The Scarab is an alien technology created by the Reach. It is attached to Jaime Reyes's body.
At first, Jaime's scarab was what the Reach called "off mode", not functioning properly,[1] because of magics exercised on it by the ancients when it landed on Earth.[2] The Reach later brought it on-mode with Green Beetle's help,[3] though Zatanna and Doctor Fate developed a spell to bring the bearer back in control.[2]
Although the Scarab is technology, its artificial intelligence has given it a personality that often contrasts greatly with its host. Jaime has in fact called it "Jiminy Cricket with a bad attitude" and agreed with the description "inner demon". The Scarab seems naturally prone to violence,[4] constantly suggesting that Jaime take offensive actions in regards to the smallest of provocation, and even going to so far as to attempt such actions without Jaime's approval.[5]
The Scarab constantly seems to argue with Jaime, stating that any sort of emotional or personal decisions are beneath their joint importance and that such behavior makes little sense.[5]
In July 2015,[1] on the night that Ted Kord, the previous "Blue Beetle", died[4] in an explosion in Kord Industries, Jaime Reyes stumbled upon the Scarab, which bonded to his spine.[1]Captain Atom and Jaime believed the Scarab was Ted Kord's invention,[4] but it is really of Reach origin.[1]
Blue Beetle was flying north past San Jacinto Plaza.[6]
El Paso December 1, 08:19 MST
Blue Beetle landed near his school and reverted to his civilian clothing. Wonder Girl and Nightwing approached him, offering friendship.[6]
El Paso December 1, 08:29 MST
Their conversation with Jaime was cut short when the Watchtower contacted Nightwing.[7]
El Paso December 1, 08:32 MST
Nightwing and Wonder Girl discussed what to do next. Jaime wanted to excuse himself, but Nightwing insisted that he'd consider.[7]
El Paso December 1, 08:42 MST
Nightwing and Wonder Girl tried to convince Jaime by telling him how the Team could give him experience and training, but Jaime was still hesitant.The Scarab didn't trust them either—as Nightwing kept making excuses and Wonder Girl triggered biochemical changes in Jaime's body.
Their conversation was cut short by another emergency, this time in Metropolis. Nightwing asked Jaime if he would like to come along.[7]
New Mexico December 1, 09:00 MST
Alpha Squad took the Super-Cycle to Taos, with Blue Beetle in tow.[7]
At the Erdel Initiative, Blue Beetle was scanned into the system and assigned the designation A-12. After the Super-Cycle went to Sphere mode, the Scarab informed him that Sphere's technology was "incompatible". Beetle, Sphere, Nightwing, and Wonder Girl promptly teleported off to Gotham City.[8]
As Martian Manhunter and Flash attempted to contact the alien vessel, Blue Beetle was with Alpha Squad and Zatanna on the Super-Cycle hovering nearby, concealed within a glamour bubble.[8]
Metropolis December 1, post-17:54 EST
Alpha Squad successfully entered the Collector of Worlds's ship through a hatch that was opened to expel Martian Manhunter, Flash and Atom.[9]
Gamma squad arrived in New Orleans and did not find anything suspicious above ground. They went underwater and reached the base of the Kroloteans. They hid from them, while Robin contacted Mal and informed him that they found the base. They were discovered by the Kroloteans and were attacked. Blue Beetle fought against the aliens until he overheard the leader commanding the other Kroloteans to vacate, as he was initiating the self-destruct function. Blue Beetle took a Krolotean hostage to find the kidnapees. The Gamma Squad found them and escaped the base before it exploded. The Justice League and the Team arrived to help.[10]
Jaime was watching the completion of the Zeta-Shield with Mal Duncan when an agitated Superboy walked by. Without explanation, he whisked Jaime away to help him with personal business.[4]
At the Scarab's insistence, Blue Beetle inquired about the mission. Superboy told him about the alien bomb at Malina Island, and how known alien tech smuggler Bruno Mannheim was his first suspect. After Superboy noticed him talking to himself, Blue Beetle explained the nature and origin of his Scarab.
They encountered Mannheim and Whisper A'Daire at the Hall of Justice. Mannheim activated an Apokoliptan device, which revived the residual energy in the Appellaxian husks inside the Hall's trophy room. As a side effect, it caused Blue Beetle's armor to overload. He recovered after Sphere jammed the signal, and joined the fight against the merged golem. He unwisely attacked with a sonic blast, which was bounced back and knocked Beetle, Superboy and Wolf out. Intergang and the golem escaped.[4]
They caught up with the villains, and Sphere destroyed the control device. With Mannheim no longer in control, the golem made his way to the Arlington Nuclear Power Plant. Blue Beetle pinned Mannheim and A'Daire to a tree. The Scarab told Jaime that he should have pinned them through their bones.
