WARNING: If you don't want to know what happened in this episode, don't read this photo recap!
Well. Brainiac's sentry, in The Voice of Rao's body, is busy siphoning off the intelligence of the Sagittari. Those tendrils of his are hard at work. Not only do they suck up psyches, they also turn the officers into mindless, obedience slaves — doing Rao's bidding.
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The Voice of Rao dismisses his guards, and bids Daron-Vex to his court. After a little roughing up, The Voice of Rao manages to beat down the coup leader into submission, converting him into a blubbering, quivering sycophant. The Voice of Rao asks Daron-Vex what is to be done with the traitors; he says: execute them. Execute them all.
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That includes his own daughter, Nyssa. She's placed under arrest.
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Meanwhile, Lyta and Seg have taken General Zod to Kem's bar, where they proceed to attempt to revive him. Kem takes this time to apprize Seg and Lyta of the stuff happening in Kandor: the recent coup, the nearing execution of Nyssa, all the fun facts. It's a lot to swallow.
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And as Daron-Vex enters Nyssa's chambers to execute her himself, she TRICKS her old man with a hologram, and gets him by the throat. The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree, it would seem.
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Lyta returns to Kandor, and is interepted by Dev. He fills her in on her mother's role in the coup. They team up, all awkwardness notwithstanding, get some guns, and plan their attack on the capital… and Brainiac. It's kind of sweet – in a vigilante love sort of way.
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Then Seg, thinking Nyssa is in danger, bursts into her quarters and… roughs up his father-in-law. Classic family troubles. They ultimately decide to let daddy live and use him for his connections. But he quickly betrays them and runs away.
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That leaves Seg and Nyssa to fend off the two guards that break upon the scene. Which they do handily.
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Well, Lyta and Dev find Jayna out in the snowy outlands. But after Dev takes off his hood, we realize… The Voice of Rao got to him too! And he wants to convert Lyta and Jayna to The Voice of Rao groupies!
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Lyta and Jayna are not about that at all. They shoot Dev dead. Dead Dev is dead.
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Seg and Nyssa – officially fugitives from the law – join up with Kem, General Zod, Lyta and Jayna back at the bar. There's some debate as to whether Nyssa should be allowed to join their little cadre: after all, she did plot a coup, compromising her trustworthiness. Then again, no one can really be trusted at this point, considering how much lying, betrayal, and all around fighting they've all been party to. But six fighters does not an army make. They decide to recruit at the Nova Cycle Ceremony happening later that day.
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Adam returned to the Fortress of Solitude to try to fix his Zeta device, which was acting up, so he could return home after his spat with Seg. While there, Val gives him a pep talk. Along the way, Adam gets the bright idea to carry out his mission: kill Zod, and save Superman.
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And back in Kandor… it's party time! The exaltation of The Voice of Rao.
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Our heroes are prepared behind a turret, ready to open fire and blow The Voice of Rao's cover.
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But before our heroes can open fire on the Voice of Rao, an acolyte interrupts the ceremony claiming the godhead isn't who he says he is. The Voice of Rao agrees, and he steps out onto the altar flames, identifying himself as a transcendent being.
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People go NUTS for this trick. The Voice of Rao is supes popular.
