Absolute Power: Amanda Waller Revealed

Amanda Waller, The Puppet Master

Amanda Waller has been receiving major applause for her decimation of DC’s superheroes. This is not just due to her ruthlessness, but also her swiftness in stripping those powerhouses of their formidable capabilities. The real question has been how she managed such a feat. And that’s when Absolute Power Origins #2 saunters into the picture.

Debut of the Device

This issue traces our timeline back to Waller’s premiere Task Force X team. In it, we get to witness her strategic brilliance that eventually led to the unthinkable – stealing superheroes’ powers. To those who have yet to flip through Absolute Power Origins #2, bear in mind: spoiler alert territory.

Introducing Clarence

Now, who’s Clarence? Most know him as Cyclotron. His genesis harks back to his prison days, where Waller found him, empathized with him, and threw him a tempting proposal – join her team. Cyclotron’s powers are fascinating, stemming from a cyclotronic neural network housed within him.

While his abilities were astounding, they carried the caveat of not being able to be extracted without catastrophic consequences. That grim reality is what pushed a desperate Clarence to rob a bank. Post his capture, Waller needs him on her side to wage war against the super-beings. Clarence is soon leading the Task Force X team on their first mission – extract the God Engine from a dictator. As expected, not everything went according to plan.

A Change of Plan

Technical glitches stall the connection, and when it resumes, Waller’s plan takes an unexpected detour. Cyclotron goads the team into using the God Engine for their advantage rather than Waller’s. Surprise is an understatement for Waller’s reaction, leading her to commission Lobo to handle the treacherous Clarence. As promised, Lobo did so – and with a commendable double fee, of course.

The end result? Clarence is rendered defenceless, only to explode shortly after, taking the team down with him. Waller doesn’t let his death go to waste, though. Clarence’s body is retrieved and repurposed, and the Cyclotronic Neural Net reveal comes into play. The real power, as it turns out, lies in this device’s ability to replicate and absorb metas’ bioelectric pulses – rendering their powers useless. This turning point marks the genesis of Waller’s grand plan in Absolute Power.

En Route to Absolute Power

Amanda Waller has seen considerable losses in her life. Her gravest one, arguably, is her humanity. In the face of such considerable adversities, she managed to carve her own niche in Washington politics. Her transition from political operative to the puppet master of Task Force X unfolded enchantingly in Absolute Power Origins 2.

Wrapping Up

What’s your take on this paradigm shift in power structure? Does Absolute Power tickle your fancy? Let’s open the forum for discussion on Twitter @augusttales_com