The Siege of Starro! (1) - Recap

In deep space, Guy Gardner leads a team of heroes in defending Oa. They drive off the first wave of mind-controlled heroes under the influence of the Starro drones, but watch in horror as a giant creature approaches them.

Batman and Booster return from a futuristic mission to the Batcave, and Batman immediately checks his sensors and confirms that after a recent increase in meteor strikes, an unidentified signal is transmitting from Star City. Booster realizes that on the date they've returned, something significant happens, thanks to his knowledge of "history." However, he can't remember what happens. When he continues annoying Batman, Batman sics Ace the Bathound on the hero, who quickly leaves with his flying drone sidekick, Skeets.

As Batman continues his analysis, a faceless alien appears in the Batcave: Faceless Hunter, herald of Starro. He informs Batman that the signal is a homing beacon to summon his master to Earth. When Batman and Ace fight back, Faceless Hunter releases a drone, mind-controlling Ace. Batman tries to stop the villain but discovers his Bat-weapons are useless. He uses the rogues' gallery weaponry in the Batcave, the giant dinosaur, and the weaponry in the Batmobile to hold off Faceless Hunter, but the villain adapts to all of it. He finally grabs Batman and prepares to subdue him with a drone, but is distracted when Booster Gold returns to tell Batman that he's remembered that there will be an alien invasion of Earth. He comes to Batman's aid and the alien teleports away. As he goes, he warns them that Earth has already fallen to his master.

By now, Faceless Hunter has attached Starro drones to most of Earth's superheroes, and they in turn begin "converting" the normal humans. Batman and Booster Gold watch from the rooftops and realized that they have to mobilize a resistance. Batman creates a signal device capable of discerning controlled heroes from the uncontrolled heroes, and contacts the last three remaining untainted heroes: Firestorm, Captain Marvel, and B'wana Beast. When they arrive, Batman informs them that they have to work together before Earth is conquered, and destroy the transmitter in Star City.



In Star City, the five superheroes arrive but discover that dozens of possessed superheroes are waiting for them. Batman's team launches an assault against overwhelming odds, and is forced to go easy for fear of harming their comrades. Batman tries to get to the transmitter dish but the Atom initially stops him from destroying it. Meanwhile, B'wana Beast must fight his possessed fiancée, Vixen. Despite the odds, Batman's team manages to protect him long enough for him to defeat the Atom. However, Faceless Hunter watches the battle from his spaceship in orbit, and is intrigued by B'wana Beast's ability to merge animals. He transmits an image from his spaceship, informing them the transmitter has served its purpose. Faceless Hunter then triggers its self-destruct, and Batman and the others escape just in time, taking Vixen with them.



At STAR Labs, Batman analyzes the unconscious Vixen and realizes that the Starro drones are draining the energy from all that they possess. Vixen wakes up and the Star Conqueror speaks through her, informing them that it is an unstoppable galactic force that has conquered thousands of planets, and Earth will soon fall as well. Batman and the others go to the roof, and watch in horror as the possessed heroes assemble and the gigantic Star Conqueror descends through the clouds.



The heroes attack the Star Conqueror but it easily smashes them aside. Faceless Hunter teleports in to attack Batman and B'wana Beast, while Firestorm, Captain Marvel, and Booster Gold continue their assault on the Star Conqueror. It smashes them down onto the street and below, seemingly killing them, and then starts draining energy from its drones.



Firestorm has managed to protect his comrades by changing the street into foam rubber, mastering his transmutation abilities. They change to their civilian identities and go to the local stadium where the possessed heroes are converting civilians. Undercover, they get the unprocessed humans out of the stadium, but the Star Conqueror spots them and sends its possessed heroes after them.



Batman and B'wana Beast continue their battle against Faceless Hunter, whose weaponry and teleportation device prove their equal. When they wonder why he's aiding Starro, Faceless Hunter explains that his people were immune to Starro's influence. Rather than risk their destruction, Faceless Hunter agreed to serve as the Star Conqueror's herald, finding it new worlds to conquer. He refuses to ally with them and destroy the Star Conqueror, and continues his assault.

As the possessed heroes move in, Booster Gold and Firestorm revert to their heroic identities. When Billy Batson attempts to say his magic word and become Captain Marvel, a Starro drone attaches itself to his face.

A desperate B'wana Beast merges a caterpillar and a bird and tries to cocoon Faceless Hunter. The hero's gambit fails, but he's surprised to discover that Faceless Hunter respects his ability.

Firestorm uses his nuclear powers to overload the drone on Billy's face, causing it to fall off. When Billy Batson says the magic word, Shazam, he fails to transform when the lightning hits the Star Conqueror again. Realizing the key to defeating it, Firestorm carries Billy beneath the alien and has the boy say the magic word repeatedly. The lightning strikes overload the Star Conqueror, causing it to overload and bring it crashing down, defeated.



When Faceless Hunter realizes his master has been defeated, he launches one last desperate gambit. He tells Batman that he has acquired the ultimate weapon to assure the Star Conqueror's victory and teleports away... taking B'wana Beast with him.

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