In a dream, Mara was in a field with a sword lying on the grass next to her. Upon picking it up, the angel, Michael, appeared before her. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds," he said to her.
Mara held the sword and felt it as an extension of her own soul rather than an independent tool. "The Lord is with me. I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. Through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not consume you," Michael promised her.
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me," Mara replied. "For you equip me with strength for the battle. You subdue my enemies under me."
"Be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong," Michael said to her.
A pack of seven black wolves came upon her and surrounded her. Mara held out her sword without fear. The wolves snarled at her looking for an opening, a weakness. Mara placed the sword before her, and the wolves were gone in a flash of light.
Rome
Upon Mara's instance, she was given first holy communion and confession under Pope Barney I's supervision. In a cynical attempt to avoid schism, Pope Barney made no theological claims on what confession or communion could do for the soul, just that it was ordered. "The Lord orders us to confess our sins publicly or privately and to break bread with one another in His memory. This we shall do without controversy," Pope Barney ordered his cardinals.
"And what shall we say these actions do for our souls?" the cardinals asked curiously.
"You will say nothing. Just carry out the order without question or explanation," Pope Barney replied.
Kara and Mon consented to Mara's request and made it a public spectacle in the rebuilt St. Peter's Basilica. Typically, first communion and confession happen when children are seven, and they have some basic understanding of right, wrong, and theology. Mara appeared as a teenager and an Imperial princess which would make it awkward if she conducted the ceremony with children. Mara also wanted to make this personal.
Considerable liberty was given on how to receive communion in various cultures on Earth and the galaxy at large. Pope Barney also was careful never to give any sacraments or blessings, himself, but delegated these tasks to living clergy. As he watched, Mara came before the altar in black robes and a veil. She knelt before a priest and received the bread on her tongue. Then, she was given the chalice taking a sip of the wine.
Afterward, Pope Barney and Mara had a chat about her future intentions. "I wonder...why all the Thanagarians on Rann have to die by my direction. Will they burn in hell forever and forever for defying my mission?" she asked.
"Only God can answer that question," Pope Barney humored her.
"I know Jesus says to love your enemies and I think I'm good on this part," Mara said.
"You think so?" Pope Barney questioned.
"People assume that when you conquer, wage war, starve, and kill your enemies, it means you hate them. On the contrary, you can do all these things while still loving your enemy. You simply have to be professional about it," Mara said.
"Do you think you will have any trouble forgiving your enemy as you slaughter them?" Pope Barney asked.
"I am confident I can," Mara replied.
"Remember that revenge can never bring peace. You must have peace within yourself to bring peace to the galaxy," Pope Barney told her.
"Why was I chosen for this mission? Why not mother or even my brother?" Mara wondered.
"I don't pretend to know the will of God, but I know that it is not always the strongest or most powerful beings in the universe that change the galaxy," Pope Barney said referring to himself.
"I will set off on my mission with or without your help," Mara said resolved.
"You will always have my help, but it will be invisible," Pope Barney said finally.
Rann
In those days, Rann had been under the military and political occupation of the Thanagarian Empire. A thousand years prior, Thanagar and Rann had devastated each other in an intergalactic war. The Justice League and Green Lantern Corps were involved. The two sides hated each other ever since. Rannians were simple humanoids that could match the strength of an average Thanagarian. Despite this, the Thanagarians could naturally fly and had superior weaponry. The Rannian leader was Malko, and he was well aware of how fucked he was. Not only did he have the Thanagarians trying to invade and assassinate him but also those within his court that wanted to overthrow him. He was intelligent but timid, resentful that he was a puppet.
So, while he was concerned the Imperial princess was on her way, he was also suspicious of his advisers desiring to refuse her. "She pretends to be sent by God: a charlatan, no doubt. We should burn her as a witch. You must not see her. It could be a trap," Trem advised.
"Trem is right. She hears voices. That makes her crazy as fuck," Nault advised.
"Does it, though?" Malko wondered. "She's an imperial princess of the Galactic Federation that cares about me. She wants to see me crowned and to fight for me."
"Well...actually...not exactly," Trem said condescendingly. "She wants an army at your expense and you're shit-poor at the moment. I blame your spendthrift mother."
"Can I, at least, see her? God damn," Malko said exasperated as he walked down the halls to his study. "Besides, with the Thanagarians in control of half the planet, what more do I have to lose?"
"The other half, obviously," Trem said obviously.
"You must not see her. She could be an instrument of the Thanagarians," Nault warned.
"Well, I think you should," Yola said, Malko's mother.
"Holy shit," Malko said startled, not realizing she was in the room. "Mother...what makes you say that when my most trusted advisers say otherwise?" he asked anxiously.
"Because I care about you...come here. Time for me to feed you my milk," she ordered.
"Fuck...," Malko said embarrassed but went over to her where she proceeded to take off her shirt. "Your happiness has always been my first priority, Malko. I know what plagues your heart. I know you've always been curious as to whether your father was ever really yours."
"What the fuck?" Malko mouthed as he rested his head on her chest.
The two advisers waited patiently and uncomfortably as Malko latched onto his mother's breasts and was fed like a child. By the way, this was not ordinary Rann behavior. "Do I know you enough? Hmm?" Yola asked rhetorically as they finished.
"What does all this have to do with the princess?" Malko asked confused.
"Who better to answer your questions than a maiden from God?" Lola said obviously.
"You think she was sent from God? Which god? Our god?" Malko doubted.
"You're a good judge of character. You will soon know if she's a fake," Lola assured him.
His two shady advisers scoffed noticeably in the background at that. "I hate you both," Malko said peeved.
"If she is not, she will give you your answers and the crown on your head. If you go up against a maiden sent by God, you will be even more fucked than you already are," Lola warned.
"With all due respect...," Trem interjected.
"I don't give a fuck what you think or even what I think. All that matters is what the people think. Already, our people are talking about her. You know how the people are like. They'll believe in any old prophecy. About this one, an Insane Kryptonian virgin from Earth saving Rann," Lola said condescendingly.
"I don't recall that prophecy," Trem rolled his eyes.
"Shut the fuck up," Lola scolded. "This Supergirl arrives here and now there's a spark of hope in their simple minds. We should expose her as a fake immediately before this gets out of hand. Or, better yet, she's a really good fake that we can control and bring back a spark in our army."
