Broken Legacy
Chapter 7: Blind Injustice
Metropolis Metropolitan Museum
"Kill…you! Kill…me! Kill…you! Kill…me!"
This was the mantra of the hulking monstrosity that had once been Aleka, a proud and honorable Amazon. There was little left of that Amazon now. There was only this walking embodiment of Tyr-El's bloodlust and it was channeling every ounce of it towards Wonder Woman.
It made for one of the hardest, most heart-wrenching battles she had ever fought. With every punch Aleka threw, Wonder Woman's heart broke a little more. Their battle had already done plenty of damage to the surrounding wing. Aleka fought with the same reckless abandon she had in countless battles before, but fighting with Tyr-El's bloodlust made her even more tenacious.
Walls and floors cracked. Windows and displays shattered. Wonder Woman initially remained on the evasive. At first, she tried to recover the Blade of Artemis. However, Aleka wouldn't let her. She made sure this was a battle of blood, sweat, and fists.
Wonder Woman was willing to fight such a battle. She eventually stopped evading and countered Aleka's attacks, striking her at every opportunity. However, her form was more durable than any set of armor she ever wore. Her gray skin and spikey scales made it akin to fighting a slab of granite. While Aleka felt the impact of Wonder Woman's strikes, they did very little damage and only served to fuel Aleka's bloodlust.
'It's getting worse. Whatever Tyr-El did to her – it's making her more vicious. She was already one of the most tenacious warriors on Themyscira. Now she's this…this beast! And I have to stop her. I may even have to end her.'
It was a painful thought and one that made every one of Aleka's strikes sting a little more. Wonder Woman's reluctance to strike her sister led to her taking more than her share of shots, some of which sent her crashing into nearby displays. She immediately shook it off and tried to counter, but the pain of these attacks went beyond any physical wound.
At the same time, however, Wonder Woman could tell these same actions hurt Aleka even more. She actually saw tears in her eyes at times in between attacks. She clearly didn't want to do this. It clearly pained her with every passing moment. But she was compelled to attack her none-the-less – having been transformed into just another instrument for Tyr-El's atrocities.
"Kill…kill…please…kill!" growled Aleka as she wildly swung her fists at Wonder Woman.
"Please Aleka! Don't do this!" urged Wonder Woman as she narrowly evaded the attack. "Fight Tyr-El! not me!"
"Can't…fight! Must…kill you! Kill me!"
Her words turned to monstrous screeches as she tried to overpower Wonder Woman with another attack. This time, Wonder Woman had to strike back. She deflected an incoming kick and pulled off a nimble spin move, followed by a hard strike to the neck and head. It stunned Aleka's hulking form for only a brief moment. Wonder Woman tried to take advantage of it and struck her again, delivering a heavy uppercut and a punishing drop kick.
These hard strikes sent Aleka stumbling back, but also added to her bloodlust. Wonder Woman's next inclination was to launch her own attack. If she were any other enemy, she would've done so without hesitation. But Aleka was an Amazon and a sister. Even in this monstrous form, she couldn't bring herself to take her down. She knew she had to get through her. She had to aid Superman. However, she couldn't abandon her sister.
Remaining on the defensive, Wonder Woman prepared for another attack. She continued hissing and snarling like an enraged beast. This time, however, Aleka hesitated. More tears formed in her eyes – tears of blood that streamed down her pale, hardened face.
"Aleka…I know what he did to you. I know you did – what he made you do to Dessa," said Wonder Woman.
Upon mentioning that name, Aleka clenched her fist and let out an even louder screech. It was as if she struck her harder than any attack would allow.
"What…I…did," seethed Aleka. "Must…kill!"
"He's using you! Manipulating you! Perverting everything Amazons stand for!" shouted Wonder Woman, trying to reach beyond the bloodlust. "You've always stood for those principles more than most. You'd slay every beast in Hades to protect the Amazons' honor! Well I need you to slay this beast that has consumed you!"
"Beast…must…kill!" she stammered, her legs now trembling under the strain.
"You can do it, Aleka! Stand with me! Together, we can take down Tyr-El! There's still time!"
Aleka continued to struggle, her muscles twitching in an ongoing struggle between the bloodlust and the honor she valued. Out of the corner of her eye, Wonder Woman saw the still-glowing Blade of Artemis that she had lost earlier. Across the museum, she could see the battle between Superman and Tyr-El getting ugly. She had to end this now, but she needed her sister's help.
For a moment, it seemed she had broken through. Wonder Woman dared to take a step closer. This proved to be a mistake. With another deafening screech, Aleka lunged at her and knocked her to the floor. She then pinned her with her cold, stony hands to the cracked concrete surface. The impact dazed Wonder Woman, but not enough to defeat her.
"Must…kill!" Aleka snarled.
"Please Aleka…you don't have to do this!" urged Wonder Woman as she struggled to break Aleka's grip.
"Must…kill…me!" she said. "I…ravaged our…sister. I…helped…that man. Cannot…fight his…control."
Her words shocked Wonder Woman. While still struggling under her grip, she saw a look of despair on her sister's face. The bloody tears that had stained her face finally stopped. She had accepted her fate. It made clear that this battle could only end in heartbreak.
"Diana…my sister…kill…me!" urged Aleka with great desperation.
"Aleka…don't," said Wonder Woman solemnly.
"Cannot…bear this…burden," she stammered. "Cannot…hurt…another. You can…end this. Please…kill me!"
She was begging for it, both with her words and her eyes. Wonder Woman, still stuck in her powerful grip, shook her head in dismay. This couldn't be how it ended. She had already seen one sister get ravaged. She couldn't let another one succumb to such a cruel fate.
All the while, time was running out. Superman still needed her help. There was no telling how much longer he could last in his underpowered form. It was an atrocity in its own right – being forced to kill a sister to save innocents. As Wonder Woman processed such a grim task, something strange happened to her corrupted sister.
While still within her grip, Aleka expression twitched erratically. The muscles around her face and neck tensed. Her head started jerking around, as though her own body began misfiring. This strange shift soon spread. She abruptly released her grip on Wonder Woman and stammered back.
"Aleka?" said a dazed Wonder Woman. "What is…"
"It…burns! Everything…inside me…burns!" she exclaimed.
This time there was no despair in her voice. There was only raw, unabated pain. She clenched her head and stumbled wildly about, barely able to stand on her feet. Wonder Woman also noticed her eyes flashing strangely – like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off.
Shaking off whatever injuries Aleka had inflicted, Wonder Woman returned to her feet. That's when she noticed that this strange anomaly was felt by Superman and Tyr-El as well.
"Kal…no!" she gasped.
Their battle came very close to a bloody end. Tyr-El had his distant grandson on his back and at his mercy. After seeing one of Superman's allies contain the Doomsday Legion in a green dome of energy, he tried to finish off Superman before he could pull off any more tricks. Then, an unexpected agony consumed them both.
"Ahhhhh! Damn you…to the Phantom Zone…Kal-El!" exclaimed Tyr-El. "What…have you…done?"
"I…didn't…do this," groaned Superman, this pain quickly overshadowing his other injuries.
"Every cell…on fire!" grunted Tyr-El, now on his hands and knees in pain. "Like someone…burning my flesh! You…would resort…to such cowardice?"
"I told you! This…isn't…my doing!" said Superman, now barely able to crawl.
"Then…who? Who is doing this?"
Outside Museum – Moments Ago
"Lantern, get out of there now!" yelled Batman urgently through a communication link.
"What was that, Batman? You're breaking up!" said a confused and already-strained Green Lantern.
Only static followed. Green Lantern struggled to remain focused, keeping up the green energy dome containing the bloodthirsty units of the Doomsday Legion. But something wasn't right. Batman designed these communication links. There couldn't be this kind of interference unless something had gone very wrong.
As he tried to reactivate the link, Green Lantern felt something fly by him. Before he could even turn his head to identify it, he heard and all-too familiar voice.
"Out of my way, Lantern," said a very impatient Lex Luthor. "I don't want to miss the show!"
He didn't give Green Lantern a chance to further delay his triumph. He barely raised his hand to defend himself, but Luthor had already armed an energy blast in his Warsuit. In one concentrated burst, he hit Green Lantern with enough energy to flatten a freight train.
