Chapter Summaries

After He-El vanished from Oa Star, the gathered stellar-level powerhouses eagerly prepared to return to their bases and wage war on New Krypton. The Guardians of the Universe admitted they could not measure He-El’s power and concluded that they had no choice but to remove his seal.

• A Guardian of the Universe dismissed the 155 stellar-level powerhouses to prepare for New Krypton’s arrival.
• The stellar-level powerhouses left Oa Star, and the Guardians activated its hidden defensive barrier.
• The Guardians discussed how their emotion-based technology could detect none of He-El’s power.
• The Guardians recalled that He-El had used Scarface to overpower all seventeen of them without appearing in person.
• The Guardians decided they had no choice but to remove He-El’s seal.

The Guardians of the Universe decided they had to release the sealed Volthoom to face He-El, despite fearing they could not control him. As they gathered at Oa Star’s core, they recalled how Volthoom became the First Lantern and how the Great Heart’s negative emotions eventually drove him to attack them.

• The Guardians of the Universe concluded that He-El’s power left them no choice but to lift Volthoom’s seal.
• The Guardians gathered at Oa Star’s core and saw Volthoom confined inside a sphere of energy.
• The Guardians remembered how Volthoom traveled across universes seeking a way to restore his homeland and resurrect his mother.
• A fragment of Volthoom taught the Guardians about the Emotional Spectrum, and they created the Great Heart and the Origin Ring.
• The Guardians implanted the Great Heart in Volthoom and agreed to help him save his world in exchange for his help refining their technology.
• The Great Heart’s negative emotions corrupted Volthoom’s mind, causing him to attack the Guardians.

The Guardians of the Universe reflected on how Volthoom became their prisoner while He-El considered the dangers Oa Star might unleash against New Krypton. He-El remained wary of First Lantern Volthoom and summoned the four stellar-level powerhouses who had surrendered before the war.

• The Guardians of the Universe recalled how they trapped Volthoom after his rampage and regretted their role in his downfall.
• He-El wondered whether Oa Star had hidden weapons, including the Black Lantern Corps or First Lantern Volthoom.
• He-El judged that the Guardians would avoid summoning Nekron because Blackest Night threatened all life in the universe.
• He-El considered Volthoom’s power and guessed that the Guardians had sealed him while he was mentally unstable.
• He-El ordered Scarface to bring the four stellar-level powerhouses who had surrendered to New Krypton.

He-El met four Stellar-class powerhouses who had surrendered to New Krypton before the war, including Brainiac. Three explained that they were handing over their civilizations because they could not reform them, while Brainiac’s reason remained unclear.

• Scarface brought the projections of the four surrendered Stellar-class powerhouses to He-El’s command room.
• He-El warned them that surrender meant accepting New Krypton’s rules and giving up control of their domains.
• One powerhouse explained that three of them had chosen New Krypton after studying its society and concluding it could reform their troubled civilizations.
• He-El was surprised and pleased that the three trusted New Krypton to manage their civilizations, and decided they could be given important responsibilities.
• He-El asked Brainiac why he had surrendered when he had not needed to do so.

Brainiac offered to surrender to New Krypton because he wanted to evolve into a member of the Mechanical Clan. He-El revealed that the Clan was genetically bound to him and gave Brainiac until the end of the war to decide whether he would accept that loyalty.

• Brainiac told He-El that he wanted to become one of the Mechanical Clan, which he considered the future of intelligent life.
• He-El explained that he had created the Mechanical Clan and that its members bore an imprinted seal of loyalty to him.
• Brainiac recoiled from the prospect of surrendering his freedom and becoming He-El's loyal child.
• He-El gave Brainiac until the end of the war to consider joining the Mechanical Clan and warned that all stellar-level powerhouses would then have to submit to New Krypton's control.
• After dismissing the four of them, He-El went to The Three-Body Problem world to make the final deployment for the war.

He-El visited the world of The Three-Body Problem to negotiate with the Zeroers for weapons and an Inner Universe to support New Krypton’s war against Oa Star. He offered them information about the underlying logic of other universes, and they agreed to cooperate and become New Krypton’s weapons-manufacturing base.

