Brain Drain Episode Recap

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Synopsis

Brainiac 5 is forced to get ahead to lead two of his teammates to a planet where the only cure for his faltering IQ can be found.

Full Recap

The Legionnaires are gathered outside of Brainiac 5's lab, wondering why he's isolated himself. Finally Superman overrides the lab lock and they go inside to discover Brainiac 5 is making a containment chamber... which he says is for him.

Brainiac 5 explains that the Coluan Collective goes through an Alignment every so often, but since he's cut off from the Collective, he'll suffer bouts of insanity since he has to go through it on his own for 10 hours. He seals himself in the containment chamber. His insanity occurs on time, but after the 10 hours it doesn't stop. The chamber's power supply explodes and Superman just manages to get Brainiac 5 out in time. However, he is still acting crazy and the computer reveals they have to expose him to Zuunium to cure him. Zuunium, the rarest substance in the galaxy, is only found on Timber Wolf's home planet of Zuun.

The only way to get there is through an unstable transport gate. The Legion convionce the owner to let them through, although it is dangerous. Timber Wolf, Superman, and Brainiac 5 go through first before it breaks down and leaves Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad behind. But on the other side they discover that Superman has lost his powers... and Brainiac 5 has lost his body!

Superman resolves to keep on going, but he and Timber Wolf are attacked by mutant miners. They fight their way clear and manage to get away, but their only option left is to go to an active Zuunium mine. Meanwhile, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl track down Brainiac 5's body on a crystalline planet where it is running amok.

Superman and Timber Wolf are forced to go down to the Zuunium mine, which is occupied by mining robots. They get to the main shaft but the robots attack en masse. Superman is forced to retreat to a closet where he finds a super-strong exo-skeleton. He dons it and comes to Timber Wolf's aid, while Brainiac 5's head attaches itself to a robot body.

Using Lightning Lad's suggestion, Saturn Girl creates a mental illusion of the tour guide and lures Brainiac 5's body through the gate and back to Earth.

The robots threaten to overwhelm Timber Wolf and Superman, while Brainiac 5 wanders aimlessly. Superman finally manages to grab it and take it to the cave with the Zuunium, while Timber Wolf holds off the robots. With time running out before Brainiac 5's circuits degrade entirely, Superman gets him to the rare mineral and Brainiac 5 recovers.

Back on Earth, the now-normal Brainiac 5 is reunited with his body. When Superman wonders why he lost his powers temporarily, Brainiac 5 explains that he only has his powers under a yellow sun. When Superman wonders what else Brainiac 5 hasn't told him, the genius points out there are some things he must learn on his own.