Jayna and her brother Vidar are sparring as their father Lor looks on. Their father speaks of how the house's loyalty to the State is without question. When Jayna hesitates to strike Vidar, Lor says that Vidar won't learn from her mistake and leave herself vulnerable to a future such blow. Vidar leaps forward and knocks Jayna to the ground, and prepares to strike her.
Jayna spars with an opponent and knocks him to the ground.
Seg hides from two of the Commander's people out searching for him. Once they move on, Seg binds his wound as best he can and then moves across the Outlands. He finds a series of tunnels and tries to use the communicator, only to discover that it's low on power. He searches the place and finds a woman chained to the wall. The woman, Raika, wakes up and asks Seg to help her, saying that they'll be back soon. She tells Seg that she knows a way to safety and he frees her.
Dev comes to see Lyta, and tells her to turn off the barrier. Once the guard leads, Dev says that he should have come sooner. He doesn't believe that Lyta is a Black Zero operative, and talks about the first night they met during Nova Cycle. He says that Lyta was beautiful, and Lyta points out that he took the blame for her paying someone to spread the Ceremonial Fires. As Dev says that he knows Lyta doesn't feel the way he does, she kisses him and says that she loves him.
Adam and Rem return from searching for Seg, and Rem figures that Seg will show up eventually since Lyta is scheduled for execution.
Seg leads Raika off and asks how much further they have to go. She directs him through the maze of tunnels and says that she couldn't let the others find that which they protect. Seg hears something in the darkness and tells Raika that they have to keep moving. They come to a door marked with the El mark. Several men come up on them, aiming guns, and Seg says that he tried to help Raika. They take Raika away and find the funeral stone on Seg, and the leader asks if Seg is an El. When Seg says that he is, they drag him away.
Lyssa meets with Daron, who accuses her of going behind his back. He warns that Jayna isn't going to join them, but Nyssa figures that Jayna loves Lyta and will try to stop her. Nyssa insists that they need Jayna and if they don't stop the execution, they lose the chance to make a better Kandor. Daron figures that someone is clouding her judgment and wonders if it's Seg, and Nyssa insists that she tried to prevail against a tyrant. Her father warns that if they stop Lyta's execution, the Voice will ask for their blood instead of hers.
The men take Seg to their community in the tunnels, and a woman www comes out and says that Cythonna the Ice Goddess preserves them. Seg realizes that they're Cythonnites, and Www says that he doesn't belong there. He insists that he's not with the ones who were torturing Raika, but Www says that they will heal his wounds in return for the kindness he showed Raika. When the leader objects, Www says that Seg can only tell them what they want to know if he's alive.
Daron goes to see Kol-Da, who wonders why she's still there when she testified as he asked. He claims that it's a procedural delay but Vol isn't convinced. Daron says that she will be out soon and they kiss.
Lyta is performing a kata.
Jayna attaches her marks of rank to her uniforms and remembers Lor's words.
Lor tells Jayna and Vidar that they must make their way to the Jewel Mountains or die trying. They travel through the ice storms and face the Sword of Jo-Mon. They discover that their father only left them one respirator, and Vidar figures that it's the test to see who will leave the other behind When Jayna says that they can both do it, Vidar clubs her down and says that he'll make it quick rather than let her freeze. Jayna stabs him in the leg, takes the respirator, and walks away.
Nyssa tells Jayna that she has to make a decision, and is she sacrificing her daughter for honor. She asks Jayna what makes her different from those who blindly follow the Voice, and Jayna insists that duty is action and thought. Nyssa points out that Jayna can save her Lyta with one word, and suggests that she serve Daron. Disgusted, Jayna says that Nyssa knows nothing about being a leader, and Nyssa asks if Jayna will swear loyalty to her family.
