- _ - We had dispersed Child's Pillar of Fire
and quieted her volcano...
But the Earth had been shattered
by the Witch Girl's Chaos, and so...
There is work to do.
What began with a stranger calling upon a savage,
would now come to a head
with the Savage summoning the Stranger.
Yet one way or another...
the conflict would end.
Sync & corrections by emeline-whovian www.addic7ed.com
_
Hey, goody-ten-shoes! Been looking for you everywhen!
- Klarion? - Well, duh!
Thank God we're off that bus.
That's Doctor Fate.
I saw a photo of him once.
He was in the Justice Society!
Justice League.
Hey!
Dumb heroes, pay attention!
We thought Child killed you.
She killed Teekl.
So I lost my familiar,
my anchor...
and my best friend.
Klarion now uses that vehicle
to anchor himself to the mortal plane.
Brilliant deduction, genius.
This is perfect. Now you two can team up.
Out of the question.
The Witch Boy cannot be trusted.
Ugh, agreed. But right now you need each other.
Look, I don't like it any better than you, Naboobie,
but Child has the backing of the Chaos Lords,
so we don't got a lot of choice here!
Nabu, you know it's true.
If we must.
Great! Everyone on the bus!
First stop: wherever they keep my new cat.
Since when did Doctor Fate join the Justice League?
_
Yeah, that's not going away anytime soon.
Garfield!
Hey, Perdita...
Happy to see me?
Surprised.
I mean, surprised and happy.
Why are you in town? Shopping spree?
Economic conference?
No, silly. I'm here to see you.
I brought you vegan-Thai-Chinese fusion.
Your favorite.
Thanks, but I just ate.
Can we fridge it for later?
Of course.
Are we clear on the plan?
Plan-schman.
None of it'll work if I don't feline-up first!
And this magical hoo-ha
will really get us where we wanna go?
Yeah, Fate's good at giving directions.
So, uh,
you really been bouncing around time and space for ten years?
Feels more like a couple of hours,
but I guess so?
I really have to pee.
When this is over,
we will get you back to your proper time.
- I promise. - Mmm.
After Klarion did this to these kids,
are we seriously gonna trust him not to stab us in the back?
Uh, I can hear you.
Not even a little bit.
But right now, we have no choice.
I can still hear you.
Which doesn't mean we shouldn't be ready for whatever he might do.
You're inside me. I can hear everything!
Good.
Where are we?
Oh, sorry.
_
The Stranger summoned
the Lords of Order and the Lords of Chaos
to hear the Savage's plea...
Here me, Lords.
You govern the balance in all things,
from the largest galaxy to the tiniest quark.
But upon the planet Earth,
I have partnered with your Lord of Chaos
and begotten your Lord of Order.
It is I, Vandal Savage,
who has maintained the balance there.
Child has upset that balance,
threatening the destruction of the planet.
And the true tragedy... it is all so unnecessary.
If there is tragedy, Savage, you are to blame.
Your alliance with Darkseid has evolved Earth
into a significant front
in the war between Order and Chaos.
If Child has upset Earth's delicate sensibilities,
this Savage has no one to blame but himself.
No.
Ugh.
You can't be serious.
What, are you guys even trying?
Ugh, what are you looking for exactly?
I'm not looking!
The cat's supposed to look for me!
There! That's it! That's the one!
What was the point of coming to an animal shelter
if he was gonna pick a stray off the street?
It's magic, baby.
Remind me to tell you how I found Leroy.
Now all it needs is a name!
Um... "She." All she needs is a name.
I guess you could name her after your old cat.
Please, you have no imagination.
New cat. New name.
Something totally original.
I've got it!
I'll call her...
Teekl!
Teekl! Teekl!
- But that was... - Don't.
Now that the Witch Boy and his familiar
have shared the bond of naming,
the animal has truly become his anchor.
Gimme!
Lovely to meet you, Teekl.
We're gonna have such fun.
Come. Child continues her rampage.
You and the kids stay with the bus.
We'll be back to send you home.
Assuming the world survives at all.
All is ready. Begin, Witch Boy.
Take it, Teekl!
That is not sufficient.
She's a little kitty, you big bully.
She just needs a boost.
What a stubborn little boy,
willing to partner with Fate to get your way.
But that only proves my point.
You're a tool of Order, unworthy of Chaos.
Huh.
Well, um...
I've missed you, Garfield.
We haven't been in the same room
since you returned from Mars.
I know it must be very hard losing Conner.
