Bubble Boy

The wind howled through the crater like a ghost mourning the fallen.

The once-proud center of the city lay in ruin. Buildings,gone. Roads, cracked open like wounds. Ash painted the skies gray.

Smoke curled from the broken earth as helicopters descended, slicing the silence. The insignia of The Legion glinted faintly on their hulls.

Legion doctors and scientists in silver suits rushed out, their boots crunching over glass and dust.

They moved fast.

Inferno.

Face bruised, body limp, still warm.

Bubble Boy.

Blood on his lips. Barely breathing. His uniform torn to shreds.

Eden.

Half-buried in rubble, eyes shut, red bubbles flickering around him protectively.

Gladiator. Bolt. Psion. Umbra. Construct. Seaman. Garden Girl. Void.

All broken. Scattered across the battlefield like fallen chess pieces.

And then two black body bags.

They zipped them up gently.

Mr. Mars. Zeus.

Dead.

No words were spoken. Only silence.

From the largest helicopter... Michael stepped down. Government badge clipped to his chest. His shoes sunk into the scorched dirt.

His eyes scanned the destruction. A world-class city reduced to ashes in mere minutes.

"Where is he?" Michael muttered.

Starman.

Gone.

No report. No sighting. No signal.

He took a deep breath, eyes narrowing. This wasn't just another battle. This was something else.

INT. LEGION MEDICAL BAY – HOURS LATER

White lights. Beeping machines.

The heroes lay in beds, unmoving. Wrapped in gauze, covered in burns, bones mending slowly.

Garden Girl stirred first, a soft groan escaping her lips.

"...Troy…?"

No answer.

She tried to sit up, her ribs screamed. Gladiator layed across from her, eyes hollow. Sword at her side. She hadn't said a word since arriving.

Nearby, Bolt stared at the ceiling, whispering jokes under his breath no one could hear.

Construct wasn't joking at all.

He was crying. Silently. For once in his life.

Umbra layed on another bed, arms crossed, eyes lost in the shadows. Psion layed beside him on another bed.And Jackson beside her on another bed. And Bubble Boy layed beside him on another bed unconscious.

Eden... refused treatment. His arm was only put in a cast. He stayed by Mr. Mars' body, watching the black bag like it might breathe again.

No one had the heart to stop him.

INT. LEGION WAR ROOM – SAME TIME

Michael stood before the glowing map of the globe, dozens of alerts flashing.

"The Syndicate is quiet," he said to the scientists.

No reply.

"I asked a question."

A tired doctor looked up. "Yes. But not for long."

Michael's jaw tightened. "Then we better find him before they do."

"Find who?" a voice asked from the shadows.

Michael turned...

A scientist stood wondering who.

She stared at the battlefield feeds.

"Starman," she said.

Michael nodded. "Yes. We need him. Before the world realizes the truth."

Scientist smiled faintly.

"The world already knows," she whispered and continued working.

INT. UNKNOWN LAB – ICE MOUNTAIN – SAME TIME

Beeping. Glowing tubes. A pulse.

Jace's chest rose slowly.

Starman sat in the corner, cape frozen, blood caked on his hands. Eyes distant. Haunted. Face destroyed.

Dr. Vladimir moved like a surgeon possessed.

"He's stable," he said finally.

Starman didn't react.

Dr. Vladimir turned to him. "You said no more killing but your caused your child to murder someone, Claire wouldn't have wanted that for Troy."

"I know, I couldn't even keep one promise, that meant everything to Claire, She didn't want her son becoming a Monster. I'm a failure..."

"Yes my daughter, would curse you to death right now but the world will see you for what you are now. And if the world finds out what you really are... they won't need Eidolon to kill you. They'll do it themselves."

Starman's head lowered.

And for the first time in his immortal life…

He felt fear.

EXT. CITY RUINS – WEEKS LATER

The city was no longer silent.

Sirens wailed. Fires burned. Screams echoed.

With the Legion out of commission, crime ruled the streets. Gangs paraded through shattered avenues in stolen armor. Supervillains, once in hiding, now walked openly. The Syndicate's low-level enforcers extorted neighborhoods in broad daylight.

Graffiti painted the ruins with rage:

"LIAR."

"HE LET THEM DIE."

"FAKE."

"NO GODS, NO HEROES."

Starman's statue, once towering in the plaza, was degraded with graffiti and harsh words. His face was defaced, posters burned, action figures crushed under boots of angry civilians. Merch stores once booming with "Starman" sales were looted, signs flipped to CLOSED PERMANENTLY.

The orphan walked through the city and looked at all the horror unfolding. Then he saw a kid getting rough housed by a couple of thugs.

The orphan kept waking.

"I'm no hero, without Starman the world really have no peace."

And still, no sign of him.

INT. LEGION MEDICAL BAY – MONTHS LATER

One by one, the heroes began to recover.

Troy, finally sitting up, eyes distant.

Annie, her body beginning to heal, watching over him.

Bolt and Construct, walking again, barely.

Gladiator, sharpening her sword, her eyes never leaving Eden.

Inferno and Psion, speaking in soft whispers, eyes forever altered.

Seaman looking like a hollow but healed.

Umbra holding Void's hand.

But Void, still distant, but present.

They all stood, scarred, changed.

EXT. LEGION MEMORIAL GARDEN – DAY

A gray sky wept gently as heroes gathered beneath black umbrellas.

Two caskets.

Mr. Mars – stoic, silent to the end.

Zeus (Miguel) – loud, arrogant, redeemed.

A golden plaque shimmered between the caskets.

"They stood. When others ran. They fought. When others fell."

Annie placed flowers.

Eden said a prayer.

Troy spoke nothing. He simply stood. Head bowed.

Isabella was gripping on her brothers Casket crying.

Kasey was staring in shock and crying aswell.

Jackson said nothing and stared silent.

Emily stood next to him trying to hold in her tears.

Carter was crying uncontrollably while Alexa comforted him.

Kaia stood in silence.

Bolt was silent aswell.

Construct tearing up aswell.

Seaman was silent clenching his Jaw.

INT. WHITE HOUSE – OVAL OFFICE – NIGHT

President Rivera, firm and commanding, watched a news broadcast: looting, violence, a child crying on a rooftop as the city burned.

Michael stood before her.

"Crimes are up 800%. International threats are watching. The Legion has no leadership. We need a replacement."

She turned. "Not just any hero. We need hope. We need a new symbol."

Michael nodded. "I know just the one."

EXT. LEGION TOWER – MAIN STAGE – DAY

A crowd gathered. Cameras flashed. Protesters screamed behind police lines, still clutching anti-Starman signs.

But the front rows were different. Citizens who remembered kindness. Heroes who saw courage.

The giant screen flickered to life. President Rivera's face appeared.

"Today," she said, "We look to the future."

Behind her, the Legion stood, scarred, silent, united.

"Today, we honor sacrifice and welcome rebirth."

The crowd went quiet as Troy stepped onto the stage, a new blue and gold suit hugging his frame, the Bubble Boy symbol inside surrounded by a shattered Star insignia glowing faintly on his chest.

He looked out at the crowd. Nervous. Heart racing.

Michael whispered behind him, "They're ready."

President Rivera's voice rang out again.

"Please welcome the new Leader of the Legion, Bubble Boy."

The silence broke into scattered cheers. Then roars. Some still booed, but they were outnumbered.

Troy raised a hand.

Not to wave.

To shield the people behind him.

A single bubble formed, then hundreds, lifting into the sky, reflecting the light like stars.

And just for a moment…

Hope returned.