12
Disclaimer: I do not own, or pretend to own, trademarked intellectual properties of DC Entertainment, its parent Warner Entertainment, or its ultimate master: AT&T, despite how they will inevitably squander everything.
I tend to liberally "borrow" character profiles and art from the Earth-27 wikia created by Roy Westerman with art principally coming from digital artist Phil Cho. Other creators and artists are found there as well and will specifically list any creations with creator citations as I utilize them. In short, this the single most comprehensive retelling of all things DC and beyond I have encountered. In short, it's worth your time to explore.
Lois Lane cared for her five children at Jonathan and Martha Kent's farm. The Kents were just delighted to have grandchildren they could reach. Kalea-El was psychotically dangerous and the daughter of an alien empress. Alexandra was an Amazon princess and sequestered on Themiscyra. So having five children at their ready beck and call was the sheer delight they'd always imagined it would be. Even if Clark's children were from the Earth-2 Lord Superman and Lois.
Lois had birthed four of the children. Jon was her eldest at age thirteen. Mia, two years older, was the product, like Lois' own brood, of rape. Lena Luthor's to be precise. And Lord Superman had insured that Lena would be dead seconds after delivery. Mia had been given to Lois to raise as her own, or their would be horrific consequences for the child.
The tween aged Laura was the middle child and was just developing the super powers Jon and Mia already displayed. Mia had always displayed her mother's intellect. Something that had been hidden so as not the threaten her father into ending her life. Carol and Jane were identical twins and were a precocious three years old and always into mischief.
The Kent children had never met their grandparents. Like Lois they'd been imprisoned in special suites for their own "safety". Lois had finally engineered an escape while pregnant with Carol and Jane. The three older children went with her. After the birth, Lois and Lana Lang volunteered for Mercy Graves' Everyman Project experiments. Unlike the others, the two women were genetically spliced with Argoan DNA secretly harvested from Kara In-Ze.
A pinprick between the Earth-2 universe and the Antimatter Universe became a cascading wave of antimatter consuming the Multiverse one universe at a time. The Monitor gave the former Lord Batman the means to selectively send several agents into the Prime Universe. Choosing from former resistance fighters, Batman enabled Lois and her children, Lana, Hellequin, and Stuart Mosely to cross over. Batman supplied them with enough money to establish themselves on Earth Prime.
Marian Drews, at the Monitor's behest began a campaign to unite the Prime Universe's villains against the Anti Monitor. Lana went undercover for a time as Insect Queen and joined the Justice League as a result. Stu bought and remodeled a diner he reopened as Eats. His costumed persona to supposedly remain secret. Lois largely remained on the Kent farm before being summoned by Lana to reveal themselves each as Superwoman.
Lois eventually developed all of Clark's traditional powers. Lana gained solar energy based powers reflected a Kryptonian and an Argoan's nature as solar batteries. Lana had far greater than human strength but was beneath even Martian-level performance but she did possess nearly all of Clark's durability.
Other agents secretly working for the Monitor without their even knowing it derived from Earths -4, -5, -16, -27, -49, and the Dakotaverse. And integrated into Earth Prime's history to a greater or lesser degree as they insinuated into society. Some to great acclaim and otherwise great notoriety.
But Superwoman and Hellequin's major role had finally developed. The Monitor had deduced the identities and qualities of the men and women absolutely necessary to defeating the Anti Monitor himself. He called them Paragons and each epitomized a characteristic that, when united with the rest, would enable the Paragons to overwhelm and destroy the Anti Monitor. There would be thirty-six Paragons in total.
Hellequin would recruit the eighteen villains essential to the campaign. Superwoman would gather the rest. And in an egalitarian twist, Lois had nine candidates to recruit as did Lana. The bitch of it was, there were no substitutes. The loss of even one recruit failing to join in would ensure the total destruction of what remained of the Multiverse.
Lois was chosen to gather the candidates from Earth. Lana, who could survive unaided in space, would recruit from the aliens and humans in deep space. In both instances, it was a job solely for Superwoman.
Lois' first task was to request the aid of the one woman she didn't want to extend an invitation to. Lord Superman hadn't had his fling with Maxima before proposing to Lois. The Prime Superman and his Lois had backed away from taking that step. Or more accurately, Superman had backed from it and Lois called him short on it. Clark's response was to accept Maxima's sexual invitation when she came calling next. A development the Prime Lois hadn't learned about before her death.
