Saturn Girl
Encyclopedia
Saturn Girl is a fictional character
appearing in DC
comic book
s. A talented telepath
from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics
#247 (April 1958) as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
. Imra's "Saturn Girl" title refers to her homeworld of Titan
, the largest moon of the planet Saturn
.
There have been three versions of Imra since her original debut, separated by the events of both the Zero Hour
and Infinite Crisis
limited series.
of comics, 30th century Earth is a member of the United Planets and home to its military branch, the Science Police. The most talented telepath among a race of powerful mentalists, Imra left her homeworld of Titan to join the Science Police as a teenager. However, during her flight to Earth, an assassination attempt was made on the life of fellow passenger and billionaire R.J. Brande. Using her powers of telepathy, Imra discovered the plot, and, with the help of two other teenagers on board, Lightning Lad
and Cosmic Boy
, caught the assassin and saved Brande's life. At Brande's urging, she adopted the persona of Saturn Girl, and joined Lightning Lad and Cosmic Boy in founding the Legion of Super-Heroes - an organization of teenage heroes formed to honor the legacy of Superboy
. They traveled back to the 20th century and gave him a place on the team after he passed their tests. When Lex Luthor and the Legion of Super-Villains were about to kill Superman, Saturn Girl offered to die in his place, although a trick by Superman made Saturn Queen
save her.
As a Legionnaire, Imra gained a reputation for self-sacrifice; just prior to the leadership elections of 2975, she learned that a Legionnaire would die during an attack on Earth and decided to take on that responsibility herself. Using her telepathy, Imra forced the other Legionnaires to vote her leader and then ordered them not to use their powers during the attack. However, Lightning Lad defied her orders and took her place in death. Distraught over his selfless act of devotion, Imra vowed to do all in her power to bring him back. A method was soon developed which could revive Lightning Lad, but only at the cost of another member's life. Imra again interfered in the process to ensure hers was the life taken, but her plan was foiled by Proty
, the telepathic shape-shifting pet of Chameleon Boy
. Proty admired Imra and tricked her so that it could take her place. Upon Proty's death, Lightning Lad was restored. Despite this series of events, Imra's leadership was highly valued in the Legion, and her position as leader, despite its means of acquisition, was allowed to stand. She earned a second term the following year. As leader of the Legion, Saturn Girl was the first female comic book character to head a group of superheroes.
Romantically, Lightning Lad (Garth Ranzz) had pursued Imra for some time, but she had repeatedly rebuffed his advances. However, after he sacrificed his life for her own, she understood the depth of his feelings and came to realize that she returned them. After dating for almost ten years, Garth proposed marriage but Imra initially rejected his offer due to a Legion rule which forced married members to retire. After consulting with her mentors on Titan, however, Imra relented. However, the couple's retirement was short-lived; a few months after their marriage, war broke out in which all active Legionnaires were captured and the reserves were forced into action. Imra's telepathic skills were instrumental in the Legion's eventual victory, and as a result the rule barring married members was repealed. The Ranzzes returned to active duty until Imra gave birth to their son, Graym, after which they both retired in order to devote their energy to him. Unbeknown to the couple, however, Graym had a twin who was stolen at birth by Darkseid
and transported into the past, where he was transformed into the monster Validus
. Validus fought the Legion on numerous occasions (and even killed one of the comrades, the first Invisible Kid
), but was eventually returned as a normal infant to his parents by Darkseid at Imra's insistence.
Imra briefly rejoined the Legion again in 2987 when Universo took control of the Earth and hypnotized and imprisoned many heroes, including her. Imra's powerful mind broke free and eventually broke Universo's hold over Earth and forced him unconscious. It was then that she realized how much the Legion was in her blood, and she rejoined, this time without Garth, who was enjoying life as a father and househusband. However, during the "Five Year Gap", Earth's government became hostile to the Legion, and Garth became incapacitated from the Validus plague which ravaged his native Winath. Disillusioned by the government and feeling needed more at home, Imra resigned from the Legion for the last time in 2990. Returning to Winath, she and Garth took over running a Winathian Lightning Ring plantation, which became quite prosperous. Using their new-found wealth, Imra and Garth replaced their super-heroism with simple but necessary helping of others, feeding a galaxy suffering more from hunger than from super-villains. When the Legion re-formed in 2994, the Ranzzes helped them out, but did not rejoin. Instead, they enlarged their family with the birth of daughters Dacey & Dorritt, who inherited Imra's telepathic abilities.
