Chapter Summaries

Su Ming and Barry fled Red Death through a distorted desert as the Speed Force Storm pulled the landscape into a black hole. With Red Death’s automated vehicles closing in, Su Ming decided they should turn and fight, though he had not yet revealed his plan.

• Red Death pursued Su Ming and Barry in his flesh-covered Batmobile while a swarm of armed combat vehicles surrounded them.
• The chapter recounted how Earth -52’s Batwoman fused with Barry Allen, became Red Death, and joined the Dark Knights after her world was destroyed.
• Barry and Red Death’s earlier clashes left Barry fleeing through the Speed Force Plane, where he crashed into Earth -11.
• Su Ming used smoke from the Batmobile to offset the black hole’s pull as Barry struggled to power the vehicle with his Speed Force.
• Barry agreed to follow Su Ming’s lead, and Su Ming insisted that they would survive and fight Red Death.

Su Ming and Barry used the Speed Force to crash into Red Death and bind him with the Lasso of Truth. After surviving a rocket-like launch and a fall into the desert, Su Ming killed Red Death with Bat-Metal.

• Su Ming explained that collisions between Speed Force users could cancel their speed, then climbed onto the Batmobile’s roof and asked Barry to share the Speed Force with him.
• Barry activated the Lasso of Truth as the cars collided, launching Su Ming into Red Death’s cockpit, where Su Ming grabbed and bound him.
• Su Ming and Red Death shot skyward in an explosion, while Red Death battered Su Ming and damaged his internal organs.
• As they fell, Su Ming drove a chunk of Bat-Metal into Red Death’s exposed chest and destroyed his heart before they crashed into the desert.

Su Ming defeated Red Death with Bat-Metal, and Barry stayed with the dying speedster as he regained control of himself. Red Death warned Barry about Barbatos before dying outside Central City.

• Su Ming and Red Death crashed into the desert, where Bat-Metal pierced Red Death's heart and drained his dark energy.
• Barry joined Su Ming after stopping the Speed Force Storm, and Su Ming warned him not to recharge Red Death.
• Red Death's appearance shifted between Bruce and Barry as Su Ming explained that Red Death was their fusion from Earth -52.
• The Barry inside Red Death thanked Deathstroke and apologized to the Main World Barry for damaging Central City.
• Red Death warned Barry about Barbatos, said he was going home, and died in the desert.

Su Ming and Barry escaped to a Central City safehouse after defeating Red Death, where they rested and prepared to continue fighting the Dark Knights. They left the safehouse’s owner’s identity aside as Su Ming rearmed and Barry recovered.

• Su Ming retrieved Bat-Metal ore from Red Death’s remains and told Barry they still had to fight the other Dark Knights.
• Su Ming and Barry discussed the need to rest, gather intelligence, and join the Justice League against Barbatos.
• Barry repaired Bliss’s Batmobile using parts from Red Death’s vehicle, and they drove into Central City.
• Su Ming led Barry to a hidden safehouse belonging to this world’s Deathstroke and explained how he had deduced its location.
• Barry ate military rations while Su Ming treated his injuries, checked his uniform, and replenished his weapons.

Su Ming planned to confront Merciless and free Diana, but first gathered weapons and sought magical help. He and Barry headed to London to find someone who could assist them.

• Su Ming explained his tactics against Red Death and mapped out plans to reach ARGUS's underground warehouse in Washington D.C. and rescue Diana from Merciless.
• Su Ming had Barry take him to the Great Pyramid of Giza, where he broke into a museum vault and stole Khufu I's Nth Metal Morning Star.
• Su Ming asked Barry where the Shadowpact Squad was, and Barry said Master Night had stayed behind to cover the Justice League's retreat before the Dark Knights caught up.
• Su Ming concluded Shadowpact might be trapped in Maya and decided they needed to find another source of magical help, so he and Barry set off for London.

Su Ming and Barry traveled to London to find Constantine and recruit his help. Constantine arrived after Su Ming offered him money, only to be grabbed from behind by Su Ming.

