Part Four: Truth Eternal is the fourth part of the D.I.T. Literary Universe after Part Three: The Growing Universe.
Overview[]
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S.M.S.B.: Where Are You Now? is a 2017 D.I.T. book, the first installment of a two-part sequel spinoff, and the tenth book in The Super Babies Saga and a sequel to The Super Babies: Final Clash of Brethren and Band of Justice. It is the twentieth installment of the D.I.T. Literary Universe and the first book in Part Four: Truth Eternal. The book is joined by a host of new characters, including Red X and Jonathan, but mostly uses characters already appearing in the previous ones, but looking different because they are older. The NoHeads have risen from the ashes of defeat and remain in secret for a time. They are soon opposed by Master Intelligence, reprising his name for being age-appropriate, and the S.M.S.B. In the midst of this search, new heroes rise to help the S.M.S.B. in their mission to destroy the Candy Man and the Apostles. The first part ends as Red X departs the MBH for the summer. Where Are You Now? was released on January 13, 2017.
Subsequently, Thomas confirmed that the book would be split in two, to do justice to its concept. The second part of the installment, S.M.S.B.: The Return of the Verasect, was released on November 29, 2017, and would have been followed by a cancelled threequel, S.M.S.B.: Mistress of the Blade, respectively. Production of both books occurred concurrently, and treated as if it were one book. The idea to split the books had been around since late 2014, but only really came into serious consideration after Thomas remembered his ambition to make it a sequel trilogy.
Thomas also noted this was a sit-down book. He has also noted that some of the events of this book had an effect on the way Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Latest Threat was to be made in 2018.
Books[]
S.M.S.B.: Where Are You Now? (2017)[]
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- "Everybody knows the war is over, and that the good guys lost."
- ―Lindsay Kellerman[src]
Mankind is still attempting to persevere against catastrophic losses six years after Genesis bathed the entire universe in eternal night. The War of Darkness has traumatized the star system and has stagnated much of their progress, with the path to recovery remaining slow. A scavenger named Jonathan is aware that Master Intelligence now participates in and/or runs a support group for citizens of New York who are trying to cope with surviving the Melanization and their losses. Lindsay Kellerman awakens from a nightmare wherein Jonathan is killed after overhearing the disembodied Hell Burnbottom conspiring with two of his new allies. Master Intelligence introduces Cynthia Thomas, the first female member besides Lindsay and the deceased Paige Nelson. Although she takes the alias of “Red X”, she feels as though she does not fit in, placed amongst students who had been training for years and capable of feats such as levitating suitcases and deflecting electric attacks. She also has to deal with obstacles such as bullying and arriving late to training periods. Despite this, Red X soon makes a couple of close friends, Master Intelligence and Lindsay, and achieves good marks in most of her courses, save acrobatics and telekinesis. She also develops a crush on fellow trainee Telekinibabe.
A few months after she joined, Sebiscuits announces a sword tournament, in which everything will be safe (regarding Operation: Purge). Red X joins the tournament, but continues to struggle greatly with telekinesis. Master Intelligence soon gathers everyone in the audience chamber with bad news, that he has been attacked by Whammo Fireball and the Lunch Money Bandit, who were thought to be imprisoned. Later, during another training session, Master Intelligence tells them they will create and paint glass plates. When this is done, they will eat a “delicious surprise supper” on them.
Master Intelligence and company stop by Central Park East High School, where they meet and befriend a handful of students, including the charismatic non-binary Tori Newell and pretentious Nurse Rose, with Kellerman alone stumbling into the charming Felix. Subsequently, Rose clashes with Kellerman when she alone sees through her attempt to manipulate her into setting up "deterrents". While waiting for Master Intelligence in his office, Kellerman deduces it is the Lunch Money Bandit whom she had seen in her dream.