"Aagh!" he exclaimed as he was sent flying over the Metropolis skyline.
This punishing strike effectively took Green Lantern out of the fight, causing the green energy dome protecting the museum to fade. With his Warsuit now humming at full power, Lex flew down towards the surface to witness the fruits of his labor. Along the way, he heard a familiar static through his suit's communication system.
"Luthor! What the hell are you doing?" demanded an irate Batman. "That dome was the only thing keeping the Doomsday Legion from…"
Lex had already heard enough. The Batman was just another feeble mind who couldn't process what he was doing.
"Get off this channel, Batman. You and your so-called Justice League have already lost this battle," he said through the link. "Now watch how a superior intellect wins the day!"
He immediately closed off the channel before Batman could respond. He saw the Batwing fly towards him briefly, but Lex skillfully evaded the high-speed aircraft. As soon as it flew past him, he turned around and fired another energy shot. The Batwing evaded a direct hit, but the shot still damaged one of the wings, which sent the aircraft into a tailspin.
"Correction. You'll have to watch from afar," taunted Lex.
He didn't bother making sure the Batwing crashed into a smoldering pile of metal. He had no doubt that Batman would survive. He actually preferred it. Lex wanted Batman and the rest of the Justice League to watch him defeat Superman and his alien menace.
With Batman and Green Lantern out of the way, Lex Luthor landed just beyond where Green Lantern's energy dome had stopped. Now, there was nothing preventing the hulking monstrosities of the Doomsday Legion from flying out in all directions to commit untold atrocities.
"New flesh!" hissed one of the creature that saw Luthor.
"Attack! Maim! Kill!" exclaimed another.
"No! Don't let them through, Amazons!" ordered Philippus, her Amazon army still struggling to hold them back.
The Amazon armies tried to form a phalanx in front of the hulking creatures. It only slowed the Doomsday Unit. They had no hope of stopping them.
Lex was not at all surprised when he saw several monstrous brutes break through the phalanx with minimal effort. It scattered the Amazons while injuring more htan a few. However, he remained unafraid. Unlike the Amazons, he understood that stopping a threat like this required a superior intellect, as well as an indomitable will.
"You've done your part, Amazons…futile as it might have been," said Lex. "Let me show you how one powerful mind can defeat any powerful army."
Brimming with confidence and an unmatched ego, Lex casually stood in the center of a road that led right towards the front door of the museum. He let the menacing brutes of the Doomsday Legion fly towards him, hissing and seething with inhuman bloodlust. A lesser man would've been terrorized. Lex Luthor, being more superior in every way, didn't break a sweat. He just waited until just the right moment to flex his superiority.
"Superman, I hope you feel this – although it's far less than you deserve," he said under his breath.
As the Doomsday Legion closed in, he casually entered a few commands on the wrist computer of his Warsuit. This activated the special modifications he made just for this momentous occasion.
It began with a sudden surge of energy that flowed to every circuit within the Warsuit. Within seconds, Lex was surrounded in a greenish-yellow energy that was so intense it caused the pavement under his feet to crack. Then, as this energy escalated, the chest panel in the Warsuit opened to reveal the source. Once it got to a certain point, it affected every unit in the Doomsday Legion simultaneously.
"Arrggghhhh! Burns! It…burns!" the creatures cried out.
To the inferior and the unenlightened, it seemed like magic. With one simple gesture, Lex had reduced these monstrosities to a bunch of writhing animals begging to be put down. Every one of them, including those on the other side of the building, collapsed under the weight of this unexpected agony. It was so intense that they could barely stand, let alone threaten an innocent human.
One of them made it within inches of Lex's feet. Still surrounded by this unique blend of energy, he grinned and casually spit on the face of this beast.
"Pathetic!" he said. "You want to ravage mankind and raze our planet? You're welcome to try, but I can make it hurt…a lot!"
Showing no mercy towards these creatures, Lex reached into his chest panel and pulled out the special data crystal that led him to this triumph. The energy of this crystal had been incorporated into the energy from the purified kryptonite that powered his Warsuit. It now glowed steadily, radiating an energy that affected anything with Kryptonian DNA. But it didn't stop at causing unmitigated pain.
As Lex held up the crystal, he noticed the hulking flesh of the beasts warping. Large scabs formed, tumor-like growths appeared all over the body, and muscles strained under the weight of this pain. It was a more pronounced effect than he expected, but one that offered a promising sign for Superman's fate.
"Hmm…it would seem your alien flesh is inherently unstable," said Lex as he watched the creatures suffer. "It's either sloppy science or someone else tried to manipulate your flesh as well. They just did a very poor job of it. I'd pity you hapless creatures, but I'll save my pity for someone who deserves it."
Eager to proceed with his triumphs, Lex casually stepped over the writhing creatures – ignoring their pained cries every step of the way. As he made his way towards the entrance to the museum, he encountered the confused and beleaguered Amazons. They had taken quite a beating while battling the Doomsday Legion, but they were still on their feet and ready to battle. Lex hadn't planned on the Amazons' involvement, but he didn't expect them to be a major obstacle.
"Who are you? What did you do to these beasts?" demanded Philippus, approaching Luthor while her sisters took a defensive stance.
"You're welcome," said Lex casually, "but if you wish to thank me, step aside."
"I don't know who you think you are, but Amazons don't take orders from men."
"It wasn't an order. It was a warning," said Lex. "I need to get inside that building. I don't want to miss a second of Superman and Tyr-El's suffering."
Insulted by such a threat, Philippus got in front of him and held up her shield – ready to stop this man from achieving the triumph he sought.
"You dare threaten me and my sisters? Just to watch others suffer?" yelled the Amazon General.
"I just single-handedly defeated an army that your sisters could not. So yes, I dare!" said Lex. "In fact, I'll do you one better."
Lex covertly entered another command into his Warsuit and held up the still-glowing data crystal. The crystal then let out a series of pulse-like flashes, which momentarily distracted Philippus and the rest of the Amazons standing in front of him. They would soon regret such a predictable response because the Doomsday Legion had a much stronger reaction.
"Errrr! Follow the…pain!" the hulking beasts screeched.
"By the gods…" gasped one of the Amazons who noticed this reaction far too late.
Like obedient pets reacting to the command of a competent owner, every unit in the Doomsday Legion shot up from the ground and grabbed any Amazon within reaching distance. Those that weren't in reaching distance flew over or crawled – whichever method proved quicker – and piled onto each warrior. They didn't try to attack. They didn't try to torture or rape. They just grabbed onto them and held them down with a death grip. The same energy that put them in a world of pain now directed their bodies against their will.
"Let go, foul beasts!" shouted one Amazon who tried to fight them off.
"Their grip…like a corpse!" yelled another.
"Fight them, Amazons!" ordered Philippus. "Don't let them-aaggh!"
The Amazon General issued no further orders as multiple creatures pulled her to the ground and pinned her to the pavement. She, as well as the rest of her sisters, attempted to break free from these beasts' grip. Some managed to evade the first grabs, but they couldn't avoid the next several that followed.
In less than a minute, every Amazon had been effectively subdued and Lex still hadn't broken a sweat. He watched with a half-grin as the Amazons struggled to fight off these creatures. They would likely succeed if given enough time. It didn't matter though. The path to his triumph was now clear.
"Don't worry. They won't do anything other than cling to you while their flesh necrotizes," said Lex as he casually stepped over Philippus. "By my calculations, they'll be mere corpses in precisely 13 minutes and 57 seconds. I could have them do so many horrible things to you in that time, but I'm better than that. I'm human."
"Errr! You…arrogant…bastard of a man!" spat Philippus, her arms and legs now being held by several screeching creatures.
"That arrogance is what allowed me to conjure a means of manipulating these creatures. I had hoped to use them to make Superman's defeat more memorable, but I'm more than happy to use my bare hands. This time, there's no need for arrogance. I didn't just defeat him. I've destroyed his legacy!"
Philippus tried to curse him more, but her words were muffled by the rotting hand of another creature. There were no more obstacles in his way. Clenching the glowing crystal that he created with his genius, Lex Luthor entered the museum where a new legacy awaited.