I have some... experience with losing family members,
and I want to help you through this...
if you'll let me.
Too perfect.
We'll use their own power to destroy them.
This can only end one way, Child.
Yeah, with me laughing my ass on!
That's it, Mary. Take it in.
Slow but steady.
Well, that's not right.
Now, Khalid! While she's distracted.
You're sure she isn't human? I'm a doctor, I took an oath!
Not even vaguely human. Keep it up!
Huh. An effective technique.
If I were truly organic.
And if I were in this fight alone.
But I have friends in high places.
So... sorry, not sorry.
Peek-a-boo.
Dleihs!
Fortunately,
the Savage never learned to surrender.
You referenced my alliance with Darkseid.
But you ignore how that alliance is fated to end.
With a final conflict between Apokolips and Earth,
wherein if Earth falls,
the Anti-Life Equation reigns supreme.
Chaos will virtually cease to exist,
rendering Order moot.
For what is Order without Chaos?
It is as light without shadow.
If Darkseid's will comes to pass,
the balance will be forever lost.
Remember, Lords. Victory was never the point.
It is the balance that is all.
Rather than fight over one embryonic world,
we should join forces
with an eye toward long-term goals.
In the name of the Holy Balance,
I charge you to honor your true purpose.
What say you all?
The Lords of Order
agree to your proposal.
Chaos also agrees.
The Child will no longer have our support.
But we shall not withdraw her.
Let the scales balance themselves.
It will suffice.
Yeah, I feel it.
The little witch lost her edge.
I still have more than enough power stored up
to eliminate the likes of all of you.
Burn.
Dleihs!
Burn, burn, burn, burn, burn! Hmm.
Take care of the mortals, Flaw.
I need to maintain the shield!
No worries. Power of Zeus!
The tide has turned, Child.
Has it?
Ha! Pathetic!
I'm okay, I'm okay!
Long as kitty's safe.
The kitty is not safe!
None of you are safe!
I need more power!
Mary, stop!
You're draining the life-force from us, from everything!
Ooh, my kind of girl.
Yeah! I like her.
Zatanna, you have to stop her.
Right, right.
Ah!
You walked off the set of Space Trek?
I needed a break.
And the Outsiders?
You know, I worry about you,
so I get an alert every time they go into action.
And I see they're in action now.
Are you on a break from them, too?
I am, actually.
So, you know, you don't have to worry anymore.
And what about us?
Are we... on a break?
A break you neglected to tell me about?
I came 9,000 kilometers to see you!
I didn't ask you to.
Why not? I've been calling and texting.
All you had to do was pick up your phone and...
What are these?
Nothing!
It's just something to help me sleep.
Something to help you checkout, you mean.
The show, the Outsiders,
you're pushing everyone away.
Garfield, you're pushing me away.
You need help.
Let me get you help.
I don't need help.
Garfield, I love you.
But I don't do "breaks."
If you won't let me help you, and if you won't help yourself,
I won't stand by and watch you self-destruct.
Noted.
There's the door... Your Majesty.
Let's finish this, shall we?
Flaw, do your worst.
Hey!
You're pretty powerful, aren't you?
With only the tiniest of flaws.
Be a real bummer
if that one tiny, little crack were to spread.
Real bad luck!
What just... No, wait!
I can fix... Dang it.
Ha! Bye-bye, Child!
Good riddance to bad robots.
Rubbish. Rubbish.
She knew I meant rubbish.
Wow. That left a mark.
Still, I kind of like it.
I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Well, it's been fun...
not!
You're welcome, and I'm out of here!
See ya later, avocados.
- Great job, Traci. - You totally saved us.
That is a truth.
Your students surprised me this day.
Each demonstrating great potential.
I thought so, too.
_
Mary, you did great.
But there's something we need to discuss.
- Wow. - Very wow!
You cannot be serious!
We all fought side-by-side!
Why are they getting rewarded, and I'm not?
It's not a reward.
It's more like a curse.
And in any case, you're just not ready.
You're too much like him.
He needs hosts
who can balance out his less humane impulses.
I'm not humane?
I didn't mean that.
But the fact is you're attracted to power,
and you're not careful about where that power comes from
or whom it hurts when you take it or use it.
I did what needed to be done,
and all without saying you-know-what.
The cost was worth the result!
That's how he thinks, Mary.
He doesn't need another him.
The world doesn't need another him!
Of whom do you speak? Of what?
Maybe now's not the time.
No. Go ahead. Tell him. See what he thinks.
