Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Who's Who: LSV Esper Lass

Esper Lass
by Russell & Siskoid


Real Name: Meta Ulnoor
Super-Power(s): Mind control
Planet of Origin: Titan
Relationship to Legion: Villain

Legion Log
Esper Lass first came in contact with the Legion when she applied to take Saturn Girl's place as the Legionnaire from Titan. Due to the Legion's policy on unique abilities, Esper Lass was summarily rejected. She banded with five other like-minded would-be Legionnaires and challenged their six counterparts to a fight, winner(s) to be Legionnaire(s). Because the six "Super Rejects" had stronger control of their natural abilities, the six Legionnaires relied on skill and teamwork to defeat them.

Esper Lass did not take her defeat well. Instead of returning to Titan and trying to find another outlet for her abilities, she joined up with the Legion of Super-Villains prior to the War of the Legions. Whether she found them, or they sought her out, has never been revealed.

Esper Lass battled determinedly during the LSV's attempt to take over Orando. It was clear that she had learned something of her lesson from her debut, as several times Esper Lass used her mental powers to try to help her fellow Super-Villains to kill Legionnaires. Eventually, however, she and they were defeated.

When Queen Projectra ordered both Legions off Orando, Esper Lass was able to read the mind of the alien space-worm Zymyr to learn how to pilot his inter-dimensional spaceship back to their "normal" universe. This  allowed the LSV to escape, stranding a group of Legionnaires in-between dimensions.

Although the Legion of Super-Villains were captured when they reappeared "home," Esper Lass was not specifically shown to be with them. Although the assumption is that she was captured and imprisoned on Takron-Galtos (and, later, Labyrinth), she was never actually shown in any battle or crowd scenes.

Esper Lass' history and profile information as recorded in this Who's Who entry were never shared in an actual story.

Esper Lass appears neither during the Reboot nor the Threeboot.
After Infinite Crisis, Esper Lass' original history has presumably been more or less restored.She joined Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains during the Final Crisis, but has not been seen since.

Under the name Esper, she appears in the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, voiced by Tara Strong as a member of Lightning Lord's Light Speed Vanguard.

Important Esper Lass stories:

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #212
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 11
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 5)
Esper Lass makes her debut as a member of the Legion of Super-Rejects

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #2
(reprinted in The Legion: An Eye For An Eye TPB)
Esper Lass has joined the Legion of Super-Villains

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #3-5
(reprinted in The Legion: An Eye For An Eye TPB)


Esper Lass does her best to kill a Legionnaire in the War of the Legions

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #5
(reprinted in The Legion: An Eye For An Eye TPB)
Esper Lass is able to pilot their spaceship back "home"

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #7-8
(reprinted in The Legion: The More Things Change TPB)
Esper Lass is not among the escaped LSV members shown

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #2
Esper Lass is a member of Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains during Final Crisis

Legion of Super-Heroes animated series
Esper, voiced by Tara Strong

7 comments:

  1. For what it's worth, she was on my short list of candidates for who was behind the Sensor Girl mask.

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    Replies
    1. That would have been interesting. A storyline about redemption or traitorous insider perhaps?

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    2. I just read Baxter series #20 and Paul Levitz promises that question will be answered by issue #21!

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    3. I was thinking redemption. She was trying out for the Legion at the beginning.

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  2. Nice. When you have them, you guys should post Mayfair game stats for characters as well.

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    Replies
    1. There is no "when". I own all the Legion Mayfair stuff. But it's going to be its own series of posts.

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  3. Esper Lass unfortunately appears to be redundant with Saturn Queen present.

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