Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Some GLORITH thoughts

Looking back on the controversial "Giffbaum" era of the Legion, I was wondering if anyone else questioned the rationale behind making Glorith the Time Trapper's replacement in that reality. I never thought she measured up to the Time Trapper's villainous standard set under Levitz's writing, and therefore never impressed me as a character or a villain. For example, she had none of the menace that made the Emerald Empress (Sarya) so deliciously evil.

Instead of a coldly manipulative and ruthlessly patient strategist, there was a schemer who ranted and raved, pointed a finger and turned a few people into protoplasm. Also, I thought her unrequited love for Valor was vaguely sexist. Why would a woman as powerful as Glorith was harbor a crush for someone for 1,000 years?

I never could accept a villain as scattered as Glorith to fill in the void left by the Trapper's absence. It just didn't make sense to me, and left a mildly foul taste in my mouth.

Glorith could have been a great evil villain if she had been constructed like George Perez's Circe: totally evil, with no redeeming qualities. Then Glorith would have been a force to be reckoned with. With this new continuity, I wouldn't want to see Glorith if she behaves the way she prior to Zero Hour.

These are just some random thoughts, and any comments would be appreciated.

I thought Glorith was fairly true to her silver-age roots. Thus, she wasn't as ominous as the or, necessarily, as devious as the Time Trapper. That was fine with me because I don't think I would have appreciated TT being replaced by someone just like him.

There were flaws to her depiction, such as that crush on Valor. But, I discount most of the Valor history because I was not particularly fond of it. Besides, any character with a few irrational flaws is much more real to me than any construct of "pure evil."

I'm trying to recall, without success, what some of her redeeming qualities may have been....

The 1000-year crush was a little goofy, depending on how it was portrayed. It seemed to be undecided between her seeing a need for a powerhouse consort to help her gain/consolidate/maintain power and an infatuation. This was a bit sexist - no fury like a woman scorned! or she's powerful - but she needs a real man to be complete.

I thought her best depiction was as first wife to Mordru: a real schemer with an understanding of and desire for power. Here she was coldly manipulated (although maybe not purely evil.) Her fatal flaw was not the school girl crush, but ultimately over-reaching: she became the Time Trapper but failed. For a Time Trapper, she had pretty plebian tastes - to rule the Khunds and expand their mortal empire? The legionnaires defeated this plan; she only succeeded, with the help of Mordru (always needing a man! she should talk to Thora), to wipe out all existence - herself included? Unknown - unanswered and likely to remain so.

Still, I liked Glorith as a time-manipulating, somewhat nympho character and would be interested in seeing her "WaKed".

I actually found her more threatening than the almost omniscient Time Trapper. He was more a force of nature with phenomonal cosmic power; she was a psychotic with phenomonal cosmic power. She was guided almost entirely by whim, which made her much more dangerous.

That said, I still think she was generally misused in the post-TMK issues.

My only real problem with Glorith is that she never really measured up to Time Trapper. As DL says above TT like a force of nature. While Glorith had a few moments where she almost lived up to the trappers legacy; most of the timme she just acted like a "psycho" ex-girlfreind. Poor characterization and usage for the most part.

I could really relate to Glorith and her desire to have a big, strong, handsome consort! Also, I could relate to her hissy fits.