Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Thoughts on Star Boy's powers

I was just thinking about Thom and the Daxamite-level abilities he has shown in the past, and some rather esoteric uses of his mass-increasing powers. Seems like no one ever explained his Daxamite-level powers after his space-cruiser accident (or was it that he got a transfusion of space-whale blood? Like the same one who gave Jo his powers. I seem to remember something about that.)

Side note: it just hit me. Jo Nah and the Whale. Pretty funny. Anyway, back to Thom.

Seems like he has lost these abilities in his current incarnation, but I was thinking how interesting it could be if he used his mass-inducing powers to add to his muscle mass, it seems, using comic-book logic of course, that he could be as strong as a Daxamite, or even stronger if need be. By the same coin, he could use his mass-powers on his skin to give himself some invulnerability.

Of course, DnA are rehashing that old chestnut about Thom having problems with his powers, so its very likely they have their own ideas about the evolution of his powers.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

Interesting to think of him using his powers on himself to become stronger. Condo did that in at least one adventure that I can remember. He increased his metabolism to make himself 10 times stronger than a normal human, IIRC. But it would only last for a short period of time before his body couldn't handle it any more.

I wonder if Thom would have the same problem. His body wouldn't be built to withstand the strain of the extra muscle mass for too long. But it should be effective enough in a fight.

I actually really liked the notion of Thom with Daxamite-like powers, particularly the fact that he had abilities (electrical vision, flame breath) that weren't in the standard Kryptonian/Daxamite mode.

I'm actually not too big on the "creative" use of standard powers that DnA are engaging in. I like most of my Legionnaires with fairly straightforward powers. Though isn't there precedence in Thom using his mass increasing powers to simulate super-strength? I seem to recall him doing so as Sir Prize...

I also always liked the idea of Thom with the stronger power levels. I always wanted to see him in those advanced scouting missions with Ultra Boy and Mon-el.

The power fluctuation thing has happened to him before and I am not fond of that particular subplot whatsover.

Straight-forward is good. I don't think it's necessary to be giving the legionnaires all sorts of extended, ill-defined powers. The whole thing with Saturn Girl bordering on projecting actual people, Shikari's yet-undefined powers ....there's enough going on with just the "simple" powers.

Just so with Star Boy - he could do a lot with the mass-increasing power, adding Daxamite-like attributes just clouds the character, IMHO. I'm not sure where this power-failure thing is going, you could put him in situations in which he simply over-reaches, and fails - rather than have a total collapse. This black hole business, if it's not all a dream-illusion, is going to be hard to explain.

I love the way that DnA portray Thom's powers - and he can mimic most of the Daxamite stuff with intelligent use of his powers anyway. Strength/flight/speed could be mimicked by reducing gravity on the object/self and invulnerabilty could be a function of self gravity-increase. Laser vision could be replaced by a focused gravity beam or something similar.

However, as long as Thom's powers don't keep wavering all over the place like currently, I'll be happy.

One of the reasons I never took to Thom was because of his fluctuating powers problem. I'd rather he have just the grav induce / reduce powers -- it makes him more unique.