Firestorm
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Real Identity: Ronald "Ronnie" Raymond and Professor Martin Stein
Affiliations: Justice League
Appearances: Nuclear Family Values, Field Trip, Freezer Burn, Double Cross, Garden of Evil, Mxy's Mix-Up, The Cube Root, The Ringer (Hallucination), Forget Me Not, It'll Take a Miracle! (Scenario), and Race Against Crime
Appearances (Webisodes): Chemistry, Good Cop, Bat Cop, and True Colors
Powers/Skills: Transmutation, Energy Absorption, Energy Projection, Flight, and Shared Knowledge
Voiced By: P.J. Byrne (Firestorm) and Stephen Tobolowsky (Professor Stein)
During graduate school, Martin Stein was notably the smartest student on campus. A 14 year old prodigy named Michael Holt was assigned to be his dorm roommate. They came up with a similar concept for their project, an advanced electronic accessory. Stein came up with S-Cubes, while Holt invented T-Spheres. Stein believed his cubes were the perfect blancmange of form and function like stepping stones to the sky. He accused Holt of copying him. He held a grudge ever since. Stein found Holt to be a terrible roommate. He disobeyed rules and brought cats into the dorm which made Stein break out in hives. Holt also left dirty dishes, burped a lot, used firecrackers inside, and had bad bathroom etiquette. Stein went on to become a physics professor specializing in nuclear science. He was present at a nuclear demonstration conducted by Dr. Eric Shanner to show the terrible effect of nuclear warfare. The androids he built to serve as a nuclear family in the demo instead absorbed the blast wave and escaped.
Some time after that, Stein built the Hudson Nuclear Power Plant. Just as he brought the plant online, two thieves invaded looking to steal plutonium. They had also taken a hostage, a high school junior named Ronnie Raymond. His class happened to be at the plant on a field trip. Raymond tried to fight back but he was tossed near Stein. The thieves threw out four grenades and ran out of the control room. The explosion didn't kill Raymond and Stein. Instead, they were fused together into a combined physical form with and super powers. They discovered they could fly and rearrange matter on the atomic level. They took the name Firestorm, the Nuclear Man, and became the world's first nuclear powered superhero. Raymond retains physical control of Firestorm while Stein appears as a disembodied consciousness often offering his advice and calculations during battle. The Justice League kept track of Firestorm in their database. Batman noted he was a teenager who talked to himself a lot.
At some point, Firestorm encountered Space Cabbie. He agreed to take a photo with him for his collection. Several years after their escape, the Nuclear Family selected the Hudson Nuclear Power Plant as their new home and planned to detonate it, taking out half the state. They finally be able to live in peace, in a radioactive wasteland. Firestorm arrived at the plant and tried out his new catchphrase, "The heat is on!" Stein steered Firestorm to the problem at hand, the plant was in the final phases of meltdown. He melted a hole in a door and entered the plant. After reminiscing about their origin story, Firestorm saved two workers in hazmat suits from radioactive steam by transmutating it into pine scented air freshener. They warned Firestorm to get out with them. Firestorm proceeded to the core and met the Nuclear Family, who were already setting up their furniture and appliances. Stein tried to warn Firestorm they were dangerous but he thought they were harmless robots.
The Nuclear Family took offense to the label. On Dad's request, Sis taught Firestorm some "manners" and blasted him out of the core and into the toxic waste vault. Unaware of his surroundings, Firestorm powered up and ignited the chemicals. He lost consciousness. Stein showed Firestorm his memory of being at the nuclear test that created the Nuclear Family. Several hours later, Firestorm awoke in a harness connected to the main reactor. Each time he struggled, Firestorm's power would be absorbed. Stein calculated a super charge to the fuel rod pool would free him and suggested using one of the androids. Firestorm transformed a giraffe inflatable in the pool into a squirrel one. Dog fell for the ruse and jumped in. Firestorm powered up and escaped with Dog safely in his arms but it bit him. Dad admitted he thought their powers made them kin to Firestorm and with some regret had the family attack. Firestorm formed a force field. When Biff said his catchphrase, Firestorm realized it sounded lame. He reached a hand out of the field and began absorbing Biff's thermal pulse then Brat and Dog's fallout.
