Story
Darkseid
On Apokolips, Darkseid and DeSaad discuss the coming of a time with existence being recreated with Darkseid as the architect. Darkseid has what appears to be a chess-board with pieces representing Joker, Donna Troy, Green Arrow, Flash, Holly Robinson, Batman, Jason Todd, Hawkman, Killer Croc, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman, OMAC, Jimmy Olsen, Nightwing, Duela Dent, and Black Adam.
Later, as the New Gods Lightray and Sleez are killed by an unknown, mysterious figure, Darkseid converses with a concubine and DeSaad. When the concubine comments on Darkseid showing a moment of weakness, Darkseid kills her and tells DeSaad to remove the vocal cords from the next concubine. The conversation is witnessed by Forager, who is spying on them to see if Darkseid is responsible for the recent murders of the New Gods. Forager is attacked by a guard and escapes. The Deep Six are killed soon afterwards by the same mysterious figure. Darkseid shows knowledge of the New Gods dying across the galaxy and the mystery figure killing them, and decides to use the New Gods as pawns in a scheme to rule the Multiverse.
Mary Marvel is brought before Darkseid, who tells her that he wants a sorcerer and that she is it. Mary narrowly escapes Darkseid's clutches with the help of DeSaad, who intervenes in time to distract the villain after she turns down his offer, causing a brief scuffle between them. Eclipso assures Darkseid that she will bring Mary back. Darkseid later restores Mary's powers and orders her to capture Jimmy Olsen. Later, Darkseid is about to siphon Jimmy's superpowers from him before his son Orion emerges from a boom tube and kills him. The Monitor Solomon places a chess piece of Darkseid onto the Source Wall as a memento of his victory.
Donna Troy, Jason Todd, Kyle Rayner, and Ray Palmer
In New York City, former Robin Jason Todd (now calling himself the "Red Hood") witnesses the murder of Duela Dent at the hands of a rogue Monitor, who claims her presence in this world is not tolerated as she is from an alternate Earth. During the Amazons' attack on Washington, D.C., Jason and Donna discuss the Monitors and the original Monitor and Anti-Monitor when they are attacked by the "Forerunner", who had been sent by the Monitors. Another Monitor arrives to save Jason and Donna from the Forerunners and takes them to safety.
At the funeral of the Flash, Bart Allen, the Monitor tells Jason and Donna that the former Atom, Ray Palmer, is alive and lost somewhere in the Nanoverse, and that locating him is key to surviving the coming crisis. Donna, Jason and the Monitor (nicknamed "Bob" by Jason), meet with current Atom Ryan Choi in Ivy Town to recruit him in the search for Ray Palmer. Searching for him within the microscopic "Nanoverse", they are captured by Queen Belthera, and are later rescued by Kyle Rayner before Ryan Choi is abducted back into Ivy Town. Kyle informs the group that they will have to tour the Multiverse to find Ray Palmer, and they encounter the Authority on Earth-50, a Soviet Superman on Earth-30, and the Crime Society on Earth-3. As they leave Earth-3, they are unexpectedly joined by the Jokester (the Joker's heroic counterpart and father of Duela), passing through Earth-15 and later Earth-8, where Lord Havok and the Extremists capture them before an invasion by Monarch and his newest recruits, the Crime Society gives Jason the opportunity to feign a betrayal, allowing their eventual escape.
Arriving on Earth-12, a universe resembling the Batman Beyond television series, another Monitor who has named himself Nix Uotan arrives, and informs Bob that all the Monitors have taken on names for themselves, such as the Monitor of Earth-8, who now calls himself Solomon. By stating that Ray Palmer lives "a life of no consequence", he unintentionally reveals the location of Ray Palmer and Bob reasons that the only way Nix could know what Ray is doing is if he was on his Earth. The group then arrive on Earth-51, a near-perfect world where crime has long been eradicated. They locate Ray, living the life of his deceased counterpart. Bob is revealed to have been working for Solomon's cause and tells Ray that he must be exterminated. The Challengers attempt to stop Bob, who succeeds in killing the alternate versions of Barry Allen, Ralph Dibny and Jean Loring, but Ray and the Challengers escape. After Monarch descends upon Earth-51, with his Crime Society and Extremists recruits, Kyle and Ray are confronted by Power Ring and alternate versions of Booster Gold and Supergirl, whilst elsewhere Donna faces an alternate version of herself as Jason fights with Gorgon of Earth-8.