Metropolis Metropolitan Museum – Present Time
There had been many moments in his struggles where Superman had been overwhelmed by the challenge of standing for truth, justice, and the American Way. It wasn't supposed to be easy, but being Superman meant having the strength and courage to stand for those values in the face of such challenges. However, few challenges had ever been as daunting as Lex Luthor.
He had battled other aliens. He had battled powerful machines. He had even battled gods, demons, and creatures of magic. None had ever come close to challenging him like Lex Luthor. He might have been a man, but his capacity for uncanny resourcefulness and ruthless cunning set him apart. Now, Superman had to battle this man while at his absolute weakest.
"Well isn't this a historic treat?" said Lex as he stormed through the front door. "An entire exhibit dedicated to the legacy of Krypton – complete with a perfect account of how it came its brutal end."
"Lex! What…have you done?" grunted Superman through the pain, barely holding himself up with his arms.
"Isn't it obvious, Superman? I'm reveling in the truth that you so cherish – the truth that the legacy of Krypton should've ended ages ago."
Superman could feel Lex's snide grin as he approached in his Warsuit. With every step he took, the burning pain that had consumed him and Tyr-El escalated. They both remained on the floor, trying to get back on their feet. Between the injuries they sustained fighting one another and the pain caused by whatever Lex had done, they were in no condition to oppose this man. They were completely at his mercy.
"My blood – that energy – the crystal – you've corrupted it!" spat Tyr-El, his hatred now directed towards Lex Luthor.
"Corrupted? Hardly," scoffed Lex. "Exploited – well, you be the judge."
Lex held up the crystal so that it was right over Tyr-El and Superman. As its radiant light filled the area, they were both overwhelmed by another surge of pain. It was like every nerve in their body had been set ablaze and smothered in high explosives. They both writhed on the floor, groaning under the strain of such agony. Their every groan only added to Lex's satisfaction.
"Does it hurt a lot? Good. It damn well better!" said Lex as he hovered over the two wounded Kryptonians. "That pain you feel is a product of my genius. It didn't require immense strength, enhanced senses, or high-speed flight to achieve. It only needed only my superior intellect and the utmost dedication to the human race."
He then lowered the crystal, allowing Superman and Tyr-El to catch their breath. As satisfying as it was tormenting these powerful beings, he needed them conscious and coherent. They had to know who had defeated them.
"You thought your Fortress was unhackable, Superman. I hacked it," Lex continued. "You thought your Doomsday Legion was unstoppable, Tyr-El. I stopped it. And I did it by turning your own technology against you – the same technology you selfishly horded."
He demonstrated his mastery of this technology, using his Warsuit to adjust the energy radiating from the crystal. In doing so, he triggered a different kind of reaction in Superman and Tyr-El. Their muscles tensed, cramping up in a way that caused them to keel over and fall on their backs. He couldn't control them like he did the Doomsday Legion, but he could prove just how little their powers mattered in the face of his genius.
It was like the effects of Kryptonite were being directly guided by Lex Luthor's whim. Beyond the pain, it created a very sick feeling. Lex Luthor had exploited Superman's weakness to Kryptonite before, but never like this. For Tyr-El, it was an unfamiliar and agonizing feeling.
"You…sniveling…primate!" spat Tyr-El. "When I…get my…hands on you...I'll-AAHHHH!"
"Quiet, alien!" said Lex as he silenced Tyr-El with another surge. "You've tormented your last human. You can't escape this fate any more than you can escape your own biology."
"Lex…I'm all for stopping Tyr-El," said Superman, "but you have to-AHHHHH!"
"That goes double for you, Superman!" he said, sending a similar surge through him as well. "As I speak, the energy from this data crystal is entangling itself with the energy from the kryptonite in my Warsuit. I've calibrated it in such a manner that I can channel this energy into anything with Kryptonian DNA. And since your vulnerability to kryptonite doesn't disappear with your powers, you and your army of brutes will feel its effects. Every cell – every chromosome – every strand of DNA – I can disintegrate it at an atomic level. Think of it as nature's ultimate failsafe – a kill-switch for beings whose power exceeds their ability to earn it."
It was a cruel as it was effective. Lex Luthor had in his hand, quite literally, the perfect weapon against Kryptonians. As Superman gazed up into the yellowish-green light radiating from the crystal, he felt its energy hit him at every level of his being – circumventing defense and draining him of what little strength he had left. It shouldn't have been possible. Even the effects of kryptonite had its limits, but once again, Luthor found a way to bend the rules in his favor.
"It's…not…possible!" said Tyr-El, fighting the effects to no avail.
"You know it's funny. I didn't even know how possible it was, even after I hacked Superman's Fortress," said Lex with a humored grin. "I only intended to expose Superman for the fraud he was. The data on Kryptonian genetics and ways to exploit it – well, the information was there, but only a superior intellect could make use of it. So that's what I did. And the many bloodstains on your alien legacy only made my efforts more necessary. Talk to any human who read about the Clan of El's atrocities. Or just talk to anyone who feels anxious about a powerful alien pretending to embody mankind's greatest values. I imagine plenty would approve of my efforts."
"Until…you exploit them," said Superman.
"What you call exploitation, I call the inevitability of cold, hard logic," quipped Lex. "It was only a matter of time before your fraud was exposed. And it was only a matter of time before all this unearned, undeserved power revealed its flaws."
"Unearned? Undeserved?" seethed Tyr-El. "You dare-agghhh!"
"I'll tell you the same thing I told the Amazons. Yes! I dare!" said Lex Luthor assertively as he hit Tyr-El with another surge. "I dare to be humanity's greatest champion. I dare to use my genius to earn my rightful place. And on this day…I dare to end Krypton's legacy once and for all!"
Tyr-El let out another pained groan as he struggled to fight the effects of Luthor's crystal. He fought through injury and weakness, tapping into every ounce of bloodlust and rage. He only managed to crawl a few feet closer to Lex Luthor's feet. With ease, Lex kicked him in the face to knock him on his back, throwing in a smug grin.
Superman chose to conserve his strength and not give Luthor the satisfaction. He remained on his hands and knees, gasping for air and fighting the burning pain that had consumed his body. This didn't stop Luthor from walking past Tyr-El's wounded form and standing over the Man of Steel, casting his ominous shadow over him.
"I know I should start with that monster you call family. He did rape a woman and slaughter dozens of innocents after all," said Lex as he glared down at his nemesis, "but I worry you might take too much satisfaction in seeing him die. I also figure he'll feel even more pathetic watching someone other than himself kill his grandson. That makes the choice obvious."
Still grinning intently, Lex reached down and grabbed Superman by the neck with his Warsuit. He then effortlessly lifted him up so that he could look him in the eye when he ended him once and for all. He also placed the glowing crystal back in his chest compartment, allowing its light to mix with that of the kryptonite – bathing the Man of Steel in a deathly glow. In addition, he made sure Tyr-El could see what he was about to do.
"Your end…will be…a painful one!" said Tyr-El in his weakened tone. "You…and the rest of your pathetic race…will suffer!"
"Shut up, you alien farce!" spat Lex, still locked on Superman's weakened form. "Your race had its chance and you failed spectacularly. In a ways, I should thank you. Because of Superman's fraud and your atrocities, your deaths will be celebrated! As far as the rest of the world knows, you two were going to kill each other and take many innocent lives with you. I just came in and finished the job before anyone else got hurt. Your legacy will be a bloody stain that future generations will look upon with disgust. My legacy, on the other hand – well, let's just say I'm laying the right foundation."
Lex really had everything figured out. He already knew how this would play out and how he was going to spin it in the eyes of the people. He would come off as a hero while Superman's tarnished legacy would cloud over all the good he did. In terms of besting him, Lex Luthor couldn't have hoped for a better outcome.
As his body hung limply within Lex Luthor's powerful grip, Superman saw the legacy Lex sought in his eyes. It was a legacy built on deceit, injustice, and one man's bloated ego. Everything from the Justice League to the very concept of justice itself would be undermined. He couldn't let Lex Luthor build that legacy. However, he was powerless to stop him.
"Any last words from mankind's phony savior?" said Lex as he prepared to snap Superman's neck.
