Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Moment of War

Key Plot Points and Events

• The heroes prepare to invade Apokolips through a Boom Tube opened by the three Mother Boxes.
• The Mother Boxes are revealed to be mysterious Fourth World devices that can only be created by specially trained people from New Genesis or Apokolips. They are also the sole means of opening Boom Tubes between worlds.
• Mera quickly delivers Atlantis’s Mother Box to Themyscira. When placed near the Amazonian Box, both glow brighter, confirming their connection.
• Bruce Wayne arrives with the final Mother Box and Victor Stone, or Cyborg. This marks Batman’s first visit to Themyscira, made possible because the Amazons now share a common enemy with him.
• Cyborg explains that merging the three Mother Boxes will create the dangerous “Unified Power,” an energy capable of tearing Superman apart, destroying a continent, or potentially devastating Earth if mishandled.
• Cyborg begins interfacing with the Boxes and determines that they can be merged safely within one day, provided the process is carefully controlled.
• The heroes agree to rest and prepare, knowing that the next day will begin their assault on Apokolips.

Character Developments

• Ke Chen takes command of the operation and remains focused on the larger threat, showing impatience to confront Darkseid.
• Cyborg becomes essential to the plan because his body and powers are linked to a Mother Box. Though initially afraid of the risks, he accepts responsibility for controlling the merger.
• Batman realizes that the situation has grown far beyond his previous understanding. The presence of gods, mutants, and other powerful beings makes him uneasy, and his usual skills appear less important than Cyborg’s abilities.
• Diana is frustrated by Ke Chen’s relationships and influence, feeling as though he has been “divided up.” However, Darkseid’s looming threat forces her to suppress her personal anger and cooperate with the group.
• Mera demonstrates decisive leadership by immediately securing Atlantis’s Mother Box.
• Darkseid is established as a far greater and more calculating threat than ordinary enemies. Ke Chen also questions whether the Darkseid on Apokolips is the true Darkseid or merely another clone.

Significant Themes

• Unity and cooperation: Formerly separate heroes and factions must work together against Apokolips.
• Dangerous power: The Mother Boxes represent immense, poorly understood energy that can save worlds or destroy them.
• The limits of control: Even their creators cannot fully comprehend the Mother Boxes, and Cyborg must carefully manage forces capable of planetary destruction.
• Personal conflict versus collective survival: Diana’s resentment toward Ke Chen is temporarily set aside because the looming war takes priority.
• Escalation of the threat: The chapter shifts the story from preparation and political tension toward an imminent cosmic war.

Important Character Interactions

• Mera and the assembled heroes: Mera’s rapid delivery of Atlantis’s Mother Box enables the invasion plan.
• Batman and Ke Chen: Bruce immediately recognizes Ke Chen but receives little attention from him, reinforcing Batman’s sense that he has lost control of events.
• Batman and the wider group: Bruce is intimidated by the unfamiliar gods and superpowered beings gathered on Themyscira.
• Ke Chen and Cyborg: Ke Chen gives Cyborg direct responsibility for examining and merging the Mother Boxes, while Cyborg warns of the catastrophic consequences of failure.
• Diana and Ke Chen: Diana’s suppressed anger adds tension beneath the group’s cooperation, though both prioritize confronting Darkseid.
• The heroes and Darkseid: Even in his absence, Darkseid dominates the chapter, forcing every personal dispute into the background as the characters prepare for war.

Summary: “War on Apokolips”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The forces of Earth and Asgard assemble on the plains of Themyscira to begin their invasion of Apokolips. Everyone understands the mission, so no formal mobilization is necessary.
• Hela realizes that her strength is already beginning to wane. She knows the campaign must end quickly, though she expects the war could become prolonged, recalling Asgard’s century-long conquest of the Nine Realms.
• Cyborg begins merging the three Mother Boxes under Ke Chen’s direction. Their combination unleashes immense blue energy and successfully opens a Boom Tube to Apokolips.
• Bruce Wayne senses that something is unusual, but the portal functions as intended. Hela recognizes the Boom Tube as being similar to Asgard’s Bifrost.
• Ke Chen entrusts the vanguard role to Hela and her Death Legion. Hela eagerly leads the charge, viewing the invasion of another universe as the fulfillment of her ambition to conquer.
• Hela and the Death Legion enter the Boom Tube and arrive on Apokolips.
• The chapter explains Apokolips’s oppressive social order: most of its inhabitants are abducted slaves known as the “lowly ones,” who live in misery beneath even the Parademons.
• Hela’s arrival accidentally crushes some slaves beneath the Spirit Wolf. She calls upon the survivors to join her rebellion against Darkseid, but they are too frightened and conditioned to respond. Instead, they flee to report her presence.
• Enraged by their refusal and abandoning any pretense of rescue, Hela orders the Death Legion to slaughter them. The Death Legion begins killing the helpless inhabitants to “taste blood” and announce the invasion.

Character Developments

• Hela: Her physical strength is weakening, but her ambition and brutality remain undiminished. She sees the invasion as an opportunity for unprecedented conquest. Her brief attempt to rally Apokolips’s slaves reveals that she is willing to offer liberation only on her own terms; when they reject her, her violent nature immediately dominates.
• Cyborg: Demonstrates increasing control over the Mother Boxes and performs the crucial task of opening the Boom Tube, though he understands that this is only the beginning of the campaign.
• Ke Chen: Acts as a strategic commander, approving Cyborg’s operation and assigning Hela’s Death Legion to lead the invasion.
• Bruce Wayne: Remains cautious and perceptive, noticing that the Mother Boxes’ activation does not entirely match expectations.
• Thor: Is absent from the vanguard because he is caring for Love, forcing Hela to lead the first assault herself.
• The Apokoliptian slaves: Their passivity and fear show how thoroughly Darkseid’s regime has crushed their will to resist.

Significant Themes

• Conquest versus liberation: Hela initially presents herself as a savior, but her actions reveal that her true objective is domination rather than genuine freedom for Apokolips’s oppressed population.
• The corrupting effects of tyranny: The slaves’ inability to imagine resistance demonstrates the psychological power of Darkseid’s system.
• Violence as a tool of war: Hela uses terror and mass killing not only to eliminate enemies but also to establish the Death Legion’s presence and satisfy its bloodlust.
• Ambition and empire-building: Hela compares the invasion to Asgard’s ancient conquest of the Nine Realms, framing war as a means of creating a larger empire.
• The beginning of a larger conflict: Opening the Boom Tube is treated as a major success, but only the first step in what may become a long and difficult war.

Character Interactions

• Cyborg and Ke Chen: Ke Chen directs Cyborg during the Mother Box fusion, while Cyborg signals when the portal is ready.
• Ke Chen and Hela: Ke Chen entrusts Hela with the vanguard, recognizing her experience and the effectiveness of her Death Legion.
• Hela and the slaves: Hela offers them a chance to follow her against Apokolips, but their fear leads them to flee instead. Her disappointment turns into murderous rage.
• Hela and the Death Legion: Hela commands the Legion directly, ordering it first to advance through the Boom Tube and later to massacre the fleeing slaves.
• Bruce Wayne and the invasion force: Bruce’s unease introduces a note of suspicion as the Mother Boxes activate, suggesting that unforeseen dangers may accompany the portal’s creation.

Summary of “Female Furies”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hela and the Death Legion emerge from a Boom Tube onto Apokolips, immediately attracting the planet’s attention.
• The Death Legion begins slaughtering every living creature in its path, conquering the local population through overwhelming violence and terror.
• Parademons arrive and attack, but they are quickly outmatched. Hela destroys large groups of them with the Twilight Sword and Eternal Flame, filling Apokolips’s skies with fire.
• The invasion draws the attention of Apokolips’s ruling forces. The Parademons report the attack to the Female Furies, Darkseid’s elite female New God warriors.
• Lashina informs Granny Goodness that the invaders arrived through a Boom Tube. Granny realizes they likely possess a Mother Box, possibly connected to the one Steppenwolf found on another Earth along with the Anti-Life Equation.
• Granny orders the Parademon legions to mobilize, but Apokolips’s vast size prevents them from responding immediately. Before reinforcements arrive, the Death Legion conquers an entire city.
• Granny Goodness goes to report the crisis, but Darkseid is inaccessible. His adviser, DeSaad, tells her that Darkseid is angry and expects her to eliminate the invaders quickly.
• DeSaad displays the enemy forces emerging from the Boom Tube. The chapter ends by revealing that Darkseid has a new plan, though he has not yet personally confronted the invasion.

