Ayla Ranzz
Ayla Ranzz | |
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Winathian | |
Place of origin | Winath |
Team affiliations | Legion of Super-Heroes |
Notable aliases | Light Lass, Pulse, Gossamer, Spark, Live Wire, Lightning Lass |
Abilities | Powers:
Abilities:
Equipment:
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Ayla Ranzz, also known as Lightning Lass, Light Lass, Gossamer, and Spark, is a character appearing in media published by
There have been three versions of Ayla since her original debut; these versions are separated by the events of both the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! and Infinite Crisis limited series.
Fictional character biography
Silver Age
Ayla Ranzz first appeared in
Years later, Ayla left the Legion for a time, disillusioned with her Legion career and having ended a lengthy romance with fellow Legionnaire Timber Wolf. She broke up with him following a misunderstanding when she saw Timber Wolf embracing her sister-in-law Saturn Girl when both were stranded on a frozen asteroid. Eventually returning to Winath, Ayla was kidnapped by her brother Lightning Lord and a faction of the Legion of Super-Villains. When Ayla refused to join them, her brother tried to kill her, though she survived and discovered that her original lightning powers had been restored. After the LSV was defeated, she rejoined the Legion as Lightning Lass.
During the "Five Year Later" storyline it was revealed that Ayla had entered into a long-term same-sex relationship with
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth fell under the covert control of the
Post-Zero Hour (Spark)
Ayla, known as Spark, originally joined the Legion as a replacement for her twin brother
She was one of the Legion members stranded in the 21st Century for a time as a result of the Emerald Eye's machinations. Her team helped the modern superheroes during the
Later, the Legion was disbanded after the apparent death of several of her teammates (including her brother and Chameleon) and she returned to Winath. When these teammates returned, Garth was not among them, having apparently sacrificed himself so the rest could return home. After Chameleon broke this news to her, she apparently did not resume her relationship with him. She briefly took the name Live Wire after this, but shortly before his return, she was convinced by the second Kid Quantum that she would better honor her brother by being herself.
Threeboot (Light Lass)
Following another reboot of Legion continuity, Ayla Ranzz is again called Light Lass, and has gravity nullifying powers. In Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26, it is revealed that she, like her siblings, had previously gained lightning powers after the accident on Korbal before another unspecified accident gave her gravitational powers.
Light Lass had a reputation as the Legion's "party girl", and had relationships with
Ayla took a very serious, and active role in assisting her brother Garth when he became Legion Leader following Supergirl's return to her time. Ayla also assisted Brainiac 5 and Star Boy in stabilizing gravity after an intruder planet appeared in the Sol system.[5]
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Post-Infinite Crisis - Return of original Lightning Lass
The events of the Infinite Crisis miniseries restored a close analogue of the pre-
In the Lightning Saga, it was initially implied that she was presumed dead by Timber Wolf, who said "I'm coming, Ayla" as he was about to sacrifice his life. It was later revealed that the two have reconciled and are once again in a romantic relationship.[6] She appears in the Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes arc, serving as the power source for the hidden Legion headquarters.
Ayla is next seen in
Ayla was later seen in issue #6 of Paul Levitz's new Legion of Superheroes series, where she was shown preparing to go on a holiday vacation with Shrinking Violet.[7] It is subsequently revealed that the two are romantically involved.[8] Following the cancellation of the Legion of Superheroes series (and the Legion's disbanding), Ayla is depicted back home on Winath, but it is unclear whether Shrinking Violet is living with her there.
Powers and abilities
- As Lightning Lass, Ayla has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts.
- As Spark, Ayla has the ability to generate electricity and direct bolts of it accurately, which she commonly refers to as "lightning". She briefly possessed the ability to reduce objects' density, but has shown no sign of this since the restoration of her electrical powers.
- As Light Lass in the Threeboot continuity, Ayla has the power to control gravity.
Equipment
As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Ayla Ranzz is provided a Legion Flight Ring, which allows her to fly and protects her from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments.
Reception
Ayla Ranzz was ranked 47th in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.[9]
In other media
Television
- Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "New Kids In Town".
- Ayla Ranzz appears in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Chained Lightning", voiced by Kari Wahlgren. This version, 10 years prior to the events of the series, was transformed into an incorporeal energy being during the incident that gave her brothers Garth and Mekt their powers and presumed dead. In the present, Imperiex attempts to use Ayla to power a tachyon cannon, but Mekt and Garth work together to restore her.
Film
Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass appears in a photograph in Justice League vs. the Fatal Five.
Miscellaneous
- Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass appears in Adventures in the DC Universe #10.[10]
- Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass appears in the one-shot comic Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes.[11]
References
- ISBN 978-1605490458.
- ^ Edmond Hamilton (w), John Forte (a). "The Return of Lightning Lad" Adventure Comics, no. 308 (May 1963). DC Comics.
- ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
- ^ Keith Giffen, Tom and Mary Bierbaum (w), Jason Pearson (p), Karl C. Story (i). "No title" Legion of Super-Heroes, vol. 4, no. 38 (Late December 1992). DC Comics.
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) #50 (2009)
- ^ Adventure Comics #2/505
- ^ Legion of Superheroes (vol. 6) #6
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 6) Annual #1
- ISBN 978-1-4402-2988-6.
- ^ "Adventures in the DC Universe #10 - The Blobs (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved August 18, 2023.