• Barry carried Su Ming to London, where they searched a telephone directory for Constantine’s advertisement.
• Su Ming shot a telephone to make it dispense coins, then used them to call Constantine.
• Constantine initially refused to help, but agreed when Su Ming offered him ten thousand dollars.
• Constantine emerged from a storefront, recognized Barry, and was seized from behind by Su Ming.

Su Ming and Barry confronted Constantine about the dark dragon Barbatos, and Su Ming stopped Constantine from trapping them in Limbo. They entered the House of Mystery, where Constantine admitted he needed help and proposed a trade.

• Su Ming and Barry questioned Constantine, who denied involvement in several magical crises before Su Ming named Barbatos.
• Constantine tried to refuse and retreat, but Barry carried him through a magical doorway to the House of Mystery.
• Su Ming revealed that he had anticipated Constantine's trap and warned him that they were all stuck in the same place.
• Constantine admitted he needed help and offered to make a trade.
• Constantine explained Limbo to Barry, then opened the House of Mystery's front door and invited them inside.

Su Ming confronted Constantine in the House of Mystery and uncovered the hidden gathering of magic users resisting Barbatos’s invasion. The Violet Light Formation kept the dark-energy forces out, while Su Ming’s search for help remained unresolved.

• Constantine brought Su Ming and Barry into the House of Mystery, where the demon Abbas served as his butler.
• Su Ming had Barry knock Constantine down and accused him of trying to use them against Barbatos.
• Su Ming deduced that the Magic World was occupied resisting dark energy and pressed Constantine to reveal where the mages had gone.
• Constantine admitted they lacked manpower and revealed the mages gathered in a hidden reception hall around a magical formation.
• Su Ming identified the formation as John Dee’s Violet Light Formation, which prevented the dark-energy forces from entering.

Su Ming negotiated with Constantine and the Mages to use his Bat-Metal to strengthen their Magic Circle against Barbatos. The spell bought the world at least three days, while Constantine arranged to preserve the Circle in the House of Mystery and gain influence.

• Su Ming pressured Constantine into explaining that the Mages planned to reinforce Earth-0's position in the Blood Domain with a stronger Magic Circle.
• Constantine revealed that the Circle needed Bat-Metal, and Su Ming agreed to provide it in exchange for magic items to counter Doomsday and Cyborg.
• Constantine used his blood to draw a smaller Magic Circle and transformed the Bat-Metal into light that merged with the larger Circle.
• Constantine said the strengthened Circle would hold Barbatos back for at least three days, and Su Ming pointed out that keeping it in the House of Mystery would benefit Constantine.

Su Ming obtained a magical scroll from Zha Kang and discussed ways to counter The Devastator and The Murder Machine. He and Barry traveled through the House of Mystery to Mount Etna to seek Hephaestus for a high-voltage divine artifact.

• Su Ming warned Zha Kang that The Devastator was Batwoman infected with the Doomsday Virus, and Zha Kang gave him a scroll to restrain it.
• Su Ming asked Zha Kang for help against The Murder Machine, but learned he had no way to supply the prolonged high-voltage current that could disable it.
• Su Ming rejected Zha Kang’s suggestion to seek Luthor and decided to ask Hephaestus for a divine artifact that could produce high-voltage electricity.
• Su Ming privately warned Zha Kang that a mage might have defected to Barbatos, and Zha Kang said he was prepared for the possibility.
• Zha Kang used the House of Mystery’s Anywhere Door to send Su Ming and Barry to Mount Etna, where Su Ming planned to find Hephaestus.

Su Ming and Barry visited Vulcan in his volcano forge to ask for the Olympian gods’ help. Vulcan welcomed them and showed off his divine-metal creations, including a partly assembled space battleship.

• Su Ming and Barry reached the rusty iron door at the end of the hot corridor and entered Vulcan’s forge.
• Su Ming watched Vulcan finish forging a curved blade before Vulcan greeted him and agreed to help.
• Vulcan led Su Ming and Barry to his cooled residential area and explained that he had installed central air conditioning.
• Vulcan showed them a divine-metal supercar, an invisible private jet, and a satellite built for the pantheon.
• Vulcan revealed a half-assembled space battleship, astonishing Su Ming and Barry.

