Red Tornado
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Real Identity: Red Tornado
Affiliations: Justice Society of America and Justice League
Appearances (Episodes): Independence Day Part One, Part Two, Welcome to Happy Harbor, Drop Zone, Schooled, Infiltrator, Denial, Downtime, Targets, Terrors, Homefront, Humanity, Failsafe, Disordered, Secrets, Misplaced, Coldhearted, Image, Agendas, Insecurity, Usual Suspects, Auld Acquaintance, Happy New Year, Summit, Endgame, Princes All, Home Fires, Nevermore, Teg Ydaer!, Og Htrof Dna Reuqnoc!, Kaerb Ym Traeh!, and Death and Rebirth
Appearances (Comics): Stopover, Haunted, Monkey Business, Face Your Fears, Wonderland, The Pit..., Monkey Business, Players Chapter Two, Players Chapter Three, Players Chapter Four, and Yesterday's Children: Memory Six
Appearances (Games): Legacy
Powers/Skills: Aerokinesis and Enhanced Physical Attributes
Voiced By: Jeff Bennett
Red Tornado was the third creation of T.O. Morrow. It was created after World War II and after the All-Star Squadron was contracted back to the Justice Society of America. Equipped with advanced artificial intelligence and heroic programming, Morrow circumvented his past problems by having Tornado aware it was a robot. Morrow succeeded and finally smuggled a superhero into the Justice Society of America to destroy it. Luckily, Tornado's original heroic programming and desire to become more human led it to betray Morrow and remain a hero. In the time between the disbanding of the Justice Society and debut of the Justice League, Red Tornado was deactivated. In the present, Red Tornado joined the Justice League as its 16th member. Martian Manhunter suggested it adopt a human alias of "John Smith."
About three to four years later, Tornado volunteered to live at Mount Justice and serve as the supervisor of the Team. To Red Tornado, it was a pragmatic choice. He did not require sleep, had no second life, and no secret identity. However, it was also a chance to learn how to become more human. On July 8th, he began the task of updating the Cave's computer systems with encrypted programs from the Hall of Justice. On July 18th, at 11:16 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), Red Tornado was intercepted by the Team. He was questioned when their first mission would be. Tornado responded that they would be tested soon enough and encouraged them to continue exploring the Cave and take part in team building exercises. While intrigued by Mr. Twister's similar powers, Red Tornado stayed out of the battle as it wasn't his role to solve their problems. Miss Martian impersonated Red Tornado to distract Mr. Twister for her teammates to defeat it. Unknown to all, Mr. Twister's mission was to find and reprogram Tornado for their creator, T.O. Morrow. He joined the League in a battle with Amazo on August 3rd.
On August 19th, Red Tornado grew concerned about the disappearance of Kent Nelson and its implications for the safety of the Helmet of Fate. After bestowing them with a unique key, he dispatched the Team on an unofficial mission to the Tower of Fate to safeguard it. On August 21st, Red Tornado provided an eulogy for Kent Nelson. On September 14th, Red Tornado participated in an op and attached a Proprietary Collar to Tuppence Terror. He later awaited in the cloaked Bio Ship with Aqualad outside of Belle Reve while Superboy and Miss Martian investigated inside the prison. Red Tornado concluded he had come to care very much for the Team.
On September 22nd, Red Tornado learned from Aqualad of the possible mole on the Team. He reminded Aqualad that Batman would want them to solve their own problems. Red Tornado then teleported to the Watchtower for monitor duty and cover for Green Arrow. When it became clear communications were down, Red Tornado decided to investigate. With the Zeta Beam teleporter tubes down, Red Tornado arrived in Providence and flew to the Cave. Previously unaware of any siblings, Red Tornado was intrigued by the two android invaders. However, the electromagnetic pulse that neutralized them had worn off and one attempted to reprogram Red Tornado. He immediately manipulated the oxygen in the room to render the Team unconscious then left with the two androids in order to protect them from further attack. Tornado then searched for T.O. Morrow and eventually found him in Teton County, Wyoming. Morrow copied Tornado's memory files then uploaded it into his new creation: Red Volcano. Red Volcano executed Morrow, who turned out to be an android duplicate.
