Conspiracy Theories

I was reading the background of the 'Vengence' Baron Blade and something caught my eye...

"... his most dasterdly invention: the regression seurm... He went through a hundred test subjects with a 0% survival rate. Baron Blade was getting desperate until he recieved reports from one of his testing facilities that one plucky test subject had not only survived, but had actually devolped rudimentary physical powers as a result! This was a great breakthrough but, came with a notable setback. The subject had escaped the testing facility.

After a frustering lack of luck in reapproating the subject..."

This got me thinking about Rook City, specifically Spite. (snipit plagurized from the book below)

"... He was offered a deal: volunteer as test specimen for a secret project by Pike Industeries and have his sentence commuted to life imprisonment. Donovan and a number of other prisoners were subjected to a series of experimental drugs and mutagens, which killed most of the subjects in the first test. Donovan not only survived the tests, he flourished, granting him terrible strength and power by the chemicals in his system. He escaped the lab, but was overwhelmed with hunger and need. As Spite, he continues killing more and more victims and breaking into Pike Labratories to ingest coruptive substances."

and from the website

"Offical Note: With the destruction of the Barzakh wing, please destory this testing log and all other testing logs from that wing. Also, report all subjects from R.C. Penitentary as 'lost, unrecoverable' and stop any additional transfers."

My questions: Did The Chairman create Spite with the help of Baron Blade? Did Baron Blade actually create Spite, using Pike Labs? Is there another Spite running around the Multiverse?

Anyone else have theories? Let's hear 'em.

I hate to leave such a short post, but Setback is the character that is refered to in Vengeance Baron Blade's back story.

Interesting theory, but yeah, Ronway's right. Check out Setback's bio: "Turns out, that medical testing was run by some chap named Baron Blade."

But it is quite possible that Spite was in a program of Baron Blade, just not his regression serum tests.

It could also be F.I.L.T.E.R. or some experimentation by Pike on his stuff.  It will be interesting to see if the story ever goes into more on that.

I've got a pretty good conspiracy theory, unrelated to Baron Blade, but it'll have to wait until February...

I saw the reverse side of Freedom Six Wraith for the first time today, and I was struck by how much his costume there reminded me of Vengeance Blade's outfit (visible on the Vengeance box cover, as well as on Positive Energy Field in the Realm of Discord).  Same colors, very similar pattern.  Not sure how this dovetails with the knowledge that Spite died and was raised as a zombie by Gloomweaver, though.

Well, apparently all the incap sides are 100% canon, so they DO all happen at some point. Given that the Freedom 6 happen in a different timeline, though, I would guess that the Agent of Gloom and BaronSpite are in separate timelines. It's possible (a theory I rather like, myself) that BaronSpite was -- in the Freedom 6 timeline -- never openly a villain, and even managed to BEFRIEND Wraith, before betraying her in the events depicted in her incap side picture.

why does the gloomweaver and spite promos have to be different timelines? Spite new bg clearly shows him being raised from the dead by Gloomweaver, and GW is an extrademensional entity that wasnt destroyed - just prevented from entering this universe.

Pike Industries is also part of the Chairmans stuff i believe, yes?

Because the Freedom Six exist in a separate timeline, and since BaronSpite is shown attacking Freedom Six Wraith, he must be in the same timeline as him.

But the Gloomweaver and Spite promos don't appear to have anything to do with the Freedom Six

It does not preclude him from exisiting in both though

…

Ah! I have just re-read your post, you are being confusicating! You are saying that Agent of Gloom Spite is in one timeline and that BaronSpite is in another, not that the new promos are only in the alternative Freedom Six timeline. That I can agree with.

As another theory, given that we are speculating on BaronSpite in the Iron Legacy timeline, history could now revere Baron Blade as a champion who saw the darkness inside Legacy long before it revealed itself to the world, and wearing his colours could be a way to honour the great man.

Villains are now seen as heroes, fighting against Iron Legacy and his quislings

Conspiracy theories are a thing I have plenty of!  Here are a bunch of them.

