As before, I think I ran "To Tackle the T.O.T.E.M." back in the 80s, but I don't have any notes from that time.
In the early 90s, I ran it for the Guardians, and it was one of the rare circumstances where they good guys were completely defeated. Strapping the PCs to missiles for a cliffhanger ending was a real highlight for me!
#6 - at the end of this issue:
A man in a suit, his face cloaked in shadows, dons a purple mask. #7 - The Big Parade - The Guardians establish a headquarters in the Organizer's former hideout on Staten Island. Dr. Desist is chosen as the group's leader and Entropy is made security chief. Entropy, Crocodile, and Zap travel to Tucson to celebrate the opening of the Hall of Modern Heroes in the Cogan Museum. Following the disruption of Congressman Phillip Maxwell's speech by a large group of unruly Brown Shirts, a diversionary explosion marks the entrance of Jotunn, Mariah, and Karnage. As the heroes, aided by Spectre and Gigantor, quickly disarm the terrorists, other villains enter the museum and steal a dimensional transporter. One of them, Tomahawk, finds himself mysteriously drawn to his namesake weapon in an exhibit, which floods him with power and frees him of T.O.T.E.M.'s brainwashing. #8 - To Tackle the T.O.T.E.M. - Guided by Tomahawk's information, Crocodile, Zap, Spectre, and Freeze assault the T.O.T.E.M. base in nearby Silver Wolf Mountain. They clash with Gila, Bear Claw, Chillblade, Faultline, and their leader, the Purple Mask, and are soundly defeated. After being heavily sedated, the heroes are extensively scanned and studied, and T.O.T.E.M. scientists extract cell samples to create clones. The adventurers awake to find themselves strapped to missiles beginning to launch!
#9 - Directions - As he escapes, Zap disrupts his missile enough to cause it to land short of its target in China. It still causes a massive explosion many miles from Beijing. China is guarded about the effects but reports light casualties. Crocodile’s missile strangely disappears.
I used the disappearance of my PC (Crocodile)'s missile to have the hero replaced by a T.O.T.E.M. doppleganger, which I sprang on the group later on, along with more T.O.T.E.M. evil duplicates!:
#20 - in the middle of another adventure ("Search for the Sensei") I had an interlude:
Crocodile informs the Guardians that he has discovered a T.O.T.E.M. base nearby. Dr. Desist, Entropy, Quaisar, Spectre, and Panther investigate to find a small building with only one person inside, the villain Purple Mask! #21 - The Shocking Truth - Entropy, Dr. Desist, Quiasar, and Panther are ambushed by Crocodile, Zap and Spectre, who they discover are evil clones! During the battle with the doppelgangers, they destroy Crocodile and Spectre and the Zap clone is captured. The mastermind behind it all, the T.O.T.E.M. leader Purple Mask, is revealed to be Arizona Congressman Phillip Maxwell.
At the end of issue #47 - Congressman Phillip Maxwell (Purple Mask) goes to trial on charges of coercion and is acquitted.
And decades later, in issue #283, my friend Eric (in charge of the villainous T.O.T.E.M.) had the following happen:
They set up ahead of time in hopes of busting the meeting, but are surprised by a projection of the new head of T.O.T.E.M., Adalwolf, who expresses his displeasure with the current leadership. A gas is released and the heroes flee; inside Jotunn, Carlos Franco, Mariah, and the Purple Mask are instantly killed by the toxic vapor.
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