Chapter Summaries

Thanos fought his young son Zane, who insisted on marrying the Goddess of Death, while trying to persuade him that Ebony Maw had deceived him. The battle continued as Thanos resolved to kill Zane and declared that he alone was suited to be Death’s lover.

• Zane attacked Thanos and declared that he would marry the Goddess of Death, whom he considered his mother.
• Thanos fought back, explaining that Ebony Maw had lied to Zane and that he meant to end his son’s tragedy.
• Thanos continued punching Zane while delivering a philosophical lecture and recounting his past as an artist and the life of his paintings.
• Zane rejected Thanos’s claims, defended Ebony Maw, and repeated that he wanted his mother to bear his children.
• Thanos angrily insisted that his lifelong closeness to Death made him the one most suited to be her lover, and kept attacking Zane.

Su Ming explained that Blank was the Concept Manifestation of Anti-Quantum and that she had trapped his thoughts in a counterfeit world. He identified the world as fake after tasting noodles whose quality did not match their price, while the pocket space began to crack around the escalating battle.

• Bobo asked what would happen if Thanos and Zane learned that Death had gone to get a room with Deadpool, and Su Ming warned that their fight was destabilizing the space.
• Diana asked Su Ming whether he had identified Blank, and he said he had worked it out from the arrangement of the universe and the trap prepared for him.
• Su Ming told Bobo that Blank embodied Anti-Quantum, representing an existence that did not exist.
• Su Ming explained that his former body and rental apartment were real, but the world around them was a counterfeit prison for his thoughts.
• Su Ming said the unnaturally delicious Hanger Noodle exposed the fake world because its flavor was far too good for its low price.
• The pocket-space boundary cracked under Cosmic Energy, revealing the black universe outside, as Su Ming looked up and asked whether his companions knew who was behind the deception.

Su Ming reasoned that Blank was the embodiment of nonexistence and Doctor Manhattan’s counterpart, based on her powers and her actions toward Superman. He ended the chapter convinced that he had identified Blank’s true nature.

• Su Ming ruled out himself as the source of Blank’s knowledge about his origins and suspected Doctor Manhattan instead.
• He connected Manhattan’s claim that quantum was everywhere with Blank’s name and nature as nothing, concluding that she represented nonexistence.
• Su Ming recalled Manhattan’s role in rewriting the DC Multiverse during Rebirth and creating Rebirth Superman.
• He noted that Blank’s attacks on the Justice League had targeted Superman first, matching Manhattan’s belief in Superman’s importance.
• Su Ming concluded that Blank’s actions and abilities pointed to her being Doctor Manhattan’s counterpart.

Deathstroke explained that Blank could only be tracked through Hypertime, while Bobo concluded the team could not find her soon. The group discussed Superman’s disappearance, and Deathstroke proposed that Supergirl Kara Zor-El take Clark’s place in the Justice League.

• Bobo realized that the team could not soon locate Blank in time or space, and Deathstroke found no useful clues in Ebony Maw’s brain.
• Bobo suggested asking Lucifer about Blank when the team returned to Earth.
• Diana asked Deathstroke whether he could save Superman, but Bobo explained that Superman had vanished rather than died.
• Deathstroke reassured Diana that Luthor might eventually find a way to bring Superman back and proposed that Kara Zor-El temporarily take Clark’s seat in the Justice League.

Deathstroke and his companions left the collapsing Pocket Dimension after discussing Kara’s possible role in the Justice League and how Carol could defeat Zane. Deadpool rejoined them with the Goddess of Death, and the group headed to Skull Earth for pancakes.

• Diana agreed that Kara could temporarily serve as one of the Seven Leaders of the Justice League, while Bobo worried that she might have forgotten Clark.
• Su Ming took his companions out of the collapsing Pocket Dimension and told Carol that a God-Killing Bomb could help her ambush Zane.
• Bobo asked whether they should wait for Deadpool and Thanos or go elsewhere, and Su Ming chose to return to the fake Earth for pancakes.
• Deadpool teleported onto the Cloak with the Goddess of Death and asked to join the meal.
• Su Ming teased Deadpool that Shakara and Harley might abandon him and enjoy themselves with the Goddess of Death.