1. The Chairman is behind all the major events of the multiverse. I think that Pike is the driving force for the overarching plotline.  I think that he bankrolls the baron (as a distraction and a source of tech), provides chemicals, weapons, etc to pretty much everyone, and is constantly searching for new avenues for personal power. The guy is immortal (for a given value thereof), and I'm thinking that he's willing to destroy anyone and everyone else in his quest.  I wouldn't be surprised if he pops up again as the final bad guy, having attained cosmic-level power.  If there is ANYONE willing to sell out the earth, turn it into grey goo, or upload his brain, its going to be Pike.

2. Mr Fixer is blind.  None of his cards depict his eyes (they are either covered by the hat, or in shadow), and his new costume has no eye holes. this also explains why the Chairman revealed himself to Fixer in "Undivided Attention".  He knew that even if Fixer survived, he would not be able to provide a physical description 

3. Mr Fixer was killed (for a  given value thereof) by the operative.  He was kept barely alive by the Chairman as a bargaining chip, should other heroes come calling.  He spent a lot of time in that place between life and death. 

4. The other members of Dark Watch were the ones that took down the Operative (probably assisted by Parse, given the arrows sticking out of the Operative).  Pike made a deal to escape by giving them back Mr. Fixer.  This could possibly explain why Mr. Fixer looks younger, and the "bitter" part of Bitter Strike.  

5. It is also possible that DW Fixer is a clone, grown in the biomimetic plasma vat. This could satisfy the statement that "if we ever see him without his hat, he's dead.

6. The Operative is Brave Thiago's mother. 

7. Thiago is going to become Legacy (in name, if not power) when Pauline decides not to continue the Legacy name.  It is entirely possible that Paul Parsons will also take on a new name, thus satisfying the statement that "there is only one Legacy"

8. Chrono-ranger is stuck in a time loop where he becomes plague rat.  I know that there are a bunch of reasons that this doesn't work, but I like this too much to give it up!

9. Expatriette and Setback are an item as of Dark Watch.

9. Expatriette is developing powers, and her story is a 3-parter.

The first part is her with no powers, being driven away and experiencing prejudice.  We see her getting a thrill from taking down super-powered people because of how they treated her.  

The second part is the Dark Watch Expat.  She's started to think that she has some sort of powers, but doesn't know their full extent.  she certainly seems ridiculously hard to kill, and might even be coming back from the dead.  she starts to re-evaluate the thrill she gets from taking down super-powered people (since she knows many good ones, and might be one herself).  She becomes more thoughtful and hangs back to prepare instead of charging ins guns blazing (the shift from playing an extra card to aiming and sniper rifles).  She also starts a relationship with Setback, and sees someone who (like herself) obviously has SOME sort of power.  They help each other, and compliment each other's weaknesses. 

The third part is yet to come.  I think that Expat needs to confront Dawn on even terms, in the full bloom of her power.  It seems like an important plot point for Dawn to see that she COULD have had the daughter that she always wanted (in terms of power), but drove her away with thesame kind of prejudices that Dawn experienced in her own childhood.

At least thats what I think.

You're wrong about some things and right about other things and close to wrong but not entirely wrong about a few things and close to right but not quite there about a few others.

Hope this helps!

*smoke bomb*

 I do like the "Fixer is blind" idea. 

1. Think Pike has a toe dipped into FILTER as well? RevoCorp? I do not think he will be the final bad guy, far from it. But he probably is well aware of everything thats going on. He is a lvl 4 villain on par with Matriarch (whom Christopher hinted has some massive potentially unknown power) and Iron Legacy. Chairman Pike has an Ace up his sleave yet.

2. I don't think he is blind. But I guess he could be. I think the cowl covering his eyes is more of a martial art convention. How offten do we see martial arts masters in media blind fold themselves to become more intune with their surroundings? There could be other rational behind the cowl besides covering a disability, but anythings possible at this point.

3. I think safe to assume at this point that the Opperative did indeed dispatch Fixer. But I strongly disagree with Chairman having anythign to do with keeping him alive. I am firmly in the camp that the Dragon/Chinese Master is behind Fixer's resurection. The Why/How of that is impossible to say, but the circumstansial evidence is pretty compelling (and even more compelling still if you want to include vengeance stuff, but not nessesary I dont think).