The golem repelled all Superboy's and Wolf's attacks. Jaime wished they could just talk to it but the Scarab said it would show weakness, leading Jaime to realize it was possible and established a communication link with a sonic blast. They learned the golem sought to end its life to stop the pains it was in. Superboy offered help, but at that moment, a sonic blast from the forest destroyed the golem.[4]
After having fallen asleep over his biology homework, Jaime was waken by a phone call from his best friend Tye Longshadow. Tye informed Jaime that he was running away. Jaime headed to the bus depot using his armor for flight. The Scarab objected to his frivolous use of the armor, but Jaime insisted it was the right hing to do. When he arrived, Tye was not there. A clerk told him the bus had already left, and nobody had purchased a ticket to Houston.[5]
Jaime decided to investigate. He visited Tye's mother Shelly. She explained Tye and her boyfriend Maurice had another disagreement the night before, and was sure he would return.
Maurice came back home early to pick up his lunch, and did not like seeing Jaime. As Jaime questioned Maurice about Tye, the Scarab noticed Maurice's anger, and felt that an attack was imminent. The Scarab started to manifest part of the armor, but Jaime stuffed his hand in his jacket pocket to hide it. Shelly ushered him out and informed him that Tye might be with his grandfather, Holling.[5]
El Paso February 19, post-15:12 MST
At Happy Trails trailer park, Holling Longshadow told Jaime he hadn't seen Tye in weeks, and thought he was on a spiritual journey to connect with his roots. The Scarab thought he was wasting time, but when Holling told Jaime answers would come to him to get piece with "the one inside", the Scarab considered him a threat. Jaime resisted the Scarab again and made a hasty departure.
That night, Jaime went to his school, and wanted to investigate a shed Maurice maintained. Maurice discovered the trespasser, and wanted to teach him a lesson. The Scarab once again tried to attack Maurice, but Jaime resisted. Jaime accused Maurice of harming Tye, but Maurice denied it. He was not jealous of Tye's heritage and destiny as chief, he only cared about making money. Jaime got past him and opened the shed, where he found a large quantity of pirated DVDs. Maurice told him to forget what he saw, but Jaime decided to turn him in anyway. The Scarab told Jaime that it sensed Maurice was telling the truth about Tye, leaving them no closer to finding him.[5]
Jaime was with Gar, Bart, and Tim in the Cave's grotto of the fallen members, mourning over Artemis's hologram. He got into an argument with Bart, which was quickly settled, and the pair went off [13]
Impulse visited Jaime at his home, saying he wanted to hang out with him. The Scarab advised Jaime not to trusy him. Jaime was worried about losing his secret identity, but to avoid the possibility of them being seen together, he changed into his armor and then headed out of town with Bart. In the mountains outside El Paso, Jaime and Bart showed off their powers, but the two were attacked by the Terror Twins, Icicle Jr. and Tigress, with Kaldur observing from a ledge. Tommy and Tuppence Terror restrained Jaime so Icicle Jr. could trap him in ice, but Jaime broke free, knocked out Tommy and Icicle with his sonic cannon, then trapped Tigress with a staple. The Scarab suggested Jaime wipe out his enemies but Jaime suggested a strategic retreat. Bart declined to leave without seeing Kaldur, running to the ledge and avoiding a few blows before taking the alien tracking device from Kaldur. Jaime and Bart then escaped.[14]
The two Zeta-ed to the Cave, where Nightwing was waiting for them.
Aqualad and his strike force used the tracking device to disable Cave security and infiltrated the mountain. Impulse, Blue Beetle and Nightwing were surprised in the Mission Room; Nightwing was taken out when Tommy Terror threw Superboy at him. Blue Beetle kept out of the initial part of the battle, but after Impulse was defeated, he used his sonic cannon on Tommy. He was more powerful than all of them, but Kaldur had a last ace up his sleeve. He ordered Blue Beetle to stand down, and showed him a bomb: a bomb similar to the one that had destroyed Malina Island. He held the dead man's switch, and any action would lead to an explosion. The Scarab called it a bluff, and reasoned that they would survive an explosion, but Jaime did not want to risk it. He surrendered and was fitted with an inhibitor collar.