Soon, thereafter, Malko held a ball. Mara was done on her good-will tour of mingling with the Rannian people curing them of diseases with modern science and distributing resources she took with her. She was eventually invited to Malko's ball to talk with him.
"She's on her way," Trem informed Malko. "I urge you not to see this woman. It's a Thanagarian trap."
"My astrologers tell me that the timing is good," Malko said.
"Astrology is bullshit," Trem shot down. "Suppose she's an assassin."
"But I'm not even king yet. Who would want to assassinate me?" Malko pointed out.
"Literally...everyone so you don't become king," Trem said obviously.
A gang of three warlords smirked at Malko as if confirming Trem's suspicions. "She's in the guard's room, my lord," one servant informed Malko.
"I suppose...I should make a decision," Malko said timidly. "I'm going to have someone here...pretend to be me. If she's really sent by God, she'll discover the trap. If she's an assassin, the wrong man will be killed."
"Or...she knows you well enough to figure it out and you make an ass out of yourself," Trem rebuked.
"Everyone already thinks I'm an ass," Malko replied. He then got the room's attention after a few tries. "We're...going to play...uh...a little game. Now, let us pretend that my throne is empty."
The crowd cheered with joy. "Hate you, hate you all," Malko said stung. "So...who wants to be king?" Every man in the room raised their hands. "This is just pretend...not real," Malko insisted.
Malko went over to his three warlord buddies he didn't trust. "Which of you could pass as the king of Rann?" He turned to the first man. "Alen, you rich motherfucker. You are so damn rich, you're even richer than me. How the fuck does that happen?" He then turned to the second man. "Gills, fascinating to men, formidable to women, feared by all. You would be perfect to sit on my throne, so perfect, in fact, you might like it too much."
"I'd hate to disturb your fragile peace of mind," Gills mocked.
"Larre, my angry as fuck captain. You're a mighty warrior. You have scars all over your body from battles. I've seen them all. You could pass as the king. Unfortunately, you talk like a retard with Tourette's," Malko said.
"Fuck you, Sir," Larre objected.
"I think it will have to be you, Daulon. You're the only man in the room poorer than I am. Therefore, the only man I can trust. Dignified, honorable, wise, what more can we ask of a king?" Malko asked rhetorically.
"My Lord, I'm a communist and even pretending to be king is triggering me," Daulon resisted.
"Are you not prepared to die for your king?" Malko asked aggressively.
"I think I hate you," Daulon said honestly.
"The moment you start living like a king, you'll forget all about your communist utopia bullshit," Malko assured him. "Bring her up," he ordered his servants.
Mara made her way through the fortress wearing a black cloak. Upon entering the ballroom, she revealed her face. Trem was the first to approach her. "I've come to see your lord," she said calmly.
Trem simply gestured to the crowd. Mara scanned the people in the room with her X-ray vision as she made her way to the throne chair. There, she saw Daulon sitting in the chair with a king's uniform on. Mara simply stared at him. "Who are you?"
"I'm Malko, the Lord of Rann," he said.
"I am Mara-El, the Princess of the Galactic Federation. Kneel before me and before God," she ordered.
Daulon looked to Trem for an answer and got nothing. Realizing he was fucked either way, he annoyingly got off his throne and took a knee before her. "You're not the Lord of Rann. No man accountable to so many would kneel so quickly," Mara said dismissively.
Mara then gave Trem an icy cold glare. "Where is he?" she demanded.
"He's here," Trem said vaguely. "Find him, yourself."
Mara turned back to the crowd ignoring the women and scanning the men. She finally found Malko off to the side awkwardly looking away from her. Having identified him, Mara went straight for him. Alen, Gills, and Larre placed blades at her throat. "Are you afraid of me?" Mara mocked them all.
"I'm not the king," Malko denied.
"No," Mara agreed.
There was a long awkward silence in the room. "But you will be soon," Mara finished.
"Lower your weapons," Malko said to his friends. "How did you know it was me?"
"The Lord chooses the meekest of all as an instrument of His will and you are the gentlest of men here," Mara said.
"Damn," Malko said destroyed.
"I have a message from the King of Heaven...for you," Mara said cryptically.
"Follow me," Malko allowed despite protests from his advisers.
Inside Malko's private quarters, he entertained Mara. "What is this message?" he asked apprehensively.
"You're a bastard," Mara said matter of factly.
"Well...shit," Malko muttered.
"But you will be crowned king of Rann shortly with God's help," Mara revealed.
"Nice," Malko said pleased.
"But you will betray me and condemn your soul, and you will never live to see your world united under your rule," Mara continued.
"Well...," Malko said defensively.
"But it's all according to God's plan," Mara assured him.
"I'm feeling a roller coaster of emotion right now," Malko admitted.
"Cooperate with God, and you will be crowned king and the Thanagarians ousted. Refuse and I'll get rid of you and then your replacement and then his replacement over and over again until someone does. Are we clear?" Mara said forcefully.
"Perfectly," Malko said fearfully.
Malko and Mara exited the room with an understanding. "Daulon, I put her in your care," Malko ordered.
"Crap," Daulon realized.
"I will be going to Irina soon," Mara said referring to a nearby city.
"They've been under siege for the last six months. I think a few days in the fortress will be fine. Get some rest," Malko said to her and walked off feeling unsettled.
Mara gave Malko an annoyed look but then followed Daulon to her quarters. "Please accept my apologies for pretending to be the king," Daulon said awkwardly.
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to God," Mara scolded.
"Yes, of course," Daulon nodded.
"Now," Mara ordered.
Daulon frowned and then got on his knees in prayer before her. "I want a secure transmitter to the Thanagarian garrison. I want to give them one last chance before I arrive at Irina," Mara requested.
The next day, Malko, Lola, Trem, and Nault discussed the matter. "There's still room for negotiation with the Thanagarians," Trem said to Lola.
"From what position of strength? If they take Irina, we're fucked," Lola pointed out.
"It will be the height of folly for this Insane Kryptonian child to lead our army in the king's name without verifying her true motives," Trem objected.
"We must be absolutely certain she's not a servant of the Thanagarian seven gods," Nault said.
"How can anyone be certain about anything? Sometimes, we got to go with our gut," Malko said.
"She claims to be a Supergirl. Well, that's something we can test," Trem brought up.
"Do it," Malko allowed.
