Chapter Summaries

Black Orchid relayed that The Red had shown her a species’ origins and history, while Oliver and Black Canary emerged from the sewers and considered asking Luthor for help with the Superman clones. The chapter ended with Luthor arriving beside Su Ming, already carrying a cloned Superman corpse.

• Black Orchid began describing visions from The Red, but Detective Chimp interrupted her and asked whether the bugs came from beyond the multiverse.
• Oliver discovered that communications had returned, and he and Black Canary left the sewers after hearing the battle had stopped.
• Oliver concluded that Luthor could provide useful information about the clones because of his experience creating Superman copies.
• Oliver contacted Su Ming, who told him that Luthor was already there with a cloned Superman corpse.
• Harley shouted with delight when she saw the corpse and called out, “Super cat food!”

Lex Luthor arrived with a dead Superman and offered to help the group find and reach another Earth where their enemies manufactured clones. Su Ming agreed to provide Luthor with changed Apokolips New Gods and Liquid Metal Robots in exchange for tactical support.

• Lex Luthor brought the corpse of a Superman clone and revealed that he had built a device to track living creatures without The Red.
• Harley recalled that Luthor had attended Gotham's annual supervillain convention and sold Superman-cloning technology to Black Mask.
• Bobo deduced that Luthor's technology had enabled Darkseid's Superman clones, and Luthor admitted it.
• Su Ming learned from Bobo that The Red's story had reached the Cretaceous Period.
• Luthor offered to locate another clone-manufacturing Earth and provide transportation and tactical support in exchange for New Gods samples and Liquid Metal Robots.
• Su Ming accepted Luthor's offer.

Deathstroke accompanied Luthor to the Fortress of Doom, where Luthor revealed that Perpetua’s legacy had given him a transformable super battleship called Divinity. The ship arrived at its destination, and Deathstroke asked Brainiac to confirm their arrival.

• Luthor opened a portal to the Fortress of Doom, and Harley, Poison Ivy, and Black Orchid stayed behind while Lorna followed Deathstroke.
• Lorna combined Liquid Metal with salvaged materials to create Black Matter armor and demonstrated her new battle suit.
• Luthor welcomed Lorna and led Deathstroke, Detective Chimp, and Brainiac into the Fortress’s meeting room.
• Luthor transformed the room into a view of Divinity, and Deathstroke explained that it was a super battleship inherited from Perpetua.
• Deathstroke told Luthor that he possessed the technology to build Divinity and asked Brainiac whether they had reached their destination.

Su Ming, Lorna, and Bobo arrived in a peaceful park in the new Multiversal System, contradicting their expectations of Darkseid’s base. They began investigating the unfamiliar Earth, and a young man recognized Bobo as a superhero and asked for his autograph.

• Luthor sent Su Ming, Lorna, and Bobo into the new Multiversal System while he remained outside with Brainiac and Divinity.
• The trio landed beside a busy park lake, where Bobo complained that the ordinary people and greenery did not match their deductions.
• Su Ming contacted the Adjutant, confirmed that Divinity was outside the new Multiverse, and decided to investigate the Earth before drawing conclusions.
• Bobo warned Lorna that Luthor had caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, and Su Ming explained that Luthor was currently a harmless ally.
• A young jogger stopped after hearing Bobo speak, then asked the ape for an autograph and details about his superhero career.

Su Ming, Lorna, and Bobo met an enthusiastic animal lover who mistook Bobo for a planned Superhero debut, then left him after Su Ming learned the current time from his memories. They departed in a customized limousine as Adjutant prepared to teleport them to their destination.

• A runner excitedly shook Bobo’s hand and hugged him after recognizing that he was an ape, but Su Ming stopped him from grabbing Bobo.
• Deathstroke told the runner that Bobo was the Patriotic Divine Ape, a future Superhero from Sky Dome Group, and warned him not to spread guesses about the group’s plans.
• Strangle stole the runner’s memories, and Su Ming took Bobo and Lorna away after threatening him with legal trouble if he followed or spread rumors.
• Su Ming warned Bobo that the animal lover might have been a stalker fan, then discussed how strange Earth was with Bobo and Lorna.
• Su Ming put Bobo in the driver’s seat of a reinforced limousine, and Lorna reshaped the pedals and seat area so Bobo could drive.
• Adjutant appeared on the car’s navigation screen and began teleporting the group after completing a scan of their target location.

