Chapter Summaries

Su Ming explained that Perpetua could not be stopped from destroying parallel worlds with improvised defenses, while Diana rejected a plan that would preserve only their own lives. He outlined the limits of evacuation and turned to finding a way to defeat Perpetua and save as many universes as possible.

• Diana condemned the TV station for mocking Earth-19’s destruction, and Harley explained why its staff could not have warned Justice Incarnate in time.
• Su Ming told Diana that he had no way to defend parallel worlds from Perpetua’s surprise attacks and proposed surviving by letting the Ultimate Judge erase and reboot the universe.
• Diana rejected the reboot plan because it would leave people unprotected, while Harley argued that surviving was enough.
• Su Ming explained that evacuating the Multiverse into the Spectre Universe was impractical because of the population and limited transport capacity.
• Su Ming told Diana he had come to pool ideas for defeating Perpetua and saving as many parallel universes as possible.

Calendar Man replaced Bethany as a Channel 52 anchor and discussed his history as a killer who had escaped Arkham before Batwoman recaptured him. After the broadcast, he met Su Ming's group, and Su Ming questioned whether Channel 52's knowledge proved the existence of the Fourth Wall.

• Calendar Man took over the anchor desk, delivered grim news, and warned viewers to kill anyone who seemed likely to harm them.
• The chapter recounted how Calendar Man helped Batwoman identify Albert as the Holiday Killer, escaped Arkham, and was later recaptured and imprisoned beside the Falcone children.
• After the Flashpoint reboot, Calendar Man joined Channel 52 and found satisfaction in observing crimes and tragedies without killing anyone himself.
• Calendar Man greeted Su Ming's group after the broadcast, praised his destruction of the Third Dimension, and calmly accepted Wonder Woman's refusal to shake his hand.
• Su Ming concluded that Calendar Man's remark did not prove they had crossed the Fourth Wall, though Channel 52 could observe events across the DC Multiverse.

Su Ming reviewed the backgrounds and motives of Channel 52’s anchors as the studio connected live with Vartox on Earth-44. He concluded that the Justice League should not expect their eager support and waited for the broadcast to end before Deathstroke could negotiate.

• Calendar Man began a live connection with Vartox on Earth-44 while Su Ming watched from the studio.
• Su Ming recalled that Dr. William Magnus relied on the Metal Men to maintain peace on Earth-44, despite resistance fighters calling him a mechanical dictator.
• Vartox appeared as the frontline anchor, and Su Ming recalled how repeated misunderstandings over his dead wives had driven him mad and led him to Channel 52.
• Su Ming recalled how Bethany Snow had smeared the Titans, lost her backing and career, and later joined Channel 52 as a calm but bitter critic of them.
• Su Ming recognized that Channel 52’s two anti-heroes and two villains were unlikely to help the Justice League willingly, so he waited for the recording to finish before Deathstroke could negotiate.

Su Ming watched Earth-44’s robots defend against Perpetua’s army and concluded the battle could hold as long as Perpetua stayed away. He and Harley waited for Channel 52’s next programs, hoping they would reveal information about Perpetua or The Batman Who Laughs Family.

• Perpetua’s Marauders and Carrion Eaters invaded Earth-44 while Dr. Magnus and his robots fought them.
• Su Ming tested Channel 52’s censorship and studied the robots, noting their powers and personalities matched the Justice League heroes they modeled.
• Su Ming told Diana and Harley that the robot army held the advantage and could maintain the defensive line if Perpetua did not join the battle.
• Harley failed to take pictures of the broadcast, then accepted chocolate from Su Ming and stopped complaining.
• Su Ming predicted Channel 52 would soon air reality shows and urged Harley to watch for footage revealing information about Perpetua or The Batman Who Laughs Family.

Starman gathered the heroes at the Hall of Justice and warned that Perpetua would destroy the universe in three days. He explained the Totality’s role in containing Perpetua and began to reveal that he had discovered something new, but had not yet shared his plan.

• Starman showed the heroes a vision of Luthor and Perpetua destroying the Hall of Justice and said the disaster would happen in three days.
• Barry challenged Starman’s timeline, while the heroes debated returning from Maya; Bobo took several mages and Dex-Starr back to the Oblivion Bar, and other allies left as well.
• Starman said the Legion of Doom’s Still Force had hidden the future from Barry and asked the gathered heroes for help.
• Starman explained that the three brothers and the Ultimate Judge had sealed Perpetua inside the Totality, which was then sealed within the Source Wall.
• Starman said Luthor used a fragment of the Totality to unlock the Dark Powers of Creation, with six already unlocked and the seventh twisting beliefs.
• Guy Gardner urged Starman to explain his plan, and Starman replied that he had recently discovered something else.