And that Lois couldn't even stay dead as her father, Gen. Sam Lane, resurrected her as a Bizarro clone and disowned his youngest daughter, Lucy, for objecting. Gen. Lane was now facing a death sentence for treason for overthrowing the United States government. And Maj. Lucy Lane USAF now led a team of government agents labeled as the PATRIOTS.
Lois knew this Clark and this Maxima were different people but she still felt offended on their Lois' behalf. It had been difficult enough coming to Earth Prime and confronting this Clark. But the hardest part was his affair with Maxima. An affair he'd resumed upon her abdication from Almerac's throne. She felt vindictively justified feeling Kalea was their payment for his betraying Lois' trust in more than the biological sense. This Clark's marriage to Wonder Woman had been laughable at best. Lois felt Diana's prohibition against Clark seeing Alexandra was a fitting reward after his performance as a father that abandoned his eldest daughter.
The fact Superman fell in with Maxima again and persuaded the Justice League to take her on as a member well before Lois revealed herself bespoke of his naivete. It seemed where Lord Superman had become a murderous despot, this Superman was hopelessly idealistic despite his own betrayals of his ideals. Under duress, Supergirl had shared the secret that Superman had killed the three Kryptonian criminals that had ravaged the Pocket Universe Earth Supergirl hailed from. From descriptions, Matrix wouldn't have betrayed that trust. But now that she'd become the very human Linda Danvers she understood Superwoman's concern that Superman would mirror Lord Superman's choices. And Power Girl could only kill so many Supermen.
Lyla Michaels, the Harbinger, could have teleported Superwoman directly into the Fortress of Solitude where Maxima resided but she still enjoyed the novelty of self-propelled flight. As it was, Lyla would be taking the new recruits, and those of Hellequin and the other Superwoman, and depositing them directly into the Vanishing Point station where the Monitor worked from.
The Fortress' security grid recognized Kara's DNA in her and granted Superwoman access. Kelex met her near the main hall, "Can I be of assistance, Miss Lois?"
"I need to speak with Maxima. I have an urgent message for her," Superwoman informed the AI.
"Lady Maxima is otherwise engaged at the moment. May I take a message to confer to her?" Kelex inquired.
"No, the nature of the request needs her personal attention. Now," Superwoman said tersely.
"Her Ladyship is not alone," Kelex said delicately.
"Is Clark here?" Superwoman groaned.
"Negative. Perhaps I can…?" Kelex began.
"Kelex? Is someone else here?" Maxima asked as she round a nearby corner, "Oh."
"I'm happy to see you too," Superwoman replied in the same flat tones.
A young woman came from behind Maxima. She had her father's dark hair with magenta highlights and the his eyes. And she was taller than her mother because of Clark's genetics.
"You must be Kalea-El," Superwoman realized.
"Lois Lane. Father's trollop from another universe," Kalea sneered, "He left us for your counterpart. What gives you the right to wear that sigil glyph?"
"Kalea..." Maxima said in sternly hushed tones.
"Why does my so-called father allow everyone but family to wear his House crest?" Kalea was livid.
"Maybe you haven't earned the right," Superwoman said evenly.
"Why are you here, Superwoman?" Maxima changed topics.
"You have got to be shitting me!" Kalea broke into hysterical laughter as she broke free of Maxima's loose grip on her bicep.
"Can we speak?" Superwoman asked Maxima, "In private?"
"Unfortunately, Kalea shares her father's wretched hearing acuity. There is no privacy," Maxima complained.
"Bite me," Kalea snapped.
Superwoman explained about the Crisis, Zero Hour, and the Monitor's mission versus the Anti Monitor's. Neither mother nor daughter looked remotely surprised. In fact, they were completely cognizant of it.
"You people are so dim," Kalea hurled another insult.
"Look, you're the Paragon of Courage. Without your participation, without every Paragon's participation we lose this thing for certain versus having at least a fighting chance," Superwoman explained.
"Then, how can I refuse?" Maxima smiled.
Superwoman touched the wristband Harbinger had given her and they both vanished.
"Shit!" Kalea groaned, "She'd better come back from this."
Kalea had her own plans regarding her mother's fate.
