The Return - Recap

On the Watchtower, John Stewart communicates with the Guardians of the Universe on their planet Oa and is told his request for an assignment off-planet has been turned down. J'onn suggests they reconsider but the Guardian informs him they don't plan to change their plans because of John's personal problems. The Guardians suddenly receive an alert of an approaching object. Kyle Rayner, Earth's other Green Lantern and currently assigned to Oa, gathers other Green Lanterns and moves to intercept it. They all create an orbital shield but the object impacts the shield and smashes through it. The Guardians activate their planetary defenses and scan the objects. As John and J'onn look on, the Guardians identify the approaching object as Professor Ivo's power-absorbing android. It smashes into Oa... and the planet disappears.



J'onn checks the android's flight pattern and determines it's heading for Earth. The League establishes three lines of defense, in orbit, in the upper atmosphere, and on the ground. John Stewart takes command of the space members, while Superman wonders why the android is coming back when it previously said Earth had nothing left to offer it.

A reporter is interviewing Lex Luthor at his estate. He admits he's not the man he once was, and reveals a chest piece that is containing the cancer he suffers from due to kryptonite exposure. Lex insists he plans to make a difference in the world and has no vendettas to fulfill against the Justice League. He's interrupted when Supergirl and Steel arrive and sweep him up into the sky. They inform him that Ivo's android is coming to get them, and Lex directs them to a barbershop. He sits down and the seat becomes a capsule that shoots him through a tunnel to a secret base he prepared for emergencies. Supergirl and Steel follow him down through a maze of tunnels and kryptonite defenses. Meanwhile, Lex gets to his stronghold and prepares a blaster cannon, only to find a League member waiting for him: the Atom. Lex is unimpressed but the Atom reminds him that he's an expert in nanotechnology, the same technology used to create the android. The Atom reveals he has the android's blueprints and Lex realizes they have a chance.



Green Lantern and Superman, along with other League members and a flotilla of ships, wait in orbit to intercept the android. The android informs them via telepathy that they cannot stop it, and that it is there for Luthor. Superman tells it to turn back but the android warns it has evolved beyond what it was before. Everyone opens fire but the android casually smashes through them.



Lex and the Atom are working together and Lex explains the android hates him for taking advantage of it. J'onn calls to inform them the android as smashed through the first line of defense. Lex starts to lose his temper and the Atom assures him that they'll win. Lex says nothing and goes back to work. Meanwhile, the android enters the atmosphere and uses its telepathy to pinpoint Lex's location. As it moves in, more Leaguers including Supergirl move to intercept. She takes it on first and is casually knocked into Metropolis Harbor. J'onn watches as the other Leaguers are defeated, and notifies the ground assault. He then turns to find Dr. Fate, who is there to offer hope.



The android arrives at the barbershop and casually swats aside the remaining Leaguers. He bursts through the underground tunnels and is caught in a metal-ensnaring trap that stops him for only a few seconds. Lex and the Atom struggle to complete the construction of a large cannon. The android smashes into Lex's chamber and the Atom and Lex fire the cannon. It's useless against the android, who informs them that it might have reprogrammed him a month ago. Now he has transcended the limitations of his nanotechnology.

In orbit, Kyle Rayner and the other Green Lanterns arrive and the get the heroes and ships to safety. Kyle tells John that they're going to use the entire output of their rings to take out the android, despite the cost. J'onn wonders if it's the only way, but Dr. Fate warns it isn't worth it and goes to seek a better way.



The Atom tries to stop the android and is casually swatted aside. The android moves in on Lex, who tells him to do it. The Atom grabs Lex's shoulder and shrinks them down to a subatomic universe. The android, undeterred, is able to shrink down and see and grasp them. It tells Lex that he has everything, but he wants more and will do anything to get it. It asks what Lex's ultimate purpose is, and Lex realizes it wants to understand its own purpose.



The Green Lanterns descend through the tunnels into Lex's lair. Dr. Fate appears before them and insists the android's nature will ultimately prove benign. The Green Lanterns don't believe it and Dr. Fate steps aside. They find the android gone, and Dr. Fate insists that Lex is saving the world.

Lex explains to the android that for all he's accomplished, his name will be forgotten in a few generations. The android wonders why he still strives to go on, but Lex insists that if it ends itself, it won't see the end of the evolutionary process. He intends to stay alive to see the end of the game, and the android will live forever to do the same thing. Lex explains that each being creates its own purpose and tells it to find its own. He starts to walk away, and then says that he pities the android for its uncertainty and fear. The android glares and then restores them to regular size. The Green Lanterns move in to attack, but Dr. Fate intervenes and tells them it's over. The android agrees and explains that it simply moved Oa to another dimension. It restores it and Dr. Fate offers his help to provide the android with the means to find its purpose. Fate teleports himself and the android away.



At Fate's Tower, Fate and the android appear. Fate tells his wife Inza that they have another guest. He admits that he had a moment of doubt when John Stewart might attack, but a figure emerges from the shadows: Shayera. She notes that John's bark is worse than his bite.



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