02x06 - Who Am I?

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

[grunts]

You will never take me.

For I am evil incarnate!

[grunts]

[grunts]

[growls]

Easy there, evil incarnate.
You almost dropped your axe.

[growling]

Hey, that hurt.

Sorry.

So how'd I do?

That bad, huh?

If you're going to infiltrate
Imperiex's inner circle

you can't just
look like Persuader.

You've got to
act the part full out.

Maybe this is a bad idea.

I know how important it is
to uncover Imperiex's plans

for this rumored super m*ssile

but what if Chameleon Boy
can't pull it off?

No, I-I can do it.

I can be as vicious
and as savage as he is.

Yeah, that's you to a T, Cham.

[Braniac]
Maybe not yet.

But he will be
when I'm done with him.

What is this thing, Brainy?

It's an identity implanter.

It'll allow me
to reprogram your mind

so that you actually
believe you are Persuader.

Since staging his mock breakout
on Takron-Galtos and bringing

him here, I've been digitally
scanning Persuader's mind.

It's like copying files?

Files that are ready
to be downloaded...into you.

So what do you say?

Are you ready to become
one of our worst enemies?

You don't have to do this, Cham.

No one should have to give up
who they are for any reason.

We'll be giving up
a lot more than that

if Imperiex is left unchecked.

Well, how long will I have to
go on believing I'm Persuader?

Until we get the intel we need.

But if something goes wrong,
this emergency shutoff

will dissolve the implant
and restore Cham's personality.

Okay, then, let's
bring out the bad boy in me.

[instrumental music]

[Cham groans]

I can feel it. Feel him.

His rage. His hatred.

So...much..

Cham!

...hatred.

The Legion. How did I get here?

It doesn't matter.
I will destroy you all!

[theme music]

[instrumental music]

[grunts]

[growls]

[Braniac grunts]

[grunting]

[roars]

I dare anyone to get in my way.

[Lightning Lad]
So...what makes you so sure
he'll seek out Imperiex?

I've implanted the desire
to do so into his mind.

Along with undetectable
nano-monitors that will

allow us to see
and hear what he does.

You thought of everything.

Let's hope so.

[instrumental music]

Gentlemen, it appears
we have a visitor.

Bring him in.

You are the one
known as Persuader?

Then persuade me why I shouldn't

squash you like
an insect right now.

You and your Dominator allies

have plans to create
a new galactic order.

To succeed, you'll need
great warriors like me

capable of spreading
fear and brutality

across the cosmos.

Let's see how great
you really are.

[growls]

[grunts]

[grunts]

[Imperiex]
Enough!

Well done, Persuader.

You have proven yourself
and will be richly rewarded.

What is that?

A new w*apon that will change

warfare as we know it.

In a few days it will be used
to inv*de the planet Mada.

- How's it going?
- See for yourself.

Five days and Imperiex
is already including him

in strategy sessions.

And have we learned anything
we don't already know?

Not yet...but we will.

[man on speaker]
Everyone, report to the brig.

We've got a problem.

The real Persuader's escaped.

Any idea where he'll head?

Yes, he will do everything
he can to get back

that which gives him power.
His axe.

Cham!

[groaning]

Who are you?

I am Persuader

and I believe
this belongs to me!

[grunts]

[both yelling]

Physically and mentally,
both of them are an exact match.

There's no way
to tell them apart.

Fool. I'm the real Persuader!

He's lying.
He is a spy!

Sent here by the Legion!

[Imperiex]
Suggestions, gentlemen.

Destroy them both.

An elegant solution.

[intense music]

[roars]

[grunts]

Don't worry. We'll have you
back to normal in no time.

[grunts]

You will not take me!

Teleport our forces out of here.
And destroy the ship.

Pity.

We gotta get out. Now!

- Hey, where's...
- Right behind you.

That was too close
of a call back there.

But it was worth it.
We got the intel we needed.

We now know
Imperiex's next move.

You cannot stop Imperiex.

Nor can you possibly hold me.

I think it's time
we brought back our old friend.

[yells]

He'll just need some rest now.

[Persuader]
What have you done to me?

What have you turned me into?

I don't understand. I..

I can't get
his mind to rebalance.

Apparently the Durlan mind is
more sensitive than I realized.

That personality we implanted
him with went deep.

Too deep. He still believes he's
Persuader.

He could stay this way..

...forever.

Do you realize what you've done?

Superman! No!

Sorry, Brainy.

Guess I'm more upset
about Cham than I realized.

[grunts]

[growls]

[growls]

Ow!

Man Of Steel. You at least
remember that, I hope.

[Persuader]
You may have found
some way to change my body.

But if there's
one thing a man knows

maybe the only thing,
it's who he is.

That's what I'm banking on.

Computo.

- What is this place?
- I think you know.

I've never seen this
miserable place in my life.

These are the fields of Meerwan
on your home world, Durla.

