Leda Atomica's last album is widely considered to be their best, with many critics applauding them for their uncompromisingly aggressive style clearly honed from their many high-profile public performances of the time.
Though Southpaw's retirement from public life included cutting back her touring plans, this managed to boost Leda Atomica's notoriety, and the album is by quite some margin one of the best selling in Bastion's history, containing many classic tracks, including set-mainstays Warface Disgrace, Geopoliticus, and the innovative Shapesound.
Leda Atomica's influence has also given rise to a substantial boom in punk bands rising to prominence, including the ever-prolific Lobster Telephone, the hyper-aggressive Face Of War and the cult favourite Ivory and the Spheres. Each of these bands has taken the musical ground broken by Leda Atomica, and pushed further, standing on the shoulders of giants.
–excerpt from Leda Atomica: A Persistent Memory by Crisis
“The first rule of Fight Club, is you're here to blow off steam. You're here to hurt and get hurt, and there's no DQs. This ain't AMBER, this is the real shit.”
“The second rule of Fight Club, is no monsters. This is for humans only, we're not gladiators. I really shouldn't have to say this, but there's always one who tries to get monsters involved. Don't bother.”
“Third rule: archaeotech is legit. Make sure you've got some armour on, unless you're really hardcore you're going to need it.”
“And remember: while you are down here, you're not a lawyer, you're not a trainer, you're not a fan or an executive or anything else. You're a fighter, first and foremost. Respect the ring, respect the rules, respect each other. Now tonight's gonna be a special one; the People's Champ herself is taking on all comers. Who wants first crack?”
–opening remarks by Headstrong, assistant manager of Southpaw's underground fight club
Ever since Southpaw's inclusion in the Grand Championships of Season XXVI as the so-called “People's Champion”, crowds have clamoured for similar inclusions in later seasons. Southpaw's legacy here is one of determination and overcoming all the odds even against objections like “there's already a Fan Favourite champion” and “gladiators really shouldn't be going up against champions, they'll just die”.
But what those detractors never accounted for was Southpaw's fighting spirit that really captured the fans' imaginations. Her powerful personality carried her and Rimera into the Grand Championship and that achievement alone was enough to reframe what it meant to connect with the Arena as a citizen of Bastion and gave the fans a voice and an expectation of being heard in future seasons.
Despite her subsequent retirement from the public sphere, Southpaw's legacy continues to have a wide-ranging impact on fan engagement, and many trainers have sought to emulate her in the years since.
–excerpt from UMBA Champions: Where Are They Now?