• He-El entered the world of The Three-Body Problem as the Zeroers debated how to approach him and agreed that they wanted cooperation.
• He-El revealed that he knew the Zeroers had been monitoring him and asked to negotiate with them.
• He-El explained that he needed an Inner Universe and powerful weapons for his war to unify the universe.
• The Zeroers offered weapons, an Inner Universe, and help with the war, asking what He-El would give them in return.
• He-El offered an electron sphere containing information about other universes’ underlying logic, and the Zeroers agreed to cooperate with New Krypton.

More than two hundred Stellar-class powerhouses and their legions gathered at the Oa Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance, preparing to defeat New Krypton and claim universal rule. As the Guardians of the Universe arrived, they sensed New Krypton’s approach.

• Stellar-class powerhouses left their headquarters on Oa Star and assembled in space, each declaring an intent to fight the Emperor of New Krypton.
• The powerhouses deployed vast legions from their headquarters, filling the surrounding cosmos with soldiers and warships.
• A Guardian of the Universe appeared and halted the distortions caused by the powerhouses’ auras.
• The powerhouses discussed whether to attack New Krypton by surprise, but some insisted on defeating it openly and fairly.
• Sixteen Guardians of the Universe joined the first Guardian and announced that New Krypton had arrived.

New Krypton's forces arrived at the Oa Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance's position, where more than two hundred Stellar-class factions had gathered. General Karu and the disciplined Kryptonian Army assembled before them, as Kal-El remained confident that New Krypton would prevail.

• Thirty Guardian Legion Commanders emerged from the Space Bridge, transformed into giant mechs, and knelt before the Oa Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance.
• The opposing Stellar-class powerhouses admired or dismissed the mechs, while the Guardians of the Universe recognized that New Krypton's technology surpassed their own.
• General Karu emerged from the Space Bridge and surveyed the Alliance's forces as they greeted him with hostile grins.
• Kal-El judged the opposing armies to be poorly coordinated and believed New Krypton's discipline could overcome their superior numbers.
• The Kryptonian Army marched out in precise ranks, then Kal-El led the soldiers in kneeling on one knee before the Alliance.

The Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance watched Kal-El and the Olympian Gods show solemn deference to New Krypton’s Emperor, revealing how formidable his authority was. The Olympian Gods then half-kneeled toward the Space Bridge, leaving the Alliance’s stellar-class powerhouses stunned.

• Kal-El led the Kryptonian Army in a half-kneel in the void as they awaited New Krypton’s Emperor.
• Athena emerged from the light screen with Olympus’s eleven other stellar-class chief gods and their Divine Legions.
• The Alliance’s stellar-class powerhouses discussed the Olympian Pantheon’s strength and declared that the gods would be defeated in the coming war.
• Athena and the other Olympian Gods split into two sides and respectfully half-kneeled toward the Space Bridge’s light screen, freezing the Alliance’s smiles.

The Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance watched as the Olympian Pantheon and Father Izaya of New Genesis submitted to He-El, Emperor of New Krypton. The Seven Lantern Corps then appeared through the Space Bridge, leaving the Guardians of the Universe wondering whether their alliance could win the war.

• An Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance powerhouse condemned the Olympian Gods for kneeling to He-El, and the Guardians of the Universe realized the pantheon had become his subordinates.
• Father Izaya of New Genesis emerged with his son and army, followed by the Speed Legion led by Savitar and Reverse-Flash and the Death Legion led by Aizen and Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.
• Father Izaya, the legions, and his troops knelt respectfully toward the Space Bridge's luminous screen to welcome He-El.
• The Seven Lantern Corps appeared through the Space Bridge, astonishing the Guardians of the Universe with their combined strength.
• The Guardians of the Universe questioned whether the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance could win as a vast stream of information rang out, "Welcome, Your Majesty!"

He-El arrived at New Krypton’s Space Bridge as the Emperor, while the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance watched his forces assemble. The chapter ended with the arrival of the gigantic Quantum Ghost War Base, which was presented as a weapon capable of destroying an entire star domain.

