I’m Putting Together A Team - ROUND TWO
Spin-Off Superstars vs Immortals
I’m putting together a team… multiple teams, in fact.
The roll call has been answered and we’ve been debriefed on the details of the rosters. Welcome to the second round of the fearsome foursomes that will enter the tournament of fantasy fictional smackdowns.
Before the figurative fracas begins, we will quickly review this set of competitors.
3: Spin-Off Superstars
Characters who outgrew their original shows and flourished in their own series.
Angel (Angel)
Saul Goodman (Better Call Saul)
Frasier (Frasier)
White Canary Sara Lance (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow)
The roll call continued when we first met the next team in this tournament of all-star characters. The following foursome share a unique link—-they each originated as supporting characters that grew to be so popular that they spun-off into their own series. These breakout fan-favorites possess individual qualities that deserve their own spotlight, but can they band together when it’s time to put it all on the line—-especially when they don’t know how or where they’re even competing yet? It’s time to set off on a new path and greet these stellar standouts.
4: Immortals
Eternal characters who have a hard time dying.
Duncan MacLeod (Highlander: The Series)
Vandal Savage (DC Comics)
Captain Jack Harkness (Doctor Who, Torchwood)
Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
There are pop culture icons that seem to have existed since time immemorial, and this nigh-invulnerable squad consists of some of fiction’s most interesting immortals. Their individual histories span centuries, each possessing their own signature skills and abilities. Let’s explore the legacies of these ageless wonders and determine if their combined longevity can carry them to victory.
Before the opening bell, a disclaimer: well, maybe an explanation rather than any kind of warning - or maybe just a statement of fact. I don’t use AI in the writing of this blog or any of my books, nor do I use AI in the creation of any of the art used in my novels and stories or this blog (except for the blog entry that was specifically about AI). Since I don’t use artificial intelligence in any “official” capacity, I enjoy finding outlets that allow me to play with the generative content. It is because of this reason that I utilized ChatGPT to generate the outcome of this fantasy matchup. In addition to exploring what the program could do, using ChatGPT provided a level of spontaneity that I found much more interesting than flipping a coin or any other arbitrary method of determining the results of hypothetical scenarios that are—let’s be honest—not that serious to begin with.
Okay, now that’s out of the way, let’s roll the dice and check out the unpredictable outcome of these two crazy squads facing off!
(Note: minor edits were made to the results, such as correcting certain names)
The prompt: “Write a detailed description of a confrontation between two unlikely teams competing in the second round of an oddball eight-team bracket tournament - the first four-person team was called the “Sinister Supers” consisting of Ultraman and Superboy Prime from DC Comics, Homelander from “The Boys” comic books, and Omni-Man from the “Invincible” comics. The team they face is called “Sequel Soldiers,” consisting of T-800 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Corporal Dwayne Hicks from Aliens, John Rambo from Rambo: First Blood Part 2, and Peacemaker from The Suicide Squad. The Sequel Soldiers won the first round and advanced. They will face the winners of the next round.
The next team is called the “Spin-Off Superstars” consisting of Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Frasier from Cheers and Frasier, White Canary/Sara Lance from Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. The team they face is called “Immortals,” consisting of Duncan MacLeod from Highlander: The Series, Jack Harkness from Doctor Who and Torchwood, Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and Vandal Savage from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. The teams must compete in a mystery stipulation that does not use physical violence.”
The results:
Here’s a full tournament-style confrontation write-up for your second first-round match, with the “Spin-Off Superstars” vs. the “Immortals,” following the unusual format of the oddball bracket:
Tournament Match 2:
Spin-Off Superstars
vs.
Immortals
Mystery Stipulation: No physical violence allowed. Contest to be determined by a “Trial of Influence”—a hybrid challenge of debate, persuasion, charisma, and wit. Each round is judged by a panel of three shadowy arbiters who score competitors on style, rhetoric, and impact.
The Setup
The arena is a vast amphitheater with gothic columns, a smoky mist swirling over marble floors, and an ominous glowing seal at the center. Instead of weapons, the competitors stand before golden podiums. Above, the words shimmer in fiery letters:
“TRIAL OF INFLUENCE—CONVINCE THE CROWD, CLAIM THE ROUND.”
