Chapter Summaries

After He-El’s forces crushed the rebellion, Wade asked him to spare the surviving humans, and He-El halted the executions. He left the survivors alive but stripped them of their rights and citizenship, making them slaves under New Krypton.

• The Kryptonian warriors defeated the rebels and human forces, while executions across the cities pushed the death toll past 36 billion.
• Wade reported the rebels’ defeat and pleaded with He-El to spare the remaining humans.
• He-El ordered the executions to stop, saving humans who were cornered by mechanical guards across the planets.
• He-El announced that 39,258,930,085 humans had died and demoted the survivors to slaves, forbidding them from looking directly at New Krypton citizens.
• ETO members thanked He-El for sparing some of humanity, while mourning humanity’s rebellion.

He-El reorganized New Krypton after the rebellion and decided to make humanity work as slaves until generations of striving might earn citizenship. He then revealed that Wade was the true leader of the Autonomous Faction.

• New officials reported that the rebels had been arrested, and He-El ordered the low-grade human slaves assigned exhausting work for eight hours a day.
• He-El dismissed the officials to manage the aftermath across the nine planets and kept Wade in the administrative hall.
• He-El reasoned that only someone with long-term access to New Krypton’s military and the Traversal Vortex could have helped the Autonomous Faction target Kryptonians.
• He-El called Wade the Autonomous Faction’s true leader, leaving Wade astonished.

He-El accused Wade of leading the rebellion, but Wade insisted he was loyal because he had imprinted loyalty to His Majesty into his mind a hundred years earlier. He-El explained that the imprint had erased Wade’s earlier memories and asked who had helped him obtain Kryptonite and Olympian magic for the rebels.

• Wade denied leading the rebels and told He-El that he had imprinted loyalty to him into his mind a hundred years earlier.
• He-El praised Wade’s ruthlessness and said Wade had chosen Cheng Xin’s report to guide the Autonomous Faction because he understood her.
• Wade wondered whether He-El was using the accusation as a pretext to remove him from command, while He-El assured him that he had been loyal since making the Thought Imprint.
• He-El said Wade could not remember what had happened before the imprint and noted that the Willpower Corps could access New Krypton’s military headquarters.
• He-El pointed out that Wade could not have obtained Kryptonite or Olympian magical resources on his own and asked who he had worked with.

He-El revealed that Wade had secretly founded and directed the Autonomous Faction, deleting and replacing his own memories to conceal his role. Wade left to search for the hidden memories of his former self, which could reveal his plans to a successor.

• Wade admitted that the evidence suggested someone had supplied the rebels with Kryptonite and Olympian magic, but insisted he had not betrayed He-El.
• He-El suggested Wade might have altered his own will, and pointed out that Wade's memories from the fifty years before his loyalty imprint were fragmented.
• Wade struggled to remember as He-El explained that he had erased memories of founding the Autonomous Faction and replaced them with fabricated thoughts of loyalty.
• He-El said the original Wade had sacrificed his identity to plan the rebellion, while the altered Wade had remained loyal to him.
• He-El told Wade to search his familiar places and safe houses for the memories he had hidden for a future successor.

After He-El revealed that Wade’s memories and loyalty had been deliberately altered, Wade searched for the hidden memories of his former self. Finding them in Zhang Beihai’s lantern ring, Wade learned the truth about his plan and killed himself, declaring loyalty to His Majesty.

• Wade doubted whether he was still himself and returned home to search for the memories his former self had hidden.
• Zhang Beihai followed Wade, reflecting on their silent understanding and his role as Wade’s successor after the plan failed.
• Wade tore apart his study and asked Zhang Beihai where his past self might have hidden the memories.
• Wade discovered a crystal storage chip concealed in Zhang Beihai’s lantern ring and recovered fifty years of memories.
• Wade identified Hades, returned both lantern rings to Zhang Beihai, and stabbed himself through the head while declaring loyalty to His Majesty.