Vulcan showed Su Ming his collection of Wonder Woman’s gear and presented him with a custom Metal of the Gods AK47, which might pierce the Dark Knights’ defenses. Su Ming accepted the weapon and ammunition, though Vulcan admitted its effectiveness was uncertain as the group prepared to face the Dark Knights.

• Vulcan led Su Ming and Barry to a room displaying several sets of Wonder Woman’s equipment.
• Vulcan said Diana had not visited because Superman and the Justice League had distracted her, and he expected her to eventually realize she was wrong.
• Vulcan gave Su Ming a custom Metal of the Gods AK47 called God Metal 47, along with five hundred handmade rounds.
• Vulcan offered Barry golden hand grenades, but Barry refused because he did not kill people and asked for nonlethal weapons.
• Su Ming asked whether god metal could pierce the Dark Knights’ dark energy, and Vulcan explained that firearms might have enough penetration and kinetic energy where cold weapons did not.
• Vulcan warned that the AK47 might not work and suggested Su Ming return to trade for a god-metal Gauss Rifle if it failed.

Su Ming learned that Zeus's Thunderbolt could provide the electricity they needed only if Zeus used it himself, and Vulcan offered to help once they sent him GPS coordinates. Before leaving Olympus to aid Wonder Woman against Merciless, Su Ming received a newly forged divine greatsword named Nightfall and accepted Vulcan's commission to bring Diana back safely.

• Su Ming explained that they needed a divine artifact capable of generating high-voltage electricity, and Vulcan said Zeus's Thunderbolt could be used if they marked the enemy's location.
• Vulcan exchanged Facebook details with Su Ming so Su Ming could send him GPS coordinates, while Barry returned to Central City to retrieve phones.
• Su Ming decided to help Wonder Woman fight Merciless first and avoid the Dark Knights gathered in Gotham and the Drowned near Mercy Harbor.
• Su Ming asked Vulcan to reforge Hawkman's Nth Metal warhammer, and Vulcan made it into a thin, pitch-black greatsword.
• Su Ming named the new sword Nightfall and accepted Vulcan's request to ensure Diana returned safely to Olympus.

Su Ming explained how Barry could destroy Merciless’s soul-holding coin, and they reached the ruins of Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Diana confronted Merciless in his Nightmare Batcave, where he challenged her with the god-killing weapon Godslayer.

• Su Ming told Barry that Merciless was still mortal beneath the God of War Helmet and gave him the God Metal Grenade to destroy the giant coin containing Amazon spirits.
• Barry agreed to destroy the coin, and he and Su Ming reached the devastated Washington, D.C.
• Merciless showed Diana his underground Batcave and invited her to choose a weapon from his collection of slain gods’ artifacts.
• Diana recognized Godslayer, realized none of the displayed weapons could match it, and dropped her Vulcan's Sword and Amazonian Shield.

Diana fought Merciless, who claimed he had learned Amazonian combat techniques from her and revealed that he had enslaved the souls of the Amazons. When his attempt to summon them destroyed the giant coin, an unknown gunman attacked him, and a figure appeared beside Diana offering to save her.

• Diana discarded her weapons and fought Merciless barehanded, but he overpowered and threw her across the room.
• Merciless claimed Diana had taught him Amazonian combat techniques and said he had destroyed Paradise Island and killed her sisters.
• Diana resumed fighting with Vulcan's Sword and shield, but Merciless distracted her by describing the Amazons' deaths and struck her with his hammer.
• Merciless tried to summon the dead Amazons by striking their giant coin, but the coin exploded and the trapped souls escaped.
• A stream of powerful bullets forced Merciless to retreat behind display cases, and a tall figure appeared beside Diana and offered to save her.

