Chapter Summaries

Starro explained how it and Goose became friends, how Starro was captured and imprisoned on Earth, and how Little Huang was likely hatched from Goose’s egg. Xi Nian learned that Goose’s Energy Absorption Space had split off with the egg, explaining the contents of Little Huang’s space.

• Starro apologized to Xi Nian and Diana for attacking Little Huang, explaining that it had mistaken the cub for an impostor.
• Starro recalled traveling through space with Goose before they followed Carol Danvers’s spaceship to Earth twenty-two years earlier.
• Starro said it was captured in space and imprisoned in a research facility in Codomatis for twenty years before escaping and attacking the city.
• Starro revealed that Little Huang was likely hatched from an egg laid by Goose, which had left it with a racial memory of finding Starro.
• Starro explained that Goose’s Energy Absorption Space split when it laid eggs, leaving Little Huang with the aliens and wreckage Goose had swallowed.

Xi Nian let Starro and Venom stay with his family under rules meant to keep them from harming anyone, then left home the next morning and ran into Gwen. The chapter ended with their reunion on a chilly late-winter morning.

• Xi Nian agreed to let Starro keep its main body in Little Huang’s Energy Absorption Space and use isolated split forms outside, provided it did not harm humans.
• Xi Nian exposed Venom, and Diana bound it with the Lasso of Truth, revealing that the Ancient One had warned it not to target Xi Nian.
• Xi Nian allowed Venom to stay with the household in exchange for rent.
• Xi Nian had breakfast with Wanda the next morning and left for the street as winter began to give way to spring.
• Gwen caught up with Xi Nian, who asked whether she was cold in her late-winter outfit.

Xi Nian and Gwen made up on their way to school, where Xi Nian brought a fragment of Starro’s clone as a hidden observer. A new assistant instructor, Felicia Hardy, joined their class, and Starro confirmed she was an ordinary human before Rot announced that Adrian Toomes would teach chemistry.

• Gwen teased Xi Nian about their earlier encounter on the school bus, then quietly invited him to her house that weekend.
• Xi Nian carried a tiny fragment of Starro’s clone in a glass bottle on his backpack so Starro could see the city through it.
• Xi Nian and Gwen arrived at their renovated school, where Rot introduced Felicia Hardy as their new assistant instructor.
• Xi Nian asked Can Luo whether Felicia had superhuman abilities, and Can Luo confirmed she was an ordinary human.
• Rot announced that Adrian Toomes, a renowned electronics engineer, would temporarily take over the chemistry lab classes.

Steppenwolf told Desaad that he had found one Mother Box and was conquering Earth for Darkseid, while pleading to be allowed to return home. Later, Xi Nian found a metal fragment from the rooftop and went up to meet Lorna, who appeared without her usual makeup.

• Steppenwolf reported that Earth’s rulers would be forced to submit to Darkseid and that his Parademons were searching for the two dormant Mother Boxes.
• Steppenwolf knelt before Desaad and begged him to let him return home after conquering Earth.
• At home, Xi Nian saw Little Huang catch a metal fragment that had flown in from the rooftop.
• Xi Nian read the word “roof” on the fragment and hurried upstairs, telling Wanda he was going to buy something.
• Xi Nian found Lorna on the rooftop in a baseball cap and sports clothes, and she warned him not to touch her head.

Xi Nian and Lorna shared a kiss that triggered a strange green-haired transformation, while Lorna continued investigating Peter’s case. A week later, mysterious disappearances revealed that Apokolips was moving against Earth, and Xi Nian prepared to become Diana’s final trump card.

• Lorna thanked Xi Nian for taking care of Wanda, then insisted she was his boss and offered him a reward.
• Xi Nian kissed Lorna, and their contact caused his hair to turn dark green as green light surrounded them.
• Lorna left to continue investigating Peter’s case after warning Xi Nian not to interfere with her smoking.
• Wanda found Xi Nian at home with dark green hair and invited him to dinner.
• Xi Nian learned that mysterious disappearances, especially in Metropolis, were likely caused by Apokolips, and Diana took Can Luo to help find the hidden forces.
• Xi Nian sensed that the Justice League and Apokolips were preparing for an all-out battle and resolved to serve as Diana’s final trump card.

