Chapter Summaries

He-El questioned Kolon Novo about the Monitor Domain’s hierarchy and learned that Mandrak was a third-tier Source Universe Overseer who bore the universes’ unusable information. Kolon Novo began explaining the Monitor Domain’s attempt to merge Parallel Universes and locate He-El’s Source Universe.

• He-El asked Kolon Novo to describe the Monitor Domain’s ranks, and Kolon Novo explained its four-tier hierarchy.
• He-El asked who could split or merge universes, and Kolon Novo said those operations belonged to third-tier Source Universe Overseers and their Shapeshifting Ships.
• He-El asked Kolon Novo about the merger of Parallel Universes and the dispute over Mandrak.
• Kolon Novo explained that Mandrak was a Source Universe Overseer chosen to absorb harmful information carried by Heavenly Blood, helping purify it.
• He-El concluded that the Monitors primarily depended on Heavenly Blood and parasitized the universes.
• He-El asked Kolon Novo about merging Parallel Universes and finding his Source Universe, and Kolon Novo began to answer.

He-El questioned Kolon Novo about the value of Source Universes and the Monitors’ interest in his own, then considered how the Source, God, and Monitor systems might be intertwined. He-El thanked Kolon Novo before announcing that he would take his memories to verify the truth.

• He-El asked Kolon Novo how the Parallel Universe fusion related to finding his Source Universe, and Kolon Novo explained that Source Universes were coveted for their immense potential.
• Kolon Novo said the Monitors’ overseers did not own the Source Universes and that historical records linked the Monitors’ role to an agreement with God’s Domain and other entities.
• He-El reflected on the three DC systems and how his experiences connected him to the Source, God, and Monitor systems.
• Kolon Novo told He-El that Monitors and gods wanted Source Universes because they offered infinite possibilities.
• He-El thanked Kolon Novo, then said he needed to take Kolon Novo’s memories and asked him not to resist.

He-El examined Kolon Novo’s memories while Doctor Manhattan watched, revealing how the Monitors lived and worked beyond the fifty-two Source Universes. The memories left them with a picture of an apparently ordinary society, though Kolon Novo knew little about its origins or scale.

• He-El opened Kolon Novo’s skull to inspect his memories and sent the Grace Search Ship away to play with the Mechanical Clan.
• Doctor Manhattan arrived, and He-El invited him to join the study of Kolon Novo and the Monitors.
• He-El drew out Kolon Novo’s memories and showed Doctor Manhattan the Monitor Domain and the Monitor Realm beyond God’s Domain.
• Kolon Novo’s memories revealed that Monitors were raised collectively in the Monitor Realm and assigned roles such as cleaner, transporter, or collector.
• Kolon Novo’s memories showed that he had risen from cleaner to a second-level minor leader, but he did not know how many leaders existed.

He-El and Doctor Manhattan found that Kolon Novo’s memories revealed little about the Monitors, whose unusual reproduction and cosmic-logic-linked genes made them seem unlike natural life forms. After Kolon Novo described the Monitor Realm as an ordinary place with little personal meaning to him, He-El asked whether he wanted to return to the Monitor Domain and resume his position.

• He-El reviewed Kolon Novo’s memories and found that most information about the Monitors came from books rather than Kolon Novo’s own experience.
• He-El explained that the Monitors had more than ninety-three reproductive methods, though descendants born in lower dimensions were not considered pure Monitors.
• Doctor Manhattan concluded that the Monitors seemed manufactured and suggested they might be parasites feeding on the Source Universes’ Heavenly Blood.
• He-El said the Monitors’ genetic information appeared tied to the operating logic of the universe.
• Kolon Novo said he had little attachment to the Monitor Realm and barely remembered it.
• He-El asked Kolon Novo whether he wanted to return to the Monitor Domain as a second-level mid-ranking leader.

He-El offered Kolon Novo a chance to return to the Monitor Domain, but discovered that Kolon planned to report the Source Universe and controlled him to study his completed genes. The research revealed that the Monitors aspired to become beings like He-El, leaving He-El to recognize himself as their ideal.

• He-El asked Kolon Novo whether he wanted to return to the Monitor Domain, and Kolon secretly planned to report the Source Universe for promotion.
• He-El detected Kolon Novo's thoughts and, after Kolon falsely promised to keep his secrets, decided to examine his genes and twisted him into a knot.
• Kolon Novo's blood expanded into a vast source of energy, surprising He-El and Doctor Manhattan with its unusual properties.
• He-El and Doctor Manhattan spent two universal extinctions analyzing Kolon's completed genes and genetic connection data.
• Doctor Manhattan discovered that the Monitors sought to become like He-El, and He-El recognized himself as the existence they aspired to be.

