The Legion of Super Bloggers! : Who's Who: Karate Kid

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Who's Who: Karate Kid

Karate Kid
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Val Armorr

Super-Power(s): Master of all known fighting techniques. Although possessing no specific super-powers, his body was a living weapon
Planet of Origin: Earth

Legion Seniority: Karate Kid joined the Legion at the same open call where Princess Projectra, Ferro Lad, and Nemesis Kid joined. As per tradition, Projectra is listed first, making him Legionnaire #24 after Ferro Lad.
He was elected Legion Leader during the second half of Year 7.

Legion Log
Karate Kid made his debut at the open call for applicants during the first Khund invasion attempt of Earth. However, during their first mission the new members were suspected of helping the Khunds. Although the traitor turned out to be Nemesis Kid, the three others bonded under the adversity of suspicion and quickly became good friends. Karate Kid never forgave Nemesis Kid for trying to frame him.

Karate Kid was one of the most dynamic members of the Legion from the moment he appeared as an applicant. Admitting that he had no specific super-power, he challenged Superboy to a fight and managed to hold his own against the Teen of Steel. Superboy was so impressed, he enthusiastically endorsed the applicant, and the Legion voted him in.

Karate Kid served with distinction for approximately six years. During that time, he pushed himself to constantly be better, dedicating himself to becoming the perfect living weapon. Part of his regular training routine was to spar with Superboy, for example. Once, when he thought he had only 12 hours to live, he hunted down the Fatal Five and tried to die in combat. It was this sense of discipline that his fellow members recognized when they voted him Legion Leader during Year 7.

It was eventually revealed that Karate Kid was a "half," the son of a Japanese crime-lord called the Black Dragon and an American named Valentina Armorr. While Val was still a baby, his mother was killed, and a sensei called Shiratsuru Toshiaki was forced to fight and kill his father. Shiratsuru then raised the orphaned child as his own. Years later, the Black Dragon's kohai, Sadaharu, tracked down Shiratsuru to exact revenge and pass on the crime empire to Karate Kid. Val stood with his sensei, of course.

During a mission to Orando, Karate Kid realized that Princess Projectra reciprocated his feelings for her, and they started dating. A love affair between a commoner and a princess was not easy, but their love was strong enough to keep them together. When Karate Kid formally requested permission from King Voxv to marry his daughter, the King ordered him to experience a rite of passage, or "tournament", to prove his worth to him. He banished Karate Kid to 20th Century Earth, but did not explain to his daughter why her boyfriend was leaving her. Their relationship was strained until the truth came out; then their love grew even stronger. At this time, he took an extended leave from the Legion to fulfill his obligation. (This is how Karate Kid became a comic book series, which lasted fifteen issues from 1976-1978.)

After a certain amount of time, Karate Kid returned permanently to his own time and together with Projectra, went to Orando to report to the King and to ask his permission to marry. Unfortunately, before they could receive his blessings, King Voxv died. After facing down a challenge to her rule, Projectra ascended to the throne as Queen. She offered Val one last chance to walk away, but he again vowed eternal love and devotion to her. After a suitable time of mourning, Karate Kid married Projectra in the grandest wedding Orando had ever seen.

Their happiness was short-lived, however. When they returned to Orando from their honeymoon, they were shocked to find that the Legion of Super-Villains had taken over. The Super-Villains had captured the entire planet, planning to warp it into another dimension so that they could control it forever. Although the Legion spoiled this plot, Karate Kid was killed in battle with Nemesis Kid. His pride would not allow him to step away from the fight, even after sustaining fatal injuries.

Karate Kid was cremated in a ceremonial funeral pyre on Orando as some of his Legion friends bore witness. Later, a cenotaph in his honor was erected on the cemetery planet, Valhalla.

Karate Kid was friendly with all the other Legionnaires, but was especially close to those members whose dedication was similar to his: Superboy, Mon-El, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Invisible Kid. He was also close to Timber Wolf, the other "physical" Legionnaire, with whom he often trained.

After Val's death, Timber Wolf in fact learned he was heir to Karate Kid's estate. He and the Sensei traveled to the planet Lythyl to honor Val's last wishes, where they met a young martial artist, Myg, who would eventually come to Earth, enter the Legion Academy and become the second Karate Kid.

Karate Kid was one of the members of the SW6 Legionnaires who appeared some time after the Five Year Gap that followed the Magic Wars, but died along with the SW6 Projectra and Chameleon Boy during the war to free Earth of Dominion oppression.

After the Reboot, Karate Kid joined Leland McCauley's Workforce to have the opportunity to travel to different planets and learn new disciplines, but his conscience did not let him do so forever given McCauley's practices. Running from his former employer, he asked for the Legion's protection. McCauley renounced any claim against Val, and he became a Legionnaire.

After the Legion disbanded when some of their number were lost in a remote galaxy, Karate Kid chose to study the Haplashar pacifists on the planet Steeple. When this world was cut off from the rest of the galaxy for ten years because of black hole activity, he chose to stay behind to take care of a critically-injured Ferro. Eventually freed by Brainiac 5, he became one of the Legionnaires who helped turn the tide against Universo, who had taken over the Legion.

After the Threeboot, Karate Kid is Euramerican raised in Japan by martial arts masters, trained around the clock in martial arts from birth. The most disciplined Legionnaires, his love live is nevertheless chaotic. He has dated Shadow Lass, Phantom Girl and Light Lass, each relationships proving impossible to sustain.

After Infinite Crisis, Karate Kid's original history has more or less been re-established. Under unrevealed circumstances, the Legion participated in a successful ceremony to return him to life, the same way they had revived Lightning Lad years before. Part of a Legion party that traveled to the 21st century - during which time be briefly posed as the villain Trident - he and Una (the former Triplicate Girl) remained when others left. He appears to die there from the Morticoccus virus - though his body is later revealed to be a Time Trapper plant - the viral strain released from his 31st-century blood more resistant to treatment than ever. Having cheated death once again, somehow, Karate Kid once again counts among the Legionnaires.

Karate Kid was a member of The Legion of Super-Heroes in its animated series, voiced by Keith Ferguson. He also appeared in the direct-to-video animated film JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time, with a design that recalled Samurai's from Super-Friends, and with paranormal abilities, such as being able to perceive stress points, fracture planes, or weaknesses in objects as well a Ki-based attack. This version was voiced by Dante Basco. In addition, DC Comics granted Columbia Pictures permission to use the "Karate Kid" name for a series of successful movies, though there is no connection between these and the Legionnaire.

Important Karate Kid Stories:

Adventure Comics #346

(reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5)

Karate Kid makes his debut and joins the Legion
during the first Khund Invasion of Earth

Adventure Comics #347

(reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5)

Karate Kid proves he is not the traitor

Adventure Comics #362

(reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 8)

Karate Kid admits his love for Princess Projectra

Adventure Comics #365-366

(reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 8)