Despite his weakened state, Superman said nothing to an increasingly confident Lex Luthor. Instead, he shot him a half-grin. It confused Lex Luthor for a brief moment, which was just what he needed.
"Yeah…duck," said the Man of Steel.
"What?" said Lex in a rare moment of confusion.
He got his answer in the form of a determined battle cry from across the museum.
"Let him go!" yelled a very angry Wonder Woman, once again wielding the Blade of Artemis.
Lex turned his head just in time to see the Amazon warrior flying towards him at high speeds. He immediately put up his arm and used his Warsuit to form a yellowish energy shield, barely blocking the incoming strike. It still hit with such force that Lex stumbled back, almost dropping Superman in the process. However, he managed to hold onto while pushing back against Wonder Woman.
"You!" spat Lex. "Another phony icon of justice thinks she can stop the inevitable?"
"Maybe you haven't noticed, but kryptonite doesn't affect Amazons!" said Wonder Woman.
To prove her point, she launched another attack with the Blade of Artemis – slashing and hacking away at the energy shield keeping her from Lex. The battle with Aleka had left her plenty sore and bruised. However, she still had plenty of strength to take down Lex Luthor and save Superman.
She left Aleka behind and retrieved the discarded Blade of Artemis, knowing she might be the only one left who could stop Luthor. She didn't see any of her fellow Amazons returning from outside. She assumed the Doomsday Legion kept them occupied. The source of their struggle, Aleka's unexpected agony, and Superman's current state came down to this man. There were some men whose evil deeds deserved compassion and understanding. Lex Luthor was not one of them.
"Your greed…your deceit…your insufferable, selfish ego…it ends now!" yelled Wonder Woman in between slashes.
Ignoring whatever injuries she sustained against Aleka, she chipped away at Lex's defenses. The energy shield generated by his suit began warping under the strain. Lex's Warsuit shared some of the strain, putting him on his heels as he tried to hold her back while not letting go of Superman.
The frustration escalated, but Lex remained undaunted. Eventually, he managed to push back with his Warsuit's energy shield, preventing Wonder Woman from driving him back too far. This suit had been built to do battle with Superman. Wonder Woman's strength was comparable to his. However, she was more warrior than boy scout. She made it clear that she was willing to fight through any barrier he put up to get to him.
"You can't hide behind that fancy armor forever, Luthor!" spat Wonder Woman.
"Madam, I don't need to hide," said Lex with a sneer.
She tried delivering the final blow to shatter his energy shield. Lex managed to keep it active and push back. With Wonder Woman showing no signs of letting up, they settled into a stalemate. It gave Lex Luthor just enough time to make his move.
"Tyr-El…do you mind?" he said casually.
"Hrrrr! Damn you!" exclaimed the old Kryptonian.
In her determination to free Superman, Wonder Woman forgot about Tyr-El. By the time she heard his angry cry, it was too late. Just as he did with Aleka and the Doomsday Legion, Lex used the data crystal in his chest to direct Tyr-El's bloodlust towards Wonder Woman.
Despite his pained, wounded state, the influence of the crystal forced him back onto his feet. He then charged towards Wonder Woman and blindsided her with a tackle, knocking her to the floor and causing her to drop the Blade of Artemis.
"No!" exclaimed Wonder Woman as she watched the glowing sword slide across the floor.
"I'd say this makes us even, but I prefer not to fight fair," said Lex.
Before Wonder Woman could retrieve the blade, Lex used the oversized foot of his Warsuit to pin her to the floor. He stomped on her with extra force, causing a miniature crater around her. Had she not taken such a beating from Aleka, she might have been able to push him off. However, in her current state, she didn't have the strength.
Superman's last hope had failed. Wonder Woman was down. Tyr-El, having been forced to attack in his wounded state, now lay flat on his back and barely conscious. Lex had every intention of dealing with the both of them. But first, he had to deal with Superman.
Having never lost his grip on his neck, he held Superman up again. The Man of Steel remained conscious, having watched Wonder Woman's attack fail. This time, there was no coy grin or last trick. This time, he could only hold his head low and await Lex Luthor's wrath.
"Superman…I'm sorry," said Wonder Woman, still trapped under Luthor's foot.
"Quiet, pestilent bitch!" spat Luthor. "I'll get to you soon enough."
"Don't…call her that," said Superman weakly as he glared angrily at Lex.
"Or what?" scoffed Luthor. "Face it, Superman! You failed. You're out of power – out of tricks – out of lies. Your bitch can't save you. Your friends can't save you. Nothing can save you! Now, you die!"
This was really happening. Superman was going to die at Lex Luthor's hands. For all the overwhelming threats he had faced, could his ultimate defeat really come at the hands of this ordinary, egotistical man?
Superman braced himself. He could feel the grip on his neck tightening. Then, for reasons that shocked even Luthor, it stopped. The hulking hand of Lex Luthor's Warsuit let up, releasing his grip on Superman so that he fell limply to the ground. However, it wasn't because Lex wanted to. Within this advanced metal suit that Lex created with his bare hands, multiple systems malfunctioned and sparks shot out from multiple areas
"What? No! Not now!" he exclaimed. "What the hell did you do, alien?"
"Nothing," said Superman, both relieved and confused by this sudden turn of events. "I didn't do this."
"You lie!" yelled Luthor. "This suit is my greatest creation! It shouldn't – it can't malfunction! It's…it's impossible!"
Earlier
Lois Lane had confronted her father at bad times before. She might have been the only one on this planet who dared to stand in front of General Sam Lane when he was angry, impatient, or upset. She might also be the only one who could get through to him when he set his sights on an important mission. However, this was one instance where being Sam Lane's daughter might not be enough.
"Lois, you've picked the worst time imaginable to pull a stunt like this," said a very irate and conflicted Sam Lane.
"Wait till the end of the year and get back to me. This might not be the worst, but I'm sure it'll be top five," said Lois, having since purged all traces of fear and uncertainty in her voice.
"You really should stop pushing it. A father can only do so much for his daughter."
"You've already let someone else push you over the edge. I'd say we're past that point. Now are you going to do it or not?"
The air was tense and getting worse with each passing second. Lois and her father had been staring each other down since she effectively halted the convoy heading out of the Lexcorp Military Hospital. She demanded to speak with him and like any hopelessly dedicated father, he played right into her hands. Now, she put him in a situation that neither a father nor a General was equipped to handle.
Almost immediately after confronting him, he had a contingent of military police escort them into an enclosed troop transport so they could talk in private. The evacuation of the facility continued. However, he and Lois remained behind with a very small continent of officers. They remained parked in the transport just outside the base, assuming Lex's people were monitoring every square inch of the site. It wouldn't have mattered if they had this conversation in Lex Luthor's bedroom. It still would've been a painfully hard conversation.
For what felt like a full hour, Lois berated and scolded him. He couldn't deny he deserved a good portion of it. She put into words all the reservations he had about trusting Lex Luthor. Hearing them out loud made it even worse, but it was the recourse and consequences of those reservations that made him reassess this sentiment.
"General – Dad – I've already gone into graphic detail why trusting Lex Luthor to handle a crisis is a bad idea," said Lois, becoming increasingly impatient with his inaction. "If this were a courtroom, the judge would've dismissed your case outright."
"You don't need to belabor it any further, Lois," replied General Lane, still deeply conflicted. "For once, we actually agree. Lex Luthor cannot be trusted. No matter the situation, he'll find a way to exploit it."
"And it doesn't matter how much you try to control the situation. He'll still exploit it because he's smarter than you – a lot smarter," added Lois.
"You're still belaboring, Lois. And I don't appreciate it."
"I'll do it as much as I have to because like it or not, you might be the only one who can end this with some semblance of justice."
"Now you're assuming too much."
"I don't have to assume with you. It's one of the few benefits of being your daughter. You're a soldier at heart, General Lane. You never trust anyone implicitly to complete a mission for you. You always have a failsafe to protect your own ass in case it goes south. Even when you're confident in the mission, you have a failsafe. Look me in the eye and tell me you're that confident in Lex Luthor."
