Galius: It was a setup!
And we walked right into it!
Uh! Shut up, Galius!
Aah!
This was supposed to be a simple extraction.
Fall back and regroup.
Galius, Hawkus, take the right and left flanks and squeeze!
Your contact in the resistance obviously missed a detail or two.
Quit griping and just do our job.
This is pointless.
We need more altitude.
I'm with you.
Stop!
You're not dealing with raw recruits here, Katma.
Wait!
Oh, no.
No! Uh!
Kilowog, we've got to warn the Guardians.
I'm not leaving without you!
No. I'll have to cover your escape. It's the only way.
Uh! Katma!
I'm in charge here, Kilowog.
Now go!
Go!
[straining]
No! I said rotate the securing bolts counterclockwise,
Not clockwise.
That's what I did.
Oh, no, you didn't.
Wait. Didn't you tell me that the clocks on Thanagar...
move in the opposite direction than those on Earth?
I never said that.
Oh, yes, you did.
Hey, you two want to keep it down?
You sound like an old married couple.
That's better.
[alarm sounds]
Now what?
Perimeter alert! We've got a contact coming in fast.
A meteor?
Don't think so. I'm reading a life sign.
A possible incursion.
Only one way to find out.
I'll get J’onzz.
Oh, no.
[groans]
Hey, it's Kilowog.
Kilowog, what happened?
Kilowog: J'onn, they got her.
They got Kat.
Uh...
Who got her? Kilowog!
Take care of him.
What just happened?
It's lucky for the Big K we've got Martian care on our League HMO.
Bolovax physiology is very similar to my own.
And how much of this is guesswork?
I would rather not say.
[groans]
Hey, big guy.
Hey, you little poozer.
He'll be all right now.
Great. Can we keep him?
Kilowog: It's called the Legion of the Third Eye.
A fanatical cult from the planet Kalanor.
They invaded Ranstad-7, so we were called in.
Our orders were simple-- bring in their boss, Despero,
Short-circuit his advantage.
Sounds like they sent you packing instead.
We underestimated Despero's real power.
They others never had a chance.
I was lucky to get this far.
I lost some good friends back there.
And what about this Katma Tui?
I'm not sure what happened to her.
She was the Green Lantern who trained John.
They must have been close.
Very close.
He was teacher's pet?
Go, G.L.
Not a good sign.
Must have had some heavy ordinance to take out a g-class cruiser.
I just hope you survived, Kat.
Found you.
What did I tell you?
Contraband.
You know Despero’s law forbids you to read.
I beg Despero’s forgiveness.
I praise his name.
Despero is the beginning.
Despero is the end.
Wrong. We are the end.
Can't we all just get along?
Oh!
That's all you have to say?
Despero, save us! Despero, save us!
Not this time. Good night.
You can demonstrate your gratitude
By giving me some information.
Despero, forgive me!
Wait!
[crowd murmuring]
Well, good job, Stewart.
This kind of attention I don't need.
We can't raise John on the comlink.
That's no surprise.
Kalanor's at the fringe of the galaxy.
What a cruddy place for Katma to get stuck.
If she's even still alive.
Last time I saw her, she was,
But I just don't know.
Well, we can't let John face this Despero alone.
Can you take us to Kalanor?
I'm ok now, but my ring's completely drained.
I need my Lantern battery.
Doesn't John have one?
Ah!
You're right, you little poser.
Of course he does.
Do you know where he keeps it?
I thought you might know.
What do you want?
Nothing that concerns you.
It does concern me if you're breaking into Katma's quarters.
Do you know Katma Tui?
I'm Radocko, her friend,
But I don't know you.
I think you should leave.
I'm here on business from Despero.
Now, if you'd like to avoid trouble...
Uh, not a problem. I-- I apologize, sir.
Stealth and guile, Katma. You were always right about that.
Kat, where are you?
Aah!
Well, what do you know?
G.L.'s a neatnik.
So, where do we start?
Most Lanterns stash their batteries in a hidden pocket dimension.
This should just take a second.
Cool. Let me know when you find it.
I don't think he keeps it in there.
I'm not looking for a lamp.
You're not the only one who needs a recharge, old pal of mine.
Aha! I knew it!
Jonny does have a chink in his armor.
Bob and Terry's?
Delicious.
Right. Stick with me, big guy.
I'll open up a whole new world for you.
Flash: Hey, check this out.
People's exhibit "b," Old Yeller.
