A mind boggling metamorphosis

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As I was putting together this posting it occurred to me how many Firestorm villains have ended up being recruits for Task Force X. Here's the role call: Mindboggler, Plastique, Killerfrost, Slipknot, Multiplex and Cliff Carmichael a.k.a The Thinker. There were those who were short timers like Killer Frost and Slipknot and others who had built up a lot of time on the Squad by the time the old DCU came to an end like Plastique, Multiplex and Carmichael. But Mindboggler falls somewhere in the middle . . sort of. I'll try to explain.

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Mindboggler actually was the first "casualty" of the Ostrander Suicide Squad series as a result of having been shot in the back (issue # 2) on their first mission to take down the meta-human terrorist group the jihad. The Squad wasn't able to bring her body back with them from the mission. As a result, what was left of the jihad organization was able to use her amnesiac brain patterns to create a digital being programmed to destroy the Squad codenamed Ifrit. During a second encounter (issues 17-18) with a reformed jihad the Squad was able to defeat them yet again and this time procure the portable electronic storage device that contained Ifrit.

Dybbuk

However, all attempts to break the Ifrit programming in hopes of allowing the Mindboggler psyche to return had failed. Later in the series (issue # 50) Mindboggler's body turned up as a reanimated corps along with other deceased Squad members in an attempt to destroy the Squad as orchestrated by an old enemy of Rick Flag. Eventually (issue #63) Waller sought out the help of the Israeli meta human agent team known as the Hoyath who had as a member an artificial digital life form codenamed Dybbuk. Dybbuk was able to break the Ifrit programing and even uncover Mindboggler's prior self before she embarked on a life as a criminal. Mindboggler reclaimed her birth name (Leah Wasserman) as she and Dybbuk (having now changed his name to Lenny) decided to get married. It is unknown if they required any special software for the "wedding" but at least according to Lenny's Hoyath team mate Ramban, Leah seems like a "nice Jewish program".

Do you know who the actress Lori Petty is? You may have seen her in movies like Tank Girl ( a not so good movie), Point Break ( a good movie) or in a short lived but excellent series called Brimstone. I dunno call me crazy but is there a resemblance here? Mindboggler was truly a tortured character I'm glad the Ostrander series tied up this loose end on at least some what of a high note.