During the surprise supper, Lindsay touches the plate, which turns out to be a transport which teleports her and Felix into the Tower of Reincarnation for which her nightmares have recurred, a grim complex where Whammo Fireball and Hell Burnbottom await. Burnbottom performs a ritual that rejuvenates him, who then summons the Apostles. Kellerman escapes from her bonds and brashly challenges the Apostles; she and Burnbottom begin to duel. The spirit of Rotta Hecks is suddenly seen in the tower and distracts Burnbottom and his cultists, allowing Kellerman and Felix to use the mutated plate to escape; Burnbottom's plan has gone wrong. Kellerman immediately tells Master Intelligence what had happened, who does a security check on the MBH and keeps a close lookout. Crystal reveals a small handful of things.
The Swordfighting Tournament takes place two days later. There, Master Intelligence defeats Sebiscuits, Dexter defeats Emma, Red X defeats Baby Strength, and Lindsay defeats Telekinibabe. Red X achieves strong marks in her classes and returns home to her parents for the summer. The other members all spend time together on Independence Day, knowing some events have been set into motion that cannot be undone. A disguised Candy Man arrives at the Royal Palace of the Magistrate from the gates of the Devil's Armpit, encountering some curious patrol men.
S.M.S.B.: The Return of the Verasect (2017)[]
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Before The SMSB: The Legacy of Mae (2017)[]
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- "I'm L'smae. These are the Knights of Mae. We are Mae's legacy. And we're legendary."
- ―L'smae[src]
Centuries past, Baby Intelligence appears to the Knight Drimsé Ur in a vision. The vision also includes the instructor Steven Grande, Baby Intelligence's apprentice Lindsay Kellerman, and his friend turned enemy Thomas Meyer; all four of them would be destroyed by the NoHeads. In present time, "Mae" brings the Knights of Mae together and trains them. With his power finally recognized by Mae, Ratchet is dispatched to deal with General Ronald Koda, who used a private militia. After boarding a N-54-Fighter construction station over Australia and defeating a large number of both militia and robots alike, Ratchet finds the general, and defeats him in a fierce duel. Before falling out of the burning station, Koda predicted that Mae won't always be Ratchet's master, and that someday Koda will be instead. The Dark Lord is furious with his right-hand woman, Dorphane Giles, for failing to prevent an assault on the Imperial Palace and has sent her and her underling and rival, Dot Lodd, to steal it.
The book begins with the fragments of the Jade Sanctum which is now an ideal hiding place and safehaven with the members of the Police Grand Army being marched through the entrance. Sheriff Bladepoint stands with Roxanne Waterston and Joseph Abernathy in the top of a tower and watches his followers with a blank expression, musing that "[their] time is coming soon". While she is on her way to the Arithmetic Store in Superhero School, Bethany Donner runs into Dayo Stenberg, Erick Garfield, and Brian Calvin, who demand Donner beat them in a duel in order to get past. She floors them and performs a quick memory wipe before telling Antonio McSnake she's considering Superhero University within her future. At Golgolod, L'smae stands in front of the Entry Gates of the fortress. Finally standing up and returning inside, she spends her free time eating leftover celery soup and reading Mutantry Most Wretched intently. L'smae later stares at a portrait of herself in the Imperial Throne Room of the Imperial Palace. She starts addressing the portrait and swears the NoHead Empire will not die, and laments that Mr. Stupid NoHead's father would have been proud that he had come a step closer due to "the source [her allies] discovered". She is then startled by Mr. Formidable NoHead, who tells him that he suggests an all-out attack on the Order. He denies this idea, but before Mr. Formidable NoHead can argue, a boy named Drake walks in and says he might have found the suggestion to their problem. He changes her diaper and they go to meet Mae in Delaware.