Character Developments

• Hela is established as a devastating military leader. She remains calm and efficient, effortlessly destroying Parademons when their numbers become troublesome.
• The Death Legion reclaims its reputation as a terrifying conquering force, showing no fear, hesitation, or mercy.
• Granny Goodness is portrayed as ruthless, ambitious, and deeply loyal to Darkseid. Her origins as a former member of Apokolips’s lowest class help explain her obsession with control and her harsh training methods.
• Lashina functions as the messenger who brings the invasion report to Granny Goodness, demonstrating the disciplined hierarchy of the Female Furies.
• DeSaad is shown to possess significant authority and influence. His ability to control Parademons and his close connection to Darkseid make Granny wary of him.
• Darkseid remains mostly offscreen but dominates the chapter through his reputation, authority, and the fear he inspires in his subordinates.

Significant Themes

• Oppression and indoctrination: Apokolips’s inhabitants have been conditioned to accept Darkseid’s rule, while the Female Furies were brainwashed from childhood into absolute loyalty.
• Violence as power: The Death Legion and Apokolips both rely on terror and mass slaughter, creating a conflict between two oppressive forces.
• Hierarchy and control: Information and orders move through layers of authority, from Parademons to the Female Furies, Granny Goodness, DeSaad, and ultimately Darkseid.
• Loyalty through fear and manipulation: Darkseid maintains power not only through strength but also through psychological conditioning and carefully cultivated dependence.
• Invasion and retaliation: Apokolips, normally the aggressor, is suddenly forced to experience an attack on its own territory, shocking its leaders and exposing their vulnerability.

Character Interactions

• The Parademons report the invasion to the Female Furies after failing to stop the Death Legion.
• Lashina explains the Boom Tube’s role to Granny Goodness, prompting Granny to connect the attack to a missing Mother Box and the Anti-Life Equation.
• Granny Goodness orders the Parademon forces to respond and later seeks help from DeSaad.
• DeSaad informs Granny that Darkseid is angry and demands a swift victory, increasing the pressure on her.
• Although Darkseid never appears directly, his commands and expectations shape the actions of every major Apokoliptian character.

Summary: “No Illusions Whatsoever”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Death Legion enters the Boom Tube, Ke Chen, Hela, the Asgardians, Amazons, Kryptonians, and their allies follow them from Themyscira to Apokolips.
• Hela’s Eternal Flame devastates the planet’s defenses, destroying Parademons and allowing the Death Legion to seize a nearby city with little resistance.
• Cyborg closes the Boom Tube after everyone crosses, ensuring Apokolips cannot launch a counterattack through it.
• Ke Chen orders Queen Hippolyta and the other leaders to bring their forces into the city while the army advances toward Darkseid.
• The invading forces discover that Apokolips’s inhabitants are largely slaves. Most remain passive and emotionally numb, refusing either to resist Darkseid or actively assist the invaders.
• Ke Chen and Faora discuss the contrast between Apokolips’s passivity and the Kryptonians’ failed resistance before Krypton’s destruction.
• Hela reveals that Darkseid’s location has been identified. Since the captured city has little strategic value and its inhabitants will not interfere, she proposes taking supplies and marching directly toward Darkseid for a decisive battle.
• Ke Chen agrees, and the combined armies resume their advance. Hela then privately asks Ke Chen what he thinks of Apokolips.

Character Development

• Ke Chen becomes increasingly disillusioned with Apokolips and its people. He views their unwillingness to save themselves as a sign that they have lost their value and rejects the idea of reforming or rescuing them.
• Hela demonstrates practical leadership and urgency. Because her power is slowly draining away outside Asgard, she favors a rapid campaign rather than a prolonged occupation.
• Faora reveals her awareness of Krypton’s past and contrasts Kryptonian resistance with Apokolips’s total numbness.
• Bruce Wayne reacts defensively to Ke Chen’s comparison between Gotham and Apokolips, though he privately acknowledges that Apokolips makes Gotham seem almost bright and tolerable.
• Cyborg acts cautiously by shutting down the Boom Tube once the entire force has arrived.
• Queen Hippolyta and the other leaders cooperate with Ke Chen’s command structure, helping organize the multinational army.

Significant Themes

• Oppression and self-determination: The chapter questions whether people who refuse to resist tyranny can still be saved or deserve sympathy.
• Disillusionment: Ke Chen abandons any idealistic expectations about Apokolips, concluding that its inhabitants are too apathetic to change their circumstances.
• Leadership and pragmatism: Hela’s decision to bypass cities and focus on Darkseid reflects a military strategy centered on decisive action rather than conquest or reconstruction.
• Comparisons between worlds: Apokolips is used to reevaluate both Gotham’s darkness and Krypton’s doomed but active resistance.
• Freedom versus survival: The slaves’ willingness to endure oppression rather than risk rebellion contrasts with the chapter’s emphasis on fighting for one’s own future.

Character Interactions

• Ke Chen and Bruce Wayne exchange contrasting perspectives on Apokolips and Gotham.
• Ke Chen and Faora discuss the differences between Apokolips’s slaves and Kryptonians, with Faora defending Krypton’s greater willingness to resist.
• Hela and Ke Chen cooperate strategically, with Hela proposing the direct assault and Ke Chen approving it.
• Hela later approaches Ke Chen privately, suggesting that their conversation may involve his moral judgment of Apokolips and the broader consequences of their invasion.

Chapter Summary: “Views on Apokolips”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hela asks Ke Chen what should happen to Apokolips after Darkseid is defeated.
• They discuss the condition of Apokolips’s “lowborn” population, who have become emotionally numb and accustomed to slavery under Darkseid’s rule.
• Hela argues that simply killing Darkseid would not solve the problem. A successor would likely emerge and continue his oppressive system.
• She proposes destroying Apokolips completely to prevent another tyrant from taking control and threatening Earth.
• Ke Chen accepts her reasoning, recognizing that Apokolips’s continued existence would remain a danger even without Darkseid.
• The allied forces—including the Death Legion, Black Widows, Amazons, and other empowered warriors—advance across Apokolips.
• The Parademons initially attack in overwhelming waves but are quickly slaughtered. After suffering heavy losses, they stop launching reckless assaults and begin regrouping.
• The battle spreads across Apokolips, with Ke Chen’s forces advancing like a victorious coalition against a tyrant.
• Darkseid eventually learns the true scale of the invasion. Furious that he was informed so late, he confronts DeSaad.
• Granny Goodness reveals that DeSaad had claimed Darkseid already knew about the invasion, exposing a serious failure—or possible deception—within Darkseid’s inner circle.

Character Developments

• Ke Chen: Moves from uncertainty about Apokolips’s future to accepting the necessity of its destruction. He demonstrates strategic foresight by agreeing that defeating Darkseid alone would not end the threat.
• Hela: Reveals a pragmatic and ruthless political outlook. Though she is openly brutal and admits she is not a good person, she distinguishes herself from Darkseid by believing she would never reduce her own people to such a degraded state.
• Darkseid: Is shown as increasingly isolated from events occurring within his own empire. His rage at DeSaad reflects both his arrogance and his loss of control.
• DeSaad: Appears outwardly loyal but is implicated in withholding or misrepresenting information about the invasion.
• Granny Goodness: Demonstrates initiative by bypassing DeSaad and reporting directly to Darkseid, suggesting she is more alert to the crisis than he is.
• The Amazons and Black Widows: Gain practical combat experience by using their newly acquired powers against the Parademons.

Significant Themes

• Oppression and learned helplessness: The chapter explores how generations of slavery can destroy a population’s ability to imagine freedom or resist oppression.
• Revolution versus systemic change: Removing a tyrant is not necessarily enough; the institutions and mentality that support tyranny may simply produce another ruler.
• The morality of destruction: Hela argues that total annihilation may be justified when reform is impossible and the oppressed population has been conditioned to preserve the system.
• Power and political responsibility: Leaders such as Ke Chen, Hela, and the allied queens must consider not only victory but also the long-term consequences of leaving Apokolips intact.
• Information failure and internal corruption: Darkseid’s delayed awareness suggests that his regime is weakened by deception, poor communication, and competing loyalties.

Character Interactions

• Ke Chen and Hela: Have a serious strategic discussion about Apokolips’s future. Ke Chen respects Hela’s judgment and ultimately agrees with her extreme solution.
• Darkseid and DeSaad: Darkseid angrily demands an explanation for being kept uninformed, revealing tension between ruler and subordinate.
• Granny Goodness and Darkseid: Granny Goodness undermines DeSaad’s account by directly informing Darkseid that he had not actually been told the truth.
• The allied forces and Parademons: The new coalition demonstrates overwhelming battlefield superiority, forcing the Parademons to abandon their initial suicidal attacks and regroup.