Starman proposed traveling to the past and future to recover two Totality fragments and forge a prison for Perpetua, and Superman agreed despite the risks. Barry brought Superman to the Fortress of Solitude, where they found its doors open and a blood-red smiley face on them, while Su Ming prepared to meet with Bethany and the others on Channel 52.

• Starman explained the origins of the Totality fragments and proposed retrieving them across time to seal Perpetua away.
• Superman accepted Starman's plan, and Barry pulled him aside to talk privately.
• Barry and Superman arrived at the Fortress of Solitude and found its doors open with a red smiley face drawn in blood.
• Su Ming told Harley he had a bad feeling, then joined Diana as the Channel 52 recording ended.
• Bethany greeted Deathstroke and led Su Ming, Calendar Man, Ambush Bug, and Vartox to the Editing Room for a private discussion.

Batwoman kept the Joker contained while she and Owlman prepared to oppose Perpetua and monitor the Justice League’s plan on Earth-0. After repairing a machine, they used it to make coffee that reminded them of home.

• Batwoman warned the Joker that using her body to kill would trigger Jar-ro’s Final Protocol, and explained that Jar-ro could evolve into Conqueror Starro if attacked.
• The Joker agreed to help deal with their counterfeit selves and Luthor before confronting Perpetua, while Batwoman insisted Perpetua was the urgent threat.
• Owlman entered with a damaged machine and questioned Batwoman about her condition and her talk of suicide.
• Batwoman told Owlman she had watched the Justice League’s meeting on Earth-0 through Jar-ro’s access to Bleed Layer broadcasts, and said she would keep observing while protecting the League.
• Batwoman and Owlman repaired the machine, activated Plan B, and used it to make coffee like Alfred’s.

Batwoman and Owlman parted ways after agreeing on how to stay in contact, while Superman and Barry debated Starman’s plan to recover fragments of The Totality. Superman convinced Barry to act despite the risks, and they headed back to the Hall of Justice to prepare.

• Batwoman rested with coffee, agreed on a means of contact with Owlman, then left to search the Anti-Matter Universe for traces of the Anti-Monitor.
• Superman and Barry surveyed the looted Fortress of Solitude and found that The Batman Who Laughs had taken metals, weapons, and many ordinary supplies.
• Barry warned Superman that Starman’s plan could strand teams at different points in time or return them as timeline counterparts.
• Superman defended Starman’s intentions and argued that the Justice League had to try the plan before the predicted disaster in three days.
• Barry agreed to travel through time with Wally to recover fragments of The Totality, but Superman insisted every team needed enough strength to face the Legion of Doom.
• Superman pulled Barry from the sofa, and they went to the Hall of Justice to join the others.

The heroes prepared two Time-Space Gates and split into teams to travel to the past and future in search of a way to stop Perpetua and the Legion of Doom. Barry and John headed into the past while Superman, Cyborg, and Aquaman entered the future, leaving Starman, The Forger, Monitor, Mera, and Kendra behind to maintain the equipment and search for Anti-Monitor.

• World Forger and Monitor completed two Time-Space Gates aboard the Ultima Thule, and the heroes agreed on teams for the past and future.
• Superman assigned Barry and John to the past, while he, Cyborg, and Aquaman would travel to the future; Starman would remain behind to operate the equipment and search for Anti-Monitor.
• Mera promised to guard the passages, while Kendra silently held her and J'onn's son and Jessica worried about John going into danger.
• Barry tucked Jessica's hair behind her ear, then blushed and hurried to the gate with John.
• Monitor and World Forger activated the gates, and both teams vanished into their respective time periods.

After the two teams vanished into Hypertime, Starman and the heroes lost contact with them, and the portals were destroyed. At the edge of the universe, Hal Jordan and Green Arrow discussed what lay beyond the former Source Wall and wondered what to do next.

• Starman called both teams at the agreed time but received no reply, and he told the waiting heroes that contact was lost.
• Mera confronted Starman, while Hawkgirl mourned J'onn and Superman; The Monitor and the World Forger suspected the teams had entered unexpected Time Streams.
• The two portals exploded, cutting off the teams' way back and suggesting that Hypertime had consumed the entrances.
• At the edge of the universe, Hal complained to Green Arrow that the Guardians Council had hidden the truth about the Source Wall.
• Green Arrow told Hal that Deathstroke from Another World had described what lay beyond the wall as the source of imagination, then asked what they should do next.