After Sarah's death, Martin promises to swear allegiance to whomever wins the coming duel. Mae goes full force on the vulnerable baby, but L'smae defies the odds by almost literally turning the tables, striking Mae dead. Later on, she begins bonding with Ratchet, who assures her that her defeat of their controversial leader has inspired great admiration among the Knights. She also dubs Martin as "Mordo". She is called back for a meeting at Golgolod, in which Mr. Stupid NoHead learns that Giles and Lodd have been in a place called Viskaa, attempting to deliver the Almataffe, only for the Pyters to take it and lose it to the Krath. Angered, Mr. Stupid NoHead promotes Lodd in a higher place of power than his rival and resumes his research of the International Alliance. Giles rides her flagship, the Damnation, to Viskaa.
In order to develop her skills and focus, L'smae is ordered by Mr. Stupid NoHead to go to the Core to continue her training. Leeching off of L'smae's fear, a simulacrum of Lord Tempest began his attack. The girl successfully fends him off and destroys him, completing her Trial of the Muscle.
They attend Zygen's party, where Mr. Formidable NoHead stupidly blows his disguise, leading to the trio narrowly escaping capture and capital punishment by lava trap. Utterly helpless now, Zygen tells Lord Abalan he can take what he pleases from her, but Abalan already has and has her killed.
Meanwhile, Bladepoint travels to Thunder Quarters, while Gummi leaves to warn Lady Valora, successor of the deceased Galacosus, of their discovery. Bladepoint finds the ruins infested with Arboc and is ambushed by the undead Mr. Watson. The Olbaid overpowers and defeats Bladepoint and reveals himself as Verpus the Foul, who appears as an incorporeal being wreathed in ice.
Shortly after rescuing Koda, L'smae begins feeling drawn to the Core, where she encounters a bandit codenamed "the Egg" in battle with a soldier unknown to her, and aids the Egg. Before the program cuts out, the soldier reveals itself to be Keeko, L'smae's father, who assures her it is not too late for her to join the right side.
Meanwhile, Lady Valora, Lord Ressammes, Welkiziwan, and Defacles arrive at Thunder Quarters and free Bladepoint, sending him to safety with Waterston. They battle and defeat the Dartus and a formless Verpus himself, sentencing them to damnation. As the Council of Outcasts debates how to revoke their predicament, Waterston provides Bladepoint her sword before the two of them ride to Superhero University hoping to find Hell Burnbottom there. Dorphane Giles procures the Almataffe from the Pyters and takes its power for herself, promising that she will come for Mr. Stupid NoHead as she intends to reorganize the NoHeads to her liking. Before accepting her challenge, the Dark Lord tells L'smae to help mass his armies. A new friend named Xalvatrix grimly shows her footage of Mr. Stupid NoHead tracking Giles to Illiun and breaking into her tower, where a brief yet spectacular duel ensues, with the Dark Lord's sheer skill allowing him to match an Almataffe-enhanced Giles. As the citadel is set ablaze, the Dark Lord is crushed by a Jovian lunar body. Horrified, L'smae deserts the scene and rejoins the knights, believing her lord is dead. Now having her reluctant trust, Xalvatrix takes all seven of them to Superhero University, where their sworn enemy plans on going next. Meryll Orbach learns of this and forbids anyone's involvement, but is headed off in the cafeteria by the seasoned Miranda Butterfield, who enforces her retreat.
As Butterfield proceeds to gather the Superhero University community for battle, L'smae learns the Chief Enforcer has annexed ex-Imperials into the immense army based in the forest. After ordering Mr. Formidable NoHead to rally the Deaformas, Dorphane Giles uses the Almataffe to destroy the shield and a good portion of the fleet. Bladepoint seeks out Burnbottom, locating him in the Dark Tower but unable to prevent his escape thanks to the interference of Bethany Donner and Antonio McSnake. Bladepoint retrieves a flask from a dying Kade Coleman. As the NoHead military attacks, Zygen arrives in the host body of Lee Freeman and nearly completes her plan to have mosquitoes dominate the Earth. When Giles challenges her, mosquitoes converge and the Almataffe falls from her hand, allowing Zygen to unwittingly force her to endlessly relive her own death. Zygen attempts to use her prize to flatten the university, but is distracted by Drake's antics. As Garcia reverses Zygen's plague, she enables Dual to contain the Almataffe's power inside a vault. L'smae helps Kylee Garcia reconfigure the Shield of Virtue and they destroy the tyrant once and for all. With both the Dark Lord and Chief Enforcer out of the picture, the Knights of Mae resolve to meet up near Jalahassea with Hell Burnbottom, Mean King, and Susan Marshall when they encounter the International Alliance and Huntress joins them. They ultimately defeat Marshall and proceed into the unknown to continue seeking where destiny intends them to be.
Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Latest Threat (2018)[]
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Boys vs. Girls 2 (2018)[]
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Before The SMSB: The Legacy of Sheriff Bladepoint (2018)[]
In the bone-jarring conclusion of the series, the Dark Lord Mr. Stupid NoHead has dramatically broken out of his comatose and has summoned all of his followers. As Sheriff Bladepoint and his friends draw ever closer to the final battle that lies ahead, the Qi'sheng moves to fulfill an ancient prophecy alongside the mysterious baby L'smae and the wicked mercenary Mr. Formidable NoHead. As two powerful forces collide, the fate of the entire universe hangs on seven decisions.
Agents of the S.M.S.B.: Age of Innovation (2019)[]
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Lindsay Kellerman rushes to the aid of Master Intelligence, and together they overpower the Gladiator and bind him before revealing the helpless warlord to the remaining warriors, most of whom surrender. They can now turn their attention back to the Resometh. Finally, Valhalla is able to seize the Disc of Amity and use it to restore the fledgling material universe and proceeds to vaporize Genesis, who accepts defeat before fading into the next life. With the fighting over, Telekinibabe helps everyone back to the MBH on Earth, and Master Intelligence goes abroad in order to recuperate from the recent trauma he has endured. He visits Myra Gordon, who introduces him to Thomas Meyer, who has come to stay for a few weeks after his expulsion from Lazar Institute, a boarding school. The two men immediately become friends and he agrees to join the S.M.S.B. and become "Centauri". Ramona Meyer visits the MBH for dinner and befriends the team, whilst suggesting that they move the Pit of Holograms which was once owned by Charity Hirz to the t and i Factory.
An era of hard-won peace washes over the star system and Master Intelligence marries Cardarphen; the two innovate the S.M.S.B. and create industry. Centauri's parents die in a car crash, leading to him and Kellerman becoming friends. Later, Master Intelligence has Force Baby trained with Sagen Rolt. For his fortieth birthday, Centauri receives a river stone from Master Intelligence, something that came from the River of Light located behind NYC Hospital. Lindsay and Centauri are captured by the priests of the Styricat and the High Priest Vertenubelter. The cult worships the Arcanus and summon the soul of Bartholomew Gales, but law enforcement agents Savannah van Dukas and Exogale save them. Master Intelligence reconnects with Rocken Role and they produce a high-caliber feature film. Realizing Ramona has set them up so she can dominate society, the S.M.S.B. heads to the t and i Factory, and starts their intense trip into the seven Defense Chambers. A series of mishaps forces everyone to stay behind and only Centauri is allowed to proceed. Ramona fights him for the code to activate the pit, but Centauri brutally annihilates her. Five uneasy years pass, Centauri's research reveals the Sword of Abomination belongs to George Thames II. Master Intelligence insists that they can't just break in his workshop, making Centauri furious.
In the climax, Centauri begins to question the truth about the S.M.S.B., and confronts Master Intelligence as they go to the Fun Room to check on Force Baby, who was becoming increasingly unstable. When Captain Strength confronts them, Master Intelligence claims disenchantment with becoming the Ring of Magic as he finally understands Centauri is truly a sociopath, refusing to help him. The three finally begin a vicious duel while Force Baby watches in horror. Set off by what he sees, Force Baby finally tries to intervene in the fight, but can't due to his erratic abilities, and in the ensuing chaos, Master Intelligence and Centauri's torrents of energy rebound into him and he dies, which prompts Thomas Meyer to flee. As Master Intelligence resolves to begin the revolution without the traitor, Thomas leaves town, steals the Sword of Abomination, and brings it with him to Egrevond, where he speaks with Senator Rokari Ken as she laments over how she has successfully gotten herself elected as Chieftain of the NA as a projection from her hand emits an image of Nebelon's face onto the ceiling.
