Geekdom Madness 2015 - Quarter Final: Super Showdown/Back in Black

Welcome to the Geekdom Madness 2015 Quarter Final! Y'know, doing the two polls per week has really expedited this process - at this point last year, we weren't even done with the preliminaries! So, without further ado, bring on the Quarter Finals!






Welcome back:


MATCH 1: Super Showdown

NIGHTCRAWLER

I picked Nightcrawler for this competition because he has been my favorite X-Man since I received the Sega Genesis video game of the franchise back in the early 1990s. I was already a fan of the animated series (in which Nightcrawler wouldn't appear but for two brief episodes years later), but I was instantly drawn to this new (to me) playable character with his blue skin (fur) and devil-tail. 

When I found out more about the character, I was drawn even farther in by his personality. Admittedly the religious stuff kind of threw me off at first, but the more I think about it, the more interesting a dynamic I find it.

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS

I picked the Powerpuff Girls for this competition because they were one of the few requests I got at the end of last year's Geekdom Madness. Actually, that's a lie - while they were in fact one of only three requests I received and only two that weren't my own, I was planning on adding them in anyway. They are popular characters, strong female leads (which I was consciously looking for more of in this year's competition), and from one of my favorite shows.

Oh yes, I am a Powerpuff fan. And while due to the airing schedules I'm sure I haven't seen all of the episodes (I want that 10th anniversary box set from a while back), I appreciated the humor, action, and storytelling even in my early teens.

If I only had to pick one favorite of the three, it would definitely be Bubbles. Not only does she rock my favorite color, but she's absolutely the most sweet and adorable thing that will totally #$%! your $#!^ up.



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MATCH 2: Back in Black

THE PENGUIN

I picked Penguin for this competition because, as I mentioned last year when Catwoman made it this far, I have a very difficult time deciding which Batman villain is truly my favorite, and it really fluctuates between the so-called "Big Four" - Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, and Riddler - and Man-Bat (incidentally, Man-Bat will probably appear in a future competition, but not Joker unless a lot of you ask for him). Moreover, like Catwoman, Penguin starred in one of my favorite Batman films and was a large reason why it was so memorable.

I am actually rather upset that Christopher Nolan decided to avoid using Penguin, since he can be a very interesting, dynamic character. Plus, I can't be the only one who thinks trick umbrellas are totally awesome, can I? 

ABBY SCIUTO

I picked Abby for this competition as sort of a last-minute space-filler on the right-hand roster. That's not to suggest she's not as important as the other contestants - as a matter of fact, I considered it rather a stroke of genius when her name popped into my head at the eleventh hour. Not only is she a wildly popular character on one of the most widely popular shows currently on television, but it's MY favorite character on one of MY favorite shows currently on television. AND if I'm looking for strong female characters, Abby is a prime example.





It's a testament to her strength of character that she has made it this far in spite of being a relatively new and obscure figure compared to some of the other contestants this year, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the results.



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Final Verdict
All right, let me level with you. If you look at the breakdown from yesterday, you'll notice that each Quarter Final this year is a battle of the sexes. There is a very real chance of having an all-girl Elite Four this year, but each one is up against another very strong contender that has been around longer and will likely have bigger nostalgia points on their side. That being said, it is important that you all vote for the character that you like the best. That you relate to, that fills you with the most joy, regardless of gender. On my part, these last few matches will be difficult because I love them all and would be happy to see any of them win the big prize.

As always, make sure you're viewing the WEB version of the site and vote in the polls (remember, there are two now) on the right-hand side of the screen. Polls close Friday, and results posted on Saturday. Feel free to discuss your picks in the comments below.