Linda Danvers had been sacrificed to a demonic cult, willingly so, when Supergirl found her. Matrix had sensed Linda's fate and intervened on the ceremony. As the last embers of life ebbed from the human, Supergirl infused her body with her own protoplasmic being. And so Matrix, an artificial life form from another universe, became human herself. And Linda's memories and personality rode on her own.
Supergirl retained the psionic basis for her powers but lost her shape shifting ability and her rarely used ability to turn invisible. Instead she was locked into Linda's form, which closely resembled Lana Lang's. And, Supergirl inherited Linda's family. Her "new" father was a National City police officer. Her mother was a pastor. And her sister had been a DEO agent before the agency's closure and now served within the ranks of Homeland Security.
Alex alone realized the changes that had occurred within Linda and was confided in over her newly blended mentality and newfound secret identity as Supergirl. Their parents were just happy to see the positive changes in Linda's life. The sisters shared an apartment so Alex had intimate knowledge of how destructive her birth sister's life had become.
Alex was on duty and Linda was exploring her inherited talent for sculpture when Superwoman just appeared from nowhere. Supergirl took it well, "Lois, what a surprise. What brings you to National City?"
"You, actually," Superwoman began her explanation of the Crisis and the necessary Paragons. She explained that Hellequin and Lana were also seeking out other Paragons.
"You're the Paragon of Life," Superwoman finished explaining as Supergirl changed into her armor weaved costume that bore the glyph of the House of Var, which was Kryptonian for "resolve".
"Wow! I wouldn't have guessed. But I already lost one universe. I won't lose another," Supergirl vowed.
The front door opened and Agent Alex Danvers strolled in and looked surprised, "Superwoman."
"Please, call me Lois, Agent Danvers," she replied.
"Then call me Alex," she insisted right back, "We barely met before. I never met Lois Lane before you died, wrong Lois I know, but it's an honor."
"It's alright, Alex. Keep breathing," Supergirl insisted.
"Harbinger will bring us to the Vanishing Point and move us through time to the beginning of the Crisis here on Earth," Superwoman explained.
"What crisis?" Alex asked.
"I'm sorry but I don't have the inclination to explain it all again," Superwoman apologized and tapped her wristband. She and Supergirl vanished.
"Just stay safe, Linda," Alex whispered, "I can't lose you again."
Donna Troy, as Wonder Woman, patrolled San Francisco. Hipployta had abdicated and resumed her role as the original Wonder Woman with the Justice Society. Diana had become Queen of Themiscyra. Artemis remained a Wonder Woman as well as the Requiem of the Amazons. The high priestess, Nubia, had been sent by Diana as her personal choice as a Wonder Woman. And Hippolyta's last official decree made Donna the fifth Wonder Woman.
Donna was also now the leader of the Justice League's covert action force known as the Outsiders. Veterans and new graduates from Young Justice alike served within the Outsider ranks. The leadership core stemmed from some of the original band of Teen Titans. Donna was selected as leader because of her strategic and tactical skills earned as an Amazon and as a Darkstar.
Diana was a demigoddess but Donna, as a child of Chronos and Rhea, was a Titan and a goddess, the sister of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Her battle instincts went on high alert as Superwoman suddenly appeared before her, "I really hope this is a social call, Lois."
"`Fraid not," Superwoman was genuinely rueful. She delivered her growingly pat explanation of why she'd appeared, "You're the Paragon of Virtue."
"Virtue?" Wonder Woman was skeptical.
"I know about the Darkstar campaigns against Lady Strix. I know about the losses on both sides. I also know about the Third Army and how it devastated the Darkstars. You came back here disillusioned and seeking solitude. But when your service was needed, you answered the call,"
Superwoman could have been describing her own life after Lord Superman's death and the fall of the other Justice Lords, "You have a call now. Will you serve?"
Wonder Woman breathed a heavily weighted sigh, "Of course. So now what?"
"This," Superwoman activated the beacon on her wrist and Harbinger swept them to the end of time.
"Seems it was a wise investment to buy this apartment rather than lease," Michael Jon Carter, better known as Booster Gold, said to his wife, Dr. Claire Connelly.
"But it seems neither of you have opted to help restore the utilities?" Claire asked crossly.
