Fictional Character Biography
Gates was the third non-human member (after Quislet and Tellus) in the history of the Legion (the first after the 1994 Reboot). He was also unique amongst Legionnaires in being their only unwilling member, having been drafted by his planetary government to represent them in the Legion (which he perceived as being militaristic and inherently fascist). Apparently Gates is one of the very few free-thinkers on his homeworld; the rest are unindividualistic conformists.
Gates has played key roles in many missions; his tactics enabled Star Boy to defeat Validus of the Fatal Five and he was able to resist the Emerald Eye's possession. Gates was part of the Legion team that was stranded in the 20th century for a time, where he came up with the strategy to defeat Mantis, and forged a close friendship with teammate Brainiac 5. Gates also joined Ultra Boy in helping out at soup kitchens during their stay.
Like many of the Legionnaires that were original to the Post-Zero Hour continuity, Gates did not appear in the "Threeboot" continuity.
Gates reappeared with his Legion in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #2. In the later issues he shows disdain towards the Legion of New Earth for having few non-humanoid members. In #4, he is tasked with bringing the three versions of Brainiac 5 to the Fortress of Solitude, along with Light Lass. In #5, following the villains' defeat, Gates decided to remain with the pre-Crisis Legion.
After a brief stint with the pre-Crisis Legion, Gates appeared to have died in a time sphere/teleportation accident in Legion Lost #1, but returned several issues later (though injured).
Read more about this topic: Gates (comics)
Famous quotes containing the words fictional, character and/or biography:
“One of the proud joys of the man of letters—if that man of letters is an artist—is to feel within himself the power to immortalize at will anything he chooses to immortalize. Insignificant though he may be, he is conscious of possessing a creative divinity. God creates lives; the man of imagination creates fictional lives which may make a profound and as it were more living impression on the world’s memory.”
—Edmond De Goncourt (1822–1896)
“But the wise know that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting; that the State must follow, and not lead the character and progress of the citizen; the strongest usurper is quickly got rid of; and they only who build on Ideas, build for eternity; and that the form of government which prevails, is the expression of what cultivation exists in the population which permits it.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.”
—James Boswell (1740–95)