herself a happy enough home maker, but it was the lab with her husband where she thrived. Unfortunately, because of her criminal past ,she thought it best to let him handle face to face finances. They lived comfortably enough, but Daryl was, unknown to her, taken advantage of. Their tech was stolen, and with a sea of lawyers to hide behind and counter sue, the company that stole their idea seemed untouchable. Becky suited up, ready for revenge. And found... her powers, were fading. She had not realized her TK had grown weaker, that her telepathy was even more limited. She became alarmed. Somehow she was aging out of her powers and that would , eventually, include her hyper intelligence. Daryl talked her down twice. First, from becoming a supervillain again and risking capture. And secondly? from suicide.

 

She remained bright, but where once there had a super genius  with psychic powers, there came to be a simple grandmother. That company that had robbed them prospered, as the truly wicked who know how to work the system do. Daryl became ill.... and they didn't have the money to save him. Becky grand daughter, a muitant herself, found out the truth of how her grandmother and grandfather should have been MILLIONAIRES. She grew bitter on her grandma's behalf... and despite words of caution, went out to become a super villain herself.

 

When Timelapse appeared before Becky and made his offer, she leapt at the chance. Not for her vanity (Though it is nice to be a hottie again), not for her power (Though she really feels like she was incredibly dim in comparison now that her super IQ is back), or even for revenge (Though with her beloved Daryl gone, she's feeling no shame getting what was theirs from that company) but to help her Grand daughter avoid the same mistakes. Indeed, adopting a steampunk wardrobe (She came late to the genre but found it delightful and Verne esque) she has joined her grand daughter and her villain friends to make sure they don't get used and left to dry like she did. If they MUST be villains, they're going to be successful ones this time. Of course, her Grand daughter doesn't know this new ally is her old grandmother rejuvenated. She only knows they have a friend in the mysterious... RETRO GAL!

[Rich McGee]

5 hours ago, Sundog said:

Croweater

That word (or term, as "crow eater") has other meanings that don't fit the character concept at all.  It's been derogatory slang for folks from southern Australia since the late 1800s, and more recently has been co-opted for what amounts to "club groupie/sex kitten" by that asinine Sons of Anarchy franchise as well.

 

Like the concept otherwise.  Reminds me of the 2019-20 Superman Smashes the Klan and its inspiration, the Clan of the Fiery Cross radio serial back in 1946.  The latter was one of the few times where a comic character had an undeniable impact on real-world evil.  

 

   

[Sundog]

3 hours ago, Rich McGee said:

That word (or term, as "crow eater") has other meanings that don't fit the character concept at all.  It's been derogatory slang for folks from southern Australia since the late 1800s, and more recently has been co-opted for what amounts to "club groupie/sex kitten" by that asinine Sons of Anarchy franchise as well.

 

Like the concept otherwise.  Reminds me of the 2019-20 Superman Smashes the Klan and its inspiration, the Clan of the Fiery Cross radio serial back in 1946.  The latter was one of the few times where a comic character had an undeniable impact on real-world evil.  

 

   

Hah, didn't realise that (and I live in Perth). I'll try and think up a different term.

[Rich McGee]

6 minutes ago, Sundog said:

Hah, didn't realise that (and I live in Perth). I'll try and think up a different term.

I'm on the other side of the planet, but I get the impression that the term can still get you in a fight if said to the wrong people in the wrong way.  Or maybe not, it may not be as offensive as some terms.  OTOH, it might have been almost completely unknown in the 1920s and 30s US when your vigilante was active, and it does have the right sound to have been a supranym back then.

 

If he were to adopt a new supranym post-rejuvenation, perhaps "Deacon" or "Deacon Jonesboro" would suit?  Perhaps he caught some religion in his prison term, and it would be an obvious and on-the-nose choice if you wanted to nod toward the real-world Deacons for Defense & Justice - they were active over thirty years later than him, but he would have seen and heard about them in the news.  He was probably only in his 60s or 70s at that point (and might even have been inspired to another breakout to "help") and the Alzheimer's wouldn't have taken hold yet.

[Sundog]

Makes sense. And given the change in times, I'll say he changed his supranym to Purifying Flame.

[Rich McGee]

Seems apropos.  Nice counterweight to the tendency for RPGs to make KKK-themed villains who have fire-user motifs.  I can think of at least three of them over the years in various systems.

[Quackhell]

Grimstone

 

Miles Stone was a struggling actor attempting to make it big in Hollywood in the the 60s, but he never did. Instead he would find success as a producer and eventually started a successful studio in Milestone Pictures. A string of box office bombs in the mid 80s led him to make a gamble. He leveraged his remaining assets in create a suit of power armor and used it to create a hero to build a franchise around. He cast a young up and coming actor and former stuntman Cameron Cross in the role and Silverstone was born. Cross had some success against some low level street crime, but he needed a worthy nemesis. Stone had a similar suit of power armor made and wore it himself as Grimstone. He loved getting to use his acting skills as the over the top character and it fed his ego. He committed some minor crimes to build up his reputation before setting up a battle with Silverstone. Unfortunately the armor Cross wore malfunctioned and he was killed. The entire ruse was exposed and Stone was ruined and arrested. His reputation was destroyed.