series, Imra remained known as Saturn Girl, and a founder of the Legion along with Cosmic Boy and the renamed Live Wire
. Her design was changed from previous versions, combining some elements from past uniforms. The top and pants of her uniform are similar in design to her red & white uniform, but now colored pink instead of red, and has the familiar Saturn logo.
She was initially torn between her two fellow founders romantically, after she was left catatonic
from shutting down the Composite Man's mind; as her mentor Aven was only able to restore her to an infant-like state, she demanded Garth, and it was only after he told her he needed her that she was restored to normal.
Later, controversially, after half the Legion, herself included, were stranded in the past by the Emerald Eye
, she inadvertently awakens and is subsequently attacked by the misogynistic telepath known as Doctor Psycho
. As a result of the attack, Cosmic Boy was knocked comatose and Psycho destroyed barriers Aven had placed on her powers, increasing them considerably. As a result, Saturn Girl would unconsciously animate the comatose Cosmic Boy and almost married him in that state before her subconscious mind rebelled, turning Cos into Garth until she shut down the link and Cosmic Boy was properly awakened.
After Invisible Kid's
resignation, she became Legion leader, and stationed Garth as part of a second group of Legionnaires on a space-station known as the Legion Outpost to avoid the appearance of nepotism; this fact irritated him for some time until the three founders went on a mission together against a corrupt regime using their identities and the Legion's symbols to prop up his regime, during which they cleared the air. Shortly thereafter, Garth proposed to her and she assented.
Unfortunately, both of them were among a group of Legionnaires stranded in another galaxy (Legion Lost
) by a collapsing rift, during which time Imra also created a psychic projection of Apparition
to stabilize Ultra Boy
. When the deception was discovered, it severely strained her relationships with most of the other "Lost" Legionnaires. She resigned as leader, and soon thereafter Garth sacrificed himself to stop the mad Element Lad
and allow the others to return home safely.
On their return home, her mind was strained by what she had gone through, and returned to her home moon of Titan to undergo psychic therapy. Universo
then trapped her in an illusion where she had never impersonated Apparition, Element Lad was not a villain, and Live Wire had never died, to prevent her interfering as he absorbed most of the galaxy into a hivemind with himself at the center. Depressed and angry, when Sensor
broke her free, she used her anger to trap Universo in a similar illusion.
Shortly thereafter, when she and Cosmic Boy visited Element Lad's home planet of Trom, they found a resurrected Garth in a crystalline version of Element Lad's body, recreated from electrified crystals Spark had found and placed there. Uncertain of how to react to him, it was some time before they reconciled properly.
Imra's appearance has again changed slightly. Her new uniform is similar to her Post-Zero Hour uniform in design, but colored red instead of pink. This uniform is later changed again by M'rissey.
Imra has always been portrayed as cold, but this latest revamp further exaggerates this personality trait. She engages in emotional isolation, and has a very serious, introverted demeanor. This may, in part, be caused by shame over her muteness, which she managed to keep secret from the Legion (with the exception of Lightning Lad) for quite some time. In fact, Lightning Lad seems to be the only one Imra feels comfortable opening up to, (a nod to their Pre-Crisis relationship, and the basis for the revamping of their engagement). Her mother holds a high position in the UP Council, and was instrumental in forging the current alliance between the UP and the Legion.
Her coldness however is shown to hide much deeper insecurities; neglected by Lightning Lad, utterly devoting himself to the Legion cause, she always harbors feelings of inadequacy, putting all the blame in her failing relationship to her perceived lack of attractiveness, her plain personality, and her "handicap". When Ultra Boy tries to comfort her, Imra shares a moment of passion, soon discovered by her teammates, of which Lightning Lad isn't informed. Later Lightning Lad is made aware of her affair, putting a considerable strain on her relation, leading Imra to avoid Garth for a time. However, pressured by dealing with the increasing antisocial behaviour of Princess Projectra
, Imra is forced to admit her true feelings to him, including the possibility of having consummated her passion with Ultra Boy on the mind plane.
