Chapter Summaries

Batwoman repeatedly searched the elemental doors in the Hall of Everything while the others waited, and Su Ming brought his team back to Sepulk to discuss Darkseid’s need for the Speed Force. The team suspected Darkseid would seek the Reverse Speed Force, but Earth-0’s Reverse-Flash had been dead for over half a year.

• Batwoman silently cycled through the four elemental doors while Arthur, Diana, Hawkgirl, Superman, and Jason watched and wondered what he was doing.
• Su Ming teleported his team to Sepulk and explained that Darkseid had needed Barry and would likely seek another source of power after Barry was hidden.
• Jesse proposed that Darkseid could use the Reverse Speed Force, and Bobo agreed it fit the need to affect the Timeline.
• Little Superman wanted to kill Eobard Thawne, but Su Ming warned that Reverse-Flashes existed in many worlds and that the force depended on Element Z and Heavy Water.
• Albera argued Darkseid would choose Earth-0’s Reverse-Flash, and Bobo pointed out that he had been dead for more than half a year.

Su Ming and the others prepared to travel to twenty-fifth-century Central City to find the strongest Reverse-Flash, while the chapter recounted how Eobard Thawne became Barry Allen’s rival. It left Swann newly empowered by the Reverse Speed Force and ready to return to the past to meet his idol.

• Bobo reasoned that Reverse-Flash was probably dead because he had not appeared to challenge Barry in more than half a year, while Enchantress said she could not identify the biggest loser among the counterparts.
• Su Ming ordered Adjutant to prepare a spacetime transfer to Central City in the twenty-fifth-century Future.
• Su Ming explained that Eobard Thawne had been a devoted Flash fan living in a dystopian twenty-fifth century where superheroes had disappeared.
• Swann studied a Flash suit that had fallen from the sky and extracted its residual Speed Force.
• Swann and Professor Albert Desmond used Heavy Water and Element Z to recreate Barry’s Speed Force experiment, giving Swann the Reverse Speed Force.
• Swann named himself Reverse-Flash and began traveling to the past to spend time with Barry.

Deathstroke and his companions explored a corporate-controlled Central City in the twenty-fifth century, where the wealthy occupied the clean surface and workers toiled underground. As they prepared a picnic, a heavily armed company drone demanded payment for using its lawn.

• Deathstroke described how corporate competition had beautified the surface while keeping poor workers underground, and he ordered Adjutant to search for Reverse-Flash and obtain electronic currency.
• Albera wondered whether a cemetery lay beneath the lawn, and Deathstroke explained that the underground factories were the graves of exploited workers.
• Jesse accepted Deathstroke's account of the extreme social stratification and relaxed after Bobo gave him a chocolate pie.
• Deathstroke spread out a picnic cloth and invited the group to prepare hot pot, but an armed drone arrived and advertised the Midtown Free Tap Water Company.
• The drone itemized fees totaling 1,110 Universal Points for the group's lawn picnic and asked whether they would pay by facial recognition or thought-sense interaction.

Su Ming and his companions enjoyed a picnic in the corporate-controlled Central City of the twenty-fifth century while Adjutant hacked the network and acquired currency. After paying for a membership, Deathstroke warned Jesse about the city’s fees and speedster-tracking technology, while the group joked about how their wealth might bring them into conflict with the corporations.

• Su Ming kept the receptionist talking while Adjutant cracked the era’s network and prepared electronic currency.
• Su Ming bought a Water Company membership for Deathstroke, and the receptionist’s drone celebrated the sale before leaving.
• Bobo complained about corporations charging for fresh air, and Su Ming explained that even the city’s plants were patented and costly to maintain.
• Jesse said she wanted to explore Central City, but Deathstroke warned her that its roads charged tolls and companies tracked speedsters.
• Enchantress teased Jesse about provoking the corporations, while Little Superman said he liked how the city respected the wealthy.

Su Ming and his companions learned from the news that Eobard Thawne had been imprisoned and sentenced to death, so they decided to buy him out. After discovering Swann was due to be executed within an hour, Su Ming paid to expedite their prison visit and secured a meeting with him immediately.