Tasked with killing the Team, Red Tornado etched a message into the ground to make them pretend to be neutralized. Red Volcano anticipated this and attacked. Tornado returned to Morrow's base and appealed to Torpedo and Inferno's heroism. The trio engaged their baby brother in combat and submerged him in a lava pit. Three of them perished and Red Tornado's legs melted off. After Superboy saved him, the Team repaired his voice box and legs. Red Tornado found the real T.O. Morrow, a bedridden elderly man, and vowed to take care of his father. On November 11th, Red Tornado worked with Superboy, Wolf, and Black Canary to destroy a Flying Ice Fortress. On November 22nd, he appeared at the meeting with Batman, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Green Arrow concerning Miss Martian.
On December 5th, Red Tornado discovered Miss Martian, Superboy, and Zatanna in his apartment unit. He revealed to them he was working on an android body to serve as his alter ego John Smith. When complete, Red Tornado could download his consciousness into it and walk among humans then learn and interact. On December 30th, while infected by Starrotech, Red Tornado quickly created an internal subprogram that would disconnect his power cells the moment he tried to infect another. On December 31st, he shut down while trying to infect Aqualad. Unaware of what happened, the Team downloaded his consciousness into his John Smith android body. Just as the download completed, Black Canary arrived and used her sonic scream. John Smith survived and ordered the Team to abandon the Cave, go to radio silence, and mask all signals. He then explained the nature of the Starrotech to them. Once the Team regrouped, a plan was drawn up. Black Canary, Red Tornado, and Red Arrow teleported back to the Watchtower and engaged Vandal Savage.
Savage was prepared and bound them with the aid of Hal Jordan. When he realized the trio was vaccinated, Savage recalled Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Hawkwoman, and John Stewart. While Stewart held Red Tornado in place, Superman and Wonder Woman ripped his limbs off. On February 17th, Team Year Five, Red Tornado coordinated the mission to find Dr. Sandsmark from the Cave. He alerted Alpha Squad to readings of high seismic activity and GPS transmission signals from Sandsmark. On December 1st, Red Tornado was aboard the Watchtower when Beta Squad witnessed the disappearance of Superboy, Superman, and Devastation. Red Tornado reported the three Green Lanterns, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and the League's Cooperative Delegation were currently offworld, implying any assistance to the Team would be limited. He relayed updates to Leaguers not in Metropolis but were on Earth. On June 19th, 05:24 EDT, Team Year Six, Red Tornado was present on the Watchtower when Nightwing gave command of the Team back to Aqualad.
On June 20th, Red Tornado took part in the strikes against the Magnetic Field Disrupters. He was on Lambda Squad with the Flash (Jay Garrick). John Smith attended Wally West's funeral. On July 27th, 19:57 EDT, Team Year Eight, Red Tornado attended the emergency Justice League meeting on the Watchtower about the meta-human trafficking crisis. On September 29th, John Smith and Traya arrived at the play date hosted by Iris West-Allen at her home in Central City. Will Harper was relieved another dad showed up. All the mothers gave him the business. Artur and Jennifer Pierce asked Smith to make the "twisties." Smith happily obliged them and made some small red tornadoes for the children to play with. On February 15th, after 18:32 EST, Team Year Nine, live news coverage of the Markovian crisis was watched by Black Canary and Red Tornado. They were joined by Shazam, Rocket, and Zatanna at the Watchtower. On February 24th, Red Tornado was present during a meeting on the Watchtower between the Justice League, the Team, the Outsiders, and Batman and Nightwing's covert teams. He voted to elect Black Lightning as the next leader.
On May 14th, 19:47 AEST, Team Year Ten, Red Tornado and Terra deployed to handle the active volcano and pillar of fire created by Child in Sydney. Tornado used his powers to halt the advance of a lava flow while Terra evacuated a family. At 21:16 AEST, Tornado, Terra, and Phantom Stranger stood on a roof and surveyed the devastation. Vandal Savage suddenly boomed to their location then Stranger teleported away with him. On September 14th, after 06:08 EDT, Tornado was part of the group of Leaguers and Outsiders who arrived in Metropolis's Planet Circle to deal with Dru-Zod but discovered the conflict was already over and Superboy was alive. On September 16th, Tornado attended Conner Kent and M'gann and M'orzz's wedding in Happy Harbor. Before the ceremony began, he listened to Black Canary talk about her idea of a mental health sanctuary for the League and its allies and affiliates.