Overview

Beginning the long awaited, epic crossover between the new Justice League and the new Justice Society, uniting the combined writing talents of best-selling author Brad Meltzer and comics mega-star Geoff Johns for the ultimate team-up! "The Lightning Saga" 5-parter begins with the mystery of who Trident is, and how his identity crisis will change everything!

(Spoilers)

The Justice League and the Justice Society are working together on a training day. In The Hall in Washington D.C., Mr. Terrific is playing chess blindfolded with both Hal Jordan and Black Canary at the same time. In the Kitchen, 22,300 miles above the Earth, Red Arrow, Wildcat, Geo-Force, Vixen, Hawkgirl, Red Tornado are playing "capture the flag." In the Batcave, Batman and Black Lightning are trying to figure out who Trident is after capturing him.

Batman says the Fortress computers have identified him as Karate Kid and he is wearing a Legion of Superheroes ring. Black Lightning asks why didn't he go by "Karate Kid" when they fought him. Batman says perhaps it's due to the Starro he had on his neck. Superman had listed him as a Class-15 fighter in his computer. Batman notices that he's listed at 12. As Karate Kid awakes and knocks out Black Lightning, Batman says to himself how he loves to prove Clark wrong. Batman allowed Karate Kid to get close to draw him in. The fist fight begins.

Wildcat, Red Arrow, and Geo-Force are stuck starring at their opponents' flag across a fifty foot field with no cover. Red Arrow decides to run out knowing that Hawkgirl is hoping to flush them out. As she dives down on him, he grabs the flag and shoots it at her with his arrow. She tries flapping her wings hoping the wind will knock it off course. At the last moment, Red Tornado arrives, unleashing his powers. He seems to have miscalculated as he sends Red Arrow flying towards a tree at over sixty miles per hour. Suddenly he stops in mid-air. Apparently Geo-Force was able to affect his gravity much to everyone's surprise.

As Batman and Karate Kid fight, Batman tries to convince him that his name is Val Armorr. He insists it's Trident. Karate Kid manages to grab Batman's utility belt and notices that he's shifted his weight to his left leg. He notes that with the pain he feels in that leg, he must have given him a hernia. Batman snarls that that is not why he shifted to his left as Black Lightning strikes Karate Kid from behind. Batman calls Clark to meet them at the Hall.

At the Hall, both Mr. Terrific and Black Canary call out checkmate. As Batman comes in carrying Karate Kid, he notices the game. He tells them that Mr. Terrific wasn't playing both of them at once. He was playing them against each other.

As both the League and the Society look over Karate Kid, Mr. Terrific is surprised when it's mentioned that he is supposedly from the future. He tells them that their newest JSA member, Starman, also says he's from the future. Upon hearing Starman's name, Karate Kid says Starman's name is Thom Kallor and his is Val Armorr. He is shocked that he knows that. Mr. Terrific calls Power Girl to pick up Starman from the "looney bin."

Flashback to 1948 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. A couple men visit a patient and switch back and forth when referring to the gender of Dolores Winters. They call her the Ultra Humanite. Dolores has cancer. The men tell her that she is going to die tomorrow by a massive brain hemorrhage unless she takes a trip with them.

Diana uses her magic lasso on Karate Kid but he still cannot recall all the facts. He tells them that when he heard the name "Starman" the Trident part of him seemed to disappear. Batman concludes that he must have telepathic fail-safes in place. As Power Girl arrives with Starman, Starman says something in an alien language and Karate Kid falls over. He barely whispers, "We're not the only ones." Regaining his balance he tells them that there were seven of them scattered and all stuck in this time.

Later, Mr. Terrific is fascinated that Red Tornado can see him since he's invisible to all machines. Getting back on track, they managed to trace the signal back from Karate Kid's Legion ring. They mention that Booster, Vril Dox, Kara, and Clark all had rings (Clark actually had two). Now they need to find the other members of these seven soldiers. They prepare by spliting into teams.

Overview

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and superstar artist Ed Benes bring you the final chapter of "The Lightning Saga," as the villains are revealed!

(Spoilers)

(Five Minutes Until Impact) It is a free-for-all brawl between the current members of the Justice League of America, The Justice Society of America, the time-traveling members of the Legion of Superheroes, and a giant, green tentacle monster. Members of both the JLA and the JSA with heightened senses know something is amiss. While they can see and feel the enemy that they are fighting as well as the Legion members, they sense nothing there. Using his enhanced vision superman hones in on Sensor Girl's ware-abouts--and he is angry. Flying like a blur through the sky over the battle he rushes and grabs his former teammate. Sensor Girl winces in pain and tells Clark that he shattered her shoulder, despite a worried Superman having barely touched her. Power Girl looks deeper and reminds Clark not to trust his eyes, but to use his senses. Superman has been fooled yet again by Sensor Girl.

(Four Minutes Until Impact) The real members of the Legion of Superheroes are currently stationed at specific points in various cities around the world: Tokyo, Central City, Smallville, San Francisco, Gotham City, and Keystone City. (Three Minutes Until Impact) Jay Garrick arrives at Keystone city to talk to Dream Girl. He realizes that she has been lying all along about not being able to see the future, and attempts to talk her out of whatever she is planning on attempting. She says that his being there is not important if her real job is to stall the only one fast enough to stop everything from happening. Jay calls her bluff and assures her that he is not the fastest member on the team as Power Girl, Green Lantern, Red Tornado, and Superman arrive simultaneously at the locations of other Legion members. (Two Minutes Until Impact) Ensuring that he is not tricked again, Superman scans across the entire spectrum to verify that Sensor Girl is actually in front of him, but is only truly convinced when he smells the salt in her tears. Then Superman notices the lightning rod in her hand. She informs Black Canary that the Legion members are planning on sacrificing one of themselves to bring back one of their members.

(One Minute Until Impact) Batman and Mr. Terrific arrive in Gotham City. Batman explains the technology to Mr. Terrific, and Terrific asks what right they have to stop the event before them. Batman likens it to suicide and the two are off. (Forty-two Seconds Until Impact) Around the globe members of the JSA and JLA reach out to the Legion Members asking them to step down. As everyone reaches out to stop them the Legion Members activate the force-fields in their flight rings. (Fourteen Seconds Until Impact) Black Canary activates a device that Batman and Mr. Terrific designed to negate the force-fields (Batman learned about this when he was originally studying the flight rings). The fields buckle for a moment, then repair themselves. Not only had Brainiac 5 designed the force-fields to be impenetrable by the current teams, but they are also self-repairing.

Each member of the Legion prepares themselves for the possible oblivion that awaits them. Only Karate Kid remains without his shield up. (Impact) With his lightening rod aimed to the sky, lightening pours over his body. The other legion members begin to fade away before the eyes of the JLA and the JSA. Karate Kid had brought back not only Wally West, but his wife and children as well. Still alive, Karate Kid begins to fade away as well. Starman gives his ring to Mr. Terrific because he doesn't want to fade away with the others. In The Fortress all of the members exit this time period through their portals except Karate Kid who is told that he cannot go back: his mission is only beginning. The two teams are pleased to have Wally back, and in the future Brainiac is pleased that they brought back who they wanted.