Skeets
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Skeets is a fictional artificial intelligence robot from the future in the DC Comics Universe. Usually seen as a companion to Booster Gold, he currently co-stars in the limited series 52.
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[edit] Character History
[edit] Booster Gold
A former BX9 security robot at the Space Museum, Skeets arrived from the 25th Century with Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) with news headlines for the next 50 years. Booster used this knowledge to become wealthy and to stop disasters before they happened. Their success led to Booster's induction into Maxwell Lord's incarnation of the Justice League. Apparently dismissed and kept in storage (where he killed time surfing the Internet) during Booster's tenure in the Justice League, he was reactivated when Doomsday badly mangled Booster's power suit to help with repairs. Although he was unable to fix the suit, Skeets revealed again his utility when Blue Beetle acquired the Exorian Flesh Driver, an alien technology able to feed off of Booster's particular body energy. Willing to substitute the bulkier substitute armor he was forced to build for Booster, but lacking the proper software, Beetle downloaded Skeets' consciousness into the armor. As the flesh driver Skeets could still counsel and help his owner, but he could also take control of Booster's body and motor functions when Booster was knocked unconscious. He was also in charge of the more advanced features of the suit, "rationing" them to force his owner to a more rational use of the Flesh Driver. Apparently, when Professor Hamilton built Booster a new power suit, similar to his original 25th Century technology (briefly containing Skeets consciousness in the same way the Flesh Driver did), Skeets was again rebuilt as a stand-alone robot.
[edit] Infinite Crisis
He was destroyed in the Countdown to Infinite Crisis one-shot, by Maxwell Lord and used as surveillance technology that led to Blue Beetle Ted Kord's death. Following the events of The OMAC Project Booster disappeared, telling his friend Bea he was going home.
Booster reappeared inexplicably with a rebuilt Skeets (or one from another point in time) on the moon in Infinite Crisis #2. They arrived after Superboy-Prime destroyed the Justice League Watchtower and went off in search of the Blue Beetle scarab. They found it with Jaime Reyes and, together with Batman and a team of heroes, they destroyed Brother Eye.
[edit] 52
- See also: 52 (comics)
After the events of Infinite Crisis, Skeets attempted to help Booster rebuild his reputation. However, Skeets seems to have made several errors in recalling future events. For example, he incorrectly predicted the announcement of a new Justice League by Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The three did not appear together and no new Justice League was announced at the time and place indicated. Booster had Skeets examined by Will Magnus, who confessed his lack of insight into future technology, but said Skeets seemed fine.
Skeets offered that someone is messing with time itself. Booster instructed Skeets to learn everything he can about Rip Hunter. They then travelled to Hunter's last known lab to question Hunter about the possibly time anomaly. However, Rip was missing. Booster found it littered with scrawled notes and annotated photos that may indicate that Booster himself is responsible for the anomaly, although other interpretations are possible.
Booster's inability to predict preventable events - coupled with his own unscrupulous dealings, extending even to paying an actor to pose as a 'supervillain' for a media-friendly fight - led to his being branded a fraud in the press and ruined his public reputation. The duo were forced to move from a penthouse condo to a much less luxurious rental apartment. Skeets suggested they investigate why 21st Century history has been diverging from his historical records, and Booster reluctantly agreed.
In 52: Week 15, Booster found his fame eclipsed by Supernova. Hoping to make a comeback, he consulted with Skeets for crimes to fight. After passing on Skeet's suggestions of a carjacking and a massive power outtage, Skeets suggested the crash of a nuclear submarine in downtown Metropolis. At the scene, Booster battled a massive undersea creature which had carried the sub ashore. During the course of the battle, Booster actually caused the other two crimes by first taking a woman's car to throw at the monster, and then trying to use the monorail's powered third rail as a weapon. When Supernova appeared and disintegrated the monster in an instant, Booster lost his composure and assaulted his fellow superhero for stealing the spotlight. Skeets broke up the fight by pointing out that the nuclear sub was leaking radiation. Booster attempted to save the city unassisted, but was incinerated by the subsequent explosion.
In 52: Week 19, (after arranging a funeral for Booster) Skeets recruits Booster's ancestor, Daniel, to become the new Booster Gold, and to gain a second look at what Booster had found in Rip Hunter's lab. When Daniel find the notes and photos that seem to implicate Michael, Skeets reinterprets the information as an indication that Skeets is responsible for the anomaly, not Michael. Skeets maliciously arranges to have Daniel shunted into a time portal, declaring "You've served your purpose. He knows!" Skeets' motives remain unknown, as well as the identity of the person to whom Skeets is referring.
In 52: Week 24, Skeets stages the invasion of Metropolis by a large number of time-displaced pirates and robots as an attempt to lure out a mysterious and unidentified enemy who "thinks he can remain hidden". Skeet's action leads to a massacre as a large number of civilians and self-styled amateur heroes who have arrived on the scene are brutally butchered. When Firestorm's new Justice League try to stop him, Skeets kills the new Super-Chief and escapes.
In 52: Week 27, Skeets finds Waverider, and after dispatching the Time Commander, tortures Waverider himself, hoping to discover the whereabouts of Rip Hunter.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Skeets is a 25th Century security robot with artificial intelligence. He is capable of flight, cognitive thinking, and voice projection, which is all considered highly advanced for 21st Century Earth. He also has historical records and headlines which give him a vast knowledge of what will happen between the 21st and 25th Centuries, though its reliability has become questionable, as stated above.
[edit] Other media
Skeets, along with Booster, appeared in an episode of Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Billy West.