• Su Ming had Adjutant show the news and learned that Eobard Thawne had been captured by Blackgate Security Company and sentenced to death.
• Jesse asked whether they had arrived too late, but Su Ming concluded Swann was still alive because there had been no later news about him.
• Su Ming ordered Adjutant to find Blackgate Security Company’s prison and book a visit so they could speak with Swann before bailing him out.
• Adjutant found that their appointment was set for the next day, while Swann’s execution was scheduled for an hour later.
• Su Ming paid increasingly high expedited fees, and Adjutant secured an immediate unsupervised visit with Swann.

Su Ming and his group toured Blackgate Security’s underground prison before meeting their target, Dr. Swann. As the visit began, Su Ming explained that Reverse-Flash was bait for drawing out Darkseid.

• A Blackgate Security manager welcomed Su Ming, Bobo, and Superboy-Prime and pitched a serial-killer visitation package during their elevator ride underground.
• Su Ming dismissed the manager’s sales pitch and showed off his enormous account balance, leaving her speechless.
• The group reached Blackgate’s heavily guarded Underground City and waited in a movable visitation room while Superboy-Prime tried a game console.
• Bobo asked Su Ming what he would do if Reverse-Flash refused to cooperate, and Su Ming said Reverse-Flash was bait for Darkseid.
• The visitation room docked with Dr. Swann’s cell, and Dr. Swann greeted Su Ming with a warm smile.

Deathstroke and Bobo visited Reverse-Flash in prison, where Swann explained how he had secured a pardon by creating horses for wealthy investors. Swann was released and said the world needed Barry and the superheroes to oppose the powerful.

• Swann recognized Deathstroke and Bobo, claimed he would soon be acquitted, and predicted someone would open his cell.
• Deathstroke deduced that Swann had offered the wealthy something valuable from the past in exchange for his life.
• Swann revealed that he had created living horses using a DNA database and sent a horse to the Business Association to spark a lucrative racing industry.
• Swann explained that competing tycoons would protect him so they could profit from his horse business.
• Guards released Swann, and he agreed with Jesse that the situation was wrong and said the world needed Barry.

Su Ming met with Reverse-Flash after his release and asked him to help prepare for Darkseid, who might target him after failing to catch Barry. Reverse-Flash recounted how Doctor Manhattan had altered the multiverse and told him to wait for Su Ming, but had not yet revealed Manhattan’s final words.

• Reverse-Flash was released from his cell and arranged a rooftop mansion for a gathering with Su Ming and the others.
• Su Ming told Reverse-Flash that Darkseid might come after him and asked him to cooperate.
• Reverse-Flash entered the Speed Force Plane, confirmed that Darkseid was alive, and returned troubled by how history differed from what Doctor Manhattan had shown him.
• Reverse-Flash described how Doctor Manhattan had transformed him into quantum particles and reshaped the multiverse before sending him back to await Su Ming.
• Reverse-Flash confirmed that Doctor Manhattan’s final words had concerned Su Ming.

Deathstroke and Reverse-Flash discussed Doctor Manhattan, Comedian's Badge, and the plan to use Swann as bait for Darkseid. Their enemy arrived in the sky above the city, announcing Darkseid's presence and leaving the team facing an unfamiliar threat.

• Little Lucky Ape recognized that Reverse-Flash's hint about Doctor Manhattan concerned Comedian's Badge, while Deathstroke kept his focus on using Swann as bait.
• Deathstroke explained his view that Doctor Manhattan retained some humanity, and Swann described how Manhattan had sent him back to the twenty-fifth century.
• Reverse-Flash estimated that Darkseid would arrive soon because the Speed Force Plane no longer showed traces of him.
• Darkseid's presence blackened the sky, as a huge droplet appeared overhead and city advertisements changed to read "Darkseid Is."
• Little Lucky Ape took shelter on Enchantress's shoulder, while Little Superman wondered whether the strange arrival belonged to another story that never happened.

Deathstroke identified the black creature descending from the sky as Deathspawn, Darkseid’s world-destroying son, and explained that it could turn Earth and its inhabitants into New God flesh. Su Ming, Little Superman, and their allies prepared to stop it, while Albera planned an escape route if the fight failed.