Lucifer and Death left for Eden to investigate whether Superman had gone to Heaven, while Maze killed the giant maggot they had encountered. Su Ming and his companions arrived at the shore afterward and found a mysterious spacesuited figure recording the corpse.

• Lucifer asked Death whether Superman had visited her, and they realized his soul had gone neither to Death nor to Lucifer's Hell.
• Lucifer invited Death to investigate Heaven, and Death suggested that Superman might have become an Angel.
• Maze killed the giant maggot, and Lucifer opened a Teleportation Portal so he and Death could travel to Eden.
• Maze hurried after Lucifer and Death as the portal vanished, leaving the shore quiet.
• A spacesuited figure with a flaming-skull-like head appeared and recorded the maggot's corpse in a strange book.
• Su Ming brought his companions to the shore, where they encountered the mysterious figure beside the corpse.

Su Ming encountered a Record Keeper from The Source, who said he had observed the DC Universe and knew Su Ming’s history. They began exchanging information, and Su Ming asked whether Blank was the anti-Doctor Manhattan.

• Deathstroke and his companions prepared to face the flaming skeleton, but the Record Keeper introduced himself and showed no hostility.
• Su Ming told his teammates to hold back and approached the Record Keeper to ask how he knew Su Ming’s past and name.
• The Record Keeper said he had learned about Su Ming by observing the universe and showed him a page whose symbols caused disorienting visions.
• The Record Keeper asked where Su Ming went when he vanished, and Su Ming said he could travel outside the DC Universe’s greater framework.
• The Record Keeper accepted Su Ming’s answer and invited him to ask a question, so Su Ming asked whether Blank was the anti-Doctor Manhattan.

Deathstroke bargained with the Recorder for information about Blank and learned the names of the Three Mothers. After discussing whether Multiverse 1 deserved to survive, he parted from the Recorder, who planned to watch his coming confrontation with the Origin Judges.

• Deathstroke asked the Recorder what he could reveal about Blank, and the Recorder named the Three Mothers as Cowardice, Inferiority, and Autistic One.
• The Recorder asked whether Multiverse 1 still deserved to exist now that Destiny was dead, and Deathstroke said he would make the Origin Judges accept that it did.
• Deathstroke explained that he knew an Origin Judge had sealed Perpetua inside The Totality and onto the Source Wall, but remained confident he could face one.
• The Recorder said he would record Deathstroke's performance and vanished after they exchanged farewells.
• Deathstroke watched the Recorder disappear and said goodbye to him as Makka Pakka.

After the Flaming Skull departed, Deathstroke and the others examined the dead Black Maggot and considered what the mysterious Blank might be planning. With few clues and a possible new attack imminent, Deathstroke sent Bobo, Tracy, and Jack to the Hall of Justice while he stayed behind to investigate.

• Bobo asked Deathstroke about the three names the Record Keeper had mentioned, and Deathstroke said he had only guessed one casually.
• Deathstroke examined the Black Maggot and found its head completely empty of brain or moisture.
• Bobo suggested Blank might give orders through three Mothers, while Deathstroke added that Blank could also erase memories of herself.
• Deathstroke said he had ideas to verify once Barry returned and warned that the enemy might attack again soon.
• Deathstroke ordered the Adjutant to teleport Bobo, Tracy, and Jack to the Hall of Justice and told Bobo to report any memory loss or other mental changes.

After sending allies away to handle other duties, Su Ming decided to investigate Blank alone by looking into Doctor Manhattan’s past connections. The chapter left him teleporting to the Valley of the Kings outside Cairo, Egypt.

• The Adjutant teleported Bobo, Ezekiel, and the others to the Justice League, leaving Carol, Hela, Diana, Orange Cat, and Deathstroke on the shore.
• Su Ming had Strangle throw the corpse into outer space and sent Diana to Kansas to explain the situation to Lois.
• Hela took Carol and Orange Cat to explore Earth-0 after Su Ming gave her a gold bar.
• Su Ming considered whether Blank would appear, then decided to investigate Doctor Manhattan’s past relationships instead.
• Strangle directed the Adjutant to teleport Su Ming to the Valley of the Kings outside Cairo, Egypt.