Mara was brought into a large hall with many servants watching including Lola who was presiding. A lead case was opened with Kryptonite bars. Lola directed the bars to be placed near Mara. When they did, they saw a noticeable effect as the Kryptonite formed green lines across Mara's veins in her face. Lola then directed to have the bars taken away.
"Now, prove you're really a Super Insane," Lola ordered Mara.
Mara sighed but then tensed up. In a flash of light, she went Super Insane. Her hair glowed an intense blond, her eyes were an aqua blue, and the hall was filled with golden light. Mara then powered down, so the light died down. "Satisfied?"
Mara then entertained the clergy of Rann, those who believed in the old Rann gods. A skeptical Nault presided over these proceedings. "What did these visions look like?" Nault asked.
"I don't remember," Mara replied.
"Did these visions give you anything that could be used to verify your claims?" Nault asked.
"No," Mara said flatly.
"Do you have any military experience? Practice in swordsmanship? Artillery tactics?" Nault asked.
"Yes," Mara replied.
"How will you lift the siege on Irina?" Nault asked.
"The road to Irina is long. I'm sure I'll think of something," Mara mocked.
"We'd like to believe you, but you're not making it easy. If God wanted us to believe you, wouldn't He have given you a sign to give us?" Nault asked.
"Only a wretched generation needs a sign. If you don't believe me, I'll shake this world off my feet like dust and move on to the next world," Mara replied. "You think you can deceive me? You deceive only yourselves. You will give me your army and you will take me to Irina...now. There, you'll have your sign."
The Rannian army marched toward Irina with food and supplies. Kayo was a no-nonsense captain in charge of the Irina garrison currently under siege. The Thanagarians pounded the garrison and the city in general with constant artillery attacks. He came out to meet with Mara outside the city at the designated spot. Mara flew to the spot and landed near him wearing a black gi, white Insane chest armor, and a black cape.
"Where's the food?" Kayo asked expectedly.
"It's coming. I flew ahead of it," Mara replied. "Why did you want to meet on this side of the river? We will go to the other side now."
"Not with me, you won't," Kayo rebuked. "You may have a duty to God, but I have a duty to my people. They're starving. I'm going to take the food to the city."
"When starving people slaughter the Thanagarians, so much the glory will be to God," Mara said unconcernedly. She then looked up and paused for a few seconds.
"Look, if you'd calm yourself down, it would be my honor to take you into the city," Kayo said diplomatically.
Mara ignored him and nodded to an invisible force. She then turned back to Kayo. "Very well," she allowed.
Mara entered the city and was touched by a crowd of civilians greeting her. Mara scanned the civilians and noticed many were starving or injured. Mara entered a bar that had been converted to an HQ with Kayo, Alen, Gills, Larre, and Daulon.
"Why don't you join us? We're discussing the campaign," Kayo said politely as Mara looked out a window at the clamoring civilians. "Talon has spread out his forces among these fortresses," he said of a map.
"What does Mara think?" Gills antagonized.
"We give the Thanagarians one last chance to go home in peace," Mara said.
"If they refuse?" Gills asked.
"We recross the river and attack here," Mara said pointing to the map.
"But that fortress is impregnable. If we're busy attacking it, what stops Talon from attacking the city from the north?" Kayo asked.
"God," Mara said simply.
"God, of course! We'd forgotten about Him," Gills mocked.
"By tomorrow, some of you won't be alive to mock God. Which one will be it be?" Mara glared.
"Attacking is a complicated matter," Kayo said condescendingly.
"What's complicated? Just do as you're told," Mara said annoyed.
"You have to realize that it hurts our feelings to be suddenly usurped by a...," Kayo said delicately. "...a girl, even a Supergirl."
"I don't care about your feelings and neither does God," Mara told him off.
"Just put yourself in my shoes for a moment. How would you feel if you were me?" Kayo asked.
"Knowing what I know, enormous gratitude," Mara sneered. "You have your orders. Disobey them at your peril." She then walked off.
That night, the Thanagarians rejected Mara's demands to leave the planet. They replied with an inappropriate, "Fuck yourselves."
The next morning, Mara slept in. The Rannian army had already departed the city without her. Upon learning of this, Mara calmly and casually put on her armor and flew over to the retreating Rannian army.
"Who ordered the attack?" Mara demanded.
"God knows, it was a fucking disaster," Larre said dismayed.
"We tried a sneak attack," Gills explained.
"Kayo, did you get the order for the attack?" Mara demanded.
"Can we talk about this later?" Kayo asked embarrassed.
"No, now!" Mara said forcefully. She then flew off and landed in the middle of the retreating army. "Follow me and I'll give you victory!" she said to them. The Rannian army turned back and attacked once more with Mara flying ahead of them.
The Thanagarians fired Black-star alloy anti-aircraft shells and missiles at Mara as she came closer. The shots exploded around Mara with zero effect on her. Suddenly, all those who had fired on her were exiled out of existence. The Thanagarians then fired on the Ranian army approaching. When they did, various miracles happened on the battlefield. Those with the strongest faith in Mara found themselves strengthened every time they were actually hit. Those with medium faith found themselves indestructible as they were hit with bullets and shells fired all around them. Those with the weakest faith were shot up and blasted to pieces only to reappear whole a moment later. In combinations of lifelink, exile, and returning to the battlefield, the Rannian forces continued their approach.
Thanagarian elite units flew out of the fort to get at Mara. They swung at her with their electrified maces. One hit her in the face with full force. The one attacking Mara suddenly had his face explode as the damage was redirected to him. Another tried to slice Mara through with a sword. The sword went through Mara and then redirected to the attacker impaling him. Mara simply played defense as the Thanagarians tried to get a hit on her but every time they did, it merely redirected back on them.
Mara then fired a shot at the Thanagarian base blasting a hole through its walls. The beam sliced through the wall and blasted several buildings apart but none of the Thanagarian defenders nearby were killed or even harmed. The Rannians flooded the base and slaughtered the Thanagarian defenders. Those Thanagarians who could fly fled from the base. The Thanagarian eagle flag was brought down. The Rannians had won the battle.
"It's a great victory, Mara. Your victory," Kayo allowed. "We must pursue the Thanagarians to Talon's camp unless you have a better idea."
"First, we find the biggest Thanagarian army we can. Then, we return to Irina," Mara said.