Michelle Carter, Booster's twin sister also known as Goldstar, had the temerity to look abashed, "Sorry. Utilities are just included with domiciles in the 25th Century."
Superwoman appeared in their midst, "Claire, we need to talk."
"This is about the Crisis, isn't it?" Booster was suspicious. The trio's time with Rip Hunter and the Time Masters colored his perspective. They had seen the future disintegrated by the Zero Hour and Rip Hunter and his time ship alone had survived to land them in 2009, the year the Crisis occurred.
"Why Claire specifically?" Goldstar asked.
"Because she's the Paragon of Humanity," Superwoman explained.
"Me?" Claire squeaked. She'd had a hard enough time establishing her gender identity and undergoing all the feminization surgeries and ongoing hormone treatments to make her the woman she was always destined to be.
"Yes, you. You epitomize the human ideal of overcoming struggle and the quest for personal identity and bravery in the face of adversity," Superwoman told her and then relayed the stakes, "This goes far, far beyond your struggles as a transwoman. This has to do with the core of being human."
"But I'm not a fighter," Claire protested.
"No, you're a genius and an inspiration that will motivate others to excel beyond their traditional capacities," Superwoman offered, "Existence hangs on your decision to join or not."
"No pressure," Claire complained.
"You got this," Booster encouraged her, "You always do. And we've seen what happens if you don't do."
Visions of the Antimatter Universe and nothing but the Antimatter Universe hung over the trio's heads. Especially Claire's now.
"I'm scared," Claire confessed.
"You wouldn't be human if you weren't," Booster reassured her, "And humanity is the quality being asked for here."
"I'll do it?" Claire squeaked again.
"Just a minute," Booster tenderly held his wife and slightly tipped his chin up to kiss her before he whispered, "Thank you. Come back to me."
"Always," she whispered into his ear.
"I guess I'm ready," Claire decided as she reluctantly extricated herself from his embrace.
"Then we're off," Superwoman did the now familiar tap and they vanished.
Goldstar rested a hand on her brother's shoulder, "She'll find a way. She always does."
Their time with Rip had proven that on countless occasions.
Superwoman tried to recall if there had ever been a female Hawk or Dove much less both on her native Earth. But Holly Granger was definitely displaying a Hawk-like temperament. And Dawn Granger's fighting skills were beyond anything Don Hall had displayed. Or even Hank Hall as Hawk. Dove didn't provoke fights, like her sister, but she ended them by crippling her opponents. Most would never walk or throw unaided again. Hawk just laid down a swathe of destruction.
When the conflict ended, Intergang had lost a major supply depot in Oakland. Superwoman chose then to approach. The sisters were members of the Outsiders just as the previous Hawk and Dove had been members of the expanded Justice League Unlimited.
"Can I have a word?" Superwoman asked as she floated down.
"What the effin' hell?" Hawk asked in her East London accent.
"Lois Lane. I came back from the dead so why can't you? But you didn't, did you?" Dove scrutinized Superwoman in that scary way of hers.
"No, I didn't," Superwoman admitted. She explained about the ongoing and inevitable destruction of the Multiverse. Then she told them about both the Monitor and Anti Monitor, opposite poles of the same being. And then she described the mission of the chosen Paragons.
"And you're here because one of us is a Paragon," Dove deduced.
"Both of you, actually," Superwoman corrected her assumption, "Together you're the Paragon of Balance."
"That'd be Paragons, idiot," Hawk snorted.
"The Lords of Balance see you both as one," Superwoman reminded them, "Why can't the Monitor?"
"Of course we'll do it," Dove volunteered.
"Dawn!" Hawk growled.
"Holly!" Dove exaggerated.
"What if we cause the universe to end by not going?" Dove primly asked.
"Argh. We're doing it," Hawk was sullen.
"Hold on to your stomachs," Superwoman warned before contacting Harbinger.
"Mary, you're needed," Superwoman alerted Mary Bromfield at her office in Starrware. Mary had gone back to her adopted name after reconciling with most of her family after her disastrous stint as Black Mary.
"I don't think anyone will ever want my help again," Mary was downcast.
"Shazam forgave you and restored your powers," Superwoman pointed out.
"He's my brother," Mary wasn't convinced, "Try Captain Marvel. I'm certain Freddy will help with whatever."
"Just listen," Superwoman gave her now well rehearsed litany.