Jason is accosted by the Batman of Earth-51, who had eradicated the super-villains of his world following his Jason's murder (as Jason wished that his Batman would have done). Eventually warming to Jason, he gives him a new costume, one that his world's Jason never got the chance to wear, and Jason assumes the mantle of "Red Robin". Meanwhile, Queen Belthera arrives on Earth-51 and sends her insect armies into the fight, which includes the evil alternate Donna.
After "Dark Donna" is defeated, New Earth's Donna is able to masquerade as her to get close to Belthera, kill her and assume leadership of Belthera's troops by right of conquest. Ray and Kyle are also able to deal with their opponents and Ray explains why his counterpart on Earth-51 was so important: Earth-51's Ray discovered a sentient virus named Morticoccus and had it quarantined. However, when the Multiverse was discovered, Ray theorized that Morticoccus could exist on other Earths and set about using his own superhuman immune system to immunize their populations. After the death of Earth-51's Ray, the New Earth Ray found his research and continued his work, leaving an atom symbol on those who he had immunized.
Kyle, Jason, Donna, Ray and the Batman of Earth-51 are reunited as they approach their confrontation with Monarch but encounter a message written in large flaming letters: "To Apokolips". Before they decide their next move, the Earth-51 Batman confronts a group of Monarch's soldiers led by the Joker only to be killed by Ultraman. As Jason stops to mourn the loss of the alternate Batman, he finds the Joker laughing amongst the rubble and kills him. The Challengers are then met by Nix Uotan, who explains that the message came from the Source and sends them to Apokolips.
On Apokolips, the Challengers are confused as to why they are there as Palmer says it is not connected to the Great Disaster. Jason tires of their bickering and leaves. Upon seeing Brother Eye, Jason contemplates using it to get back home. While searching for Jason, the Challengers find Mary, Harley, Holly and then Karate Kid, just after Brother Eye removes the Morticoccus virus from him. The group, along with Jason, prepares to confront Brother Eye, who uses a Boom Tube to send them to Apokolips' surface. The group is caught in the shockwave of Apokolips' destruction just as they are about to be attacked by an army of OMACs.
The Challengers, Ray Palmer, Firestorm (Jason Rusch), Una, Harley, Holly, and Mary Marvel attempt to figure out what to do about Karate Kid, who is dying from the virus. Solomon, the Monitor of Earth-8, arrives and sends everyone back to Earth. Jason leaves the group upon their arrival. Soon after, the group discovers that no one recognizes them, and that their homes and headquarters are not there. The group goes to see Dubbilex for help with Karate Kid, only to learn that he has already died. When Karate Kid's autopsy is performed, Morticoccus is accidentally released, grows and attacks the Challengers. The virus is captured by Rayner and explodes. However, it is discovered that the virus began spreading across the planet before the autopsy, causing infected humans to devolve into animalistic savages and infected animals to gain human-like traits. Una helps Buddy Blank reach his daughter's apartment and the two locate Buddy's daughter, who has been infected by the virus, and his grandson, who is immune. Una dies while protecting Buddy and his grandson from a swarm of rats, and gives Buddy her Legion Flight Ring, which he uses to take him and his grandson to Cadmus's Command D facility. The Challengers leave the reconstituted Earth-51 and return home. After witnessing Darkseid's death, Jason returns to being a solo anti-hero while Donna, Kyle, Ray Palmer and Forager, along with the Monitor, reform the Challengers and watch over the other Monitors.
Mary Marvel, Holly Robinson, and Harley Quinn
Mary Batson awakens from a coma after the events of The Trials of Shazam! in which she lost her abilities mid-flight due to the death of Shazam, and fell three miles. She seeks Freddy Freeman, who paid her hospital bills, Mary acquires the powers of Adam, Isis, and Osiris as a result.
