So Luminary

I am guessing he found out the truth about his father. 

I think his Positive-Energy Field experience might have left a lasting impression on him. We know he is still evil (see Tactics) and all of that, but maybe his worldview was shifted a bit. I think early on he just wanted revenge against the Parsons at any cost and if he had to die to achieve his goal, then so be it. I think his attitude toward his own life is a lot stronger now than what it was.

Well his scars got healed as seen on Positive Energy Field so possibly that changed his outlook on the multiverse.

The name "Luminary" is a bit strange though don't you all think? Why not just go by Ivan instead of a totally different handle?

There's always the "You can't destroy the Earth, I'm going to destroy it" attitude for a potential reason why as well.

Yeah, I'm not feeling the "Luminary" name either.  My guess is that GtG thinks it's a good guy name but it's also a bit haughty so fits Blade's personality.  I would prefer something more along the lines of "Champion Blade" or "Savior Blade" or something that keeps the "blade", especially since we know he goes back to his old name in Tactics.

It reminds me of "Illuminati." Comes from the same root.

I think Luminary is the kind of name Blade would choose. That or The Genius.

As for the destroy the earth or not thing - he is the kind of guy who, if another villain was about to kill Legacy, would save the hero. There are things that you want to do yourself, not let someone else do.

And there is also a big difference between doing a lot of potentially dangerous to yourself collateral damage while following your own goal, and letting something else endanger you and your goals with its collateral damage.

I'm with Spiff. I feel like a different name with either "blade" or a synomyn, but a more positive title, would have suited him more.

If I remember correctly, Christopher said Blade was hiding out in Atlantis when he was pulling the moon into the Earth, and he figured he was safe from the results, that he would rise from the ruins...

You know, mad scientist stuff.

I'm entertained by how it obliquely references Legacy's lantern...

He should have just called himself "Heritage" or something to one-up Legacy.

Oh man I loooooove Luminary as a name. 

Maybe he has always been a nice sweet guy and was just misunderstood all this time?

This would nicely explain why Blade was in his huge armor suit right after the beam was destroyed because he had it on him to get to Atlantis in the first place.

Anyone else really curious what new nemesis icon he might get?   In regards to the name I like it but I certainly expected he would have had Blade in the name.  

I'm guessing he found out his father is alive, and was (in fact) saved from a fiery death by the elder Legacy... who Baron Blade then killed. Once he finds out the truth, he abandons the Baron Blade title (or turns it over to his father). 

Luminary means a person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere or it also means an artificial light. So maybe he has this name because he is influencing the other villians to save the world?

Pretty sure he influences others to be heroes too.

Something funny I just noticed while looking at the OblivAeon cover on the KS... there are two kinds of letters in the title "OblivAeon". Some are more "rounds", with a simple shape, while others are more "acute", or "blade-like". I have no idea of what kind of terminiology font specialists use. Anyway, funny thing is, the four "angular" letters are I,V,A,N.

Ivan.

Funny, isn't it ?

I think the artificial light is appropriate.

Just don't count the letters in "Ivan Blade".

Here's a theory:  Baron Blade actually *does* achieve redemption, in the course of events following the Vengeance arc, culminating in his turn to the side of good against Oblivaeon.  However, in the course of fighting and defeating Oblivaeon, everyone has to make sacrifices.

Baron Blade has to sacrifice himself.  Specifically, the self that, in this timeline, achieved redemption.  When Oblivaeon is defeated, and the universe resolidifies, Luminary will have never existed, because the events that lead him to reconsider his life never happened.  Baron Blade will exist once again, as Earth's Greatest Villain, and nobody(?) will remember otherwise.

I like it, but if true it's an important point to know while playing Luminary Blade (I can't not put the "blade" in there somewhere).  If you're playing the character, it helps to understand his motivations.  Is he just playing a long con and will go back to being evil later, or has he actually achieved redemption?

I think Luminary is perfect as well.

We know he is gadget based, and his name means someone who inspires or influences others.

It also means Artificial light.

