Subjects. Unruly subjects, but still subjects.
Well, I mean, Grayhawk is probably paying for the taxes on that food for the people they have sheltered in hideouts. So maybe Supreme Leader isn’t all wrong…
Subjects. Unruly subjects, but still subjects.
Well, I mean, Grayhawk is probably paying for the taxes on that food for the people they have sheltered in hideouts. So maybe Supreme Leader isn’t all wrong…
Tfw you accidentally carve out a sovereign state.
So is the big bad gonna blow up the bridge or is he too arrogant for that.
I”m not entirely sure this isn’t to the big guy’s plan. think about what it must be like, having to wrangle supervillains and keep them organized and focused for any length of time, and then, consider the joys of electric lights, running water, and working sewer systems.
Especially to a being that MIGHT actually be old enough to remember when those things weren’t widely available. the products of modern society (utilities, sanitation, conveniences) that we all take for granted were science fiction or unattainable wealth even for the highest of society for literally THOUSANDS of years.
Villains are pretty good at breaking that stuff, they’re not known to be particularly good at making it keep working, and eventually “Villain City” is going to break down or run out of things like “food that isn’t half rotten or made of rats’ working sewage and garbage service, and running water. A ruler wants to be comfortable, just like everyone else wants to be comfortable, and that takes some force of order that can make your infrastructure actually work, and some means to interact with the outside world that isn’t going to result in valium-flavored pizza and a military invasion.
Having a “Hero” (Vigilante, Villain) working inside your “Den of Iniquity” and being SEEN working there, can make a difference in KEEPING some of those modern conveniences (running water, working sewer, garbage removal, electric lighting, gas for stoves) operating, both by focusing the other villains on the threat, and providing a safety valve to stall retaliation by forces you don’t control.
Nobody wants to live in a shithole, including the people who made it one.
One of the theories is that our Supreme leader is Succubus working through a projection – she gets demonic powers through wahey, and she was the most capable villain against Superior Man because she was given superspeed hohay. If she is in a position of influencer or leader she might still have those resources.
Sometimes if someone’s superpower is overexercised it grows stronger – like exercising muscles, but for superpowers. If your superpower is fixing stuff or manifesting food for people or generating a massive field of positive, balanced mood around you then this is a good thing. If your superpower is something like calling rain it might be a good thing (you’d just need to go where people need rain and be paid big bucks to not go on holiday). If your superpower is demonic powers, whatever their catalyst, then it is so far from okay it can see the curvature of the Universe.
Ultimately all we know about the Supreme Leader is: Floaty Fire Skull, Body is Probably Just a Statue for Decoration, Going Easy on Kickman, Demonic Powers. Those last two could fit Succubus well, but the Supreme Leader could as easily be an evil version of Skullwick who is trying a Villain City Assimilation Gambit on Kickman, with the intent to destroy him if that doesn’t work.
The Villain City Ruler obviously wants the City to sieve out all the Supervillains that aren’t up to grade through competitive examination. Kickman is just catalysis for that and a potential asset. I’m worried though because our Villain leader is a total unknown and has probably won the Superpower lottery – Matt is unlikely to have intel for the fight, and Kickman doesn’t have invulnerability which is bad for our heroes.
Our heroes may be able to beat that fight, but I think wherever our Villains are being taken to, they are being pumped for information, and I’m worried that no-one knows what the Villain City Leader’s weaknesses are. A blessed chime, holy water and lots of sacred symbols tend to work well but that really needs a trained priest because these artifacts need faith as a power source. They could be in serious trouble.