Jayna and one of her men avoid the tentacles and run. Tentacles grab the man and drag him back, and Jayna continues running.
The Brainiac-possessed Voice tells the Sagitari that they are being given a gift glimpsing the infinite intelligence and seeing the deliverance that he brings. He retracts the tentacles and asks if they will serve, and they all drop to their knees.
Two soldiers bring Daron to the temple and say that they found Daron in a skimmer heading for Ago City. Brainiac orders the soldiers away, and points out that Daron was out of the city when a coup attempt took place. Daron denies it but Brainiac tells him that he can easily see that he's lying. When the Chief Magistrate says that he's not worthy of looking on the voice, Brainiac lifts him into the air and says that there's no Voice: only an agent of Brainiac.
Sagitari patrol the city, and Seg and Lyta stick to the shadows. Seg wonders why no one is celebrating, and LKyta figures something has happened to warrant the extra security. Zod is badly injured and Seg says that they have to get him to a hospital. Two Sagitari approach and Lyta hides. Seg says that Zod is drunk after celebrating Nova Cycle, and the Sagitari give him twenty minutes to get home, and they leave. When Lyta comes out of hiding, Seg says that there's only one place to take Zod.
Brainiac tells Daron that he's there to save them from entropy, and will lead the city into a glorious new future with their way of life preserved for all eternity. Daron says that they have the same version and he offers to serve Brainiac. Intrigued, Brainiac asks who is behind the coup attempt and warns that he'll know if Daron lies. Daron admits that he and Jaya led the coup and had the support of five member of the Supreme Council. He explains that the voice was a religious zealot who believed in a nonexistent god. Brainiac asks why Daron doesn't believe in Rao, and Daron says that his parents worshipped Cythonnis, and all religions were banned but tolerated after the Cataclysm. When the Voice took power, he ordered a purge and had Daron's parents killed. Cythonnis didn't save them and Rao didn't save the Voice, and he believes in himself and his vision. Brainiac asks if he still holds that vision, and Daron admits that he doesn't . Taking his seat, Brainiac asks Daron how he would deal with the traitors. Daron says that they must be publicly executed to save a message, and Brainiac tells him to do it. He asks if Daron has given him the name of all the conspirators, and Daron admits that Nyssa is one of them. Brainiac asks if she should be executed as well, and Daron asks him to let him handle the mater. Smiling, Brainiac agrees.
Two Sagitari arrive and place Nyssa under arrest on Daron's order.
Seg and Lyta take Zod to the bar, and Seg has Rem order everyone out. Lyta examines Zod's wound and Rem has her take him into the store room. When Lyta starts to call a monitor, Rem says that communications are being monitored because the Sagitari are looking for the conspirators in the failed attempt, and Jayna orchestrated the entire thing Lyta insists that her mother is innocent, and Rem says that Nyssa has been arrested and will be executed.
At the Fortress, Adam stares at Superman's cape which is slowly disintegrating. Val appears and Adam asks for his help filling his Zeta-Beam device. He begins the scanner, and tells Val that he has no idea where Seg is. Val points out that he's distressed and asks if he can help, and Adam says that he can't and tells Val to fix the device so that he can go home.
When the doctor, Ven, arrives, he puts a device on Zod's forehead to stabilize him and warns that the damage may be too severe to regenerate. As he works, Seg tells Lyta that he has to save Nyssa. Lyta points out that a Vex murder Val, and Seg notes that a Zod murdered his parents. After a moment, Lyta asks why he would risk his life saving her. Seg explains that Nyssa was willing to save Lyta's life, and Lyta tells Seg to be careful and goes to find her mother.
Daron goes to Nyssa's quarters where she confines, and says that he's always admired her courage. He says that he tried to protect her, but there is no other way. He shoots a fun at her, and realizes that it's a hologram. The real Nyssa grabs him from behind and puts a knife to her throat.
Lyta changes her clothes and goes out into the city, and a robed Dev grabs her. She quickly subdues him, and he admits that Jayna tried to kill the Voice and he stood with her. He explains that an alien has taken the Voice's place, and Lyta realizes that it's Brainiac. Dev says that he's been trying to find Jaya, and Lyta tells him to come with her because she knows where Jayna is. Dev gets some supplies from a merchant, threatening him unless he remains silence. When Dev goes back to Lyta, she says that she's glad that he's with her. Dev asks if she meant what she said earlier that she loves him. Lyta says that she thought she was going to die and Dev was there for her as he always has been, and she wanted him to know how much it meant to her. Dev thanks her for caring enough to lie and they go.
Nyssa takes Daron's gun and puts it to her head, and says that she didn't think he would kill her until he pulled the trigger. Daron insists that he loves her, but Nyssa says that she gave up everything for his ambition. She prepares to shoot him, but hears Seg outside arguing with the guards to let him through. When one of them prepares to shoot him, Daron calls and gives the guard permission to let Seg in. Once inside, Seg learns that Daron is working with Brainiac and is furious that he's betrayed them. He asks how Brainiac is going to rip Kandor from the ground so that he can stop him, and Daron says that it's better to live under Brainiac's rule then die. Nyssa prepares to shoot him, but Daron says that she needs him to get out. Seg tells her to wait, saying that Daron is right and the guards will come in if they hear blaster fire. After a moment, Nyssa lowers the gun. Daron yells for the guards and he runs past them when they come in. Nyssa and Seg manage to take them out.