She then gave him that look she knew he hated. General Lane didn't flinch in the presence of presidents, kings, dictators, and warlords. However, Lois had this uncanny talent to make him falter. She just loved to hit him over the head with the cold hard truth, ignoring context and circumstances. There were any number of context and circumstances to this mission. None of them could withstand Lois Lane's security.
He ended up diverting his gaze from her, which effectively answered Lois' question. She then folded her arms and gave him another smug glare. He hated that look almost as much. There wasn't much left for her to say, but that never stopped her before.
"I thought so," she said flatly.
"Lois, quit talking down to me and think about the implications here," said General Lane. "You weren't there when I found Major Lee in that desert – beaten, mutilated, and raped. Every second Tyr-El goes unopposed puts others like her in danger."
"So you trust Lex Luthor to stop him and not screw you over?" retorted Lois.
"I trust that his massive ego and unmatched xenophobia will give him the right incentives. I know he's going to exploit the hell out of this crisis if he succeeds. I may go down in history as the man who unleashed the worst of Lex Luthor on this world. But if his worst can stop Tyr-El, I'm willing to take that chance."
"Could you possibly say that with less confidence?" said Lois dryly.
"Like it or not, it's the only chance we have. If I do anything to undermine it – anything that might keep Luthor from defeating this monster – then any atrocity he commits from here on out will be on me."
This time, she didn't berate his excuses. Even she could see the merit to his concerns. He wanted to stop Tyr-El and his brutal atrocities. The thought that he might be responsible if Luthor failed – that he couldn't stop this monster when he had the chance – it was too great a burden to bear. He had already taken a huge risk in trusting Lex Luthor. Any other decision at this point only added to that risk.
Lois didn't often sympathize with her father. His past actions involving Superman made it difficult at best. She was basically asking him to humble himself and make the hardest possible decision – to do the right thing when the potential consequences were so great. It was the kind of situation that she had seen Superman face time and again. Now, she needed her father to follow his example.
She shot him another look. This time, she didn't scold or berate him. She just looked at him the same way she used to as a child – the same way she did when the only truth that mattered was them being family. He eventually stopped avoiding her gaze, but his expression once again hardened.
"Earlier this year, Interpol raided one of Lex's biggest operations. We couldn't arrest him, but we did manage to shut down one of his secret facilities – specifically one where he kept his Warsuit," said General Lane.
"I remember. I reported on that raid," said Lois. "Please tell me there's more to the story."
"There is," he affirmed. "Their people shipped that suit to one of our research facilities with STAR Labs. We tasked them with analyzing the suit and reverse-engineering the technology."
"Since your soldiers aren't stopping through war zones in giant mech suits, I'm assuming they failed," surmised Lois.
"For the most part, they did," said the General. "Lex put in all sorts of failsafes to keep anyone other than him from using that technology. Like you said – he's smarter than us. However, I know some pretty smart people as well. One of them managed to install a little something extra in that suit."
"How much extra?" asked Lois intently.
"Not enough to stop him in his tracks," he answered. "It might not even be enough to disable him, but at the very least it would frustrate him."
It wasn't what Lois had hoped for. Then again, she learned not to have unreasonable expectations when it came to stopping Lex Luthor. Aside from Superman, he could outsmart anybody, including the United States military. That made whatever her father managed a long shot at best. In her experience though, a long shot was better than none at all.
"When a man has an ego like Lex Luthor, frustration is sometimes all it takes," said Lois.
"You're still assuming a lot, Lois. For one, you think I'm willing to actually use it. Second, you think it'll work. Third, you're assuming it'll make a difference. And last and most importantly, it might actually help Tyr-El," said General Lane.
"Or…it could help Superman defeat both Tyr-El and Lex Luthor. Wouldn't that be the best possible scenario?"
"You still trust him?"
"Do you trust Lex Luthor?" she quipped with folded arms.
General Lane responded with stern silence, which had always been his special way of avoiding the truth. He was good at that and it was a major reason why they had become so distant. This time, the truth wasn't as important as choice. And right now, Lois had to convince her father to make the hardest possible choice.
"I know you don't like to take chances, General," she said. "You prefer playing it safe, getting the mission done no matter what the cost. This is one mission nobody can afford to fail – not you – not Superman. I know you've never bought into his message of truth, justice, and above all…hope. But if ever there was a time when we needed hope – from Tyr-El – from Lex Luthor – this is it. You can either be the one who took a chance on it or the one who pissed it all away. Which would you rather have as your legacy?"
Lois was only a few steps away from begging. Her father had always been an unreasonable man, especially when it came to Superman. This time, Sam Lane had the power to preserve the truth, justice, and hope that he stood for.
This was not a power that General Lane cared to exercise. Under his daughter's penetrating gaze, all the training and discipline that made him a proud soldier and officer faltered. His every tactical instinct told him not to take this chance – to make sure Lex Luthor stopped Tyr-El, even if it meant the death of Superman. However, a world where Lex Luthor could claim to be humanity's savior did not inspire much hope to say the least. That couldn't be his legacy. He couldn't be the man who just stood by and let hope die.
So against his better instincts as a General, Sam Lane made his decision. He didn't say a word to Lois. He just got up, knocked firmly on the back door to the troop transport, and waited for the Colonel.
"Yes, sir?" answered the Colonel with several military police behind him.
"Colonel, send the word out. I'm implementing the Shadow Protocols," he said.
The officer almost sounded relieved when he heard this. Lois could tell that she wasn't the only one who had reservations about trusting Lex Luthor to stop Tyr-El. It meant for once, she could be proud of her father.
"I'll get the interface," said the Colonel. "Lieutenant, get your ass over here!"
While the soldiers and officers outside scrambled, General Lane just sat back down across from his daughter. His expression didn't change. He didn't let show his many reservations about this choice. It didn't matter though. Lois got the message and cast her father a grateful smile – the first he had seen in a long time.
He almost forgot what Lois looked like when she smiled. He tried not to let it affect him too much. He had made his decision. Now he had to see it through.
Within seconds, a female officer game into the transport carrying an unmarked briefcase. She then quickly opened it and set it in front of the General, revealing a small laptop with a series of command prompts.
"The Colonel's on the phone with the NSA as we speak," said the officer. "It'll take just two minutes to activate the signal. After that, it's just a matter of when you want it to transmit."
"Then I better time it right," said General Lane. "Do we still have a drone monitoring the Warsuit?"
"We actually have several and a few satellites for good measure," she said. "Last we checked he's heading towards Metropolis."
"Good. Send me a live feed. I'll trigger the last protocol once it's ready."
"Yes sir!"
General Lane cast his daughter one last glance. She was still smiling. He tried not to show how much it affected him, but he failed miserably. He didn't mind though. This was one part of the mission he was okay with failing. The next part could not fail. His legacy, as well as that of Superman and all of mankind, hung in the balance.
Present Time
It was happening again. Lex Luthor had come so close to ending Superman and cementing his superiority for all of mankind. He literally had triumph in his hands. Now, his Warsuit was failing at the worst possible time.
"I…will…kill you!" exclaimed Lex Luthor, seething with intent as he stared down a weakened Superman.
But it wasn't happening. He kept giving the command to snap Superman's neck and crush Wonder Woman under his foot, but it wasn't responding. His Warsuit was still functional. The systems were working. They just weren't processing his commands.
Data readings within his suit were going haywire. That shouldn't have been possible. He made sure his Warsuit couldn't be tampered with by anyone except him. There was no way General Lane or the stooges he employed in the Pentagon could hack it. Why would he even try? He knew the risks of letting Superman and Tyr-El live. It didn't make sense. Even with his genius mind, it didn't make sense.
The sudden failure of his Warsuit gave Superman some much needed breathing room. It also gave Wonder Woman the chance she needed to escape from under Luthor's oversized foot. Summoning the strength of an Amazon, she pushed up against the Warsuit's foot.
"Gods…give me strength!" said Wonder Woman.
She got the strength she asked for and then some. She ended up pushed with such force that it threw Luthor off-balance. Since he had yet to reassert control of his Warsuit, he fell flat on his back, dropping Superman in the process.
"NOOO!" exclaimed Lex as he watched his ultimate triumph literally slip out of his hands.
Both he and Superman landed on the floor with a hard thud. As soon as she was on her feet, Wonder Woman immediately rushed to Superman's aid. He was still battered, bruised, and in a great deal of pain. But he was still conscious and still very much determined to end this.
With her help, Superman returned to his feet. The burning caused by Luthor's crystal had subsided, but he could still feel its influence. Before he could resolve anything with Tyr-El and Krypton's legacy, he had to take care of this.
"I…don't know what just happened," said the Man of Steel as he caught his breath, "but…I'm going to make the most of it."
"Let Batman figure it out," said Wonder Woman, her gaze narrowing on Luthor. "The fates have turned against him. We must make sure it stays out of his hands."
"And we will."
Superman shook off Wonder Woman's support so he could stand on his own. The many injuries he sustained were still apparent. Parts of his face and legs were swollen. Bruises and cuts covered his face and torso. He wasn't used to such pain, but he had learned to deal with all sorts of pain lately. He had also learned to channel it.
Fighting through this pain, he approached Luthor with Wonder Woman by his side. Along the way, he picked up the Blade of Artemis that she had dropped earlier. It was still glowing bright yellow from the solar energy it absorbed earlier. When he reached Luthor's side, he pointed the tip of the sword to the chest area of the suit. It marked the first time Luthor showed signs of fear.
"If you want to salvage your legacy and mine…you'll end me right here," said Lex.
"You know me better than that, Luthor," said Superman. "I'm not going to kill you. I'm not my ancestors."
"You still carry their blood – their burdens – their inhumanity. If you keep pretending to be something you're not – this icon among men – you'll only affirm your hypocrisy. And my resolve will only grow stronger!"
Superman looked over at Wonder Woman, who clearly felt more tempted to end this man where he lay. However, she just smiled and nodded – understanding what needed to be done and why.
"Then I guess my resolve will have to grow as well," said the Man of Steel.
As Lex continued to scold him in every way he could, Superman jammed the Blade of Artemis into the chamber in the chest of the Warsuit. Wars broke and sparks flew as the exotic metal of the suit warped under the power of the sword. He quickly cut through the layers of armored plating, exposing the purified kryptonite and the data crystal. Both were still glowing with the exotic energy that only Kryptonians could feel. He could still feel its effects, but Superman endured them. At a time when his legacy hung in the balance, he could do no less.
"Wonder Woman, would you like to do the honors?" asked Superman.
"Gladly," said Wonder Woman.
With the swords still in hand, Superman took a few steps back. Then, Wonder Woman stepped forward and reached into the Warsuit's chamber. Once she had the crystal and the kryptonite in hand, she ripped them out – tearing out several wires and larger hardware components in the process. This effectively cut the Warsuit's power, rendering it harmless and immobile while keeping Luthor trapped within it.
As the Warsuit powered down, Wonder Woman tossed the purified kryptonite across the museum so that it wouldn't affect Superman. However, she held onto the exotic data crystal for a brief moment. This crystal allowed Luthor to put Superman and everyone with Kryptonian blood in a world of pain. Such power wasn't easy to throw away.
"You might want to save this," said Wonder Woman. "It could be very dangerous. Any weapon that can paralyze Superman is one we need to keep from the Lex Luthor's of the world."
"Yes. By all means, hoard anything that might undermine Superman's power," said Luthor dryly. "Take away anything that might give us some leverage against an alien of unfathomable power."
"Shut up, Luthor! I can take your tongue as well for good measure!" said Wonder Woman.
"Let him keep it. We've taken enough," said Superman, now fixated on the crystal. "Besides, as disgusting as his words might be, they do have some semblance of truth."
This surprised Lex almost as much as it surprised Wonder Woman. Superman rarely gave Lex Luthor's xenophobic rhetoric any credence. He never had to because he always managed to prove Luthor wrong when tested. Tyr-El changed that. His presence and the revelations he brought with him changed a lot of things. He couldn't afford to ignore that change.
"I'll analyze the crystal later," said Superman. "I'll figure out what Luthor did, work out a countermeasure, and decide where to go from there. But we can't just bury this within the Justice League. We need to learn from it – to see it as an opportunity."
"How do you plan to do that?" asked Wonder Woman curiously.
"I don't know yet," he said, "but before we I anything, there's one important issue I have to resolve first."
Turning away from Lex Luthor, Superman narrowed his gaze on Tyr-El – the monster whose atrocities had destroyed the legacy of the House of El. This being with whom he shared an inescapable link embodied the very worst of his people. He brought that horror her to Earth, inflicting it on the people he sought to protect. Looking at this man, all those fine lines that the Man of Steel vowed he would not cross effectively disappeared.
As he walked up to Tyr-El's wounded form, he gripped the Blade of Artemis in anticipation. He then stood over the wounded old Kryptonian, casting an imposing shadow on him – a tactic that he had undoubtedly used against countless others. He attempted to move, but Superman would not show an ounce of mercy this time.
"Stay down," he said a harsh, firm tone.
He made sure Tyr-El listened by stomping on his chest, crushing rubs and adding to the numerous internal wounds he already had. Tyr-El let out a pained gasp as more blood seeped from his mouth. Apparently, the strain Luthor put on his body by having him attack Wonder Woman was too great. Between the injuries he sustained and his age, Tyr-El had run out of bloodlust.
"Kal-El – my distant grandson," said the old Kryptonian weakly. "Is this…really happening again? Am I…going to be undone…by my own family?"
"You're not part of this family, Tyr-El. There is no Clan of El. There never was," said Superman. "It was only ever you."
"Is that…how you justify this? By denying…your very heritage?"
"I'm not denying anything. What you did in my family's name can never be undone. I have to live with that – just as my father had to live with it. You claim to be the embodiment of our family's legacy, but you're not. You're an abomination."
"I…am a warrior. I dared to do…what needed to be done…for the glory of Krypton," said Tyr-El, still defiant in his wounded state.
"Call it whatever you want. It failed," said the Man of Steel definitively. "All that glory – it was gone even before Krypton was destroyed. You can't reclaim something that was never there to begin with, no matter how much blood you spill."
His harsh words did little to dissuade Tyr-El. He remained defiant and determined, willing to shed more blood. Superman put his foot on his chest and pressed down, damaging more bones and causing him to cough up more blood. Then, he pointed the tip of the Blade of Artemis right at his neck.
"But I know I can't convince you to stop," the Man of Steel continued. "No matter what I say, you're going to keep trying. Even if I throw you into another black hole, you'll find a way out. You'll try to recreate the Doomsday Legion. And you'll commit more atrocities. That means if I don't kill you right here, I'm every bit as responsible for those atrocities."
"Then what are you waiting for, Kal-El?" taunted Tyr-El. "Go on! Do it! Do what your ancestors refused to do."
Twinging with anger, Superman pressed the tip of the glowing blade right up against his jugular. With the slightest movement, he could end this madman once and for all. But Tyr-El didn't seem to care. The thought of dying by the hands of his distant grandson didn't scare him in the slightest.
"You saw how their flawed sense of justice turned out," he added. "Are you bold enough to take a different path? If so, then maybe there is hope for the Clan of El's legacy."
His words added fuel to the fire that was burning inside. Superman had never felt such intense hatred for another being in his entire life. Everything he stood for – the values instilled in him by his biological and adopted family – it all became an afterthought in the presence of Tyr-El.
Superman had resisted the temptation to take a life many times before, but this time was different. He had met some pretty atrocious beings – human and non-human alike. Many deserved far worse than what he gave them. Tyr-El was in a league all his own.
He couldn't, in good conscious, let this monster live to commit another atrocity. At the same time, taking a life went against everything Superman, the Justice League, and his family stood for. He had never been this conflicted before about doing the right thing.
The muscles in his hand tensed. His heart raced as his emotions clouded his every thought. He was ready to make his fateful choice – one that would undoubtedly define Superman moving forward. But before he chose, he felt a gentle hand on his wrist. It belonged to Wonder Woman and under her touch, everything stopped.
"Kal…" she said in that deep, caring tone that made her Wonder Woman.
"Diana…don't," said Superman, his hand still trembling. "Don't make any more excuses for him."