After the Guardian Silver Bracelets signaled that Diana was in danger, Xi Nian left class to rush to her aid. Kara Danvers caught him in midair and revealed her true form as one of her people.

• Xi Nian felt the Guardian Silver Bracelets issue an emergency signal and realized Diana was in danger.
• Xi Nian borrowed Gwen's power by kissing her, gained Spider Mode, and told her to handle things at school and wait for him.
• Xi Nian swung toward home to combine his powers with the Venom symbiote and Little Huang before heading to Diana.
• Xi Nian's spider silk failed, and Kara Danvers caught him as he fell.
• Kara Danvers carried Xi Nian to a rooftop and revealed her true form.

Xi Nian learned that Kara Danvers was a Kryptonian and agreed to join her in the battle in Metropolis. After Kara kissed him, he gained Kryptonian powers and flew with her toward the battlefield.

• Kara Danvers revealed that she was a Kryptonian and Superman's cousin, and said she was going to fight in Metropolis as Superwoman.
• Xi Nian asked Kara to take him to the battle so he could join his aunt, and Kara agreed.
• Kara kissed Xi Nian, awakening Kryptonian powers that took over as his dominant abilities while his Spider Abilities helped him control them.
• Kara explained the Biokinetic Field, and Xi Nian learned to fly.
• Xi Nian and Kara flew at top speed toward Metropolis.

Xi Nian and Superwoman Kara Danvers flew to Metropolis, where Xi Nian struggled to control his Biokinetic Field and accidentally lost his clothes. After Kara helped him find a suit aboard the Kryptonian spacecraft, she sensed that her cousin had recently been there.

• Xi Nian and Kara flew toward Metropolis as Xi Nian practiced controlling his flight and Biokinetic Field.
• Xi Nian's Biokinetic Field invaded Kara's, and when he withdrew it, he accidentally removed the field protecting his own clothes.
• Kara led Xi Nian into the Kryptonian spacecraft, whose systems recognized Kara and opened for her.
• Xi Nian chose and put on a black Superman Suit from the spacecraft's collection.
• Kara sensed a dissipating Biokinetic Field inside the spacecraft and realized her cousin had been there moments earlier.

Superman Kal-El was resurrected at Superman Memorial Plaza but, confused and missing his memories, attacked the Justice League. Xi Nian arrived as Black Superman and stopped Kal-El’s strike against Wonder Woman.

• Superman Kal-El awakened at his memorial and studied the monument, unsure of who he was.
• Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash arrived and realized Kal-El was confused and had lost his memories.
• Cyborg’s defensive system fired a missile that destroyed a memorial tablet, turning Kal-El hostile toward the Justice League.
• Kal-El defeated Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg, then attacked Wonder Woman as she tried to make him remember.
• Xi Nian arrived in a black Superman Suit and blocked Kal-El’s blow against Wonder Woman.

Xi Nian and Superman Kal-El fought fiercely above Superman Memorial Plaza while Wonder Woman and Superwoman moved the others out of danger. As Xi Nian began to lose ground, Wonder Woman joined him, and their Guardian Silver Bracelets unleashed Divine Power that knocked Superman back; she then kissed Xi Nian.

• Xi Nian arrived at Superman Memorial Plaza and intercepted Superman Kal-El’s attack as Superwoman Kara Danvers arrived and recognized Carl.
• Xi Nian ordered Kara to evacuate Aquaman and Cyborg while he and Superman locked their Heat Vision beams together.
• Xi Nian deflected Superman’s Heat Vision and struck him, but Superman quickly recovered and drove Xi Nian into an airborne battle.
• Batman arrived with Can Luo in a jar and watched the two Kryptonians clash until Xi Nian fell into a crater, exhausted.
• Wonder Woman rushed to Xi Nian with her Golden Lasso and joined their Guardian Silver Bracelets, releasing a Divine Power shockwave that knocked Superman back.
• Wonder Woman leaned in beneath Xi Nian’s cape and kissed him.

Xi Nian combined the powers of the Greek Old Gods and Kryptonians, becoming Deified Xi Nian. After effortlessly stopping Superman Carl's attack, he launched her into the sky and followed her into outer space.