Icicle and Tigress transported Jaime to the Manta-Flyer. On their way, the Scarab informed Jaime he could disable the collar. Though Jaime refused, the Scarab did it anyway, and attacked his captors. In the process, Kaldur dropped the switch, and it was revealed he was bluffing. Blue Beetle stormed at him, but Kaldur hit him with a blast of magic at close range. The armor on his chest gave way, giving Tigress the opening she needed for a sedative dart. Now unconscious, Jaime was shackled and brought to the bridge with the other prisoners, Beast Boy and Impulse. He was still unconscious when the bomb went off.[14]
The Manta-Flyer was docked with the Manta-Sub, and Impulse, Beast Boy and Blue Beetle were carried off in containment pods. They were sent to the Partner.[14]
Jaime and the Scarab were experimented upon in a special lab for a little under a week. The Scarab translated the alien language for Jaime. They learned the Scarab was of the Reach, and the scientist had trouble getting it on mode.
After the Team attacked the vessel and freed several of the prisoners, Impulse went looking for Blue Beetle. He found him and liberated him, and told him why he had come to the past in the first place: in his time, Jaime's Scarab would have become on mode and he became the dictator of Earth.
They eventually made it to the docking bay where the Team was fighting the "Black Beetle". Blue engaged him, allowing the others to retreat. Because he was not fully alert, he allowed the Scarab to take control. Blue and Black Beetle engaged in a tense struggle, using their available weaponry to the fullest. The Black Beetle was stronger and more adept at using his armor, and was on the winning hand. Jaime reasserted control, determined to prevent Impulse's future. But as they were locked together and each formed a chest cannon, the explosion threw Blue Beetle clear of the ship. He was catapulted into the ocean. Lagoon Boy brought him into the Bio-Ship.[14]
Blue Beetle was at STAR Labs with the other heroes and teens the Reach had abducted as Black Canary was talking to each of them about what happened. After Tye Longshadow finishes his session, Beetle greeted him, but the Scarab reminded him that Tye did not know Beetle was really Jaime Reyes, so Beetle pretended to be getting up to stretch.
After Impulse's session, Beetle pulled him aside. Impulse told him he said nothing about future events and suggested the Reach apocalypse be kept secret from the Justice League. The Scarab told Jaime this was a good idea and that Beetle should kill Impulse before he changed his mind, with Jaime telling the Scarab to be quiet.
During Beetle's session, Canary informed Jaime that the League knew the Scarab was not designed by Ted Kord, but by the Reach, and that may make Jaime the League's best weapon against the Reach. The Scarab insisted Jaime remain silent about what Impulse shared, saying there was no way to know if it was true.[15]
As Nightwing, Black Canary and Captain Atom were discussing recent events, Jaime Reyes interrupted them. Despite the Scarab telling him not to talk to them and Impulse asking the same, Jaime revealed to the others what Impulse told him about the Reach apocalypse, then said he wanted the Scarab removed.[15]
Durability: The suit has protected Jaime from the deletorious effects of being stomped on—twice—by the Appellaxian Golem.[4] The Scarab also calculated that it could possibly survive the bomb blast that destroyed Mount Justice.[14]
Energy blasts: The suit can transform parts of the armor into a sonic cannon[10] or plasma cannon.[5] The suit can also transform the chest into a larger plasma cannon.[1]
Flight: The suit can sprout translucent wings, enabling him to fly, but they do not flap like real wings; instead they stay in one place.[10] The suit also has additional rocket boosters.[1]
Sensors: The suit has a variety of sensor systems. It is capable of producing scanner units that can be used to detect the presence of people in buildings.[4] The Scarab also has passive sensors that can monitor other people's physiology which, along with voice analysis, allows it to tell when a person is lying or being truthful, or has hostile intentions.[5][14]
Technology interface: The suit is capable of manipulating Reach technology upon contact and altering its functions.[1]
Transformation: The suit can change into different forms. Examples of his transformations are a sonic cannon, battering ram,[10] staple gun,[4] a lockpick,[5] maces,[14] drills,[16] scythe blades, and a plasma cannon.[1]
Translation: The suit has demonstrated the ability to translate Japanese,[16]Krolotean and Reach languages for Blue Beetle, and vice versa.[10]
Edit
Ted Kord never ever wore the Scarab in the show as it was stated or in the comics. It was said from what I understand in the comic continuity ...
It was also stated in the latest episode. By the fact he knew it was alien and therefore wouldn't use it. He still became his own version of ...