"The bridge has been destroyed," Kayo reminded her.
"The Thanagarians are rebuilding it," Mara replied.
"How do you know?" Gills doubted.
"I have my counsel," Mara said cryptically.
A highly motivated and amazed Rannian army then approached the Thanagarian main fortress. As Mara had predicted, the Thanagarians were busy trying to rebuild the bridge to get across the river. Along the way, Mara met with some recently appointed Rannian Christian priests. "Bless them, everyone," she ordered.
"We're not entirely sure that this is okay. What about freedom of religion, separation of church and state, democracy, and clergy not endorsing political candidates or positions to keep their non-profit status?" they asked her.
"God only endorses the divine right of kings. Malko is your king, divinely appointed by God to rule over this entire planet. I am a Galactic Federation princess, also with divine right. You will bless my soldiers and you will preach that God is with us in this military campaign," Mara ordered.
Meanwhile, an exhausted Kayo, Alen, Gills, Larre, and Daulon considered military plans for their next move. "Let's plan this attack a little more carefully than this morning," Kayo said dryly.
"Good idea," Gills said sarcastically.
"Fuck yourself, Gills," Kayo said grumpily.
Mara went ahead of her men to talk to the Thanagarian commander across the river. "I pity the fools who refuse to yield to the King of Heaven! Go back to your own world!"
"Fuck you and your pigs," the Thanagarian commander replied referring to the Rannians.
Mara went back to her men. "This morning, God gave us a great victory, but it is nothing compared to what He is ready to give us now. I know you are all tired and hungry. Good. The more hungry and tired you are, the greater glory to God when you are victorious. I tell you now that even if the Thanagarians can fly into the clouds, we will pull them down by nightfall. If you love God, follow me!"
"The fuck?" Kayo wondered as Mara took command of the army and charged the Thanagarian fortress.
"Come on! Move!" Mara shouted as waves of Rannian men went by her.
The Rannian men surrounded the Thanagarian base and attacked from all sides. The air was thick with laser fire, artillery fire, and missiles going off from either side. This time, scores of Rannian men were killed or injured on the battlefield. Mara encouraged the men around her who were climbing on top of each other to get past the walls. Mara planted her boots on the wall and moved upward. A Thanagarian bowman fired a black star alloy arrow through Mara's chest armor deep inside her lung. Mara gave a stunned look of disbelief and fell back into the crowd.
"Go to hell," Talon smirked as Mara fell.
Mara was rushed off the battlefield to a medical tent. "We have to take the arrow out," Gills advised.
"You do that, and she may bleed to death," Daulon objected.
"It's nothing," Mara said, still in shock. "Why aren't you fighting?"
"You're badly injured, Mara," Daulon informed her.
Mara grabbed the arrow firmly and then ripped it out of her chest. She cried out in pain for a moment but then her Kryptonian power reserves quickly regenerated the wound. "Now...get back to the battle," she said to everyone around her.
The Rannians pulled back after Mara being injured. "Mara is alive," Daulon informed Kayo.
"Good, but we're sounding the retreat," Kayo said dismissively.
"Mara says to press the attack," Daulon insisted.
"I'm fed up with taking her orders. She has the power to destroy entire cities and entire planets. She could wipe out all the Thanagarians in a day. Instead, she plays head-fuck games with us," Kayo said outraged.
"She just wants Rannians to free themselves. We're being empowered," Daulon said defensively.
"Fuck that. Do you think the dead care about that? What empowerment? We either submit to her foreign alien God or we're fucked?" Kayo asked. "She plays games with us and nearly gets herself killed like a fool. Look at the mess we're in. That's not my mess. Now, do what I say and sound the retreat!"
Despite the setback, the Rannian men were in high spirits. A battle meditation of confidence and joy filled the men around Mara. The officers discussed the situation amongst themselves. "What are the men saying?" Alen asked anxiously.
"She's a gift from God. Some even call her a saint. I'd go to hell if she asked me, too," Larre said.
"Really? Would you really go that far?" Gills doubted.
"Of course, I would. I've been there before," Larre grinned. "There's one thing I don't understand. If she was sent by God, why would He allow her to be wounded?"
"Maybe, she wasn't really sent by God. Or, maybe her God of hers is fucking with her and us at the same time," Gills suggested.
In her sleep, Mara had a vision with Michael, the angel. "You withdrew your protection. Why?" she asked.
"You have greatly increased the faith of your men and now they will die secure in their salvation," Michael said simply.
"And what of the cause?" Mara asked.
"The politics between the Thanagarians and Rannians bore us. Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And weak men create hard times. My role is to prevent the good times. Only through constant war and suffering do mortals remain strong within the Lord. Do not assume I have sent you here for the Rannian benefit but to punish the Thanagarians for their success," Michael said to her.
Mara took a knee before him now understanding her mission. "I'll give you all I've got to give. There's one life to live. That'll be the beginning of a great story. You are my sun in the darkness of the night, you are my ice on the embers of my troubled mind. You are my eyes when I lose my sight. Whisper to me in the dark, hide deep inside my dreams, and give me my final dream. Give me more than I can take, give me a second chance, and I'll give you all I've got to give. Like a moonlight, you're showing me the way. Like heroine, you course in my veins."
The next morning, Mara found her men asleep. Nearby, Talon jeered. "Rannians, where's your angel now? I'll tell you what happened. We sent the little bitch back to hell so she can fuck with the devil. What are you going to do now? Where's your god now? Come on out and fight! Bastards, fight! Or are you praying for your fucking witch to come back from the dead?"
Mara powered up and went Super Insane. In a burst of golden light, the Thanagarians saw Mara in her glory. "Shit," Talon realized.
"I'm alive. Here I am. May God forgive your blasphemy for I never will," Mara said to Talon.
Mara then went back to her men. "Wake up, rise and shine, get up, move it!" she yelled at her men. As soon as her men were ready to fight, Mara pointed at the Thanagarian base and fired a beam. The beam blasted a hole through the wall but passed through the Thanagarians with no damage. The Rannians poured into the base and started slaughtering fools. The Thanagarians attempted to lock their base down with other internal walls. Mara blasted through those walls, miraculously killing no one as she did. She then powered down allowing herself to be vulnerable.
The battle within the base became brutal as Thanagarians and Rannians fought hand-to-hand with mace weaponry. "Kill that bitch," Talon ordered his men.