"I'm not. There's no denying it. He's a monster. He murdered innocence, rapes women, and inspires terror. He deserves far worse than death. But is this – this isn't how to go about it. You're better than this."
"Am I?" he questioned. "No matter what I do, I'm throwing more dirt on my family's legacy."
"No. You're Superman," she said firmly, "and that's more important than any legacy."
Her grip on his hand strengthened. The sentiment conveyed through her touch washed over the blinding anger he felt towards Tyr-El. Like a splash of cold water, it jolted Superman back into a more balanced state. He saw what he was doing and what he felt inclined to do. He then looked over towards Wonder Woman, whose eyes conveyed even more sentiment than her touch. The message to him was loud and clear. Being Superman meant more to him than the legacy of the House of El.
With a solemn sigh, his grip on the Blade of Artemis loosened and he pulled the tip away from Tyr-El's neck. The old Kryptonian sneered at him, now more disgusted by his distant grandson than ever.
"Weak…pathetic…coward!" he said. "You let…a woman…hinder you?"
"No. Not sharing your insatiable bloodlust – that's not a hindrance," said Superman, "and besides, she's not just any woman."
When he said these words, he conveyed a certain sentiment to Wonder Woman as well. Despite being so sore from her battle against Aleka and Lex Luthor, she smiled. There was a lot more to say, but now was not the time.
"You're a disgrace…to our kind!" said Tyr-El, still frothing with hate. "Because of you…Krypton is truly dead."
"And I accept that," said Superman. "The past is what it is. We can't change it. The harder we try, the more lines we cross."
"I spit…on your lines! I promise…if you spare me…I will never stop! I will…reclaim our glory. I will…destroy you…in every way. I will ravage…everything…you hold dear…especially your woman!"
Wonder Woman's frowned angrily at the bloodied man, daring him to make such a threat again. Now she was tempted to end him. However, she restrained herself just as Superman had.
His unflinching hatred still presented a problem. Sparing him would not end his bloodlust. He had already committed horrendous atrocities on humans. He had also desecrated the blood of the Amazons. They didn't doubt for a second that Tyr-El was willing to do far worse. If they let him live, then he would find a way to inflict more torment. However, they couldn't reduce themselves to his bloody ways.
Superman and Wonder Woman exchanged glances, remaining conflicted about what to do. But after having been reminded of what it meant to be Superman – and after hearing such an outright threat against someone very close to him – he was determined to find a way.
He then noticed the glowing crystal that Wonder Woman was still holding. He remembered what Luthor had been able to do with it. In doing so, he surmised a way to give Tyr-El the justice he deserved.
"Hey Diana, you think your sisters are still tied up with the Doomsday Legion?" asked Superman.
"Since they haven't come bursting through the doors, I'd say so," replied Wonder Woman. "Why do you ask?"
"Give me Luthor's data crystal. I think they deserve a breather."
At first she didn't understand what he meant. Then, she saw that special glint in his eye. His face might be swollen and bruised, but she still saw it. As his intentions became clear, she grinned and handed him the crystal.
"You really think that'll work?" she asked.
"Only one way to find out," said Superman.
She gave him the data crystal and took a few steps back. Superman, now holding both the Blade of Artemis and the crystal, remained over Tyr-El. He kept his foot on his chest to keep him from struggling. He also began examining the crystal, feeling its unique energy. His powers weren't at full strength, but he was familiar enough with Kryptonian technology to figure it out. Once he did, Tyr-El's fate was sealed.
He held the crystal over Tyr-El, who was the only still confused at this point. He made sure his actions with the crystal were ambiguous so the old Kryptonian couldn't prepare himself. A series of distinct flashes from the crystal confirmed that it did what Superman wanted. From here on out, the fruits of Tyr-El's sins would administer an appropriate level of justice.
"It's done," Superman announced.
"Done? What…did you…do?" demanded Tyr-El.
Superman, with blood still dripping from his swollen face, just shot his distant grandfather a smug grin. He then removed his foot from Tyr-El's chest, allowing him to finally get a labored breath in. But just as he finally rose up, a round of deafening bursts echoed from the doors and windows of the museum. Dozens upon dozens of familiar figures came pouring inside.
"Kill…rape…destroy! Kill…rape…destroy!" said a chorus of angry voices.
These voices belonged to the angry, bloodthirsty monstrosities of the Doomsday Legion. They came pouring in from outside, going back on the order that Tyr-El gave him. Now, they all set their sights on him – their creator. This time, however, their eyes glowed with the distinct hue of the data crystal. It meant that the control he once had over them was no more.
"My legion…" said Tyr-El weakly.
"Isn't yours anymore," said Superman. "I removed the genetic controls you put on them. I'm guessing they didn't appreciate it."
Superman then casually stepped back and joined Wonder Woman again. The Doomsday Legion didn't even pay attention to him. They all gathered around Tyr-El – every last one of these perverse creations that he thought would bring glory to the Clan of El. Instead, they all glared at him with the same bloodlust he directed towards others.
As they closed in on Tyr-El, a contingent of Amazons ran in behind. Philippus once again led the charge. She and her Amazons had been beleaguered and frustrated by these abominations and were still inclined to fight.
"They're disoriented," said Philippus. "Now's the time to attack!"
"Stand down, Philippus," ordered Wonder Woman.
"What? But these creatures…"
"Are already defeated," she said. "Let them succumb on their terms."
More Amazons caught up, but Philippus obeyed her queen. She raised her hand to signal every Amazon to stand down. They all complied, keeping their shields and swords ready. Now, they too could witness this overdue justice on Tyr-El.
As the Doomsday Legion closed in, Tyr-El's blood went cold. He tried to get up, but his injuries would not let him. He just coughed up more blood and gazed up as his legion surrounded him. Most were already weakened and emaciated due to the effects of Lex Luthor's tampering. However, they still had plenty of strength to turn on their creator.
"Stop! I am…your blood! You are…my legacy!" exclaimed Tyr-El with growing desperation.
"Kill…rape…destroy! Kill…rape…destroy!" said each unit in perfect unison, as though this was the only language they knew.
"Kal-El! You dare…turn my creations…against me?"
"I didn't turn them against anyone. I just freed them," said Superman flatly. "They know they're dying. They also know who's responsible for all their suffering. You see, I don't have to bloody my own hands to end you, Tyr-El. I just need to make sure your own atrocities catch up with you."
Tyr-El shot Superman a look of unparalleled hatred. It was no use at this point. By then, the Doomsday Legion had reached him. As soon as one of them got their hands on him, the weight of his atrocities finally crushed him.
"No! NO! NOOO-AHHHHHH!" Tyr-El exclaimed.
His hate and outraged were quickly drowned out as the Doomsday Legion silenced Tyr-El once and for all. These seething monstrosities, which were decaying more rapidly with each passing second, tore into his wounded body without mercy – just as they had been conditioned. If this was to be their final atrocity, then they made sure it was befitting.
They started with his eyes. Two units literally clawed them out with their bare hands, creating a bloody mess on Tyr-El's face. He let out another pained scream, but was quickly silenced when another unit dug its body fingers into his throat, causing him to choke on his own blood. They then went for his genitals – the same he used to rape countless innocents. Several units tore it off, slowly and painfully. They even applied pressure to the bloody wound, making sure he stayed conscious long enough for them to shove it in his mouth to choke on.
From that moment forward, the units just grabbed whatever bit of flesh they could and ripped it off. The brutality, blood, and gore was every bit as extreme as Tyr-El had demonstrated. This time, however, he was on the wrong end of it. Even for the battle-hardened Amazons, it was a disgusting sight. Some even looked away. However, Superman and Wonder Woman didn't dare divert their gaze – if for no other reason than to make sure Tyr-El didn't escape.
Before long, there was nothing left of the bloodthirsty menace that had once terrorized Krypton's enemies – only a pool of blood, bone, and mangled flesh. That didn't stop the legion from tearing at it, clawing at Tyr-El's remnants until their last bit of strength escaped them. Even after that, the kept attacking – their hissing and screeching becoming more solemn. They all seemed to know they were dying and they would not stop until they drew their last breath.
"Kill…rape…destroy," they said weakly.
