reasons why i think kon and phainon of aedes elysiae are variants:
// preemptive TW for mentions of grooming, implied / mentioned sexual assault
Kon and Phainon were both created artificially and continuously “trained” by their creators (Cadmus / Lygus) for the greater purpose of becoming something extraordinary (Superman / Deliverer). For much of their existence, they spend a LOT of time trying to measure up to these heavy expectations, causing insecurities born from a lack of self-worth they both try to cover up by acting strong, which brings me to my next point:
Both Kon and Phainon actively perform masculinity in a way that doesn’t exactly come off as 100% natural. Kon eventually grows out of his over-the-top showboating and bravado, and I think it’s pretty obvious that traditional masculinity doesn’t come as naturally to Phainon as, let’s say, Mydei, who is much more comfortable in his masculinity.
Sexual assault + grooming allegories. It’s well-known that Kon was groomed by Tana Moon and Knockout (assaulted too), and he was constantly sexually assaulted by women way too old for him in his early comics. Lygus is actively grooming Phainon into becoming Irontomb for most of the Amphoreus storyline, and the process of Irontomb’s creation is described in-game with an alarming number of pregnancy allegories. Phainon never wanted Irontomb to be created, but he was the vessel for its birth. Connect the dots…
They both become vessels for destruction at some point without being given a choice — Kon by being mind controlled into hurting his friends, Phainon and Irontomb in general.
Just like how Kon is neither the first nor the only clone of Superman, there have been millions of different versions of Phainon. Both Kon and Phainon are the first successful versions of themselves. Some of their character conflicts (i.e. identity / role crises) and matchups (Match / Flame Reaver) come primarily from this problem. In fact, their other versions are also presented as obstacles they needed to overcome, but both of them choose a different approach: compassion, for Kon (in the recent Suicide Squad iteration, at least), and reconciliation of duty, for Phainon.
They’re both very lonely people. In the comics, Kon is kind of left alone for a long time after he gets out of Cadmus, and for a long time after that, there weren’t a lot of people around him who truly care about him beyond his status as Superboy, and even then they don’t… end up sticking around much. Phainon’s entire village burns down, and in Okhema most people put him on a “Deliverer” pedestal. They are both left adrift without a true anchor to ground them anywhere. But!
Eventually, Kon and Phainon both end up finding a family who loves them — Kon with the Kents, the Supers and Young Justice 1998, Phainon with the other Chrysos Heirs.
Despite all they’ve gone through, Kon and Phainon are both deeply, stubbornly kind, selfless people who are fiercely protective of those they care about. In fact, they both have a tendency to treat harm done to them as lesser / unimportant. They are more than willing to sacrifice their lives, their bodies and their sanity if it means saving the people they love, like with Superboy Prime and… Irontomb again.
Phainon and Kon are both ragebaiters who are also easily ragebaited.
Put them with their best friend(s) and watch all their (usually pretty abundant) braincells magically disappear.
They both talk big but get flustered when they’re called out on it.
Kon had a questionable fashion style phase. Unfortunately Phainon is still in it.
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