During this month DC ran a special “Origins and Omens” feature across many titles, whereby a back up story recounted the title character’s origin and hinted at things to come. It also continued this story line’s trend for having an alternate cover.
Wonder Woman gets to her feet after the devastating psychic blast triggered by Genocide using the stolen lasso, before it escaped. Many innocents lie dead dead scattered amongst the ruins of the Department of Meta Human Affairs. Green Lantern says that he had tried to protect as many as he could using his ring and that it was not Diana’s fault that this had happened.
Wonder Woman walks over to wear Donna lies hunched over the lifeless form of Wonder Girl As Diana lays a comforting hand on her shoulder Donna whirls around in a rage and tells the Amazon Princess that she had almost killed Cassie, just as she had killed Donna’s husband and child. She vows that if she ever sees Diana again she will kill her, before lifting off into the sky. Wonder Woman realises that the influence of Genocide has touched them all.
As Wonder Woman ponders how the creature leaves such a devastating pain of the spirit behind it and that for their next confrontation she will make sure this time that none of her friends, colleagues or loved ones are in harm’s way, Tom places his hand on her shoulder and says that there are people trapped in the rubble and she needs to snap out of it. Almost cursing her duty and her “damnable priorities”, she none-the-less begins to clear the rubble so that the other Justice League members can begin the evac to hospital of the injured.
Nearby, Tolifar is informed that Rhanda has been killed…
Deep under the ruins of the base, Cheetah tells Psycho who is still inside the body of Sarge Steel, that Wonder Woman will be coming shortly. She tells him that he must leave now and take his own body, in which Sarge Steel is currently imprisoned. A worried Psycho how she plans to distract the Amazon Princess and Cheetah smiles back “I’m certain I can think of something…” before flashing her claws at him.
Elsewhere in the Persian Gulf Jason and his shipload of men have attacked and boarded a U.S. Destroyer, ordering the sailors to stand down and to end all hostilities as part of Jason’s God given mission to rid the world of aggressors. He questions a captured marine, demanding to know where the captain of the vessel is. The marine stubbornly refuses to divulge anything and Jason, while admiring his courage, tells him that he wishes no harm to his captain but wishes to warn him in order to save lives. He indicates another man greek standing next to him who he introduces as Euphemus, the son of Poseidon. Suddenly, a huge sea monster rears from the ocean and on Euphemus’ instructions, attacks the warship!
Elsewhere Zeus visits the kingdom of the God Kane Milohai and request that he renounces Diana’s pledge to serve him. Kane replies that a human’s heart is not for the Gods to barter for and he duly refuses.
Meanwhile back in Washington D.C. Wonder Woman enters the subterranean levels of the ruined base searching for survivors…
Zeus tells Kane that on the contrary, humans only prosper under the Gods’ possession and warns that the God may regret his decision not to comply…
As Wonder Woman clambers through the darkness she is suddenly grabbed by Cheetah…
Zeus attacks Kane with bolts of lightning…
Wonder Woman tries to defend herself as the Cheetah, still possessing the super speed of Zoom, slashes at her. The Amazon Princess manages to throw her attacker off balance and instinctively reaches for her lasso which would normally be her only way of controlling Cheetah, but of course finds it missing…
Kane resists Zeus’ attack and retaliates with fireballs from the sky…
Wonder Woman warily searches for her foe in the gloom but Cheetah appears from no where and racing past, slashes Diana with her claws…
The two Gods battle it out while on Olympus Hermes races to tell Aphrodite that Athena has finally passed away…
Back in Washington Tom direct one his men to fire on Cheetah but the villainess is too quick as she continues to hack away at an increasingly defenseless Diana, who is still suffering from her brutal defeat at the hands of Genocide and cannot cope with Cheetah’s enhanced speed….
Not far away Psycho emerges into the daylight and sees a helicopter touch down. Steve Trevor emerges and assuming he is talking to the real Sarge Steel, informs him that from this moment on Trevor is taking command of this sorry mess. He then demands to know what has happened to his wife, Etta?
Down below, Wonder Woman realises she cannot defeat Cheetah visually but she can still use her acute sense of hearing. She then orders the gunman above to fire directly at her. He fires the rocket launcher at her and she uses her bracelet to deflect the projectile and aims it at the sound of Cheetah. The explosion catches her foe off guard and sends her flying through the air. Wonder Woman grabs her tail as she flies by and then slams her against the fall before pinning her by the throat. A smiling Cheetah asks the furious Diana if she wants to know where Etta is? Wonder Woman demands to know what Cheetah has done with her and is told that Etta is in the clutches of Genocide!
An enraged Wonder Woman tells her nemesis that she will pay dearly if Etta has been harmed before decking Cheetah with a powerful punch. She then vows to find Etta no matter the cost.
At that same moment Zeus slays Kane by ripping out his heart yelling “And now my beloved son, my final legacy. You will have the heart of a God!”