Soon after getting these powers, she battles a demon composed of stillborns. Mary eventually locates Billy, who explains that he has replaced the wizard Shazam and that Freddy will replace him. Billy scolds Mary for taking Black Adam's powers and Mary protests that she will use them for good. In Gotham, Mary encounters former super-villain Riddler at a crime scene. Mary stops Clayface with excessive violence. Riddler suggests she seek a mentor while Eclipso watches with interest.
Mary seeks out Zatanna, who senses a new darkness in Mary. Zatanna brings Mary to her home, Shadowcrest, where she trains her. Mary suffers a sudden mood swing and challenges Zatanna to battle, wielding one of her magic rods. Eclipso observes as Zatanna turns Mary's own lightning against her and banishes her from Shadowcrest.
In the Chinese Market, Mary meets Klarion the Witch Boy, who tries to get some of her power. After Eclipso attempts to corrupt Mary, the Shadowpact take notice of Mary's activities, After Eclipso teleports her to safety, Mary blasts Eclipso with her own black diamond after realizing that Eclipso was only interested in selling her to Darkseid as a concubine in exchange for power. Eclipso then attempts to kill Mary, but finds that she is too strong. During their battle, Mary calls down the lightning, which strikes the two of them, causing Mary to fall into the ocean and wash up on the shores of Themiscyra.
Holly Robinson arrives in Metropolis, hoping to embark on a fresh start. Holly is offered a place to live at a women's shelter, where she meets the reformed Harleen Quinzel. She is outraged to find that the refuge refuses shelter to a single mother and speaks to their leader, Athena, who convinces Holly to go on a quest.
Holly reveals to Harleen that she has been asked to take part in Athena's self-esteem workshop; Harleen is overjoyed at the news. Holly is subjected to a purification ritual in which the women are made to fight one another. Holly and Harley are the only warriors left standing.{{Cite comic|Title = Countdown|Issue = 34|Date = September 5, 2007
Holly and Harley explore a cave outside the confines of the training ground, and discover the cave is being used as a hideout by Hippolyta, who reveals to the two of them that Athena is a fake, and advises them to play along until the truth can be uncovered.
Holly and Harley take Mary Marvel to Hippolyta, who detects that Mary is powerless and that darkness was inside of her. After explaining the situation to her, the three ask for Mary's help. Mary poses as a slave to spy.
The group reveals Granny Goodness's identity to the trainees, and after Hippolyta wounds her, she flees to Apokolips, with Mary, Holly, and Harley in pursuit. After returning to their own Earth, Holly and Harley return to Gotham, while Mary returns to her apartment and finds Darkseid waiting for her. Darkseid offers to return Black Adam's powers to her in exchange for bringing him Jimmy Olsen. Mary agrees, and with her restored powers she quickly overcomes the Challengers and captures Jimmy. After the death of Darkseid, Harley and Holly return to Gotham and share an apartment while Mary tracks down Adam, hoping to become part of a new Black Marvel Family. Adam rejects her and leaves, and Mary declares that she does not need anyone.
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen locates the Red Hood, Jason Todd, and interviews him about the death of Duela Dent. Jason suggests that he interviews the Joker in Arkham Asylum. The Joker states that he never had a daughter, and alludes to a larger conspiracy. While calling Lois to inform her of his dead end, Jimmy is attacked by Killer Croc. To Jimmy's surprise, he begins manifesting superpowers at random. Jimmy witnesses the death of the New God Lightray, and dreams of being trapped in the Source Wall. He meets a former minion of Darkseid named Sleez, who is killed before he can reveal anything. Jimmy resolves to use his new powers to become a superhero, designs a costume, and calls himself Mr. Action. He revels in his new popularity, and decides to join the Teen Titans. Titans’ leader Robin begs him to reconsider, as his powers only manifest when he is in danger. Jimmy confronts Clark Kent and reveals he knows Clark is Superman: he pulls away Clark's shirt to reveal Superman's costume. Jimmy tries out for membership in the Justice League, but is deflated when his powers do not manifest.