Arrows fired at Mara deviated from their course, so she didn't even have to move. Mara casually walked with her men through the corridors of the base even as traps were tripped. Amidst the death and destruction, Mara had a vision of The Prince sitting on a throne in the middle of a garden, presumably the Garden of Eden.
"What are you doing, Mara?" he asked her. "Why are you here?"
"To bring not peace but the sword," Mara explained.
"All those who use the sword, die by the sword," the Prince replied.
"I do not fear death," Mara replied.
Mara felt her scalp become wet as an invisible crown of thorns was placed on her head. Blood freely flowed down her hair and down her face. Mara closed her eyes in painful ecstasy as her men rushed around her.
"You, good?" Daulon asked concernedly as he went over to her.
Mara opened her eyes and immediately her wounds were healed. "Yeah," she nodded.
"It's over," Daulon informed her. "We won."
Larre then approached Mara. "This is victory, this is glory!" he said excitedly.
"Burry both sides and prepare the men for a funeral service," Mara said simply and walked through an entire base filled with bloody corpses.
"Disappointed?" Gills asked as Mara held no expression.
"Indifferent," Mara shrugged.
"Damn," Gills said surprised.
"Kryptonians have the mental ability to turn off emotions as a defense mechanism," Mara explained.
"So, that keeps you from being overwhelmed with horror and sorrow at this scene?" Gills assumed.
"Horror and sorrow?" Mara wondered as she turned away from him. Her expression was that of a creepy giddy smile for a brief second and then back to stone-face.
A Rannian soldier brought a captured Thanagarian to the floor and was about to use a mace to shatter his head. "What are you doing?" Mara demanded of him.
"I'm taking his teeth. He has nice teeth," the Rannian soldier said; his own teeth were fucked up beyond repair.
"And you intend to kill this man for his teeth?" Mara questioned.
"I also think I hate him, too," the man nodded.
"When you kill someone, it must always be professional devoid of greed or wrath," Mara lectured. She then turned to a random soldier. "Kill this prisoner." The random soldier clubbed the prisoner to death and then walked off.
Mara went back to the original soldier. "Now...take his teeth," she allowed.
"What about the other prisoners?" Gills asked, watching the scene before him.
"Kill them all immediately," Mara ordered. "When you're done, have all the men confess with the priests."
Talon had escaped from the battle. The next day, he challenged the Rannians on the open field with what remained of his army. The armies squared off with each other with Mara and her officers in front. Mara eventually went out on her own toward the Thanagarian army.
"I have a message to King Ra. It is a message from God. Go home. Go in peace," Mara said politely. The Thanagarians were resistant to her plea so Mara took it to the next level.
"Behold, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, and you, yourself, will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day. And if you say in your heart, 'Why have these things come upon me?' it is for the greatness of your iniquity that you suffer violence. I will scatter you like chaff driven by the wind from this land. This is your lot, the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord, because you don't believe in me and trusted in lies," Mara said to them all.
"I'm waiting for your answer," Mara said impatiently after an awkward silence.
The Thanagarian infantry came forth and took up fighting positions all aimed at Mara. Finally, the armored units turned around and left the scene. The infantry was merely to give them cover as the bulk of the army left the field. The Thanagarians left the battlefield and departed the area without a shot. The Rannian army cheered at their bloodless victory. Mara merely had a blank look on her face and turned away slightly disappointed.
Rann
In the capital city of Rann, Malko celebrated Mara's victory. With Irina secure, he could crown himself as King of Rann. Mara brought back the Rann army to the capital in a victory celebration. Mara and her officers were cleaned up with immaculate armor. Mara gave her celebrating officers a blank look and then consulted with the priests.
"We don't have any holy oil to anoint the king," the archbishop informed her.
"Fill it with water," Mara ordered.
After doing so, Mara took the vial. The contents of the vial miraculously became holy oil. "Anything else?" she asked annoyed.
"No," the archbishop said amazed.
At the coronation, Malko went past rows of his officers in armor and approached two dozen bishops recently appointed by Pope Barney on this world. Pope Barney remained neutral on the subject of whether Malko was the rightful king of Rann or whether Rann should even be a sovereign nation. However, he did nothing to stop the local Rann bishops from taking the initiative. Also, Mara insisted the bishops crown Malko.
"With this sacred oil, blessed by the hand of God, we do anoint Malko the seventh to be sovereign lord and king of this great world of Rann charging that you shall defend the faith of the Christian Church as long as you shall live," the archbishop said to him.
Malko was then crowned king in direct defiance of the Thanagarian Empire.
"Long live the king!" the Rannian officers shouted.
Rapis
As the war continued, Mara was a bit annoyed in the rain as she went to the next city of Rapis. "Are you aware there's an arrow in your leg?" Daulon asked.
Mara looked down and finally noticed it. "And so there is," she said unconcernedly and then pulled it out. "Now, climb those walls Go, climb!" she ordered. Daulon walked off befuddled at the hopeless cause.
A disgruntled Gills approached Mara. "Mara, the men are exhausted. We're not enough."
"What of the reinforcements?" Mara asked.
"There are none!" Gills shouted at her.
"Bring all the men we have into the fight. If it be the will of God, we may still win the day. If not, these faithful honorable men will all see God in heaven," Mara said.
"The fuck?" Gills wondered. "Look, Kayo and his men aren't coming. The king is done with this war. He has his crown now. That's all he ever wanted."
"Then, perhaps God will swing the pendulum against Rann," Mara threatened.
"To hell with you and your God. You don't give a fuck if we win or lose. All you want is just violence," Gills accused.
"That's right," Mara said wide-eyed. "This isn't about maps or who is king. This is about sanctification. You, here, fighting for God, suffering for God, dying for God for whatever reason is all that matters. Now, stop being weak and cowardly."
"Face facts. You're a crazy bitch," Gills told her off.
"I'm God's Insane maid," Mara shot back.
Gills gave her an incredulous look as Larre approached. "Do you not believe in me either?" Mara questioned Larre.
"Of course, I do. If it were up to me, I'd chase every Thanagarian off this world, but it's not up to us. It's up to the king who has the divine right as you say," Larre said.
"Until the king gives the order otherwise, you follow my orders," Mara told them both.
"You should go home, Mara. Back to Earth where you can do better there than here," Gills recommended.
