Which Member Brings the LEAST to the Team?

[Gpoliceman]

This thread is for people who saw Secret Origins of JL, so if you didn't catch the episode, beware of SPOILERS.........




.........Anyhow, from watching the first three part story, who do you feel at this moment brings the LEAST to the team?

Here's my reaction, and I'm stating this with TOTAL DISREGARD TO WHO MY FAVORITE MEMBERS ARE. Do the same thing if you want in your reply. I'm being total honest about who brings the most and least to the team, despite the fact let's say Batman is my favorite character:

From Most important to Least Important:

1. Superman- Of course, being the strongest person alive, he brings the most to the team. He could probably single-handedly defeat villains groups of the team could not. He's not too bright though, but using a strong fist, not a brain defeats evil, and so Superman has that down.
2. Batman- Batman brings the brains, and the resources. Combined with Superman, Batman and him could defeat most any villain as long as their not in mass quantities (like in Secret Origins). I honestly believe that while Batman and Superman dont work well together in personalities, they do make the GREATEST SUPERHERO TEAMUP POSSIBLE. Everything Batman has, Superman does not. Everything Superman has, Batman cannot match. Together, they make an unstoppable force. Together, they don't lack in any capability. Batman and Superman together are amazing, which is why after Superman, Batman is most important.
3. Martian Manhunter- Martian Manhunter ALMOST ties with Batman for second most important, because he thinks before he acts, and uses different means of fighting evil than Superman.
4 and 5. Green Lantern and Wonder Woman- at this moment, I can't tell which would be more important to the team. They both seem very powerful and strategic. However, their weaknesses are in the fact that while they are both straight laced and "stick to the plan" people who don't fool around, I don't think either of them are as smart as Batman or MM, which is why they are 4th and 5th important to the team.
6. Hawkgirl- I know nothing about her, but from the first episode, she's a good team player and a skilled fighter, however if someone on the team were to actually DIE, I think it would be her. I'm not sure why.

and so as we now know.......the least important to the team is.....

7. The Flash- NO, IT'S NOT BECAUSE HE MESSES AROUND AND MAKES JOKES. When there's a planet to be saved, Flash is there for it. Even if he cracks jokes along the way he still helps so I don't know why GL gets pissed. The reason why I picked the Flash as the least important to the team is because of his powers. Basically, all he can do is save the other members (by speeding them to safety) and dodge enemy shots. He has GREAT DEFENSE, but his OFFENSE stinks horribly. Batman, while a human with NO POWERS, has a million times better offensive skills than the Flash. In Secret Origins, all we really saw him do is create deversions and save the others. Now while the other teammates could use a guy on their squad who's sole purpose is to race in and save them, I get the impression other teammates who fly or can create sheilds (Sups, GL) could successfully save teammates' lives too.

Right now, the Flash does little for the team. He saved a few lives, but I feel like it could have been done by others too. He's basically your "go get" guy. Sups can tell him "go get me a deversion" or "go get me my cape, I lost it" but what else can he do?

What do you think?

Gpoliceman

[Bird Boy]

I love flash..it's Wonder Woman who I think does squat for the team....

-BB

[SSNTails]

Yeah, I'd agree that Wonder Woman contributes the least.

What do you call a dissected Green Lantern?

OpenGL! :D

[The Guard]

Hawkgirl. There are others who can fly, and attack when they have to. Let's hope she has something special...

[Joe Tully]

I think that Flash was the least effective in this ep. He got stuck in that gunk and then destroyed that one tripod on his own later on, and used his arms to fan away the poison gas, but WW was flying around and punching holes in walls and aliens and tied up that ship with her lasso, and led Batman and MM into the alien HQ.

I think that we will see Flash use his powers in better ways later on though and that we shouldn't assume that he will continue to be as ineffectual in future eps. I am also a Flash fan and am interested in seeing how else he will use his powers.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by Gpoliceman
TRight now, the Flash does little for the team. He saved a few lives, but I feel like it could have been done by others too. He's basically your "go get" guy. Sups can tell him "go get me a deversion" or "go get me my cape, I lost it" but what else can he do?

Interesting observations. Mostly it makes me wonder about the personal dynamics between team members. Are there moments (off-screen or off-page) where GL mutters to Batman, "Who's going to tell Flash he's basically a hopped-up gofer?" And then I wonder: What else might these guys being saying to each other when Supes, or Hawgirl, or Bats isn't around?

But it also sounds like it issues a good challenge (both to the JL and to the writers of JL adventures, to figure out what exactly Flash brings to the team. Obviously he should be very good at making precision strikes. Say there's a bomb in a building and you need it out, fast. Send Flash in to get it and carry it off somewhere. Or suppose you have a goon squad of armed thugs ranged across a battle front. Have Flash zip through and pluck the guns from their hands before they know what's happening.

Actually, we do see something like that in SO where Flash has fun with Snapper Carr. Against a war machine Flash hasn't got much to do. But I think Flash can come into his own as a kind of surgical strike weapon, and not just a decoy or ambulance.

[JustJack]

A team always needs someone to draw attention, do quick rescues, & etc. I love the Flash. Besides..PERSONALITY WISE, he brings the most to the team!:D

Now, my problem is with HawkGirl. She seems just kinda...."there". We have strength, brains, and all sorts of powers...Then there is Hawkgirl..with her big distracting wings...and her stick. I'm not saying she's a bad character or anything, I'm just saying a character like her just doesnt seem necessary, except for as "the other girl on the team".