Mom, meanwhile, was ready to unleash an electromagnetic pulse on the core overload override lock. Firestorm fired at a hose near her and turned it into a special harness then locked her up. Dad intervened and clocked Firestorm into the pool. Dad then forced Firestorm down to the bottom of the pool onto the reactor but he powered up further and Dad went flying. Firestorm formed the pool water into two giant arms and grabbed the Family. Firestorm deduced that if their powers made them related, they should hug it out like other families. The Family disappeared in the explosion. Professor Stein asked what happened to the androids. Firestorm admitted he couldn't bring himself to destroying them. Instead, he miniaturized them and placed them into a glass globe that simulated their dream home. Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman revealed themselves. Wonder Woman found him powerful and compassionate. Batman didn't want him to be too soft on criminals. Superman congratulated Firestorm and offered him the chance to become a candidate for Justice League membership. Firestorm was excited but asked Stein what he thought. Stein invoked their catchphrase and declared the heat was on. Firestorm was delighted and proposed a high five but settled for a headbutt with Stein. He joined the League soon after.
Stargirl wanted to meet Firestorm and suggested summoning him for back up against Gorilla Grodd. Batman believed she deduced Firestorm's dual personality would be useful against Mr. Mxyzptlk and he summoned Bravo Squad sent to the United Nations Building. Just as Grodd ordered his soldiers to aim at Batman, Superman, and Stargirl, Firestorm addressed him with a "pretty gangster hero arrival line," telling him an 800 pound gorilla sits wherever the Justice League tells him. Flash gave him props. Stein appeared and reminded Ronnie they discussed how his grandstanding exacerbated his acute narcissism. Mr. Mxyzptlk stole their minds and switched them around so he could keep on having fun. Ronnie Raymond was in Shazam's body, Professor Stein ended up in Mxyzptlk's head, and Martian Manhunter was in Firestorm's. Naturally, Manhunter's fear of fire caused him to run around in a panic. Raymond kept saying "Shazam" and switched between Shazam and Batson.
Stein assessed Mxyzptlk's inappropriate laughing as a symptom of hypomania. Mxyzptlk ordered him to get out of his head and swiped at him in vain. Stein theorized he had anthropophomania, fear of other people, then hallunologophogomania, fear of complex scientific terminology, then "Kltpzyxm." Mxyzptlk went on a rant declaring he didn't have any of those fears then realized Stein tricked him into saying his name backwards. He was banished back to his home dimension and the League was restored to normal. They defeated Grodd soon after. Batman commended Stargirl for her quick thinking and left. Superman knew something was up. Stargirl confessed she just wanted to meet Firestorm. Superman promised to keep it a secret. Firestorm, Blue Beetle, and Stargirl were given a tour of the Fortress of Solitude by Superman to famililarize themselves with the security systems and layout in the likelihood something happened to the Watchtower. During the tour, Superman was accidentally sent into the Phantom Zone.
Firestorm tried pushing the other button on the Phantom Zone Projector's console. Instead of Superman, Zod, Faora and Quex-Ul were freed. They checked the Fortress' cameras and found the trio in the North Quadrant. Firestorm jumped the gun again and initiated lockdown. He sealed the villains in the Arsenal Room. Blue Beetle regrouped and noted they had the same weaknesses as Superman, namely Kryptonite. Stargirl asked Firestorm to use his "nuclear magic" to make some. Firestorm tried to explain what his super power really was and its limits but the criminals found them. Firestorm stalled for time by filling a hall up with crystal shards. Stargirl, Firestorm, and Blue Beetle found a piece of Kryptonite but it was too small to affect the criminals. Quex-Ul blasted the ceiling and caused a partial collapse. Firestorm found the Kryptonite piece. He and Stein got the same idea at the same time. They studied its atomic structure so that Firestorm could create Kryptonite with his ability. Raymond was overwhelmed by the wave of information. Stein tried to get him to concentrate but he retorted he wasn't Stephen Hawking.
