Brainiac

[MediaGuy0979]

Where was he? Why introduce a new character at the end of one episode if he's not going to be in the next? When will he come back?

PS. I actually am not even familiar with the Brainiac character. Who is he?

[Dimensio]

Originally posted by MediaGuy0979
Where was he? Why introduce a new character at the end of one episode if he's not going to be in the next? When will he come back?

James Marsters in season premiere opening titles == RATINGS, at least from rabid Whedon fans (and there are apparently quite a few).


PS. I actually am not even familiar with the Brainiac character. Who is he?

That really depends on the mythos in question. And I'm sure that Smallville's implementation won't be quite the same as any of the others (I'm just hoping that it won't be the utter hack-job that was Mxyptzlk)

[GUINsomniac]

Utter hack job? I mean I see what you are saying as far as the fact that it was completely different from the character from the comics, but the liberties that the series has taken thus far with such characters is actually one of it's strong points in my opinion. I mean did you expect them to have a dimension hopping leprechaun? I think what they did with it worked out for the best, just like what they did with the flash, and the wonder twins, lots of liberty taken with the characters, but done well and with an interesting new twist on it.

[Brainiac_13]

He's slated to appear in at least 4 more eps, according to Marsters' listing in IMDB.

Brainiac is, according to the character name + the Kryptonian origin (assumed), going to be a world-domination sort of villain likely to align himself with Lex Luthor.

Character-wise, the original Brainiac was a power-mad tyrant/scientific genius who was embodied, IIRC, in the form of a robot?

The named character in the SV line was a Psychic entertainer who appeared with the stage name "Brainiac" which would come to be coincidental to the fact that the alien entity Brainiac would assume control of his body by manipulating his psychic powers, etc.

(Dang DC comics! Too many versions of Brainiac!)

My guess is that SV will attempt to fuse the multiple origins of Brainiac into one much like they did with The Flash.

FAKE EDIT: In every instance above, I initially typoed the name 'Braniac' who I assume must be the evil dispenser of fiber from some other universe.

Originally posted by GUINsomniac
Utter hack job? I mean I see what you are saying as far as the fact that it was completely different from the character from the comics, but the liberties that the series has taken thus far with such characters is actually one of it's strong points in my opinion. I mean did you expect them to have a dimension hopping leprechaun? I think what they did with it worked out for the best, just like what they did with the flash, and the wonder twins, lots of liberty taken with the characters, but done well and with an interesting new twist on it.

No, it was an utter hack-job. That was a perfect assessment of SV's ruination of that character.

I don't mind as much if they screw up the Wonder Twins. Those guys were retarded. FORM OF: ICE TAMPON! *Woo! That's cold!*

[Kal2]

he'll be in 10 episodes, and he'll be introduced in the next episode.

[Zod in my pocket]

FYI: brainiac is an artificial intelligence (presumably the show places it's origin on Krypton, different than the books). We have yet to see what the motivation is for this version

[Brainiac_13]

Originally posted by Kal2
he'll be in 10 episodes, and he'll be introduced in the next episode.

Sweet. Now THAT is a significant bit of information.

I am pleased to see such an investment in a non-Lex arch enemy.

[Dimensio]

Originally posted by GUINsomniac
Utter hack job? I mean I see what you are saying as far as the fact that it was completely different from the character from the comics, but the liberties that the series has taken thus far with such characters is actually one of it's strong points in my opinion.

Bart Allen was taking "liberties". Another upcoming episode which I won't mention in a non-spoiler forum looks to be taking "liberties". Mxyptzlk was taking the name of a known character from the comics and applying it to a completely different character on the show. One was, as you put it, a dimension-hopping leprechaun who used his extraordinary (to those in this dimension) abilities to play pranks because he thought it was entertaining but who always played by a set of rules and "surrendered" when he was beaten. The other was a human being with the power of "suggestive phrasing" who used his somewhat extraordinary ability to win at gambling and who became sadistic and murderous when he didn't get his way. They're not the same character, they're not remotely the same character and I honestly can't see how one was derived from the other. It seems more to me like they took a standalone concept and decided to give him the same name as a comic book character to appeal to Superman fans.