John Henry Irons tests Jimmy's powers using metahuman biofeedback, but the display generates complicated images of the Source Wall and alternate Earths. On his way home, Jimmy meets two members of Cadmus, who offer their assistance, take him back to their HQ, and run tests on him. Jimmy's powers go haywire, and he runs off to keep himself from hurting anyone. He encounters the Newsboy Legion, who offer him shelter. Jimmy encounters Forager, who asks for help in stopping the killing of the New Gods. On Apokolips, Jimmy and Forager fight Parademons and are overpowered and taken prisoner. The Monitors decide that Jimmy is not meant to control his powers and that he is being manipulated. Jimmy is sent to the slave pits, where his overseers are ordered to torture him; Mister Miracle comes to his aid. Unable to discern the nature of Jimmy's powers with his Mother Box, Mister Miracle gambles by dropping Jimmy into a fire pit. Jimmy survives by assuming a turtle-like form. Jimmy locates Forager, who then attacks him. Jimmy duplicates the powers of a Mother Box to restore Forager's sanity. When Bernadeth confronts the two, Jimmy opens a Boom Tube and returns to Earth with Forager, whereupon he kisses her.
Back at Jimmy's apartment, Forager reveals to Jimmy that he is a soul catcher who is collecting the spirits of the deceased New Gods. Jimmy later sees the words "To Apokolips" daubed on his bathroom cabinet. Before going to Apokolips, Jimmy decides to go and seek the aid of the "Hairies" of the Habitat.
Jimmy travels to Apokolips and decides to confront Darkseid to determine his involvement with what is going on with his manifesting powers. Solomon tells him that he had been turned into a spirit collector by Darkseid, who plans to drain him of all his powers when the time comes. He is then sent back to Earth along with everyone else. Jimmy is later captured by Mary Marvel, who intends to deliver him to Darkseid. Darkseid turns Jimmy's powers off and prepares to absorb them, but is attacked by Superman. As they battle, Mary Marvel fights and defeats Donna, Kyle, Forager, Black Canary, and Vixen. Darkseid reactivates Jimmy's powers to cause him to emit kryptonite radiation to kill Superman. However, Ray Palmer sneaks inside Jimmy and destroys the circuitry that controls his powers before being overcome by its defenses. Jimmy transforms into a scaled giant and prepares to fight Darkseid. Darkseid fights Jimmy across Metropolis and is about to kill him when Ray Palmer emerges from Jimmy's head, having shut down the device inside Jimmy that was storing the essences of the New Gods. A Boom Tube then opens up and Orion, Darkseid's son, emerges. Orion clashes with Darkseid and kills him after ripping Darkseid's heart from his chest. Soon afterwards, Jimmy returns home, where his relationship with Forager deteriorates.
Karate Kid and Triplicate Girl
Karate Kid (Val Armorr) fights Batman in the Batcave and is eventually subdued by Black Lightning. He is briefly held by the League, and when he is released is joined by Legion member Luornu Durgo, who now calls herself "Una".
Karate Kid and Una travel to the Oracle's home, where they discover that someone is trying to steal the secret identities of all of the world's superheroes, which Oracle manages to prevent. Oracle learns that the Calculator is behind the plot and defeats him. Karate Kid reveals that he is dying from a virus and only Oracle can help him. After examining Karate Kid, Oracle determines that the virus is either of alien origin, or too advanced to detect. She directs the two to see Elias Orr for more answers. They defeat Orr's bodyguard, Equus, who directs them to another researcher and deduces that the virus may be related to OMAC. After the two leave, Orr reports to DeSaad.
Karate Kid and Una meet Professor Buddy Blank, who takes them to see Brother Eye, who is imprisoned in a NORAD storage hangar.
DeSaad steals Firestorm's powers and attacks Karate Kid and Una. The Atomic Knights arrive and, deploying a device on DeSaad, separate Firestorm from DeSaad, who then escapes to Apokolips. The Atomic Knights turn their attention to Karate Kid and the others, but are unable to act before Jason and Gehenna re-merge into Firestorm and overpower them. Buddy Blank leads Val, Una, and his grandson deeper underground. Coming upon a sealed door, Karate Kid attempts to open it, which enables Brother Eye to escape the hangar. Converting the people in the hangar into OMACs, Brother Eye assimilates the entire base and breaks free. Upon detecting that the Morticoccus host is in its final gestation, and that the virus' release is imminent, it sets course for Blüdhaven.