He-El discovered that the Monitors were seeking to evolve into beings like him and decided to infiltrate their domain by hiding inside Kolon Novo’s genes. He left Doctor Manhattan to restore Kolon Novo and send him back, while He-El prepared to follow him undetected.

• He-El realized that the Monitors’ Completion Gene was directing them toward becoming their own Source Universe and ultimately resembling him.
• He-El laughed as Kolon Novo begged for mercy, then imprisoned him in a dark space within the He-El Universe.
• He-El told Doctor Manhattan that he would return to the Monitor Domain with Kolon Novo, despite Doctor Manhattan’s concerns for his safety.
• He-El explained that he could escape through a Traversal Vortex and instructed Doctor Manhattan to restore Kolon Novo’s galaxy energy and return him and the Grace Search Ship to the New Krypton Universe.
• He-El transformed himself into Completion Gene information matching Kolon Novo’s and hid within Kolon Novo’s genes.

He-El released the tortured Kolon Novo back to the Monitor Domain and warned him to hide what had happened. Kolon Novo refused to abandon his Monitor genes but agreed to spy for He-El, who let him return aboard Grace Search Ship.

• He-El sent Kolon Novo back to the New Krypton Universe and used their genetic connection to order him to act normally in the Monitor Domain.
• He-El offered Kolon Novo a place among his subordinates, but Kolon Novo refused to let him alter his Monitor genes.
• Kolon Novo explained that he would rather remain a Monitor spy than risk becoming a universe native whom the Monitors could erase.
• Kolon Novo proposed feeding He-El information and technology while keeping his position among the Monitors, and He-El agreed.
• Grace Search Ship activated the Hyperthought Engine, left the New Krypton Universe, and entered the Monitor Domain.

Kolon Novo returned to the Monitor Domain aboard the Grace Search Ship and began ascending into four dimensions. He-El examined the higher-dimensional realm through Kolon Novo’s senses, while Kolon Novo reacted to the transformation of the genes they shared.

• The Grace Search Ship carried Kolon Novo back to the Monitor Domain, where his Monitor genes began a dimensional ascension.
• Kolon Novo and the ship rose into four dimensions as his Monitor body emerged from its stacked state.
• Kolon Novo saw successive cross-sections of himself across space and time, then felt disappointed when He-El’s fused genes ascended with him.
• He-El explained that his genes had become inseparable from Kolon Novo and were autonomously continuing his genetic completion.
• He-El experienced the Monitor Domain through Kolon Novo’s senses and found its overlapping four-dimensional spaces vast despite their apparent narrowness.
• Kolon Novo awkwardly denied that he had been disappointed.

Kolon Novo returned to the Monitor Domain with He-El still embedded in his genes, then hid the Grace Search Ship in his dock and resumed his post. When a subordinate proposed giving the idle cleaners work, Kolon Novo asked for suggestions, leaving them worried about what would happen next.

• He-El remained inside Kolon Novo and told him to continue with his work while observing the Monitor Domain through his senses.
• Kolon Novo stored the Grace Search Ship in his dock to keep her from being discovered or earning merit.
• Kolon Novo returned to his post, where the cleaners had become idle because the Parallel Universes were merging into the Source Universe.
• Kolon Novo's confidant suggested assigning the cleaners to assist the transporters and collectors.

Kolon Novo ordered Kude Tahan to lead half the Cleaners in assisting Collector Ruxiangüli Campos, then assigned the rest to investigate several Transporters and Collectors. After witnessing the Monitors’ workplace infighting from inside Kolon Novo, He-El concluded they were mortals too.

• Kolon Novo’s confidant Kude Tahan suggested sending the Cleaners to assist the Transporters and Collectors, but the Cleaners objected because they would be treated as subordinates and scapegoats.
• Kolon Novo ordered Kude Tahan to select half the Cleaners to assist Collector Ruxiangüli Campos, leaving Kude Tahan shaken.
• Kolon Novo ordered the remaining Cleaners to investigate Transporter Fremont Ciampi, Transporter Rosario Solari, Collector Rojna Stefanovich, and Collector Sigitas Espinosa.
• Kolon Novo left the monitoring hall and placated He-El, who had watched the dispute from inside Kolon Novo.
• He-El reflected that the Monitors were like ordinary mortals, caught up in office, political, and personal struggles.