He-El learned that Darkseid had used Hades to supply Wade with Kryptonite and Olympian magic to provoke New Krypton, and he recognized the scheme as an effort to distract him while his allies moved to seize everything. After Wade's death, Zhang Beihai took over the Willpower Corps, committed to preserving humanity by fighting for New Krypton.

• Zhang Beihai reported Wade's memories and testimony about Hades to He-El.
• He-El concluded that Darkseid had arranged the provocation because New Krypton had not sent troops to help attack Oa Star.
• He-El noted that the Three-Body Earth's war supplies had been transferred to the DC World and realized his allies intended to take everything.
• Zhang Beihai reflected that he had kept apart from Wade's actions and had always prioritized humanity's survival over independence.
• He-El told Zhang Beihai to preserve humanity, and Zhang Beihai prepared to succeed Wade as commander of the Willpower Corps and lead it into battle for New Krypton.

Cosmic powers debated whether to capture the traveler before he left their universe, weighing the threat he might become against the risks of acting. One civilization tried to seize him and was destroyed after another power prohibited the capture, leaving the others to deny any support for the plan.

• Cosmic powers argued over capturing the traveler, who was preparing to leave through the Traversal Vortex, and some speculated that a conquered civilization might eventually join him.
• A civilization announced that it would carry out its own plan to capture him despite warnings from the others.
• The would-be captors pressed ahead, but another power imposed a prohibition by severing the entanglement connections of every particle in their civilization, destroying it.
• The remaining powers called the destroyed civilization a Predetermined Civilization and debated whether to attempt capture themselves.
• The civilizations denied supporting capture and acknowledged that any attempt to communicate with the traveler would conceal intentions he might eventually discover.

The Quantum Observer recorded how civilizations in The Three-Body Problem world planned to help New Krypton and secure their survival by supporting He-El. He-El returned to the DC World, where Zero urgently contacted him about Hades.

• The Quantum Observer and other civilizations debated avoiding contact with He-El while preparing to assist him and New Krypton.
• He-El heard the Quantum Observer's thoughts and was surprised that the civilizations expected him to control the universe in the future.
• The black-and-gold Honor entered the Traversal Vortex, and the Quantum Observer remained behind after being rejected at its entrance.
• He-El returned to the DC World and received an urgent communication from Zero about Hades.

He-El prepared New Krypton for war against Apokolips while confronting Hades over his role in the rebellion in The Three-Body Problem. Hades answered He-El’s threats by reminding him that they were allies.

• Zero told He-El that Hades had urgently requested a communication after He-El returned from The Three-Body Problem.
• He-El ordered New Krypton to prepare for war against Apokolips and convene a marshal-level meeting.
• He-El asked Zero why Hades wanted to speak, reflecting on Hades’s cooperation with Wade and the rebellion that led to mass executions.
• He-El connected with Hades and threatened to kill him unless he offered suitable compensation for the losses he claimed Hades had caused.
• Hades fell silent at He-El’s accusation, then said, “Don’t be like this, He-El. We’re allies.”

He-El confronted Hades for supplying Wade with Kryptonite and magic, which had led to the destruction of four quadrillion troops in New Krypton’s small world. Hades revealed that the Guardians of the Universe, New Genesis, and the Olympian Pantheon were preparing to target He-El, and He-El ordered Hades out of his Divine Realm Underworld.

• Hades admitted he had given Wade Kryptonian weaknesses, Kryptonite, and magic on Darkseid’s orders.
• He-El threatened Hades over the destruction of four quadrillion troops and rejected his offer to compensate with information.
• Hades warned He-El that the Guardians of the Universe knew of his cooperation with Darkseid and were preparing to move against him with New Genesis and the Olympian Pantheon.
• Hades said Darkseid had told the Guardians about the alliance.
• He-El demanded that Hades remove everything he owned from the Divine Realm Underworld and never appear before him again.

After learning that Darkseid had exposed their alliance to the Guardians of the Universe, He-El realized the Guardians might be preparing to move against him. He-El weighed the threat to New Krypton and considered the overwhelming strength of the powers that could oppose it.

