The Watchtower's Monitoring Room was steeped in palpable tension, the holographic panels casting a cold light over Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. They analyzed fragmented footage sent by the Plumbers, captured from damaged cameras in the now-ruined underground base. The devastated hangar, with its cracked floor and scattered debris, gave way to scenes of a smoldering ravine where a Green Lantern had been brutally defeated. Each frame pointed to an unrelenting force, and the name provided by the Plumbers echoed like a dangerous remnant of the past: **Vilgax**.
Batman, shrouded in his cape, manipulated the controls of the World Monitor, freezing the image on a key moment: Vilgax, his armor glinting under the hangar's blue lights, dodging a green hammer construct with an agility that defied his massive frame. "This isn't the Vilgax we knew," he said, his voice deep, eyes narrowing beneath the cowl. With a gesture, he opened a holographic file, the Plumbers' dossier projected at the room's center.
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**Plumbers' Dossier: Vilgax (Pre-Current Events)**
- **Species**: Chimera Sui Generis
- **Origin**: Planet Vilgaxia, Sector 2813
- **History**: Intergalactic conqueror, military leader with an expansive fleet. Never showed direct interest in the Omnitrix but clashed with Ben Tennyson and the Plumbers in pursuit of power and territories. Known for planetary invasions and acquiring alien technologies. Defeated multiple times but always returned with more sophisticated strategies.
- **Abilities**: Superhuman strength, extreme durability, advanced regeneration, brilliant strategist.
- **Equipment**: Standard combat armor, strength amplifiers, plasma weapons.
- **Personality**: Arrogant, ruthless, driven by an ambition for galactic domination. Failures led to periods of seclusion, but his determination remained unshaken.
- **Last Known Appearance**: Incarcerated in a Plumber containment facility after a failed attempt to steal technology from a Delta Quadrant lab, three years ago.
- **Status**: Missing following a security breach at the prison, 18 months ago.
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Superman, arms crossed, studied the dossier with a troubled expression. "The Plumbers confirmed he escaped, but this…" He pointed to the screen, where Vilgax, with red-glowing implants in his arm, shattered the Lantern's cage with a devastating punch. "He's on another level. He defeated Ben, Zatanna, and Black Canary in a single fight, and now a Green Lantern. This isn't just brute strength—it's something new."
Wonder Woman, her Lasso of Truth hanging from her belt, leaned forward, examining a frame from the ravine: Vilgax hurled a colossal rock while drones fired blue pulses, manipulating the battlefield with precision. "It's not just power," she said, her voice steady. "He's fighting with tactical intelligence beyond anything we've seen. He used the environment, the drones, even the Lantern's impulsiveness against him. This Vilgax is more… controlled, more dangerous."
Batman zoomed in on Vilgax's arm implants, the red glow pulsing like cybernetic veins. "These implants aren't in the old dossier. He mentioned a 'Muscle Boost Module' and a 'Field Repair Adhesive.' That suggests advanced bioengineering, possibly cybernetic, integrated into his physiology. It's not Vilgaxian technology, nor Plumber tech." He paused, brow furrowed. "And the 'laser vision' he used? That's not natural for his species."
Superman ran a hand over his chin, eyes fixed on the ravine's destruction. "He neutralized Ben, Zatanna, and Black Canary before this—the first direct confrontation with Ben, according to the Plumbers. Ben reported that Vilgax didn't go for the Omnitrix, which is odd. He seemed focused on something else, like he was testing his capabilities. And now, against the Lantern, he exploited every weakness with precision. This isn't just a conqueror with new weapons. He seems… enhanced, with experience we can't explain."
Diana crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "The Plumbers mentioned a possible 'restructuring event.' They gave no details but suggested Vilgax may have been altered by an external force. Look at this." She pointed to a frame where Vilgax, covered in dust and blood, stared at the Lantern with a cold, almost analytical gaze. "The old Vilgax was driven by arrogance and blind ambition. This Vilgax has a greater purpose, something he's concealing."
Batman advanced the footage, pausing as Vilgax ordered the base's plunder. Lyra's voice, captured by the cameras, mentioned the portal gun and additional technology. "He's collecting specific resources," Batman said. "The portal gun is a clear priority, suggesting plans involving access to other dimensions or star systems. And this team—Lyra, Krag—doesn't appear in Plumber files. He's built a loyal, efficient group, completely off the radar."
Superman shook his head, his tone heavy with concern. "Why an abandoned Plumber base? He could have targeted bigger objectives, like before. This feels deliberate, like he's testing these new abilities or sending a message. And the fact that he took down Ben, Zatanna, and Black Canary so easily… it changes the game."
Diana's gaze lingered on the holographic dossier, fixed on Vilgax's history. "He was always a strategist, but now he combines that mind with a body and technology that make him an unprecedented threat. Defeating Ben, Zatanna, Black Canary, and now a Lantern shows he's escalating. Who's next?"
Batman shut off the hologram, his face grim. "Us. He knows the League will respond. The Plumbers are stretched thin, and the Lantern he faced—Klynn, from Sector 2814—is in recovery. Klynn confirmed Vilgax didn't kill him, which is atypical. It could be a tactic to avoid drawing bigger attention, or he's playing a longer game."
Superman glanced at the screen, where the final image showed Vilgax descending the ravine, armor scarred but posture resolute. "If he's avoiding killing, it might be strategic. Or maybe he's changed more than we realize. But one thing's clear: this Vilgax isn't just a physical threat. He's planning something bigger."