• New Krypton’s stellar-level powerhouses welcomed He-El, and the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s leaders reacted with contempt and called for them to be killed.
• He-El emerged from the Space Bridge aboard the Honor Marshal-class Battleship, escorted by the other Marshal-class Battleships.
• Zero and hundreds of millions of Mechanical Corps vessels followed He-El through the Space Bridge.
• Zero enlarged the Space Bridge to let the Quantum Ghost War Base, supplied by the Zeroers of The Three-Body Problem world, pass through.
• The Alliance’s forces faced a war base whose defenses and weapons could overcome attacks and destroy an entire star domain.

He-El returned with New Krypton's forces and confronted the Guardians of the Universe and their allies outside Oa Star. He ordered the Quantum Ghost War Base to charge its Quasar Flare, challenging them to stop it before it destroyed their armies and the Oa Star system.

• The Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s stellar-level powerhouses saw New Krypton’s Quantum Ghost War Base emerge from the Space Bridge and recognized how difficult it was to damage.
• He-El accused the Guardians of the Universe of attacking New Krypton while he had been away, and recalled how Zero had forced them to retreat from Earth.
• The Guardians of the Universe invoked the pre-war agreement, declaring that New Krypton would lose if it failed to conquer Oa Star.
• He-El declared New Krypton the peace of the universe and ordered the Quantum Ghost War Base to charge and fire the Quasar Flare.

The Quantum Ghost War Base began charging a galaxy-destroying Quasar Flare, forcing the Oa Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance to breach New Krypton’s defenses before it fired. A Stellar-class powerhouse who could unleash Supernova Explosions stepped forward to challenge the Emperor of New Krypton, but two Guardian Mechs stopped him before he could reach His Majesty.

• The Quantum Ghost War Base began condensing a Quasar Flare that could destroy a galaxy, putting the alliance’s armies at risk if they could not breach it in time.
• A hideous Stellar-class powerhouse from a distant stellar domain volunteered to attack the Emperor of New Krypton and boasted that his ordinary blows carried the power of Supernova Explosions.
• Other Stellar-class powerhouses watched, confident that the attacker would overwhelm New Krypton and that they could claim victory afterward.
• Before the supernova attacker could reach the Emperor of New Krypton, two Guardian Mechs blocked him with the Still Force and declared that he was unworthy of facing His Majesty.

New Krypton’s Guardian mech bodies held off the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s stellar-class powerhouses, preventing them from reaching He-El. With the mechs occupied, Kal-El led the Kryptonian Army into battle against another powerhouse’s forces.

• Two Guardian mech bodies trapped the Alliance’s first stellar-class challenger in a prolonged fight, leaving the watching powerhouses stunned.
• Guardians of the Universe recognized New Krypton’s technological strength, and some quietly returned to Oa Star.
• More Alliance stellar-class powerhouses challenged He-El, but pairs of Guardian mech bodies intercepted and restrained them.
• Fifteen Alliance powerhouses engaged New Krypton’s thirty Guardian mech bodies across fifteen battlefields.
• Kal-El told an Alliance powerhouse he was not qualified to gaze upon He-El and led the Kryptonian Army against the enemy forces, beginning a brutal battle.

New Krypton’s forces fought the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s vastly larger armies across multiple battlefields as the Alliance steadily committed its stellar-level powerhouses. Athena and Father Izaya sent their forces into battle until no New Krypton powerhouse remained beside He-El, leaving him exposed to the enemy.

• Kal-El and the Kryptonian Army fought an Alliance powerhouse and his army, while New Krypton’s Guardian mechs opened fifteen more battlefields against enemy forces.
• Ares led the Divine Legion against an Alliance powerhouse, and Athena ordered him to avoid a prolonged fight while awaiting the Quasar Flare.
• Alliance powerhouses exploited their numerical advantage and challenged the Olympian Gods, prompting Athena to send out her chief gods, then lead her own forces into battle.
• Father Izaya sent his sons and subordinates with the Speed Legion and Death Legion to fight, then entered the battle himself.
• After the Alliance engaged all the other New Krypton stellar-level powerhouses, its forces called on He-El to face them.