• He-El cut off Hades and incorporated the Underworld in the Divine Realm into New Krypton's territory.
• He-El asked Zero what the Olympian Gods, New Genesis, and the Green Lantern Corps had been doing.
• Zero reported that the Olympian Gods were awakening their sleeping members, while a Guardian of the Universe was conducting maintenance on Earth and had recently visited New Genesis.
• He-El concluded that the Guardians had believed Hades's information about his alliance with Darkseid and were likely preparing to besiege him.
• He-El recognized that New Krypton could not withstand an alliance of the Guardians, the Olympian Pantheon, and New Genesis, despite his own ability to escape.

He-El considered the balance of power among Apokolips, the Guardians of the Universe, and the other major factions, realizing the Guardians had prepared to isolate Earth and destroy him and New Krypton. He faced the looming confrontation with only three stellar-level powerhouses on New Krypton.

• The chapter described Apokolips's vast reserve of stellar-level corpses and its ability to turn them into powerful Parademons.
• The chapter explained that the Guardians of the Universe were backed by Maltusian strength and the support of the universe's major factions, making an attack on Apokolips too costly.
• He-El realized the Guardians had prepared to protect Earth with a barrier and prevent him from using it as leverage.
• He-El concluded that the Guardians planned to eliminate him and New Krypton before confronting Darkseid, and he recognized that New Krypton had only three stellar-level powerhouses.

He-El recognized that New Krypton could not withstand the Guardians of the Universe’s planned assault, so he ordered a secret evacuation of supplies and reserves to the Bleach world. Athena contacted him with news of Olympus’s strange behavior, and He-El realized the Olympian Gods and New Genesis might be turned against the Guardians, but he ended by revealing that Darkseid had betrayed their pact.

• He-El ordered Zero to raise New Krypton’s alert and secretly transfer supplies and reserve forces to the Bleach world.
• He-El saw that the Guardians of the Universe had shielded Earth’s core and concluded they were preparing to destroy New Krypton while keeping him occupied.
• Zero told He-El that Athena was requesting a communication, and he saw a chance to reverse the situation by winning over Olympus and New Genesis.
• Athena told He-El that Zeus had ordered her to report his whereabouts and that Olympus had summoned its gods to redistribute divine authority.
• He-El told Athena that Darkseid had betrayed their pact by revealing his cooperation with him to the Guardians of the Universe.

Athena deduced that Darkseid had manipulated the Guardians of the Universe and the Olympian Gods into targeting New Krypton, and she devised a plan to turn the forces against Apokolips. He-El rejected her plan, intending instead to recruit the gods by offering them hope of escaping their shackles, and reached out to The Father of New Genesis.

• He-El told Athena that Darkseid had betrayed their pact by revealing his cooperation to the Guardians of the Universe.
• Athena reasoned that Darkseid planned to draw the Guardians, Olympian Gods, and New Genesis into an attack on New Krypton while he struck Oa Star.
• Athena proposed joining New Genesis to attack Apokolips and rallying the universe’s forces against Darkseid.
• He-El praised Athena’s plan but told her to stall the Olympian Gods and prepare to manage New Krypton’s Gods Department as a King of Gods.
• Athena understood that He-El intended to bring the Olympian Gods under his command by offering them a way to escape their original bodies.
• He-El messaged The Father of New Genesis, urging him to join forces and promising him hope of breaking free from his shackles.

Barry confronted the black metal armor, which overwhelmed him with its superior Speed Force and left Cisco and Killer Frost unable to stop it. After declaring, "I am—the Flash!", the armored enemy vanished from the plaza.

• Barry searched Central City for abnormal Speed Force readings while Cisco and Caitlin monitored him from STAR Labs.
• Cisco detected the black metal armor near Barry and sent Killer Frost and himself through a spatial passage to help.
• The black metal armor seized Barry by the throat, dragged him through Central City, and hurled him into the plaza, leaving him badly injured.
• Killer Frost attacked the armor with ice, but it struck her and Cisco and sent them flying.
• The black metal armor looked toward the defiant Barry, declared, "I am—the Flash!", and disappeared.

