The Meteor City Residents (
Appearance[]
Most Meteor City residents wear thick clothing covering their entire bodies (including their heads and face). Three particular residents are seen wearing hazmat suits with different designs.[1]
Personality[]
The Meteor City residents are frank and seem to have a deep respect for their dead, with several seen kneeling and possibly praying in front of a church.[1] They were also stated to share remarkable bonds that have been described as "thinner than water, and yet thicker than blood".[2]
Plot[]
Chimera Ant arc[]
When several members of the Phantom Troupe return to Meteor City after hearing about the Chimera Ants, they find many residents sifting through the heaps of trash. Three residents wearing hazmat suits approach the Troupe members and inform them that there are over 300 dead, including victims and suicide bombers. They stress that their bombs don't work on the Ants and that they aren't sure what else to do, adding that the Assembly disagrees about the definition of "dead". The Troupe members are led toward the city itself and inside a church, with several residents seen kneeling outside. One resident reveals a deformed corpse and explains that it was human the other day.[1]
Phinks replies that he's "obviously" dead and wonders what the problem is. The resident explains that some survive even after being transformed, and they join the Ants. He adds that if there's no way to turn them back, most of the Assembly wants to mark that as the definition of "death". Phinks smirks at the Assembly's decision and says they always miss the point. He assures the three residents that they will get rid of the Queen Ant by the end of the day, with the Troupe members approaching Zazan's enormous nest in the distance. Inside the nest, a resident is brought to Zazan and begs her to kill him. However, Zazan quickly uses her stinger to transform the resident, who bows and puts his mouth to her foot to swear eternal allegiance.[1]
After all the Troupe members win their respective battles inside the nest, they find several transformed Meteor City residents. After one tearfully begs the members to kill them, the others follow suit. Phinks gleefully refuses and tells them they are still natives of Meteor City, ordering them to show that they still have some spirit left. After the Spiders ready their weapons, Phinks and one of the Ants rush toward one another. Back in Meteor City, Phinks is upset that the elders are now arguing about whether they should go after the real Queen. He plans to stay put and kill any more Ants that may come near the city, saying that killing "survivors" leaves an awful aftertaste.[3]