Central City's Newest Heroine

[golden-eagle-2-official]

An Introduction

Hello, Central City! And the rest of the world, too.

I'm the Golden Eagle, a fairly new player on the scene. I hesitate to call myself a hero, at least this early in my career. I'd like to be, though.

Some of you may remember my late predecessor. I have no relation to him -- at least, not as far as I'm aware -- but I have gotten the blessings of his former teammates before taking up the mantle. I hope I can live up to his legacy.

Like most young people in this city and elsewhere, I grew up admiring the Titans. I was lucky enough to work with them briefly, but I won't try and claim that I'm on their level yet. I'm just starting out!

To answer the obvious question before it's asked -- Yes, I am Thanagarian. No, I don't know Hawkman, Hawkwoman, or Hawkgirl. Not personally, anyway. I grew up on Earth, unaware of this part of my heritage. My great-grandmother crashed here, and well. The rest is history. But now, after realizing I can do things that other humans can't, I've also realized I have a responsibility to use my abilities to help people. It's an old adage, but one we all know well.

I decided to set this blog up to try and connect a little better with the city I'm helping protect. If you have any questions, please, go ahead and ask!

---

OOC:

Hi! This is a secondary blog for @sunshine-knight, an in-character RP blog for my DC Comics oc, Bailey Adler. That one functions as her personal civilian blog, while this one is for her public, superheroic identity. My name's Em, and I'm over at @empressofthelibrary / @four-color-words (my personal and comics-fandom blogs, respectively). If you wanna know more about Bailey and her story, feel free to drop by my main and ask! I am also writing out her 'primary' canon on ao3 and I will happily talk your ear off about that if you want.

Header image link: [X]

[safaridays]

“why do you stretch your shoulderblades so much?” my wings boy. boy my wings

[golden-eagle-2-official]

🤓 german speaking anon: the first tabaluga musical is essentially about the question what it means to grow up - "die reise zur Vernunft" can be translated to "the journey to see reason" and is presented by the main characters father as a journey to "grow up" only to then arrive at the conclusion that no, you never really truly grow up. A part of you will always be a child and that's a good thing (according to a century old turtle, at least).

Tyrion, the song, not the dragon, is about a father warning his child that there are dangers out there he protects you from, that you as a child will underestimate(like the eagle/Adler watching the little dragon from afar), but his protection won't last forever and you'll get burned if you're not careful.

Tabaluga, hör' mir zu

Wer seine Macht nicht kennt

Der wird mit dem Feuer spielen

Bis er sich selbst verbrennt

Sieh den Adler, der dort oben

Auf dem Felsen sitzt

Er wird keinen Kampf riskieren

Solang der Ring dich schützt

just my two cents, hope this helps!

I see... I really am rusty, apparently. So, if anything, they were trying to warn me that... What? That I'm underestimating something? Getting in over my head? That someone else is protecting me from something I cant understand?

But... They reached out first. Are they the dragon? Under someone else's 'protection,' limited by something external?

That... That feels like the right answer. I think. I need more information, but I don't know where to start looking... Is there some other clue I'm missing here? Over the last few messages, they implied that:

They have physical wings and cannot hide them.

I was from off-planet (an easy misunderstanding, I'll admit)

Authority figures should not be trusted (valid)

There are things going on I don't understand (fair, I'm dumb as a sack of rocks)

Points two and three feel like... Projection. Assuming that I'm in their same situation. It's pure conjecture, but... What if they're from off-world, stuck here because they trusted the wrong people, and under someone else's thumb?

But they mentioned a "cause." What cause? What are they fighting for? Who are they fighting? Which side do I need to get involved on? There's vital pieces to this puzzle that are still missing.

[golden-eagle-2-official]

I keep turning that anon over in my head. I'm asking questions I don't want the answers to? Just because I wanted to double back to them having wings, and if that was literal?

The song they sent... Its a strange choice to send, really. Especially since, like, Ive never said anything about being able to speak German. (I used to be somewhat conversational in both that and French, but I'm not as practiced as I used to be.) So... Maybe it really is just something they thought I'd find soothing.

But I cant help but feel there's more at play here. Something they aren't telling me. Because they don't want to? Or because they can't? They implied Id be in danger if I kept looking. That my family would be in danger. But they also said they weren't threatening anyone...