Rann
After the defeat at Rapis, Mara went back to Rann to chew out Malko for his indifference. "We can't possibly pay for the army Mara is demanding. She's a bloodthirsty Insane," Lola said to Trem and Nault. "Irina was a miracle, no doubt, but we have to rebuild the planet. Rapis was a disaster. Where was her God then? If God deserts her, we're all fucked."
Mara barged into Malko's chambers and found him in a hot tub with his wife. A guard attempted to apprehend her. Mara grabbed his hand, crushed it, and then sent him to the floor. Mara then marched over to Malko. "Why did you betray me? I needed only a few hundred more men. Why did you take back the army you gave me?"
"Gave you? I wouldn't put it that way. More like I allowed you to rent my army for free," Malko said awkwardly. "We are, of course, enormously grateful for your contributions to Rann but now your task is over. Now is the time for negotiation."
"I'm not interested in peace," Mara said bluntly. "After we throw the Thanagarians off this world, I want every Rannian man drafted for a crusade to convert the entire galaxy."
"Holy shit," Malko realized. "Why are you so bloodthirsty? Do you enjoy it?"
"Yes," Mara said obviously.
"Damn," Malko said taken aback. "Diplomacy is far more civilized, far safer, far cheaper."
"Do I look civilized to you?" Mara said wide-eyed. "If it serves God's will, I'll throw every Rannian man, woman, and child into the meatgrinder. You want good times? Good times create weak men and that's what you are! You think you can stop me! Rann doesn't belong to you. It belongs to God. I'm going to give you time to repent. I'd hate to have you assassinated while you're not in a state of grace," Mara said and then walked out in a huff.
"If only she would just go home," Malko muttered.
As Mara went on another campaign to make both sides suffer and die, Malko and his advisers tried to regain control of the situation. "If she attacks the Thanagarians, our negotiations will be in vain," Trem lamented.
"Mara has done so much for us," Malko said uncertainly.
"I assure you, the Supergirl has no greater admirer than me, but she is a crazy bitch just like her mother, just a different flavor. We cannot allow her to conduct her own private war. For the sake of the planet, we must stop her," Lola advised.
"I can't stop her," Malko said helplessly.
"The Thanagarians may oblige us," Trem said coldly. "If they capture her, no one can blame us."
"That sounds like epic betrayal," Malko said thoughtfully.
"No, heaven's no, never," Trem and Nault said with false sincerity.
"Don't worry, Malko. If God is with her, she will be victorious," Lola reasoned.
"But her army is so much smaller," Malko pointed out.
"Then, her faith will have to be that much bigger," Lola said.
As it happened, Mara lost her next battle with a small army. The town she was trying to defend betrayed her and prevented her from using it as a base. The Thanagarians ambushed her with Kryptonite maces and captured her. Even if she wanted to, Mara couldn't escape. She was brought to Thanagarian territory on the planet and placed in a Kryptonite cell.
When Mara awoke, she found Michael, the angel, in her cell. "You have a romantic notion of death with grass growing where your corpse lies. You have a big imagination. So many see death as a simple cease in consciousness and existence. The body merely rots and disappears becoming one with nature again. Religion makes death...interesting and then romantic."
"I know, right?" Mara agreed.
"Are you of the illusion that the Creator of heaven and all the universes, the source of all life, needs you?" Michael asked.
"It's not that He needs me. It's that He wants me to be His messenger," Mara replied.
"Why doesn't He do it, Himself?" Michael quizzed.
"It's more interesting, more romantic this way," Mara replied.
Mara suddenly got slapped in the face by a Thanagarian guard taking her out of her daydream. King Ra then arrived on the scene. "So, here is the famous Mara-El, savior of Irina, terror of the Thanagarians."
"There will be no ransom. You will get nothing," Mara told him.
"To think an Insane teenage girl defeated my forces," King Ra said displeased.
"It wasn't me. It was God," Mara corrected.
"And God who wanted you to be caught?" King Ra questioned.
"That's right. I'm ready to be crowned with martyrdom," Mara said wide-eyed.
"That's fucked up. You're fucked up. Personally, I don't believe in any gods. I don't believe in your God, the Seven gods of Thanagor. I don't believe shit. That's why I'm never disappointed," King Ra said.
"When you die, you'll be plenty...disappointed," Mara assured him.
Ra
Mara was transferred under heavy guard to the capital city of the Thanagarian Empire, Ra. The Imperial royal family threatened and negotiated for Mara's release. An intergalactic war was on the horizon and billions of lives were at stake. King Ra was obliged to hand Mara over with certain promises she wouldn't interfere with Thangarian affairs again. He, however, wanted Mara discredited as a heretic and false prophetess so that no other colony world would think God was on their side.
"Discredit her as a heretic in your faith and I will release her to the Galactic Federation," King Ra said to Pope Barney.
"There would have to be a canonical trial," Pope Barney humored him.
"For all of our sakes, ensure that she is guilty," King Ra said seriously.
Mara was brought before the Inquisition presided over by Pope Barney and a collection of cardinals. She was in Kryptonite chains. The courthouse was filled with armed pissed-off Thanagarians. "King Ra of the Thanagarian Empire has placed Imperial Princess Mara-El in our hands, accused of heretical deeds to be tried as a matter of the Christian faith," Pope Barney began.
"Take this Bible and swear to tell the truth regarding anything you are asked," Pope Barney ordered.
"No," Mara refused.
There was an awkward silence in the room. "In matters of faith, I am your superior. You will answer truthfully everything I ask," Pope Barney insisted.
"I will willingly tell the truth about all earthly things but not of my revelations," Mara said.
"You must take some kind of oath," Pope Barney said as the Thanagarians got more and more annoyed.
"I will tell you everything that I am allowed to tell you," Mara allowed. "But as for the rest, I will not tell you."
"Name and rank," Pope Barney requested.
"Imperial Princess Mara-El, daughter of Empress Kara Zor-El," Mara replied.
"Where were you born and how old are you?" Pope Barney continued.
"On the planet, Earth, and I am six years old...or thereabouts," Mara answered.
"Have you received your sacraments of baptism, holy communion, and confession?" Pope Barney asked, knowing the answer.
"Yes," Mara confirmed.
"Recite the Lord's Prayer," Pope Barney ordered.
"No," Mara refused.
