Synopsis
Having just encountered a monstrous creature on a sinking tanker on the Norwegian Coast, Wonder Woman is outmatched. Hoping she can find its weakness, her attempts are thwarted when the creature breaks her arms. Suddenly, though, the creature disappears before her eyes, just as a heavy wave smashes into the ship’s hull. Fortunately, Superman comes to the rescue, lifting the boat out of the turbulent waters. Once safe, Wonder Woman admits that she had never seen a creature of that sort before, and her description sparks a memory in Superman’s mind.
He takes her to the Fortress of Solitude, where he shows her a kind of window into the Phantom Zone – a Kryptonian prison where the worst criminals and those things too dangerous to live among the citizenry were sent. Searching, he picks out the creature, and Diana identifies it as the same that she saw. He explains that this is Doomsday, and Doomsday is death. Despite his monstrous appearance, Doomsday is more than a monster. If he was able to cross into this world, it means the Phantom Zone may be weakening. If Doomsday were to escape again, Clark is concerned that he may not be able to handle him. Diana assures him that if he is to face Doomsday, he will defeat the creature – because he will not fight alone.
Diana and Clark make a visit to Mount Etna, where Hephaestus keeps his forge. He has already given Diana enough weapons to kill ten armies, but they have come to see Superman armed. After a test of his worthiness, Hephaestus agrees to build a weapon to their specifications, noting that he had once built a suit of armour for War of a similar description. Their discussion is interrupted by a visit from Apollo and Strife. They are unimpressed with their relative’s choice of lover, and begin to insult both Diana and Clark. Unconcerned for himself, Superman warns that if Apollo speaks to Diana like he did again, he will hit, and he won’t have to hold back. Smirking, Apollo casually backhands Clark, and sends him flying backward.
Elsewhere, Cat Grant struggles to get a hold of Clark, and upon failing to do so, schedules a date with her boyfriend Aaron.
Having landed in the molten metal of Hephaestus’ forge, Superman emerges, burnt. Rather than allow Diana to avenge him, he takes the opportunity himself, slugging Apollo in the jaw. Angrily, the lord of Olympus warns that he is the sun, and emits a blast of burning sunlight from his eyes. He is amazed, then, when Superman appears unharmed by it. Given the nature of Superman’s physiology, it only makes sense that such a blast would make him stronger – and it certainly feels intense. Rather than pummel Apollo and bring down the whole mountain in the process, Superman settles on launching him hard into the rock-face.
Elsewhere, in the Sahara Desert, a caravan is torn to pieces by something they can’t even see. When the dust-cloud settles, the only man who remains alive is he who committed the massacre: Zod.