So who is? If they're in danger too... That would explain why they cant be upfront with me.

But that implies there's definitely more to the song choice than they said outright. Maybe I'm going at it from the wrong direction... Maybe it's more to do with the musical it's from than the general message of the song? A warning about growing up too fast doesn't make a whole lot of sense, really, given that I'm well into adulthood now.

...Or maybe it's one in the morning and I should sleep. I'm no detective, this isn't my wheelhouse. I'm probably overthinking things again...

But if someone really is trying to ask for my help without asking for it... I can't just let that lie, either.

I don't know what to do here

[golden-eagle-2-official]

once again.. not threatening your loved ones! Your family is of no interest to me or my cause

you, however, sound a bit tense. Why not enjoy some soothing music and think about nothing for a while, might make for some good flight music

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bwviBufccp4

...

Okay, I. I'm convinced you're not... Her. She has absolutely no reason to send me something like this. My German is rusty, but... Something about childhood? And... Rings? I definitely caught a line about an eagle, and not being able to go back. It's a nice song, whatever it means...

Who... Who are you? What "cause" are you talking about?

[sunshine-knight]

[[got some family stuff going on this weekend; might be a bit before I can get back to folks!]]

[golden-eagle-2-official]

it's a warning. why do you think you're all the way out here, on earth of all places? How much do you truly know, and do you trust the people that told you ?

...Well I was fuckin' born here, first of all. I don't think I like what you're implying. I've been very open about the fact that my great-grandmother crashed here back in the forties. I'm not here as some kind of... spy for the Empire.

Yes, there were spies on Earth preceding the invasion. That invasion failed. Rather spectacularly, actually! And, frankly, I think the Polaris system has a bit more to worry about at the moment than what the humans are doing halfway across the galaxy.

Furthermore, I don't know you, and I sure as shit don't trust you. You just threatened my family. And that's not a good idea.

[golden-eagle-2-official]

you shouldn't ask questions you don't want the answer to, kid.. better for you to keep your head out of troubles. For your loved ones, you understand?

...

I'm sorry, I think I misunderstood you. Is that a fuckin' threat?

[golden-eagle-2-official]

...I hope that anon comes back.

[golden-eagle-2-official]

listen! Some of us can't hide our wings so "secret identities" aren't an option...!?

I... Look, first of all, once again, the wings are not a physical part of my body. It's a harness. Fewer than a tenth of Thanagarians are born with wings, and I'm mostly human. Two, obviously some people can't do it. For cryin' out loud, two of my sometimes-teammates are orange and green, respectively. I am aware that this is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and I didn't mean to imply it was. But... It baffles me that, for the people who can take this option, some just... Don't?

Like, it minimizes the amount of supervillains who have easy access to your personal information. Do you realize how easily you could find out about someone's whole life with just their name and the right hacker? Medical records, school records, work history, background checks, loved ones. It's dangerous! Anonymity is important, with as much as we're expected to live on the Internet in our civilian lives.

Sometimes I feel like I'm one of the only people who realize how easily things could go to hell if the wrong name gets out again. It scares me, sometimes, how easily people in this line of work trust one another. It's not like mind control or evil duplicates or telepathy or any number of unintentional security breaches are new here, you know? So like... Why should I get to know this fast? But the flip side of that is, I can't tell anyone else mine, because that isn't fair.

It sucks and it's frustrating and kinda lonely sometimes but it's the way this works. Right?

Except apparently it isn't, for some people.

[golden-eagle-2-official]

...also wait what do you mean "some of us?"

Are there other Thanagarians out here??

[golden-eagle-2-official]

listen! Some of us can't hide our wings so "secret identities" aren't an option...!?

I... Look, first of all, once again, the wings are not a physical part of my body. It's a harness. Fewer than a tenth of Thanagarians are born with wings, and I'm mostly human. Two, obviously some people can't do it. For cryin' out loud, two of my sometimes-teammates are orange and green, respectively. I am aware that this is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and I didn't mean to imply it was. But... It baffles me that, for the people who can take this option, some just... Don't?