"And you think I'm a Paragon?" Mary disbelieved.
"Lady Marvel is the Paragon of Regret," Superwoman told her.
"Sounds like me," Mary stepped away from her desk, "Shazam!"
Lightning struck and Lady Marvel was revealed. She still had Mary's haunted look.
"Are you ready?" Superwoman asked, hand hovering her wristband.
"Of course not," Lady Marvel admitted.
"Good answer," Superwoman smiled and tapped her wrist.
Superwoman appeared before the House of Mystery at its current location. Madame Xanadu sat expectant on the porch.
"You knew?" Superwoman asked.
"Of course," Nimue Inwudu confided.
"Are you prepared then?" Superwoman asked, "You are the Paragon of Magic, after all."
"Can one ever fully prepare?" Madame Xanadu asked.
"I suppose not," Superwoman conceded.
"Shall we go then?" Madame Xanadu asked.
Superwoman was relieved this recruitment had been so easy.
Superwoman next appeared within the JSA Brownstone. Sandman awaited her, "Welcome, Lois Lane."
"Is Power Girl in?" Superwoman had to wonder.
"Yes, but the automated defenses will engage if I don't escort you," Sandman told her, "Or I could merely summon her. What is your preference?"
"Can you call her?" Superwoman inquired.
"Easily," Sandman chuckled.
Power Girl arrived a few moments later. Superwoman marveled at how easily Galatea had adopted Power Girl's guise after her visit to Earth-2. And grieving her husband's loss, Galatea had struck out to forge a new identity. As Karen Starr, Power Girl had capitalized major investments into a multibillion dollar tech firm that Mary Bromfield served as corporate president of even as Karen herself was the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors. It was little wonder Power Girl was the Paragon of Transformation.
It took little convincing to persuade her to enlist.
"How do we get to this Vanishing Point?" PG asked.
"Like this," and they vanished.
Aquaman enlisted as the Paragon of the Clear. Mera and Orin, Jr. were quite reluctant to see him go. Orin Curry had tremendous issues with surface world but the undersea kingdoms were threatened as well.
Superwoman interrupted Danette Reilly and her brother Rod on a double date, "I need Firebrand's help."
"Why? And why now?" Danette complained.
So Superwoman launched into it, "And that makes you the Paragon of the Burn."
"But I…" Firebrand began to protest.
"I'll make the excuses," Rod volunteered, "Big fan by the way."
As he ducked out, Firebrand grumbled, "Going hard court press, huh?"
"It's the chest glyph. People just assume," Superwoman explained.
"Let me change clothes," Firebrand reluctantly agreed to the affair.
But they vanished before she could.
Superwoman's final recruit emerged from a wall of lightning and stooped to catch his breath as it discharged away. Superwoman approached, "It's been awhile since you were in the world, Barry."
"Lois Lane?" Barry Allen asked.
"You've been racing in the Speed Force. You've seen what's coming," Superwoman reminded him.
"Up close and personally," the Flash admitted.
"You're the Paragon of the Speed Force and you're needed," Superwoman said simply.
"The Flash is supposed to die in the Zero Hour," Barry warned.
"A Flash. We don't know which one yet," Superwoman consoled him.
But Flash knew and volunteered anyway.
Lana Lang was not happy with her assigned tasks. But she'd become Superwoman to save a doomed world. Now she had a universe to save. So she'd get to it.
Superwoman appeared in the midst of a space battle where a lone Blue Lantern fought to save a planet from the ravages of marauding pirates. Saint Walker defeated the enemy without a single loss in life. The inhabitants arrived to take custody of the criminals.
"You may approach now," he told Superwoman, who'd been discreetly observing.
She explained her mission and its importance. And she expanded on the why it was important, "You're the Paragon of Hope as well as a spectrum wielder."
"Then how can I refuse?" Saint Walker asked.
"You could, regardless of your hopes," Superwoman stated. Saint Walker wondered how she'd become so cynical as they vanished.
Superwoman appeared in the midst of a group of aliens wielding staffs with power rings at one end. Indigo-1 approached, "Who are you to appear so mysteriously?"
Superwoman explained, "And you've been selected as the Paragon of Hope. Your assistance is desperately needed."
"It always is when the universe needs saving," Indigo-1 replied ruefully, "But my calling is clear. I will go with you."