Indeed, Sorceress. Speak.
Okay, fine.
I propose that Nabu alternate host bodies,
between my father, Khalid, Traci and myself.
Each wears the Helmet for a week,
before handing it off to the next in line,
keeping Fate's hosts fresh and healthy at all times.
And with the added benefit
that three weeks out of four, the host gets a life.
Not this one? She is powerful.
No.
Perhaps if I work with her more...
Wait, you're agreeing to this?
The notion has logic and potential.
And we have learned to trust your mentor's judgment.
Mary, please, try to understand...
Send me home! Fawcett City. Now!
So, it's all settled then?
Nabu has agreed.
But one other must yet be convinced.
- Oh, Dad... - No.
Absolutely not!
I put on the Helmet to save you from this curse.
Do you honestly believe I'd let you take it on now?
Absurd!
You put on the Helmet to save 14-year-old me.
But I'm 24 now, Dad,
and you are missing my entire life.
Not to mention your own.
You've sacrificed enough.
I can take this on one week in four. Please!
I never could say no to my girl.
Excuse us a minute.
I'm sorry.
I didn't even have a chance to ask if you...
I think you know I'm on board.
My Uncle Kent was always my hero.
I feel like my whole life
has been building to this moment.
It would be an honor to don the Helmet of Fate.
But I have real questions.
You let Mary do what she did,
only to penalize her for it after.
And Traci?
As I understand it, when you put on the Helmet,
you effectively become its prisoner,
surrendering your body, your agency, your life to Nabu.
For you and me,
this sacrifice is necessary in the name of family.
But will Traci's sacrifice
balance against her altruistic desire to help?
I need to know. Was this your plan all along?
Did you take on proteges with the express purpose
of using us to liberate your father?
I want to be clear. You do not have to do this.
But you're 18.
You can make your own decisions.
I'm in.
Good. Thank you.
So...
Father and daughter deserve time together.
And you and your father should at least discuss this.
So I will go first.
Bismillah.
And thus balance is restored.
Why do you tell us what we already know?
I tell you what you need to know.
Save your musings.
We have no intention of thanking Vandal Savage
for cleaning up his own mess.
Admittedly, this chaos did begin with one mortal.
But not with Savage.
The inciting incident
was no act of Chaos or even of Order.
Come on now,
don't let a little constructive criticism get you down.
You are all doing great!
In fact... In fact...
It was the mere contemplation
of an act of love.
I made my father disappear ten years ago.
My greatest act of prestidigitation...
was bringing him back.
I know you've all been through a lot.
Remember, there's no shame in admitting you need help.
S'hanid drac.
Make sure everyone has this number
- _ - and doesn't hesitate to use it.
She can help, I promise.
We have a tower to rebuild.
Let us be done with this.
Wait. I wanna know what they went through.
Wohs em rieht yenruoj!
_
They did it!
They sent us home!
Now, can I go to the bathroom?
Farewell, Sorceress.
Until your turn comes around.
Zatanna? Are you all right?
Help me! Please!
I'm... not sure.
But I think I saw Conner's spirit... his ghost.
And he wasn't at rest.
He needs help.
Well, I've been counseling a lot of them,
on and off, for the last ten years.
When they first told me their story,
I could hardly believe it.
But somehow they had my private number
and a mystic reference from,
what was then, an impossibly adult version of your daughter.
Plus they told me things, gave me foreknowledge,
which I couldn't possibly share...
until now.
Penny graduates college next week.
She's an engineer, wants to build safer bridges.
And Charlie, he moved to Atlanta,
but he still drives a school bus.
Frankly, he might just be the bravest man I ever met.
But we're here to talk about your ten years, Giovanni,
not mine.
Oh, there isn't much to say.
My faith in God and my love for my daughter
got me through the...
through the...
The long night?
The long night.
- _ - I understand your grief.
These so-called heroes, your so-called friends,
are jealous of your strength and grace.
Twice they've denied you power.
The power that is your birthright.
You owe them nothing, my dear,
for they only seek to turn you into nothing.
Into a nobody.
Why listen to these petty fools
who wish to keep you down?
To force you to be unimpressive
only that they might seem more impressive
in the absence of your true glory.
You must see there is no longer any need
to obey their rules, their strictures.
Advice they claimed to offer for your sake
was always just a ploy to minimize you...
to keep you small.
Say it, child.
Say the word.
You know you want to.
Shazam.
Sync & corrections by emeline-whovian www.addic7ed.com