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So Kryptonians weren't just evil, they were also idiots.
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It is an interesting philosophy to say the least. It is a cold truth that a lot of progress in the US comes because of military spending, as an economic investor, social influencer and advancer of technology. This is basically that idea cranked up to 11, where all advancement is because of or in furtherance of the military. Anything left Brainiac did not find valuable in furtherance of war.
Edited by HeyMikey on Jun 23rd 2024 at 1:50:59 AM
Problem is the Kryptonian way of imperialism (or at least Brainiac's version) doesn't even really achieve that, when one's method of expansion is to literally destroy everything.
What one conquers for is an increased sphere of influence (ie more to rule over) and the resources that belong to those one conquers. The way Brainiac does things nets him neither of those.
While one could argue this is meant to be a showcase of how imperialism isn't sustainable, but taking the things that make it unsustainable to their extremes, it still makes Brainiac a self defeating imbecile when you look at his broader actions.
It makes a lot of sense when you take into account he's a war AI.
He is most likely operating waaaaaaaaaay out of his programming and is incapable of anything other than mass destruction.
Brainiac is only doing what he's programed to do, there's just no one left who can shut him off. Wouldn't surprised me if he's stuck on "Scorch the Earth" mode cause his masters became desperate in the final years of their war and let him loose as a final resort.
Edited by slimcoder on Jun 23rd 2024 at 3:28:06 AM
"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."![]()
That's true he is essentially a glorified autopilot with delusions of grandeur. And I think those delusions of grandeur also play a big part in things.
He talks of the empire as if it was his and views himself as the ruler of the restored version. When just a tool and weapon of the Kryptonians he places himself above. He seems to think two Kryptonians (even if one seems extra powerful) is all he needs to beat the people who stomped the entire Kryptonian race.
It would be a pretty good roast of him if one of the characters called him "Nothing more than a broken autopilot".
Edited by Gaogaigar54 on Jun 23rd 2024 at 3:42:39 AM
Brainiac's plan does make sense in a very twisted logic sort of way, given his overall strategy. By the looks of it, his overall war strategy and goal is pretty much pump up Kara (and now Clark). He doesn't seem to base a strategy on specifically increasing his own power as an army. He's not conquering other worlds to add species to his sphere of influence. His only goal seems to gather what he can to make Kara stronger and to test her. It's completely focused on Kryptonians. It's telling that the only parts he kept of some of the worlds that fallen is a sample of the planets strongest fighters at their most desperate (and thus dangerous), just for training.
Given that strategy, Brainiac's imperialism is lot more sustainable (though much more wasteful). He just need to gather enough resources to maintain himself, since he doesn't require an industrial base to grow and whatever is needed to sustain Kara until the next planet. And he is acting as a weapon. He's a war AI after all. A weapon is meant to destroy all who oppose it. It's not a hammer to build a structure afterwards and everyone who could be that hammer is long dead. It's also incredibly risky since his entire strategy has Kara as a keystone. If he comes across another enemy that curbstomps Kara, his entire strategy collapses.
Edited by HeyMikey on Jun 23rd 2024 at 4:19:44 AM
Judging by the preview for next episode, Waller is going full fascist.
I can see how easy it will be for Brainiac to hack the Krypton based robots and take over.
You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.At least now we know Kara isn’t beyond redemption. She’s horrifically traumatized though.
The question is will she stay or will she go at the end of the season.
A tweet with the preview for next week’s episode: https://x.com/swimpedia/status/1804734922269040929?s=46&t=7YT7yMPCw2VMMwQUxWj5_A
Edited by BigBadShadow25 on Jun 23rd 2024 at 9:59:06 AM
You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.![]()
For a Watsonian answer, he is a broken AI working within whatever parameters he can still conceptualize. His strategy is Kryptonians as I would guess that has always been their strategy. Get a bunch of Kryptonians and curbstomp a planet. And use the resources to improve the Kryptonians. The empire fell because an enemy beat their Kryptonians. Build a better Kryptonian. Wonder if they ever came across a civilization that could clone Kryptonians in order to create an army of Kryptonians?