Chapter Summary: “DeSaad’s Purpose”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Darkseid angrily confronts DeSaad for failing to warn him that an enemy army had already invaded Apokolips and was rapidly approaching.
• DeSaad reveals that the attackers came from Earth, where Steppenwolf was killed, and identifies them as Kryptonians.
• He further explains that there are multiple Kryptonians, greatly alarming Darkseid. Their strength is demonstrated through footage showing Kryptonian Warriors effortlessly destroying Apokolips’s cannons, warships, and defenses.
• The attacking force, known as the Death Legion, overwhelms the Parademons and captures cities with minimal resistance.
• DeSaad shows Darkseid an image of Hela, the God King of Asgard, leading the invasion atop a Spirit Wolf.
• He explains that Hela is controlling or leading the Kryptonians because the invading forces are spreading rumors that the “Kryptonian God” has come to conquer Apokolips.
• The rumor, deliberately created by Ke Chen and his allies, successfully fuels Darkseid’s fear and uncertainty.
• Although Darkseid would prefer to avoid a confrontation, the invasion has advanced too far for him to retreat, forcing him to prepare for battle.

Character Developments

• Darkseid: His confidence and composure deteriorate as he learns the invasion involves multiple Kryptonians and possibly a powerful Kryptonian deity. He remains furious with DeSaad but becomes increasingly anxious about the threat.
• DeSaad: Calm and deliberate, DeSaad reveals information at carefully chosen moments rather than immediately defending himself. His true purpose is to make Darkseid understand the scale of the danger and react accordingly. He succeeds in provoking fear and caution.
• Hela: Introduced as the apparent leader of the invading forces. Her presence suggests an alliance between Asgard and the Kryptonians, though the exact nature of her control remains unclear.
• Ke Chen and his allies: Their strategic manipulation becomes evident. By spreading the story of a “Kryptonian God,” they exploit Apokolips’s deep fear of Kryptonian power without needing to prove the rumor true.

Significant Themes

• Fear as a weapon: The rumor of the Kryptonian God is nearly as effective as an actual attack, undermining Darkseid’s confidence before the final confrontation.
• Power and vulnerability: Despite being regarded as one of the universe’s most powerful beings, Darkseid recognizes that multiple Kryptonians may be beyond even the New Gods’ ability to resist.
• Trust and betrayal: Darkseid feels personally betrayed by DeSaad’s failure to report the invasion, emphasizing how critical trust is within Apokolips’s hierarchy.
• Information and manipulation: DeSaad controls the flow of information, while Ke Chen’s side uses misinformation to influence enemy decisions and create panic.
• The limits of authority: Darkseid’s immense power cannot prevent an enemy from penetrating Apokolips, forcing him to respond to events rather than control them.

Character Interactions

• Darkseid confronts DeSaad with anger, accusing him of concealing vital information and failing in his responsibilities.
• DeSaad remains composed and redirects the discussion toward the identity and strength of the invaders.
• The footage of the Kryptonians changes the mood of the entire hall, replacing confidence with fear.
• DeSaad’s mention of the Kryptonian God has the strongest effect on Darkseid, convincing him that the invasion may involve an overwhelming power.
• Their exchange ultimately reveals that DeSaad’s objective was not merely to inform Darkseid, but to make him understand the danger and become psychologically unsettled.

Chapter Summary: “When Nothing Goes Wrong, Something Goes Wrong”

Key Plot Points and Events

• DeSaad persuades Darkseid not to confront the invading alliance directly. He reveals that he has an old plan, and Darkseid dismisses Granny Goodness and the Female Furies so the two can discuss it privately.
• New Genesis detects the crisis on Apokolips. Highfather Izaya is pleased to see Darkseid threatened, though he remains cautious because an Earth victory could create a powerful new enemy.
• The chapter provides background on the ancient conflict between New Genesis and Apokolips. The planets were created from the division of Yggdrasil and have fought an essentially endless war. Highfather and Darkseid, once brothers, have become bitter enemies.
• The Earth-led alliance—commanded by Ke Chen and Hela and including Amazons, Asgardians, Atlanteans, and others—advances rapidly toward Darkseid’s main city. They abandon captured cities because Boom Tubes allow them to move freely.
• The invaders gain valuable Apokoliptian technology. Natasha and the Black Widow organization begin copying it for Earth’s future development.
• Hela gathers Ke Chen, Hippolyta, Lorna, Natasha, Yelena, Mera, and the other leaders to plan the final assault. They agree to attack immediately rather than give Darkseid more time to prepare.
• The chapter ends with the alliance expecting a decisive battle, while the narration foreshadows that an unforeseen complication is about to arise.

Character Developments

• Darkseid remains confident in DeSaad, showing that DeSaad is his most trusted adviser and closest partner in evil.
• DeSaad takes on a more active strategic role by revealing that he has prepared a long-term counterplan.
• Highfather Izaya is shown as politically cautious despite his hatred of Darkseid. He is willing to observe the conflict rather than intervene blindly, especially if Earth’s forces prove dangerous.
• Hela demonstrates strong leadership and tactical judgment. Her campaign has been efficient, disciplined, and focused on striking Darkseid before he can recover.
• Ke Chen continues to function as the driving force behind the war. His impatience reflects his desire to end the threat before Apokolips can reinforce itself.
• Queen Hippolyta becomes more wary of the conflict. Although the campaign has gone well, she recognizes that Darkseid has grown far more powerful than the enemy Ares once nearly defeated.
• Natasha focuses on exploiting the war’s technological benefits, treating Apokolips as a source of advanced knowledge for Earth.
• The conquered populations are portrayed as passive and submissive, causing Ke Chen to lose sympathy for them and increasingly understand Hela’s harsher worldview.

Significant Themes

• Strategy versus brute force: DeSaad’s plan suggests that Darkseid will avoid a direct confrontation and rely on deception or preparation.
• The danger of overconfidence: The alliance’s uninterrupted victories create optimism, but the ending warns that smooth progress may conceal an imminent reversal.
• Endless cycles of conflict: The feud between New Genesis and Apokolips reflects how ancient hatred can persist across generations, even between former family members.
• Technology as power: The war is not only about territory; Apokolips’s advanced technology could significantly accelerate Earth’s development.
• Moral hardening through war: Ke Chen’s contempt for the conquered people and growing acceptance of Hela’s methods show how prolonged conflict can erode compassion.
• Earth as a center of cosmic attention: Both New Genesis and Apokolips view Earth as strategically important, reinforcing the idea that Earth is becoming a major force in the wider universe.

Character Interactions

• DeSaad privately advises Darkseid, while Darkseid trusts him enough to exclude other commanders from the discussion.
• Highfather observes Darkseid’s crisis from afar, balancing his personal hatred with concern about the consequences of an Earth victory.
• Hela works closely with Ke Chen and the allied queens, coordinating the final offensive.
• Hippolyta supports the attack but privately remains concerned about Darkseid’s true strength.
• Natasha’s technological ambitions add another objective to the war beyond military victory.
• The chapter closes with the allied leaders united and eager for battle, unaware of the countermeasure Darkseid and DeSaad have prepared.

Chapter Summary: “No Time to Lose”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A Boom Tube suddenly appears over a distant city on Apokolips, raising concerns that Darkseid’s forces might be escaping or preparing an attack.
• Hela observes that Darkseid’s army remains orderly and that the Parademons and Apokolips natives are mobilizing, suggesting the Boom Tube is part of a larger plan rather than a retreat.
• Ke Chen, Hela, and the others decide they cannot afford to wait on Darkseid’s home ground. Their strategy is to force him into a direct, decisive confrontation.
• Darkseid appears in the city, and shortly afterward Big Barda, captain of the Female Furies, arrives to negotiate.
• Rather than threaten or attack them, Big Barda declares that she wishes to surrender. She explains that she rejects Darkseid’s oppressive ideology and views Apokolips as a living Hell.
• Hela remains deeply suspicious and dismisses Barda’s offer of assistance, insisting that their group can defeat Darkseid without her help.
• Ke Chen asks Barda about the Boom Tube. She does not know its purpose but confirms that only the ruling authorities control the Mother Boxes capable of opening portals from Apokolips.
• Barda also reveals that Darkseid had been conferring with DeSaad shortly before the Boom Tube appeared, but she does not know where Darkseid is now.
• Ke Chen and Hela realize that Darkseid may be carrying out an urgent plan, prompting the conclusion that they must act immediately.

Character Developments

• Ke Chen remains alert and strategic, focusing on the meaning of the Boom Tube and recognizing that Darkseid’s actions may signal an imminent threat.
• Hela displays confidence and dominance. She treats Darkseid as an opponent destined to lose, but her refusal to trust Big Barda shows her caution beneath her arrogance.
• Big Barda is introduced as a potential defector from Darkseid’s regime. Her rejection of Apokolips’ values establishes her as morally opposed to Darkseid and hints at her future role as a hero.
• Darkseid does not directly engage in the chapter, but his disciplined army, secret discussions with DeSaad, and unknown movements reinforce his control and strategic danger.
• Ke Chen’s memory of Big Barda’s comic-book background leads him to recognize that she is likely fundamentally heroic, though the group still does not accept her assistance.

