Legion of Super Heroes - Saddest Death

[caj]

The Legion was one of groups that consistently showed deaths of characters over the years. What in your opinion was the saddest death.

[j9ac9k]

I was never a fan of his, but Sun Boy's death in the 5YL continuity was tragic. (his other death in the retroboot was just nasty)

Another character I was never a fan of, but had a really sad death was Monstress, killed by her own teammate whom she believed in right until the end.

[Zero Hunter]

It has to be Monstress. The way she was just vaporized without even a second thought by Element Lad was shocking. No emotion no lead up to it just one word and he turned her to a pile of dust.

[Sutekh]

The death of Monstress was shocking and effective, but felt like it was serving to show how over the top evil the Progenitor was, which, in a way, is a definition of 'fridging,' a character being killed off to advance someone else's story, as if it was never really *their* story at all. (Which, yes, on a team of 25-ish people, it's never really any of their individual stories, but I think it would have felt more toothsome if someone like Brainiac 5 got ganked to sell the Progenitor as un-redeemable, and not some new character the writers had invented.)

Both of the Sun Boy deaths just felt bleak and pointless. Did not feel sad, just kind of disappointed and / or angry at the writer.

But there were a few deaths in the Legion's history that felt powerful and purposeful. Karate Kid's death was 'a good death.' And the Emerald Empress had a pretty powerful death scene (marred only somewhat by art that didn't really work for me. I would have loved to see that done by someone like Lightle!).

Looks like the 'best' Legion deaths for me always seem to revolve around Projectra in some way! Look out Jeckie! These things come in threes!

[Riv86672]

Ferro/Ferro Lad for me, hands down.

[Nomads1]

It has to be Monstress. The way she was just vaporized without even a second thought by Element Lad was shocking. No emotion no lead up to it just one word and he turned her to a pile of dust.

Yeah, Monstress death really struck deep with me, even if I wasn't that much of a fan. Very well done. Another that really did oit for me was Karate Kid's (his first death in the LSH Baxter series, I might clarify).

Peace

[Uncanny X-Man]

I'll go with the Emerald Empress. She was absolutely despicable but her death issue and final scenes with Projectra were so well-written.

[kcekada]

As a new fan/reader of Superboy in the early 70s, ERG-1/Wildfire's death was the saddest for me. Readers had no idea he would return -- and the astonishment on the faces of Phantom Girl, Colossal Boy and Chemical King really nailed the scene.

[protege]

As a new fan/reader of Superboy in the early 70s, ERG-1/Wildfire's death was the saddest for me. Readers had no idea he would return -- and the astonishment on the faces of Phantom Girl, Colossal Boy and Chemical King really nailed the scene.

speaking of chemical king, i was just starting to like him when they killed him off.

[j9ac9k]

Ferro/Ferro Lad for me, hands down.

While the original Ferro Lad died destroying the Sun Eater, you know that didn't happen in Final Night. (just in case anyone thought so)

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

Magnetic Kid. Poor Pol Krinn lived and died being treated as a replacement for his older brother, and ultimately his death didn't save the universe from ruin, nor did he seem to be remembered in Five Years Later.

[caj]

It seems like Sun Boy was second to Karate Kid on Keith Giffen's list of hated Legionnaires. Those two both died some brutal deaths.

[lalalei2001]

As a new fan/reader of Superboy in the early 70s, ERG-1/Wildfire's death was the saddest for me. Readers had no idea he would return -- and the astonishment on the faces of Phantom Girl, Colossal Boy and Chemical King really nailed the scene.

Same here, I loved that issue when i read it in the DC Archives!

[Riv86672]

While the original Ferro Lad died destroying the Sun Eater, you know that didn't happen in Final Night. (just in case anyone thought so)

^^^Oh I absolutely know that (and thanks!), but that’s a beautiful cover.

[Thor-Ul]

I would say th emost saddest death it was Sun Boy, not just because he died one saddedst dead but he died two in a saddest way.
The first one in 5YL where he didn't even get an heroic dead but a pathetic one. And the one on the last issues of the Levitz second run, where he wasn't just killed but later eaten by some primitives aliens.

A death than made me sad was Blok. Poor Blok. The last of his kind and was killed, alone.