Using her telepathy, Imra was instrumental in locating the wraith-like form of Mon-El
, hearing his telepathic pleas for help. She currently pursues a warm relationship with Garth, and still keeps contact with her mother, even knowing that the strained relationships between the UP and the Legion mean that her mother risks her career whenever she accepts to meet her own daughter.
It's mentioned that her Legion Ring is modified to reroute mental impulses, enabling her to benefit from the improved range of communication and reply telepathically to spoken radio communication.
miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
" story arc in Action Comics
. Saturn Girl is included in their number. She is still married to Lightning Lad, as she is identified as Imra Ardeen-Ranzz.
Comics writer, Geoff Johns, commented on the character stating,
Saturn Girl post Zero Hour was again able to alter, manipulate, and read minds. She could communicate mentally, as well as cast illusions and maintain them indefinitely, including pseudo-tactile contact, while the illusions could display a personality different from her own and she would be aware of all interactions the illusory figure was involved in at all times.
The extent of her powers after the "Threeboot", though unknown, is substantially more limited. Although she's retained the "soothing" effect of her powers from her Pre-Crisis incarnation, she is unable to probe shielded minds, and must concentrate to exert direct influence on an opponent's brain (such as disrupting an opponent's amygdala
). Her mother, (a United Planet ambassador
) seems more skilled than her daughter, able to instinctively sense when Imra is using her telepathy. Titanians may choose an "open broadcast" system of communication, enabling everyone, even non-telepathic as a species, to "hear" their thoughts, or a "closed broadcast", creating a sort of "astral plane" in which they can "speak" completely undetected and in absolute privacy. Imra is able to modulate her telepathic voice in various modes, including a "telepathic scream", overwhelming and compelling as a voiced one.
As described by Princess Projectra
, Titanian telepathy involves mostly the control of the higher brain functions, and Imra is powerless against mental attacks dealt directly to her subconscious, or her id
urgings.
The current (V6) version of Imra has also demonstrated a telekinetic (TK) ability, using this power to shatter a window blocking her path to her two sons. She also is seen holding back a collapsing building column from crushing some people apparently with some form of telekinetic force. In addition she is later seen to apparently telekinetically "catch" or at least levitate a very large block of falling masonry about to crush another group of people.
The (V6) version is essentially a continuation of "Silver Age" Saturn Girl so its possible telekinesis is either something Imra learned how to do over the passing years, possibly by studying with Tellus who is both an Esper and a TK, or perhaps its an ability that took some time to manifest in Imra. Titanians generally only have various degrees of ESP abilities with the notable exception of Saturn Queen (Eve Aries).
A TK ability is consistent with the animated Legion of Superheroes version of Saturn Girl who exhibited a Thought Blast ability capable of destroying robots, which clearly had to be a telekinetic force. Furthermore Imra also directly exploded or at least caused to explode a group of energy weapon satellites, also consistent with some form of TK.
Its also possible she has always had a TK ability and perhaps more; it has been at the very least implied (especially after Zero Hour), that Imra is vastly more powerful than she herself, or in some cases her trainers/teachers are comfortable with. Some of her "weaknesses" and "limitations" may be psychologically self imposed. Also, one of her professors, Dr. Aven is known to have telepathically planted "psychic circuit breaker" suggestions in her mind when she was younger to limit her abilities.
with Chameleon Boy and Cosmic Boy
. She was voiced by Melissa Joan Hart
. She also appears in the Justice League Unlimited
episode "Far From Home."