My thoughts.

Baron Blade is no fool, nor is he isolated.  He probably saw the signs and figured joining up with the heroes was the most effective way to stop Oblivaeon from destroying everything.  After all you can't rule what doesn't exist, and you can't defeat Legacy if he's dead.

So he shows up and offers to help with his tech.

My guess is his tech is going to be used to help other heroes.  Combining his talent for invention with their super powers should be really effective.

It would also allow him to gather all kinds of data on the heroes that he never would be able to gain otherwise.

I do not expect Luminary to be a front line fighter, because that doesn't help Blade at all.  Let the heroes get beat up, just make sure they win, and leave the good Baron as the strongest force in the game.

If this is an indication of the other heroes we'll see, the remaining letters clearly include L, from Death Note, and someone who plays the oboe. Secrets everywhere!

I always saw him as lex Luthor from the episode "Destroyer" from the Justice League Unlimited show.

He, and the rets of the Legion of Doom, team up to fight Darkseid. He fights alongside, because he knows, he's not strong enough, and reluctantly, needs to fight along side the heroes to stop a bigger bad.

No redemption, no chnage of heart, but without their help, he'll lose. So, he needs to be "a hero deck" to stop the threat he deems dangerous to him. 

He's still a ginormous pompous ass, but one that even legacy needs to fight along side. 

If Blade hasn't actually changed his spots, why the name change?  Why wouldn't he fight OblivAeon as Baron Blade, since that's who he is?  Hopefully the answer isn't just so we don't have a third Baron Blade deck in the game.

8 letter words are the best!

But why do they need HIM. The got tons of heroes joining from all the timelines... what does Luminary add that all those heroes don't? If he offers no sign of redemption I wouldn't let him join my club...

Considering it took Ra, The Ennead, and Anubis to put a scratch into the guy. I would also think that they are some of the most powerful being in the multiverse. I'm fairly certain they will take all the help they can get. 

Lesser of two evils.  I can imagine Maia warning Paul about what he can gain by being around them, and Parsons telling her they will deal with it afterwards, if there is anything around then.

You don't sweat domination when facing extermination.

Because he's doens't want his world to end either. Also, they porbably know that, despite his tendencies, he is still competent, and smart enough to help stop him. 

I have a feeling this might be the reason, and though I do dig the name, it doens't suit him as much as "Blade" or something of that nature. To avoid confusion with wording and so on. But I think Luminary has this ironic twist to it. that he's not only the "brightest" individual out there, he also will bring (what he deems to be) a world on enlightenment. 

Also, they found out that the only way to defeat OblivAeon is to throw the moon at it, so they went to the expert.

TTGL STYLE!

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!?"

Two meanings of "luminary" ( a celestial body, an expert ) in the same sentence - you deserve a Cookie-Bot, special squirrel recipe.

Awesome. Is that just a little R2-D2 that follows me around and opens its head and it's full of cookies? I should make luminary references more often!

See ? The Baron knows how to corrupt even the most valliant heroes

Cosmic Cookie-Bot is my source of power.

Luminary feels way more right as the name of alt-Blade than it does as actual-Blade.  Just saying...

Totally agree. In my mind, the Baron Blade we know as Luminary is the alt version. Thats just how im gonna play it in my mind.

Maybe Our Blade met his alternate (technically his sister) and decided to use her name as a sign to our heroes that he was on their side for now

+1 on Luminary appreciation. They should add some subtitle to each one:

"Still a psycho"

"She hates Legacy, but not this one"

Edit: Even the font looks better on Luminary than on Blade.

*shrug* I just thought the name was there to counter/out-do Legacy's symbol.

Regardless of the name, has anyone else noticed that the hologram around Luminary's hand is a orbital schematic of the Moon circling the Earth, with a potential impact arc drawn in?

THAT must be why they need Baron Blade on their side. They're going to beat OblivAeon by pulling the moon down to smash it!

Not gonna lie, if that's one of the possible ways to defeat Oblivaeon, I'd be ok with it. Science be damned.