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With this issue DC introduced a new cover design that replaced the Rebirth banner much in the same way it replaced the New 52 initiative’s banner. The corner box of each issue now provided information about the issue number, price and rating. Each box also featured the emblem of the starring hero or superhero group. So, Wonder Woman displayed her =W= symbol, Superman his iconic “S,” etc.
The change symbolised the end of DC Rebirth and ushered in a new era called DC Universe, an expansive new initiative that fed off the events of Rebirth and retained its continuity going forward.
DC Rebirth was first introduced in 2016 as a way for DC Comics to enact a continuity reboot that incorporated elements of the New 52, but reset the world of DC Comics back to a point prior to the “Flashpoint” story arc.
Synopsis
Wonder Woman has now been taken to the depths of the Amazon jungle and bound with Apokoliptian technology by Grail and Jason. She tells Jason she does not how to feel having been betrayed by her own blood. Sadness. Disappointment. Anger. Contempt. Hatred. But most of all she doe snot understand why he has chosen to side with Grail, who has clearly discovered an ancient beach-head to Earth from new Genesis – proof that they walked on this planet millennia ago.
Wonder Woman then adds that he Jason needs to think about his actions. Grail has been murdering other children of Zeus who were their half brothers and sisters. So in a sense he has turned his back on his own family by playing a part on Grail’s plans. She even killed Hercules, his mentor and teacher.
Tired of her talk grail punches Wonder Woman in the face to shut her up but Jason tells her to stop as he wants to answer his sister’s charge. He tells Diana he is not sure how he feels about their deaths and is still trying to process it all – hence why he is so distracted. Grail had told him she would drain their energies as if to bleed them – not to kill them.
Grail smiles and says things hadn’t panned out quite the way she expected but Wonder Woman is not convinced and tells Jason she is lying and he is being made a fool of. He snaps back that he does not know what to think but he does know he had been alone for a long time and when Grail found him suddenly he wasn’t.
Wonder Woman replies that he knew who she was and even if she didn’t know he existed yet he could have sought her out? “Stop looking for people to blame. This is on you!” she states. He has spent so long hiding from Hera’s jealousy it had just turned into him hiding from the world.
She continues to try to reason with him, saying that although he as turned on her and has her captive she had come to him with a heart full of love and would still do anything for him. Grail once more smashes her in the face and an angry Wonder Woman turns to Grail and tells her that in her case however, she is done being a punching bag. Grail smugly jokes that is this because she suddenly has the power to break free and Diana calmly replies that she has always had the power to free herself – she just had wanted to try and reason with Jason first.
With that she tears herself free from her bindings and kicks Jason to the ground before turning to deal with Grail. As her two floored opponents get back to their feet and rush her she prepares to take them both down but is blasted in the back by Omega beams…
Meanwhile at Belle Reve Prison Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor talk to Giganta who is now in a cell having been apprehended by Wonder Woman a few days earlier. Steve says that they have analysed the list of artefacts she had stolen and can aside from them all relating to different ancient civilisations they can find no connection between them all. The last relic which she had been stopped from taking has been found to contain an ore from Apokolips. He then asks her who had hired her to collect all these pieces. She replies he had never actually said his name but one look at him and she didn’t feel he needed to…
Back in the Amazon jungle Wonder Woman sees a younger Darkseid standing there. She gets back to her feet and vows to take him down…
Back at Belle Reve Giganta tries to cut a deal and offers the fact that while they may have a list of the relics Darkseid has taken she has a list of the ones he still wants…
Wonder Woman continues to try and battle Darkseid but even in his reduced state he is still too formidable a foe. As she gets back to her feet once more and says that she will always fight while there is still hope he blasts her again with his Omega beams and Jason grimaces a little at the sight of his sister taken such punishment.
Once again she begins to get to her feet and tells Darkseid to kill her as she was born and bred to never fear death in battle. And she would rather die than live in a world where he is triumphant. He replies that he needs her alive and she asks why, as she will never obey him no mater what he does to her.
He responds that he does not need her subservience but he does need her life force. With that he reaches out his hands and begins to drain her body. As Jason watches her body writhe in pain he flashes back to their first meeting when he had also learned of Hercules’ death.
Jason suddenly steps forward and tells Darkseid to stop, adding that he thought he could do this but he was wrong. Grail wraps her arm around him and whispers that Diana does not love him, her words are all lies and that he should believe in Grail.
But suddenly they all hear another voice yell “Enough” and turn to see the attorney, Blake Hooper standing there. An aged and withered Wonder Woman sits up assisted by Jason and asks incredulously how Blake can be here?
He smiles and tells Darkseid that he had senses what the villain was up to and should have acted earlier but he had felt compelled to obey his Oath to remove himself from the affairs of mortals. It was only when Hercules was murdered that he knew it was time to become involved again.
He then adds that although they may have corrupted his son Jason it is not too late for him to see the light – and as for his daughter Diana, they should release her at once or feel the wrath of Zeus! And with that he transforms into his true self!