animated series, voiced by Kari Wahlgren
(who also provides the voice of Triplicate Girl). This version of the character is closer in abilities to the original Action Comics incarnation, with a somewhat more alien look to her. Besides her telepathic abilities, including communicating with cybernetic minds such as Brainiac-5, illusion-casting, and calming emotions, she displays advanced hand-to-hand combat skills; in the episode "Timber Wolf" she also displays a "thought-blast" which destroys several robots, and enters a "healing trance". After frequent appearances in the first season, Saturn Girl appeared briefly in the season 2 premiere before being put into a healing coma during a battle with Esper
. She was shown recovering alongside Matter-Eater Lad
, and temporarily returned to action, in the episode "In the Beginning" and later served a pivotal role in the season finale.
and Lightning Lad, made her live-action debut in the eleventh episode of the eighth season of Smallville
, entitled "Legion." This incarnation of her did not have the classic one piece suit but a more modern jacket, pants, and shirt combination, though she still had the Saturn logo on her shirt. During "Legion" she, Lightning Lad, and Cosmic Boy saved Clark Kent from Persuader
and helped him defeat Brainiac
in Chloe Sullivan
's body, taking Brainiac's remains to be reprogrammed in the future. She was portrayed by actress/singer Alexz Johnson
. Her Instant Star
co-star Laura Vandervoort
had played Kara
(Supergirl
) in the previous season of the show.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
appearing in DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s. A talented telepath
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#247 (April 1958) as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. Imra's "Saturn Girl" title refers to her homeworld of Titan
Titan (DC Comics)
Titan is a moon in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The moon is inhabited by a colony of telepaths.It is the fictional home world of Saturn Girl, Imra Ardeen. She is one of the most powerful telepaths in the history of Titan...
, the largest moon of the planet Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
.
There have been three versions of Imra since her original debut, separated by the events of both the Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
and Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
limited series.
Silver Age
During the Silver AgeSilver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
of comics, 30th century Earth is a member of the United Planets and home to its military branch, the Science Police. The most talented telepath among a race of powerful mentalists, Imra left her homeworld of Titan to join the Science Police as a teenager. However, during her flight to Earth, an assassination attempt was made on the life of fellow passenger and billionaire R.J. Brande. Using her powers of telepathy, Imra discovered the plot, and, with the help of two other teenagers on board, Lightning Lad
Garth Ranzz
Lightning Lad , also known as Live Wire, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
and Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
, caught the assassin and saved Brande's life. At Brande's urging, she adopted the persona of Saturn Girl, and joined Lightning Lad and Cosmic Boy in founding the Legion of Super-Heroes - an organization of teenage heroes formed to honor the legacy of Superboy
Superboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
. They traveled back to the 20th century and gave him a place on the team after he passed their tests. When Lex Luthor and the Legion of Super-Villains were about to kill Superman, Saturn Girl offered to die in his place, although a trick by Superman made Saturn Queen
Saturn Queen
Saturn Queen is a fictional comic book character owned by DC Comics. She debuted in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...
save her.
As a Legionnaire, Imra gained a reputation for self-sacrifice; just prior to the leadership elections of 2975, she learned that a Legionnaire would die during an attack on Earth and decided to take on that responsibility herself. Using her telepathy, Imra forced the other Legionnaires to vote her leader and then ordered them not to use their powers during the attack. However, Lightning Lad defied her orders and took her place in death. Distraught over his selfless act of devotion, Imra vowed to do all in her power to bring him back. A method was soon developed which could revive Lightning Lad, but only at the cost of another member's life. Imra again interfered in the process to ensure hers was the life taken, but her plan was foiled by Proty
Proty
Proty is the name of two fictional extraterrestrials in the DC Comics universe. The original Proty first appeared in Adventure Comics #308 , while the second Proty debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #72 ....
, the telepathic shape-shifting pet of Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy , also known as Chameleon, is a DC Comics superhero, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Action Comics #267 .-Silver Age:...
. Proty admired Imra and tricked her so that it could take her place. Upon Proty's death, Lightning Lad was restored. Despite this series of events, Imra's leadership was highly valued in the Legion, and her position as leader, despite its means of acquisition, was allowed to stand. She earned a second term the following year. As leader of the Legion, Saturn Girl was the first female comic book character to head a group of superheroes.
