Chapter Summaries

Shane and his companions infiltrated the Phantom King’s castle by posing as returning patrol members, but the Phantom King saw through their disguise. Shane openly asked to borrow the Phantom King’s power to find several people, after an invisible force stopped him from approaching.

• Shane, Mon-El, Mal, and Mia entered the castle disguised as Kryptonian patrol members, and Shane told the officer their squad had been attacked by powerful outsiders.
• The Kryptonian Female Officer led the group to the Phantom King, while Mon-El marveled at how naturally Shane acted like one of the Phantom King’s warriors.
• Shane ignored Mon-El’s signal to approach under the pretense of delivering a report and walked directly toward the Phantom King.
• The Phantom King revealed that Shane was not registered in his system and identified him as an outsider.
• Shane asked to borrow the Phantom King’s power to find several people, having realized the Phantom King had stopped him with an invisible mental barrier.

Shane and his allies confronted the Phantom King, who used mental power to hold Shane in place while Mara and the Kryptonian prisoners attacked. Shane and Mon-El cut off the prisoners’ yellow-sunlight supply and killed Mara, but the Phantom King rose and unleashed a powerful psychic surge.

• The Phantom King accused Mara of failing him, and she charged Shane’s group before Mon-El intercepted her.
• Shane revealed that the Phantom King’s mental power had pinned him in place, while the sounds of approaching prisoners drew nearer.
• Shane and Mon-El coordinated to drain Mara’s bracelet, and Shane killed her by breaking her neck.
• The first Kryptonian prisoners entered the hall, but their bracelets’ allowances dropped to zero, leaving Shane able to seize two warriors.
• The Phantom King rose from his chair and unleashed a psychic surge that dazed everyone, including Shane.

Shane resisted the Phantom King’s mental power and forced him to withdraw it, but the Phantom King challenged Shane’s right to possess such strength and launched a close-quarters battle. Shane ordered Mal and Mia to kill everyone else in the castle as the clash threatened the red continent.

• The Phantom King crushed Shane with mental power, tore apart his uniform, and immobilized Mon-El, whose disguise glasses were destroyed.
• Shane unleashed his full strength from the core and climbed back toward the hall, shaking the red continent until the Phantom King withdrew his mental power.
• Shane returned to the hall and asked the Phantom King to talk, hoping to avoid destroying the continent while searching for the Injustice Titan and jewel kryptonite.
• The Phantom King demanded to know why Shane possessed a physical body and power equal to his, then attacked him with mental power and Kryptonian strength.
• Shane ordered Mal and Mia to kill everyone else in the castle as the Phantom King fought him in close quarters.

Mal, Mia, and Mon-El fought weakening Kryptonian prisoners while Shane struggled against the Phantom King, whose mental armor and yellow-sun device gave him the advantage. Shane could not find a way to damage his opponent, and the Phantom King grew more confident as the battle continued.

• Mal and Mia fought the weakening Kryptonian prisoners while Mon-El held off the warriors and eased their pressure.
• The Phantom King’s battle with Shane shook the Red Continent and drew phantom creatures, whose fragile forms were destroyed by the shock waves.
• Injustice Raven worried that the battle would kill the Teen Titans, while she and Rachel watched Shane’s fight through his perspective.
• Shane realized the Phantom King’s mental armor absorbed his knife-hand strikes and that his collar-like device kept supplying yellow-sun radiation.
• The Phantom King taunted Shane, saying he was the only living being in years to approach his strength and that he could not be allowed to live.

Shane’s fight with the Phantom King changed when a mysterious force corrupted his Green Lantern ring and empowered him. After catching the fleeing Phantom King and seeing his face, Shane learned that he was also Mon-El—the Mon-El that Mon-El had discarded.

• The Phantom King kicked Shane across the Red Continent, and Shane decided to use his Green Lantern ring to overcome the Phantom King’s mental armor.
• A dark green energy beam from the blue star connected to Shane’s ring, transforming it into a Dawn Phantom Lantern and flooding him with distorted willpower.
• Shane’s strength surged, but the corrupted ring became impossible to remove, and he pursued the fleeing Phantom King at such speed that he split the Red Continent in two.
• Shane caught the Phantom King and crushed his collar, revealing a face identical to Mon-El’s.
• The Phantom King told Shane that he was both the Phantom King and Mon-El—the Mon-El that Mon-El had discarded.