Eventually, their voices faded. Every unit in the Doomsday Legion fell silent and collapsed onto the floor. Their flesh continued rotting, turning dark black and dissolving into lumps of lifeless flesh. There was no more bloodlust in their eyes, but there was no sadness either. They had done what needed to be done. Now, they could die with some semblance of peace.
"They were hardly warriors, but they had Amazon blood," said Wonder Woman. "They may have committed atrocities, but they didn't deserve such a fate."
"They didn't have a choice. Tyr-El made sure of that," said Superman, "but I guess they inherited some of your peoples' honor. When they finally had a choice, they did what they thought was right."
It seemed fitting, albeit bittersweet. These perversions of Amazon and Kryptonian were supposed to be the instrument of Tyr-El's bloodlust. Instead, they were the ones that ultimately ended it.
As the finality of Tyr-El's end sank in, Superman's own injuries caught up with him. He was still without his powers. He still had plenty of wound and bruises to heal. He ended up having to lean on Wonder Woman, who didn't hesitate to support him.
"I think…my choices will be limited for the rest of the day," said Superman.
"Don't worry," said Wonder Woman. "You'll be back to pushing your limits soon enough. That's what makes you Superman."
"Among other things," he quipped.
The two shared a warm smile. This painful ordeal was over now and it was still sinking in. There would be plenty of aftermath to deal with – some official and some personal. But there would be plenty of time for that later and some moments couldn't come soon enough.
But as Superman continued leaning on Wonder Woman for support, his weakness did not go unnoticed. Lex Luthor, who had also watched the Doomsday Legion maim Tyr-El before decaying, saw that the Man of Steel was still vulnerable. He still needed time to regain the god-like power that made him the biggest fraud on this planet. That meant he still had a chance.
"He's still weak. He's still…human," said Lex under his breath. "If Krypton's bloody legacy must die her today – that means you die too!"
Summoning what remained of his strength, Lex hit the emergency latch on his Warsuit so he could escape manually. He then grabbed a nearby shard of metal from his suit that had been ripped off earlier. Now armed, he began crawling towards the Man of Steel – determined to see him meet Tyr-El's fate.
However, he barely got out of his suit before another presence came up behind him and struck him in the back of the head.
"That's far enough!" said a raspy voice.
"Ack!" gasped Lex.
His gasp drew the attention of Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Amazons. They all immediately turned around to see Lex lying on the floor face-down with an imposing figure hovering over him.
"Aleka!" exclaimed Wonder Woman.
"She's wounded. Summon a healer!" ordered Philippus.
"No. She's not wounded. It's worse than that," said Superman as he noticed her disposition.
With Lex Luthor now unconscious, Aleka's hulking form fell to the floor once more. Wonder Woman, Superman, and Philippus rushed to her side. Several other Amazons followed closely, but Philippus raised her hand to order them back. She recognized quickly that Aleka's condition was dire.
When Wonder Woman arrived, she immediately knelt down by Aleka's side. Philippus remained close by, giving Superman someone else to lean on while he stayed close. As Wonder Woman tried to help her sister up, the extent of her condition became clear. Like the rest of the Doomsday Legion, she was decaying.
"Aleka…" said Wonder Woman sadly.
"Diana…my queen," said Aleka in a weak voice. "Had to do…one last deed. Had to preserve…what's left of…my honor."
"You'll have a chance to do more," she replied. "We'll get you back to Themysicra! We'll summon Athena herself and…"
Aleka stopped her before she could continue, putting her hand up – showing that it had almost been reduced to bone. It affirmed what Wonder Woman already dreaded. He sister was dying.
"It's…too late for that," said Aleka.
"Don't say that, Aleka! It doesn't have to end like this!" said Wonder Woman, tears already forming in her eyes.
"But…it should," she said. "I…trusted that monster. I…aided him. I…raped a sister. If this is the price I must pay to atone…I pay it gladly."
Wonder Woman lightly grasped Aleka's hand and sobbed. She didn't want to believe it. She and Aleka may have clashed many times in the past, but she was still a sister. She treasured the honor of the Amazons more than most. She did not deserve such a fate, but she had already accepted it.
That fate was progressing fast. Her hulking body had already been reduced significantly. Large portions of her flesh had rotted off, turning black and frail. Muscles shrank, breathing became ragged, and the tenacity that made Aleka such a great warrior faded. It was harsh, cruel, and undeserving of any Amazon.
"Diana…" said Aleka as her strength rapidly faded.
"I'm here, sister," said Wonder Woman, maintaining her strength as best she could.
"Please tell Dessa…I'm sorry," said Aleka. "I will do my labors…in Hades. I will watch over her…in future battles."
"She's already forgiven you. You don't have to carry that burden."
"But…I should," she said strongly.
Once again, she affirmed what she knew to be right for her and the honor of the Amazons. It pained her heart just as much as it pained her sisters, but she still did it. Such sentiment struck Diana profoundly.
"I accept…my fate. I understand now," said Aleka. "The atrocities our sisters committed – the traditions we clung to – I understand."
"You always had a big heart, Aleka," said Wonder Woman with a weak smile, "even if you hid it within your warrior spirit."
"I should've known. We all…should've known. One atrocity…leads to another…and another…and another. It…must stop. It has…to stop."
Her strength was running out. The pain was growing. She let out a deep groan, her strength failing her at every turn. Yet in the light of pending death, she saw what other Amazons dared to see. It gave Wonder Woman a glint of hope about their sisters' future, albeit at a terrible price.
It wouldn't be much longer now. Her grip on Wonder Woman's hand was weakening. She had to make use of what little strength she had left.
"Hnn…death hurts…so much more…than battle," said Aleka.
"I'll stay with you, sister. I'll stay till the end," said Wonder Woman.
"No. I've inflicted enough cruelty…on my sisters," she said. "Please…give me the Blade of Artemis. Let me…end my life…on my terms…with honor."
It was a solemn request and one she didn't have much time to think about. She could see the growing agony on her sister's face. Her suffering would only escalate from here on out. There had been enough suffering today. It had to end.
Turning towards Superman, who still had the glowing Blade of Artemis in hand, he just nodded solemnly and gave her the sword. Philippus, who also had tears in her eyes, did the same. Aleka had made her choice. All they could do was honor it.
With a heavy heart, Wonder Woman put the Blade of Artemis in Aleka's weak hands. Her arm still trembled, her strength on the brink of failing. She channeled what little she had left, grabbing the blade with both hands and guiding the tip to her chest. This blade was meant to penetrate the armor of a titan so it could surely pierce the ribs of a dying woman.
"Thank you…my queen…my sister," said Aleka.
"Gods be with you, Aleka," said Wonder Woman sadly.
Having made her final peace, Aleka closed her eyes and roughly jammed the glowing blade into her chest. It pierced her flesh with ease, stabbing her right in the heart. The sick sound of flesh and bone breaking echoed through the damaged halls of the museum. This horrible sound was followed by a gargled gasp as Aleka drew her last breath. The final bit of life then left her body, making her the last victim of Tyr-El's atrocities.
With Aleka's body now limp and lifeless, Wonder Woman grasped her lifeless hand and let out one final sob for her sister. Philippus, as well as the Amazons who had witnessed what had happened, bowed their heads respectfully and prayed to the gods for their sisters' soul. More tears of sorrow formed in her eyes as she withdrew the Blade of Artemis and set it aside.
A solemn silence fell over the area as the damage and loss done by this conflict sank in. Superman offered Wonder Woman a comforting gesture, which she accepted without hesitation.
"She didn't deserve this. Nobody deserved this," sobbed Wonder Woman.
"That's the thing about atrocities. Nobody deserves them," said Superman.
"I know. It just…disgusts me."
"They should," he said. "The fact that they do is a good thing. The day we become numb to atrocities is the day we lose our sense of justice."
Superman, partly due to his injuries and mostly out of compassion, knelt down and embraced Wonder Woman. Together, they out solemn, exasperated sigh. The atrocities of Tyr-El were finally over, but the scars he left were still forming. The extent of those scars was still unclear. But whatever hardships these scars brought, Superman and Wonder Woman were prepared to endure them.
Up next: Scars and Bonds
