Steel Bone caught on, and his mind raced.
"Apokolips's communications network syncs in real time. If the Dark Fortress comes under attack, an alarm will reach Darkseid's flagship instantly," Steel Bone explained. "The fortress is the source of his power. If it's destroyed, his divinity will take a devastating blow."
"Even if there's only a one-in-a-billion chance of that happening, he'll turn back at any cost. Protecting the fortress matters ten thousand times more to him than destroying Earth."
"Good."
Homelander turned and snapped his fingers.
"Then our strategy is clear. I'll wait for him in his lair, sitting on his throne."
"Attack Wei to save Zhao," Bruce murmured, pronouncing the four words with a French accent. As a master tactician, he had read every military book from across the world.
He immediately understood Homelander's plan. "You're using yourself as bait to draw the war away from Earth and onto Apokolips."
"Exactly, Bat." Homelander gave Bruce an approving look.
"You're insane!"
Steel Bone, Victor, protested loudly.
"Homelander, I know you're powerful. You defeated Superman. You wiped the Parademons off Earth. But Darkseid is different! He's a true cosmic god!"
"If he were anywhere else, maybe you could take him on. But on Apokolips, it's completely different!
"That's his home ground! With the anchor empowering him, his strength will increase a hundredfold!"
"You can't beat him!"
"Going there means death!"
Steel Bone's warning echoed across the empty plaza.
Everyone fell silent.
They knew Steel Bone was telling the truth. Facing a god empowered by his own domain in the heart of enemy territory defied every basic principle of tactics.
Homelander did not argue right away.
From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the cameras still running around the plaza.
Hundreds of millions of people across the globe were watching