How are you doing this?

Creating these longings
for a life I never lived.

It looks like Superman
is making some progress.

Then, we should start
preparing a defense for Mada.

When Imperiex tries
to take that planet

we'll be there to take him.

Computo, scan Chameleon Boy's
brain and find another memory.

[Computo]
Accessing.

I can't tell you how cool it is
to be working with you.

I mean, you're the Superman!

I'm sure my adventures have been
exaggerated over the centuries.

Exaggerated? Y-you're the
greatest hero who ever lived!

Th-the inspiration
for the Legion.

We learned everything from you.

Learned from me?

The truth is..

...it was the Legion who
taught me I could be a hero.

Wait. When did this happen?

I...I remember that.

I.. No, no, it's a trick!

I'm not some stupid
shape-shifting teenager!

I'm Persuader.
I'm Persuader. I'm..

Superman?

Cham! You're back!

Computo, scan my brain.

Find the memory that corresponds
to the one we just saw.

[Computo]
I am unable to locate
a parallel memory.

Then show me another memory!

Something...powerful,
something..

[dramatic music]

The Legion of Super Villains.

No. It's not possible.

Superman, what are you..

That's just it.

I'm not Superman!

[groans]

I'm...Ron-Karr.

[intense music]

Take down that
shape-shifting spy!

[roars]

[grunts]

Spread out.
Ron-Karr could be anywhere.

Anyone.

Huh?

Got ya!

Don't make us ask twice.
Where's Superman?

We took him during
the battle on Imperiex's ship.

Imperiex knew all along
that you weren't Persuader.

He has agents inside
Takron-Galtos.

That's how I got out.

So he decided to
turn the tables and send one of

his shape-shifters
to infiltrate us.

Spying on us through
his own nano-monitors.

But instead of destroying them,
I've rigged it so that

Imperiex is now
getting a false feed.

That way he won't know
we're on to him.

Let's turn this loser
over to the Science Police.

Wait! I want to help you save
Superman and stop the invasion.

I can't explain it

but I feel ashamed
of what I've done.

My past. Who I am.

Yeah, sure you do.

Actually, it is quite possible,
Ron-Karr is sincere about

the desire to do good.

What happened in the sim chamber
may have awakened

his repressed memories.

But until Imperiex
reverses the Superman ID implant

the Man Of Steel's goodness,
his decency, will override

Ron-Karr's normal evil impulses.

Then that must be
why I want to be a hero.

Let me help you.

It might be my only chance
in a long and wretched life

to redeem myself.

Thanks, but I think
we can stop the invasion

of Mada without
the help of a super villain

in the middle of
an existential meltdown.

That's just it!
Mada isn't the target.

Imperiex knew who
Chameleon Boy really was

and he lied.

Then which planet
will be att*cked?

Durla.

My home?

One question, Imperiex.
Why Durla?

It's a central hub
for dozens of space routes.

Control Durla, and control this
entire sector of the galaxy.

Besides, your friend Chameleon
Boy tried to make a fool of me.

And he needs to be punished.

The Durlans are strong.
They won't be easily conquered.

No, they won't.

Which is why
I've decided to employ..

...an unconventional
invasion method.

Launch the m*ssile!

Okay, you guys head
for Imperiex's ship

and get Superman out.
We'll protect Durla.

[dramatic music]

[gasps]

It's split into
hundreds of missiles.

There's no way
to stop them all.

That's my home down there.

My friends. My people.

There has to be
something we can do!

The memories are still hazy.

But I think there's a weakness
to the w*apon's design.

If I could just remember
what it was, I could..

You could what?

Save the day?

[groans]

What are you doing to him?

Dissolving the implant.

Brainiac 5 wasn't the only one
who anticipated the need

for an off-switch.

- Master! I'm sorry!
- Ron-Karr, listen to me!

You don't have to go back
to the way it was before.

You can help us save my planet.

Why should I help save Durla

when I can revel
in its destruction?

I believe you have
more pressing, though futile

matters to attend to.

[grunts]

Hurry. We've got to help them
stop the invasion.

It was a strange thing,
wanting to help the Legion.

It made me question
everything I believed.

This is why peons such as
yourself should not think.

Only follow orders.

That way you can be
whoever I say you are.

[roars]

What happened to Ron-Karr?

Reverted back to type.

Maybe not.

That m*ssile must have
been transmitting

the data to the others.

Once Ron-Karr took it out,
the feedback blew up the rest.

[instrumental music]

I still can't believe
Ron-Karr helped save Durla.

It was just an after effect
of the identity implant.

A part of Superman
still alive in him.

Oh, I'm not so sure.

I mean, what if
Superman's personality

only brought out
the goodness that was always

inside of Ron-Karr?

But that would mean the
potential for evil is also

within...all of us.

Maybe who we are is simply
a matter of believing in..

...who we can be.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]