Shane interrogated the Phantom King as his Green Lantern ring transformed and uncontrollable power overwhelmed his body. Mon-El recovered some memories and began merging with the Phantom King, while Shane’s allies struggled to stop the force consuming his mind.

• Shane questioned the Phantom King, who said he could not remember anything about the Green Lantern Corps creation or why it was there.
• Rachel warned Shane that she and Raven were close to losing their struggle against the force eroding his mind, so he returned to Mon-El and the others.
• Mon-El saw that the Phantom King had his face and began recovering memories, while Mal noticed Shane’s ring had changed color.
• Shane’s uncontrolled strength unleashed a superstorm that nearly swept Mia and the others away, and he warned them to stay back.
• Mon-El insisted that he needed to touch the Phantom King, and Shane’s heartbeat sent a shock wave that injured him and hurled Mon-El, Mal, and Mia away.
• Shane held the Phantom King out to Mon-El, who touched him, and their bodies began merging.

Shane struggled to resist the corruption consuming his body and summoned an older Emperor Zhent from hypertime for help. Emperor Zhent arrived on the shattered Red Continent and assessed Shane’s condition.

• Mon-El tried to reach Shane, but Shane’s corrupted left arm repeatedly drove him back while Shane’s remaining limbs fought to restrain it.
• The Phantom King told Mon-El that he could not save Shane, but Shane asked whether Mon-El could help if he kept resisting the corruption.
• Shane summoned the Yellow Lantern ring from Rachel and used its fear energy to open a passage through the Phantom Zone into hypertime.
• Shane shifted through possible versions of Emperor Zhent until an older Zhent emerged from the portal and crossed the void to him.
• Emperor Zhent examined Shane and recognized that he had used his resistance to hypertime’s pull to search for a version of Zhent with little hostility toward him.

Emperor Zhent stopped Shane and allowed Mon-El to transfer his power to him. Shane then awoke inside Mon-El’s memories, where Phantom King tried to recruit him and Shane realized he might have to choose Mon-El’s response himself.

• Emperor Zhent pinned Shane down after Shane lunged at the two Ravens, then agreed to help Rachel and Raven.
• Mia explained what she knew about Emperor Zhent to Mon-El, who offered to give Shane his power.
• Rachel gave tacit approval, and Mon-El placed his hand on Shane while Emperor Zhent restrained Shane’s surging power.
• Shane awoke in Mon-El’s memories and realized he could understand Kryptonian and had become Mon-El rather than merely observing him.
• Phantom King asked Mon-El to join him for his knowledge of Daxam’s technology, and Shane tentatively moved a finger as he wondered whether he had to choose Mon-El’s answer.

Shane observed the Phantom King’s early rise in the Phantom Zone and learned that Ethel granted physical bodies to selected Phantom Lifeforms. When a bloodthirsty Power Ring wielder arrived and battled Ethel, the Red Continent was destroyed and restored, and the Phantom King was transformed by the eerie lantern.

• Shane refused the Phantom King’s offer to cooperate, so the Phantom King imprisoned him and repeatedly tried to persuade him.
• Shane relented and stayed beside the Phantom King, discovering that offerings to Ethel could grant Phantom Lifeforms physical bodies.
• The Phantom King’s forces struggled to survive on the Red Continent, hunting small monsters to offer to Ethel and expand their numbers.
• A mysterious figure wielding an eerie green Power Ring arrived and slaughtered powerful monsters, prompting the Phantom King to alert Ethel.
• Ethel appeared and fought the Power Ring wielder, and their battle destroyed the Red Continent.
• After the Red Continent was restored, the Power Ring wielder forced the Phantom King to crawl to him and transformed him, then glanced toward Shane’s hiding place before leaving.

The Phantom King used the Eerie Lantern to expand his power, enslave followers, and imprison Superman, while Shane sought a way to stop him. Ethel made Shane her proxy and gave him a pearl, after which the true Mon-El appeared and urged him to end the repeating cycle.

• The Phantom King showed Shane that Ethel had been pinned to a blue-lit membrane, then used her flesh to create an Outer Shell and subdue a newly embodied Blue Phantom.
• Shane joined the Phantom King's forces to survive, but he could not invent the Yellow Sun Bracelet and instead made practical tools for the tyrant.
• Superman arrived in the Phantom Zone, where the Phantom King stole his Stellar Wristbands and imprisoned him alongside Shane.
• Shane secretly began making a Star Collar, but the Phantom King confiscated it and prepared to execute him, prompting Superman to fight back.
• While the Phantom King beat Superman, Shane escaped in his Sky Sailboat and reached Ethel, who offered him power as her proxy and sent a pearl into him.
• The true Mon-El appeared in Shane's memory and revealed that giving Shane the jewel kryptonite would kill him, then urged Shane to end the cycle.