"Thank you in advance," Superwoman activated her beacon.
Superwoman came upon the Sapphire Queen, her Green Lantern husband, and Darkstar wife. Carol Ferris, Kyle Rayner, and Kara In-Ze Ferris-Rayner had a polygamous marriage scowled upon on Earth but embraced as normal on other worlds. Including Argo at one point. The fated triad was battling spaceborne parasites looking to infest a brightly lit world. Superwoman joined in the defense. Eventually the parasites were driven into the nearby orange sun. A star robbing Kara of half her natural powers.
"Thanks for your help," Carol offered.
"But it came at a price. I have bad news," Superwoman began her briefing and the revelation that all three were Paragons. One of Love, another Will, and the third of the Darkstars.
"Of course we'll help," Kara volunteered her husband and wife. They didn't object. Rather they looked pleased at Kara's confidence in them. It was easy to see why Kara had been the original Supergirl in this universe. The Supergirl of her universe still gave Lana nightmares.
"Get ready. This transition is rough on the stomach," Superwoman warned them.
Lyssa Drak of the Fear Corps and Laira Omoto of the Red Lanterns were temporarily aligned in pursuit of Agent Orange, the sole Orange Lantern in existence and was named Larfleeze. Larfleeze had stolen the Book of Paralax. To Lyssa it was holy writ. To Laira it was the doorway to dangerous powers. Superwoman intercepted Larfleeze and knocked him unconscious by surprise.
"I helped you, you listen to me," Superwoman bargained. In the end, the Paragons of Fear, Rage, and unwittingly, Avarice complied. They vanished but Lana was startled to remain behind.
"What the eff?" Superwoman muttered.
"Where did you take them and why?" Sinestro, still the sole Ultraviolet Corps member, asked as he enveloped Lana in a life support field.
So Superwoman repeated herself, "And you're on my list as the Paragon of the Unseen Light."
"I will go with you and become the savior of this universe. Trillions will flock to me in adoration," Sinestro predicted.
"Interesting perspective," Superwoman murmured and more loudly, "And we're off."
Lana's last three assignments were all on Earth on opposite coastlines of America. Or should have been. Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern of Earth was the Paragon of the Green Flame and happened to be in Los Angeles visiting his children. His was the easiest recruitment.
Kate Spencer also dwelt in Los Angeles. Superwoman startled her after she'd dropped her son off with his custodial parent, "What the eff?"
"You have somewhere we can sit?" Superwoman warmed to her topic cautiously. Kate had only been Manhunter for several months. So she tried to gently break the news to Manhunter that she was a Paragon who held the fate of the universe in her hands.
"Would you like a drink? `Cause I sure as hell need one," Manhunter went to a decanter.
They quietly shared a whiskey before Manhunter sighed, "Okay. I'm in."
"Thank you so much," Superwoman triggered the beacon alerting Harbinger to teleport them.
Jessica Cruz was Lana's last assignment. She dwelt in Portland, OR. Knowing of Jessica's deep abiding trauma, Superwoman was grateful she'd been deposited in the lawn. Jess opened the front door.
"Lana?" she asked.
"I need your help, Jess," Superwoman said without preamble.
"Of course I'll help," Jessica promised.
"Ahem," her Ring of Volthoom, marking her as the Paragon of the Power Rings interrupted.
Power Ring rolled her eyes, "Of course, we'll help."
The ring was mollified for now.
Lana and Lois were assembled together before the Monitor. He looked grave. And ill.
"You two and Marian have completed your original tasks. Now, there is a paramount endeavor, one greater than even assembling the Paragons. You must convince Stuart Mosely to step away from his diner and his neighborhood and rise to the ultimate challenge."
"What can you expect Stu to do?" Lana wondered.
"He's a bit of a joke," Lois agreed.
"As Stuart, he may seem inconsequential, but as the Heckler he is vital to our survival. Harbinger will deliver you and Hellequin will meet you there. You must not fail in this," the Monitor looked enfeebled, "Now go! Lyla, take them where they are most needed."
Superwoman and Superwoman were teleported to Brooklyn.
Once there, they found they were still in costume. And so was Hellequin. But they all bore the same grim look of determination.
Footnote: This story runs concurrently with Hellequin and the Paragons and will be concluded in Crisis of the Multiverse.