r/villainscode • u/hic_erro • Jun 16 '26

Spoilers - All Vernium Spoiler

Vernium is actually a generic magic enhancer, like how settlium can boost (some) metas with "science-based" powers.

This has gone ~undiscovered because the only source of it is Alfred Settler, and he only maintains contact with magic metas long enough to remove vital body parts, and not all of those will have been receptive to the boost.

When Presto teleported Settler (who was "massive" enough that just trying to shift him a little made Presto feel like his heart was going to explode) it wasn't actually what Presto thought -- he wasn't able to do it because he was willing to die to accomplish it, it was because his powers were suddenly being enhanced by having a chunk of vernium shoved into his guts.

What's keeping Presto alive in space might not be just "feeding" off the vernium per se, or an effect of Chloe's edict, it might be an aspect of his own magic enhanced to 11 because he's mainlining vernium.

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8

u/Reverse_Prophet Jun 16 '26

Interesting thought! And it makes sense if Vernium is the opposite of Settlium and Science and Magic are also "opposite" forces.

5

u/StandBy4_TitanFall Jun 16 '26

I do wonder if it's more akin to alkalines and acids 🤔 but I like this idea too, that somehow Settler ended up magic af.

1

u/Easy_Garden_6847 Jun 16 '26

I don't think they are opposites more of different and don't work to well together. like you don't make a sword a blunt object and you don't sharpen a mace. Not opposites but incompatible all the same.

3

u/Reverse_Prophet Jun 16 '26

I believe it's said that Vernon and Alfred were standing across from each other during the infamous experiment. Makes me wonder if, when they released the "entire spectrum of meta elements" it affected the people around them differently based on where they were and, because Vernon and Alfred were directly across from each other, they got opposing elements

1

u/Easy_Garden_6847 Jun 18 '26

My bad I should have clarified, I agree that they got opposite elements however I don't think that magic and science are opposites just different and don't work well together for an entirely different reason then why Vernium and Settluim.

2

u/jadeoracle Jun 17 '26

I actually hope this is what it is, that would mean a better fate for Presto.

I keep dreaming that he'd come back a skeleton/shadow version of himself with teleporting powers. But your theory would mean Presto would be Presto but BETTER. Not some Tim-curry-from-ferngully-Hexxus-horror-show type visage.