Su Ming arranged for Polaris to meet Annie, a young woman who wanted to become a Superhero, and asked her to mentor the girl. With Adjutant locating Annie’s home, the group teleported to her town and arrived outside her house.

• Su Ming explained that the world’s Superheroes were manufactured by Vought International and planned to prepare the Earth for his control.
• Su Ming told Polaris that she would meet Annie and take the aspiring Superhero along for some fun.
• Polaris worried that she was not suited to mentor Annie because people had called her a freak and a murderer.
• Su Ming reassured Polaris and asked Adjutant to find Annie’s home address in Ohio.
• Adjutant located Annie’s home and teleported the group to a road near her house.

Su Ming used Polaris and Starlight as bait to draw out information about Desaad, then publicly challenged Vought International and offered Starlight a place on his new superhero team. He left the story inside Annie January’s home, where he made her an offer to join Sky Dome Group.

• Bobo drove their vehicle into Vought International’s parked car, drawing reporters to the scene.
• Su Ming stepped out with Polaris and accused Vought International of violating superheroes’ rights and exploiting their labor.
• Su Ming introduced himself as Mr. Ming, promised the reporters ten thousand US Dollars, and announced his plan to recruit Starlight.
• Su Ming entered Annie January’s home after Strangle unlocked the door and knocked down two Vought International security guards.
• Su Ming offered Annie January twice whatever Vought International was paying her to join his company.

Su Ming offered Annie January a place at Sky Dome Group, competing with Vought International for her recruitment. Annie’s mother accepted his lucrative deal, leaving Annie stunned as Su Ming prepared to sign her and urged her to read the contract.

• A Vought International manager told Su Ming to leave, insisting Annie had an agreement with the company and was on track to join The Seven.
• Su Ming appealed to Annie’s desire to become a heroic protector and offered her a better contract through Sky Dome Group.
• Annie’s mother stepped in to negotiate, while Strangle silently immobilized the Vought manager.
• Su Ming offered Mrs. January five million dollars, a house, a car, and a monthly allowance in exchange for Annie joining his company.
• Mrs. January accepted the offer and took the contract, while Annie objected that she still wanted to join The Seven.
• Su Ming handed Mrs. January the contract and told Annie to read it before shouting, “Hail Hydra!”

Annie signed with Sky Dome Group after Deathstroke offered her a lavish contract and promised she could be a Superhero without breaking the law. She left with her mother, Bobo, and Lorna Dane for New York, where she was to begin working with Polaris.

• Annie read the contract and was stunned by its extensive benefits and salary, which surpassed Homelander's contract.
• Deathstroke persuaded Annie that Sky Dome Group would give her freedom to act as a Superhero and told her Vought International's heroes were clowns.
• Annie signed on after confirming she would not be expected to do anything illegal.
• Deathstroke gave Annie's mother a luxury car and money, paid the reporters, and left with the group by helicopter.
• Deathstroke ordered the pilot to take them to New York by a more secluded flight route and introduced Lorna Dane, codenamed Polaris, as Annie's future partner.

Su Ming brought Starlight and Polaris toward their first encounter with Homelander, intending to expose the reality behind her idol. Homelander arrived and attacked their helicopter with Heat Vision.

• Starlight eagerly introduced herself to Polaris, who agreed to act as her cold but warm-hearted senior partner.
• Su Ming learned from the Adjutant that a fast aerial object was approaching and suspected Vought International had sent Homelander or Black Noir to kill him.
• Su Ming recalled how Black Noir had framed Homelander for horrific crimes in the comics and explained their history to the Adjutant.
• Starlight recognized Homelander as he approached the helicopter and saw him fire two red beams from his eyes toward it.

Homelander attacked the helicopter carrying Starlight, but Su Ming reflected his Heat Vision and sent him crashing into the forest. Starlight learned that Vought had targeted her for refusing to join, and Adjutant showed her evidence of the company’s Superheroes’ crimes as the helicopter continued toward New York.