Significant Themes

• Urgency and decisive action: The unexplained Boom Tube and Darkseid’s preparations create a sense that the heroes are running out of time.
• Oppression versus resistance: Big Barda’s rejection of Apokolips emphasizes the cruelty of Darkseid’s rule and introduces the possibility of rebellion from within.
• Trust and suspicion: Even an apparent ally cannot be accepted immediately, especially in enemy territory where deception is possible.
• Power and authority: Hela’s commanding presence, Darkseid’s control over Apokolips, and Barda’s position among the Female Furies all demonstrate how authority shapes the battlefield.
• The importance of home ground: The heroes recognize that remaining on Apokolips gives Darkseid a major strategic advantage, making a swift confrontation essential.

Character Interactions

• Hela questions and challenges Big Barda, treating her with contempt while testing the sincerity of her surrender.
• Big Barda openly explains her opposition to Darkseid, but Hela refuses her offer of help.
• Ke Chen takes a more investigative approach, asking Barda about the Boom Tube and Darkseid’s whereabouts.
• Ke Chen and Hela exchange a significant look after learning about Darkseid’s meeting with DeSaad, silently recognizing that the situation has become urgent.
• The chapter ends with the group united by the realization that they must find Darkseid and act immediately.

Chapter Summary: “Home-Swap Tactics”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Before the battle on Apokolips begins, Darkseid secretly abandons the planet—not out of fear, but as part of DeSaad’s strategy to protect their ultimate objective.
• DeSaad proposes a “home-swap” tactic: since Ke Chen and his allies have invaded Apokolips from Earth, Darkseid will travel to Earth and attack it while its strongest defenders are away.
• Darkseid leaves DeSaad in charge of Apokolips, effectively making him a sacrificial commander whose role is to delay the invading army until Darkseid can return.
• Using a Boom Tube and a Mother Box, Darkseid travels to Earth and tracks down the Anti-Life Equation, which he has sought for thousands of years.
• He finds the Equation on a remote plain, activates it through his axe, and absorbs it into himself. The Equation manifests as a force connected to loneliness, alienation, fear, and despair.
• Darkseid then travels to Metropolis and spreads the Anti-Life Equation. Humans who hear it lose their free will and become controlled by him, causing widespread chaos and destruction across Earth.
• Meanwhile, Ke Chen, Hela, and their allies immediately begin their assault on Apokolips after Big Barda departs. Hela commands the Death Legion, while Queen Hippolyta, Lorna, and the others organize their forces.
• DeSaad orders Apokolips’s defenses to fire on the advancing Death Legion. Massive cannons and spacecraft inflict heavy casualties on the front lines, but DeSaad knows his forces are only buying time.

Character Developments

• Darkseid is shown as pragmatic and strategically ruthless. Rather than fight a battle he may lose, he abandons Apokolips temporarily to pursue the Anti-Life Equation, believing it will give him the power to defeat even the Kryptonians.
• His acquisition of the Equation marks a major escalation in his power. His confidence turns into triumph as he begins enslaving humanity.
• DeSaad demonstrates loyalty and willingness to sacrifice himself for Darkseid’s plan. Although he realizes Apokolips cannot truly withstand the invasion, he accepts his role as a delaying force.
• Ke Chen and Hela act decisively, refusing to give Darkseid time to regroup. Their immediate attack reflects their urgency and growing coordination.
• Big Barda’s departure appears to have been connected to the enemy’s movements, but her absence also confirms to DeSaad that the invasion is proceeding without interruption.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over direct confrontation: Darkseid’s retreat is presented not as cowardice but as a calculated exchange of territory and priorities.
• The burden of leadership: Darkseid and DeSaad are driven by the responsibilities and expectations attached to ruling Apokolips, even when defeat seems likely.
• Power and free will: The Anti-Life Equation represents the complete destruction of individual choice, turning people into extensions of Darkseid’s will.
• Sacrifice and expendability: DeSaad and the Apokoliptian forces are treated as expendable resources whose purpose is to delay the enemy.
• False victory and hidden consequences: While Ke Chen’s forces appear to be winning on Apokolips, Darkseid has already achieved a potentially more devastating victory on Earth.

Character Interactions

• Darkseid and DeSaad: DeSaad presents the home-swap plan, and Darkseid accepts it with little hesitation. Their exchange reveals mutual trust, though DeSaad understands that he may be used as cannon fodder.
• Darkseid and the humans of Earth: After obtaining the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid effectively dominates humanity, using the population’s loss of free will to spread chaos.
• Ke Chen and Hela: They coordinate the immediate attack on Apokolips, prioritizing speed and preventing Darkseid’s forces from recovering.
• Hela and the Death Legion: Hela commands the Death Legion effortlessly, using their obedience to launch the assault without lengthy preparation.
• DeSaad and the invading army: DeSaad attempts to stop Ke Chen’s forces with Apokolips’s technological defenses, but the devastating attack shows that he has underestimated their strength.

Chapter Summary: “In the Midst of Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Apokolips launches a devastating artillery barrage, inflicting heavy losses on Hela’s Death Legion.
• Hela remains outwardly emotionless but sends the Kryptonians into battle to prevent her army from being destroyed.
• The Kryptonians effortlessly devastate Apokolips’s advanced warships with Heat Vision, physical attacks, flight, tunneling, lasers, and freezing breath.
• Their intervention quickly shifts the battle in Hela’s favor, as Apokolips’s forces cannot withstand them without artillery support.
• Hela’s forces advance in formation:
  • The Death Legion leads the assault.
  • The Amazons and Black Widows follow as ranged and supporting troops.
  • The Atlanteans remain at the rear, contributing mainly to the army’s overwhelming size.
• DeSaad is forced to order a full-scale counterattack because retreat or hiding would leave Apokolips vulnerable to destruction.
• DeSaad worries about maintaining control in Darkseid’s absence, especially because some forces are loyal to Darkseid rather than to him, while others—including Orion—want Darkseid to fail.
• Granny Goodness questions Darkseid’s absence, but DeSaad claims Darkseid is preparing something and that it is too early for the opposing leaders to confront one another.
• Granny Goodness accepts the explanation and commands the Female Furies to organize the Parademons.
• The Death Legion breaks into the city and proves nearly unstoppable due to its superior individual strength, lack of fear, and Hela’s ability to revive fallen soldiers.
• The Female Furies successfully organize the Parademons into coordinated attacks from multiple directions.
• The Amazons and Black Widows finally demonstrate their effectiveness, annihilating large numbers of airborne Parademons with powerful ranged attacks.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Hela is portrayed as detached and ruthless, viewing death as insignificant, yet she remains strategically concerned with preserving her army.
• The Kryptonians establish their overwhelming superiority over Apokolips’s technology and function as the decisive force turning the battle.
• DeSaad reveals his insecurity and political vulnerability while Darkseid is absent. He is forced to act decisively despite fearing internal dissent.
• Granny Goodness shows suspicion toward DeSaad and concern over Darkseid’s disappearance, but her lower authority prevents her from openly challenging DeSaad.
• DeSaad and Granny Goodness engage in a tense exchange over who is directing the war. Their interaction highlights the dependence of Apokolips’s hierarchy on Darkseid’s presence.
• The Female Furies demonstrate their discipline by imposing order on the initially overwhelming Parademon swarm.
• The Amazons and Black Widows overcome the Parademons’ sexist underestimation and prove their value as skilled, deadly ranged fighters.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power versus advanced technology: The Kryptonians demonstrate that physical strength can render even highly advanced weapons and warships obsolete.
• Death and resurrection: Hela’s army does not fear casualties because death is reversible for the Death Legion, making them exceptionally relentless.
• Leadership and political instability: Darkseid’s absence exposes fragile loyalties and creates tension between DeSaad, Granny Goodness, and factions within Apokolips.
• Teamwork and battlefield roles: Each army division has a specialized function, resembling a coordinated strategy game with tanks, ranged attackers, and support units.
• Misjudgment and underestimated strength: The Parademons assume the Amazons and Black Widows are weak because they are women, only to be decisively defeated.
• Loyalty to power: Apokolips’s forces are united primarily through loyalty to Darkseid, suggesting that without him, their unity and morale may collapse.

Chapter Summary: “Do You Want to Die?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Amazons unleash enchanted arrows empowered by abilities gained through Ke Chen’s Ascension Ritual. The arrows produce lightning chains, flames, ice, poison, shadows, and other effects, devastating the Parademon forces.
• The Amazons realize that Ascension has made every one of them superpowered, giving them confidence that they could now defeat even Steppenwolf in battle.
• The Black Widows fight with advanced weapons and overwhelming physical abilities, including Spider-Man-like reflexes, Wolverine-like regeneration, and exceptional teamwork. They rapidly destroy the Parademons while suffering almost no lasting casualties.
• DeSaad is shocked by the Black Widows’ regenerative abilities and assumes they are the result of advanced biochemical or genetic technology. He envies the technology and recognizes how powerful such soldiers would make Apokolips.
• As the Parademons fail to contain the invasion, DeSaad orders the Female Furies to enter the battle personally.
• Big Barda, secretly intending to defect, leads the Female Furies through the battlefield under the pretense of carrying out a decapitation strike. She brings them directly to Hela and the enemy’s prepared forces.
• Ke Chen’s side surrounds the Female Furies and demands their surrender. Big Barda then challenges their loyalty to Darkseid, asking whether they truly want to die for him when he has not even appeared to lead them.
• Most of the Female Furies begin to question their willingness to die, though Stompa angrily resists Barda’s suggestion.

