Pariah

New Topic: Three Songs about the Past, Present, and Future

Revenge, as David Xanatos says, is a sucker's game. But the best revenge is victory!

When in Rome, as the saying goes. (Sounds like something Maxima might have said.)

Mother of Hades.

I don't know that USA-Canada is that big a rivalry. They slaughter us at ice hockey, and we slaughter them at pretty much everything else. All in all, we're pretty good neighbors.

Oh, and let's have a couple of songs for Juggernaut and Gold Star. For Juggernaut: And for Goldstar:

Oddly enough, I tried to go for someone a little obscure. I opted not to take the obvious one. Funny how these things work.

As a Public Service Announcement: Spaceknight armor is not eligible for this round. The More You Know.TM All right then, moving on to Plan . . . what is it by now? Plan G? H? Whatever. In Round 4, Spectrum chooses: Goldstar (Michelle Carter) From the appropriate article: And now back the Captain America and the Psy-chos! (PM on the way.)

A car sponsored by Oreo cookies. It could be called the Oreo Speedwagon.

Is Australia's rivalry with New Zealand a big deal?

...as replacements for characters who get rebooted.

...and we'll probably see a few of them [ring slingers, that is] in the next two rounds.

Star Sapphire! Why didn't I think of her? (Because I'm a yutz, that's why.)

Assume nothing, friend. Seriously, I had a list of primary and secondary characters (and tertiary, in some cases) all laid out when this thing started. I have yet to draft anyone from that list.

Kinda like Hermit. I kid, I kid. Hermit is an upstanding fellow and an all-around great guy.

He was a member of Excalibur for a while. Photographic evidence: Speaking of which, Captain Britain . . . .

Captain Marvel, Tigra, and Marvel Girl sat in the luxurious conference room at PariahCom headquarters. They chatted idly, but there was an undercurrent of unease between them. Carol was especially concerned. It wasn't unprecedented for him to consult with her about the picks for the team--he'd done it on several occasions, in fact--but to bring in the whole team . . . well, that was new. The phone rang, and Carol answered it. "Thank you all for joining me today. I apologize for gathering you all so early on a Sunday morning." "We knew the job was dangerous when we took it," Greer replied, hoping to sound lighthearted. She didn't. "What's up, boss man?" "You've all been watching this draft unfold," he continued. "I'd like to hear your thoughts, especially on the current round." Jean spoke. "It's troubling. Emma Frost, Victor von Doom, Magneto. It's a power grab." "When Thor, the Hulk, and Ben Grimm were among the early picks, I was afraid this would turn into an arms race," Carol observed. "And let's not forget about Darth [redacted] Vader," Greer added. "How are we supposed to hold our own against guys like that?" "You can, and you will," the voice on the other end of the line reassured them. "I have all confidence in your skills and abilities." "Even though some of us weren't your first choice?" "Listen carefully: Each of you was MY choice. I didn't pick you at random to fulfill some kind of bizarre quota system. I chose you because I felt you gave this team the best chance to win." After a moment of silence, he continued. "And that's why I called you all together this morning. Carol, you and I have discussed a number of people to add to the team. You've done outstanding research and given me important feedback. But in light of the recent draft picks, I wanted to let you know there's another option on the table. I wanted to know what the three of you thought." This is going to be bad, Carol thought. No point in picking at the bandage, best just to rip it off. "Who do you have in mind?" He told them. There was immediately a firestorm of discussion, raised voices and heated arguments. To his credit, he waited until everyone had calmed down to continue. "Well, that went a little better than I'd anticipated," he admitted. "I know he's not a perfect fit, but his power level is undeniable. He can stand against any of the heavy hitters we've seen drafted in the past few days. The question is this: Can the three of you work with him?" After a moment, Jean was the one to answer. "Have you talked to him about it? Is he willing to do it?" "Yes, I have, and yes, he is. He told me he has no problems with any of you--even you, Jean. He said you were never the one he was angry with." "Tactically, having him around could give us an advantage. Imagine having him as part of a team-up battle," Carol offered. "Plus, it's be kind of nice to have a big, strong man around," Greer purred. Carol and Jean looked at her incredulously. "What? You've got to admit, he's ripped." "Carol, I write the checks, but you're the real leader of this team. It's your decision. If you think he'll help us, I'll draft him. If you think he'll be more trouble than it's worth, we'll go back to one of the options we discussed. I'm comfortable with your decision either way." Carol looked at her teammates for confirmation. Each of them gave a nod of assent. "We can work with him. Make the call." In round number four, Spectrum selects: Juggernaut (Cain Marko) Over to you, Blue Cloud!

Hey, I'm a fun guy!

I should be home in the next hour or two. My pick will not come any sooner than that. Sorry for the delay.

And there goes my Color of Victory Round pick.

And Brainy. Let's not forget that.

Belligerent....

I'll take two.

Foxbat for President! Deadpool for VP! Platform? We don't need no stinking platform!