He-El accompanied Kolon Novo to inspect Collector Ruxiangüli Campos’s cruise ship and observe how the Monitors collected Heavenly Blood. After Ruxiangüli Campos exposed Kude Tahan’s attempted misconduct, the ship passed inspection and set sail for New Fusion Universe 588.

• He-El ordered Kolon Novo to take him to a Collector’s site, and Kolon Novo chose Ruxiangüli Campos’s operation.
• Kolon Novo and Kude Tahan led Cleaners and secretaries to the cruise ship dock for an inspection.
• Ruxiangüli Campos confronted Kolon Novo about Kude Tahan’s attempt to make her break regulations, and Kolon Novo ordered Kude Tahan dragged away.
• Ruxiangüli Campos explained the cruise ship’s Catcher vessels, reconnaissance ships, empty tanks, and mission procedures to Kolon Novo.
• After checking the crew, equipment, engines, and blood vessel, Ruxiangüli Campos ordered the cruise ship to set sail for New Fusion Universe 588.

Ruxiangüli Campos led the cruise ship into New Fusion Universe 588 and began extracting Heavenly Blood while He-El examined the Monitors’ technology through Kolon Novo. He-El demanded that Kolon Novo obtain the ships and summon the person in charge of the Level Three Source Universe, leaving Kolon Novo scrambling for a way to avoid blame.

• Ruxiangüli Campos brought the cruise ship into New Fusion Universe 588, confirmed the area was safe, and ordered Catchers deployed and gravitational singularity anchors released.
• Ruxiangüli Campos sent probes through the universe’s boundary to extract Heavenly Blood as Kolon Novo toured the ship under He-El’s command.
• He-El recognized the value of Monitor technology and told Kolon Novo to transport the cruise ship, Catchers, and scout ships to the He-El Universe.
• Kolon Novo warned that the missing ships would bring accountability from the person in charge of the Level Three Source Universe, but He-El insisted he wanted the ships and that person to appear.
• Kolon Novo proposed that He-El send someone to attack the cruise ship and capture it.

Ruxiangüli Campos and the Catchers tried to stop an expanding phantom vortex that appeared beside their cruise ship, but their strongest weapons had no effect. As the vortex grew to the ship’s size, Ruxiangüli Campos realized the danger and ordered everyone to flee.

• A vortex appeared near Ruxiangüli Campos’s cruise ship, and she ordered the Catchers to establish a separation zone around it.
• The Catchers’ barrier missiles failed to stop the vortex from expanding, while the scouts concluded that it was a phantom powered by another universe.
• Ruxiangüli Campos ordered the Catchers to attack with Infinite Gravity Destruction Missiles and then stronger cosmic annihilators.
• The weapons destroyed the space around the vortex, but it remained untouched and expanded to the size of the cruise ship.
• Ruxiangüli Campos shouted for everyone to run and fall back.

Ruxiangüli Campos ordered the cruise ship to flee when a phantom vortex began solidifying, but Doctor Manhattan seized the ship and dragged it into the He-El Universe. Before the ship was taken, she sent Kolon Novo and the cleaners away in an escape craft.

• Ruxiangüli Campos ordered the assistants to abandon the Heavenly Blood probes and flee at maximum speed as the vortex began to solidify.
• Doctor Manhattan extended an enormous azure arm through the Traversal Vortex and seized the cruise ship, foiling its attempt to escape with the Overlimit Engine.
• Ruxiangüli Campos ordered the assistants to dump the ship’s Heavenly Blood containers onto Doctor Manhattan’s hand.
• Tiny Traversal Vortices absorbed the Heavenly Blood into the He-El Universe, and Doctor Manhattan dragged the cruise ship toward the vortex.
• Ruxiangüli Campos sent Kolon Novo and the cleaners away in an escape craft, while she and her assistants were carried into the He-El Universe aboard the ship.

He-El took the registered cruise ship and Ruxiangüli Campos Collector through a Traversal Vortex to draw the attention of higher-ranking Monitors. Kolon Novo secured the scene and ordered a message sent to Gretis Luthor, warning that they might have found traces of a Source Universe.

• He-El explained that the cruise ship’s disappearance would likely bring a higher-ranking Monitor to investigate.
• Kolon Novo and his subordinates panicked when they saw the cruise ship and Ruxiangüli Campos Collector had vanished.
• Kolon Novo ordered reconnaissance scans to continue and Catchers to guard the scene against native lifeforms.
• Kolon Novo reflected that He-El’s ability to wield a Source Universe might exceed even the power of the person in charge of a Level Three Source Universe.
• Kolon Novo ordered Cleaner Rico Savidra to return to the Monitor Domain and summon Gretis Luthor to New Fusion Universe 588.