Green Arrow recounted his and Hal’s efforts to secure Green Lantern Corps support for Earth while they dealt with the Guardians Council’s resistance. After Anti-Monitor trapped them on Qward, he asked them to help oppose Perpetua and coordinate with the Justice League.

• Oliver remained on Mogo as the Guardians Council debated whether the Green Lantern Corps should help Earth, while Hal secretly sent Guy Gardner back to assist.
• Hal and Oliver traveled the universe rescuing refugees and stopping genocides as the Council continued to resist helping the Justice League.
• Hal took Oliver to Qward to investigate the vanished Sinestro Corps, where they found the aftermath of a massacre and were trapped by Anti-Monitor.
• Anti-Monitor told Hal and Oliver his account of events and invited them to help oppose Perpetua.
• Anti-Monitor chose Green Arrow as a liaison to the Justice League because Batwoman was absent and he trusted Oliver more than Starman.

Hal and Oliver waited with the Anti-Monitor on his throne platform while he monitored the white light where the Source Wall had stood. Su Ming, Diana, and Harley arrived, and Su Ming realized the missing World Forger and Lantern had likely run into trouble.

• Hal and Oliver passed the days watching the white light while the Anti-Monitor monitored it and told them the Origin Judges had not noticed their situation.
• Hal joked with the Anti-Monitor about being brothers, but the Anti-Monitor clarified that Hal and Oliver were only temporary allies and promised them a reward for a later task.
• The Anti-Monitor offered power, authority, or fear, and Oliver considered whether mastering fear could make him stronger.
• Su Ming arrived with Diana and Harley, and Hal greeted them while Diana moved between the Green heroes and the Anti-Monitor.
• Su Ming recognized that the World Forger and Lantern were absent and suspected they had run into trouble.

Deathstroke warned Green Arrow that The Batman Who Laughs was targeting him for his Sinister Three-Piece Set and had captured The Stranger. Green Arrow noticed something was going on between Deathstroke and Wonder Woman and asked him to explain.

• Deathstroke met Green Arrow on Anti-Monitor’s platform and asked why he had left Star City.
• Deathstroke reflected on how Diggle had discovered Oliver’s identity, saved him from Black Arrow, and become his trusted partner.
• Deathstroke told Green Arrow that The Batman Who Laughs had been targeting him and was after his Sinister Three-Piece Set.
• Deathstroke revealed that The Batman Who Laughs had captured The Stranger, while Hal and Diana discussed the magical items.
• Green Arrow noticed Deathstroke and Wonder Woman seemed close and demanded that Deathstroke explain what was going on between them.

Su Ming confronted Anti-Monitor and accused him of planning to betray his brothers and humanity’s counterattack. The chapter ended with Anti-Monitor demanding evidence while Su Ming challenged him to fire his cannon.

• Diana forced Oliver to stop asking about her personal life, while Oliver teased Hal about her happiness.
• Su Ming met Anti-Monitor and considered how the three brothers’ roles in the multiverse had shaped their conflict.
• Anti-Monitor dismissed Su Ming’s offer and claimed he would help defeat Perpetua on his own terms.
• Su Ming guessed that Anti-Monitor intended to let his brothers fight Perpetua before betraying them, prompting Anti-Monitor to threaten him with an energy cannon.
• Su Ming argued that Starman could not have escaped Luthor’s prison with half his brain intact and dared Anti-Monitor to shoot him.

Su Ming convinced the Anti-Monitor to hear his strategy after staging a mock attempt to get himself killed. The Anti-Monitor agreed to support Su Ming’s plan to negotiate with The Batman Who Laughs in exchange for help killing his brothers and receiving Starman as food.

• Su Ming climbed into the Anti-Matter cannon while Harley pretended to beg the Anti-Monitor to spare him, and the Anti-Monitor lowered the weapon and poured them out.
• The Anti-Monitor said he would hear Su Ming’s advice but would crush the group if they failed to convince him.
• Su Ming proposed weakening their enemies while strengthening themselves, beginning with a deal with The Batman Who Laughs.
• Su Ming argued that former enemies could cooperate against a greater threat, then offered to improve the Anti-Monitor’s plan and give him Starman to eat.
• The Anti-Monitor accepted the deal and told Su Ming to prove himself.

Su Ming arranged a witnessed contract to secure the Anti-Monitor’s alliance and prepared to trade Green Arrow’s stolen artifacts to The Batman Who Laughs for hostages. The Vishanti appeared to witness the agreement, while Su Ming told Oliver which prisoners he intended to recover.