Romantically, Lightning Lad (Garth Ranzz) had pursued Imra for some time, but she had repeatedly rebuffed his advances. However, after he sacrificed his life for her own, she understood the depth of his feelings and came to realize that she returned them. After dating for almost ten years, Garth proposed marriage but Imra initially rejected his offer due to a Legion rule which forced married members to retire. After consulting with her mentors on Titan, however, Imra relented. However, the couple's retirement was short-lived; a few months after their marriage, war broke out in which all active Legionnaires were captured and the reserves were forced into action. Imra's telepathic skills were instrumental in the Legion's eventual victory, and as a result the rule barring married members was repealed. The Ranzzes returned to active duty until Imra gave birth to their son, Graym, after which they both retired in order to devote their energy to him. Unbeknown to the couple, however, Graym had a twin who was stolen at birth by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
and transported into the past, where he was transformed into the monster Validus
Validus
Validus is a fictional DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a member of the Fatal Five.-Fictional character biography:...
. Validus fought the Legion on numerous occasions (and even killed one of the comrades, the first Invisible Kid
Invisible Kid
Lyle Norg is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He was the first to assume the name Invisible Kid.-Lyle Norg:...
), but was eventually returned as a normal infant to his parents by Darkseid at Imra's insistence.
Imra briefly rejoined the Legion again in 2987 when Universo took control of the Earth and hypnotized and imprisoned many heroes, including her. Imra's powerful mind broke free and eventually broke Universo's hold over Earth and forced him unconscious. It was then that she realized how much the Legion was in her blood, and she rejoined, this time without Garth, who was enjoying life as a father and househusband. However, during the "Five Year Gap", Earth's government became hostile to the Legion, and Garth became incapacitated from the Validus plague which ravaged his native Winath. Disillusioned by the government and feeling needed more at home, Imra resigned from the Legion for the last time in 2990. Returning to Winath, she and Garth took over running a Winathian Lightning Ring plantation, which became quite prosperous. Using their new-found wealth, Imra and Garth replaced their super-heroism with simple but necessary helping of others, feeding a galaxy suffering more from hunger than from super-villains. When the Legion re-formed in 2994, the Ranzzes helped them out, but did not rejoin. Instead, they enlarged their family with the birth of daughters Dacey & Dorritt, who inherited Imra's telepathic abilities.
Post-Zero Hour
After the reboot of the Legion in the Zero HourZero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
series, Imra remained known as Saturn Girl, and a founder of the Legion along with Cosmic Boy and the renamed Live Wire
Garth Ranzz
Lightning Lad , also known as Live Wire, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
. Her design was changed from previous versions, combining some elements from past uniforms. The top and pants of her uniform are similar in design to her red & white uniform, but now colored pink instead of red, and has the familiar Saturn logo.
She was initially torn between her two fellow founders romantically, after she was left catatonic
Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility, and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein ....
from shutting down the Composite Man's mind; as her mentor Aven was only able to restore her to an infant-like state, she demanded Garth, and it was only after he told her he needed her that she was restored to normal.
Later, controversially, after half the Legion, herself included, were stranded in the past by the Emerald Eye
Emerald Empress
The Emerald Empress is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain that is an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a member of the Fatal Five...
, she inadvertently awakens and is subsequently attacked by the misogynistic telepath known as Doctor Psycho
Doctor Psycho
Doctor Psycho is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. A villainous telepathic dwarf, Doctor Psycho has traditionally been presented as an adversary for Wonder Woman...
. As a result of the attack, Cosmic Boy was knocked comatose and Psycho destroyed barriers Aven had placed on her powers, increasing them considerably. As a result, Saturn Girl would unconsciously animate the comatose Cosmic Boy and almost married him in that state before her subconscious mind rebelled, turning Cos into Garth until she shut down the link and Cosmic Boy was properly awakened.
After Invisible Kid's
Invisible Kid
Lyle Norg is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He was the first to assume the name Invisible Kid.-Lyle Norg:...
resignation, she became Legion leader, and stationed Garth as part of a second group of Legionnaires on a space-station known as the Legion Outpost to avoid the appearance of nepotism; this fact irritated him for some time until the three founders went on a mission together against a corrupt regime using their identities and the Legion's symbols to prop up his regime, during which they cleared the air. Shortly thereafter, Garth proposed to her and she assented.