For a Doyolist answer, he is a villain. His strategy should make some form of internal sense to itself, but it need not be perfectly rational. Creating an empire with a military strategy focused solely on Kryptonians when he has only one, even though an enemy already destroyed them at their zenith? Based on what we know of its logic? Perfectly logical, not sound at all, but logical. It's the same reason Waller and Lex are creating plans to defend Earth that doesn't include in it Superman and not from a in case he goes rogue issue (you build in a strategy that accounts for that in that case), in a, we decide to take our biggest weapon off the table sort of deal. It's also supposed to work into their overall themes while driving the plot forward.
And I'm guessing the Olson's Eleven will be very literal. So who do you think will be part of the eleven? We already know Jimmy, Lois, Monsieur Mala and Brain. So who else? I'm already expecting Livewire, Heatwave and Intergang, but that still doesn't fill out my roster.
Edited by HeyMikey on Jun 23rd 2024 at 7:40:36 AM
I think for Waller and Lex it's more that they are bullies looking to justify themselves.
They will crush anyone in their way, but they want to feel justified in doing so and Superman provides them with the "other" they need to justify themselves against.
Superman (at least in their heads) gives them the excuse to justify their "I can do whatever I want because I'm right" attitudes, not just to others, but to themselves.
That’s why in the promo, they were using an honestly flimsy excuse of Superman trying to protect citizens against another alien to justify taking over Metropolis with robots. They’re control freaks.
I kinda wonder if Leota Adebayo (Waller’s daughter in Peacemaker) exists in this continuity and how screwed up their relationship is.
Edited by BigBadShadow25 on Jun 23rd 2024 at 11:31:27 AM
You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.Given it’s openly called early concept art, I get impression that Kara was meant to be more aware of just how bad Empire was early on, atleast in sense she knew what they do but was in denial about just how monstruous their deeds are, rather than being put in hypnotic transe during the genocides as she is in final show.
Impression I got was that genocide everything was Brainiac’s personal aproach since he dosen’s still have infrastrukture to run the worlds spaning disctatorship. Even if not I can see it functioning more like Leviathan Empire from Amphibia, where they call themselves the conquerors, but in practice they are Planet Looters who steal the resources and exterminate world they find before moving on.
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Kinda rotting for Ma and Pa Kent to join and give Brainiac piece of their minds. I kinda also have Sam on the list of potentials, depending if he did leave Metropolis like he planned or Winslow was his only way to escape and now is hiding in the city instead.
Edited by EmperorGeode on Jun 23rd 2024 at 12:22:16 PM
I went back and watched the last scene of Season 1. It looks like the guy Brainiac talks to outranks him, so I don't think it's Kara at all. And since that person has one line, and that one line involves talking about kneeling, I think it's Zod. And based on this episode, I don't think Kara has ever met him.
You believe there is yet another? That Zod is still out there?
My thought was that Zod was the one leading Krypton on a path of conquest and destruction (if he wasn’t banished to the Phantom Zone, that is).
You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.To fill out the rest of my roster for Olson's Eleven, I already have 9. I think Dr. Irons will be in there, so one more. It could be a civilian so one of the Planet crew (Steve Lombard would be my choice). Sam could come back, but probably not. This is probably going to be packed for pacing and probably going to be a funny episode. Bringing in Sam would grind the pacing to a halt for drama. Winslow as Toyman would also be good. For my 11th, think I'll go with Steve.
"Problem he should already no there is an enemy out there who stomped the entire Kryptonian race. "
I wouldn't rule out the Kryptonians being a victim of Conservation of Ninjutsu.
A single Kryptonian is a potentially apocalyptic threat.
An army of them are glorified Mooks.
Edited by Luisdalas on Jun 23rd 2024 at 10:45:15 AM