• Su Ming told the Anti-Monitor that their alliance needed a contract witnessed by a powerful third party.
• Su Ming summoned The Upside-Down Man, but the Anti-Monitor rejected him as a biased witness.
• Su Ming asked The Upside-Down Man to summon the Vishanti, and a trinity of phantoms appeared in golden light.
• Su Ming told Green Arrow he planned to trade the Sin Money Necklace, the Key to the Door, and Pandora’s Box for Donna, Kara, and The Phantom Stranger.
• Green Arrow agreed to give up the three artifacts, and Su Ming prepared to negotiate with The Batman Who Laughs.

Oliver learned that The Batman Who Laughs had captured and infected Justice League members, while J'onn had disappeared after seeking an antidote from Luthor. Su Ming prepared to trade for the hostages, relying on Diana to handle Donna and Hal to restrain Kara, then asked the Anti-Monitor to contact The Batman Who Laughs.

• Diana told Oliver that The Batman Who Laughs had infected captured heroes with a virus and that Luthor might have an antidote, but J'onn had vanished after approaching him.
• Oliver agreed that they should negotiate for the hostages and warned that the infected heroes might remain dangerous after their rescue.
• Su Ming said Diana could defeat Donna and urged Hal to use simulated Kryptonite against Kara; Hal accepted the plan after Su Ming praised his willpower.
• Su Ming asked the Anti-Monitor to contact The Batman Who Laughs, but the Anti-Monitor abandoned his offer to kill him personally when Su Ming mentioned Batwoman.

Su Ming completed an exchange with The Batman Who Laughs, trading two pieces of the Sinister Three-Piece Set for Donna and the other hostages. After confirming the hostages were safe, he handed over Pandora's Box and learned The Batman Who Laughs wanted Joker as the next bargaining chip.

• The Batman Who Laughs mocked Su Ming during negotiations and hinted that he had gone to the Arctic for the Tuning Fork.
• Su Ming discussed Perpetua's motives with Green Arrow and the Anti-Monitor, then had the Anti-Monitor transport their group to the moon.
• The Anti-Monitor, Su Ming, and Hal waited at the agreed location while Diana and Harley stayed with Green Arrow.
• Blue Beetle arrived with the unconscious hostages, and Su Ming handed over two pieces of the set while Hal checked the hostages for traps.
• After Hal confirmed the hostages were safe, Su Ming gave Blue Beetle Pandora's Box, and Blue Beetle relayed The Batman Who Laughs's demand for Joker in exchange for the remaining captives.

Su Ming and Hal examined the recovered hostages, finding that Donna and Kara’s brain scans were blocked by a black mist and that The Stranger had collapsed from exhaustion. After bringing them back to the castle, Su Ming rejoined Diana and the others, who considered the risks of the deal with The Batman Who Laughs.

• Hal used his Power Ring to examine the three hostages and found no detectable poison, while black mist blocked scans of Donna and Kara’s brains.
• Su Ming suspected the black mist was connected to The Batman Who Laughs Virus and told Hal to return the hostages to the Hall of Justice in case of a backup plan.
• Anti-Monitor criticized the trade and teleported away, while Su Ming joked with Hal before flying back to the castle.
• Su Ming told Diana and the others that the hostages were safe but warned that information from the unconscious Stranger might be unreliable or part of a trap.
• Diana asked whether The Batman Who Laughs might use the traded items against them, and Su Ming said that would be Batwoman’s problem.

Cindy and Constantine’s team defeated Bane and Old Batman Thomas in Gotham, while Batwoman confronted Thomas over his attempt to kill Alfred. With the mission complete, Cindy prepared to collect payment and use it to strengthen herself for the Multiverse War.

• Cindy listed the valuables accepted as payment while recounting how Mister Freeze had joined her and Constantine after they secured magical help for his wife’s cryogenic chamber.
• With Mister Freeze as their guide and ally, Cindy and the team defeated Gotham’s villains and drove Bane and Thomas to negotiate at Wayne Manor.
• Constantine’s reflection spell turned Thomas’s shot at Alfred back on Thomas, and Bruce declared that Thomas was not his father.
• Batwoman beat Thomas until Mister Freeze stopped him, while Mister Freeze froze Bane’s venom and the Ventriloquist surrendered to Constantine.
• Cindy continued calculating the bill and decided to trade her payment for items that could increase her strength during the Multiverse War.