4. The Dark Watch seem to have a more supernatural focus. I imagined the Operative was dispatched well before the Dark Watch was ever founded. With all the arrows in her back, though, Parse might have killed her. Though that feels like it would be extreamly out of place for Parse. But we know next to nothign about her morals. Not too many characters use arrows either. I assume Chrono's Composite Bow doesnt shoot arrows right? Right??

5. Could be a clone. Could also be just sorta undead? If Spite is the walking dead, maybe Fixer exists in the same fashion.

6. Certainly possible!

7. He won't become Legacy. He is not of the bloodline, so he would never be a true Legacy. His shirt having Legacy's symbol isnt what is important with Thiago. It's the drive/need/desire to BE a superhero that is whats important to take away. Thiago 100% has a larger role to play, and I fully expect him to become a real hero at some point. It wont be under the Legacy name though.

8. Funny idea. Would be really sad if his fate was predetermined and there was no way to get out of it. 

9. This is very compelling. There is every reason in the world to think that Expat indeed has some sort of power, even if she doesnt know it.

Legacy is as much about standing up for what is right, being a leader, and a symbol for courage as having powers.  I think that Thiago has those qualities in spades.  If the Operative is his mother, its entirely possible that he'll have access to powers later on.  I'll stand by my theory.

the Operative and Mr. fixer  both have the same tattoo- the dragon.  The operative has it coiled around her arm in red, Fixer has it over his scar in blue. 

While this could signify some sort of dragon-inspired resurrection, there are other possibilities. 

1. It signifies that both of them have fought the dragon (literally), and gained power in the process.

We've seen that Fixer has a card depicting a fight against the dragon.  Perhaps fighting it gave him strength/vigor/life?

2. It signifies that both of them have fought the dragon (metaphorically), and are part of a secret society.

It could be that once you've attained a certain mastery of the martial arts, you have to face your fears and figure out what is most important to you.  this fight can take many forms.

For the operative, it was a literal fight (in that she prizes strength above all), and so when she emerged triumphant (this could easily be the fight depicted on her character card, or her surviving the fight depicted on her incap), she gained physical power and a tattoo on the arm (to signify outer strength).

For Mr fixer, it was an internal fight, in that his greatest failure was walking away from the Operative when she was a child and giving up for many years. (signified in that the fight against the dragon takes place in a featureless void).  It was a fight between letting go and dying, or accepting that there was much left to do and he couldn't walk away again.  In winning, he gained a measure of his lost youth back, and a tattoo of the dragon over his scar (to remind him of his greatest failure).  

To people, sure. But Legacy wasn't simply chosen by the first Legacy. It was picked because of the enscription on the ring "Furthering your father's legacy". The name Legacy is passed down, much like the Legacy ring, as a way to carry on their ancestor's truimphs. I can't see them passing down a family heierloom, just because they encountered someone who tarnished the name in another timeline.

There is also the fact that on Sentinel Tactics, Legacy is still seen wearing the Lantern and the Legacy ring. He's still very much Legacy.

Actually, he's wearing two rings.  Both of which appear to be the same.  Its entirely possible that he'll continue to use the symbol, and wear the ring...just under a different name. 

One is on his wedding finger, so it would be a wedding band. So you think he is wearing the Legacy Ring and don the Legacy lantern, yet no longer be Legacy?

Edit: Plus he is still being refered to as Legacy in Sentinel Tactics.

I'm very much with you on the metaphoric side of the tattoo.

A few things. The Operative, more than likely, has the tattoo before the events of her incapp side (whatever that may entail).

The dragon tattoo absolutly signals a significant connection between Fixer, Opperative, and his "resurection". It also probably speaks to the deeper nemesis connection between Fixer and the Chairman/Opperative, which currently is pretty paper thin. 

I really want to connect this Chinese Master/Dragon dude with the Chinese Master mentioned in Nightmists bio. You know, the one that taught her all about the mists, her curse, and her power. 