Diana gripped her shield, her expression resolute. "Then we need to find him before he moves forward. The Plumbers are tracking the portal gun, but Vilgax is too clever to leave obvious trails. We need to uncover what changed him—and who or what is behind it."
Batman nodded, already accessing the League's files. "I'll investigate the origin of this technology. There are rumors of clandestine labs in Sector 2813, experiments with forbidden bioengineering. If Vilgax was restructured, someone funded or manipulated him. Meanwhile, Clark, Diana, prepare the team. He's faced some of us, but never with this level of power."
Silence settled over the room, broken only by the hum of the monitors. The frozen image of Vilgax, implants glowing, lingered on the screen, a reminder of a threat that had evolved beyond all predictions. The Vilgax of old was a conqueror driven by ambition; the Vilgax of now was a calculated predator, armed with power, technology, and an unknown purpose. The Justice League knew the next confrontation would be a challenge unlike any other.
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Beneath a pitch-black sky, the Plumbers' maximum-security base stood like an impregnable fortress, carved into an isolated island in the Pacific. Built to contain the galaxy's worst threats, its concrete and steel walls were no match for Vilgax. He observed the main entrance from a rocky outcrop, his red eyes glowing in the darkness, the implants in his right arm pulsing with a crimson light. The titanium blast door, shielded by force fields, was a trivial obstacle. A low growl escaped his throat. *Time to carve my path.*
His steps shook the ground as he descended the outcrop. At the door, Vilgax flexed his hands, the **Muscle Boost Module** humming beneath his armor. With raw strength, he dug his fingers into the metal's edge, the titanium groaning and yielding like paper. He tore the entire door free, the force fields flickering before collapsing with a shrill hiss. Alarms blared, red lights flooding the courtyard, and Vilgax flashed a cold smile, his sharp teeth glinting. *Let them come.*
Plumber security guards, armed with plasma rifles, emerged from barricades, firing blue bursts that lit up the night. The shots struck his chest, arms, and legs, exploding in harmless sparks against his reinforced skin and armor. Vilgax stood unmoved, the impacts as insignificant as dust. His Chimera Sui Generis physiology, enhanced by cybernetic implants, made him virtually indestructible. He savored the invincibility, the power that elevated him above any resistance. *Weaklings.*
With a precise motion, he drew his **falchion**, a curved alien blade sharp enough to slice through any Earth material. He advanced like an avalanche, the ground cracking under his boots. The first guard tried to retreat, but Vilgax reached him, the blade cleaving through reinforced armor with a clean strike, dropping him silently. Another fired point-blank, plasma ricocheting off his shoulder, and Vilgax retaliated, the falchion slicing through the rifle and its wielder in one motion. Bullets kept hitting him, ineffective, and he laughed, a deep sound that echoed across the courtyard. *Is this the best they have?*
The courtyard became a ravaged battlefield—barricades shattered, bodies strewn, the air thick with the smell of ozone and scorched metal. Combat drones descended, firing stronger pulses, but Vilgax ignored them, striding toward the main corridor. A beam grazed his armor, leaving a faint scratch, and he responded by snatching a drone from the air with one hand, crushing it like scrap. Containment doors slammed down, but he carved through them with the falchion, steel tearing like cloth, sparks flying as he forced his way deeper.
Each barrier he demolished reinforced his supremacy. Vilgax wasn't just strong—he was the embodiment of power, a conqueror elevated by new technology and ambition. The Plumbers and their defenses were mere inconveniences. His mission was clear: reach the maximum-security cell and recruit the prisoner essential to his plans.
At the base's core, after cutting down a final squad of guards and smashing an automated cannon with a single falchion strike, Vilgax reached the containment chamber. The door, fortified with anti-intrusion tech, pulsed with a purple energy field. He growled, plunging the falchion into the wall beside it and ripping out the power cables, the field collapsing with a snap. With a punch amplified by the Muscle Boost Module, the door was torn free, crashing inside the cell with a thunderous clang.
There, seated on a metal bench, was **Dr. Animo**, still in his human form—a gaunt man with disheveled gray hair, crooked glasses, and a cunning glint in his eyes that hid a disturbed mind. He wasn't the monstrous hybrid he'd later become, just a scientist imprisoned for his dangerous experiments. A blinking inhibitor collar around his neck restricted any escape attempts. He looked up at Vilgax, his expression a mix of curiosity and wariness. "And who might you be?" he asked, his voice cool, adjusting his glasses. "One of the Plumbers' brutes?"
Vilgax stepped forward, the falchion pointed downward, his red eyes locked on the human. "I am Vilgax," he declared, his voice resonating with authority. "And I have a task for you, human. You will create your greatest masterpiece… **me**." He paused, the implants in his arm glowing faintly. "Your genius will shape the future. Refuse, and your existence ends here."
Dr. Animo tilted his head, a slow smile creeping across his face. "Intriguing," he murmured, his eyes gleaming with a spark of ambition. "Perhaps a worthy project." Vilgax touched the communicator on his wrist, his voice firm. "Lyra, Krag—target secured. The doctor is in the cell. Prepare the tank for extraction."
The scientist let out a low chuckle, the sound echoing in the cell. "I can't wait to get started." Vilgax ignored him, his mind already on the next step. The base was subdued, the prisoner within his grasp, and the path to his goals grew ever clearer.