Delicious.
What else can we find?
Ah! Ah!
Good Lord!
What is it?
What are you doing in my building?
And why are you wearing Mr. Stewart's clothes?
Uh, ma'am, we can explain.
Ya!
Ouch! Lady, please!
Woman: Mr. Stewart has told me about monsters like you.
Well, I'm not a- going to let you suck out my brain.
Ow! Lady, we're his friends,
The good guys!
Found it!
Flash: Knock it off, lady! I'm gonna--ow!
Ooh!
What are you waiting for? Ow!
Doh!
Nice meeting you, ma'am.
If we ever need a replacement for Hawkgirl--
And don't come back!
Another Green Lantern.
This is getting monotonous.
But I'm sure it's not your fault.
You were, after all, just following your master's orders.
Despero, I presume.
All: Despero is all!
With a backup group, no less.
The Guardians would be wise to step aside.
A new order to the universe is coming,
One that will be written in fire
And with the blood of all who oppose me.
You would be wise to join me.
I don't know what you're selling,
But I'm not buying.
What you want is irrelevant.
The only will that matters is mine,
The one true voice of the flame of Py'tar,
Such was bestowed upon me in the time of before.
Despero, voice-over: I was but a simple peasant
Cast out because of my deformity.
Alone and forlorn, I wandered in the wasteland,
Guided by an unknown hand of fate.
[gasps]
It was when I was set upon by a gang of thieves
Bent on taking what little I had
That the ultimate truth was revealed to me.
Before the thieves could flee, the ground split asunder.
[screaming]
A great flame shot forth and destroyed my assailants.
But I was spared.
My third eye opened, and the flame spoke to me in a voice only I could hear.
It told me of a time when Kalanor would become a paradise.
Py'tar charged me with the honor of leading my world to greatness
And spreading its light across the galaxy.
Huh. Your story sounds a little derivative.
You doubt my word?
Behold, the flame if Py’tar.
You built a bonfire.
Am I supposed to be impressed?
You're not the first skeptic.
You will not be the last.
[electrical crackling]
Open your eyes that you may see!
Uh!
Feel the power of my rage!
Uh!
Fell the power of my hate!
Aah!
You see the futility of your quest?
Aah!
Priestess, throw this one into the flame.
Aah!
Steady. Increase to 20 megacycles.
[machine powering up]
We're losing him.
Switch to backup power. Now!
It's no good.
That'll do it.
Uh!
Oh...
What...
Welcome to the resistance, fellow non-believer.
My name is Shifflet. Radocko here you've met.
I should have guessed that one.
There's always a resistance, isn't there?
Wherever there's oppression, there we'll be...
I believe the saying goes.
Thanks.
Now for the big question:
Why am I alive?
You were plucked from a fiery death
Courtesy of our handy matter transporter.
You have a matter transporter?
It's a bit rickety,
But it's saved a few like yourself.
Woman: And it was the best I could come up with on short notice.
Kat!
What are you doing here?
Nice to see you, too.
I thought you were in trouble.
And since when have you known me to ever need help?
I was obviously mistaken.
Here. A power ring's not something you leave lying around.
It is when you're working undercover.
Undercover?
Coming in through the front door doesn't work here.
We lost Arkus and Galius trying.
Oh.
Fortunately, I got away.
They helped hide me, and I've been gathering intelligence ever since.
You always said... Stealth and guile.
I'm glad you learned something.
So what is Despero up to?
He's preparing to start a massive world conquest.
Rancid 7 was just a test run for him.
I don't know when the real campaign begins.
And thanks to you, I almost lost my cover.
I'm sorry, Kat. I didn't know.
Next time, call ahead.
So, uh, do you still snore?
I wouldn't know.
Well, I'd like to stay and relive old times,
But... The same drill as before.
Duty calls.
I'll go with you.
Uh-uh, John Stewart.
You'll stay here and coordinate with them.
But I--
Besides, you wouldn't look so good in a brass bikini.
Despero: O flame of Py’tar, the time is at hand.
Infuse me with your power so that I may carry out your will.
Together we will transform Kalanor into a paradise
And spread your light throughout the universe.
It begins now.
All: All hail Despero!
Despero is the beginning!
Despero is the end.
Despero is all!
Despero: Prepare now to receive the gift of Py’tar.
Open yourselves to the will of the flame.
[all groaning]
Despero: Go!
The conquest begins now!
Emblazon my word and will across the cosmos!