How did Lightning Lad return from the dead?
This issue starts with the Legion debuting their new flag and then deciding to spend some time with their new hobby: mourning the death of Lightning Lad. I’m not trying to be cold-hearted but the Legionnaires have taken their mourning to unhealthy levels (see here and here for more Legion mourning). Amazingly enough Garth pulls a ‘Jesus’ and comes back to life! Exactly 20 seconds later, the euphoria of seeing their friend alive again over, Cosmic Boy and Sun Boy start wondering if Lightning Lad still possesses his super-powers. No super-powers means he can’t be a member of the Legion. No waiting period to see if he gets his powers back, no slack for being dead. The Legion Constitution is one strict mother-sprocker.
Cosmic Boy might be a super-dick but he’s right: Lightning Lad does seem to have lost his powers. Sun Boy decides to be a pal and cover for him. I’ll give points to Sun Boy for not being a jerk like Cosmic Boy but he is putting his fellow Legionnaires in danger by lying to them about Lightning Lad’s abilities.
On one of these adventures we are introduced to Proty!
The Legion then goes on a mission to find the hidden Thieves’ Planet. It’s on this adventure where we learn that “Lightning Lad” is actually his twin sister Ayla. She possesses the same powers as her brother and decided to secretly take his place. Here are two unanswered questions: 1) Why didn’t she use her powers in those situations where Sun Boy had to cover for her? and 2) How was Ayla going to cover for the fact that she is a girl? Garth have does have a girlfriend. The Legion decides to let Ayla join the Legion as Lightning Lass, her biggest asset being the worst Legion hairstyle ever.
And once again they bring up Lightning Lad returning from the dead.
On my Legion Jerk © scale this issue gets a:
