Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Du Mu decides to give the Fear Ring to Punisher (Frank) and Blade (Eric) from Marvel World, and Green Lantern Sinestro from DC World.
• Frank is surrounded by Jigsaw's forces in a warehouse. Du Mu sends the Fear Ring to Frank, who accepts it and gains powers.
• Frank uses his new powers to terrorize and kill gangsters, absorbing their fear to charge the ring.
• Frank's actions spread fear throughout the underworld, causing gangs to abandon territory to avoid him.
• Du Mu finds Blade in Eastern Europe and gives him the Fear Ring, which he reluctantly accepts.

Character Developments

• Frank becomes a Yellow Lantern, using his powers to instill fear and punish criminals more efficiently.
• Blade becomes a Yellow Lantern, though he is initially reluctant to join the Fear Corps.

Significant Themes

• Fear as a source of power and control.
• The consequences of unchecked power and violence.
• The dual nature of heroes and villains, and the fine line between them.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu interacts with Frank and Blade, giving them the Fear Ring and initiating them into the Fear Corps.
• Frank and Blade, as Yellow Lanterns, interact with the underworld, instilling fear and punishing criminals.

Chapter summary

• Frank and Blade joined the Fear Corps, becoming reliable sources of fear for Du Mu. Blade was especially enthusiastic: Fear-made weapons could kill vampires, sparing him the immense cost of specialized gear. Though the power ruined his ability to sneak, he was content to fight openly—an approach he had learned from Du Mu.
• With fear accumulating, Du Mu unlocked Telepathy, which lets him read surface thoughts at a distance and reach deeper memories through touch. After encountering disturbing thoughts, he understood why Charles avoided mind-reading and began turning what he sensed into text to avoid absorbing it directly.
• Du Mu’s life on the main server settled into a comfortable routine. Team X, Peter and Harry, Skye, and Kamar-Taj’s mages handled much of the work; the mages’ combat skills improved, especially Strange’s. Sokovia continued developing its space and Apokolips operations, while Du Mu spent his spare time gaming and visiting other servers.
• A new instance opened. Du Mu arrived in an unfamiliar Gotham, accidentally emerging from a women’s restroom and blustering past a startled man to conceal his mistake. Recognizing Wayne Tower, he guessed the city belonged to a parallel DC universe rather than the one he knew.
• He went to Wayne Manor, expecting to find Batman, but found the house abandoned and its Batcave unusually bare. There, he saw a carefully maintained photograph of the Wayne family. A red-eyed, gun-wielding Batman then confronted him.
• The game identified the figure as Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s father, with a negative affinity score and an unsettling description: in this world, his wife is the Joker. Du Mu was shocked to find that this Batman carried a gun and seemed ready to kill—an inversion of Bruce Wayne’s usual principles.

Character developments and interactions

Blade and Frank prove well matched in their ruthless treatment of enemies, while their work lets Du Mu benefit without intervening. Du Mu’s experience with Telepathy makes him more cautious about violating privacy. In the new instance, his encounter with Thomas Wayne immediately sets up a tense contrast between this Batman and the Bruce Wayne Du Mu knows.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts the appeal and cost of power, explores the moral and psychological risks of accessing other people’s minds, and plays with alternate-universe expectations. Its ending hinges on a startling reversal: Batman is not Bruce, and this version’s apparent willingness to use a gun challenges the familiar image of the character.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Mu arrives in the Flashpoint Universe, where Batman is Thomas Wayne, not Bruce.
• Thomas Wayne's Batman is more violent and ruthless, with no no-killing rule.
• Martha Wayne is the Joker in this universe.
• Du Mu reveals he's from a parallel universe where Bruce Wayne is Batman.
• Du Mu shows Thomas evidence of Bruce's existence in his universe.
• Du Mu stays in the Batcave with Thomas Wayne.

Character Developments

• Thomas Wayne's Batman is more brutal and violent, driven by the desire to avenge his son's death.
• Du Mu reveals his friendship with Bruce Wayne from another universe.
• Thomas Wayne is initially hostile to Du Mu but warms up after learning about Bruce.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of time travel and changing the past (Flashpoint Paradox).
• The impact of parental loss on Bruce Wayne's psyche and Batman's origin.
• The contrast between Bruce Wayne's and Thomas Wayne's interpretations of Batman.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu and Thomas Wayne: Initially hostile, they become grudging allies after Du Mu reveals his connection to Bruce.
• Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne (Joker): They have a twisted, love-hate relationship as Batman and Joker.
• Du Mu and Bruce Wayne (off-page): Du Mu's friendship with Bruce is mentioned but not shown directly in this chapter.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Thomas Wayne continues questioning Du Mu about his son Bruce, hiding his concern behind banter. He learns Bruce became Batman and apparently has no serious romantic partner.
• Du Mu establishes a private base in the Batcave, which he calls the Spider Cave. Thomas continues patrolling as Batman while also building a criminal empire: he takes over Gotham’s gangs and illegal businesses, with Penguin serving as his subordinate. His control sharply reduces the city’s crime.
• With Ultron’s help, Du Mu confirms they are in the Flashpoint timeline. Barry Allen’s altered past has left Superman imprisoned, the Flash and Green Lantern powerless, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman’s broken alliance has spiraled into a devastating war between the Amazons and Atlantis.
• Barry arrives at Wayne Manor seeking Batman’s help. He mistakes Du Mu for Batman, then learns that his own trip through time caused the changed world. The revelation triggers the return of his missing memories.
• A dungeon quest appears, tasking Du Mu with stopping the war and saving the world. Barry asks whether the timeline can be restored. Du Mu suggests recreating the circumstances that gave Barry his powers so he can return to the past—and ends with the boast, “Because I’m... the failed man!”

Character developments

• Thomas’s concern for Bruce shows a softer, paternal side beneath his grim Batman persona. His version of Batman fights crime not only through vigilantism but by dominating the criminal underworld.
• Du Mu demonstrates his strategic curiosity, using Ultron to investigate the timeline and positioning himself to act once Barry appears.
• Barry shifts from confused hope at finding someone who recognizes the Flash to shock and crushing guilt when he realizes he caused the catastrophe. He nevertheless looks for a way to undo it.

Significant themes

• Consequences of changing the past: Barry’s attempt to save his mother produces widespread suffering and political catastrophe.
• The need for heroes: Du Mu argues that Superman’s absence helped allow the Amazon–Atlantis conflict to escalate unchecked.
• Power used in unexpected ways: Thomas reduces crime by becoming Gotham’s dominant crime boss, using wealth and force to impose order.
• Responsibility and redemption: Barry must confront the harm caused by his actions and consider how to repair it.

Character interactions

• Du Mu teases Thomas about Bruce, while Thomas tries to conceal his worry; Du Mu’s apparent ability to read him makes Thomas uncomfortable.
• Thomas and Du Mu coexist in the Batcave without intruding on each other’s routines.
• Barry mistakes Du Mu for Batman and urgently asks for help. Du Mu bluntly tells him he caused the timeline crisis, then tries to reassure him and proposes a way to regain his powers.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Barry Allen, the Flash, arrives in a parallel universe and meets Du Mu, who claims to be his counterpart from another timeline and a friend of Batman.
• They meet Thomas Wayne, who is Batman in this universe and has a hostile attitude towards Barry due to the changes in the timeline.
• Du Mu reveals that Reverse-Flash, Eobard Thawne, is also present in this universe.
• Barry attempts to restore his Speed Force using a makeshift device, involving lightning strikes and chemicals, with Du Mu's assistance. After multiple attempts, Barry successfully regains his Speed Force.

Character Developments

• Barry Allen: Initially confused and disoriented, Barry adapts to the new timeline and works towards restoring his Speed Force and correcting the changes he made.
• Du Mu: Proven to be resourceful and determined, Du Mu aids Barry in regaining his Speed Force and shows knowledge of Barry's past and abilities.
• Thomas Wayne: Hostile towards Barry initially, Thomas warms up to him after Barry's successful restoration of his Speed Force.

Significant Themes

• Parallel universes and their consequences.
• The importance of personal choices and their impact on the timeline.
• Friendship and teamwork in the face of adversity.

Character Interactions

• Barry and Du Mu: They form a partnership, with Du Mu guiding Barry through the new timeline and helping him regain his powers.
• Barry and Thomas Wayne: Initially hostile, their relationship improves as Barry proves his commitment to restoring the timeline.
• Du Mu and Thomas Wayne: Du Mu acts as a mediator between Barry and Thomas, helping to bridge their differences.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Barry Allen, now as The Flash, plans to alter the timeline to stop the war between Atlantis and the Amazons, but his speed is insufficient due to Reverse-Flash stealing the Speed Force.
• Du Mu reveals the severity of the war: Wonder Woman and Aquaman have turned dark and are causing massive destruction, with Aquaman planning to detonate Captain Atom as a nuclear bomb.
• Du Mu suggests forming an alliance to save the world, and Barry agrees. Du Mu reveals he has already chosen the members, including Thomas Wayne/Batman and himself.
• Du Mu and Barry infiltrate a secret government facility to rescue Superman, who has been imprisoned and experimented on since childhood.
• Du Mu and Barry successfully rescue Superman and convince him to join their alliance.

Character Developments

• Barry Allen: Shows determination to save the world and accepts Du Mu's plan to form an alliance.
• Thomas Wayne/Batman: Initially reluctant to join the alliance, he agrees after Du Mu offers him a chance to communicate with his son, Bruce.
• Clark Kent/Superman: Traumatized and weakened from years of imprisonment, he is initially fearful and confused but shows signs of regaining his powers and understanding his Kryptonian heritage under Du Mu's guidance.

Significant Themes

• The responsibility that comes with power: Du Mu emphasizes this to Clark, guiding him towards understanding his role as a superhero.
• The consequences of darkness: Wonder Woman and Aquaman's actions highlight the destructive potential of turning dark and losing one's way.

Character Interactions

• Barry and Du Mu: Work together to rescue Superman and form an alliance to save the world.
• Thomas and Du Mu: Thomas joins the alliance after Du Mu offers him a chance to communicate with Bruce.
• Clark and Du Mu: Du Mu guides Clark, helping him understand his powers and the responsibilities that come with them.
• Clark and the guards: Clark initially reacts aggressively to the guards' threat but is calmed by Du Mu's intervention.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Clark is rescued from the underground facility, but they are intercepted by military forces on the coast.
• Du Mu reveals his identity as an Angel, causing the military to halt their attack.
• Du Mu uses the Spear of Longinus to destroy a warship and part of the coastline, demonstrating his power.
• Du Mu brings Clark and Barry back to Gotham, where they meet Thomas and Cyborg.
• The American president apologizes for the incident and offers full cooperation, but Du Mu declines.

Character Developments

• Clark: Still weak and disoriented, but his true power is hinted at.
• Du Mu: Reveals his identity as an Angel and demonstrates his immense power.
• Barry: Struggles with his memories being overwritten by the new timeline.
• Victor Stone (Cyborg): Joins the Avengers and meets Du Mu, showing nervousness and eagerness to please.
• President Obama: Realizes the gravity of the situation and tries to curry favor with Du Mu.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: Du Mu's display of power causes the military to back down, but also demonstrates the destructive potential of such power.
• The struggle between free will and destiny: The characters grapple with the idea that their world is doomed to destruction, and they must find a way to save it.
• The role of government: The American government is shown to be self-serving and willing to cooperate with Du Mu only to improve their chances of entering Heaven.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu and Clark: Du Mu shows concern for Clark's well-being and believes in his potential power.
• Du Mu and Barry: Du Mu understands Barry's situation and works with him to save the world.
• Du Mu and Thomas: Du Mu kicks Thomas away in a friendly manner, showing their camaraderie.
• Du Mu and Victor: Du Mu reassures Victor and accepts him as part of the Avengers, but also warns him about the government's involvement.
• President Obama and Du Mu: The president apologizes to Du Mu and offers cooperation, but Du Mu declines, showing his disdain for the government's self-serving nature.

Summary: “Yellow Lantern Hal”

Key Plot Points

• The US government in this universe has imprisoned and experimented on Superman (Clark), making an already dangerous situation worse.
• Du Mu recruits Clark by explaining his Kryptonian origins and showing him a Superman movie. Clark, initially nameless, chooses to be called “Clark” and agrees to join the Avengers.
• Du Mu gives a Yellow Power Ring to this world’s Hal Jordan—an ordinary man here—and Hal becomes the Yellow Lantern after struggling to recite the Fear Corps oath.
• The Avengers team grows to include Du Mu, Barry, Victor, Thomas, Clark, and Hal. Mission progress reaches 5/7 members; Wonder Woman and Aquaman are still enemies.
• They learn Aquaman has hidden Captain Atom in the deep sea as a doomsday threat. If Captain Atom detonates, Earth could be destroyed.
• The group splits up:
  • Clark, Victor, Hal → find and rescue Captain Atom.
  • Du Mu, Barry, Thomas → travel to Europe to stop the war between Atlantis and the Amazons.
• At New Themyscira, Queen Diana (Wonder Woman) is an extreme feminist tyrant who kills men and brainwashes women into Amazon warriors. Aquaman/Arthur launches a massive invasion.
• Du Mu’s plane is shot down; the team is surrounded by Atlantis soldiers. Du Mu tries a failed bluff about a “royal trident,” then uses runic armor and the Spear of Longinus to kill the soldiers.

Character Developments

• Clark: Goes from a lab-raised prisoner with no identity to choosing the name “Clark” and accepting friendship/teamwork.
• Hal Jordan: Becomes a Yellow Lantern, joining the Fear Corps and Avengers despite comedic difficulty with the oath.
• Du Mu: Acts as leader/recruiter, strategizing missions and handling threats directly.
• Diana/Arthur: In this timeline, both are villains—Diana is a man-hating conqueror; Arthur is a ruthless tyrant king of Atlantis.

Significant Themes

• Alternate universes can turn heroes into villains.
• Government incompetence often makes situations worse.
• Recruitment and redemption of lost/alternate heroes.
• War as a backdrop for superhero intervention.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu explains Clark’s origins and comforts him by promising friendship.
• Barry and Du Mu joke about Flash/Green Lantern movie flops.
• Hal awkwardly joins and is welcomed into the team.
• Victor provides intelligence and warns about the coming battle.
• Du Mu, Barry, and Thomas work together after being shot down, ending with Du Mu fighting Atlantis soldiers.

Chapter Summary: "Not Motionless, Just Numb Feet"

Key Plot Points

• Du Mu and Barry engage Atlantean soldiers; Du Mu kills them despite the no-killing rule, claiming Atlanteans have different constitutions (obviously a flimsy excuse)
• Barry uses super-speed to scout ahead for Wonder Woman and Aquaman; Du Mu flies Thomas (Batman) into the air to search
• They observe a massive war: Atlantean soldiers vs. Amazon warriors, with the Human Resistance (a small group of ~dozen superheroes and supervillains, including Lois Lane) caught between both sides
• The Resistance is nearly overwhelmed until a Hell Beast charges their line; Du Mu kills it with the Spear of Longinus, making a dramatic angelic entrance
• Atlanteans and Amazons temporarily ally to focus fire on Du Mu; his attack does nothing
• Du Mu unleashes a devastating new spell — hundreds of golden Spear of Longinus phantoms that rain down, annihilating both armies
• He heals the Resistance using his "Redemption" equipment, which restores health in an area
• Du Mu introduces himself as "the captain of the Avengers," a newly formed superhero organization

Character Developments

• Du Mu: Displays theatrical showmanship, ruthless pragmatism in war, and growing power. He deliberately stages a spectacular angelic entrance to awe the Resistance and harvests fear from dying enemies to refill his power. Positioned himself as a leader/savior figure.
• Barry: Troubled by Du Mu's killing but accepts that war makes casualties unavoidable.
• Thomas (Batman): Undignified — thrown into the air, dropped into the Resistance, and lands so badly both feet go numb (hence the title). Maintains a composed facade despite being immobile.
• Lois Lane: Shown as remarkably resilient ("Reporter Hero" trope), unharmed amid injured superhumans, fighting competently with an Atlantean rifle.

Significant Themes

• War's Brutality: Casualties are unavoidable; Du Mu justifies mass killing as necessary to end the larger war
• Illusions and Image: Du Mu weaponizes religious/angelic imagery to manipulate perception; his divine appearance masks pragmatic violence
• Desperate Alliances: Previously warring factions unite against a common, greater threat
• Humanity's Weakness: The Resistance, despite their abilities, are overwhelmed and powerless without outside help
• Salvation vs. Domination: Du Mu's "rescue" frames itself as hope but establishes his authority over Earth's defense

Character Interactions

• Du Mu & Barry: Continued partnership; Barry reluctantly accepts Du Mu's methods
• Du Mu & Thomas: Comedic pairing — Du Mu handles Thomas like cargo, showing little respect for his dignity
• Du Mu & Resistance: They mistake him for a divine angel; he corrects them with the "Avengers" cover story, earning gratitude and religious devotion from some members
• Lois & Du Mu: First interaction; she is cautiously hopeful about their mysterious savior

Key Plot Points

• Human Resistance celebrates Earth being saved, but Du Mu’s attempt to recruit them into the Avengers fails—they aren’t famous enough. Lois almost qualifies, but her “Reporter Hero” identity doesn’t count.
• Du Mu warns the Resistance the area will become dangerous, gives them Hellfire Skin powers, and leaves with Thomas.
• Barry locates Wonder Woman and Aquaman, so Du Mu and Thomas fly to the city center, where Atlantis and Amazon forces are slaughtering each other.
• Diana and Arthur are locked in a brutal personal duel. Arthur accuses Diana of killing his wife Mera; Diana wears Mera’s helmet as a trophy and warning.
• Du Mu decides the only way to stop Aquaman from possibly detonating Captain Atom is to give Atlantis and the Amazons a common enemy—so he will pretend to be a major villain.
• Du Mu appears before Diana and Arthur as “Destroyer, Lord of Fear,” taunting them and claiming they are his food.
• Arthur attacks but is restrained by tentacles; Diana’s sword strike is blocked by golden runic armor. She binds Du Mu with the Lasso of Truth and demands his identity.
• Du Mu answers: “I am your father.” Chapter ends on that cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Du Mu: Shows strategic thinking, using chaos to manipulate enemies into uniting. Enjoys over-the-top villain theatrics, but still has a hero’s goal.
• Arthur (Aquaman): Grief-stricken and rage-blinded after Mera’s death; impulsive and reckless, but still dangerous.
• Diana (Wonder Woman): Cold, ruthless, and vengeful. Wears her enemy’s helmet as a warning and openly despises Arthur for betraying her.
• Barry/Thomas: Act as cautious strategists, questioning Du Mu’s plans but ultimately trusting his lead.

Significant Themes

• Uniting through a common enemy: Du Mu points out that humanity united against Atlantis/Amazons; he tries the same trick on both warring factions.
• Betrayal and grudges: Arthur and Diana’s past romance turns into murderous hatred, showing how personal wounds fuel larger conflicts.
• Identity and deception: Du Mu’s fake villain persona raises questions about who the real “good guy” is—and foreshadows a shocking identity reveal.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu & Human Resistance: Disappointed by recruitment failure, but helps them with Hellfire buffs.
• Arthur & Diana: Explosive confrontation filled with accusations, raw emotion, and devastating swordplay.
• Du Mu, Barry & Thomas: Tactical discussion about preventing Captain Atom’s detonation; Barry/Thomas dryly note Du Mu doesn’t need to “pretend” to be a villain.
• Du Mu vs. Arthur & Diana: Du Mu easily counters both, forcing them to stop fighting each other and face an unknown threat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Mu, Diana's alleged father, appears and reveals that Arthur is his son, making Diana and Arthur potential siblings.
• Diana uses the Lasso of Truth on Du Mu, but he resists its power, revealing his immunity to it.
• Du Mu demonstrates powerful abilities, including transferring his heart to avoid Diana's fatal strike.
• Du Mu summons a shadow legion to battle against the Atlantis soldiers and Amazon warriors.
• Arthur challenges Du Mu to a one-on-one fight, which Du Mu accepts, leading to a fierce battle between them and Diana.

Character Developments

• Diana: Stands her ground against Du Mu, using her powers and weapons but struggles to overpower him.
• Arthur: Initially shocked by Du Mu's revelations, later challenges Du Mu to a fight but is easily overpowered.
• Du Mu: Reveals his true power, demonstrating immunity to the Lasso of Truth and summoning a shadow legion. He also displays a unique skill, Weakness Transfer, allowing him to move his organs within his body.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics: Du Mu's immunity to the Lasso of Truth and his summoning of a shadow legion shift the power balance, making him a formidable opponent.
• Siblingship: The revelation that Diana and Arthur could be siblings creates tension and raises questions about their relationship.
• Trust and deception: Du Mu's ability to resist the Lasso of Truth calls into question the reliability of information obtained through it, raising issues of trust and deception.

Character Interactions

• Diana and Du Mu: Engage in a fierce battle, with Diana trying to uncover the truth about Du Mu's identity and intentions.
• Arthur and Du Mu: Arthur challenges Du Mu to a one-on-one fight, leading to a battle that reveals Du Mu's immense power.
• Atlantis soldiers and Amazon warriors: Initially enemies, they unite against Du Mu when he uses Arthur as a human shield and hidden weapon.
• Diana and Arthur: Their potential sibling relationship creates tension, with Arthur questioning his entire life and Diana growing increasingly angry at him.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Diana and Arthur temporarily team up to fight Du Mu, but struggle due to his ability to transfer weaknesses and heal rapidly.
• Du Mu reveals that Arthur planned to detonate Captain Atom, a super nuclear bomb, to destroy Atlantis and potentially the Earth.
• Du Mu's teammates rescue Captain Atom, foiling Arthur's plan.
• Reverse-Flash, Eobard Thawne, appears and stabs Diana, preventing her from surrendering.
• Barry Allen, now a speedster, confronts Thawne, but Du Mu shoots Barry, proving that speedsters can't dodge bullets.

Character Developments

• Diana and Arthur set aside their differences to fight Du Mu, but ultimately fail due to his overwhelming power and strategy.
• Du Mu demonstrates his ability to act weak to manipulate his enemies and buy time.
• Arthur's true colors are revealed as he admits to his plan to destroy the Earth.
• Barry Allen regains his speedster abilities and confronts Thawne, but is shot by Du Mu.

Significant Themes

• The power of manipulation and strategy over brute force.
• The consequences of hidden agendas and betrayal.
• The futility of trying to outsmart fate or destiny.

Character Interactions

• Diana and Arthur temporarily work together against Du Mu, but their alliance crumbles after Arthur's true intentions are revealed.
• Du Mu manipulates Diana and Arthur, playing on their desperation and fear to prevent Arthur from detonating Captain Atom.
• Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne face off, with Thawne initially mistakenly believing Barry to be Wally West, Kid Flash.
• Du Mu shoots Barry, demonstrating the universal law that speedsters can't dodge bullets.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, survives Du Mu’s first shot by using the Speed Force to vibrate his body and let the bullet pass through his head.
• Du Mu fires several more tracking bullets. Although Thawne evades them and phases through ruins, the bullets curve after him, forcing him to use debris as cover.
• Thawne attacks Du Mu, but Barry Allen intercepts him. Their speedster battle ends with Thawne overpowering Barry, knocking him down, and impaling his thigh with an iron pipe.
• Thawne then attacks Du Mu with a lethal vibrating hand blade. Du Mu activates the Snail Ray, drastically reducing Thawne’s speed and disabling his molecular-vibration technique.
• Thawne’s slowed hand strikes Du Mu’s sternum and breaks his own fingers. Du Mu counterattacks, prompting Thawne to retreat.
• Du Mu pursues the weakened Thawne. He blinds him with a burst of light, causing him to trip over a rock and crash through the ruins.
• Du Mu breaks both of Thawne’s legs and interrogates him about the “lord” behind the conflict. Thawne begins to reveal the answer, but Du Mu reads the name from his mind and shoots him before he can finish speaking.
• The hidden mastermind then appears: Ares, the God of War.
• Ares admits that he manipulated Diana’s sister Artemis and Arthur’s brother Orm, arranging the sabotage of a royal wedding to provoke war between the Amazons and Atlantis.
• His goal was to involve humanity as well, creating a massive global war that could satisfy his appetite for conflict.
• Ares reveals that he recruited Reverse-Flash after discovering him, but considers Thawne expendable. He now intends to personally fight Du Mu, whom he views as the most valuable “ingredient” in his war-fueled feast.

Character Developments

• Du Mu demonstrates increasingly ruthless and strategic behavior. He combines firearms, mind-reading, and the Snail Ray to neutralize Thawne, then kills him after extracting the information he needs.
• Eobard Thawne is shown as arrogant but pragmatic. Once his speed is reduced, he abandons his attack and attempts a “strategic retreat,” but Du Mu defeats and humiliates him.
• Barry Allen proves willing to protect Du Mu despite their tense circumstances, confronting Thawne to prevent him from attacking. However, he is decisively outmatched and badly injured.
• Ares is introduced as the true villain. He is charismatic, theatrical, manipulative, and obsessed with creating war on a world-destroying scale.
• Du Mu is identified as a New God, making him a uniquely powerful and desirable opponent in Ares’s eyes.

Significant Themes

• Speed versus strategy: Thawne’s overwhelming speed becomes useless once Du Mu finds a way to reduce it. The battle emphasizes that exploiting an opponent’s weakness can matter more than raw power.
• The danger of arrogance: Thawne repeatedly underestimates Du Mu, while Du Mu uses surprise, specialized equipment, and deception to defeat him.
• Manipulation behind conflict: The wars between major factions are revealed to be artificially engineered by Ares, suggesting that large-scale violence may be driven by hidden powers.
• Moral ambiguity and broken promises: Du Mu claims to be a superhero and promises to release Thawne if he answers, but kills him before he can finish. His literal interpretation highlights his lack of conventional heroic morality.
• War as sustenance and spectacle: Ares treats war as both nourishment and entertainment, viewing nations and people as ingredients in an enormous feast.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu and Thawne: Their confrontation shifts from a battle of speed to one of tactics and psychological dominance. Du Mu first outmaneuvers Thawne, then interrogates and executes him.
• Thawne and Barry: Their rivalry is intensely personal. Thawne taunts Barry and threatens to make him watch his allies die, while Barry intervenes to protect Du Mu.
• Du Mu and Ares: Their first exchange is a clash of opposing personalities. Ares proudly explains his scheme and treats Du Mu as a rare prize, while Du Mu mocks the impracticality of Ares’s plan and prepares for the coming confrontation.
• Ares and Thawne: Ares used Thawne as an agent by offering him benefits, but shows little concern for his death. He considers himself vastly superior and takes personal responsibility for defeating Du Mu.

Chapter Summary: “God of War vs. God of War”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ares, the Greek God of War, appears as the true opponent after Du Mu’s earlier confrontation with a disguised “boss.”
• Du Mu provokes Ares by mocking his poor mythological reputation, his defeats at Athena’s hands, and his strained relationship with Zeus. Mentioning Zeus sends Ares into a rage.
• Ares attacks with scarlet energy from his cane, which transforms into a massive double-bladed battle axe. Du Mu blocks the attack with a fear-energy shield and the Spear of Longinus.
• The two engage in a destructive clash of divine power. Ares is thrilled because he considers it the genuine “battle of gods” he had been seeking.
• Ares explains, through his actions and thoughts, that the ongoing worldwide war continually strengthens him. He had previously been disappointed that the conflict between Diana and Arthur did not produce a true divine war, so he decides to fight Du Mu personally and draw power from their battle.
• Ares transforms into a heavily armored, horned war form using metal and stone drawn from the ruins.
• Du Mu attacks with hundreds of golden energy blades. Ares counters by raising layers of stone walls, then launches the debris back at him.
• Ares uses close-range ambushes and rapid axe strikes, while Du Mu defends with black tentacles from his yellow garment and matches Ares in spear combat.
• Their battle becomes so powerful that fighters throughout the distant battlefield stop to watch the two gods fighting.
• Both combatants are strengthened by the war: Ares by the scale and duration of the conflict, and Du Mu by the fear energy gathered from the battlefield and the increasing boost of his Sin of Pride ability under the morning sun.
• Ares realizes that Du Mu’s strength is continuously increasing. Du Mu jokingly claims to be the “God of Battle,” causing Ares to envy what he sees as a more convenient divine domain.
• Concerned that Du Mu will continue growing stronger, Ares changes tactics. He rises into the sky, summons storm clouds, and captures lightning in his hand.
• Du Mu confidently attempts to summon Max with the Pure Iron Poke Ball, expecting Max to neutralize the lightning. The chapter ends when the ball fails to respond, and Du Mu realizes he has already released Max.

Character Developments

• Du Mu: Remains arrogant, provocative, and highly adaptable. He combines physical combat, magic-like golden blades, fear energy, tentacle defenses, and tactical abilities. His power steadily increases during battle, revealing that prolonged combat favors him as much as it does Ares. However, his confidence is briefly shaken when he discovers that Max is unavailable.
• Ares: Is portrayed as proud, impulsive, battle-obsessed, and insecure about his reputation and relationship with Zeus. Despite his reckless personality, he is not foolish; he recognizes Du Mu’s growing advantage and switches from direct combat to lightning-based attacks. His excitement comes from finally finding a worthy divine opponent.
• Relationship between Du Mu and Ares: Their rivalry develops into a contest between two beings who grow stronger through conflict. Both enjoy the battle, though Du Mu treats it with mocking humor while Ares approaches it with fanatical enthusiasm.

Significant Themes

• War as a source of power: Ares literally feeds on the scale and continuation of war, while Du Mu gains strength from the fear and emotional energy war creates.
• Battle versus victory: Ares embodies warfare itself but is mocked for repeatedly losing, highlighting the difference between loving combat and actually winning.
• Identity and divine domains: Du Mu’s claim to be the “God of Battle” creates a humorous contrast with Ares’s title and suggests that divine powers may overlap or evolve according to their users.
• Pride and provocation: Du Mu’s taunts repeatedly manipulate Ares into reckless action, showing how psychological warfare can be as important as physical strength.
• Improvisation and adaptability: Both gods use varied abilities rather than relying on a single fighting style—Ares shifts between weapons, armor, terrain manipulation, and lightning, while Du Mu combines weapons, shields, magic, energy conversion, and summoned powers.
• Humor amid epic conflict: Mythological jokes, insults about Zeus and Ares, and Du Mu’s comparisons to Thor and a “Dark Arts Defense teacher” undercut the seriousness of the divine battle.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu deliberately insults Ares’s family history and reputation, provoking him into attacking.
• Ares praises Du Mu’s strength and openly enjoys their confrontation, treating it as the divine war he has long desired.
• Du Mu mocks Ares for using magic and suggests that he should fight Zeus instead, while Ares avoids responding to the insult.
• Ares questions Du Mu’s identity after noticing that his strength rises throughout the battle. Du Mu answers with the deliberately misleading title “God of Battle.”
• Their prolonged exchange shifts from direct weapon combat to a strategic escalation, ending with Ares preparing a lightning attack and Du Mu’s intended countermeasure unexpectedly failing.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Mu is attacked by Ares, who launches a devastating lightning spear at him. Barry arrives just in time to rescue him, having fully recovered his speed after Eobard Thawne’s death returned the stolen Speed Force to him.
• Barry and Du Mu evade Ares’s lightning barrage. Du Mu discovers that his Veteran Driver Soul skill can control Barry like a vehicle, allowing him to steer Barry’s movements with exceptional precision.
• To counter Ares’s ability to fly, Du Mu covers Barry in Hellfire and enchants his suit. Barry gains a blood-red armored appearance and the ability to run through the air.
• Du Mu rides on Barry’s shoulders and charges Ares, combining Barry’s speed with his own spear attacks. They successfully break through Ares’s lightning defenses, and Du Mu impales Ares with the Spear of Longinus.
• Ares survives the attack by absorbing the blood energy generated by the surrounding battlefield. He transforms into a massive, more powerful war form and declares that he cannot die as long as war continues.
• Ares overwhelms Du Mu with his enhanced strength, knocking him from the sky and bombarding him with lightning. Barry rescues Du Mu, but Du Mu admits that he cannot fight effectively while constantly avoiding Ares’s lightning.
• Du Mu gives Barry a Lightning Rod and orders him to run around the battlefield. He then deliberately draws Ares’s attention and charges into the storm to hold him off.
• The Lightning Rod attracts all of Ares’s lightning away from Du Mu and toward Barry. Barry flees in panic while Ares mistakenly assumes he may be another of Zeus’s lightning-related sons.

Character Developments

• Du Mu demonstrates increasing creativity and ruthlessness in battle. He treats Barry as a literal mount, combining their abilities into a highly effective combat strategy.
• Du Mu’s discovery that Barry can be controlled through the “Veteran Driver Soul” skill allows him to exploit the Speed Force far beyond ordinary cooperation.
• Barry returns to peak condition after absorbing the Speed Force released by Thawne’s death. Although embarrassed and frustrated by Du Mu’s treatment of him as a vehicle, he willingly risks himself to protect and assist Du Mu.
• Barry begins to recognize Du Mu’s heroic qualities despite Du Mu’s villainous methods and unreliable personality. However, Du Mu immediately undercuts this impression by using Barry as bait for Ares’s lightning.
• Ares reveals that the battlefield itself empowers him. His transformation emphasizes his identity as a god sustained by war, violence, and bloodshed.

Significant Themes

• Unorthodox teamwork: Du Mu and Barry’s partnership succeeds because they combine speed, magic, and tactical improvisation rather than relying on conventional combat.
• The fusion of power and technology/magic: Du Mu’s Hellfire enchantment transforms Barry’s natural abilities, showing how different power systems can be combined to create new advantages.
• War as a source of power: Ares embodies the destructive cycle of conflict, drawing strength directly from the battlefield and claiming that war makes him effectively immortal.
• Heroism versus selfishness: Barry sees Du Mu’s willingness to face danger as heroic, but Du Mu’s immediate use of Barry as bait complicates that image.
• Comedic subversion of epic warfare: The chapter contrasts grand divine combat with the absurd image of Du Mu riding Barry into battle, turning a speedster into a “mount.”

Character Interactions

• Barry rescues Du Mu from Ares’s initial attack, though Du Mu complains about being carried in a compromising position.
• Du Mu rides Barry while fleeing and fighting, causing Barry embarrassment and disbelief.
• Du Mu uses Hellfire to transform Barry’s suit and grants him the ability to run through the air, treating the enhancement casually as “a little magic.”
• Together, they perform a high-speed assault on Ares, with Barry serving as Du Mu’s steed and Du Mu as the attacker.
• After Ares defeats them temporarily, Du Mu asks Barry for help. Barry agrees immediately, showing trust and loyalty.
• Du Mu then gives Barry the Lightning Rod and uses him to redirect Ares’s attacks, while Barry reacts with terrified confusion and Ares misinterprets the situation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Mu and Barry continue fighting Ares amid a massive lightning storm. Ares repeatedly targets both of them with lightning, much to Barry’s frustration.
• Du Mu provokes Ares into engaging in close combat, then immediately tricks him by firing an energy beam from the Ultron Armor before unleashing a coordinated barrage from the Spear of Longinus, firearms, and weapon-wielding black tentacles.
• Ares initially suffers severe injuries but uses his battle-enhanced blood energy to heal and gradually regain control. Their clash becomes so powerful that everyone on the battlefield stops fighting to watch.
• Ares’s strength increases because the escalating war amplifies his power as the God of War. He transforms into a much larger, more powerful form and lands a devastating blow that sends Du Mu crashing through buildings.
• Ares traps Du Mu inside a massive boulder and attempts to split him in two with his axe. Du Mu survives by injecting himself with Super Steroids, greatly increasing his physical strength and allowing him to break free.
• Du Mu reverses the situation, catches Ares off guard, and brutally attacks him with an elbow strike, falling building, punches, and Fear Power shackles. He pins Ares down and repeatedly beats his head while preventing him from concentrating.
• Ares attempts to summon lightning to attack Du Mu, but the bolts are redirected elsewhere because of Barry’s ability to absorb or divert lightning.
• Ares escapes and prepares to continue the fight. Du Mu jokes that he is staying away because approaching Ares makes it easy to get struck by lightning.
• Du Mu then secretly places a “relay baton”—a slender needle—on Ares. This causes the surrounding lightning to redirect toward Ares, who is engulfed in a prolonged storm and left charred and apparently defeated.

Character Developments

• Du Mu demonstrates his deceptive, improvisational fighting style. He combines advanced armor technology, the Spear of Longinus, Fear Power, hidden weapons, physical enhancement, and psychological taunts rather than adhering to straightforward combat.
• Du Mu also reinforces his identity as a “God of Battle,” literally becoming stronger as the battle continues through the use of Super Steroids and his ability to adapt under pressure.
• Ares is shown as both immensely powerful and highly experienced. He can heal rapidly, use telekinesis, control lightning, and grow stronger through warfare. However, his pride and temper make him vulnerable to Du Mu’s provocations and tricks.
• Ares becomes increasingly enraged and humiliated as Du Mu repeatedly outmaneuvers him, culminating in his battered, swollen, lightning-charred state.
• Barry remains essential despite not being the main combatant: his lightning-related ability repeatedly interferes with Ares’s attacks and ultimately helps create the setup for Ares’s defeat.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus brute force: Du Mu repeatedly defeats Ares’s superior physical power through deception, technology, improvisation, and exploiting openings.
• Power fueled by conflict: Ares grows stronger as the war intensifies, illustrating how violence sustains and empowers the God of War.
• Battle as spectacle: The fight becomes so destructive that the original war’s participants stop fighting and watch, emphasizing the overwhelming scale of divine combat.
• Humor amid destruction: Du Mu’s sarcastic commentary, cheating tactics, and exaggerated attacks contrast with the apocalyptic violence.
• The danger of arrogance: Ares’s pride causes him to accept Du Mu’s challenge and underestimate his willingness to use tricks and unconventional weapons.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu constantly taunts Ares, manipulating his pride into abandoning long-range attacks for close combat.
• Ares angrily objects when Du Mu combines “close combat” with energy cannons, tentacles, firearms, and surprise attacks.
• Their battle shifts repeatedly: Ares dominates after powering up, but Du Mu regains the advantage through the Super Steroids and a series of humiliating physical attacks.
• Barry indirectly supports Du Mu by drawing away or redirecting Ares’s lightning.
• In the final exchange, Du Mu exploits Ares’s own lightning against him, turning Ares’s confidence that Zeus is absent into a setup for his apparent defeat.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Mu defeats Ares by recalling the Lightning Rod, using it against him, and then summoning an enormous Spear of Longinus made from Fear Power. The spear devastates the battlefield and leaves Ares gravely weakened.
• Because Ares is a rule-based god who draws strength from ongoing war, the attack does not kill him. Du Mu therefore summons the God of Death through the Death Mask.
• The God of Death extracts Ares’s soul. Ares temporarily resists, but after his soul is struck by the God of Death’s scythe, Du Mu kicks him into the creature’s body, where his soul is sealed and devoured. Ares’s physical body then turns to ash.
• Du Mu returns to Diana and Arthur and reveals that Ares orchestrated the entire conflict between the Amazons and Atlantis to feed on the power generated by war.
• He claims that Ares controlled Artemis and Orm, manipulated events leading to Hippolyta’s death and Mera’s attempted assassination of Diana, and influenced Diana into killing Mera.
• Du Mu further blames Ares for Diana’s altered personality and actions, claiming that Mera’s helmet contained magic that corrupted Diana’s mind. Arthur accepts this explanation and concludes that Ares was responsible for all their mistakes.
• With Ares dead and the truth—or a convenient version of it—revealed, Atlantis and the Amazons agree to surrender and end the war. Atlantis withdraws to the sea, while the Amazons leave New Themyscira and return the land to humanity.

2. Character Developments

• Du Mu: Demonstrates overwhelming power and strategic cunning. He not only defeats Ares physically but also uses the God of Death to neutralize his supernatural immortality. He then manipulates the survivors’ understanding of the war, shifting all blame onto Ares to quickly secure peace.
• Ares: Is reduced from an apparently invincible god to a helpless victim. His belief in his own status as the God of War collapses when he is defeated, soul-sealed, and mocked by Du Mu.
• Diana: Learns that Ares supposedly manipulated her actions and begins to doubt her own memories and responsibility for Mera’s death. She reluctantly supports Du Mu’s explanation despite recognizing that something about it feels suspicious.
• Arthur: Initially challenges Du Mu’s account, especially regarding Mera’s death, but gradually accepts that Ares controlled everyone. He experiences guilt and confusion before choosing surrender and peace.
• Barry: Serves as an outside observer and readily believes Du Mu’s explanation, expressing outrage at Ares and helping underscore the absurdity of the situation.
• The God of Death: Appears as Du Mu’s execution tool, extracting and devouring Ares’s soul. Its mysterious scythe and unusual weapon resemble a Zanpakutō, adding a comedic element to its terrifying presence.

3. Significant Themes

• The end of war: The chapter resolves the central conflict by removing the being who benefits from warfare and establishing a ceasefire between Atlantis and the Amazons.
• Manipulation and blame: Du Mu uses Ares as a universal scapegoat, whether or not every accusation is true. The chapter humorously explores how easily people accept a simple explanation for complex tragedies.
• Power and immortality: Ares’s divine status and connection to war make him difficult to kill, but Du Mu overcomes this by attacking his soul rather than merely destroying his body.
• Moral ambiguity: Du Mu presents himself as the force ending the war, yet he lies or selectively reshapes the truth to achieve that goal. Peace is restored through deception.
• Comedy amid destruction: The narration undercuts the epic battle with jokes about Ares’s vulnerability to lightning, his nakedness, the God of Death’s suspiciously Japanese weapon, and Arthur’s apparent stupidity.

4. Character Interactions

• Du Mu humiliates and defeats Ares, then personally ensures that he cannot escape by kicking him into the God of Death’s soul-devouring body.
• Du Mu explains the conspiracy to Diana and Arthur, positioning himself as the authority who understands what truly happened.
• Arthur confronts Diana over Mera’s death, but Du Mu interrupts and supplies explanations that absolve Diana and implicate Ares.
• Diana recognizes that Du Mu’s version may be questionable, but his intimidating glance pressures her into agreeing with him.
• Arthur and Diana ultimately accept that they were manipulated and choose to end hostilities.
• Barry enthusiastically supports Du Mu’s condemnation of Ares, reinforcing the chapter’s recurring joke that “Ares had done every evil deed.”

Chapter Summary: “Hacking Also Follows the Laws of Physics”

Plot and Major Events

• After Ares accepts responsibility for the war, Diana and Arthur surrender to Du Mu, intimidated by his overwhelming power. Their surrender ends the conflict between Atlantis, the Amazons, and the Human Resistance.
• Du Mu completes the “Savior” dungeon mission and receives experience, attribute points, the Power Bank skill, the Homewrecker Blade, an Invisible Plane, and the dangerous God of War Helmet.
• He leaves Diana and Arthur to humanity’s forces rather than personally judging them, reasoning that the weakened Atlantis and Amazons are no longer an overwhelming threat.
• Du Mu reunites with Clark’s group, which includes Captain Atom, Lex Luthor, and Deathstroke. Luthor had attempted to find the Doomsday device but was rescued by Clark after Atlantis destroyed his fleet.
• Impressed by Clark’s strength and morality, Luthor decides that Superman should become humanity’s protector. Du Mu recruits Luthor, Captain Atom, and Deathstroke into the Avengers, completing the “Savior Alliance” mission.
• The second mission grants Du Mu additional rewards, including a protective Shield, a Strength Pill, and a Traversal Card capable of transporting willing people to another universe where an anchor exists.
• Du Mu distributes his attribute points more evenly, raising his Strength and Spirit to 120 and his Constitution and Speed to 87.
• Barry prepares to return to his own universe before his memories are rewritten. Thomas gives him a letter for Bruce, and Du Mu reminds Barry to say goodbye to his mother first.
• Thomas confronts Du Mu about his forgotten promise to let him communicate with Bruce. Instead of a video call, Du Mu offers to take Thomas to Bruce’s universe using the Traversal Card. Thomas immediately agrees and seeks Clark’s help in preparing.
• While waiting, Du Mu orders Ultron to hack government systems for information about Clark. Ultron fails because Victor has installed a powerful firewall. Du Mu then “hacks” the system by persuading Victor to disable the firewall, joking that hacking also involves physics and personal influence—not merely programming.

Character Development

• Du Mu remains powerful, irreverent, and opportunistic. He shows little interest in political consequences after completing his mission, but he does help build alliances and reunite Thomas with Bruce. His humor and ability to exploit loopholes continue to define him.
• Diana and Arthur shift from powerful aggressors to defeated prisoners, forced to surrender when confronted with Du Mu’s superior strength.
• Lex Luthor undergoes a major ideological reversal. Rather than believing humanity can stand alone, he concludes that humanity needs Superman as a guardian and becomes devoted to supporting Clark.
• Clark/Superman establishes himself as an extraordinary protector. His ability to rescue Luthor’s group and Captain Atom almost effortlessly convinces Luthor that he is humanity’s necessary savior.
• Thomas demonstrates his deep attachment to Bruce. Despite suspecting Du Mu’s schemes, he accepts any cost for the chance to see his son.
• Barry remains focused on returning to save his own world, though Du Mu’s reminder causes him to briefly prioritize saying goodbye to his mother.
• Ultron is humbled when it cannot defeat Victor’s firewall and sees Du Mu bypass the problem through social manipulation instead of technical skill.

Significant Themes

• Power and surrender: The war ends not through negotiation but because Du Mu’s overwhelming strength leaves the opposing leaders no alternative.
• The role of a savior: Luthor’s changing beliefs highlight how societies’ ideals depend on their circumstances. In worlds with Superman, he champions human independence; in this world, he sees Superman as essential.
• Family and emotional attachment: Thomas’s willingness to cross universes for Bruce and Barry’s desire to say goodbye to his mother emphasize that personal bonds matter even amid cosmic conflicts.
• Technology versus unconventional intelligence: Ultron’s technical limitations contrast with Du Mu’s practical manipulation of Victor, suggesting that “hacking” can depend on persuasion, authority, and understanding people as much as code.
• The dangers of power: The God of War Helmet offers immense strength but threatens to destroy the wearer’s sanity, reinforcing that great power often carries severe consequences.
• Cross-universe connection: The Traversal Card introduces the possibility of moving people between universes, though its one-way nature makes such travel a serious sacrifice.

Important Character Interactions

• Du Mu, Diana, and Arthur: Du Mu’s intimidating presence forces both leaders to surrender and end the war.
• Du Mu and Luthor: Du Mu recruits Luthor into the Avengers, exploiting Luthor’s admiration for Clark.
• Luthor and Clark: Luthor becomes convinced that Clark should serve as humanity’s guardian after witnessing his effortless rescues.
• Du Mu and Deathstroke: Du Mu asks about Wade, revealing the family connection between Deathstroke and the Marvel character.
• Du Mu, Barry, and Thomas: Du Mu reminds Barry to visit his mother and later offers Thomas a chance to meet Bruce directly.
• Du Mu, Ultron, and Victor: Ultron fails to breach Victor’s firewall, while Du Mu convinces Victor to disable it, playfully presenting persuasion as a form of hacking.

Chapter Summary: “Bruce Had a Cheerful Mother”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Du Mu destroys the government firewall, Ultron infiltrates the system and releases Clark/Superman’s complete history of imprisonment and experimentation, along with the names of those involved.
• The revelations spread worldwide just after Clark defeats Atlantis and the Amazons, causing massive public outrage—especially in America. Citizens learn that Superman could have ended the war earlier but was secretly treated as a test subject.
• Other nations condemn America and invite Superman to join them. Luthor panics at the possibility of losing Superman and begins using his influence to protect him, even considering taking the presidency.
• Clark returns with Thomas Wayne and Martha, who is this world’s female Joker. Martha and Thomas are Batman and the Joker from another universe, and they are both Bruce Wayne’s biological parents.
• Du Mu brings Thomas and Martha to Bruce’s universe using a travel card before Barry can potentially reset the timeline.
• Upon arriving in Gotham, Thomas decides Bruce should abandon the Batman identity. He proposes psychologically destroying Bruce’s life or joining villains to force him into retirement. Martha angrily rejects this, threatening to kill Thomas if he harms their son.
• Martha instead suggests eliminating Gotham’s criminals so Bruce will have no reason to remain Batman. Du Mu points out that the more immediate challenge is finding a believable way to introduce them to Bruce.
• Meanwhile, Bruce returns to the Batcave with Damian, a ten-year-old boy who claims to be Bruce’s biological son. Damian says his mother identifies Bruce as his father, though Damian himself has not accepted Bruce yet.
• Alfred is stunned but delighted by the discovery, believing Bruce has finally started a family. Du Mu records the awkward father-son meeting and mocks Bruce, confirming that he installed cameras in the Batcave.