Brother Eye shields itself from detection and assimilates the remains of Blüdhaven, converting it into its new base. Using Firestorm and the Atomic Knights as power sources, Brother Eye continues to grow. Val, Una, Buddy, and his grandson survive underground, with Karate Kid theorizing that they are beneath its notice.
Upon discovering Apokoliptian technology in the bunker, Brother Eye opens a Boom Tube and takes its captives to Apokolips, leaving Blank and his grandson behind. After arriving on Apokolips, Darkseid's Parademons engage the OMACs, who begin to assimilate them. Karate Kid and Una wander around Apokolips seeking a means to escape as Karate Kid fears Brother Eye desires the virus he carries. However, before they can formulate a plan, Una becomes an OMAC. However, Karate Kid mysteriously resists assimilation by Brother Eye, who kills him instead. Jason Todd saves him and suggests killing Una as assimilation is apparently irreversible. Karate Kid protests this idea and Todd leaves. Brother Eye tries a second assimilation attempt and fails. Instead, it decides to take Karate Kid away and perform an autopsy. Brother Eye then removes the Morticoccus virus from Val, who is then saved by Ray Palmer. Apokolips' destruction and Brother Eye's escape free Una from her transformation into an OMAC. When Solomon sends the Challengers to a recreated Earth-51, Karate Kid dies and releases the Morticoccus virus, which infects the entire world. Meanwhile, the Brother Eye of Earth-51 transforms Blank into a modified OMAC with limited free will, enabling him and his grandson Tommy to escape the ruins of Command-D.
Trickster and Piper
The Rogues are reconstituted with a new membership of Heat Wave, Mirror Master, Captain Cold, Abra Kadabra, Weather Wizard, Trickster and Pied Piper, led by Inertia. Several Rogues distrust Trickster and Piper as they have reformed in the past. They then find himself in the middle of a battle on the wedding day and manage to use the Joker's exploding "present" against Poison Ivy, gaining some measure of revenge over her. As they escape in a stolen car, they are suddenly accosted by Double Down, who had hidden in the back seat. Double Down wants to join the two in their run from the law, mentioning the disappearances of several villains. The group is then attacked by the Suicide Squad. Double Down is defeated and captured, but Piper and Trickster, using Trickster's cloaking field, evade the squad and decide to follow them and free the other villains they have captured. They follow them to a government facility, and manage to free Two-Face. Two-Face tells them that Checkmate is behind the abductions. After flipping his coin, Two-Face declines to join the two. Piper and Trickster continue to flee, escaping capture by Deadshot. They are able to defeat Deadshot, but not before he manages to shoot the Trickster dead. The cord attaching them together detects that Trickster is dead and begins a fail-safe procedure, counting down from twenty-four hours until it detonates. Piper uses his flute to slow the countdown. The train they are on stops for a routine check, causing Piper to flee into the desert. Piper, delirious from the heat, begins to imagine Trickster's corpse is talking to him and removes Trickster's hand from his body to avoid triggering the bomb.
Piper goes through a Boom Tube to Apokolips that opens in front of him after thinking he's seeing the "light at the end of the tunnel". Once on Apokolips, Piper begins to despair, thinking he is in Hell, and contemplates pulling Trickster's hand out of its cuff and killing himself. Piper is stopped by an unknown person before he sets off the bomb. The person reveals himself to be DeSaad, who frees Piper from the cord, which is revealed to be based on his technology. DeSaad claims Piper is able to channel the Anti-Life Equation in a manner beyond that of a New God. However, before Piper can play the equation on his pipe, Brother Eye finishes assimilating Apokolips. After recovering, DeSaad confesses to masterminding Trickster and Piper's ordeal. However, they are attacked by an OMAC, and Piper is captured. DeSaad continues to pursue Piper and convinces him to finally play. Piper uses his pipe to kill DeSaad and destroy Apokolips while Brother Eye escapes. Piper reawakens in Gotham City and decides to become a hero after seeing the Bat-Signal.