I mean did you expect them to have a dimension hopping leprechaun?

I wasn't expecting something overt, but I did expect some, even if obscure, indication that the character was not from "around here", even moreso than Clark. I was certainly not expecting a character of terrestrial origin, much less one who could be not only be defeated with high frequency sound waves (as the comic Mxyptzlk could potentially be "defeated" in such a way with the right given conditions) but also totally depowered.

I think what they did with it worked out for the best, just like what they did with the flash, and the wonder twins,

Woah, those were not the "Wonder Twins". "Wonder Twins" was just a cute reference that the writers threw in. If they'd been given the same names as the Wonder Twins (either of SuperFriends fame or the Justice Leage Unlimited homage thereof) I would agree, but these were just twin characters with a shared power who one villain jokingly called "the wonder twins".

lots of liberty taken with the characters, but done well and with an interesting new twist on it.

Mxyptzlk wasn't an "interesting new twist". He was a completely different character with nothing shared except the name. And unlike the "completely different" Brainiac of JLU as compared to the comics, I found the implementation of Mxyptzlk to be lame. I might have been able to accept the episode with a different name applied to the villain, but I cannot accept a character as eccentric and unique as the comic Mxyptzlk being transformed into what I saw on Jynx. At least Howie Mandell's Mxyptzlk was true to the origin of the character, even if notably more malicious.

Originally posted by Zod in my pocket
FYI: brainiac is an artificial intelligence (presumably the show places it's origin on Krypton, different than the books). We have yet to see what the motivation is for this version

A Kryptonian origin for Braniac would be similar to the Superman Animated Series/JL/JLU version, though the hints from Jor-El of some terrible calamity sweeping the earth indicates that he'll be something more than that -- even if from Krpyton (the animated series Jor-El probably wouldn't have known of Brainiac's dangerous nature, given that Brainiac didn't become what he was until after the destruction of Krypton).

[GUINsomniac]

First off I was just saying in my opinion that I enjoyed the new renditions of the characters, I understand there are those out there that would find them to be unnacceptable due to the drastic changes but that wasn't the point of my post. And as far as that not being the wonder twins as you put it and him just making that comment as a joke, what makes you say that? Were you one of the writers for the episode? Perhaps again Smallville's writers are taking some of the DC universe's characters and running with them, heaven forbid they take some artistic license with them and don't make the same crappy old story line that comic book fans have been seeing year after year. I know I am a rare breed with the fact that I actually am a comic book fan that enjoys the changes that Smallville has been making to the characters that it introduces, perhaps I am crazy but last I checked it is it's own independent universe so why not have some fun with it? I mean look at the comic universe itself and for example Ultimate Spider-Man, the green goblin is no longer a psycopath in a rubber mask, but a giant green Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. Change and variety is good in my opinion, but like I said, just my opinion.

[drwood]

Myx was NOT an utter hack job. Period. Jinx was one of the best episodes of Season 4. Myx has thus far been one of Smallville's best villains...one of the only people who could verbally spar with Lex in a believable way. The alteration from the 5th-dimensional being was nice -- much better than the classic "we have no hope of beating him, so how can we trick him into saying his name backwards" -- instead they used the backwards name to give Chloe and Clark the clue as to how to beat him.

[MyOwnSuperhero]

Originally posted by Dimensio
At least Howie Mandell's Mxyptzlk was true to the origin of the character, even if notably more malicious. Wow - what's it come to when you're giving props to Howie Mandell?:lol:

I wish they'd changed Mxy's origins in Jinx to something a little more multidimensional, but I'm not suprised they didn't. And I'm thrilled that they didn't do anything with actually getting him to say his name backwards, though they did give it a nod.