Adam tells Val that he was an idiot that he thought he could save Superman. He admits that he lied about being a superhero on Earth, and he's just a d-lister with no powers. Val asks why Adam is in such a hurry to leave, and Adam explains that Seg doesn't want him there. He admits that he screwed up again and takes a drink.
Seg and Nyssa leaves Nyssa's quarters, wearing uniforms to disguise themselves. They tell the other guards that Black Zero is inside and slip away.
Dev and Lyta go to the Outlands and find where Jayna made camp. She steps out and aims a rifle at them, until she realizes who they are. Dev tells her that she was the only one to escape, and Dev removes his hood to reveal Brainiac's red control shard on his forehead. He says that he's there to correct the mistake and says that Brainiac has made him better and given him a purpose rather than serve flawed leaders. Dev asks Lyta to come back to Kandor so that Brainiac can open her mind. If they don't then they will die there. Jayna fires at him but he dodges the blast with superspeed and tosses Lyta aside. Lyta grabs the rifle and shoos Dev's arm off, and after a moment he collapses Jayna tells Lyta that she did what had to be done.
Daron goes to Brainiac, who tells him that he failed. He knows that Daron intended to carry out his orders, and tells him that he can keep his life for now. Daron says that if appearances are to be maintained, Brainiac must end Nova cycle with a celebration. Brainiac agrees and summons the Sagitari under his control: the Red Shard, his new guardians.
Inside Jayna's shelter, Lyta says that talking about aliens would have gotten her condemned. Jayna apologizes for not having faith in her, and Lyta agrees. She asks why her mother attempted a coup and betrayed House Zod's principles, and Jayna says that Daron and Nyssa offered to spare Lyta's life in return for Jayna's help. Jayna chose Lyta rather than her honor, and says that she would do it again. However, all that matters now is that they gather warriors to mount a resistance. Lyta says that there's someone she needs Jayna to meet.
Lyta takes Jayna to Zod at the tavern, and Ven confirms that the wound is healing. Jayna asks who Zod's father is, and he asks Lyta if she wants to know. She nods, and Zod tells them that he never knew him. His father was killed in the battle for Kandor. Jayna stares at him for a moment and then leaves.
Seg takes Nyssa to his family home and says that they need to get to the tavern. Nyssa explains that she had a lover in the Military Guild, and she taught her how to fight. She reluctantly thanks Seg for risking his life for her, and admits that she doesn't think she deserves it. Seg tells her to lighten up and Nyssa suggests that he teach her,. Some Sagitari come by and Nyssa kisses Seg to avoid showing their faces, but the head guard recognizes them and the couple are forced to run.
Lyta, Jayna, and Zod move through the city and Jayna wonders why he didn't come to them directly. Zod says that he needed access to weapons and a fighting force, and she wouldn’t have welcomed him. Jayna points out that he killed innocent Kandorians, and Zod says that he regrets any death but he chose the lives of a few over the entire planet.
The Sagitari corner Seg and Nyssa, and Seg smiles. Lyta and the others arrive and knock out the guards, and Jayna says that they need to move. Once they take shelter, Lyta and Jayna says that Nyssa shouldn't be there. Seg insists that they can trust her and points out that none of their hands are clean and they're going to need each other. He asks them to trust him if not Nyssa, and after a moment Jayna says that they need to go to Kryptonopolis, establish a beach there, reach out to other city-states, and return in fate. Zod warns that there's no time and they have to stay and fight. Rem says that there's another way, and Seg realizes what he means. He says that they open fire on Brainiac during the benediction, forcing him to reveal himself, and the citizens will rise up against him.
At the Fortress, Val fixed the damaged device and tells Adam that he can leave if that's his choice. The hologram asks why Adam came there in the first place if he's not a hero. Adam explains that he thought he could become one and earn people's respect. Val says that what happened between Adam and Seg can be fixed, but Adam doesn't believe it. The hologram says that being a hero is about helping others, and tells Adam that he can still set thing right. Adam agrees and says that he needs to kill Zod and prevent Seg from saving Kandor. He erases all record of the conversation and Val jumps back to when Adam first came in as Adam leaves.
Daron leads the citizens in the benediction. The Red Shard escort the masked Brainiac in, while Seg and the others train their rifles on him. Seg prepares to give the signal to fire, but one of the acolytes speaks up saying that the Voice is not a man. Brainiac agrees and steps into the fire, saying that he's transcended into something more. The flames swirl around him, and Brainiac says that their faith has been rewarded. He declares that the divide between Guilded and Rankless will be no more, and he will lead them to a place of eternal life. The people cheer and Seg realizes that they've lost their opportunity.
Written by Gadfly on May 3, 2018