Firestorm returned to the battle just in time. He generated Kryptonite from his hands and took down Zod, Faora, and Quex-Ul just as they were preparing to use heat vision on Blue Beetle and Stargirl. He fashioned Kryptonite chains and bound the criminals while he and Stein fixed the Phantom Zone Projector then freed Superman. So Superman wasn't affected by the chains, Firestorm absorbed the energy flowing towards him. Zod had enough of the indignity. Firestorm developed a crush on a new supervillain named Killer Frost. In the middle of July, Firestorm tailed her to Gotham City. She offered to cool off his flaming hair with icicles. Firestorm offered her sweets and turned them into ice cream cones. Stein was shocked to see them flirt and suggested they contact Batman. Firestorm wasn't keen on another adult telling him what to do in the mix. He flew into a flagpole but vowed to melt her cold heart. He turned the pole into a flame thrower but Frost shielded herself. The flame thrower plugged up and Firestorm was blown back into a dumpster.
Out cold, Firestorm was lectured by Stein about Frost and somehow he was daydreaming about Frost. Stein interrupted him but he insisted there was hope for her to turn good. Firestorm regained consciousness and watched as Mr. Freeze's airship attacked Gotham with a freeze ray. The Batjet arrived soon after. Batman instructed him to infiltrate the ship and disable the freeze ray. Firestorm found Frost bound to a device and realized Freeze was using her like a living battery. Freeze's systems detected Firestorm's perimeter breach and sent two automated orb drones after him. Firestorm turned one into a bowling ball and tried to take out the other but missed. He dodged its blasts and phased through walls. He reappeared at the ceiling and turned the orb into a soccer ball. He launched a devastating kick and sent the ball through the device then the ship itself. As the ship fell to the city, Firestorm made the call and freed Frost. They made their way to the front and helped Batman land the ship safely.
Frost created a sheet of ice to guide the ship to land then Firestorm turned several shipping containers into a giant baseball catcher's mitt to halt the ship at the docks. Freeze tried to attack them but Frost froze him solid. Firestorm was glad. Frost winked, decked him with an uppercut, then fled the scene. While police presided over the scene, Firestorm thawed out the frozen bridge. Despite the punch, Firestorm's hope in Frost was renewed and believed she liked him. Professor Stein thought it had less to do with his charm than it did with Mr. Freeze's extreme lack of. Firestorm didn't catch on and asked Stein if he was still cool. Firestorm was brought in by Batman to work another case, this time one involving Two-Face and Deadshot. Plastic Man used his powers to pose as Two-Face, Deadshot's latest target, while Firestorm guarded the real Two-Face in a seedy motel room. He quickly became bored with his mission. To make matters worse, there was nothing on TV though Stein was compelled with a documentary about the societal hierarchy of red ants.
Stein suggested he get started on his Chemistry homework but Firestorm lied about doing it already. Firestorm retorted it was like having the NSA for a roommate. As they bickered, Two-Face hatched his own plan. He asked Firestorm to open a window on account of his flaming head making it too smokey. Firestorm obliged him and struggled to lift the window sill up. He eventually used his powers to open it but Two-Face got free and bashed his chair over Firestorm's head. Firestorm searched the city. After Batman and Plastic Man lost Deadshot, the former checked in with Firestorm and quickly realized Two-Face was in the wind as well. Eventually, Firestorm made his way to the shoot out at the train station. He formed corsages over Deadshot's arm mounted guns and declared "the prom is on" as a play on his catchphrase. As he rambled, Deadshot readied a device and electrocuted Firestorm. He crashed and stated "the heat is off." Plastic Man saved the day and defeated Deadshot by posing as one of his guns.
After police hauled Deadshot and Two-Face away, Firestorm asked Plastic Man how his clothes were able to change with him. He guessed they were made up of unstable atoms. Plastic Man didn't understand what he was taking about. Firestorm concluded he was actually naked and departed with haste. Firestorm provided back up when Gotham was overrun with giant plant monsters. Firestorm was stoked to see Swamp Thing present and eagerly awaited the details of his blind date the night before. Swamp Thing tried but Poison Ivy took control of him and he attacked Firestorm. Professor Stein informed Firestorm of what happpened and suggested nuclear dehydration to weaken Swamp Thing. Firestorm felt super guilty about blasting a comrade but Swamp Thing told him it was okay and very effective. Harley Quinn eventually found them and took out Firestorm with a boxing glove apparatus then revitalized Swamp Thing with plant bombs. Swamp Thing shoved Firestorm then took off to help Ivy plan their wedding.
