The Vigilante's most important superpower had always been his intelligence, not his muscles--although he had been disciplined enough to hone those, too. His long success as a crime fighter stemmed from his command of science, and in times of crisis other supers in the Heroic League would always turn to him to help them analyze, understand, and then defeat threats to humanity.

So when his sidekick Starling alerted him to a mysterious parasitic creature that had attacked and knocked out DupliciTy, he immediately asked Starling to bring the unconscious super to his laboratory. The Vigilante knew that only by carefully examining the creature and understanding its weaknesses could he safely free him from the parasite.

Unfortunately, The Vigilante did not realize that he was not the only one who had been carefully studying a foe. As he leaned over to examine the parasite on DupliciTy, The Vigilante was shocked when the supposedly unconscious super suddenly seized his arms. As he struggled ineffectually to free himself from DupliciTy's iron grip, he called out for Starling to help. But as his trusted sidekick leaped forward to aid him, The Vigilante was stunned to feel Starling place multiple objects onto his back.

Starling whispered, "Now you will find your true purpose," and then helped DupliciTy stand up from the exam table. The Vigilante was paralyzed as he began to feel the parasites overwhelm and gradually take command of his nervous system. After a ineffectual struggle, the Vigilante's body stiffened and his eyes flashed a burst of brilliant blue.

As the last of his human intelligence was finally swept aside, The Vigilante barely had time to grudgingly recognize how effectively the parasites exploited his weakness to defeat him. And then a new intelligence took command of The Vigilante... one that would diligently analyze, understand, and then defeat the Heroic League... and then humanity.