Unfortunately, both of them were among a group of Legionnaires stranded in another galaxy (Legion Lost
Legion Lost
Legion Lost is a superhero team published by DC Comics.It was originally published as a 12-issue comic book limited series starring the Legion of Super-Heroes...
) by a collapsing rift, during which time Imra also created a psychic projection of Apparition
Phantom Girl
Phantom Girl is a fictional comic book superhero who appears in books published by DC Comics. In the Post-Zero Hour continuity, she is known as Apparition, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
to stabilize Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in DC Comics. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. Ultra Boy gained these powers when the space-speedster he was flying was swallowed by an ultra-energy beast , exposing him to...
. When the deception was discovered, it severely strained her relationships with most of the other "Lost" Legionnaires. She resigned as leader, and soon thereafter Garth sacrificed himself to stop the mad Element Lad
Element Lad
Element Lad is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to transmute chemical elements.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
and allow the others to return home safely.
On their return home, her mind was strained by what she had gone through, and returned to her home moon of Titan to undergo psychic therapy. Universo
Universo
Universo is the name of a fictional Legion of Super-Heroes supervillain in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
then trapped her in an illusion where she had never impersonated Apparition, Element Lad was not a villain, and Live Wire had never died, to prevent her interfering as he absorbed most of the galaxy into a hivemind with himself at the center. Depressed and angry, when Sensor
Sensor (comics)
Jeka Wynzorr, codenamed Sensor, is a fictional character, a superheroine in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes....
broke her free, she used her anger to trap Universo in a similar illusion.
Shortly thereafter, when she and Cosmic Boy visited Element Lad's home planet of Trom, they found a resurrected Garth in a crystalline version of Element Lad's body, recreated from electrified crystals Spark had found and placed there. Uncertain of how to react to him, it was some time before they reconciled properly.
"Threeboot"
With the 2005 revamp of the Legion, Imra's personal history has stayed largely the same, although her powers (and those of the Titanian race) have now changed drastically. The Titanians only communicate telepathically, having lost use of their vocal cords due to centuries of evolution. It's stated, in the case of another Titanian, that somehow this type of telepathy can mimic the likeness of verbal communication, rendering a mute Titanian able to make some tongue-in-cheek humor, or change the "tone" of his telepathy according to the situation. As a result, Imra only "talks" by broadcasting her thoughts to her fellow Legion members. She is still able to read minds, but cannot express herself in spoken language, which puts her at a disadvantage in those situations where her telepathy is useless.Imra's appearance has again changed slightly. Her new uniform is similar to her Post-Zero Hour uniform in design, but colored red instead of pink. This uniform is later changed again by M'rissey.
Imra has always been portrayed as cold, but this latest revamp further exaggerates this personality trait. She engages in emotional isolation, and has a very serious, introverted demeanor. This may, in part, be caused by shame over her muteness, which she managed to keep secret from the Legion (with the exception of Lightning Lad) for quite some time. In fact, Lightning Lad seems to be the only one Imra feels comfortable opening up to, (a nod to their Pre-Crisis relationship, and the basis for the revamping of their engagement). Her mother holds a high position in the UP Council, and was instrumental in forging the current alliance between the UP and the Legion.
Her coldness however is shown to hide much deeper insecurities; neglected by Lightning Lad, utterly devoting himself to the Legion cause, she always harbors feelings of inadequacy, putting all the blame in her failing relationship to her perceived lack of attractiveness, her plain personality, and her "handicap". When Ultra Boy tries to comfort her, Imra shares a moment of passion, soon discovered by her teammates, of which Lightning Lad isn't informed. Later Lightning Lad is made aware of her affair, putting a considerable strain on her relation, leading Imra to avoid Garth for a time. However, pressured by dealing with the increasing antisocial behaviour of Princess Projectra
Princess Projectra
This page discusses the humanoid version of the character. For the post-Zero Hour/pre-Threeboot version, see Sensor.Princess Projectra is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. She lives in the 30th and 31st centuries, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, Imra is forced to admit her true feelings to him, including the possibility of having consummated her passion with Ultra Boy on the mind plane.
