Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion Diplomatic Squad...

From Legion Outpost, Adv. 378:

An idea whose time has come? Who should be in it?

I'd oust Brainy. He doesn't strike me as very diplomatic.

I'd add planetary champion Shadow Lass as well as legendary Mon-El.

Either Matter-Eater Lad or Projectra as Squad Leader?

My choices for this sort of team would be;

Saturn Girl
Projectra
Matter-Eater Lad
Phantom Girl
Invisible Jacques

I think the following

Star Boy (planetary of champion of Xanthu for a time)
Projectra (former Queen of Orando)
Matter-Eater Lad (Bismollian politico)
Dream Girl (well regarded on Naltor)
Mon-el (20th Century legend)
Shadow Lass (Talokian champion)

DUH!!!! How could I have left off MEL!

Cool idea!

I would go with:

DREAM GIRL
PROJECTRA
TELLUS (for a non-humanoid presence, and also for his telepathy)
SHADOW LASS

I was tempted to add Matter-Eater Lad because of his brief career in politics, but I like Tenzil as comedy relief, and I don't think that would really suit this kind of squad. I also think others could be drafted as necessary, like the Espionage Squad do....going to a magic world, take Mysa; going to a world of energy beings, take Quislet; etc...

Queen Projectra for her stature, for sure.
Either Saturn Girl or Dreamy for their intellect and ESP powers. And maybe Phantom Girl since her mother was president, it gives her a slight advantage, makes sense.
Monel because his ledgendary exploits have gained him universal respect (for the most part).

That's pretty much it. I would keep the group as small as possible so as not to seem too threatening or overpowering. Everyone knows the Legion's numbers are vast (and still growing).

Oh yeah-- COLOSSAL BOY might be a good pick too, since President Marte Allon was popular...

In fact, politics might be a good side-project for Gim... he's married to a Durlan, after all.
He's a walking "TOGETHERNESS" ad.

I did consider Tellus as an option. I think over Saturn Girl because that shows the Legion is not just humanoids.

Also Gim, is a great choice, all things considered.

I can't remember, was Tyroc a leader on Marzal? He might also fit in.

he might have been he was a direct decsendant of the original slave who revolted and lead the slaves on the slave ship to freedom. As well as his words did carry much weight when he told his people not to speak to the legion in his first appearance.

Tyroc's in!!

Soo

Projectra
Dreamy
Tyroc
Mon-el
Tellus

with Gim, Thom and Shady subbing if needed.

I think those five would carry a lot of diplomatic power as well as the firepower to pack it up.

oops I forgot ME Lad

I'd say

Matter Eater Lad
Chameleon Boy
Sensor Girl
Invisible Lad
Shadow Lass

I thought this thread was going to be a reference to the scene in #2 with Dreamy, Dawny and Gates...my thought being that if Cosmic Boy knew Gates better, he'd never send him on a diplomatic mission!

Rokk himself has been shown to be pretty good at diplomacy, and has the stature of founding Leader.

I don't remember Tyroc being that prominent on Marzal...but I've been wondering if his revised "sonic manipulation" powers will include some form of vocal hypnosis or subliminal suggestion.

I suspect they wanted to turn Tyroc into a Black Panther type leader of his people back in the 70's but it really didn't take off like DC wanted.... so they just let Marzal drift off into the unknown.
Tyroc was never a "leader" of those people ... just a local mutant everybody knew about, and a semi-rasict at that.
I hope this new Tyroc in the pages of Legion is a more laid back, contemporary-thinking guy.
But one with a f'ugly new costume!

Tyroc was the hero/champion of Marzal, wasn't he? He wasn't a leader, per se, but was more than a celebrity, wasn't he?

I guess I'm not clear about just what would make a diplomatic squad different than an espionage squad, or from a mission team, in general.

Is it just Legionnaires who have ties with governments outside of their role in the LSH? A diplomatic squad would be sent to politcally sensitive places/situations, right? They'd hardly be permanent ambassadors.

They wouldn't be able to bring the weights of governmental power to bear, aside from whatever credentials granted to them by the UP or by Brande Industries, possibly.

I think personalities of tact and superpowers of subtlety would be more important than being heir to a throne or being acquainted with protocol.

I think it would be a combination of celebrity and status for these Legionnaires.

For me, a Diplomatic Squad would contain members who:

******Have major clout/pull on their homeworlds (i.e., Dream Girl, Matter-Eater Lad, Projectra, Mon-El, Shady, Tyroc)... This kind of pull is necessary for the team to have any any leverage with other planets.

******Have close ties with political figures (i.e., Colossal Boy)... Politics is full of cronyism and nepotism, after all... this is something Politicians understand.

******Have a personality that does not easily offend (this would exclude members such as Gates, Brainiac 5 and WIldfire)... For better or worse, it's a "PC" universe out there. In fact, I'm now wondering if Tyroc would not be excluded on these grounds.

One candidate who hasn't been mentioned is Sun Boy. He's shown as the most popular Legionnaire with the public during the Adventure Era, plus at least one version of him is noted for speaking at least a dozen languages. I could see him pulling off the diplomat role.

Considering what job he landed in the 5 year gap...i would say Dipolmacy is something he could pull off well.

I wonder about Jeckie-- she renounced her throne and is prone to saying things about 'seeing through the illusion of power'. Maybe she should be like the advance scout and not interact with 'opposing' diplomats as much as possible.

I think Invisible Kid, Dream Girl and Saturn Girl are the best candidates. A reigned-in Tenzil? Maybe, but a diplomatic squad played for laughs would make it a one-issue wonder.

Now if the aim is 'show off your connections', then folks like Shadow Lass and Gim would make more sense.

Sun Boy is a great choice!

re: Tenzil, he doesn't *always* have to be played for laughs.

And I think showing off connections would be a primary function of the Diplomatic Squad.

Upon further thought, the LSH itself is sort of its own Diplomatic Squad... "hands across the universe" and all that...

I see them as a "Welcoming Committee" for the United Planets. When a new world joins, they are the ones who go to assure the planet they will be safe...