It has been updated btw.

 

But I'm not talking about mind control. Regent controls the impulses in the nervous system. Since he can utilize the speech and powers of the people he controls, I assume that includes the brain. I've always thought of his power as a sort of 'rewiring' of the nervous system. So why can't he 'rewire' the neural patterns that underlie memory recall?

@Howdy: I agree with you about Skitter and Tattletale---the thinkers (and tinkers?), as such, would probably have powers that Regent wouldn't be able to use. I mean...a lot of Skitter's power seems to be subconscious, due to the vast number of bugs she can control at a time. And if he controlled Tattletale, I don't think Regent would receive any of the cues and inputs that she receives from her powers, as that does seem to be entirely mental. My point is that the memory is not contained in the mind, but the body.

Anyways, it was just an idle thought. Regent seems to be too lazy to really do anything more with his power.

 

(This is my speculation)
Regent can learn to perform any action that someone else can pull off consciously, as long as he has a read on their nervous system while they're doing it. It's the only reason I can think of for him needing the hours-and-hours process he needs in order to first take over a person. This is a different use of his powers to simply spiking the nerves to induce a spasm (though even this is probably either trial and error or him having actually 'witnessed' a spasm before).

People cannot consciously affect memory recall or a host of other things, so it stands to reason that he cannot affect them. When it comes to, for example, Tattletale's powers, she would be the one receiving all of the information and it seems unlikely that Regent would be able to stimulate a person's speech about a specific topic. With Skitter, it's less clear, but as we saw with Shatterbird, he can be quite limited in pulling off fine detail or particularly complicated types of affects without extensive 'practice'.

 

What Ennead said. I like how Monarch and Imago are focusing on less world ending catastrophe and more on the subtle minutia of organizing an Empire. The story dramatically needed some room to breath. It's really great to see that happening.

Of course, the inevitable question is what next big threat is going to hit Brockton Bay. There's so much bad shit everywhere that I'm having a hard time figuring out what comes next. I think I'd be slightly disappointed if the S9 show up again so soon.

 

The idea of Behemoth showing up refuses to get out of my head. That is the only remaining of the S-Rank threats to show...

 

Its said that Endbringers never (at least, they haven't yet) attack the same place twice, so Brockton Bay should be safe from behemoth.

 

Yes, but Taylor has promised to send at least half of the Undersiders (along with at least half of the capes in her alliance) to deal with any Endbringer threat. Meaning they will go up against Behemoth if and when he attacks Europe.

 

How much you want to bet that the PRT tries to hit the spares while the majority are fighting Behemoth?

It seems to go with their plan of, "Let's suck at PR!"

 

If you're talking about showing up in the story, historical interludes included, then I don't think Sleeper has made an appearance yet either.

"I was prepared to risk my life the day I graduated from the Wards. Knew what I’d be getting into. Week I had clearance, I watched all the video we have of the class S threats. Leviathan, Simurgh, Behemoth, Slaughterhouse Nine, Nilbog, Sleeper."

 

Hit the spares with what? The PRT will probably send even more of themselves after Behemoth, not to mention an overtly hostile action like that during an Endbringer attack would pretty much spell the end of cooperation.

 

Some people were theorising about what Sleeper could be when his/her name first appeared. Guesses were either that they caused everyone to fall asleep in a large area around them, or that they slept, presumably for an extended period, then would wake up and would rampage for a while.


... The discussion was kind of short.

 

Well if I was honest I would say I completely forgot about him but since I am not...

True but we all had some information prior to them showing while Behemoth showing out of nowhere would fit the previous ones Sleeper will have to be mentioned a few times before he can do that.

 

So Sleeper is the Tarrasque? I could get behind that.

And yeah, I'd say odds are good of seeing Sleeper before Behemoth.

 

I'd assumed that was only for Brockton Bay, but re-reading the passage leaves it very open. “My next point: during any Endbringer event, or the possible incident at the end of the world, you send half of your powered membership or three members to assist, whichever is more.” Hmm.

I doubt you'll see the Brockton Bay villains in Europe tbh. The PRT is missing a bulk teleporter, so the logistics of getting people there on short notice from around the world are small. I didn't notice any French, German, Indian, South American, or Asian capes showing up for the fights against Leviathan, Echidna, or during the Simurgh interlude. It seems like international cooperation during Endbringer events isn't absolute, though whether that's due to the trouble of getting people half way around the globe in time, I don't know.

Speaking of teleporters, whatever happened to Coil's device?

 

I forgot that part about Taylor promising aid in the event of Endbringer attack Howdy. Thanks for reminding me.

 

We have actually seen Behemoth, if only briefly.

 

You know how Skitter is increasingly using her bugs to do things for her? Like in the beginning of this chapter when she gets them to braid her hair? Totally reminds me of Cinderella and her cadre of woodland creatures. Except a lot creepier.

Once the portal news gets out, it seems we can expect to see even more villains trying to come in for a slice of the action. I'd like to see how Skitter's mastermind plan unfolds after that. This would be the worst possible time for her to make a mistake...

 

I really hope this works out for her. Of course, judging by her closing statements, even success is going to have repercussions.

 

You talk about her using them to braid her hair when a sentence earlier she used them to 'clean herself up' after sex?

 

Loved the update. As much as I love the fighting scenes in the fic, I love the day to day scenes just a little bit more I think.

I love the discussions between the two sides, so many interesting things going on there.