Who's Who: Saturn Girl

Saturn Girl

by Russell & Siskoid
Real Name: Imra Ardeen (Ranzz)
Super Power(s): Mental Telepathy

Planet of Origin: Titan, a moon of Saturn

Legion Seniority: Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, and Lightning Lad were the three founders of the Legion. 

Traditionally she is considered the Second Legionnaire, as Cosmic Boy is counted first because he was their first leader.

Legion Log
Saturn Girl made her debut in Adventure Comics #247 and was an active member until she resigned to marry Lightning Lad, which occurred in All-New Collectors' Edition C-55, chronologically in-between Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes #236 and #237. They resigned because at that time, the Legion Constitution forbid any members from marrying. She and Lightning Lad were re-admitted in Superboy & the Legion of Super-Heroes # 245 after the Legion revised their Constitution after the events of The Earthwar Saga. She and her husband took another leave of absence in order to have and raise their son Graym, born in Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #3 (1984). They took another leave of absence in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 3) #12 to spend more time with their son. However, after the events of The Universo Project, Saturn Girl requested re-admittance, which was granted in LSH (vol 3) # 35. She served with them through The Magic Wars, which ended the series in LSH (vol 3) #63. 

Saturn Girl was the second Legion Leader, serving in the third and fourth years.
Saturn Girl had a reputation as an "ice queen." However, her aloofness is the result of her attempts to keep her distance from other Legionnaires so that they would not think she was using her telepathic powers to eavesdrop on their thoughts and feelings. As Leader she also attempted to create a buffer zone to distance herself from the difficult job of sending her friends into danger. So the senior members knew that she had a heart of gold, even while the newer members thought she was stand-offish when she didn't show her feelings overtly. She was especially friendly with fellow founders Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad, as well as with early members Brainiac Five, Mon-El, Superboy, and Element Lad. 

Saturn Girl rigged her first election as Leader in order to sacrifice herself in battle against Zaryan the Conqueror. However, Lighting Lad learned of her plan and sacrificed himself instead. She then won a recall election outright for her nobility. For several months Lightning Lad was in a comatose state, hovering near death. Eventually Saturn Girl prepared to sacrifice her life force to revive him. This time her plan was thwarted by the Protean known as Proty, who sacrificed itself instead. At Lightning Lad's "death" and then at his revival the young people announced their feelings for each other, and have been a couple ever since. Their love for each other battled against their love of the Legion until they finally married, forcing their fellow members to revise the Constitution they themselves had written.


Saturn Girl wore a modest red-and-white skirt-and-slacks outfit for the first seven years of her membership. She then abruptly switched to a hot-pink bikini-like uniform and let her hair down, literally. She wore this uniform for three years, then switched to an amalgam of her first and second outfits for the remainder of her career. 

Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad are the parents of twin boys, Graym and Validus. Initially Validus was stolen by Darkseid and sent back into the past to fight the Legion as a member of the Fatal Five. Eventually his true identity was discovered, and Validus was returned to normal and to his parents.

During the Five Year Gap, Saturn Girl resigned from the Legion for the last time, moving to Winath where she and her husband Lightning Lad ran a prosperous plantation and helped feed a starving galaxy. They would help the Legion re-form in 2996, but would not join it, Imra soon after giving birth to twin girls, Dacey and Doritt Ranzz. 

Saturn Girl was also a member of the SW6 Legion, and appeared in the series Legionnaires when it was spun-off from LSH(v4).

After the Reboot, Imra Ardeen starts her career as a hard-as-nails Science Police officer in a unique position to save R.J. Brande's life with the help of two boys. Brande recruits them into his new Legion of Super-Heroes as Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy and Live Wire.
This version of Saturn Girl would at one point unconsciously animate a comatose Cosmic Boy and almost marry him. She would follow Invisible Kid as Legion leader, and get engaged to Live Wire some time later. Both she and Garth were among the Legionnaires stranded in another galaxy (in Legion Lost) during which time she projected a false Phantom Girl to stabilize the erratic Ultra Boy. Tragedy continued to dog her steps and Live Wire was killed by a mad Element Lad, leading her to seek psychic therapy when she finally returned home.

In the Threeboot, Saturn Girl is a mute telepath, with a cold, emotionally isolated and introverted personality. Her mother holds a high position in the UP Council. Though she strayed into Ultra Boy's arms at one point, she maintains a warm romantic relationship with Lightning Lad. 

After Infinite Crisis, Saturn Girl's original history has more or less been re-established.
Saturn Girl  has appeared in the Superman Animated Series, voiced by Melissa Joan Hart; Legion of Super-Heroes animated series (with a more alien look), voiced by Kari Wahlgren ; and Smallville, played by Alexz Johnson.

Important Saturn Girl Stories:

Adventure Comics  #247

(reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 1)

The debut of Saturn Girl AND the LSH!

Adventure Comics #304

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol.1)

 Saturn Girl attempts to sacrifice herself for the Legion

Adventure Comics #312

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 2)

Saturn Girl attempts to sacrifice herself for Lightning Lad

Action Comics #392
(reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 9)

 Saturn Girl changes into a costume that will morph into her hot pink bikini


All-New Collectors' Edition C-55

Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad marry, and leave the Legion

Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes #245

 Saturn Girl is an important part in the ultimate defeat of Mordru; 
she and her husband are re-admitted into the Legion

Legion of Super-Heroes v2 #288
(reprinted in The Great Darkness Deluxe Hard-Cover Edition)

Saturn Girl changes her costume for the last time


Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #3 (1984)

Saturn Girl's sons are born. 

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #2 (1986)

Saturn Girl stares down Darkseid.

Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 3) #35

Saturn Girl single-handedly stops Universo,

saving the United Planets (again)

Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 4) #3

A slice of Saturn Girl's life after the five-year gap.

Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 4) #0

Officer Imra Ardeen of the Science Police (post-Reboot)


Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 4) #69

Post-Reboot Saturn Girl damages her mind fighting the Composite Man.

Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 4) #90

A time-tossed Saturn Girl fights for her life against Doctor Psycho.

Legion Lost (vol.1) #8-9

Saturn Girl's manipulation of Ultra Boy is exposed.

The Legion #19-23

 Saturn Girl must defeat her cousin Universo's false reality.

Legion of Super-Heroes (vol 5) #5

 Threeboot Saturn Girl states the Legion's mission statement more clearly than anyone.

Superman The Animated Series "New Kids On The Block" (1998)

Saturn Girl, voiced by Melissa Joan Hart


Legion of Super-Heroes cartoon (2007)

Saturn Girl, voiced by Kari Wahlgren


Smallville "Legion" (2009)

Alexv Johnson as "Imra" on Smallville