Like, it minimizes the amount of supervillains who have easy access to your personal information. Do you realize how easily you could find out about someone's whole life with just their name and the right hacker? Medical records, school records, work history, background checks, loved ones. It's dangerous! Anonymity is important, with as much as we're expected to live on the Internet in our civilian lives.

Sometimes I feel like I'm one of the only people who realize how easily things could go to hell if the wrong name gets out again. It scares me, sometimes, how easily people in this line of work trust one another. It's not like mind control or evil duplicates or telepathy or any number of unintentional security breaches are new here, you know? So like... Why should I get to know this fast? But the flip side of that is, I can't tell anyone else mine, because that isn't fair.

It sucks and it's frustrating and kinda lonely sometimes but it's the way this works. Right?

Except apparently it isn't, for some people.

[golden-eagle-2-official]

So, like, are secret identities just... not a big deal to some people? Like, you just... Have that out in the open? Are you not aware of the people you piss off as a hobby??

[shecarnionmyval]

i’m considerin quittin carnival

[valley-of-lilith]

I would miss your energy but if it's better for you then you should.

[shecarnionmyval]

it would be better for me yes but there’s so many reason why i can’t . BUT I SHOULD EUGHHHH i hate my bf

[golden-eagle-2-official]

I mean. If you don't really wanna give up the mask yet. There's always the face-turn option...?

[shecarnionmyval]

oh what’s that ?

[golden-eagle-2-official]

Not too much different from what you're doing now, actually. Worry about collateral damage a bit more. Try to avoid hurting people who don't deserve it. Focus on how your work can serve and aid your community. A rising tide lifts all boats and all that jazz, you know? Use your skills and talents to help people, to make things better for the people around you. To... Build a future that stretches beyond the immediate. You could be part of something far bigger than yourself, is what I'm saying.

All you gotta do... Is start trying to do some good.

[shecarnionmyval]

the thing is i really don’t want to do something for someone

i wear the mask for personal and selfish reasons

[golden-eagle-2-official]

Then I think you need to sit and have a think about why you don't want to leave it. And about what those diamonds represent, not just to you, but to the people who you care about and who care about you. What you want them to represent. What do you stand for? What do you want to stand for? What kind of person do you want to be tomorrow, and the tomorrow after that?

It's a heavy question, and one you'll want to chew on for a bit I'm sure. And one I don't expect you to answer here, or to me at all. Just... Take some time for introspection about it.

And Carn... If there's really nobody in your life you want to help build a future for... Well, I'd be surprised, but that's your business, not mine.

[shecarnionmyval]

i’m considerin quittin carnival

[valley-of-lilith]

I would miss your energy but if it's better for you then you should.

[shecarnionmyval]

it would be better for me yes but there’s so many reason why i can’t . BUT I SHOULD EUGHHHH i hate my bf

[golden-eagle-2-official]

I mean. If you don't really wanna give up the mask yet. There's always the face-turn option...?

[shecarnionmyval]

oh what’s that ?

[golden-eagle-2-official]

Not too much different from what you're doing now, actually. Worry about collateral damage a bit more. Try to avoid hurting people who don't deserve it. Focus on how your work can serve and aid your community. A rising tide lifts all boats and all that jazz, you know? Use your skills and talents to help people, to make things better for the people around you. To... Build a future that stretches beyond the immediate. You could be part of something far bigger than yourself, is what I'm saying.

All you gotta do... Is start trying to do some good.

[shecarnionmyval]

i’m considerin quittin carnival

[valley-of-lilith]

I would miss your energy but if it's better for you then you should.

[shecarnionmyval]

it would be better for me yes but there’s so many reason why i can’t . BUT I SHOULD EUGHHHH i hate my bf

[golden-eagle-2-official]

I mean. If you don't really wanna give up the mask yet. There's always the face-turn option...?

[stephsinaya]

stupid ass villains think my weapon is stupid and unthreatening

but then later on they’d be begging not to be drowned

[golden-eagle-2-official]

Anyone who thinks a skilled polearm user isn't going to kick their ass into next week is an idiot.

But, uh, doesn't drowning people kind of conflict with the whole Amazon philosophy of, like... Trying to talk it out first and go the nonlethal route?

[golden-eagle-2-official]

It's never gonna not make me giggle that, in the context of stoplights, a green arrow indicates a left turn