A string of crimes involving superpowered individuals rocks the city. These aren't just petty bank robberies or thefts; they include assassination attempts on political figures, random, unprovoked attacks in public spaces, resulting in multiple dead civilians, arson, and other horrific acts. This all at a time where the relationship between super powered "metas" and regular humans is already strained. These villains are just a few more acts away from getting all metas banned from the public.
Fortunately, few heroes manage to clean this evil syndicate up before it gets too ugly. The villains are imprisoned and investigated for a motive. Except, it becomes clear that these individuals aren't the ones pulling the strings, and they never were. While some remain violent and uncooperative, a couple have come around and indicated that they were all being controlled through various methods (brain washing, mind control devices, blackmail, whatever it took). The real mastermind behind the operation turns out to be a regular, evil man, his motive to frame metas in a way that would get them all shut down, heroes and all.
A few of the 'villains' are acquitted of their crimes under this revelation so long as they cooperate. However, not all of them do. A couple seem to be too volatile to release. The authorities are perfectly happy to speculate that they actually were corrupt and weren't among the controlled. The authorities believe the best way to deal with them is to have them put down like pit bulls pulled from a fighting ring: too violent to be reformed. However, a couple aren't convinced.
A couple kind souls have taken it upon themselves to personally see to it that the last two cases are saved and, maybe, even turned into heroes.
Fortunately, few heroes manage to clean this evil syndicate up before it gets too ugly. The villains are imprisoned and investigated for a motive. Except, it becomes clear that these individuals aren't the ones pulling the strings, and they never were. While some remain violent and uncooperative, a couple have come around and indicated that they were all being controlled through various methods (brain washing, mind control devices, blackmail, whatever it took). The real mastermind behind the operation turns out to be a regular, evil man, his motive to frame metas in a way that would get them all shut down, heroes and all.
A few of the 'villains' are acquitted of their crimes under this revelation so long as they cooperate. However, not all of them do. A couple seem to be too volatile to release. The authorities are perfectly happy to speculate that they actually were corrupt and weren't among the controlled. The authorities believe the best way to deal with them is to have them put down like pit bulls pulled from a fighting ring: too violent to be reformed. However, a couple aren't convinced.
A couple kind souls have taken it upon themselves to personally see to it that the last two cases are saved and, maybe, even turned into heroes.