Character Developments

• Du Mu continues manipulating events from the sidelines. He exposes Clark’s abuse, moves Thomas and Martha across universes, and treats the unfolding family drama as entertainment. His willingness to spy on Bruce and record embarrassing moments highlights his shameless, mischievous nature.
• Ultron demonstrates extreme efficiency by extracting and globally distributing Clark’s records almost immediately.
• Clark/Superman gains worldwide public sympathy and becomes politically valuable to multiple nations. His status shifts from hidden prisoner to internationally coveted hero.
• Luthor becomes unusually protective and politically aggressive toward Superman, revealing how much he values possessing Superman as an ally and asset.
• Thomas Wayne is revealed to be a loving but dangerously misguided father. He wants Bruce to stop being Batman and is willing to traumatize him or destroy his life to achieve that goal.
• Martha Wayne, despite being a murderous Joker in this universe, becomes fiercely maternal whenever Bruce is threatened. Her love for her son temporarily overrides her insanity and puts her in direct conflict with Thomas.
• Bruce is confronted with two major family revelations: his alternate-universe parents have arrived, and he has a biological son named Damian. His usual emotional control begins to crack under the absurdity of the situation.
• Alfred is overjoyed by Damian’s arrival and relieved that Bruce may finally have a family, though his thoughts also reveal his long-standing concern about Bruce’s isolation and personal life.
• Damian is introduced as proud, suspicious, and emotionally detached. He acknowledges Bruce as his possible father but refuses to accept the relationship outright.

Significant Themes

• Family and parental love: The chapter humorously explores how even violent or unstable people can become fiercely protective parents. Martha’s Joker persona gives way to an intensely maternal identity when Bruce is involved.
• The dangers of good intentions: Thomas wants Bruce to live a happier life, but his proposed methods—destroying Bruce’s life or tormenting him—would cause the very suffering he claims to oppose.
• Batman and the Joker as opposites: Du Mu emphasizes their interdependence, arguing that removing one could radically change the other. Their conflict is presented as an absurd but essential balance.
• Public truth and accountability: Clark’s hidden suffering becomes public knowledge, prompting outrage, political pressure, and demands for justice.
• Absurdity within superhero families: The chapter combines serious revelations with comedy, especially through Bruce’s impossible family situation: an alternate-world Batman father, Joker mother, a rival Joker, and a newly revealed son.
• Identity and legacy: Damian’s arrival raises questions about Bruce’s role as a father, while Thomas and Martha’s presence challenges Bruce’s understanding of his parents and his own Batman identity.

Character Interactions

• Du Mu and Thomas: Du Mu mocks Thomas’s plan to force Bruce out of heroism, recognizing that Thomas’s extreme approach is dangerously similar to the villains he opposes.
• Thomas and Martha: Their relationship is affectionate but volatile. Thomas proposes harsh measures against Bruce, while Martha threatens him for even considering harming their son. Despite Thomas’s intimidating exterior, Martha clearly dominates their marriage.
• Martha and Bruce: Martha is determined to protect Bruce from both Jokers and from anyone who might exploit him. Her maternal instincts sharply contrast with her usual cruelty.
• Bruce and Damian: Their first meeting is awkward and emotionally restrained. Damian openly challenges Bruce’s authority and refuses to immediately acknowledge him as his father.
• Bruce and Alfred: Alfred reacts with shock, then overwhelming happiness at Damian’s arrival. Bruce’s inability to comfortably explain Damian confirms the emotional pressure he is under.
• Bruce and Du Mu: Du Mu openly records and ridicules Bruce’s family crisis. Bruce recognizes that Du Mu has been spying on him but is unable to stop him, creating another source of irritation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Alfred asks about Damian’s mother, prompting Bruce to reveal that she is Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra’s al Ghul and leader of the League of Assassins.
• The chapter explains Bruce’s complicated history with Talia and Ra’s. Talia secretly gave birth to Damian after spending a night with Bruce, then raised the child within the League of Assassins without informing Bruce.
• Talia suddenly leaves Damian with Bruce, forcing him to accept the boy as his son despite initially suspecting that he might not be the biological father.
• Du Mu openly criticizes Bruce for failing to take responsibility, while Alfred urges Bruce to keep Damian and provide him with a family.
• Damian explores the Batcave and immediately criticizes its security, Bruce’s vigilance, the hidden cameras, and Alfred’s workload. His behavior reveals his deliberate attempt to prove himself superior to Bruce.
• Du Mu interprets Damian’s hostility as the result of his upbringing and his desire to win the approval of Talia and Ra’s, who intended him to become an heir greater than Batman.
• Du Mu humorously declares himself Damian’s godfather and bribes him with a powerful Atlantean energy weapon. Damian eagerly accepts the title, but Bruce confiscates the weapon because it is too dangerous.
• Du Mu secretly promises Damian more gifts, alarming Bruce, who worries that Du Mu will corrupt or negatively influence the boy.
• The Batcave’s alarm suddenly activates, revealing an emergency at Arkham Psychiatric Hospital. A criminal has escaped, setting up the next major incident.

Character Developments

• Bruce Wayne: Bruce is forced into the role of a father and legal guardian. Though embarrassed by his past with Talia and irritated by Damian’s criticism, he instinctively protects Damian and begins acting like a concerned parent.
• Damian Wayne: Damian is introduced as arrogant, disciplined, confrontational, and highly observant. His harsh behavior stems from his League of Assassins upbringing and his determination to prove he is superior to Bruce. However, he is also easily impressed by powerful technology and quickly bonds with Du Mu.
• Du Mu: Du Mu continues to provoke Bruce for entertainment, exposing uncomfortable truths about Bruce’s relationship with Talia. He also adopts the role of Damian’s “godfather,” enjoying the opportunity to spoil and influence him.
• Alfred: Alfred remains supportive and practical, welcoming Damian and encouraging Bruce to preserve the Wayne family line. His concern for Bruce’s future and Damian’s well-being highlights his role as the family’s emotional anchor.
• Talia al Ghul and Ra’s al Ghul: Though absent, both are shown to have deliberately shaped Damian into a successor for the League of Assassins, hoping he would accomplish what Bruce refused to do.

Significant Themes

• Family and responsibility: Bruce must confront the consequences of his past and take responsibility for a son he never knew he had.
• Nature versus upbringing: Damian’s aggressive, elitist behavior reflects his League training, raising the question of whether he can be reshaped by the Wayne family.
• Fatherhood and legacy: Bruce’s status as Batman is contrasted with his new role as Damian’s father and the future of the Wayne family.
• Comedy through family conflict: The chapter uses teasing, insults, and exaggerated misunderstandings to portray the Wayne household as dysfunctional but increasingly close.
• Influence and moral guidance: Bruce fears that Du Mu’s reckless personality may undermine his attempts to guide Damian toward a healthier identity.

Important Character Interactions

• Alfred and Bruce discuss Talia and Damian, with Alfred pushing Bruce to embrace fatherhood.
• Du Mu mocks Bruce’s relationship with Talia and labels his behavior as irresponsible.
• Damian criticizes Bruce’s home and methods in an attempt to assert superiority.
• Du Mu and Damian quickly form an affectionate, mischievous “godfather-godson” relationship.
• Bruce repeatedly tries to control the situation, confiscating Damian’s weapon and worrying about Du Mu’s influence.
• The chapter ends with Bruce, Du Mu, and Damian being drawn into a new crisis at Arkham.