Su Ming sought Ozymandias in an Egyptian tomb to borrow Tachyon Accelerators, hoping to counter an unknown enemy with abilities like Doctor Manhattan’s. Ozymandias inferred that the enemy had targeted Superman, and Su Ming asked him for one or more devices despite having only speculation to offer.

• Su Ming reasoned that a Tachyon Accelerator could obscure an opponent’s future sight and decided to seek one from Ozymandias.
• Using the Comedian's Badge and his control over Dark Concepts, Su Ming found Ozymandias living in a hidden, modernized tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
• Ozymandias welcomed Su Ming, who asked to borrow his Tachyon Accelerator to deal with someone other than Doctor Manhattan.
• Su Ming described the Cosmic Balance Theory and said a force opposing Manhattan had emerged and begun acting against them.
• Ozymandias inferred that the unknown enemy’s first target had been Superman, and Su Ming asked to borrow one or several accelerators.

Su Ming borrowed Ozymandias's Tachyon Accelerators to guard against Blank spying on future discussions. He left to tell Luthor that Superman was missing, hoping to preserve Luthor's hope while stabilizing him.

• Su Ming watched Ozymandias retrieve advanced equipment and reflected on the man's quiet resolve to protect Earth.
• Ozymandias gave Su Ming more than a dozen Tachyon Accelerators without asking for anything in return.
• Su Ming left Ozymandias's underground hideout with Strangle and secured one accelerator beneath his armor.
• Su Ming explained that the accelerators would prevent Blank from spying on their conversations, though they still had no leads on her.
• Su Ming said Diana had gone to speak with Lois and Jonathan, while he planned to tell Luthor that Superman was missing in action.

Thanos killed Zane, then discovered that Death and Deadpool had disappeared and set out to find a way back and reclaim Death. Deathstroke told Luthor that Superman was missing and gave him a Tachyon Accelerator, leaving Luthor determined to bring Superman back and surpass him.

• Thanos defeated Zane, snapped his neck, and tore off his head while celebrating his devotion to Death.
• Thanos searched for Death, realized she and Deadpool were gone, and crushed Zane's head in his Infinity Gauntlet.
• Thanos resolved to find Deadpool and take Death back, then considered how to escape the flat Multiverse.
• Deathstroke recounted the events to Luthor and gave him a Tachyon Accelerator, explaining that Superman was missing and only Luthor could bring him back.
• Luthor accepted the task and imagined rescuing Superman, realizing that surpassing his past self meant saving Superman rather than killing him.

Su Ming kept Luthor motivated by letting him believe Superman was only missing, then returned to Sepulk to plan the search for Blank and protect Batwoman. He sent Adam Warlock to Little Franklin for questioning and left to investigate alone while the Adjutant checked on Harley and the others.

• Su Ming praised Luthor’s resolve, concealed how difficult it was to find Superman, and toasted with him to humanity finding the missing hero.
• Back in Sepulk, Su Ming told the Adjutant to send Adam Warlock to Little Franklin and prepare a memo about what had happened.
• Su Ming decided to keep watch over Batwoman, suspecting she might be Blank’s next target and worrying that Zorn Batman could not protect her from every threat.
• Su Ming considered whether the Celestials had helped Blank arrange the Death Seed plot and steal Second Sister’s remains.
• Su Ming told the Adjutant to check on Harley and the others, then left alone and asked her not to monitor him.

Su Ming gave Adjutant a Tachyon Accelerator to study, then went to Eden to bargain with Lucifer and ask about cosmic concepts that might help him advance. In Gotham, Harley and Shakara bonded while looting a convenience store with a group of killers and planned to get breakfast.

• Su Ming handed Adjutant a Tachyon Accelerator and asked her to investigate whether it could be miniaturized or made powerful enough to cover the multiverse.
• Su Ming asked Adjutant to teleport him to Eden so he could speak with Lucifer about God, The Source, The Void, and other concepts.
• Harley and Shakara raided a Gotham convenience store with the killers, collecting supplies and decorating phone cases with rhinestones.
• Harley and Shakara took selfies and talked about killing together again, while the men shared murder techniques outside.
• Harley told Shakara that they would get breakfast, suggesting sausages and meatballs as a Gotham specialty.

Harley and Shakara looted Gotham while discussing the city, their relationships, and Shakara’s life underground. They spotted Deadpool with the Goddess of Death, and Shakara realized Deathstroke’s operation had likely succeeded, but Harley decided they would eat breakfast before leaving.

• Harley and Shakara left a supermarket with the killers carrying their loot, and Gotham’s punks made way for Harley.
• Shakara wondered why Gotham had no visible law enforcement, and Harley explained that the city followed the Law of the Jungle.
• Harley told Shakara that Deathstroke trusted Deadpool most among the men in his life and ranked Harley first among the women.
• Shakara saw Deadpool walking with a black-robed woman and recognized her as the Goddess of Death.
• Shakara concluded that Deathstroke’s operation had probably succeeded and suggested leaving, but Harley said they would stay for breakfast.

Deadpool reunited with Shakara and his companions in Gotham, introducing Death as his friend while Death flirted with him. Harley led the group toward the Iceberg Lounge to find food, planning to charge their meal to Batwoman.

• Deadpool greeted Shakara, Harley, Miles, Ghostface, and the others, then introduced Death as his good friend.
• Death teased Shakara about borrowing Wade and flirted with him, but Shakara welcomed her without jealousy.
• Death changed into a white skeleton and said they should find a better place to talk.
• Harley offered to take the group through the Iceberg Lounge's Employee Passage to its secret casino for food.
• Deadpool complained about being hungry and asked whether they could eat Lobster People for free.
• Harley led the group toward the Iceberg Lounge and said they could put the food on Batwoman's tab.

Deathstroke discussed the wish-granting mystery with Lucifer and Second Sister in Heaven, offering Lucifer a luck potion to help investigate it. Lucifer rejected the idea that luck could oppose God's plans, but Deathstroke challenged his fatalism before leaving to pursue other matters.

• Deathstroke gave Lucifer a tiny bottle of Felix Felicis and explained that the luck potion could help trace the wish-granting mystery.
• Lucifer refused the potion, saying Blank and the current events remained within God's arrangements, while Deathstroke argued that people could shape their own fate.
• Deathstroke told Lucifer that his heart remained trapped in a cage despite his rebellion against Heaven, leaving Lucifer staring silently at God's bloodied throne.
• Second Sister said another Death was moving through her world and had twenty-four hours to act under her Fairness.
• Death explained that rules prevented her from helping Deathstroke, and he accepted her explanation before leaving.

Su Ming’s Council of the Sky trained Great Mages beyond the limits of becoming Dimensional Demon Gods. Diana visited Clark’s old family farm to see whether his loved ones remembered him, and the chapter ended with Clark appearing behind her in his Superman uniform.

• Su Ming reflected on Felix Felicis and described how the Council of the Sky gave Great Mages a path to advanced magical training.
• Diana arrived at Clark’s family farm and found Lois, Jonathan, and Krypto inside.
• Diana listened as Lois and Martha chatted like strangers, though Lois still recognized Jonathan and Krypto.
• Diana hesitated to enter because she feared Lois would not recognize her.
• Clark appeared behind Diana in his red-and-blue uniform and asked why she was waiting outside.

Diana encountered a Superman who insisted they were lovers and treated her as family, while the Tenth Metal in her head warned her that something was wrong. Deathstroke arrived disguised as Batwoman and attacked Superman, leaving Diana caught between two versions of reality as the fight carried outside.

• Diana drew her weapons when Superman appeared without the Symbiotes, but he insisted he was Clark and urged her to come inside.
• Martha welcomed Superman as her son, while Lois and Jonathan left after accusing Diana of breaking up their family.
• Superman claimed Diana was his girlfriend and that they planned to marry, but Diana rejected him and stood beside Batwoman.
• Diana contacted the Adjutant, who sent Batwoman in a flash of blue light; Diana recognized Deathstroke by his manner of speaking.
• Batwoman punched Superman with a Kryptonite gauntlet, then blasted him through a window and chased him with a series of attacks.