The task: each team must sway the unseen audience and the arbiters on a rotating series of prompts. Points are awarded for cleverness, emotional appeal, and commanding presence.
Round 1 –
The Leadership Debate
Prompt: “Who would make the best leader of a new world order?”
Frasier Crane launches in first, puffing with pompous confidence. He extols the virtues of cultured refinement and “the civilizing force of opera and sherry tastings.” The arbiters yawn but scribble notes.
Saul Goodman slides in, turning charm into a sales pitch: “Look, folks, you want rules, but you also want loopholes, right? I can give you both. Democracy, but with coupons!” The crowd actually laughs—he’s winning the room.
Duncan MacLeod answers with gravitas, citing centuries of wisdom and his ability to endure as a steady hand through history’s storms. His Highlander calm hits hard.
Jack Harkness seals it with panache: “Listen, I’ve led soldiers, lovers, aliens, and time travelers. People follow me because they want to, not because they have to.” He smirks, winks at the arbiters, and two of them swoon.
Round 1 Winner: Immortals.
Round 2 –
The Ethics Crossfire
Prompt: “Would you sacrifice one life to save a thousand?”
Angel speaks with tortured sincerity: “I’ve lived on both sides of the line. Redemption only matters if we value every soul—-even one.” His words land heavy.
Sara Lance (White Canary) counters, pragmatic but heartfelt: “Hard choices define leadership. I’ve had to make them. And I can live with the scars.” The arbiters nod.
Spike grins wickedly: “Oh, please. I’ve eaten more than one life to save none. But I’ll tell you what—if it’s someone annoying, make it two-for-one.” The crowd laughs despite themselves.
Vandal Savage cuts in with booming arrogance: “One? A thousand? Numbers mean nothing to the immortal conqueror who shapes destiny. Sacrifice is the privilege of the weak.” The arbiters glare—his ego costs points.
The deciding blow comes from Frasier, who rebuts Savage: “That’s precisely the problem, my dear barbarian. Civilization is built not by conquest but by conscience.” His self-righteous tone, for once, works.
Round 2 Winner: Spin-Off Superstars.
Round 3 –
The Charm Offensive
Prompt: “Persuade the arbiters to let your team skip the next elimination entirely.”
Saul Goodman goes first, rattling off deals, discounts, and a “limited-time two-for-one immunity offer.” He even tries to slip a bribe across the podium. One arbiter actually pockets it.
Jack Harkness doesn’t even debate. He just smiles, flirts, and tells the arbiters, “You know you want me around longer. Think of the ratings.” The crowd cheers—he’s magnetic.
Frasier overplays it with a lecture on “the importance of procedural fairness in tournament brackets.” The arbiters groan.
Angel takes it home with earnest grit: “We’ve all made mistakes, but skipping the fight doesn’t make you stronger. Facing it does. That’s what redemption means.” The crowd actually applauds.
The arbiters, moved by Angel’s sincerity but unable to resist Jack’s magnetism, call it a tie within the round. The tally must go to overall impression.
The Verdict
With points tallied, the Immortals edge out the win, bolstered by Jack’s charisma and Duncan’s gravitas. The Spin-Off Superstars fought valiantly—Saul was slippery, Frasier had flashes of wit, Angel and Sara grounded the effort—but in the end, immortality brought experience too vast to out-argue.
Result:
Immortals win the Trial of Influence.
They advance to face the Sequel Soldiers in the semifinals.
Next up: getting to know the second set of group of kindred characters:
Team 5: Fast Four
Speedsters and speed freaks—-unexpected and controversial choices for fast-moving characters.
The Flash/Wally West (DC Comics)
Thor Odinson (Marvel comics)
Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Green Lantern/Kyle Rayner (DC Comics)
Team 5: Scene Stealers
Minor characters who evolved into major roles.
Steve Urkel (Family Matters)
Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli a.k.a. The Fonz (Happy Days)
Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager)
Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
The next blog will focus on the fastest ginger alive, Wally West/The Flash.
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