Mon-El’s fading memory revealed two conflicting versions of his life in the Phantom Zone, and Shane learned that their falsehoods concealed a solution to his problem. After Mon-El died, Shane found a lantern among his ashes, while Emperor Zhent realized Shane had understood the real answer.

• Mon-El’s memory failed, and he told Shane that Superman never returned and that he had searched unsuccessfully for the lantern.
• The false Phantom King took over the story and claimed Mon-El’s account was mostly fabricated, describing how Mon-El grew jealous and resentful while trapped in the Phantom Zone.
• The false Phantom King said Mon-El cut Ethel apart, wore a uniform made from its skin, and thereby brought the Phantom King into being.
• Shane woke as Emperor Zhent withdrew his hand, and Mon-El’s body crumbled to ash when Shane reached for him.
• Shane pulled a lantern from Mon-El’s ashes, and Emperor Zhent asked whether he had discovered the answer hidden in the two false stories.

Shane stabilized his identity with the power of jewel kryptonite, contained the lantern’s sinister energy, and sealed the aura leaking from the Phantom Zone’s barrier. After the trapped Teen Titans returned, Shane and his companions left the Phantom Zone, while Injustice Raven and Emperor Zhent stayed behind in the Injustice World.

• Shane invented an account of Mon-El splitting into the Phantom King, then admitted he had made most of it up.
• Shane broke the tampered Power Ring and lantern, and Emperor Zhent crushed the concentrated dark green energy.
• Shane used his new mental power to anchor his personality and protect his memories from outside interference.
• Shane found the membrane separating the Multiverse from the Dark Multiverse and sealed it with divine power, magic, and mental power.
• The trapped Teen Titans returned from the Phantom Zone, and Shane and his companions left; Injustice Raven and Emperor Zhent remained in the Injustice World.

After returning from another universe, Shane spent two weeks adjusting to life at the Teen Titans base before Black Wally arrived with gossip and news of a Justice League party. The chapter ended with Shane preparing to choose his companions, prompting Jaime to rush back to training.

• Black Wally arrived at the Teen Titans base with tabloid gossip and front-page news.
• Black Wally reported that Conner had appeared in Metropolis and was the son of Superman and Luthor.
• Black Wally revealed that Batman had privately apologized to Aquaman and Wonder Woman, then offered recordings of both meetings for sale.
• Black Wally announced that Superman and Batman were hosting a large superhero party at the Hall of Justice the following night.
• Shane learned that the Teen Titans' invitation allowed him to bring companions, and Jaime hurried back to the treadmill when Shane hinted he could choose who came.

Shane brought the Teen Titans to a superhero-themed party at the Hall of Justice in formalwear, but nearly everyone else wore superhero outfits. The Titans changed into their usual gear, leaving Tim as the only one in conspicuous formal clothes while Shane denied bullying him.

• Tim questioned why the Teen Titans were wearing formal clothes to a superhero party, and Shane defended his decision to arrange their outfits and travel.
• The Teen Titans arrived at the Hall of Justice and saw that nearly all the superheroes wore suits or combat gear, confirming Tim's concerns.
• Rachel, Shane, Jaime, Tula, Mal, Mia, and Billy changed into their superhero outfits, while Donna and Lilith kept clothing suited to their roles.
• Tim realized he was the only Titan still wearing flashy formalwear and accused Shane and the others of bullying him.
• Shane denied the accusation and blamed Tim for failing to bring a spare superhero outfit.

Shane helped Batman and Superman repair strained family relationships by acting as an outside antagonist, while hoping their cooperation would help Rachel make sincere friends. The chapter ended with Shane having secured that promise and Conner asleep after Shane knocked him out.

• Shane and Chronos discussed Tim's emotional struggles, Rachel's social isolation, and Chronos's unsuccessful research into freeing Shane from the darkness-related influence.
• Conner confronted Shane, accused him of manipulating changes in the world, and challenged him to fight.
• Shane knocked Conner unconscious as Superman watched, then complained that Superman was copying Batman's approach to raising children.
• Batman had used Shane's staged antagonism to help Tim and Batman reconnect, while Superman planned to use Conner's shared resentment of Shane to bond with him.
• Shane accepted the role of outside enemy in exchange for Batman and Superman promising to help Rachel form sincere friendships.