Raika tends Seg's wounds and she admits that she only pulled through because of him. Www and the others are arguing, and Raika finally tells Seg that they're trying to figure out what to do with him. She says that she would never have brought him there, saying that as an El he has the power to destroy anything. Raika finally says that the House of El has done it before. She refuses to say anything further, explaining that their duty to protect that lace has been passed down from generation to generation. Seg asks Raika to help him escape. He warns that other Els will come looking for him if he doesn't return, and all he needs is a respirator and a way out.
Soon, Seg is making his way across the Outlands. The mask warns that the oxygen supply is running low, and Seg has no choice but to continue.
The Council has Lyta brought before them to pass sentence. The executioner comes in holding his weapon, and Nyssa whispers to Jayna that it's not too late
Jayna tells Lor that Vidar is still out there. Lor says that Vidar no longer has a place among them, and gives her the necklace his mother gave to him. He says that she takes her place in the House of Zod , guaranteeing their people a bright future .They salute each other and Www tells Jayna that she is a Zod and kneels to no one.
Lyta salutes her mother and kneels for the death blow. Nyssa nods to Daron, who tells the executioner to stop. He then says that the witness against Lyta has recanted and all charges of treason are dropped. Lyta is to be reinstated to full rank immediately. Daron apologizes on behalf of the Council and Lyta looks at her mother.
After everyone else leaves, Lyta confronts Jayna and says that she doesn't know how it happened. She figures that she has Nyssa to thank, and Jayna tells her that Lyta owes Nyssa nothing. Lyta realizes that Jayna saved her and hugs her mother, and asks what she did. Jayna tells her daughter that she's always been her greatest love... and now her greatest shame. She turns and walks away without anything further.
Soldiers enter Kol-Da's chamber and she demands to know where Daron is and why she's still there. One of the men draws a knife.
Jayna spars with an opponent in the gym and the shuts off the training program and the android that she's been fighting.
Daron looks at Kol-Da's corpse, made to look like a suicide, and orders a full investigation to find out how she got a weapon. Nyssa comes in and realizes that Daron cared for Kol-Da. Her father admits that he did, and yet Nyssa left him with little choice. Daron tells Nyssa that a sacrifice had to be made and walks out of the cell.
Seg continues on and h is oxygen runs out. He removes the respirator and sees a pair of manacles on the ground along with a flickering ring. Seg rigs the ring's battery to the communicator to power it, and calls to Adam. Adam gets the transmission and Seg says that if things go badly for him, there's something he needs Adam to do for him.
Lyta sends a message to Nyssa to meet with her Once Nyssa arrives, Lyta demands to know what's going on between Nyssa and Jayna. Before Nyssa can respond, a Sagitari brings in Adam saying that he claims that he has information from her. Once they're alone, Adam gives Lyta the drive with a recording of Seg's message. She plays it and listens as Seg apologizes for not being there. he says that she's the strongest bravest person that he knows, and says that she'll survive.
Seg collapses in the Outlands.
Lyta tells Adam to come with him because there's still a chance. She takes several Sagitatri with her and Dev offers to go with her. Lyta says that it's classified and they'll talk soon, and leaves with Adam and the other Sagitari. En route she says that Seg was captured by Black Zero, escaped, and is in the Outlands. Adam says that they’ll find him and they fly to the Outlands.
As Seg lies unconscious in the slow, he hallucinates Lyta finding him... unaware that it's the commander.
Lyta and Adam find Seg's communicator, and the other Sagitari finds fresh skimmer marks nearby.
The Commander's people revive Seg, and the Commander says they need Seg to tell them where he took Raika. He insists that she's important because she holds the key to stopping Brainiac. Adam and Lyta come in and Lyta opens fire. The Commander slips away, and Lyta kisses Seg and searches for the Commander. Adam arrives and frees Seg.
Lyta searches the tunnels and the Commander attacks her. They fight and he finally smashes Lyta down. As he picks her up and slams her into the wall, he sees the necklace that she's wearing. Lyta breaks his grip and the Commander laughs and then shows her the matching necklace and says that she gave it to him... because he's her son.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 19, 2018