| Continuity-Related Comic Book Character | |
| Brainiac 5 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Information | |
| Real name: | Querl Dox |
| AKA: | Brainy |
| Species: | Coluan United Planets (citizen) |
| Homeworld: | Colu |
| Universe: | Earth-One Earth-1A |
| Hair: | Blond |
| Eyes: | Green |
| Relatives: | Kajz Dox (Brainiac 4; father, deceased) Unnamed mother (deceased) Pran Dox (Brainiac 3, grandfather)[1] Vril Dox (Brainiac 2, great grandfather & adopted son of Brainiac)[2] |
| Occupation: | Legionnaire |
| Base: | Legion Clubhouse |
| Affiliations: | Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Abilities: | Twelfth-Level Intelligence |
Legion of Super-Heroes Team Member
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Brainiac 5 in his first appearance. As depicted in Action Comics #276/2 (May 1961),
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Brainiac 5 explaining his origin and lineage. As depicted in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #3 (March 1981).
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Brainiac 5's first meeting with Supergirl. As depicted in Superboy, #147 (June 1968).
Brainiac 5, also known as Querl Dox, is a 30th century descendant of Brainiac. He is a green-skinned, blond-haired teenage native of the planet Colu and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes with a supremely advanced intellect. He has a tendency to put plans into motion without consulting the Legion's leader. While his ancestor Brainiac was a supervillain, Brainiac 5 strove to atone for the misdeeds of his lineage.[3]
Background Information[]
In the parallel-universe of Earth-One, our story begins over 1,000 years before Brainiac 5 was born, with the construction of the evil humanoid computer Brainiac by the computer masters of Colu, computers that exceeded their mandate and took over. They built the original Brainiac to act as an advanced scout for their planned interplanetary conquest. To keep maintain the appearance of humanity, they sent Vril Dox along with him. Vril eventually escaped using technology stolen from Brainiac. He then led a revolt on Colu against the computers. Vril’s intelligence eventually exceed his fellow Coluans. This intellect was passed on to his descendants – his son Pran, his grandson Kajz and then Querl (aka Brainiac 5). And so, the name Brainiac 5 was taken as a show of force, or an act of defiance.[4]
Far into the 30th century, young Querl Dox learns that he has a twelfth-level intelligence. Most Coluans are tenth-level intellect. This often became the cause of bullying for him when he was in school.[5]
Brainiac 5 is one of the original members of the Legion. He was admitted at the Legion's 2nd Regular Competition for Membership. He was up against Supergirl, who was trying out a second time, after her failed attempt the year before.[6] Supergirl is chosen because of the trophies she brought back from her treasure hunt and Brainiac 5 is chosen for his noble courage in helping Supergirl against the approaching Kryptonite meteorite, even though it could have cost him his life. After partaking in the Legion of Super-Heroes' parade, Supergirl prepares to return to her own time, when Brainiac 5 asks her to stay and be his girlfriend. Supergirl politely declines because of her obligation to her cousin, Superman.[7]
Later, he developed the Legion's flight rings using an isotope discovered by Mon-El,[8] the anti-lead serum that allowed Mon-El to leave the Phantom Zone, the Time Bubble (which became the primary mode of time travel for the Legion of Super-Heroes)[9] and the force field belt which became the signature device of the character.[10] He also invented Computo, a killer computer which ultimately killed one of his teammates, Triplicate Girl.[11] This creation seemingly lacked a certain wisdom that should accompany his intellect. And so, this is when "Brainy" (as his teammates loved to call him) began to show signs of mental instability.[12] Ironically, Computo was defeated by his creation of a Bizarro Computo.[13] Another sign of poor judgment, surfaced when he was targeted by an android created by the Coluan Computer Tyrants with the intent of infiltration and espionage.[14] This android took the name Pulsar Stargrave and pretended to be Querl's long-lost father.[15] Stargrave was able to drive Brainiac 5 virtually mad, having him frame his teammate Ultra Boy for the murder of his former girlfriend, An Ryd.[16] It was eventually proven by fellow Legionnaire, Chameleon Boy, that Stargrave had murdered Ryd.[17]
On his journey to madness, Brainy’s unrestrained genius created two powerful threats. The first was the accidental transformation of his friend, Professor Jaxon Rugarth, into the psychotic, nearly all-powerful Infinite Man.[18] Next on his journey was the use of the Controllers' Miracle Machine to create the virtually unstoppable Omega.[19] The Legion called in the former Legionnaire Matter-Eater Lad, who was able to consume the Miracle Machine and stop Omega, but at the cost of his own sanity. Following this, both Brainiac 5 and Matter-Eater Lad were remanded to psychiatric care.[20]
Soon, Brainiac 5 was released to lead the Substitute Heroes against the League of Super-Assassins.[21] and with the help of Saturn Girl, purged his mind of lingering trauma.[22] After this, Brainiac 5 committed himself to curing Matter-Eater Lad's insanity.[23] Unfortunately this tragedy repeated itself when a young Danielle Foccart was brought to him for the treatment of a rare neurological disorder, the young girl's body was possessed by Computo.[24] Once again, he triumphed over adversity and cured Danielle.[25]
Powers and Abilities[]
Abilities[]
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): As a Legionnaire, Brainiac 5 has participated in Legion combat training and is an adequate hand-to-hand combatant. He has also learned extensive amounts of personal combat due to his studies of fellow Legionnaires abilities, the Karate Kid.[26]
- Enhanced Intellect: Querl has a "12th-level intellect", which grants him superhuman calculation skills, amazing memory and exceptional technical know-how. By comparison, 20th century Earth as a whole constitutes a "6th-Level" intelligence. 31st century Earth as a whole is a "9th-Level" intelligence. Average Coluans have a "10th level" intellect. This makes Querl a prodigy that possibly comes along once in a millennium. This increased intellect gives him superior calculating abilities, an encyclopedic memory and innovating scientific knowledge. By concentrating the power and disciplined nature of his mighty mind he safely operated the extra-dimensional device known as the Miracle Machine, which converts thoughts into reality. Using it, he successfully repelled the Dark Circle armies – repairing all the damage caused by the invasion – and completed the construction of the new Legion HQ. He has played three-dimensional chess against three powerful computers, added up every number in a math textbook in seconds, retained his memories and clarity of thought after being de-aged into a toddler, resisted illusion-assisted brainwashing, resisted hypnotism and adapted many inventions and experiments.