At the Justice League party, Shane discussed the threat posed by Constantine with Ragman and enjoyed the company of several lesser-known heroes. Rachel took the tipsy Shane home, where their intimate night lasted until dawn.

• Superman left with Conner, Batman took Tim out, and Nightwing covered for the organizers as the veterans departed the party.
• Shane talked with Ragman about Constantine and the danger of the Multidimensional Defense Network being treated as disposable, then decided to end his vacation the next day.
• Shane relaxed and spoke with Buddy Baker, Aztek, and Bronze Tiger as the party wound down.
• Rachel sent the Teen Titans home, helped Shane leave the Hall of Justice, and brought him to the beach villa through a shadow passage.
• Rachel used magic to undress herself and Shane, then they spent the night together until dawn.

Shane spent the morning with Rachel after she used an arsenal of black magic to keep him from leaving, then flew to the Fortress of Solitude for a reunion with Superman’s family. He arrived with news connected to Mon-El, leaving the gathering waiting to hear what had happened.

• Rachel used black magic and her arguments about her maturity to convince Shane to stay with her, delaying his trip to the Fortress of Solitude.
• Rachel cooked Shane a meal from the Holy Dimension, whose ingredients included a mildly toxic purple-ringed tentacle.
• Shane flew to the Fortress of Solitude and found Superman, Jonathan, Martha, Kara, Conner, Flashpoint Superman, and a Super-Dog gathered together.
• The Super-Dog sensed Shane outside the Fortress and barked, alerting the family to his arrival.
• Shane greeted the family and asked whether they remembered Mon-El.

Shane told Superman he had found a way to free Mon-El from the Phantom Zone, and the group prepared to rescue him. While Superman, Kara, and Shane set off for the Fortress of Solitude, Conner grew increasingly resentful of Shane’s closeness to the family.

• Shane explained that he had met Mon-El in another universe’s Phantom Zone and obtained an antidote to Daxamites’ vulnerability to lead.
• Superman eagerly prepared to enter the Phantom Zone, and Shane gave him Stellar Wristbands to sustain his energy there.
• Kara insisted on joining the rescue and put on a wristband, then happily spoke Kryptonian with Shane after discovering he knew the language.
• Superman hurried to calibrate the Phantom Zone projector while the Kents welcomed Shane into their home and family.
• Shane joked about his similarities to Superman’s family, and Conner walked out, feeling singled out because he could neither fly nor shoot lasers from his eyes.

Shane explored the Main Universe's Phantom Zone, met its intelligent Ethel, and learned how the zone's Infiltration Membrane and Mr. Mxyzptlk were tied to the Dark Multiverse. He left with the Main Universe currently protected from the Dark Multiverse, though that safety would end if Mr. Mxyzptlk could no longer contain what was being dumped into him.

• Shane, Superman, and Supergirl encountered the Phantom King, who revealed that Mon-El was impersonating him after defeating the real Phantom King.
• Shane gave Superman a genetic injection to cure lead poisoning, then flew away to investigate the Phantom Zone's boundary.
• Shane met Ethel and shared his experiences in the Injustice Universe, prompting Ethel to explain that the Main Universe's Phantom Zone was safe from the Dark Multiverse for now.
• Ethel explained that Mr. Mxyzptlk had absorbed the Phantom Zone's weakness and was receiving the Dark Multiverse's garbage in his own body.
• Shane realized that Mr. Mxyzptlk might eventually be overwhelmed by a dark entity and cursed at his bad luck.

After returning from the Phantom Zone, Shane briefed Batman on what he had learned, then tried to avoid taking on more work. Batman showed him a list of missions that disguised the responsibilities Shane had passed to him, and Shane reluctantly chose to apprehend Constantine.

• Shane and the others returned after Superman and Mon-El finished talking, and Jonathan and Martha welcomed Mon-El back into the Superman family.
• Shane reported his observations and theories about the Phantom Zone and recent events to Batman, carefully avoiding terms that could trigger the Dark Multiverse's 'to know is to see' phenomenon.
• Batman challenged Shane to help protect Earth, and the two argued over Shane's reluctance and the limits of Batman's transferred assets.
• Batman handed Shane a list of missions, including investigating the Starro Swarm and guarding Kyle Rayner as he rebuilt the Green Lantern Corps.
• Shane realized Batman had disguised the responsibilities he had passed back to him, then selected the mission to apprehend Constantine for exploiting the Omnidimensional Magic Defense Network.