 

After serving his time he spiraled into depression and this became anger. He used some connections he had made in prison and set up a heist to retrieve his confiscated armor. He operated with mild success at first, but ultimately fell to various heroes. He ended up a bitter broken man when Timelapse made his offer. 

 

Now young and granted a second chance he created a new identity and returned to Hollywood to once again rule the industry. However, the game had changed. He was lost in the current world of entertainment, a young face, but a head full of old ideas and ideals. He was crushed. He turned back to the only thing he knew he could still do...play the villain.

[death tribble]

That is six, one over the minimum. do we continue or do people want a new team ?

[Rich McGee]

I have one more for the Wicked Revival before you check out:

 

The Kansas Kid

Born in 1965, Jerry Simon was the youngest of Timelapse's candidates, having made quite a name for himself in his brief criminal career back in the Seventies.  He was just a vanilla FISS - high end, but without any extras or tricks - and no genius when it came to planning crimes, but what made him stand out from the crowd was his age.  Unlike most supers his powers manifested early, with his first flight at three years old and able to throw a car half a block by the time he should have been in kindergarten.  His family tried home schooling with assistance from both the government and several adult heroes, but Jerry never came close to learning how to handle "normal" social interactions and essentially never developed a sense of empathy or restraint.  Not his fault, but after he crippled his own parents in a tantrum at age seven they turned him over to his superpowered mentors in hopes they could control him and keep others safe.

 

They couldn't.  His powers grew stronger as he aged, and in 1974 his first public crime spree wrecked a fair number of buildings in Topeka when he decided he wanted to go out and play.  The year after, while his legal status was still being debated, he nearly beat one of his heroic "babysitters" to death and fended off four others.  He then vanished into the criminal underworld in the aftermath, assisted by several supervillains who assumed they could easily exploit the ten-year old powerhouse for their own schemes.  They met with some success in that regard, but Jerry was growing (albeit not maturing, socially) fast and was soon following his own whims, with other villains and thugs tagging along in hopes of picking up some loot in the process.  For nearly eight years the underage supervillain was an erratic terror throughout the American heartlands, operating as the Kansas Kid. 

 

His win record against various heroes was one of the best on the planet, partly because his age and well-known backstory caused many of them to hesitate, and partly because he played rough.  Lethally rough, in several cases.  There was talk about forming a super-posse to take him in, and open concern that if he was this powerful as teenager whose powers grew year after year he might be unstoppable as an adult.  Legal considerations and misplaced public sympathy delayed coordinated action...and then the problem solved itself.

 

Jerry had been a late bloomer when it came to puberty, entering it around 14 as far as anyone can tell by guesswork (and his cracking voice during fights).  By 18 he'd reached the end of it and was properly an adult, both physically and legally - but when a group of heroes finally came to deal with him, they found his powers fading fast and completely gone long before his various trials were even over.  Whatever had granted him abilities so young had peaked and then gone away almost overnight, never to return.

 

The court system treated him gently, all things considered.  He was never properly imprisoned, instead undergoing over two decades of mandatory psychiatric care intended to finally instill an adult sense of responsibility and some kind of conscience in the man who had been the Kansas Kid.  This was followed by assistance in fitting into society as a mundane human, and even protection against the not-inconsiderable number of former victims and survivors of those he'd killed who thought he deserved much worse than he's gotten.  It was clear that the superheroic community felt they'd failed him, and the society around him - but none of that changed him much.  When Timelapse came to recruit him he was am embittered 58 year old bachelor, friendless, unemployable, living on disability payments and seething with rage against the world that had given him such power and then unjustly taken it away.

 

Timelapse gave him his youth back and his powers came with it, but the temporal villain only reverted him to about age sixteen.  The Kansas Kid is back and at his peak, but he knows from past experience he's got at most two years before everything comes crashing down again.  This has made him by far the most motivated of Timelapse's new agents, and Jerry is desperate to prove himself useful so that he can get another taste of youth and power before his time runs out.  He's still a narcissistic sociopath and struggles to stay on mission rather than succumb to his violent revenge fantasies, but puts his best show of sycophantic obedience on when in Timelapse's presence.  He might very well try to eliminate any of the other de-aged villains whom he decides are showing him up and making him look bad in front of his savior.  Despite having a whole new life ahead of him, being young and powerless again is a worse prospect than death to the Kansas Kid.       

Edited December 25, 2023 by Rich McGee