- Science
Weakness[]
- Brainiac 5 lacks wisdom to accompany his enhanced intellect.
Paraphernalia[]
Equipment[]
- Force Field Belt: Brainiac 5's primary invention is his personal force-shield generator. Brainiac 5 re-discovered the technical process behind original Brainiac's force-shield belt, which is capable of generating a virtually impervious field of protection. The belt must be attuned to the vibratory rate of its user before it can work. While activated, Brainiac 5's movement is not impeded. The belt has been speculated to break down exhaled carbon dioxide and liberate more oxygen enabling Brainy to breathe the same air repeatedly while in the field. The force-shield has been penetrated by sufficient powerful solar-energies, and while inside the protective barrier, he is vulnerable to being shaken within. The life of the force-shield belt is shortened radically when taken back through the time barrier and into the past, if it is in a position of compromising unalterable history.
- Force Ray : Brainiac 5 has adapted the workings of his force-shield belt to produce a force ray, a modified form of the force-field projector circuit, which can drill through walls. He has also hooked it up to a force-blaster and projected a force-shield around the entire clubhouse.
- Legion Flight Ring: As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes he is provided a Legion Flight Ring. It allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments. With his Legion flight ring (or earlier flight belt) he can use another power while flying.
Appearances[]
- SuperFriends Comic Book:
- Super Friends #7 and Super Friends #8 references the following cross-universe story:
- All-Star Comics, #68 (October 1977) -- implied only
- Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #147 (October, 1977) -- directly referenced
- Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #148 (November, 1977) -- directly referenced
- All-Star Comics, #69 (November 1977) -- implied only
- Super Friends #7 and Super Friends #8 references the following cross-universe story:
Notes[]
- Brainiac 5’s first named appearance was in Action Comics, #276 (May 1961). His likeness however, appears along with other Legionnaires in a single panel in Adventure Comics, #247 (April 1958).
- He was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney.
- Braniac 5 is the seventh generation after the first Brainiac. Nearly 1,000 years later. This means Coluans are exceptionally long-lived.
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ Pran Dox is reveaeled as Querl’s biological grandfather in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February, 1981) and corroborated in Vril Dox found on wikipedia.
- ↑ The above lineage is revealed in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February, 1981).
- ↑ As revealed in Action Comics, #276 (May, 1961).
- ↑ As revealed in flashback from Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February, 1981).
- ↑ As revealed Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #256 (October 1979).
- ↑ As revealed in flashback from Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February, 1981).
- ↑ As revealed in Action Comics, #276/2 (May 1961).
- ↑ He was perfecting an invention of the original Invisible Kid based on a metal discovered by Mon-El. As revealed in Legion of Super-Heroes, #267 (September, 1980).
- ↑ As revealed in Adventure Comics, #349 (October 1966).
- ↑ As revealed in Adventure Comics, #334 (July, 1965).
- ↑ As revealed in Adventure Comics, #340 (January 1966).
- ↑ This may have begun with his first term as Legion leader. See: Adventure Comics, #337 (October 1965).
- ↑ As revealed in Adventure Comics, #341 (February 1966).
- ↑ As revealed in Adventure Comics, #342 (March 1966).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy, #223 - #224 (January - February 1977).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #239 (May, 1978).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #250 (April 1979).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #233 (November 1977).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #250 (April 1979).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #252 (June 1979) and #273 (March 1981).
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #254 (August 1979)
- ↑ As revealed in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #256 (October 1979).
- ↑ As revealed in Legion of Super-Heroes, #289/2 (July 1982) and #296 (February 1983).
- ↑ As revealed in Legion of Super-Heroes Annual, #1 (1982).
- ↑ As revealed in Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2 #309 – #311 (March - May 1984).
- ↑ As revealed in the post-crisis story: Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, #1 (April, 1988).