Khustandil (2019)[]
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Life is hard for young Gerekrigkit, who usually goes by G-Kit, as he begins to fear his braces will never come to fruit, in spite of consistently wearing rubber bands, and is even more afraid that he's destined to flunk out of school. His life is hard and everything about it seems to support this negative outlook. The only thing in life that genuinely brings him happiness is having a girlfriend, the sweet yet unstable Julie; he has been dating her for two years. But there is something far greater than himself lurking in the shadows, and yet he knows better than to meddle in it.
Eventually, he rescues a small child named Ryan Lindermann, and the two become good friends. G-Kit also runs into Larry the Debaser, whom he already knows, and invites him to join them, but Larry claims he is busy. G-Kit brings Ryan closer and closer to redemption, so they can journey to Khustandil, a paradise, together that no one else is willing to risk going to. To reach Khustandil, they have to travel across a strong and extremely mutated current. Many had warned them not to go, but G-Kit and Lidermann agree the current probably knows where it's taking them. After a day of walking and hiking, Ryan nearly trips against a crevice against a boulder and G-Kit agrees with him that they should camp there for the night.
In the middle of the night, Tom wakes them. G-Kit is angry, so Tom defends them by explaining in detail what he has been doing this whole time. G-Kit listens with rapt attention, his patience contradicting Ryan's lack thereof, and hugs him asking what he did to deserve a little brother. The unlikely trio becomes good friends, each leaping to the aid of the other two. G-Kit helps lift people up particularly steep slopes, Ryan tackles wild beasts and even tames a couple of them, and Tom comes up with clever ideas to escape sticky situations. As they reach the end of their journey, Ryan realizes just how much Tom means to him. Upon arriving, they are ambushed by Larry the Debaser, who reveals his true plans to them. He directs the Ferity Engine upon them. The Ferity Engine fires a missile at them, but Tom leaps in front of it, sacrificing himself in the process, and G-Kit falls unconscious.
When Ryan recovers, he tells G-Kit what happened to his brother and that he avenged Larry, but he let him go. He says Larry didn't return the favor and strangled him, but Ryan defended himself and Larry lost his footing and fell off a cliff. G-Kit and Ryan are greeted by the Gatekeeper who guards Khustandil from the outside world. G-Kit rejoices, saying that the journey was worth it, even if Tom's death wasn't, but Ryan isn't allowed to enter because of his transgressions. G-Kit begs her to change her mind and says Ryan has come such a long way and as Ryan hugs him, he points out how devoted he is to him. The Gatekeeper refuses to let him in and tells him it is time to do what is necessary, while Ryan begs him to go without him promising he'll be fine. G-Kit tells her he cannot leave Ryan to rot, and Ryan points out that they have a long journey ahead, which G-Kit agrees with.
However, on their way out, the Gatekeeper calls after them and says she has never seen such loyalty between two friends. She declares that they are free to enter, and upon entering they learn that there is no form of government as everyone there only entered by being a courageous and tender-hearted soul. The Gatekeeper shows them around and says they are to live in the land of their dreams forever. Three days later, Gerekrigkit and Ryan are wondering what to do next while they eat lunch together. They are surprised to meet Petunia, the girl Larry had once intended to marry. In spite of her reluctance to mention Larry at all, G-Kit promises he will tell her what happened to Larry if she tells them the truth about his failure. Petunia gives them a less biased account of her tragedy, and Gerekrigkit realizes that he was happier in his current situation and that he does not want to run away from his problems and try to alter his fate by spending an eternity in Khustandil, citing that he's becoming just like Larry the Debaser. He has a tearful goodbye with Ryan Lindermann and proceeds to the gate, deciding he belongs with Julie after all.
