test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Questions about metahumans in the Champions-verse
Archived Post
Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
Let's say you were a parent taking your child to a normal doctor's visit, and he tries to take blood for a routine test, only to find that he can't pierce your child's skin no matter what. What would happen next? Is the doctor required to report this to some authority? Would the parents, (assuming they're not metahumans themselves), be frightened for their child, or would they be excited? Would the doctor have pamphlets for a few reputable metahuman training academies? Would you have to worry that some organization might want to "harvest" your child for their on nefarious purposes?
Basically, how are "naturally occurring" metahumans looked upon in the Champions universe?
Basically, how are "naturally occurring" metahumans looked upon in the Champions universe?
Post edited by Archived Post on
0
Comments
Well, based on the various writings about the CU, individual reactions to metahumans can vary widely, even just within the United States. To some they're a blessing, to others a scourge. Pop culture -- films, television, books, magazines, websites -- fixates on them, and individuals and teams often have many devoted fans (even the villains). The origins of some superheroes describe them as being loved and supported by their families, while some supervillains were feared and hated by theirs.
On a more institutional level, there are a few generalizations that can be drawn. Doctors are required by ethics and law to maintain confidentiality regarding their patient's condition, unless said patient has committed a crime or is a danger to himself or society. The example you cite above seems to imply no imminent threat.
On the outskirts of Millennium City there's an exclusive private school called Ravenswood Academy, which is secretly also a training academy for young metahumans. The general public is unaware of the latter, but the truth about Ravenswood is known to a few government and transnational agencies, and it's an open secret within the superhero community. Young metahumans within the United States discovered by such parties are often referred to it. There's also L'Institut Thoth, a well-known international research organization specializing in studying metahumans and paranormals to learn more about them, which offer their expertise to helping superheroes (and other non-villainous supers) to understand and deal with their powers.
The United States government has a superhuman registration law on the books, which requires every paranormal to submit his/her true identity and powers description to the government (which are kept in a confidential and very secure database). In practice this law isn't vigorously enforced, although registration is often the price for supers who want government help. Note that other countries may be very similar or vary widely from all of the above.
Unfortunately, there are villainous groups who want to "harvest" young metahumans for their own ends. These include VIPER, whose "Generation VIPER" project is like a dark reflection of Ravenswood Academy; PSI, a group of evil mentalists who press-gang psionically-gifted young people into their ranks; and the Institute for Human Advancement (IHA), which views naturally-occurring metahuman mutants as a threat to "real humans" and ultimately plans to eliminate them, by whatever means necessary.