Collapse of the Empire Eighty-Eight

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Collapse of the Empire Eighty-Eight Conflict: Date: May 8th, 2011<ref name="7.11"/> (start) Location: Brockton Bay
Outcome
Empire Eighty-Eight's civilian identities are revealed to the public Aster Anders is taken from her mother.
Participants
Skitter Regent Grue Tattletale Kaiser Purity Rune
Event Navigation
Previous: Battle at the Gallery
Concurrent:
Next: Battle against Leviathan

Collapse of the Empire Eighty-Eight is an event taking place during Coil's Takeover. It focuses on Coil releasing the identities of the Empire Eighty-Eight to the public and the subsequent actions the Empire takes.

Prelude

Coil embarked on a four-year project to find out about the secret identities of the E88 members.<ref name="7.11">Buzz 7.11</ref> When he recruited Tattletale part of her job was fact checking this information, although she didn't know his intent.

With the ABB pacified, Coil decided to make his move against the strongest united power in Brockton Bay.

The same day and almost the same time a group of low level but gun carrying E88 goons threaten one of Bitch's dog shelters and a fight breaks out. Skitter texts for back up, but luckily she and Bitch quickly and brutally defend the shelter.<ref name=":0">In Buzz 7.4</ref> Grue arrives and after being debriefed convinces Bitch to move her dogs, so they're out of harms way if the E88 attack again. Back at the Undersider's HQ, Tattletale reveals what Coil has done and both she and Skitter especially are uncomfortable about how Coil's identity info dump cross unspoken lines in the cape community.<ref>Located in Buzz 7.4</ref> Because of the fight earlier that same day and E88's knowledge of Tattletale's ability, it becomes likely that they'll either blame or at least take out their anger on the group.

Coincidently, Coil's attack has dire consequences for the Undersiders and they decide to lay low. Bitch, Regent, and Tattletale with dogs in tow go to one of Bitch's other shelters. Skitter goes with Grue to hide out at his apartment.<ref>In Buzz 7.5</ref>

Events

Coil compiles an extensive and comprehensive list of the E88 member's identities including personal information like home address and phone numbers, photos in and out of costumes, and evidence of their crimes.<ref name=":0" /> He anonymously emails this list to Lisa and more importantly many local and even national news organizations.<ref>According to the gathered info that had been released about the Empire Eighty-Eight villains, he’d once tortured ABB gang members, taking away all pain tolerance and willpower, because those were skills we all learned over the course of our lives. - Excerpt from Radiation 18.2</ref>

Coil later personally tells Kaiser he's responsible, but Kaiser intentionally withholds that information from his subordinates. He lets the Protectorate and the Undersiders take the blame for the doxxing; Grue theorizes that Kaiser is channeling the E88's fear and anger into their pre-existing grudges in order to do even more damage.<ref>In Buzz 7.7</ref>

Purity specially calls out those two groups out when she begins attacking the Docks. Purity begins by destroying Bitch's dog shelter (luckily all the dogs were already moved out) and announces that she is will raze the city to the ground until she gets her daughter back. Her supervillain status seeming reason enough for the authorities to remove Aster from her custody.

Taylor immediately wants to head out and stop Purity and her team's carnage but Brian pumps the brakes. From his more practical perspective it's a job for the heroes, until Purity calls the Undersiders out by name and they call Lisa for her opinion. Eventually, they decide to act but first need to meet up and form a plan of attack.<ref>In Buzz 7.7</ref>

Grue and Skitter sneak through a blockage in an ambulance driven by two of Coil's men, but are stopped by Hookwolf, Stormtiger, and Cricket. They unsuccessfully try to sneak away, but Grue's darkness can't beat Stormtiger's enhanced senses and they're found.<ref>In Buzz 7.7</ref> After a brutal skirmish they manage to get away but not without injuries; Grue especially gets badly cut up by Cricket and is severely weakened by blood loss.<ref>In Buzz 7.8</ref> Grue and Skitter find the others and after medical attention, the Undersiders climb onto Bitch dogs to ride through the ravaged city blocks and confront Purity (with Rune and Crusader assisting), who concurrently is occupied in aerial battle with the New Wave flying heroes Lady Proton and Glory Girl with Aegis.

Purity too high in the air for the ground-bound Undersiders to call out to, but Regent manages to temporarily bring down Rune and then avoid her telekinetic counterattack. But before they can begin to regroup, Fog and Night corner the team.<ref>In Buzz 7.10</ref> Skitter primarily fights Night with the others either holding back Fog, supporting the injured Grue, or delivering timely assists. Night gets the better of Skitter and Tattletale has to shot her before she can slice Skitter's throat open. Before Night can bleed out before their eyes, E88 reinforcements arrive and Purity shots a beam of light the obscures Night enough that she can transform into her other form and back therein healing herself.

Tattletale manages to talk Purity and her crew out of killing the Undersiders by revealing 1) that they weren't behind the doxxing and 2) the safehouse where the Protectorate has her daughter Aster. Purity decided to trust her but takes Tattletale with her as collateral just in case it's a trick.<ref>In Buzz 7.10</ref> The rest of the team is evaced by Coil's people.

Aftermath

Because of their work here the Undersiders are further taken into their employers confidence, including the real reason for their Bank robbery.<ref name="7.11">Buzz 7.11</ref>

These events, combined with the previous unrest, were major draws for Leviathan attack on Brockton Bay.<ref>Interlude 7</ref>

With the death of Kaiser during the Endbringers attack, Empire 88 irrevocably shattered, having already been drifting apart due to these events.<ref name="R1">E88 inevitably breaks into factions. The cracks formed when Coil outed them, and even without Leviathan to be the hammer, the wedge is in place for Coil to drive in. - Speculation by Wildbow on Reddit</ref> Coil makes sure that the group has a complete schism.<ref name="I8x">“Captains, with me. Empire Eighty-Eight is divided, and I’m going to direct you on a series of strikes to ensure we deal as much damage as possible before the two factions can merge once more.” - Excerpt from Interlude 8.z</ref>

References

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