Equestrian City - Lightning Dust · 3:08am Feb 23rd, 2018
Today's Alternate Universe Biography is..Lightning Dust!
Lightning Dust’s academic career was average to say the least, leading to her turning to sports and recreation to fill the void she felt she had. Her competitive spirit served her well at tryouts and landed her on several of the sports teams in school.
Overzealousness on her part led to severe injuries to her teammates, which she simply shook off as collateral damage to get the win for her team. The safety concerns led to her being coached several times on her attitude and practises, all of which fell on deaf ears. The final result led to her being banned from all sports, extinuishing all hope for a professional career after high school.
Dropping out in disgrace, she moved from the suburbs to Eastern Equestrian City to try and make a life for herself now that her sports ambitions were down the drain. Working honest jobs was not to her liking, her competative edge working aginast her there as well. Eventually evicted from her small apartment, she found herself back at home near Canterlot High during the night of The Battle of the Bands.
Caught in the explosive Magical Wave, she was blown back when the concussion wave threw her back into an electrical substation. The substation overloaded and threw her back a moment later, knocking her out cold.
After recovering she noticed small electrical device didn't seem to last long around her. Some basic trial and error showed her she, like many others, had been given powers from the Canterlot Disaster. Unable to direct her manifested electrical energy herself, she found metal rods worked as aiming devices, letting her throw balls of electrical charged energy at will.
Physical therapy led to move discoveries as Dust soon realized that her already superior athletic abilities and reflexes had been enhanced as well. Not by any means a speedster like Splitsecond, she could still out maneuver the most skilled normal thug on the streets.
Armed with both of these gifts, she, like so many others, used them for selfish purposes. Quickly hiring herself out to gangs as a heavy enforcer, she amassed more and more money until she could strike out on her own. Now she works freelance as a mercenary and chooses her jobs that provide her the most thrill instead of the largest payday.
Behind the Scenes
As I was building the begining roster of rogues for our heroes, a few flew at me as no brainer. Dust was one of them.
She wasnt used at all to her potential as a villain and she hasn't been back since her debut episode in Wonderbolt Academy.
I looked at her rebuild as a character a bit in contrast to Bullseye. I recall an interview where the direct comparison between Bullseye and Daredevil was that each was given an enhanced ability. How the person used it was a sharp contrast indeed.
Thinking over Dust and her over eager need to be the best at any cost, it fell into place that she'd need enhanceed reflexes. The idea behind her being the opposite of Dash: given awesome powers to surpass normal limitations (whereas Dash lost a sense but being at least 20% awesomer already, she was still on above par as a hero)
I liked the idea her tonfu sticks were doubling as conductors for her ranged abilities because I didn't a want a plain old blaster archetype. The idea she was faster then Dash bit slower then Pinkie made it very easy to start showing scale of powers in the city.
All in all she turned out great, but I didn't realize till recently someone mentioned she resembles Kick Ass. I still like the rough we made though.
Art by Khuzang
Equestrian City Alternate Universe by DarkMalcontent
Lightning Dust by Hasbro
Nice work. Now that you mention it, I do see a bit of Bullseye in her. I mean, they're both pretty damn sociopathic. And apparently, one version of Bullseye claimed to be a pro baseball pitcher before discovering his skill with aiming weapons, so... XD
Cool bio of Lightning Dust. Its nice that her super persona is based on a Daredevil villain, to counteract with Rainbow Dash.
Admittedly, Kick-A** did come to my mind when I first saw her pic on deviantart, but as you said, it fits her. Though she kinda does look a little tight in that costume.
But that's just me.
I also like that it shows how her carelessness in achieving results is reflected here.
4803520
That I did not know XD
4803570
Thanks! I'm glad someone is enjoying these I love sharing my thought process and my ideas. :) don't forget we have a group too! ;)
4803609
It's something that's almost been entirely forgotten today, but I always liked the idea. Gave an interesting little quirk to the character.
So she's like a mix of Bullseye and Electro (the latter power and color scheme wise). Lightning needs a conductor for her powers to be used effectively. So she wouldn't be able to say, grab a hold of someone physically and electrocute them?
4803627
Right. Melee she s all martial arts and tonfu. :) yet..she has trouble not screwing up electrical items when in proximity :v