• Wonder Woman kissed Xi Nian, awakened his Lord of Kin ability, and left him the Lasso of Truth.
• Xi Nian's Spider Abilities drew the powers of the Old Gods and the Kryptonian Clan together, transforming him into Deified Xi Nian.
• The Justice League watched in alarm as Cyborg's defenses shut down and Wonder Woman told Batman the fight would soon be over.
• Superman Carl attacked Xi Nian, who blocked her punch and hurled her high into the sky.
• Xi Nian reassured Superwoman that Carl would be fine, then caught up with her in outer space.

Deified Xi Nian fought Superman Kal-El and drove him from space onto the moon, where he continued to overpower him. Superman had mostly regained his senses but could not speak in the airless lunar environment, leaving the fight ongoing.

• Superman Kal-El attacked Deified Xi Nian in space, but Xi Nian's golden halo blocked his punch and Xi Nian kicked him away.
• Xi Nian chased Superman through space and kicked him toward the moon, while Lois learned that Clark had returned and was fighting there.
• Superman crashed into the moon and fired Heat Vision at Xi Nian, who answered with lightning-charged Heat Vision and drove him into the lunar soil.
• Astronauts near a research craft saw Xi Nian and Superman battling and panicked as their blows raised dust storms and carved craters.
• Superman realized he had mostly regained his memories and wanted a truce, but could not speak on the moon.

Deified Xi Nian defeated Superman on the moon and restored his memories, then returned to Earth and used his power to locate Steppenwolf’s hidden base. After revealing the base’s location to the Justice League, Xi Nian and the Kryptonians had already departed to confront the threat.

• Deified Xi Nian bound Superman with the Lasso of Truth and restored his memories of his death and the changes that followed.
• Xi Nian and Superman returned to Metropolis, where Lois reunited with Superman and Wonder Woman explained that Steppenwolf had taken all three Mother Boxes.
• Cyborg proposed locating Steppenwolf’s base by scanning the mark on the third Mother Box, but Xi Nian flew into space to search Earth himself.
• Xi Nian spread streams of daylight radiance across Earth and gathered information, locating a suspected Apokoliptian base in Pozharnov.
• Xi Nian showed the Justice League the base’s coordinates, then left with Superman and Superwoman before the others could depart.

The Justice League discussed the danger of the Mother Boxes merging as they flew toward Pozharnov, while Diana believed Xi Nian would handle the crisis. Xi Nian entered the alien base alone and unleashed a devastating attack, leaving the merging Mother Boxes intact and Steppenwolf as the sole survivor nearby.

• Batman warned the Justice League that fully merged Mother Boxes could open Boom Tubes and destroy the world, and Cyborg explained their power.
• Batman questioned Diana’s confidence in their powerful ally, while Diana said Xi Nian might have already dealt with the crisis by the time they arrived.
• Steppenwolf brought the final Mother Box to the other two, and the three began merging until the base’s energy barrier suddenly disappeared.
• Xi Nian smashed through the barrier and endured the Parademons’ laser fire behind a golden energy shield.
• Xi Nian unleashed a vast wave of energy that destroyed the factory and flattened the surrounding area, leaving the Mother Boxes floating and Steppenwolf alive.

Deified Xi Nian discovered that God-Tier Transformation Mode was overloading his body with solar energy, forcing him to finish the fight quickly. After killing Steppenwolf, he tried to crush the three Mother Boxes as their fusion advanced.

• Steppenwolf charged Deified Xi Nian, who caught his axe with one hand and forced him to his knees with Divine Power and his Biokinetic Field.
• Xi Nian coughed up blood and realized that excess solar energy was destabilizing his body, so he planned to end the crisis and retreat into Little Huang's Energy Absorption Space.
• Steppenwolf released his axe and lunged at Xi Nian in a final attempt to buy time for the Mother Boxes, but Xi Nian punched through his chest and killed him.
• Xi Nian landed before the three fusing Mother Boxes and pressed them inward with both hands, attempting to crush them together.

Deified Xi Nian used all his strength to crack the three Mother Boxes, opening a Boom Tube to Darkseid as Superman and Superwoman guarded him. When Mother Box energy entered Xi Nian, it disrupted the balance between his powers and awakened the attention of powerful beings across the universe.