• Deathstroke identified the black droplet as Deathspawn, a destructive creature born from Darkseid and a Martian deity.
• Deathstroke warned that Deathspawn would consume Earth from its core and transform whatever it touched into New God flesh.
• Su Ming explained Deathspawn’s threat to Little Superman as he prepared to fight and used Cloak to protect the team.
• Albera prepared a Magic Circle so she could flee with Bobo, Swann, and the bait to Lucifer’s suite if Earth was doomed.
• Su Ming and Little Superman rose to confront Deathspawn while Deathstroke kept Cloak ready to protect him.

Deathstroke and Little Superman confronted Deathspawn, whose spatial distortion kept them from reaching him until the Cloak of Levitation carried them to his enormous egg. Clark froze the egg with his cold breath, but Deathspawn broke free and plunged toward Earth as Su Ming prepared to stop him.

• Su Ming identified Deathspawn’s infantlike instincts and fear of Darkseid and powerful flames as weaknesses, then led Little Superman into the sky to attack.
• When manipulated space stretched their journey, Su Ming used the Cloak of Levitation to take them out of the universe and return beside Deathspawn’s egg.
• Little Superman blasted the egg with cold breath until it was encased in ice and fell silent.
• Deathspawn shattered the ice, broke free from the sky, and accelerated toward Earth while radiating rage and despair.
• Su Ming recognized the threat was still active and resolved not to let Darkseid claim the Great Darkness.

Su Ming and Little Superman trapped the falling Deathspawn in a construct, but the distorted sky prevented them from sending it into space. Su Ming planned to cut open the space himself while the rooftop group discussed the Justice League’s divided loyalties.

• Su Ming built a multicolored energy platform beneath Deathspawn, and Little Superman caught it with a giant Green Lantern glove.
• Albera, Bobo, and Swann watched from the rooftop and discussed whether Batwoman or Deathstroke held more influence in the Justice League.
• Albera warned Bobo and Swann not to provoke one another, and Bobo remained firmly on Deathstroke’s side.
• Little Superman tried to throw Deathspawn into space, but the black sky bounced it back toward the platform.
• Su Ming asked the Adjutant to teleport Deathspawn away, but it could not because space was distorted.
• Su Ming rejected the suggestion to seek Doctor Doom’s help and decided to cut open the space above them.

Su Ming and Superboy-Prime forced Deathspawn out through a tear into the void after the creature hatched from its black egg. They sealed the opening, leaving Deathspawn exiled beyond the sky.

• Su Ming cut open the sky with his Lightsaber and ordered Superboy-Prime to push the black sphere into the void.
• Superboy-Prime forced the sphere through the tear, causing it to explode and reveal the three-meter-tall Deathspawn.
• Deathspawn attacked Su Ming with Omega Beams, but he deflected them with his Lightsaber.
• Superboy-Prime fought Deathspawn at the tear and burned its gripping wrist with Heat Vision.
• Superboy-Prime shoved Deathspawn into the void and covered the opening with his Power Ring construct.

Su Ming took the Deathspawn into the Void and sliced it apart with the Godslayer. After Darkseid failed to appear, Su Ming returned to reunite with the others.

• Su Ming asked Little Superman to guard Earth and hold the crack in the sky shut, then entered the Void with Cloak.
• Su Ming immobilized the Deathspawn with the Force and chopped it into pieces with the Godslayer.
• Su Ming called out to Darkseid, but neither Darkseid nor his subordinates appeared.
• Su Ming joked with Strangle about Darkseid abandoning his family and warned the symbiote not to eat the Deathspawn.
• Su Ming had Adjutant teleport him back to rendezvous with everyone.

Su Ming returned to a Central City whose Timeline had erased his teammates, but he chose to let Darkseid believe his scheme had worked while he investigated. He joined Luthor and Brainiac at the Fortress of Doom to begin tracking Darkseid, leaving his next move undecided.

• Su Ming returned to Central City and found Bobo, Superboy-Prime, and the others missing, while Adjutant confirmed he had arrived at the correct spacetime node.
• Su Ming concluded that Darkseid had hidden his teammates through Timeline manipulation and planned to use Bobo’s trackers to find them, keeping Darkseid unaware of his plans.
• A metal fortress descended over the rooftop, and Luthor invited Su Ming aboard, explaining that he had concealed their Time Point and located Darkseid.
• Su Ming entered the Fortress of Doom’s conference hall, where Luthor said he had a fifty percent chance of cornering Darkseid if Barry Allen was not in Darkseid’s possession.
• Brainiac told Su Ming that he had supplied Luthor’s statistical data while working on a device resembling a multiversal map.

