Unity (Superman: The Animated Series)
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Unity is the collective name for a race of fictional alien beings from an eponymous episode of Superman: The Animated Series.
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[edit] Description
The Unity aliens were shown in three forms: a presumably male creature, a presumably female creature, and in the form of parasites that invaded human bodies by unknown means and attached themselves to the brainstem of their victim(s), taking over the bodies for their own use. The Unity aliens utilized a hive mind, similar to the Borg, and each individual host apparently shared the pain of any injured one.
[edit] The Male Creature
The male Unity creature appeared initially in a human form as a rather scary-looking preacher who went by the name of Reverend Howell (voiced by Stephen Root). This being was first seen exiting a bus in Smallville and passing by a disguised Kara In-Ze, alias Supergirl. The "preacher" later shed his (or rather, its) human disguise in a spectacularly disgusting sequence, becoming a huge, blue, many-eyed, clawed being. The male creature was killed when Superman tore it in half and pierced both halves with heat vision.
The male creature was able to speak English in both its forms.
[edit] The Female Creature
The female alien was directly referred to as "Unity". It was a large, almost immobile blue being with hundreds of bulging yellow eyes and thick tentacles. It could also exude an unknown number of smaller, ropy white tentacles from its body in order to feed and communicate with the host bodies used by its parasitic children. These tentacles could also infect others with the parasites. Not much about the female is known; it was first seen inside a circus tent. In contrast to the male creature, it could not speak, although it did emit an almost human scream upon receiving a fatal injury. It was killed when Supergirl threw a can of gasoline at it and ignited it with her heat vision.
[edit] The Parasites
Only seen on-screen via an x-ray, the Unity parasites attached themselves to the brainstems of their hosts. This allowed them complete control over the host's mind and body, and turned their complexion pale and sickly. Once bonded to the parasite, the hosts could grow ropy white tentacles out of their mouths. The tentacles seemed to have a limited ability to regrow themselves, but after several exposures to x-ray vision, they melted into a viscous white fluid, somehow neutralizing the parasite as well. These tentacles also had the ability to infect others with the parasites, apparently by means of oral penetration.
[edit] Trivia
- At one point in "Unity", Supergirl is captured by three Unity hosts, and her body is wrapped almost completely in their tentacles. This scene (and, in general, the method by which the Unity parasites spread) is surprisingly similar to a number of hentai anime, where tentacles are often used as phallic substitutes (See Tentacle rape). This resemblance is surprising, given the typical intended audience of the series.
- "Unity" is possibly the most violent Superman episode. In addition to the aforementioned scene, both of the aliens meet extremely grisly deaths, with the male creature even bleeding heavily at one point.
- The male Unity alien was named Reverend Howell, his appearance, tone of voice, and overall demeanor is based on Reverend Harry Powell, the villain of the cult noir film, Night of the Hunter.