Character Developments

• The Amazons gain confidence in their newly acquired powers and recognize how dramatically Ascension has transformed them.
• The Black Widows demonstrate their near-invulnerability and battlefield superiority, establishing themselves as elite super-soldiers who combine technology with enhanced abilities.
• DeSaad becomes anxious and envious after witnessing the enemy’s strength. His initial confidence in the Parademon army gives way to desperation.
• Big Barda openly begins maneuvering toward defection. She proves her sincerity by delivering the Female Furies into an ambush and then attempts to persuade them to abandon Darkseid.
• The other Female Furies reveal that their loyalty is not absolute. Although conditioned by Granny Goodness, they do not genuinely want to die without purpose.
• Stompa remains fiercely loyal and confrontational, reacting angrily to Barda’s attempt to undermine their commitment to Darkseid.

Significant Themes

• Ascension and transformation: The chapter emphasizes how Ke Chen’s ritual unlocks latent talents and creates soldiers with diverse supernatural abilities.
• The superiority of unity and preparation: The Amazons and Black Widows succeed through coordination, complementary powers, and disciplined teamwork rather than relying only on individual strength.
• Fear versus loyalty: The Female Furies must choose between obedience to Darkseid and their instinct for self-preservation.
• Questioning authority: Big Barda exposes the emptiness of sacrificing oneself for a leader who is absent and unwilling to share the danger.
• Technology and power: DeSaad’s fascination with the Black Widows’ regeneration highlights the value of advanced enhancement technology and his frustration that it belongs to the enemy.

Character Interactions

• The Amazons fight as a unified force, using their varied enchanted arrows to amplify one another’s effectiveness.
• The Black Widows combine ranged weaponry with close-quarters combat, overwhelming the Parademons through mutual coordination.
• DeSaad reports the crisis and orders the Female Furies into battle after observing that the Parademons cannot withstand the enemy.
• Big Barda leads the Female Furies to Hela, then deliberately places them inside Ke Chen’s encirclement.
• Ke Chen’s forces call for surrender, while Big Barda questions her teammates about whether they truly wish to die for Darkseid.
• Stompa confronts Barda angrily, creating a direct conflict between unquestioning loyalty and growing doubt.

Chapter Summary: “How Can You Surrender Like This?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Female Furies face defeat while Darkseid is absent. Stompa insists they remain loyal, warning that Darkseid will punish any traitors.
• Big Barda argues that Darkseid may have abandoned them and urges the others to either fight seriously or surrender after offering minimal resistance.
• Barda attacks Wonder Woman but deliberately loses after only a few exchanges, throwing down her weapon and surrendering.
• Her decisive surrender convinces the other Female Furies that Darkseid may truly have fled and that survival is preferable to dying for an absent master.
• Bernadeth imitates Barda, secretly holding back while fighting Natasha and Yelena. The sisters recognize her intention and help her create a convincing opportunity to surrender.
• Crazy Harriet, Gilotina, and Lashina surrender as well, leaving Stompa alone among the Furies.
• Stompa refuses to yield because of her extreme devotion to Darkseid. She attacks Starfire with deadly intent and briefly knocks her away.
• Starfire responds with her full power, engulfing Stompa in flames, but Stompa survives due to her New God physiology.
• Faora intervenes and kills Stompa by punching her apart, ending her resistance.

Character Developments

• Big Barda openly breaks from Darkseid, revealing that she values escape and survival over loyalty to Apokolips. Her surrender also demonstrates her confidence and decisiveness.
• Bernadeth and the other Female Furies overcome their fear of Darkseid and follow Barda’s example, choosing surrender when they believe he has abandoned them.
• Stompa is shown as the most thoroughly brainwashed and loyal Fury. Unlike the others, she cannot imagine betraying Darkseid and dies rather than surrender.
• Starfire initially underestimates Stompa but then becomes serious, unleashing her full strength in response to the threat.
• Faora demonstrates her overwhelming combat ability by decisively killing Stompa.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus survival: The Furies must choose between dying for Darkseid and preserving their lives after his apparent abandonment.
• Brainwashing and indoctrination: Stompa’s inability to abandon Darkseid contrasts with the others, whose loyalty collapses once they question whether he is present.
• Freedom from oppression: Barda’s surrender symbolizes her rejection of Apokolips and her desire to escape its brutal system.
• Deception and cooperation: Both sides understand that the surrender is staged, yet they cooperate to make it believable and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
• The fragility of authority: Darkseid’s power depends heavily on fear; once his absence becomes apparent, even his elite servants begin to defect.

Character Interactions

• Barda confronts Stompa and the other Furies, persuading them that Darkseid has abandoned them.
• Wonder Woman cooperates with Barda’s planned surrender by defeating her without exposing the ruse.
• Bernadeth secretly coordinates with Natasha and Yelena, who realize she is holding back and help her surrender convincingly.
• Stompa’s refusal to join the others creates a conflict with her former teammates, who have effectively switched sides.
• Stompa battles Starfire, while Faora intervenes to protect Starfire and finish Stompa.

Summary: “Breaking Through the Enemy Lines”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After witnessing the Kryptonian Ke Chen overpower and kill Stompa, several members of the Female Furies feel relieved that they surrendered, though they are saddened by the death of their former teammate.
• Big Barda reveals that Darkseid is absent from Apokolips and apparently left his forces behind as disposable “cannon fodder.” Only DeSaad supposedly knows where he went.
• Hela orders the invading army to destroy Apokolips’s remaining defenders. With Darkseid gone, the Parademons and other forces are unable to halt the advance.
• DeSaad learns that the Female Furies have been defeated, with some surrendering and others killed. He blames them for betraying Apokolips and insists that Darkseid will eventually return.
• Granny Goodness challenges DeSaad, pointing out that Steppenwolf is dead, Darkseid is missing, and Apokolips has no realistic means of resisting. Their argument is interrupted when Kalibak takes command of the defense.
• Kalibak, Darkseid’s powerful eldest son, leads the Parademons into battle and temporarily turns the tide, overpowering members of the Death Legion and sending the Black Widows flying.
• Faora confronts Kalibak in a massive duel. Although Kalibak is stronger and initially throws her aside, Faora recovers and fights him to a standstill. Their battle devastates much of the city, forcing them away from the main army.
• While Faora and Kalibak fight, the other Kryptonians use Heat Vision to slaughter the Parademon forces. The invading army breaks through Apokolips’s final defensive line and enters the city.
• Granny Goodness and DeSaad attempt to escape, but Big Barda—now fully aligned with the invaders—guides the attackers toward them. The other former Female Furies eagerly assist in order to prove their loyalty and avoid Stompa’s fate.

Character Developments

• Big Barda is revealed to have surrendered well before the others and now acts as a guide and informant for the invading army. Her transition from elite defender to active traitor is portrayed as pragmatic and remarkably smooth.
• Hela remains detached and ruthless. Because Apokolips is not her world, she feels no sympathy for its inhabitants and focuses only on destroying resistance.
• Faora encounters an opponent who can genuinely match her for the first time. Her initial disadvantage does not weaken her confidence; instead, it awakens her competitive fighting spirit.
• Kalibak demonstrates why he is considered one of Apokolips’s greatest warriors. Despite Darkseid’s dislike of him, he proves himself a formidable commander and combatant.
• DeSaad becomes increasingly angry and desperate, relying on the hope that Darkseid will return rather than confronting the collapse of Apokolips.
• Granny Goodness shows more practical judgment than DeSaad, recognizing that Darkseid’s absence and the loss of key forces have made victory unlikely.
• The surrendered Female Furies become increasingly eager to earn credit with the victors, motivated by fear of punishment and self-preservation.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism and survival: The surrendering warriors prioritize staying alive over loyalty to Apokolips, while Big Barda and the others actively adapt to the new power structure.
• The collapse of authority: Darkseid’s absence exposes the weakness and disorganization of Apokolips. His subordinates argue, panic, and struggle to replace his leadership.
• Power and inevitability: The invaders’ overwhelming strength—especially Hela’s and the Kryptonians’—makes Apokolips’s defeat seem unavoidable.
• Loyalty versus self-interest: The former Female Furies abandon their former allegiance and compete to prove usefulness to the victorious side.
• War’s destructive cost: The battles between Faora and Kalibak and the Kryptonians’ assault reduce much of the city to ruins, emphasizing the devastation caused by superhuman conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• Big Barda and Hela: Barda informs Hela of Darkseid’s absence, establishing a relationship based on cooperation after her surrender.
• DeSaad and Granny Goodness: They clash over responsibility for Apokolips’s failing defenses, with Granny accusing DeSaad of relying unrealistically on Darkseid’s return.
• Faora and Kalibak: Their evenly matched duel becomes the chapter’s central physical confrontation and highlights their comparable combat experience and abilities.
• Big Barda and the former Female Furies: Barda leads them in betraying DeSaad and Granny Goodness, while the others follow enthusiastically to secure their own survival.
• The Kryptonians and the Parademon army: The Kryptonians’ Heat Vision overwhelms the defenders and decisively enables the invasion of Apokolips.