• Homelander fired his Heat Vision at the helicopter, but Su Ming reflected the beams and struck him in the crotch, sending him falling into the forest.
• Su Ming told Starlight that Homelander attacked because she had not joined Vought International and had become a business enemy.
• Starlight broke down after learning her longtime idol had tried to kill her, and Su Ming comforted her by condemning Vought.
• Su Ming asked Adjutant to show Starlight evidence of Vought’s Superheroes committing crimes and the company covering them up.
• Starlight forced herself to watch the footage while the helicopter flew northeast toward New York.

Su Ming explained why he suspected Vought International was helping Darkseid and Desaad use human cloning technology to create a Superman. He left Adjutant to investigate the injured suspect while waiting for Annie to return and deciding how to verify his theory.

• Annie vomited after watching footage of a victim stuffed into a small container, and Su Ming sent her to clean up before discussing how to stop the Superhuman threats.
• Su Ming told Adjutant that differences between technological systems made Luthor’s human cloning technology valuable to Darkseid and Desaad.
• Su Ming reasoned that Vought International’s cloning technology, including the creation of Black Noir as Homelander’s clone, could help produce a Knockoff Superman.
• Adjutant agreed to keep watching the injured suspect, while Su Ming admitted he was uncertain whether the suspect was Homelander or Black Noir and whether Vought was involved.
• Su Ming said the investigation was only a probe, and that Starlight had already seen what he wanted while his game for Lorna could continue.

Su Ming sent Starlight to expose Vought International at a press conference while he and Bobo planned to kill one of The Seven. As they headed to ambush Saturn Hunter, Bobo questioned whether The Seven were a satire of the Justice League.

• Starlight agreed to speak at the press conference, and Su Ming reassured her that her mother had been moved somewhere safe.
• Su Ming told Bobo he planned to eliminate Vought’s heroes and watch what replacements the company produced, hoping to uncover evidence of a cloning factory.
• Su Ming sent Polaris with Starlight to the press conference while he and Bobo went through the sewers in disguise.
• Su Ming chose Saturn Hunter, a fire-fearing alien whose retirement press conference was scheduled for that day, as their first target.
• Bobo pointed out that Saturn Hunter’s weakness made The Seven seem like a parody of the Justice League.

Su Ming and Bobo planned to kill Vought International’s Superheroes, changing their targets after Lamplighter replaced Saturn Hunter at the retirement press conference. Saturn Hunter, pleased to keep his place in The Seven, heard someone laughing in a restroom stall and approached with murderous intent.

• Su Ming told Bobo that they would use Lamplighter’s torch to kill Saturn Hunter, then kill Lamplighter and stage his death as a suicide.
• Su Ming sent the Cloak of Levitation through a ventilation duct to steal something.
• Vought International postponed Saturn Hunter’s retirement and arranged for Lamplighter to retire instead, while planning to promote Translucent into The Seven.
• Saturn Hunter celebrated keeping his position and planned to prey on elderly men after the press conference.
• Saturn Hunter heard mocking laughter from a restroom stall and crept toward it, suspecting someone had overheard him.

Saturn Hunter searched a restroom for someone who had photographed his perverted behavior and was tricked into revealing Queen Maeve’s photos. He entered a stall expecting to meet Translucent, but a disguised armored man attacked him.

• Saturn Hunter found an empty restroom and sniffed discarded toilet paper before hearing someone retch and take a picture.
• Saturn Hunter suspected Translucent was invisible nearby and offered money, his car, and Queen Maeve’s secret photos in exchange for the pictures of him.
• An unseen voice accepted the offer and directed Saturn Hunter to a stall, where he sent the photos to a cloud drive.
• Saturn Hunter entered the stall and felt an invisible figure, but a strange man in black-and-yellow armor and a gnome in red and blue revealed themselves.
• The armored man summoned a golden Frying Pan and struck Saturn Hunter, plunging his vision into darkness.

Deathstroke spared Queen Maeve after deciding her flaws did not make her a murderer, then infiltrated Vought's headquarters to hunt Translucent. He paused to watch Maeve drink alone until Strangle sensed an invisible creature approaching.

