A YJA Moment - Santa Prisca

The island nation of Santa Prisca has a storied history, one that is steeped in manipulation and global influence.  The island was first colonized in the 17th century by an infamous pirate Captain William Scumm, who subjugated both the native population and Spanish colonists as his personal fiefdom.  For many years the island was the personal property of Scumm's successors until a popular revolt took control of the island.  However, the leader of that revolution turned out to be no better than the family they deposed.

Since that time, the nation has suffered under a succession of dictators which stifled any attempts at democracy.  During the Cold War, these juntas and warlords were backed either by the United States or the Soviet Union.  The nations of the world were content to lead the people of the island suffer as long as it remained out of the other faction's hands.

After the fall of the USSR, the island came under the control of General Juan Paolo Sebastion, who had been installed by the Russians after a successful coup.  He was particularly ruthless and brutal compared to even the worst of the previous dictators on the island.  It was he who built the infamous prison Peña Duro, which filled the brim with anyone the General saw as a threat.

One of the prisoners of Peña Duro was the man who would become the super-villain, Bane.  After his escape from incarceration, he led his own uprising against the Sabastion, overthrowing his regime.  Instead of installing himself as President of the island, he declared Santa Prisca "free from all forms of tyranny".

The new law of the land was simple.  Anyone who lives on Santa Prisca is not allowed to harm anyone else and must defend the island if it ever falls under attack.  These rules are enforced by the Revolutionary Guard, who are the only ones allowed to inflict violence on anyone.  Bane himself keeps his soldiers from abusing their powers though violations still occur.

In order to keep the world powers from interfering, Bane invited the world's richest and most connected to the island, giving them land in order to build their opulent mansions.  He also included many powerful super-villains to make their secret bases here.  Anyone willing to obey the island's rules is welcome, no matter what crimes they have committed in the past.

This arrangement has put Santa Prisca on the radar of S.H.I.E.L.D. but as the island has managed to remain peaceful and well-supplied even after the Apokalips Invasion. Nick Fury has allowed the island to remain unmolested for the moment.  Even Bane knows that there will be a reckoning, but as long as his people are safe, he is willing to accept whatever may befall. 

A YJA Moment - First Salvo of the Final War

The attack by the Warworld on Xandar took everyone by surprise.  

Everyone in Known Space was aware that the artificial planetoid known as Warworld was unaccounted for.  It had been last seen in the Sol System when Mongul attempted to use it to destroy the planet Earth.  It has been captured by the world's champions but was later stolen and moved out of the system by forces unknown.  The Green Lantern Corps has notified all law enforcement agencies about Warworld, but most believed it had been moved past The Rim.  They were wrong.

Warworld appeared just outside the Xandarian Solar System undetected, indicating that it had been upgraded with significant stealth systems since its last appearance.  The Nova Corps was in the midst of loading a new relief shipment to Earth and was completely unprepared for the appearance of a moon-sized battle station on their doorstep.  They rushed to put up some sort of defense but it was already too late.

The platform launched a blistering assault that bypassed the planetary defenses and aimed for the world itself.  White-hot plasma beams carved into Xandar's crust and straight into the planet's core. The world convulsed and split apart as if torn apart by an animal.  Thirty Billion lives were immediately snuffed out, followed closely by the millions in orbital habitats.  

The Nova Corps that survived were soon cut down by the secondary cannon as the Warworld moved through the region.  A few of the Corps members managed to make it out of the system, to rendezvous with the main fleet.  By the time the reinforcements had arrived, it was too late; Xandar had been reduced to an asteroid field and the Warworld had disappeared.

Warping through hyperspace, the captain of the Warworld rose from his control throne and walked to the viewscreen.  Wordlessly he commanded the onboard computer to replace the carnage that had just taken place.  He smiled at what he saw - the enhancements his master had given him were well worth the wait.  

The Captain opened a communications link.

"Vandal Savage to Darkseid - Xandar has been destroyed.  Warworld is on the move".

A YJA Moment - The New New Gods

With the defeat of Mumm-Ra the Ever-living and the retrieval of the final Infinity Stone from the Sword of Omens, the Mythic Avengers have now completed their current mission.  Instead of putting them in a gauntlet and attempting to conquer the universe, the Avengers have decided to bring back the New Gods and restore balance in The Fourth World.

Alan Scott had sacrificed himself in order to use his Starheart energy to empower the Green Lantern Central Power Battery on Oa.  He was given the Reality Stone for which he used to craft a new body to become The Sentinel.

They drew Hippolyta, the former queen of Paradise Island who fell in battle during the Apokalips Incursion, out of the Underworld and back into the lands of the living.  She was given the Power Stone, becoming The Champion.

Mogo was the largest of the Green Lanterns and the offspring of Ego the Living Planet.  Given the Soul Stone, it left the service of Oa and transformed itself into the new underworld for the Fourth World - Umbra the Afterworld.

Thor Odinson has been a thundergod, a king, and a superhero.  Having given up all these roles, he is ready for his new life.  Drawing on the Space Stone, Thor has cast away Mjolnir in order to become Thunderstrike, the god of space.

Although Rip Hunter had apparently died to save the Justice League and the Avengers from the machinations of Darkseid and The Light, it is hard to kill someone skilled in time travel.  Drawing upon the Time Stone, Rip has become The Time Master. 

Possessing near-immortality due to the power of the Infinity Formula, the great renaissance man Leonardo Di Vinci has gained vast knowledge about the world.  Now imbued with the power of the Mind Stone, no secret is safe from The Savant.

A YJA Moment - Eternia and Etheria

No one knows when the alien warlord known as Nordor first tried to conquer Known Space, but it was The Celestials themselves that struck down his growing empire and banished him to the Negative Zone.  The power vacuum would allow much of the territory to be conquered and colonized by some of the nation-states of the planet Triterra.  Untold centuries before the rise of The Enshrouded One, the decline of Triterra left the planets of Eternia and Etheria to gain their independence.

Millennia after his exile, Nordor was able to access the material plane from the Negative Zone, using the power of a magical mishap on the planet Etheria.  Under the guise of Horde Prime, he conquered Etheria and launched a war on its sister world.  The swift action of the King of Greyskull defeated the armies and banished its Horde back to the Negative Zone.  While Eternia is still free today centuries after the conflict, Etheria remains under the rule of the Horde, led by Hordak, a clone of Horde Prime.

Both Eternia and Etheria lie in the same orbit around their sun, The Starseed, but lie at opposite ends of that orbit.

Etheria was beautiful with a glorious magical history, but today it has become a poor, blighted world, with most of its inhabitants living under the boot of Hordak.   The remains of the storied pastoral lands have slowly been consumed by the industrial sprawl of the Horde, a vast region that is known as The Fright Zone amongst the populace.  Despite the overwhelming presence of the Horde, a nascent rebellion has formed, led by the mysterious She-Ra.  Few know that She-Ra was once Princess Adora of Eternia, who had been brainwashed to be a brutal Force Commander for the Horde.

The sister world to Etheria, is Eternia .  At one time a highly technological world, the war with Etheria caused the world civilization to crumble.  The world is divided between the Kingdom of Eternia and its vassal states, and the ever-shifting alliances and holdings of the Warlords of Snake Mountain.  Empowered by the mythical Castle Greyskull and its guardian The Sorceress, the Eternian champion He-Man protects the throne and its people from the might of Snake Mountain and its leader Skeletor.  He-Man is secretly Prince Adam, crown prince of the Kingdom of Eternia.