Summary of “Darkseid Returns”

Key Plot Points and Events

• DeSaad and Granny Goodness prepare to evacuate Apokolips with their limited supply of local guards, viewing the far more numerous Parademons as expendable.
• Big Barda betrays Darkseid and surrounds them with Ke Chen, Hela, Queen Hippolyta, and their allies. She declares that she rejects Apokolips’ darkness and has chosen the light.
• Ke Chen captures DeSaad and demands to know Darkseid’s location. DeSaad reveals that Darkseid has gone to Earth, claiming that Earth has already been destroyed.
• The revelation alarms Batman, Mera, and the others. Batman worries about Gotham and humanity, while Mera is less concerned because Atlantis is difficult to attack. Hippolyta remains confident that Themyscira is safe behind its divine magical protections.
• Ke Chen reassures everyone that Darkseid cannot destroy an entire world quickly without his Parademon army. Batman recognizes that his panic had clouded his judgment.
• DeSaad announces that Darkseid has found the Anti-Life Equation, prompting Batman to ask Ke Chen what it is. Ke Chen dismisses it as “just an equation” and insists they finish the battle before returning to Earth.
• The Parademon army is nearly wiped out, severely weakening Darkseid’s control over Apokolips. Even if he regains power, rebuilding his biological army will take considerable time.
• Faora and Kalibak continue fighting, with Faora at a disadvantage, when Darkseid returns through a Boom Tube. He is accompanied by another unidentified figure.
• The chapter then reveals that Darkseid did not significantly damage Earth because destroying a world alone is extremely difficult, even for him. The absence of his Parademon forces makes conquest slow and exhausting.
• After acquiring the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid learns through the Mother Box that Superman has died. Realizing the Mother Box can resurrect beings by reconstructing their molecules, he travels to Superman’s grave in Metropolis.
• Darkseid uses the Anti-Life Equation to control mourners at the grave, forcing them into a frenzy and plunging Metropolis into chaos.

Character Developments

• Big Barda openly abandons Darkseid’s regime, confirming her moral rejection of Apokolips and aligning herself with Ke Chen’s side.
• Ke Chen remains calm and strategically focused. He understands Darkseid’s limitations and refuses to be intimidated by DeSaad’s threats.
• Batman initially panics over the possible destruction of Earth but regains composure after considering Darkseid’s lack of an army. His concern reveals his attachment to Gotham and humanity.
• Mera stays comparatively composed, trusting Atlantis’s natural defenses.
• Darkseid is shown to be powerful but dependent on his armies and advanced technology. His experience on Earth forces him to recognize how difficult conquest is without Parademons, motivating him to exploit the Anti-Life Equation and Superman’s corpse.
• DeSaad remains cruel and manipulative, attempting to provoke fear even while captured.
• Hippolyta maintains confidence in Themyscira’s protection and does not allow DeSaad’s claims to frighten her.

Significant Themes

• Expendability versus value: DeSaad considers Parademons disposable but treats guards as scarce resources, emphasizing the ruthless militarism of Apokolips.
• Light versus darkness: Big Barda’s betrayal symbolizes a moral rejection of Darkseid’s tyranny and a choice to support freedom and hope.
• Power and limitations: Darkseid’s strength alone is insufficient for rapid planetary conquest; armies, technology, and strategy are essential.
• Fear and rational judgment: Batman’s initial panic contrasts with Ke Chen’s composure, showing how fear can distort even intelligent decision-making.
• Control and free will: The Anti-Life Equation represents the ultimate destruction of individual agency, as Darkseid uses it to turn ordinary civilians into instruments of chaos.
• Death and resurrection: Superman’s death becomes a strategic opportunity, with Darkseid seeking to use the Mother Box’s resurrection abilities for his own purposes.

Character Interactions

• Big Barda confronts Granny Goodness by rejecting Apokolips and stepping aside to reveal Ke Chen and the others.
• Ke Chen physically dominates DeSaad and interrogates him, while DeSaad tries to manipulate the group by threatening their homes.
• Batman challenges Ke Chen about the Anti-Life Equation, revealing his suspicion that Ke Chen knows more than he admits.
• Ke Chen calms Batman and the others by explaining Darkseid’s practical limitations.
• Darkseid uses the Mother Box’s information and powers to locate Superman’s grave, then controls the mourners with the Anti-Life Equation, beginning a new crisis in Metropolis.

Chapter Summary: “This Is Anti-Life”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Metropolis suddenly descends into chaos as infected, controlled civilians attack others without feeling pain. Gunfire breaks out, and the police struggle to contain the violence.
• The police learn that Superman’s corpse has been removed from its grave. Darkseid is revealed to be responsible.
• Darkseid places Clark’s body in a Kryptonian revival chamber filled with nutrient fluid and uses the Mother Box, powered by his Omega Beams, to revive him.
• Clark returns to life physically weakened and mentally disoriented. Darkseid exploits his vulnerable state, using the Anti-Life Equation while violently beating him until Clark’s will is broken.
• Under Darkseid’s control, Clark absorbs solar energy in space to restore his strength. The sunlight begins to revive his awareness, but Darkseid reinforces the Anti-Life Equation and maintains control.
• Darkseid brings the controlled Superman back to Apokolips, where the remaining Parademons are being slaughtered by the invading forces, including the Amazons.
• Darkseid encounters Kalibak and Faora. Faora recognizes Clark but immediately realizes that something is wrong with him.
• Darkseid attempts to control Faora with the Anti-Life Equation, but her powerful will rejects it. Frustrated, Darkseid orders—or allows—Clark to attack her.
• Because Clark no longer recognizes anyone, he strikes Faora and sends her crashing into the ruins while she struggles against both his assault and the Equation invading her mind.

Character Developments

• Darkseid becomes increasingly desperate to regain control of Apokolips. Though confident in the Anti-Life Equation, he is forced to acknowledge that Kryptonian willpower makes both Clark and Faora unusually difficult to dominate.
• Clark/Superman is resurrected but returns in a mentally damaged, nearly soulless state. His weakness allows Darkseid to enslave him, turning him into a weapon against his former allies.
• Faora demonstrates exceptional mental strength by resisting the Anti-Life Equation despite being attacked and distracted. Her immediate concern is recognizing that Clark has been corrupted and potentially warning Ke Chen.
• The Metropolis police gain a new appreciation for Superman after his death, realizing how much protection and stability he had provided.
• Kalibak remains subordinate to Darkseid and addresses him by name rather than “father,” reflecting their strained relationship and Darkseid’s authority.

Significant Themes

• The destructive nature of Anti-Life: The Equation represents the erasure of individuality, hope, and free will, transforming people into obedient tools.
• Resurrection and identity: Although Clark’s body is restored, his mind and sense of self are not fully recovered, raising the question of whether the resurrected figure is truly Superman.
• Willpower versus domination: The chapter emphasizes that even overwhelming technology and cosmic power cannot easily conquer a determined mind, particularly a Kryptonian one.
• The cost of relying on heroes: Metropolis recognizes Superman’s importance only after his absence leaves society defenseless.
• Power and desperation: Darkseid’s control over Clark reflects both his immense power and his fear of Kryptonians, whom he knows may eventually resist him.

Character Interactions

• Darkseid and Clark: Darkseid revives, beats, and mentally enslaves Clark, treating him as both a threat and a weapon.
• Darkseid and Faora: Darkseid attempts to impose the Anti-Life Equation on Faora, but her resistance shocks him and undermines his confidence.
• Clark and Faora: Once allies or at least fellow Kryptonians, they are forced into combat. Clark attacks without recognition, while Faora struggles to defend herself and resist mental domination.
• Faora and Ke Chen: Though they do not interact directly in the chapter, Faora’s instinct is to warn Ke Chen about Clark’s corruption.
• Darkseid and Kalibak: Their brief exchange reinforces Kalibak’s subordinate position and the harsh family dynamic between them.