Eventually, two government ambassadors named Marchant and Littleton entrust the Cuffs of Energy to Stacey Huddleston. However, once they leave, we learn that Huddleston is the Dark Flame in disguise, and he is one step away from victory against the S.M.S.B..
Boys vs. Girls 2 Prelude (2019)[]
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Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Inferno Relit (2019)[]
The grave course of events set in motion by the Unifiers that devastated the cosmos and fractured the S.M.S.B. compels the remaining superheroes to initiate the next crucial step in evolution as they take one final stand in D. Isaac Thomas’ grand conclusion to thirty-five books, The Inferno Relit.
D.I.T. One-Shots[]
The Treaty of America (2017)[]
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Zachary Brown (2018)[]
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The Legend of Godeliff (2019)[]
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Characters[]
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The story mostly reprises the same characters from the original series, though several new characters are involved. The book’s tritagonist, Red X, is an ambitious yet naive superhero desperately trying to find her place and fit in at the same time. Nagatha, a vicious snake, is Hell Burnbottom’s pet. Jonathan is an orphan who at the point of the book owned the Sword of Abomination, which he used to decapitate Mr. Stupid NoHead’s spirit.
Production[]
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Where Are You Now?, which was released on January 13, 2017, is the first installment of a two-part book. The book is joined by a host of new characters, including Red X and Jonathan, but mostly uses characters already appearing in the previous ones, but looking different.
The first part was released in January 2017, with the second following in December. Production of both books occurred concurrently, and treated as if it were one book. The idea to split the books had been around since late 2015, but only really came into serious consideration after Thomas remembered his ambition to make it a sequel trilogy.
Subsequently, Thomas confirmed that the book would be split in two, to do justice to its concept. At school, he looked up designs of real teenagers to do layout, but none of them resemble their image search very closely. Force Baby was given new hair, and Sebiscuits Cardarphen was given Force Baby’s hair instead. Before Red X was the name of the new member, several other names and supersuits were placed for consideration.
Development[]
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D. Isaac Thomas confirmed that Agents of the S.M.S.B. 2 will be announced in May of 2018. This turned out to be Age of Innovation.
Age of Innovation was confirmed on November 5, 2018, two days after the release of Across the Portal: Insurgence, to be released on February 7, 2019.
Reception[]
Before The SMSB: The Legacy of Mae received mixed reviews, with the general idea being that Thomas was trying something different by introducing an all-star collection of children not fighting forces of darkness, but otherwise forces of light, and that it was subversive, stylish, and comical, but also futilely approaching a nihilistic viewpoint that made it extremely cringeworthy. A user named "emmeline8" accused the novel of "shameless pandering". Chris admitted that it was "an inch forward that could've been a mile". Roxy Karparan was far more charitable in her regard for the novel, citing that The Legacy of Mae was quirky, excellent, charming, and "proudly flicks off the staid establishment of the superhero genre". Users also had mixed feelings about what the book did with Mr. Stupid NoHead. In spite of its reception, however, L'smae was very well-received, with many users eager to see more of the character in future novels.
Gallery[]
Music[]
| Song title | Artist | Book | Location(s) |
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| One Last Breath | Blue Stahli | S.M.S.B.: Where Are You Now? | To be added. |
| On Me | Mykester & O$O WAVVY | Before The SMSB: The Legacy of Mae
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Trivia[]
- According to Melissa Vaine, The Death of Shadows is questionable in terms of family-friendly content, like Truth Eternal and in contrast to the first three Parts. This Part is aimed at young teenagers and even young adults. There is more death, politics become more prominent, the topic of slavery is deeper, children are horribly imperiled in far less cartoonish ways than before, war is not black and white and morality is not objective. She recommended supervision throughout the whole segment of the franchise if children were reading Truth Eternal at all.
- Truth Eternal includes twelve novels in total, which makes the part have the most novels in it.