[Mr. Obsession]

They should keep Hawkgirl if only for the fact that she had the highest individual body count by the end of the "Secret Origins." :cool:

For the moment I'd say the weakest team member would be WW, simply due to her inexperience.

Thinking about it, when the 7 finally come together for the first time almost everyone knew who everyone else was, with the exceptions of WW and MM.

[Joe Tully]

Originally posted by JustJack
A team always needs someone to draw attention, do quick rescues, & etc. I love the Flash. Besides..PERSONALITY WISE, he brings the most to the team!:D

Now, my problem is with HawkGirl. She seems just kinda...."there". We have strength, brains, and all sorts of powers...Then there is Hawkgirl..with her big distracting wings...and her stick. I'm not saying she's a bad character or anything, I'm just saying a character like her just doesnt seem necessary, except for as "the other girl on the team".

I think that Hawkgirl will bring a lot to the team, at least....PERSONALITY WISE ;) She will clearly be the most aggressive member of the team, even moreso than WW or the impulsive Flash. I think that we just need more of a chance to see her, and to see her personality. She seems like the impatient sort. Will she get along well with the other teammates? Will she be willing to take orders, or sit around while they plan an attack? So far, all we saw was just that she was very aggressive in attacking those aliens, but we haven't heard her say much and also don't know the full extent of her powers. It's clear that her mace is enhanced, but we don't know how powerful it is or whether it is powered by science or magic.

I have confidence in the writers and that they'll give each member individuality that will at least make them interesting members even if their powers are redundant or not always the most useful in particular situations.

And did you see how much butt Hawkgirl kicked?!? She might not be as powerful as the others, but she makes up for it in enthusiasm!

[Calhoun07]

I've never been a huge fan of the Flash. If they were to rotate the team at all and brought in a new member and got rid of an old one, I'd pick Flash to leave and Plastic Man to join.

[The Mad Hatter]

Personally, I'm going to wait for some more episodes before I make a pronouncement on least effective hero... there's only so much they could do within 90 minutes, and I'm sure everyone will get their chance to shine.

[SimonMoon5]

Originally posted by The Guard
Hawkgirl. There are others who can fly, and attack when they have to. Let's hope she has something special...

In the 1st issue of the comic book based on the cartoon, what Hawkgirl brought to the team seemed to be knowledge of alien technology. I can see this as being an invaluable asset.

And if she can talk to birds like some versions of Hawkgirl have been able to do, then she'll be the "talk to animals" member of the team, which is very much needed now that Aquaman's not a JLA member. :)

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by Mr. Obsession
They should keep Hawkgirl if only for the fact that she had the highest individual body count by the end of the "Secret Origins." :cool:

For the moment I'd say the weakest team member would be WW, simply due to her inexperience.

Thinking about it, when the 7 finally come together for the first time almost everyone knew who everyone else was, with the exceptions of WW and MM.

In some of the comics, WW was used as a counterpoint to Superman's point of view. They often disagreed in the handling of certain situations, and their approach differed. I think the show would benefit from her being "the other side of the coin" to Superman, and Batman being used as the "brains" of the outfit.

She's also supposed to be almost as strong as Superman, but I don't know how the show will handle that in the long term.

[kid_flash]

I don't think any member brings the least to the team. Emphasis on TEAM. There's defense, offense, rescue, etc. The Flash proved himself by getting GL out of the way and creating a distraction (something none of the others could have done nearly as well). I think the team is brought together very tightly, and each has their own part to play. If everyone played the same part, the team wouldn't be a team.

[Joe Tully]

Originally posted by SimonMoon5



And if she can talk to birds like some versions of Hawkgirl have been able to do, then she'll be the "talk to animals" member of the team, which is very much needed now that Aquaman's not a JLA member. :)

The official JL website has talking to birds listed as one of her powers. So we will probably see that pop up at some point.

[Karkull]

On the Superman animated series, the creators went out of their way to show that Superman wasn't always openly accepted. He was looked at with a questionable eye, even feared at times.

That said, I think that the Flash plays an additional role in the team: he's probably the most approachable member. After all, who did Snapper Carr interview at the beginning? Simply put, in a team consisting of three aliens, a human affiliated with an alien organization, a mythological figure who worships "pagan" gods, and a potential psychopath; the Flash seems that much more human by comparison.

[DisneyBoy]

It's really scary that you said what you did about Hawkgirl...


'Cause I've been getting the same impression!!! Months before I saw the show, I had a little plan. Basically, Hawkgirl would die in battle in a future season, Gl would retire to live with his neglectid wife and kids (though now I'm beginning to doubt that he's even married), Kyle Rayner would be re-introduced as GL and the already guest-staarring Aquaman would become a member.

I found Aquaman a little unimportant myself. Cool, but not really important...yet!

[JL4Ever]

Yes Flash was funny and fast but in comparison to the others I'd say he's the weakest link. I like his character dynamic and what he adds to the team dynamic but I don't think he's an essential member. Everyone else in the team contributed much more than him in "Secret Origins." Don't get me wrong, I love his character and I don't want him off the team but I do think he's the least essential.

[Snake Plissken]

The Flash is useless.