Kolon Novo summoned Level Three Source Universe Overseer Gladys Boye after the Monitors mistook He-El's phantom vortex for traces of the Source Universe. As Gladys Boye's scout ship approached, Kolon Novo could only hope she would discover He-El inside him and spare Collector Ruxiangüli Campos.

• Kolon Novo ordered Cleaner Rico Savidra to return to the Monitor Domain and summon Gladys Boye to New Fusion Universe 588.
• The Monitors suspected the phantom vortex was connected to the Source Universe, while Ruxiangüli Campos's assistants feared for her safety.
• Kolon Novo asked He-El not to harm Ruxiangüli Campos, and He-El said he would not kill the captives casually.
• Kolon Novo told He-El that Gladys Boye was his direct superior, had a powerful background, and ranked among the best of the fifty-two Source Universe Overseers.
• A dark shadow burst out of the 'Blood Vessel' and crossed into the starry expanse.

Gladys Boye arrived at the scene where a vortex had taken a cruise ship and used stored images to investigate it. She discovered that the vortex contained more than ten kinds of universal operational logic, leaving her unable to explain what it was.

• Gladys Boye arrived and asked Kolon Novo what had happened to the cruise ship.
• Kolon Novo reported that a mysterious vortex had taken the ship and suggested it might be the Wild Source Universe.
• He-El urged Kolon Novo to tell Gladys Boye that something was unusual about his completed genes, but Kolon Novo feared the consequences.
• Gladys Boye replayed the events using the universe's light-effect memory logic.
• Gladys Boye found more than ten strange operational logics in the vortex and wondered how such a thing could exist.

Gladys Boye examined the residual energy and cosmic operating logic left by the vortex while Kolon Novo worried that He-El would reveal himself. He-El explained that he had removed the encryption in Kolon Novo’s Completion Gene, giving him the qualifications to become a Level Three Source Universe administrator, just as Gladys Boye turned her attention to him.

• Gladys Boye repeatedly examined the traces of energy and operating logic left by the vortex in New Fusion Universe 588.
• Kolon Novo described the Shapeshifting Ship as Monitor technology that could control an infant universe and alter cosmic reality.
• He-El told Kolon Novo to inform Gladys Boye that something was abnormal about his Completion Gene, alarming Kolon Novo, who feared being punished for bringing He-El into the Monitor Domain.
• He-El explained that he had removed the encryption from Kolon Novo’s Completion Gene, making him appear to Gladys Boye as someone qualified to become a Level Three Source Universe administrator.
• Kolon Novo felt a surge of joy, then saw Gladys Boye looking at him after she finished examining the starry sky.

Gladys Boye ordered New Fusion Universe 588 emptied and quarantined, then scanned Kolon Novo while taking him toward the Monitor Domain. She discovered his Completion Gene had broken its shackles and made him a Level Three Source Universe candidate, but Kolon Novo remained concerned that He-El was inside him and asked what would happen if his new ability had intelligence.

• Gladys Boye ordered Kolon Novo to help eliminate all life in New Fusion Universe 588 before it was cleansed and sealed.
• Kolon Novo arranged for Catchers to deploy Reality Missiles, while Gladys Boye mobilized personnel and took him away from the universe.
• Gladys Boye scanned Kolon Novo upon entering the Monitor Domain and congratulated him on his Completion Gene mutation.
• Gladys Boye explained that exposure to another Source Universe's operational logic had broken Kolon Novo's genetic shackles, making him a Level Three Source Universe candidate.
• Kolon Novo asked what would happen if his new ability possessed intelligence.

Kolon Novo learned that his Completion Gene ability might be an intelligent life-form shaped by a mysterious Source Universe, while He-El warned him to act in his own interests. As Gladys Boye transported him toward the Monitor Domain, she revealed that Mandrak had rejected the role assigned to it by the fifty-two Source Universe supervisors.

• Gladys Boye explained that a supervisor's ability could create an intelligent 'Stand-in' and suggested the mysterious Source Universe had influenced Kolon Novo's ability.
• Kolon Novo said his intelligent ability communicated like an adult and could perform massive computations, and Gladys Boye planned to test it at the supervisors' residence.
• He-El told Kolon Novo to do what he thought best but warned he would kill him if he said something he should not.
• Gladys Boye carried Kolon Novo through dimensional sheets in her Shapeshifting Ship, and he realized she could observe his past workplaces.
• Gladys Boye told Kolon Novo that the supervisors had planned for Mandrak to absorb the Source Universes' evil and become their ultimate force of darkness, but Mandrak no longer accepted that role.