Monarch, the Monitors, and Superman-Prime
After Duela Dent's murder, one of the Monitors consults the Source Wall to learn the cause of the rising tension in the Multiverse. The Wall reveals that the "Great Disaster" is the cause of the rising tension and that Ray Palmer is the solution to stopping it.
Monarch and Forerunner approach the Justice League Axis of Earth-10, the Crime Society of Earth-3, and the Extremists of Earth-8 and offers them membership in his army. The Extremists refuse and attack him, but he easily overwhelms them, and captures the "Challengers from Beyond". The Monitors believe Monarch's goal is to cause a war across the Multiverse, resulting in another Crisis that would make him the absolute Monarch of a singular reality. Monarch places Lord Havok in charge of his starfleet; Havok deals a crippling blows to the Dominators of New Earth.
The Monitors agree to eliminate "Bob," the Monitor of New Earth who befriended Jason and Donna. Earth-15's Monitor watches as Donna and Jason leave his Earth, and predicts that when they arrive on the Earth of his overzealous brother, they will be terminated. The overzealous Monitor, who oversees Earth-8, attacks them when they arrive on Earth-8, but succeeds only in killing the Jokester of Earth-3. The Monitor from Earth-8 rallies the others to his cause, listing the threats of Monarch's armies, the deaths of the New Gods, the manipulation of Jimmy Olsen, the virus infecting Karate Kid, and the possibility that a single individual is behind it all as evidence. With the help of a female Monitor named Doctrine, he convinces the others that they must go to war in order to save billions of lives that would otherwise be lost.
The Monitors arrive on Earth-51, shortly after the Challengers escape. The Monitor of Earth-8, now calling himself "Solomon", attempts to absorb Bob into his being, but inadvertently kills him instead. The other Monitors, shocked, then voice their suspicions that Solomon engineered all of the events to his own ends. The Monitors are then interrupted by the arrival of Monarch and his army. As the two sides fight, Monarch approaches Solomon and accuses him of desiring sole dominion over the Multiverse. Solomon returns to the Multiversal nexus where the remaining Monitors condemn his actions before joining the battle on Earth-51. Floating in space, Nix Uotan, the Monitor of Earth-51, watches the battle raging on his Earth before joining the other Monitors. Feeling a call from the Source, he directs Donna, Jason, Kyle, and Ray to Apokolips, and remains behind on Earth-51 to finish his duty.
Superman-Prime, continues his travels throughout the Multiverse to find the perfect universe. Superman-Prime attacks the Lex Luthor of Earth-15, while searching for his perfect universe, which he believes is owed to him. After fighting for a while, Monarch mocks Superman-Prime as a child, causing Superman-Prime to tear a hole in Monarch's containment suit, which sets of a chain reaction that destroys Earth-51 and the surrounding universe. Nix Uotan, the Monitor of Earth-51 and sole survivor of the cataclysm, cries as he finds a sapling emerging from the ground.
In the Multiversal nexus, Solomon prepares to kill Forerunner, but is interrupted by the arrival of Darkseid, who, wishing to continue their game, offers Solomon the next move. As they witness Brother Eye assimilating Apokolips, Solomon tells Darkseid that his time is coming to an end. Darkseid reveals that Solomon was responsible for Captain Atom irradiating Blüdhaven, causing his transformation into Monarch. Solomon, disturbed by Darkseid's plans to control the "Fifth World", appears to the Challengers, telling them that Darkseid is too dangerous to attack and sends them away. He deposits them on Nix Uotan's newly recreated Earth-51, where the events of the Great Disaster Unfold. Solomon is later seen in the Multiversal nexus planning to stop Darkseid. Solomon later places a chess piece of Darkseid onto the Source Wall as a memento of his victory and then witnesses Donna Troy, Kyle Rayner, Ray Palmer, and Forager agreeing to act as watchmen for the Monitors at the urging of Nix Uotan, who is impressed by the Challengers selflessness and repulsed by his brethren's lack of foresight.