He-El watched the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s Stellar-class powerhouses argue over who would kill him, then challenge them to attack together. The battle continued to rage around his ship as the enemy faced his choice.

• The Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s one hundred and ten Stellar-class powerhouses fought among themselves for the chance to behead He-El.
• Several powerhouses boasted about surviving stars, supernovas, and black holes before one rebuked them for acting like performers.
• The Stellar-class powerhouses agreed to let He-El choose his opponent, while warning that they would strike if he stalled.
• A powerhouse taunted He-El to pick the weakest among them, and He-El calmly told them to come at him together.

He-El faced the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s stellar-class powerhouses aboard the Honor Marshal-class Battleship and invited them to attack together. He-El killed the first attacker with Heat Vision, leaving the others stunned as they realized even the Flame Energy Being could not explode or survive the blow.

• He-El told the Alliance’s stellar-class powerhouses to attack him together, and more than eighty charged toward the Honor Marshal-class Battleship.
• A Flame Energy Being reached the battleship first and attacked He-El with a supernova-powered pillar of fire.
• He-El fired Heat Vision that pierced the fire pillar and struck the Flame Energy Being’s core.
• The Flame Energy Being died as He-El’s power erased the force that would have caused his body to explode.
• The remaining Alliance powerhouses stopped and stared at the first of their number to fall.

He-El killed two stellar-class powerhouses with Heat Vision, leaving the Oa Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance and the Guardians of the Universe terrified by the speed and ease of his attacks. The surviving enemies questioned whether the Emperor of New Krypton was truly only stellar-class.

• He-El's Heat Vision pierced the Flame Energy Being's core and erased him without a ripple, stunning the stellar-class powerhouses watching.
• The Guardians of the Universe compared He-El's effortless kill with his prolonged battle against Darkseid and feared they understood what his power meant.
• A shadow-themed stellar-class powerhouse charged the Honor Marshal-class Battleship, boasting that he was immortal.
• He-El's Heat Vision curved around the shadow's evasion and pierced his back, killing him before he could realize he had been struck.
• The stellar-class powerhouses recognized that He-El's attack outpaced their bodies, energy, and thoughts, while the Guardians of the Universe identified it as Darkseid's ultimate move.

He-El revealed that his Heat Vision technique surpassed the Omega Effect the Guardians of the Universe remembered, then challenged the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance to attack together. After he killed another of their fighters with one shot, the alliance’s Stellar-class powerhouses grew terrified and began withdrawing their auras.

• The Guardians of the Universe recognized He-El’s Heat Vision as resembling Darkseid’s Omega Effect, but He-El explained that he had learned the technique after dealing with Darkseid.
• He-El challenged the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s Stellar-class powerhouses to attack him together, and they hesitated after seeing how easily he had killed two of their fighters.
• One alliance powerhouse warned that He-El might not kill them all before his strength ran out.
• He-El shot the speaker through the chest with Heat Vision, killing him as he tried to flee.
• The alliance’s remaining Stellar-class powerhouses withdrew their auras and stood fearfully in the void while the battle continued nearby.

He-El forced the Oa Star Pan-Stellar Domain Alliance’s stellar-class attackers to choose between death and submission, killing those who resisted or tried to flee. After sixty-five survivors pledged loyalty, He-El turned his attention to the thirty stellar-class powerhouses on Oa Star.

• A Guardian of the Universe charged He-El with countless clones, but He-El pierced them and killed him with Heat Vision.
• Several Alliance powerhouses tried to withdraw from the war, but He-El killed them before they could escape.
• An Alliance powerhouse offered his loyalty to He-El, and the others realized surrender was their only chance to survive.
• He-El killed a powerhouse who refused to kneel, prompting the remaining attackers to pledge loyalty.
• Fifteen of the eighty attackers had died, while the other sixty-five knelt before He-El, who then looked toward the thirty stellar-class powerhouses on Oa Star.