Firestorm located the Batmobile after a vine monster grabbed it and turned the dome into a marshmallow. Batman was in a hurry to use the antidote on Ivy and left after ordering Firestorm to curb the growth. Firestorm didn't know what to do since he couldn't transmutate living matter. Batman told him to improvise. He got an idea and turned the Batmobile into a flying shredder. He declared today's special was veggie sticks for the whole city. He crashed through Ivy's greenhouse just in time and mowed down several plants. Batman's antidote was knocked loose as a result. He kicked it over Ivy and had Superman blast it with his heat vision. The antidote covered Ivy and neutralized her plant powers. Swamp Thing plucked Firestorm out of the Batmobile. Firestorm was utterly delighted with Ivy's "Schmoopie" nickname for Swamp Thing. With everything back to normal, Batman prepared to take Ivy back to Arkham but noticed his car. Firestorm apologized and set to change it back but Batman told him to wait. He admitted he liked the new look. Firestorm was perplexed and thought he really was as blind as a bat.
Firestorm and Stargirl were assigned to stake out a tech firm that would likely be the fifth in H.I.V.E.'s 24 hour crime spree. Firestorm heard Stargirl was into smart guys and asked Professor Stein for help to try and impress her. He blurted out things Stein mentioned like molecular gastronomy, Keynesian economics and Hegelian Dialectics while they battled H.I.V.E. soldiers. The soldiers got the upper hand and surrounded them. Firestorm transmutated the ground under them into pudding and they sank like quicksand. Firestorm came clean and admitted he didn't know what he was talking about. Stargirl asked if they would meet up again the same time tomorrow for a stake out and kissed him on the cheek. Wonder Woman and Firestorm observed Batman and Superman interrogate Deadshot about who hired him. Firestorm was in southern California during the Amazo incident.
Firestorm arrived just in time for a dedication ceremony for the New Metropolis University Science Building and settled on a hill above campus grounds. To Professor Stein's disdain, he learned the guest of honor and newest faculty member was Dr. Michael Holt, also known as Mr. Terrific, and his former roomate in college. Raymond recognized him as the one Justice Leaguer he never worked with yet. Raymond was delighted with Terrific but Stein was oddly cold towards him. Stein revealed he and Terrific were roommates in college. Stein was a graduate student and Holt was a 14 year old prodigy who was charming and conniving. The Science Building was renamed the Mr. Terrific Research Center and was to serve as the new home for his T-Spheres and as a place for young minds to revolutionize science like he did a few years ago. The Calculator revealed his presence, hacked the T-Spheres and took control of them. Firestorm intervened and turned a piece of debris into marshmallows before it fell on Mr. Terrific and two young civilians.
Firestorm tried to prevent Calculator from getting away but several spheres blasted a building as he approached and he was knocked down to the streets below. Terrific caught up and complimented Firestorm on his hustle. He remembered Stein was present and asked how his old roommate was. Firestorm lied and told him Stein said it was lovely to see him instead of bring up the cats. Terrific tried to track the spheres down at S.T.A.R. Labs but they were already cloaked. Stein claimed his cubes would have been impossible to cloak. Raymond was clueless. Terrific overheard him and was annoyed Stein brought up the S-Cubes again. They apprised Raymond then Calculator happened to trigger a city-wide blackout by connecting the spheres to the power grid. They took off for the grid but were discovered. In the course of battle, the T-Spheres "hacked" Firestorm's molecular matrix and split Firestorm into Stein and Raymond. They attempted to reunite but the spheres carried Raymond away to Calculator's base.
Stein was impressed with the Sphere's cabilities. Terrific thought about getting that in writing but noticed how old Stein got. Stein got an idea and formed his S-Cubes into one giant cube and programmed them to follow the spheres' tachyon emissions. Terrific couldn't help himself and assimilated one cube to his control, claming to upgrade it with his "Terrific" touch. Stein called him out on his ego. Terrific revealed the truth and he started to talk big to compete with the put downs of the smartest student on campus who happened to be his roommate. The T-Spheres detected their approach and opened fire. Terrific took a few cubes and battled his spheres while Stein continued onward. Stein crashed the cube into Calculator's building and tumbled out. He stretched and mused he was going to need some ice packs later on. He noticed Raymond suspended in mid-air by four spheres. Terrific arrived. Stein realized his cubes really were no match for the spheres. Calculator started a tirade into finishing off Terrific with his own sphere but Stein interjected and threw small piece of debris at his head.