At some point, the Operative might have trained under this Master. He could have his own dojo (similar to Fixer's in a way) where he trains assasins and all that good stuff. I'm having imagry of a Kill Bill Vol.1 kinda deal with the crazy 88. Lots of fighters. The Operative might very well be a disiple of this Master (in addition to her day job of running security for the Chairman). How the Operative dies and the reasons for why the Master would want to bring back Fixer is a total mystery. Keep in mind, this Master and Fixer do not look like friends. They fought before the resurection.

After Fixer dies (by the Operatives hand), Fixer might very well have found peace in the afterlife. Meditation, I think, hints at this. I believe the art for that card is intentially hyper-stylized (more so than normal) to represent that enlightened state. Taking Fixer out of this inner peace of the afterlife could very well have sinister intentions, especially if the dude/dragon has particular reach into the underworld (my current speculation says he does). And he probably brings Fixer back just in time to see his own friends and allies kill the Operative. His old student. Someone who Fixer had let down and now there is no fix for this. That could turn even the most stout of heros bitter. 

Actually, I think that they are both Legacy rings. One is his own, the other is Iron Legacy's.  One is to remind himself of all the good he'd done, the other is to remind himself of all the evil that he COULD do.

Remember how Miss Information used to be called by a different name?   

Maybe he still calls himself Legacy, but Pauline rejects it. 

Maybe he calls himself "Watchtower" or "Lighthouse" or "Sentinel" or "Lamplighter" or "Patriarch" or "Scion" or something.  What I'm saying is that he's seen the absolute worst that could happen as a result of the focus on living to improve the family name.  That kind of thing could change him.

I like that a lot. Never thought of it that way.

He is still called Legacy though. Thats pretty much a stone hard fact

So you suspect Legacy went to Iron legacy's timeline, dug up his alternate timeline daughter's grave, took the ring from said grave. Put that on his wedding finger to represent marriage is evil?

As far as I am concerned, Miss Information was always Miss Information. Sure there was a brief time she was being refered to as the assistant, but inside the comic-verse, I don't think she even refered to herself as being as The Assisstant in a villain way.

Even if Pauline rejects the name Legacy, I don't think he would pass it onto another individual. The name would most likely be retired.

Well, the ring could have been found by one of the other F5 members prior to the actual burial. Like Bunker, who understood the significance, went to try and talk his friend down from the edge, and ended up being IL's first victim.

Or it could belong to Grandpa Legacy, duplicated through complicated timey-wimeyness. 

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. 

I think the colors on the dragon tattoos are very important. Red and blue are opposites... let's jump into chinese culture. I know red is a good color in chinese myths, what is blue? That might give us some insight.

Also, where are we getting this whole "Setback and Expat" relationship thing? She doesn't seem like the type to go for someone as goofy as setback's bio makes him seem. She's too serious to be able to stand him I'd say.

Just to step in and make a correction here: both dragon tattoos are the same color. They're blue.

Sorry to rain on anyone's parade.

Nope, I'm wrong about the colors.  The operative's tattoo is also blue.

As for why they are together- Expat is super-serious, focused, and driven.  Setback rolls with whatever life gives him, but doesn't have the most direction.  He helps her relax, she helps him stay focused.  

Expat comes from a really, really screwed up family dynamic.  She has severe trust issues when it comes to people with powers.  Setback doesn't even acknowledge that he HAS powers (things just happen, you know?) in his bio, and he's had a really hard life (including being shot by his to-be girlfriend). 

They've both spent a ton of time building up walls, denying that they have any powers, and keeping other people at a distance to keep them from getting hurt.  They both have a lot of growing up to do.  Maybe it was love at first shock, maybe it was when Setback got up and told her that it was OK, those kinds of things happened (and genuinely meant it).  Maybe it was later, after they both saw that there was someone a LOT deeper than their original impressions. 

I doubt its a super low maintenance relationship, but I think there could be a lot of love there.

I question the assertion that someone who is serious and focused can't be in love with someone. Even someone somewhat unfocused and unserious, like Setback.

1.  Pike is a major player, and I wouldn't doubt he is involved with F.I.L.T.E.R., or Baron Blade, but I doubt anyone knows it.  We have to remember that it isn't just Pike, anything called "The Organization" is no minor player.  Who knows what the final goal of the organization is, or how far  and powerful it is, we can't even be sure Pike is the actual head of it.