Using her telepathy, Imra was instrumental in locating the wraith-like form of Mon-El
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
, hearing his telepathic pleas for help. She currently pursues a warm relationship with Garth, and still keeps contact with her mother, even knowing that the strained relationships between the UP and the Legion mean that her mother risks her career whenever she accepts to meet her own daughter.
It's mentioned that her Legion Ring is modified to reroute mental impulses, enabling her to benefit from the improved range of communication and reply telepathically to spoken radio communication.
Post-Infinite Crisis
The events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga
"The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, featuring the Superman character and the return of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion of Super-Heroes...
" story arc in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
. Saturn Girl is included in their number. She is still married to Lightning Lad, as she is identified as Imra Ardeen-Ranzz.
Comics writer, Geoff Johns, commented on the character stating,
Powers and abilities
Saturn Girl's powers in her initial Silver Age appearances appeared to be great: she could summon distant people; probe human, electronic, and animal minds; "push" weakened minds, and even directly control others' thoughts and emotions. In later years, her abilities were portrayed more conservatively: her telepathy was used most often for communication or sensing surface thoughts, while her ability to influence and probe minds was usually limited to minds that had already been weakened in some way, such as by fatigue or a villain's mind control.Saturn Girl post Zero Hour was again able to alter, manipulate, and read minds. She could communicate mentally, as well as cast illusions and maintain them indefinitely, including pseudo-tactile contact, while the illusions could display a personality different from her own and she would be aware of all interactions the illusory figure was involved in at all times.
The extent of her powers after the "Threeboot", though unknown, is substantially more limited. Although she's retained the "soothing" effect of her powers from her Pre-Crisis incarnation, she is unable to probe shielded minds, and must concentrate to exert direct influence on an opponent's brain (such as disrupting an opponent's amygdala
Amygdala
The ' are almond-shaped groups of nuclei located deep within the medial temporal lobes of the brain in complex vertebrates, including humans. Shown in research to perform a primary role in the processing and memory of emotional reactions, the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.-...
). Her mother, (a United Planet ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
) seems more skilled than her daughter, able to instinctively sense when Imra is using her telepathy. Titanians may choose an "open broadcast" system of communication, enabling everyone, even non-telepathic as a species, to "hear" their thoughts, or a "closed broadcast", creating a sort of "astral plane" in which they can "speak" completely undetected and in absolute privacy. Imra is able to modulate her telepathic voice in various modes, including a "telepathic scream", overwhelming and compelling as a voiced one.
As described by Princess Projectra
Princess Projectra
This page discusses the humanoid version of the character. For the post-Zero Hour/pre-Threeboot version, see Sensor.Princess Projectra is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. She lives in the 30th and 31st centuries, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, Titanian telepathy involves mostly the control of the higher brain functions, and Imra is powerless against mental attacks dealt directly to her subconscious, or her id
Id, ego, and super-ego
Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described...
urgings.
The current (V6) version of Imra has also demonstrated a telekinetic (TK) ability, using this power to shatter a window blocking her path to her two sons. She also is seen holding back a collapsing building column from crushing some people apparently with some form of telekinetic force. In addition she is later seen to apparently telekinetically "catch" or at least levitate a very large block of falling masonry about to crush another group of people.
The (V6) version is essentially a continuation of "Silver Age" Saturn Girl so its possible telekinesis is either something Imra learned how to do over the passing years, possibly by studying with Tellus who is both an Esper and a TK, or perhaps its an ability that took some time to manifest in Imra. Titanians generally only have various degrees of ESP abilities with the notable exception of Saturn Queen (Eve Aries).
A TK ability is consistent with the animated Legion of Superheroes version of Saturn Girl who exhibited a Thought Blast ability capable of destroying robots, which clearly had to be a telekinetic force. Furthermore Imra also directly exploded or at least caused to explode a group of energy weapon satellites, also consistent with some form of TK.