Chapter Summary: “Revived”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Faora realizes that Clark has been controlled by Darkseid through the Anti-Life Equation. She is forced to confront Clark while also facing Kalibak, leaving her focused primarily on escape.
• The Anti-Life Equation fails to control Faora because of her exceptionally strong willpower, developed through her military background and lifelong service as a Kryptonian general.
• Clark is vulnerable because he has only recently returned to his body after dying. His weakened soul and incomplete memories leave him defenseless against the Equation.
• Faora escapes and races back to warn Ke Chen and the others. Meanwhile, Darkseid, Clark, and Kalibak approach the opposing army with complete confidence.
• Ke Chen’s forces have already destroyed most of Thanos’s army. DeSaad and Granny Goodness remain alive and are being brutally tortured, especially by the Female Furies, who resent Granny for brainwashing and abusing them.
• Faora reports that Darkseid has returned and that Clark attacked her under his control.
• Batman, Diana, Cyborg, and the others are shocked, insisting that Clark died. Faora maintains that the person she fought was truly Clark, not a clone.
• Diana proposes the only explanation: Clark has been resurrected.

Character Developments

• Faora: Demonstrates immense mental strength and absolute loyalty to Ke Chen. Despite being outmatched, she resists the Anti-Life Equation and prioritizes returning with vital information.
• Clark/Superman: Is revealed to have been resurrected but mentally compromised. His death and emotional vulnerability—particularly his connection to Lois—have weakened his resistance to Darkseid.
• Darkseid: Displays confidence and strategic control, treating Clark as a favored “son” while using him as a weapon.
• Kalibak: Feels bitter and neglected because Darkseid shows more affection toward Clark than toward his own eldest son. His resentment toward Clark grows, though he suppresses it temporarily.
• Batman and the heroes: Are forced to question their understanding of Clark’s death and confront the possibility that he has returned under enemy control.
• Granny Goodness and the Female Furies: Their abusive relationship is emphasized. The Furies’ torture of Granny reflects their long-standing hatred and desire for revenge.

Significant Themes

• Willpower versus domination: Faora’s resistance contrasts with Clark’s vulnerability, showing how mental strength and emotional stability determine whether the Anti-Life Equation succeeds.
• Mortality and weakness: The chapter reflects on the idea that turning gods into mortals exposes them to pain, fear, and defeat. Clark’s death has left him psychologically vulnerable.
• Loyalty and devotion: Faora’s complete dedication to Ke Chen motivates her survival and return, presenting loyalty as a powerful source of strength.
• Resurrection and identity: Clark’s return raises questions about whether a resurrected person is truly restored, especially when their mind and soul remain vulnerable to outside control.
• Abuse and revenge: The Female Furies’ hatred of Granny Goodness highlights the lasting consequences of manipulation and forced indoctrination.

Character Interactions

• Faora battles Clark while trying to evade Darkseid and Kalibak.
• Darkseid openly favors Clark, calling him “my child,” which wounds and alienates Kalibak.
• Faora reports the crisis to Ke Chen, prompting shock among Diana, Batman, Cyborg, and the other heroes.
• Batman insists that Clark is dead, while Faora argues that she personally fought the real Clark.
• Diana resolves the contradiction by suggesting that Clark must have been resurrected.

Chapter Summary: “Why Attack Apokolips?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Diana reveals that Darkseid has resurrected Superman and placed him under his control. The possibility shocks everyone, especially because they had previously considered resurrecting Superman themselves.
• Kara wants to find and confront Superman, but Batman refuses, warning that doing so could be suicidal.
• Ke Chen realizes that Darkseid’s Anti-Life Equation is already affecting the battlefield. The Amazons and many Atlanteans quickly fall under its control, while the Black Widows resist because of their previous experience with mental conditioning and specialized training.
• Controlled Amazons and Atlanteans begin attacking their allies. The Black Widows try to restrain rather than kill them, protecting their companions despite suffering injuries.
• Ke Chen uses his telepathy to create a defensive barrier, but recognizes that the only lasting solution is to defeat Darkseid.
• Darkseid appears with Kalibak and the resurrected Superman. DeSaad assumes Darkseid’s victory is assured because he possesses the Anti-Life Equation, but is confused that some people remain unaffected.
• Batman questions whether the resurrected Clark is still truly himself. Diana explains that legends among both Amazons and Atlanteans suggest resurrection can strip someone of their original identity, making Clark easier for Darkseid to control.
• Darkseid confronts Ke Chen directly, recognizing him as the apparent leader and a powerful Kryptonian-level opponent.
• Ke Chen identifies himself as the “Kryptonian God.” When Darkseid asks why he has attacked Apokolips, Ke Chen confidently replies that he conquers wherever he wishes.
• Hela approves of Ke Chen’s answer, sharing his conquest-driven attitude and dismissing Darkseid as someone unworthy of concern.

Character Developments

• Ke Chen takes command of the situation, protecting his allies with telepathy and deciding that Darkseid must be eliminated rather than merely resisted. His confident declaration establishes him as a powerful, conquest-minded leader.
• Kara demonstrates concern for Superman and a willingness to risk herself to save him, though Batman restrains her.
• Batman remains cautious and analytical. He questions Superman’s identity, studies Ke Chen’s capabilities, and continues preparing contingency plans—even for himself.
• Diana provides historical and cultural insight, suggesting that resurrection may have fundamentally changed Clark.
• The Black Widows prove the value of their mental-resistance training. Unlike many others, they retain control of themselves and show restraint by attempting to incapacitate rather than kill the possessed.
• Hela openly embraces conquest and supports Ke Chen’s ruthless, unapologetic attitude.
• Darkseid is confident in the Anti-Life Equation but becomes frustrated when it fails to control everyone. He identifies Ke Chen as the primary obstacle to reclaiming Apokolips.
• Superman/Clark is presented as physically resurrected but possibly psychologically altered, leaving his true identity uncertain.

Significant Themes

• Identity after resurrection: The chapter questions whether a resurrected person remains the same individual, especially when memory, morality, or free will may have been damaged.
• Free will versus control: Darkseid’s Anti-Life Equation turns living beings into weapons, while the resistant characters struggle to preserve their autonomy and protect others.
• Resistance and preparation: The Black Widows’ previous conditioning enables them to resist Darkseid, showing how earlier suffering and training can become sources of strength.
• Leadership and power: The confrontation between Ke Chen and Darkseid is framed as a clash between rulers. Ke Chen’s refusal to justify his invasion emphasizes power and dominance over diplomacy.
• Conquest as motivation: Ke Chen and Hela treat conquest as a sufficient reason for war, contrasting with characters who seek more defensive or moral justifications.

Character Interactions

• Kara and Batman: Kara wants to seek Superman, but Batman stops her because he considers the mission too dangerous.
• Ke Chen and the group: Ke Chen protects nearby allies from mental control and urges them to focus on defeating Darkseid.
• The Black Widows and the controlled Amazons/Atlanteans: The Widows resist the Anti-Life Equation and fight defensively, trying to subdue rather than kill their possessed comrades.
• Diana, Batman, and the others: They discuss whether the resurrected Superman is still himself, with Diana offering the explanation that resurrection may have altered his nature.
• Darkseid and Ke Chen: Their meeting becomes a symbolic king-versus-king confrontation. Darkseid demands a reason for the invasion, while Ke Chen responds with unapologetic confidence.
• Hela and Ke Chen: Hela supports Ke Chen’s philosophy of conquest and shows no fear or respect toward Darkseid, viewing the invasion as an entertaining opportunity.

Chapter Summary: “Omega Beams”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ke Chen’s dismissive response enrages Darkseid, who threatens to kill everyone on Apokolips. Ke Chen remains confident that Darkseid will be the one to die.
• Batman reaches the resurrected Superman, Clark, and observes that Clark has become emotionless and potentially world-destroying under Darkseid’s control.
• Batman deliberately reminds Clark of his death, recalling how Batman had tried to kill him and how Clark died fighting Doomsday. The memories trigger Clark’s rage, strengthening Darkseid’s control.
• Clark attacks Batman, blaming him for his death and preparing to kill him with Heat Vision.
• Ke Chen intervenes, slapping Superman away and saving Batman.
• Darkseid recognizes that Batman is trying to break Superman’s conditioning and attacks him with Omega Beams.
• Batman somehow dodges the Omega Beams, astonishing Darkseid. Their failure is portrayed humorously as Batman possessing extraordinary “protagonist’s luck” and being effectively protected by his importance to the DC universe.
• Darkseid fires the Omega Beams again, but Ke Chen counters them with his own Heat Vision. The two powerful attacks clash evenly.
• The chapter explains the nature and importance of Darkseid’s Omega Beams, revealing them as a manifestation of the Omega Effect and a force of entropy capable of erasing or resurrecting beings.