• Superman and Superwoman arrived at the ruined base, and Superman stopped Superwoman from approaching Xi Nian as he tried to crush the Mother Boxes.
• Xi Nian unleashed his full power, cracked all three Mother Boxes, and coughed blood onto them as they opened a Boom Tube to Darkseid.
• Superman and Superwoman flew in front of the portal to shield Xi Nian from Darkseid’s forces.
• A drop of Mother Box energy entered Xi Nian, triggering a supernatural power that shattered the balance between his Old Gods’ power and Kryptonian physique.
• Odin, a white-clad man on a crimson planet, a cloaked woman, and a mysterious being sensed the disturbance, while Ancient One vanished from Kamar-Taj.

Xi Nian’s Trinity form nearly collapsed, but he used its power to strike through the Boom Tube and devastate Apokolips before Ancient One pulled him into the Mirror Dimension. The Justice League arrived to find the invasion defeated, though they feared Apokolips would return.

• Xi Nian’s Trinity power shattered the Mother Box and began destroying his body, so Ancient One prepared to take him into the Mirror Dimension.
• Xi Nian asked Superman and Superwoman to move aside, then punched toward the Boom Tube as Desaad tried to close it.
• Xi Nian’s shockwave followed the vanished Boom Tube to Apokolips and tore through Darkseid’s King’s Hall despite Desaad’s defenses and Darkseid’s attack.
• Ancient One pulled Xi Nian into the Mirror Dimension after he threw the punch.
• Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg arrived to find Steppenwolf dead and the Mother Box destroyed, while Superwoman told them Xi Nian was safe and the enemies on Apokolips were in trouble.
• Cyborg warned that Apokolips would not let the defeat go, and Batman said the Justice League would face whatever came next.

Thanos planned his next moves after Loki’s defeat, while Loki remained traumatized by his encounter with Xi Nian. Back in Washington, Xi Nian resumed school and arranged for Wanda to begin lessons over the weekend.

• On Apokolips, a wounded figure emerged from an abyss and vowed to go to Earth someday.
• Ebony Maw told Thanos that Loki had lost a fleet division and the Mind Stone, and that Gamora had not been found.
• Thanos ordered Nebula to find Gamora and told Ebony Maw to locate the dwarves, declaring that he would go to Earth once everything was ready.
• In Asgard, Loki woke from nightmares about Xi Nian and vowed never to return to Earth.
• Xi Nian woke for school, checked the suits in his wardrobe, and ate breakfast with Wanda while news credited Superman and the Justice League with stopping the invasion.
• Xi Nian told Wanda that a teacher would come for her on Saturday, and Wanda agreed to study whatever he wanted.

After Wanda left for the day, Xi Nian walked to school with Gwen and Kara, whose teasing revealed Gwen’s stockings beneath her trousers. At school, Xi Nian learned that assistant instructor Felicia was looking for him and entered the open office to meet her.

• Wanda left home, and Xi Nian set out for school after her.
• Xi Nian met Gwen, who revealed the stockings she wore beneath her trousers and invited him to her house that weekend.
• Kara appeared, and she and Gwen teased each other about using their abilities and showing off their legs.
• Xi Nian, Gwen, and Kara arrived at school, where a classmate told Xi Nian that a teacher wanted to see him.
• Xi Nian entered the office and found Felicia waiting for him.

Xi Nian spoke with Felicia about why he had left school and later weighed whether to accept dinner invitations from Kara’s cousin or Gwen’s family. When Diana returned home, Xi Nian chose to ask her for extra lessons, though he knew their relationship made his desire to kiss her difficult to act on.

• Felicia questioned Xi Nian about leaving school, and he explained that he had rushed home because of something that happened there.
• Felicia learned that Xi Nian had no parents and that his aunt had adopted him, then offered to help him with any problems.
• Kara Danvers messaged Xi Nian to invite him to dinner with her cousin, leaving him unsure whether to visit Kara’s or Gwen’s family.
• Diana returned home, and Xi Nian reflected on his desire to kiss her and on the barrier between them.
• Xi Nian told Diana that he wanted extra lessons.