2.  I agree.  Fixer is blind.

3.  I like this.  Maybe not The chairman, maybe the plot is complicated, but something kept Fixer alive, and I wouldn't doubt that the cost of his life is more than he would have been willing to allow to be paid.  He is living when he should be dead, and he has a debt to repay the Bitter Strike has a reason behind it.  Also he has thrown himself into fighting crime, he isn't holding back and he isn't lying low.

4-6.  No opinions on these.

7.  Thiago I think has a much darker future than that.  I want him to be Setback, but I don't think that will hold up, haven't researched it but I don't htink it is the case.

8.   don't think Chrono Ranger is Plague Rat, I think he makes him, not intentionally, but I think he causes Plague Rat, and Plague Rat causes Chrono, they live in a Causality loop.  That's my theory.

9.  Expat and powers, I've been a firm member of the Expat has powers camp since I found out she didn't and played her deck.  She's my favorite hero, so I'm all about her having a big role in the story, but I don't think her powers ever get too big, It would defeat the character, but something subtle that has helped her pull off all the stuff she does without her even knowing about it at first.  I could see Setback and her being an item, but man, I don't think she would handle working too closely with him very well, she is tactical and has her own methods, someone screwing up her plans just by having bad luck doesn't seem like something she would appreciate, and I bet winning because he went super lucky suddenly would really piss her off.  I see their interaction being Setback causing havoc by being himself, and Expat out on the fringe taking advantage.  Unless this promo of Setback is much more stable than his original, in which case I'm all on board with the relationship, as I could see that kind of a thing happening and changing both of them.

I also wonder if the villain in her bio will ever show up.

I don't think the villain in Ex-Pat's bio will show up. We're not entirely sure when in the timeline Ex-Pat's bio is, and so that character might be dead before most of the major baddies even show up. Also, if he could get killed by one person in a one on one duel, I don't know how effective he could be versus a team even as a henchmen.

For the most part, it's hard to either agree or disagree with most of the theories due to the lack of information. I can see Setback and Ex-Pat being an item, but like Phantaskippy, I don't have much of an opinion on it.

I do agree the Chairman has a hand in most of the conflict of the multiverse and I wouldn't be surprised if he was at least indirectly responsible for the experiments that created Spite.

I think we're going to be hearing a lot more from FILTER very soon. There's more there than we've been told.

I am not convinced by the idea of Legacy wearing two Legacy rings and have a question for those that do believe it is so

If the two rings are both Legacy rings, then where is Legacy's actual wedding ring? And why would he wear the second LR on his wedding finger?

One of the Legacy rings was altered to be a nipple ring or something other.

I've no idea where his wedding ring is. Have we ever seen him wearing it?  Do we know for sure that he's married, or (if so) if his wife is alive?

As far as I can remember, the only time that Pauline's mother has ever been mentioned was in a comment by Christopher that said her name was "Mrs. Parsons".

The simple answer is that one is a wedding ring and the other is his Legacy ring. But since this is a place for conspiracy theories, (and lacking any hard proof to substantiate anything) I choose to believe that they are BOTH Legacy rings.  He wears his Legacy ring as a wedding band (since it is a family heirloom), and Iron Legacy's/grandpa Legacy's on the other hand for remembrance. 

When writing the radio play pilot scripts, I asked Christopher about Legacy's wife. She exists and even has a name.

Wait, so Beardy Ra is actually Legacy??  The Ennead really is nasty.

Legacy’s wife is also mentioned as ‘using a lot of bleach’ in the Letters section of the Freedom Five comic.

The NippLegacy ring took off to have adventures with Ra's nipple, actually. They're a happy couple, living in Guam, with two cats named Albert and Prince.

Aw, so it's a happy love story, that is good.

And here I was worried that it was going to get wierd.

Huh, so both tattoos are blue? With no red dragon tattoo?  Well, I think that shoots down my Tian Lan Long hypothesis....

Maybe the color blue doesn't hold any special mean for the tattoo? It is easier to see in the art than black would have been.