Character Developments

• Ke Chen remains calm, arrogant, and confident, refusing to be intimidated by Darkseid. He demonstrates both loyalty and decisive action by saving Batman.
• Darkseid becomes increasingly enraged and insecure. He is disturbed by Ke Chen’s indifference and frustrated when Batman evades his supposedly unavoidable Omega Beams. His history of defeat and desire for revenge are also revealed.
• Batman/Bruce Wayne shows his psychological insight and willingness to manipulate Clark emotionally. Despite being physically vulnerable, he courageously confronts Superman and survives Darkseid’s attack.
• Superman/Clark is portrayed as resurrected but mentally controlled by Darkseid. His memories and anger toward Batman resurface, making him more dangerous while also hinting that his emotional responses could eventually help him break free.
• Wonder Woman and Ares are mentioned in the history of Darkseid’s previous battles: Diana killed Ares, while Zeus ultimately dealt with the threat.

Significant Themes

• Control versus free will: Darkseid uses the Anti-Life Equation to dominate Superman, while Batman attempts to restore Clark’s independent consciousness through memory and emotional provocation.
• Power and arrogance: Darkseid assumes his overwhelming abilities guarantee victory, but Ke Chen’s confidence and Batman’s unexpected survival challenge that belief.
• Destiny and narrative importance: The chapter humorously treats Batman and Superman as uniquely protected figures—Batman as “DC’s dad” and Superman as its “beloved son.”
• Destruction versus creation: The Omega Beams are linked to entropy, serving as the destructive opposite of the Source’s creative power.
• Memory as a weapon: Batman uses Clark’s recollection of his death both to provoke him and potentially to undermine Darkseid’s control.

Character Interactions

• Ke Chen and Darkseid: Their verbal exchange establishes a conflict between Darkseid’s fury and Ke Chen’s detached confidence.
• Batman and Superman: Batman psychologically provokes Clark by reminding him of his death. Clark responds with hatred and attempts to kill him.
• Ke Chen and Superman: Ke Chen physically intervenes to prevent Clark from killing Batman.
• Darkseid and Batman: Darkseid identifies Batman as a threat to his control over Superman and tries to eliminate him, only for Batman to evade the Omega Beams.
• Ke Chen and Darkseid: Their Heat Vision and Omega Beams collide directly, signaling a major escalation in their confrontation.

Summary: “King vs. King”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ke Chen and Darkseid begin a direct confrontation after determining that the Anti-Life Equation is ineffective against powerful Kryptonians.
• Their battle escalates into a physical clash. Ke Chen proves overwhelmingly superior, overpowering Darkseid in strength and durability:
  • He catches Darkseid’s fist and kicks him in the head.
  • He withstands Darkseid’s headbutt and retaliates by smashing him into the ground.
• Darkseid realizes he cannot defeat Ke Chen through physical combat and resumes using the Omega Beams.
• Ke Chen deliberately allows the Omega Beams to strike his palm. They pierce his defenses—something few attacks have ever managed—but fail to cause meaningful injury.
• Darkseid combines the Omega Beams with the Anti-Life Equation, allowing some effects that normally would not work on Ke Chen to begin affecting him.
• The battle between Ke Chen and Darkseid suddenly removes both fighters from sight, leaving the surrounding forces uncertain about the outcome.
• With the central duel temporarily unresolved, Diana and the others focus on Superman Clark and Kalibak, recognizing that the larger battle depends on defeating these major combatants rather than their armies.
• Diana orders Donna and the other Titans to fall back, acknowledging that they are not strong enough to handle Superman directly.
• Wonder Woman attempts to restrain Superman with the Lasso of Truth so Batman can appeal to his reason. Superman instead grabs the lasso, overpowers Diana, and throws her aside.

Character Developments

• Ke Chen is portrayed as vastly stronger than both Thanos and Darkseid in physical combat. He remains confident and even taunts Darkseid, but he is surprised when the Omega Beams breach his defenses.
• Darkseid demonstrates adaptability. After losing the physical battle, he shifts to his divine powers and combines the Omega Beams with the Anti-Life Equation, showing that he is more dangerous than a purely physical opponent.
• Superman Clark appears completely controlled or corrupted, acting with overwhelming force and intimidating others merely through his presence.
• Wonder Woman takes command of the battlefield and makes a practical assessment of the Titans’ limitations. Her attempt to save or restrain Superman fails because of his enhanced strength.
• Batman remains positioned as the possible key to restoring Superman psychologically, reinforcing his reputation for reaching people through words and insight.

Significant Themes

• Power versus strategy: Raw strength dominates the first phase of the battle, but Darkseid’s use of the Omega Beams and Anti-Life Equation shows that special abilities can challenge even overwhelming physical power.
• The limits of invulnerability: Ke Chen’s defenses are nearly absolute, yet the Omega Beams prove capable of penetrating them, establishing that even the strongest characters have vulnerabilities.
• Godlike individual combat: The chapter emphasizes that the outcome will be decided by powerful figures rather than armies. Ordinary soldiers and underlings are irrelevant on this “battlefield of gods.”
• Control and resistance: Superman’s apparent corruption contrasts with Batman’s belief that the right words might still awaken him, highlighting the struggle between external control and personal identity.
• Confidence and arrogance: Ke Chen’s taunting of Darkseid reflects his dominance, while Darkseid’s refusal to surrender demonstrates the persistence of a ruler unwilling to accept inferiority.

Character Interactions

• Ke Chen and Darkseid: Their exchange moves from ranged power attacks to brutal hand-to-hand combat, with Ke Chen repeatedly demonstrating superiority. Darkseid responds by escalating his supernatural abilities.
• Diana and the Titans: Diana protects Donna and the others by ordering them to retreat from Superman, recognizing the immense gap in power.
• Diana and Superman: Diana tries to use the Lasso of Truth to restrain Clark, but Superman reverses the situation and hurls her away.
• Diana and Batman: Diana relies on Batman’s ability to verbally reach Superman, suggesting that Batman may be more effective psychologically than physically.
• Superman and Cyborg: Superman’s glance alone causes Cyborg to experience fear, emphasizing Clark’s terrifying presence and power.

Chapter Summary: “Bond”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The battle intensifies as Faora organizes the Kryptonian Warriors against Superman Clark, recognizing him as a greater threat than Kalibak because of his natural birth and decades of accumulated solar energy.
• Faora engages Kalibak directly to keep him occupied, while the remaining warriors focus on restraining Clark.
• Diana uses the indestructible Lasso of Truth to bind Clark’s right arm. Despite Clark’s overwhelming strength, she and another warrior manage to hold him.
• Donna Troy joins the effort with her Persuasion Lasso, successfully binding Clark’s left arm. Additional Kryptonian Warriors help maintain the restraint.
• Batman approaches while Clark is immobilized. Clark, remembering that Bruce’s actions and Kryptonite contributed to his death, threatens him with Heat Vision.
• Bruce invokes Lois Lane, warning Clark that killing him would make Lois see him as a monster and prevent him from ever being Superman again.
• Lois’s name breaks through Darkseid’s control and awakens Clark’s buried memories and humanity.
• Clark orders the others to “Go home.” Cyborg opens a Boom Tube, and Diana and Donna release him. Clark willingly enters the portal, escaping the confrontation.

Character Developments

• Superman Clark: Initially enraged and controlled by Darkseid, Clark gradually regains his memories and moral identity. His bond with Lois proves stronger than Darkseid’s influence, restoring his sense of self.
• Batman/Bruce Wayne: Demonstrates psychological insight rather than physical force. He understands that Lois is Clark’s emotional anchor and uses that knowledge to reach him.
• Diana: Acts decisively and aggressively, using the Lasso of Truth to restrain Clark. Her growing divine power is emphasized.
• Donna Troy: Proves her value by successfully using the Persuasion Lasso, participating directly in restraining Superman rather than merely assisting Diana.
• Faora: Shows strategic judgment by identifying Clark as the most dangerous opponent and assigning forces accordingly.
• Cyborg: Provides the means of escape by opening a Boom Tube at the crucial moment.
• Lois Lane: Though absent, Lois remains the central emotional force in Clark’s character and the key to freeing him from control.

Significant Themes

• Emotional bonds as sources of strength: Clark’s connection to Lois is more powerful than physical restraints or Darkseid’s control.
• Humanity versus monstrosity: Bruce reminds Clark that his choices determine whether he remains Superman or becomes a monster in Lois’s eyes.
• Identity and resurrection: The chapter questions whether a resurrected person remains the same individual, especially after death, memory loss, and supernatural restoration.
• Teamwork and strategic restraint: Clark cannot be defeated through strength alone; Diana, Donna, the Kryptonian Warriors, Batman, and Cyborg combine their abilities to contain and save him.
• The limits of power: Even an immensely powerful being can be vulnerable to memory, love, and moral identity.

Character Interactions

• Faora coordinates the Kryptonian Warriors and confronts Kalibak.
• Diana and Donna cooperate to restrain Clark with their respective lassos.
• Clark physically overpowers several Kryptonian Warriors but is gradually subdued through coordinated teamwork.
• Batman confronts Clark directly and uses Lois’s importance to restore his consciousness.
• Cyborg and the Amazons support Clark’s escape once he regains control of himself.