Its also possible she has always had a TK ability and perhaps more; it has been at the very least implied (especially after Zero Hour), that Imra is vastly more powerful than she herself, or in some cases her trainers/teachers are comfortable with. Some of her "weaknesses" and "limitations" may be psychologically self imposed. Also, one of her professors, Dr. Aven is known to have telepathically planted "psychic circuit breaker" suggestions in her mind when she was younger to limit her abilities.
Other versions
- In The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Saturn Girl appears in the form of a young, precognitive girl befriended by Catgirl. She uses the name Saturn Girl, "on account of she's not born yet". She is a stony-eye figure who is at first keen to join Batman's growing army but then turns the offer down when she foresees the vicious attack on Kelley by a JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
-like villain. - In Amalgam ComicsAmalgam ComicsAmalgam Comics was a publishing imprint shared by DC Comics and Marvel Comics, in which the two comic book publishers merged their characters into new ones . These characters first appeared in a series of twelve comic books which were published in 1996, between issues 3 and 4 of the Marvel vs...
Spider-Boy Team-Up #1, Saturn Girl is combined with PsylockePsylockePsylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK...
as Psi-Girl of the Legion of Galactic Guardians 2099. When time shifts, her rebooted form is called Psi-Girl II.
DC animated universe
Saturn Girl appeared in the episode "New Kids In Town" of Superman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
with Chameleon Boy and Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
. She was voiced by Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Catherine Hart is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman...
. She also appears in the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Far From Home."
Legion of Super Heroes
Another version of her is a regular character on the Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
animated series, voiced by Kari Wahlgren
Kari Wahlgren
Kari K. Wahlgren is an American voice actress who has provided English language voices for dozens of anime titles and video games. Her debut role was as one of the main characters of FLCL, Haruko Haruhara. She had a live-action role as Tinker Bell in the 2003 Damion Dietz film Neverland...
(who also provides the voice of Triplicate Girl). This version of the character is closer in abilities to the original Action Comics incarnation, with a somewhat more alien look to her. Besides her telepathic abilities, including communicating with cybernetic minds such as Brainiac-5, illusion-casting, and calming emotions, she displays advanced hand-to-hand combat skills; in the episode "Timber Wolf" she also displays a "thought-blast" which destroys several robots, and enters a "healing trance". After frequent appearances in the first season, Saturn Girl appeared briefly in the season 2 premiere before being put into a healing coma during a battle with Esper
Esper Lass
Esper Lass is the name of fictional supervillain in the DC universe. She first appeared in Superboy Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #212 .-Fictional character biography:...
. She was shown recovering alongside Matter-Eater Lad
Matter-Eater Lad
Matter-Eater Lad is a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes and possesses the power to eat matter in all forms, as do all natives of his home planet, Bismoll...
, and temporarily returned to action, in the episode "In the Beginning" and later served a pivotal role in the season finale.
Smallville
Saturn Girl, along with Cosmic BoyCosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
and Lightning Lad, made her live-action debut in the eleventh episode of the eighth season of Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, entitled "Legion." This incarnation of her did not have the classic one piece suit but a more modern jacket, pants, and shirt combination, though she still had the Saturn logo on her shirt. During "Legion" she, Lightning Lad, and Cosmic Boy saved Clark Kent from Persuader
Persuader (comics)
The Persuader is the name of three fictional characters featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Nyeun Chun Ti first appeared in Adventure Comics #352 , and was created by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan...
and helped him defeat Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
in Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
's body, taking Brainiac's remains to be reprogrammed in the future. She was portrayed by actress/singer Alexz Johnson
Alexz Johnson
Alexzandra Spencer "Alexz" Johnson is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Her debut album Voodoo was independently released on March 30, 2010....
. Her Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...
co-star Laura Vandervoort
Laura Vandervoort
Laura Dianne Vandervoort is a Canadian actress known for her roles as Kara Zor-El in the television series Smallville, Sadie Harrison in the television series Instant Star and Lisa in the television series V....
had played Kara
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
(Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
) in the previous season of the show.