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Saving the world doesn't necessarily mean you go home happy. How's the mental health of your favorite superhero? A comic aficionado and a board-certified psychiatrist look at the various neuroses of your favorite heroes and villains and provide options for treatment.
•48:12
Issue 109 - Levana Blackburn
Intro
Shoutout to Ms. Yarbrough’s class - listened to episode on Xavier/Magneto
Email us voice recordings of your thoughts on Batman & what he means to you for upcoming episode - capesonthecouch@gmail.com
Background (4:54)
Levana Blackburn created by Marissa Meyer, introduced in Cinder, published July 2012
Antagonist of the Lunar Chronicles, particularly the first book Cinder
Based on the Evil Queen from fairy tales
Levana is queen of Luna, a colony of Earth set in a future where cyborgs and magic are real
Had an older sister who was mercilessly cruel to her as a child, and pushed her into a fire, scarring half her face and most of her body
She spends all of her time using a “glamour” - magic that allows Lunars to alter their appearance
At 15, her parents are killed, and her sister ascends to the throne, but is more interested in promiscuity and cruelty
Levana has a crush on a palace guard at least 10 years older than her, Evret Hayle
After Evret’s wife dies in childbirth, Levana changes her glamour to look like his dead wife in an effort to convince Evret to fall in love with her - when it doesn’t work naturally, she uses Lunar magic to persuade him to marry her
Levana’s sister has a child out of wedlock, but then dies shortly thereafter - Levana becomes queen regent until the girl, Selene, is of age - Levana plots to have her die in a fire so she can remain queen
Later decides that she must take over Earth to get its resources, and the only way to do that is to have a marriage of convenience with an Earthen ruler, so she has Evret murdered - later marries Prince Kai after sending Lunar soldiers to massacre Earthens
Discovers Selene survived the fire and was smuggled to Earth, now known as Cinder - now tries to have her murdered because she is the rightful heir to the Lunar throne
Is also responsible for sending a plague to Earth to decimate the population so she can show up with an antidote and be seen as a savior
Dies in a battle with Selene
Issues (10:18)
Ashamed of appearance, and always uses glamour to hide
Parents were distant and sister is cruel - Evret’s kindness is the first affection she’s been shown (16:05)
Out of universe - (33:16) Use the King’s Speech as a basis - acknowledge the fault
Skit (feat. Brittney from Popcorn Psychology as Levana) (39:39)
Ending (45:09)
Recommended reading: Cinder & Fairest
Next episodes: Superman: Red Son (Brian), Mojo (Matt), Batman Month 1
Review read: Mike Buhtanic - 5 stars - Combining psychiatry and Super Heroes! What a great concept! I listened to the Maxwell Lord episode and loved it. Definitely going to go through the backlog. Would recommend completely! Check it out!