Deathstroke rescued Wonder Woman and joined forces with her and Barry to confront Merciless in the dark cavern. After taking Godslayer and sending Barry to draw Merciless out, Su Ming charged toward the villain, but Merciless tore apart the Lasso of Truth.

• Su Ming revealed himself as Deathstroke, helped Diana to her feet, and told her that he had rescued Barry and Earth -11.
• Barry appeared behind Diana, and Su Ming picked up Godslayer while giving Diana a Vulcan's Sword.
• Su Ming resisted Godslayer's bloodlust and claimed the weapon for himself despite Diana's concern.
• Su Ming sent Barry to flush Merciless out while Diana stretched the Lasso of Truth into the cavern's darkness.
• Merciless used his God of War power to tear the Lasso of Truth into pieces as Su Ming charged toward him.

Su Ming used Diana and Barry to help draw Merciless into a close fight, taunting him while dodging his attacks. After Merciless knocked away the Nightfall Greatsword and wounded Su Ming, Su Ming charged again with Godslayer and briefly pressured him with its dual blades.

• Su Ming explained that the Lasso of Truth could not truly restrain Merciless and used Diana's brief hold to close in.
• Su Ming attacked Merciless and repeatedly dodged his counterattacks while insulting him to draw his attention.
• Merciless saw through Su Ming's tactic, while Diana damaged some joints in his armor and Barry failed to hurt him.
• Su Ming took a heavy blow that sent the Nightfall Greatsword flying and left him wounded.
• Su Ming transformed Godslayer into dual scimitars and clashed with Merciless, temporarily suppressing him with faster attacks.

Su Ming and Diana killed Merciless, but Su Ming was badly wounded and lost control to his Bloodlust. After waking on Paradise Island, he set out to find Queen Hippolyta and added godslaying to the Justice League’s bill.

• Su Ming trapped Merciless with Godslayer and a second Lasso of Truth, letting Diana stab Merciless through the heart with the Nightfall Greatsword.
• Su Ming severed Merciless's head and drank his blood as his Bloodlust took over, while Barry and Diana escaped.
• Su Ming regained consciousness on Paradise Island, where Amazon Warriors had treated his wounds and guarded him.
• Su Ming recovered his weapons and armor, learned Queen Hippolyta was meeting with the Amazon Council, and went to find her.
• Su Ming told a curious Amazon Warrior that he would add godslaying to the Justice League’s bill.

Su Ming arrived at Paradise Island while Diana argued with the Amazon Council about whether men should be allowed to stay, and he violently silenced one councilwoman before leaving with Diana and Barry. As they raced toward Coast City, they discussed Su Ming’s strategy for defeating Merciless and prepared for the next stage of the plan.

• Su Ming entered the Throne Room and heard the Amazon Council demand that Diana expel the men from Paradise Island.
• Su Ming punched a councilwoman and drew Godslayer, warning the council that he had killed thousands and would not tolerate their taunts.
• Diana asked Barry to get them out, and Su Ming, Diana, and Barry vanished from the Throne Room on their way to Coast City.
• During their journey through the Speed Force, Diana checked on Su Ming’s injuries and Barry questioned his tactic of using himself as bait against Merciless.
• Su Ming explained that his tactics drew on Batwoman’s Agamemnon Contingency, and Diana decided to follow his plans against the nightmares for now.

Su Ming, Barry, and a third companion arrived in Coast City to search for Batman's underground lair. The chapter recounted how Bruce Wayne became Dawnbreaker, joined Barbatos's Dark Knights, and set out to extinguish hope in another universe.

• Su Ming and Barry reached an empty Coast City and began looking for Batman's Batcave.
• On Earth-32, Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered, and a Green Lantern ring chose him despite his hollow heart.
• Bruce forced the ring to authorize lethal force, killed the murderer, and began slaughtering criminals and Green Lanterns.
• Bruce killed Commissioner Gordon and the Guardians, then used the Central Power Battery to become Dawnbreaker and create his own Corps.
• Barbatos destroyed Earth-32, and a smiling emissary recruited Dawnbreaker to use the Blackout Ring in another universe in exchange for reviving his parents.