Su Ming gathered Luthor, Cyborg, Damian, and the Legion of Doom at the Fortress of Doom to coordinate against Darkseid and find a Mother Box. The villains agreed to cooperate because they hoped Su Ming could help them fulfill their ambitions.

• Su Ming brought Cyborg from the Hall of Justice to the Fortress of Doom, where Luthor and Amazo had been waiting, and reassured him that Batwoman had knowingly left him behind.
• Cyborg complained that Luthor had nearly provoked him into a fight, while Luthor explained how easily he could have subdued him.
• Damian revealed that he had followed Luthor and Cyborg to the fortress and asked to join Su Ming's plan.
• Su Ming met with Cheetah, Gorilla Grodd, Sinestro, and Ocean Master, who had agreed to work with Luthor.
• Luthor explained that he had persuaded the Legion of Doom to cooperate by asking whether they wanted to resist Darkseid's control and pursue their own wishes beyond the Multiverse.

Su Ming negotiated the villains’ terms for helping him deal with Darkseid, agreeing to Cheetah’s request to control her transformations and promising not to interfere in Sinestro’s future war with Hal. He left Ocean Master considering a possible match with Siren.

• Su Ming agreed to help Cheetah regain a human form she could freely switch between, and she agreed to help fight Darkseid.
• Grodd said Luthor would provide his compensation, while Sinestro asked Su Ming to stay out of his future conflict with Hal and received his promise.
• Ocean Master said he wanted Mera, but Su Ming refused to break up her marriage and suggested her sister Siren instead.
• Su Ming had the Adjutant send Ocean Master a photo of Siren, and Ocean Master stared at it in fascination.

Su Ming and Luthor discussed the forces and magic their alliance needed to face Darkseid, then the Fortress of Doom joined the Divinity. The group arrived aboard the ship, where Luthor asked Su Ming where they would pick up the sorcerer.

• Su Ming asked Luthor whether Amazo had obtained the Still Force from the Timeline, and Luthor confirmed that he had kept it secret.
• Luthor suggested freeing Circe or The Upside-Down Man to fill the team's need for a sorcerer, but Su Ming said he had prepared someone better.
• The Fortress of Doom teleported beneath the Divinity and was drawn inside the ship.
• The conference room carried the group up to the Divinity's vast bridge.
• Luthor asked Su Ming where they would pick up the sorcerer.

Deathstroke reunited with Dream and the enormous cat while investigating a vortex tied to an earlier tragedy. The cat confirmed that its story belonged among the Dreaming’s unwritten tales, and the group set out to find the other stories.

• Dream and the cat waited in an empty city, where Dream explained that the vortex had appeared before and led to tragedy.
• The cat argued that it, Daniel, and the previous Dream were distinct forms of dreams, while Dream insisted they were connected.
• Deathstroke arrived and learned that the cat had come because he had spoken to it through psychological suggestion and hypnosis.
• The cat said that any story made of dream-talk would be among the Dreaming’s unwritten stories, not in the Book of Destiny.
• Deathstroke invited the cat and Daniel aboard his ship, then told Daniel to use his alias and joked about a Purple Gold Gourd.
• Daniel followed Deathstroke aboard and asked where the oranges were.

Deathstroke's team continued its plan to pursue Darkseid, while Su Ming prepared to travel with Luthor's forces aboard Perpetua's mothership. The chapter ended with the group plotting a concealed route through dimly lit universes and Su Ming warning them to leave no witnesses.

• Cindy took Deathstroke's place to draw Darkseid's attention while the team searched for records of the Gray-White Masked Man.
• Enchantress asked Swann about the Black Runner's Speed Force, and they chose a destination based on his answer.
• Su Ming met Daniel and the Legion of Doom aboard the ship, then fed the dream-cat a Space Whale.
• Brainiac projected a route through dimly lit universes, and Luthor asked Su Ming to identify which stops Darkseid had occupied.
• Su Ming warned the team to kill every witness to ensure their infiltration remained perfect.