Stein climbed up a column while Calculator was distracted watching a T-Sphere chase Terrific. Terrific was playing coy and revealed the sphere was really a S-Cube then threw it at Calculator. Stein took a literal leap of faith and jumped towards Raymond. They touched hands and became Firestorm once again. Terrific punched out Calculator. Terrific invited Stein to help him reprogram the T-Spheres to prevent further hacking in the future. Stein acknowledged the schematic of the spheres were original. Firestorm told Terrific that Stein was sorry for being a bonehead. Terrific admitted he could relate to Raymond since Stein was a terrible roommate. Stein went off on all the reasons why he thought Holt was a terrible roommate. Firestorm was late for a League meeting and hurried to the Watchtower. He came up with an excuse that his head caused a forest fire but no one else was in the tower. He checked the comm links but all but his were offline. Stein knew they had to find other Leaguers fast. He suggested the Daily Planet and revealed Clark Kent was Superman.
Firestorm knocked on the glass from outside and waved at Kent. He phased inside but after throwing some obvious hints, realized Kent had no memory he was Superman. Kent insisted he was just a mild mannered reporter. He demonstrated by saying hello to Lois Lane as she walked past. She didn't acknowledge him at all. Kent mused if he were Superman, she would notice him right away. Firestorm made a "Lois Approved" Superman figurine then chucked it. He got another idea and ripped his shirt next but there was no costume underneath. Kent was upset he ruined a nice shirt. He repaired the shirt with his powers then showed Clark what he looks like without glasses on. He changed a frame of his parents into a mirror and took his glasses off. Kent admitted there was a passing resemblance but stated Superman was super strong and could fly. Firestorm got another idea, grabbed Kent, and flew above the city then dropped him. Instead of flying, Kent hit the pavement. Kent, to his surprise, stood up from the crater unharmed. Firestorm was relieved.
Firestorm brought Kent, Bruce Wayne, and Diana Prince to the Watchtower. Wayne and Prince didn't believe Firestorm's claims they were Batman and Wonder Woman. Kent proved Firestorm was right by falling into the ocean then ran back up to them unharmed. Wet but unharmed. Wayne and Prince exchanged looks. Going off Stein's idea, Firestorm changed their outfits into their costumes. Firestorm confronted Felix Faust near the Metropolis Jewelry Exchange and asked about his "mumu". Faust corrected him it was a Tibetan robe. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman arrived in a cab but had no idea what to do. Firestorm quickly ran them through their powers, abilities, and equipment but they weren't faring well. A Golem headbutted Firestorm into a bus. He recovered and changed several Golems into cars. He ignored Faust's plea and changed one holding sandwichs into a moped. Faust was furious and cast a spell that paralyzed Firestorm. He realized his initial spell failed because Firestorm was a combination of two people. He cast a new spell and stole their memories.
Firestorm freaked out that Stein had no body. Stein freaked out his hair was on fire. They freaked out together. Wonder Woman snatched the orb holding everyone's memories but they noticed Firestorm talking to himself in a reflection, unaware of Professor Stein. Firestorm was scared that Stein had no reflection because he was a vampire. Stein became worried he might be one. They decided it was time to get their memories back. Wonder Woman tossed the orb and shattered it on the pavement. Stein spent a morning lecturing Ronald about Green Kryptonite. He found it boring and very long. As a shortcut, Ronald wrote the formula on his right wrist. Later in the day, Firestorm came to Superman's aid against Metallo. Stein told him to change Metallo's Green Kryptonite power source into lead. He couldn't exactly remember the formula and accidentally transmutated it into anger-inducing Red Kryptonite then amnesia-causing Gold Kryptonite then personality-splitting Black Kryptonite then gender switching Pink Kryptonite.
Firestorm finally remembered he wrote the formula down then scanned it and changed the Kryptonite into lead. Metallo went offline and dropped. Superman was restored to normal. He thanked Firestorm but asked him not to tell Batman about what happened. Firestorm already sent the text. Firestorm used his powers to simulate fireworks for the opening festivities of a charity race between Flash and Superman. Firestorm watched Green Lantern fire a giant pistol construct to start the race.