Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Why is Karate Kid in the Legion ?

I was talking about who's in the Legion now with an old occasional Legion reader (mostly Adventure and Action).
He couldn't understand why Karate Kid was ever in the Legion of Super-Heroes. It was pretty much like this...
"Karate Kid ? What's his power ?"
"He's the best fighter in the DC Universe"
"That's not a super-power. Wasn't there a rule about this ? Only people with super-powers can join ?"
"The JLA has Batman"
"They also had Blue Beetle..."
"He could fight Superboy to a standstill"
"So did the Toyman"
"Did I mention he married Projectra ?"

This made me think about two things... one, I know very stubborn people.
Two, why is Karate Kid in the Legion ? I really like good old Val, but it DOES sound strange.

Because a) legion needed an action oriented character instead of a "point finger and fire" character.

b) Val had honed his skill enough to wear he developed the ability to find the weakness of anything and break it. An average person cannot smash steel. If i could, many would consider that a power.

3) Val married the 30th century Seka. That alone should qualify him.

Who is this "Seka" & in what way does she resemble Projectra?

Time Trapper, if your "stubborn friend" will only accept super-powered individuals in the Legion, you can provide him with the explanation rickshaw just provided: Val can recognize a person's or substance's "weak point." That's his super-power..., or at least that the super-power that was given to him by the 1970s, probably in reaction to so many readers asking the editor, "What's Val's super-power?"

However, I would tell your friend that the LSH doesn't just accept people with super-powers, they also accept people with extraordinary talents or innate skills. Does Timber Wolf really have a super-power or are his physical strength and agility just "extraordinary" (I mean, what the heck is "super-acrobatics")? Is Brainiac 5's intelligence really a "super-power"?

Val is a friggin' fighting machine. 'Nuff said. End of explanation.

Some of suggested that Val must have some superhuman ability to learn fighting techniques, in order to be a master of so many martial arts at such a young age. This makes a lot of sense to me.

Timber Wolf, at least preboot, did have considerable strength and speed. He was at near Daxamite level, as I recall. "Super-acrobatics" was just a silly way of making it sound like he didn't duplicate the powers of other members.

Seka was the Platinum tressed Goddess of porn from the late 70's to the early 80's.

Ahhh, for the days when good clean porn abounded for young men of pre- and early teens.

'cuz he can kick yaw sorry @$$, Trappah!

mine too

I'm almost apt to agree that he should have been refused admission back in the day. Mostly because, back around the Adventure era, so many people were being rejected for a variety of reasons from unusual powers to device-fueled abilities. Who's to say an ordinary human, no matter how terrific at combat, should have been admitted back with the Adventure era mindset that having one, unique super-power was so important?

Despite the fact I understand why he COULD have been rejected, I'm glad there was oversight in that department and he was let in. He's a noble character and really brought out the best in Jeckie...both before and after his death. It gives more hope for the common man that one can hone a talent or human ability enough to rank in importance with icons like Superboy and the Legion. Not to mention, he was powerful enough and humble enough to put all of the above in their place and not let it go to his head.

Postboot, I think Val's "weakness sense" he's been known to display is to ground him more with a super-power. It might not be the greatest ability, but coupled with his already impressive fighting skills and agility, an actual stance could be made that he's a meta-human now that he has an unusual, unique ability.

The concept of super powers doesn't really even make sense. Most of the Legionnaires have abilities that they share with other members of their own race/species. Even Lar (I still prefer to think of him as Mon-El) shares the same abilities of all Daxamites. Are we defining "super" only in relation to earthlings? If so, that is very Terra-centric and inappropriate to the inclusive concepts of equality that the Legion espouses.

... and Karate Kid is just cool: )

Steve

Yea, he's very very cool!! Poor guy had such a bad run during his own comic run but that doesn't mean he's not a unique character, considering most DO depend on their powers for most of thier fighting while Val's just a mean lean fighting machine that knows every move to every concievable fighting style!!

Hey, maybe he does have a power after all: "Super Mind to Muscle Memory"

And he could go a few rounds with Superboy, which should be enough evidence for anyone.

Your comparing Projecta to a porn star???

Karate Kid would so mess you up for that.

Damn tootin' he would!!

Of course, he might actually agree with you, but he'd have to mess you up anyway....for appearances sake, you know.

They almost did reject Karate Kid. That's why he had to kick Superboy's butt.

Why do I always love the underdog?

Steve

Nah, Val is very spiritual. He would understand the attraction to hot booty. Hell, he probably has tantric tricks up his sleeve that would render a woman into a boneless goo of lust in under ten seconds flat.

And if you have never seen Seka at her heyday, find pics, then you will see why not only i, but Mllash as well, get it, lol.

Hmmmm, makes one wish that he was a she just for the gooey experience!!

Of course with my powers I guess that wouldn't be such an issue!!

Nah.

Anybody with that kind of power wouldn't have to fight Superboy to get a spot on the roster.