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Quote1 My name is Mekt Ranzz, perhaps better known as Lightning Lord. And I have a very simple question for you: Where... is... my... brother... ? Quote2
Lightning Lord src

Lightning Lord is Mekt Ranzz from the farming world of Winath. He is an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a founding member of the Legion of Super-Villains. Mekt is the older brother of two Legionnaires, both Lightning Lad and Light Lass.

Origin

Lightning Lord Origin 01

Mekt Ranzz was born the first of three children on the planet Winath. In Winathian society, it was common for parents to give birth to twins, but Mekt was born an only child - a fact that later made him an outcast in Winathian social circles. When he was still a young child, Mekt's parents gave birth to twins, Garth and Ayla. Years later, when all three were teenagers, they attended a party on an alien planet. Returning home, their shuttle craft malfunctioned and they crashed on the planet Korbal. They discovered that their ship had run out of power and that its engines needed to be recharged. Garth Ranzz lured a herd of Lightning Beasts towards the craft hoping to use their electrical discharges to power the ship. The animals' energy bursts struck the teens however and not the ship, imbuing all three of them with the ability to generate electricity. Mekt, Garth and Ayla used their powers to recharge the ship's engines and return home.

Following this incident, Mekt quickly withdrew from society and disappeared into the galactic underground. Garth had no idea what fate had befallen his brother, and began searching neighboring star systems in the hopes of finding him. It was on this search that Garth met Rokk Krinn and future wife Imra Ardeen shortly before the formation of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Mekt however, still scornful for not having a twin, continued to develop a more antisocial personality and this resentment ultimately led him to a life of crime. When next he resurfaced, he had aligned himself with similarly-minded individuals known as the Cosmic King and Saturn Queen. Calling himself Lightning Lord (a pastiche of his brother's code name Lightning Lad), he helped to establish the Legion of Super-Villains.

Lightning Lord and his villainous Legionnaires clashed with the Legion of Super-Heroes many times over the years, the rivalry between his brother and he growing stronger with each conflict. When Ayla Ranzz came of age and began calling herself Lightning Lass, Mekt tried unsuccessfully on numerous occasions to persuade her into a criminal lifestyle. Mekt's mental instability not withstanding, he actually cared very deeply for his sister, and only tried to corrupt her so that he could be closer to her.

Powers

  • Unique Physiology
    • Energy Absorption: Lightning Lord can absorb electrical energy into his body and rechannel it for offensive purposes. His body functions as a natural insulator, and he cannot be harmed from the effects of his own powers.
    • Electrokinesis: Lightning Lord can generate and control fields of electrical energy. He can channel this energy through his hands and project it as a super-heated discharge with properties similar to that of lightning. Unlike true lightning, Mekt can manipulate these electric discharges in non-terrestrial environments such as outer space.[1][2]
    • Electro-Blast[3]
    • Flight

Abilities

  • Electrical Engineering: Lightning Lord possesses a working knowledge of devices such as, semiconductors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, nano-structures, and vacuum tubes.
  • Leadership: Lightning Lord has developed strong leadership capabilities and can command the respect and obedience of others.

Other Characteristics

  • Obsession: Lightning Lord's mental instability and obsession with his family often affects his judgment.


  • On the planet Winath, it was the norm for parents to sire twins. Mekt however was initially born a single child - an abnormality that made him an outcast within Winathian society.
  • At some point Lightning Lord developed the ability to fly. The means by which this is accomplished is unknown as flight is not one of his natural abilities, nor does he possess a Legion Flight Ring.[citation needed]
  • Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (Volume 4) #3 (1992) introduces Holt, Mekt's male lover[4] (which is confirmed by the author of the story, Tom Bierbaum[1]). This interpretation of the character does not carry into the later versions of Legion continuity.

Related

External Links

Footnotes


Legion of Super-Villains 02
Legion of Super-Heroes Villain(s)
DC Bullet 2024

This character or group of characters is or was primarily an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes from the 31st Century, and may have existed in any of the various Legion continuities, including but not limited to the Original Legion, Reboot Legion, and the Prime Legion. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Legion of Super-Heroes villains" category.

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