Chekhov's Gun First Barrel (WRECKED)

[coriolis]

spoiler preview block -- prediction -- wild-ass guess -- spoiler preview block -- prediction -- wild-ass guess -- spoiler preview block -- prediction -- wild-ass guess -- spoiler preview block -- prediction -- wild-ass guess

My prediction: Declan Jade is The Vigilante. 2017 edit: this disposed of with ringing f--king finality

Why?

Blond hair at crime scene.

Silhouette of darkness -- direct contrast to Illumina's glory.

2014 edit: With alternate-Val as The Dark having a powerset almost identical to The Vigilante, it shows that The Vigilante is 1) a direct foil for Illumina's power-set and 2) suggests that, regardless of universe, The Dark needs to be someone close to -- or with a connection to -- Mack to fulfill that role.

Declan's death could have been faked (or somehow prevented. Healed by Shangri-La?) Par for the course, in a comic-book universe. 2017 edit: this much turned out to be true at least. And Declan was a villian, just not THE villian I thought he was

It's a reasonable assumption that DNA samples are part of the hero registration process. If Val found a blond hair, I'm sure the crime scene techs did too, and I'm guessing that the police forensics lab just made the DNA match (it doesn't happen in an hour, like on NCIS). The award ceremony is being used as a cover for discreet consultation with/debriefing the parents about the accident. EDIT 4 June 2014: no usable DNA from the hair. So, the Vigilante's ID is still safe.

[davidj]

That could work, although it raises the question of why someone who could easily get a license wouldn't.

[joe]

I considered that myself, but I never thought of the blond hair (good call). The only reason I thought of it was because I thought it was Illumina for the longest time but when you find out she has a brother it only makes sense with the shadow, but I didn't put together half of the stuff you did. The reason I think he would stay vigilante is to avoid any red tape of the Hero agency, kind of like the Boondock Saints. Hmm..., if I could request an "In the meanwhile comic" I would love to see Val and illumina in black coats, with a gun in each hand, smoking like a chimney. Agent grey could play the part of Agent Smecker.

[joe]

And they would need to the the prayer thing if they were going to do the executioner thing to somebody.

[formerly]

I always assumed the vigilante was the Reverend... I forgot about the blond hair though. That complicates matters.

[davidj]

The only thing pointing at the Reverend was the total lack of anything pointing at the Reverend. Wrong hair, no indication of superpowers, even when attacked, no revealed motive.

I was kidding when I originally proposed an Illumina alternate personality for the vigilante on the grounds that she is the only character with long blonde hair, and someone with control over light might be be able to create darkness.

But the brother is obviously also going to be blond, and likely has similar powers, but better. So he has the means and the opportunity. And he has motive. If he is deliberately keeping the fact of his survival secret, then his engaging in "unlicensed" heroics can be explained by presenting his license being something that would blow his cover.

[formerly]

He does have the strange secret room that he wont explain to Coldfire, and does seem somewhat familiar with the cast.

There's really nothing on the vigilante being possibly the brother, except for one long blond hair found at one of the scenes.

The powers aren't even really that similar. There's not even really any reason his powers should be similar to Illumina's at all, given that hers doesn't seem to be all that related to her parents. Also, opposites aren't really much of a relation. If there is some co-relation based family, I would expect it to be more similar, rather than stark contrast.

Also, you would think that Illumina would have recognized the description of "shadows and blue light." if it was her brothers power.

[davidj]

Champion is a totally generic name that gives no hint of her powers. Centrifuge suggests a spinning flyer, or a telekinetic. Or both.

[Tyris]

Mar 24, 2013 18:01:13 GMT -5 davidj said:

That could work, although it raises the question of why someone who could easily get a license wouldn't.

Being legally dead is sometimes an advantage, but it makes licensing a smidge tricky.

Mar 29, 2013 0:53:30 GMT -5 formerly said:

Also, you would think that Illumina would have recognized the description of "shadows and blue light." if it was her brothers power.

A near-death / trans-death experience is a good excuse for altering powers.

[paranoidspy]

I thought it was Illumina too. Either she had a split-personality thing she didn't know about, or she would sneak off to do her own thing just to prove to herself she could, and keep up the vapid Illumina as a front because it was expected of her. That theory seems to have lost some water recently, so I'll go with the Declan idea.

[davidj]

Mar 29, 2013 0:53:30 GMT -5 formerly said:

Also, you would think that Illumina would have recognized the description of "shadows and blue light." if it was her brothers power.

Only if that was how her brother used his (presumed) light powers before. Illumina is not good at thinking of creative applications of her powers and so could be easily deceived by other people using their powers creatively. And Illumina doesn't have a suspicious mind. Her brother is dead so of course he couldn't be the vigilante.

[coriolis]

I think it likely that Declan would have found the parental expectations (and possible literal helicoptering) to be suffocating. He may have also figured Mack would never reach her true potential being the junior partner beside him. Without his "tragic death", she may even have been relegated to sidekick-hood -- and just think how the parents would have reacted to that! Unless Mack really *is* technically sidekick-grade, and the parents called in some favors to "fix" that. He may actually have her best interests at heart. Hasn't worked out; she's still more than a little crushed by her "failure" to measure up, in her parent's eyes.

There's also what he's doing as the Vigilante; society's best interests are also being served, even if they don't realize/like it. It fits with the Vigilante persona, being an absolute prick, in both respects, for noble reasons. The shadow-self is significant; in terms of personal expression, he may have felt wrapped up in the shadow of his parent's reputation.

It's kind of a trope, but not a bad one, which is how it was recognizable. There are still so many ways this could play out; looking forward to it.

[tower015]

So are you saying you KNOW that Declan is The Vigilante for a fact, or you are speculating based on evidence in the comic?

[davidj]

Did you notice words like "my prediction", "if" and "I think it likely"?

[tower015]

May 18, 2013 23:57:54 GMT -5 davidj said:

Did you notice words like "my prediction", "if" and "I think it likely"?

No, I did, but I also saw the word "spoiler" blasted and was a bit confused by what you meant. Also, I was asking coriolis, not you - sorry if there was a miscommunication, unless you are both people - in that case I was asking "you" and still saw the words "if", "prediction", "theory" and "spoiler". Since this is all text, I can't help but get the impression that you are taking my question as hostile when it was not meant to be. I also appreciate the way you simultaniously didnt answer a simple question but took enough effort to plug your one sentence response with condescension.