"Mara, we are all men of faith here. We shall earnestly strive for the salvation of your soul and your body. We do this in the name of the Holy Christian Church. But we cannot help you unless you submit to our judgment and authority. If you continue to persist in refusing our help, we will have no choice but to abandon you to the secular authorities and I think you know what punishment awaits you," Pope Barney warned. "Now, please recite the Lord's Prayer."
"No," Mara refused again.
"Mara...be careful. You're not helping your situation here," Pope Barney admonished.
"I don't need your help. It is the Thanagarians who are in need of help for you will all be judged for all that you do to me!" Mara said. Immediately, the whole hall was outraged.
"Take the prisoner away," Pope Barney said quickly as a riot was about to break out.
In her cell, Mara spoke with Michael, the angel. "Why do you refuse that robot's order to say the Lord's Prayer?" Michael asked.
"I want the crown of martyrdom. If I don't cooperate, it is more likely to happen," Mara said wide-eyed.
"And why should God allow this?" Michael quizzed.
"Because I have been faithful to God, and I've followed everything He's said. I deserve this," Mara said passionately.
"Why does God need you to be a martyr for Him?" Michael asked.
"He doesn't need anything from me. He wants me to be his martyr," Mara assumed.
"How do you know martyrdom is your destiny?" Michael asked.
"I have seen signs. The wind, the clouds, the ringing in my ears, the sword in the field," Mara listed off.
"A sword in the field can mean many things, an infinite number of reasons. A sword to conquer, to wage war, to bring disease and famine, or...simply death," Michael said. "From the infinite possibilities, you picked martyrdom."
"I didn't pick it. I was chosen," Mara insisted.
"You see what you wish to see, Mara," Michael said gently.
Mara was brought before the Inquisition away from the Thanagarian public. "This voice you say that appears to you, is it an angel, a saint, or from God?" Pope Barney asked.
"I'm not telling," Mara said stubbornly.
"Are you afraid of telling the truth?" Pope Barney asked.
"No," Mara replied.
"Did God forbid you to tell the truth?" Pope Barney pressed.
"My revelations are for me, not for anyone else," Mara said resolved.
"Why did King Malko believe you without any proof?" Pope Barney asked.
"Ask him, yourself," Mara evaded.
Mara was brought back to her cell and given a good beating by the Thanagarian guards. "Yes, keep it up. I want more!" Mara shouted as she was kicked several times. Eventually, the Thanagarians backed off realizing killing her too soon would be an issue. Mara also refused to eat, wasting away.
Pope Barney regrouped his clergy and brought Mara back in. "You launched an attack on Rapis, did you not?"
"I tried to," Mara said lamely.
"So, what happened?" Pope Barney questioned.
"My role as a liberator of the Rann people was over after Irina. At Rapis, I was to bring martyrdom to myself and my men," Mara said bluntly.
"Do you think God made the right decision on that?" Pope Barney asked.
"I leave that answer to God," Mara replied.
King Ra was pissed Pope Barney hadn't yet convicted Mara. "So long as the colonial worlds believe she's a saint, we face resistance. Why is this taking so long?" King Ra demanded.
"We're making progress every day," Pope Barney assured him.
"As long she remains a saint of God, our own soldiers won't fight. My men need certainty she's a heretic or a witch," King Ra said anxiously.
"I cannot judge her as guilty until she admits to blasphemy," Pope Barney said simply.
"Torture her until she breaks," King Ra suggested.
"That isn't going to hold up," Pope Barney refused. "Also, some of my colleagues are scared of making a mistake. If she is sent by God and they judge her incorrectly, they reasonably believe they're fucked."
"Send them home then," King Ra said obviously. "Judge her alone."
"I cannot do that. As a cybernetic organism, my role isn't to be the holy leader of the Church. It's to prevent any mortal from thinking he can. If Mara is to be judged, she must be judged by men," Pope Barney refused.
"Whose side are you on?" King Ra asked accusingly.
"The best interests of the galaxy," Pope Barney assured him.
Pope Barney continued his questioning. "How many people did you kill during your crusade?"
"None that I know of, but I wouldn't have cared if I had," Mara replied.
"You don't see any contradiction in what you have done and the commandment that forbids killing?" Pope Barney asked.
"The commandment forbids murder, and I was promised that if I used my powers no one would be killed by them," Mara replied. "I gave the Thanagarians fair warning to leave Rann and begged them not to fight."
"How can you crusade against the Thanagarians without approval from me?" Pope Barney asked.
"I was given approval by God. Your approval wasn't required," Mara said boldly.
"Did you use your sword in battle?" Pope Barney asked.
"Defensively, yes," Mara admitted.
"Why didn't you use the full scope of your powers against the Thanagarians if you were promised no Thanagarian would die from them?" Pope Barney questioned.
"My role is to be a messenger, to empower the Rann to fight for themselves, to have faith in God and themselves, to achieve victory for themselves," Mara replied.
"And how many had to die to promote this empowerment?" Pope Barney asked.
"It's irrelevant," Mara said coldly.
In her cell, Mara and Michael, the angel, had a chat. "Why are you so against killing, personally?" Michael asked.
"It makes me feel guilty and squeamish," Mara said honestly.
"But you don't mind ordering men into battle or executing them?" Michael asked.
"No," Mara said softly.
"By refusing to kill, are you condemning all of God's conquerors before you that have?" Michael asked.
"Just personal preference," Mara said flustered.
"What are you afraid of?" Michael asked.
"I'm afraid of becoming like my parents, my brother, my so-called Vindicator colleagues. They take too much joy in killing. I fear that killing would corrupt my soul," Mara admitted.
"You don't have faith that God can save you from yourself?" Michael asked.
"I just feel...one of us has to follow that rule. At least one of us has to be different," Mara argued.
"Perhaps your feelings are more motivated by pride rather than compassion, fear rather than hope," Michael sensed. "When I promised you no one would be killed by your powers in this crusade, you let loose to break down the enemies' walls. When you fired, did you feel liberated?"
"I did," Mara admitted. "Deep down...I want to kill everyone that resists me. I want to kill all of the heretics, apostates, and infidels. Sometimes...I even want to kill those who I believe are saved so they immediately go to heaven. This desire, this instinct, this obsession to kill consumes me. I feel I'm about to lose control."
"Why does God permit wars and suffering?" Michael quizzed.
"To test us," Mara answered.