After the Black Armor Man defeated Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin, the team decided to seek He-El’s help as STAR Labs’ secret weapon. Barry agreed to reunite with He-El to stop the attacker and learn why He-El wanted him as a subordinate.

• Cisco Ramon and Caitlin brought the badly injured Barry to the medical room after their plan to capture the Black Armor Man failed.
• Barry and Cisco wondered why the Black Armor Man called himself The Flash, and Barry said he would give up the title to save Iris.
• Cisco Ramon proposed using STAR Labs’ secret weapon, and Barry worried that He-El had begun experimenting on people.
• Cisco defended He-El’s Speed Force research and admitted that He-El had supplied the methods and data used to improve Barry’s speed.
• Caitlin reacted angrily when Cisco teased her about missing He-El, and Barry decided they should go find him and stop the Black Armor Man.

Barry, Cisco Ramon, and Caitlin visited He-El’s laboratory after encountering a powerful enemy with the Speed Force. Grodd told them that He-El had finished his experiments, was creating his own Speed Force, and planned to leave the research data for them; the chapter ended with them heading to ask He-El what he intended to do.

• Barry, Cisco Ramon, and Caitlin entered He-El’s laboratory and found Grodd studying data.
• Grodd noticed their injuries, and Cisco Ramon explained that they had fought a Black Armor Man with the Speed Force.
• Grodd told them He-El was in his office compiling his research data and was no longer experimenting on cloned humans.
• Barry worried that He-El might have mastered the Speed Force, while Caitlin wondered whether He-El was leaving.
• Grodd clarified that He-El was creating his own Speed Force, and the three went to his office to ask him about his plans.

After absorbing his independent psychic projection, He-El resolved its lingering wish by giving Barry, Cisco Ramon, and Caitlin research and tools to help them. He told them he did not belong at STAR Labs, but stayed for a while after reassuring them, and a black metal suit appeared behind him after they left.

• He-El realized his psychic projection’s autonomy had left him with an obsession to leave something for its friends, which he needed to resolve.
• Barry, Cisco Ramon, and Caitlin entered He-El’s office, and he handed Cisco a USB drive containing Speed Force research and biological data for them.
• He-El apologized to Caitlin, offered Barry and Cisco help, and told the group that Team Flash would win.
• Barry and Caitlin asked whether He-El was leaving STAR Labs, and He-El said he had already taken Barry on as his subordinate.
• After the three friends left, a suit of black metal armor vibrated through the wall and appeared behind He-El.

He-El met Savitar, the evil Time Remnant of Barry Allen, and welcomed him as the subordinate he had been waiting for. Savitar accepted He-El’s gift and prepared to act, but Reverse-Flash charged at him, accusing him of ruining his future.

• Savitar emerged from his black armor and revealed himself to He-El.
• He-El identified Savitar as Barry Allen’s Time Remnant and explained how the rejected duplicate had become his own enemy.
• Savitar remembered his isolation and vowed to destroy The Flash, Iris, and the life they had taken from him.
• Savitar realized He-El had been waiting for him and that the Speed Force information given to Barry was meant for him.
• He-El told Savitar to do what he wanted, but Reverse-Flash appeared and attacked him, shouting that Savitar had ruined his future.

Savitar confronted Reverse-Flash’s Time Remnant, who blamed him for taking the future and place He-El had promised. Savitar killed him and disappeared into the night.

• Reverse-Flash charged at Barry, who transformed into Savitar and hurled him through the building.
• Savitar explained that the Reverse-Flash who had appeared before He-El was a Time Remnant seeking revenge after the original Reverse-Flash had been killed by Savitar.
• Reverse-Flash recovered in the night sky and attacked Savitar with red lightning, but Savitar pierced it with silver lightning and struck him down.
• Reverse-Flash accused Savitar of taking his future and the place He-El had left for him, and called him an unwanted Time Remnant.
• Savitar crushed Reverse-Flash to death and vanished into the darkness.