• Deathstroke reviewed Saturn Hunter's photos of Queen Maeve and concluded she did not deserve to die, suggesting Starlight could put her through labor reform.
• Deathstroke named the world The Boys' Earth and carried the unconscious Saturn Hunter out of the restroom with Bobo.
• Deathstroke planned to turn Saturn Hunter into a vegetative state and hide him before hunting Translucent backstage at Vought.
• Deathstroke entered The Seven's headquarters and spotted Queen Maeve drinking alone in the private bar.
• Deathstroke watched Maeve pour twelve decorated drinks and down them in a row, then Strangle sensed an invisible creature approaching.

Su Ming killed Translucent and knocked out Queen Maeve while searching Vought International for The Seven. He then found The Deep feeding mysterious red pellets to a koi, unaware that the fish had reacted strangely.

• Su Ming used the Force to kill the invisible Translucent while Queen Maeve drank nearby.
• Deathstroke knocked out Queen Maeve with a frying pan, and he and Detective Chimp disabled her phone and removed its SIM card.
• Strangle found no useful information in Translucent's memories, and Su Ming sent Cloak to hide Translucent and Maeve in the sewers.
• Su Ming and his companions searched the building for the remaining members of The Seven and memorized their scents.
• The Deep promised to free a koi, fed it red pellets, and watched it roll belly-up and appear unusually excited.

Su Ming captured The Deep after discovering that poisoned bait had killed a fish he was trying to save, then sent him to Arkham Asylum. As Su Ming prepared to round up more targets, Vought staff panicked over the disappearances of several members of The Seven and Lamplighter.

• Su Ming found a box of rat poison and realized The Deep had fed the bait to a fish, which had died in the pool.
• The Deep mourned the fish and tried to revive it, but Su Ming knocked him unconscious, cremated the fish, and left its ashes in The Deep’s hand.
• Su Ming sent The Deep to Arkham Asylum and told Bobo he would identify whether Homelander or Black Noir had attacked them by watching how someone walked.
• Su Ming left the pool to round up the remaining targets as the press conference began.
• Vought staff discovered Saturn Hunter, Translucent, Queen Maeve, The Deep, and Lamplighter were missing, and a blonde manager angrily ordered her staff to search for them.

Homelander returned to the Great Hall as Vought staff panicked over several missing Supes, but Saturn Hunter’s burning body appeared before the reception began. Lamplighter then entered and set himself on fire, leaving the gathered reporters to witness both deaths.

• Homelander’s manager told him Saturn Hunter, Lamplighter, Queen Maeve, Translucent, and The Deep were missing, and Homelander offered to search for them with his X-ray Vision.
• Screams from the Great Hall drew Homelander’s attention to Saturn Hunter, who stumbled inside engulfed in flames and collapsed on the red carpet.
• Homelander worried that the reporters would blame him for failing to save Saturn Hunter and refused to go out before Public Relations prepared an explanation.
• Lamplighter entered carrying a torch and stood silently beside Saturn Hunter’s burning corpse as reporters questioned him.
• Lamplighter turned the torch on himself and collapsed beside Saturn Hunter, intensifying the scandal in front of the reporters and guests.

Black Noir returned to the company after a failed assassination attempt left him badly injured, only to stumble into the press conference where Lamplighter and Saturnian had died in a fire. The reporters mistook his awkward walk for grief, while Black Noir focused on asking the Board of Directors to clone the organ he had lost.

• The manager saw Lamplighter and Saturnian's charred bodies and planned to use Homelander to protect herself or escape the country.
• Black Noir entered the Great Hall bowlegged, and reporters photographed him beside the burning corpses, believing he was mourning his teammates.
• Black Noir recalled that the Board of Directors had hired him to kill a competitor and that he had planned to frame Homelander again.
• Black Noir intercepted a helicopter but was shot down after his Heat Vision was reflected by a mysterious golden radiance.
• Black Noir discovered he had badly damaged his organ, killed several people at a gas station, and drove back to New York to ask the Board of Directors about cloning organs.