"Be honest with me, Mara. On the battlefield, you fought for yourself, in your name, perhaps, even a little," Michael said knowingly.
"Maybe a little," Mara admitted.
"Did all those you indirectly killed deserve it?" Michael asked.
"Yes, the wages of sin is death," Mara said.
"As it is written, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God'," Michael brought up.
"As it is written, 'Blessed are those who seek righteousness, for they will have their full'," Mara countered.
"You feel pleasure in fighting, don't you?" Michael asked accusingly.
"I do," Mara said tearfully and knelt before him. "Set me free," she begged.
"You will be, Mara. You will be," Michael assured her.
Pope Barney hauled Mara into the Inquisition once more. "You have been accused of wearing male clothing. What is your response?"
"Insane uniforms and armor are unisex," Mara said simply.
"You state you will not submit to the authority of the Church but only to God. How is this not heresy?" Pope Barney asked. "The Scriptures clearly state that even if an angel were to deliver a gospel other than the one taught by the Church, it should be disregarded."
"My orders were not new divine revelation and do not qualify under that verse," Mara replied.
"The Scriptures say that all things must be tested. Your visions of angels should have been tested by not just you but the entire Church, correct?" Pope Barney asked.
"The Scriptures all say, 'no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day,'" Mara pointed out. "It is not the Church that draws but God that draws one to faith. The Church is not above God, and I will obey God, not men."
"Even so, you have no authority as a lay woman to preach your personal revelations to the people of Rann," Pope Barney said.
"I did not preach or teach, I gave them orders," Mara countered.
Pope Barney approached Mara in private conversation. "If you sign that you admit your guilt of heresy, the Thanagarians will release you. I'm trying to save you, Mara. Sign this and then confess the mistake. Go to Church services all you want. Now, for the love of your parents, the galaxy, the people you fought for, sign this."
"If I sign this, I'll be discredited forever. All those who believed in me will lose faith and all those resisting the Thanagarian rule will lose hope," Mara shook her head.
"And if you do not sign this, you will die a terrible death and the entire galaxy will be plunged into war. Billions could perish," Pope Barney said.
"Let God sort it out," Mara said wide-eyed.
"If you sign that, you'll have signed away your faith in God. It will be saying God is a lie, your visions of me are a lie. An illusion. Do not abandon God in the end," Michael warned, appearing in front of her.
"Sign it," Pope Barney pressed.
"I refuse," Mara said finally.
"I've seen enough," King Ra said, standing up and extending his wings in outrage. "This farce has gone on long enough. I gave you a chance to save her and you all pissed it away," he said to Pope Barney. He then turned to a defiant Mara. "I'm burning you at the stake as an enemy of the Thanagarian Empire."
"Good," Mara said pleased.
"You're crazy as fuck," King Ra pointed at her. "Billions may die over this."
"If God wills it," Mara said unconcernedly.
Mara was brought in Kryptonite chains under heavy guard to a stake in the center of the capital. She was in a plain white dress. King Ra left the city to give himself some plausible deniability that he was involved. The Thanagarians cheered and jeered as Mara was about to be burned. The wood under Mara was lit. Mara simply looked up to the sky as the flames got larger. The Thanagarians chanted and raised their maces in jubilation.
A sudden cold wind blew through the capital square putting out the fire. The chanting Thanagarians suddenly went silent and stayed perfectly still. Kon then appeared at the far end of the square. There was a distinct clinking noise as he put his sword back in its sheath on his back. The Thanagarians then all fell to the ground in body parts creating a grisly scene. Each of the Thanagarians had been sliced several times within a split second with perfect accuracy and clean cuts. The whole square was now a pool of blood and limbs.
"Lethal...as fuck," Kon grinned.
Kon then casually walked over to Mara, put on some protective gloves, and crushed the Kryptonite chains around Mara's body. He then threw them aside disdainfully. "You, bastard! Do you know what you just did?" Mara screamed at him.
"Murder and mayhem?" Kon guessed.
"You took away my crown, my crown of martyrdom, you idiot!" Mara shouted at him.
"Wait...what?" Kon asked confused.
Mara clutched her hair in frustration and mania and began to sob uncontrollably. "Be at peace, Mara. Martyrdom is not your calling, but to be a ruler of nations. I will proclaim the Lord's decree: You are my daughter. I am your father. Ask me, and I will make the worlds your inheritance, the ends of the galaxy your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron, you will dash them to pieces like pottery. Therefore, you kings, be wise, be warned, you rulers of the galaxy. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry, and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are those who take refuge in him," Michael said to her and then vanished.
Mara straightened up and consoled herself. She eyed Kon who was giving her an odd look. "God has plans for me. You will be my rod of iron, brother," she said wide-eyed. "A useful tool to evangelize all the worlds of the galaxy."
"Nice, I'm a useful tool," Kon said pleased.
"Take me home," Mara requested.
Author's Notes: I feel I've articulated Christianity "on crack" sufficiently in AOS but I needed to bring forth Mara's fanatical devotion in this season. I always knew this episode would eventually come up. The Messenger is basically a parody of Joan of Arc making her out to be a schizo border-personality weirdo that self-deluded herself into seeing visions to manipulate those around her into fighting her war of vengeance against England. And while that may have historically been the case (who knows?) it's not the traditional Christian interpretation nor historically accurate to the character of Joan in the trial transcripts and historical documents. The movie went out of its way to piss off Christians, historians, the French, the English, and movie critics. Milla Jovovich, who I consider to be the most successful worst actress of all time got a Razzie nomination for this role, the third of four of them. The movie also bombed at the box office.
Mara's Christianity sees charity as a means to an end, salvation and sanctification of souls rather than actual social mobility of the poor or creating a utopia. After all, good times lead to weak men and weak men lead to hard times. This is the mistake of churches today which is to bring the "good times" and cause their own extinction. The trick is to provide charity and service to the poor while never reaching the good times, thus always having "based" strong heroes. One of the reasons why the Russian Orthodox Church is so strong and "based" is because they never allow Russians to have the "good times" because they're always promoting state theocracy, feudalism, crusades, and invading their neighbors. Anyway, it's up to the reader's interpretation as to whether the DC version of Michael, the angel, is at work here or Mara is just crazy as fuck, or both. Or...or...or, Mara may be the ideal Christian and Imperial Princess we all deserve.