1. I was young,
just 28, on the road
with my act.
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2. For the past few years,
I'd been entertaining
audiences
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3. with my astonishing illusions
and wondrous wizardry.
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4. But now,
I had a wife, Sindella,
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5. and our 2-year-old daughter,
Zatanna, waiting for me
back home.
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6. My act was a success.
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7. My stage illusions
were renowned,
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8. thanks to a touch
of real magic.
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9. My audiences
were always dazzled.
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10. But one night,
something went wrong.
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11. A curtain caught fire.
The fire spread quickly.
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12. The audience was in danger.
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13. Without a second thought...
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14. I used my magic
to put out the flames.
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15. Uh... Presto!
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16. - The audience thought
it was all part of the act.
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17. My grand finale.
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18. But for me,
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19. it was a new beginning.
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20. Teekl!
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21. Mother of Goat!
Diamond-guy killed Teekl.
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22. Causing Klarion
to return to his true form
as a Chaos Lord.
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23. A form he could not maintain
on the Earthly plane.
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24. Now, with that lovely bit
of nastiness out of the way,
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25. it's time to have some fun.
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26. Let's start
with this eyesore.
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27. Whee!
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28. That was entertaining.
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29. Lord of Chaos,
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30. you dare meddle
with the balance of...
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31. Oh, well done, Flaw.
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32. I do believe
you spared us a lecture.
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33. Damn it. Local Ley lines
have been disrupted.
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34. Power of Zeus!
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35. I simply cannot understand
how Klarion allowed
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36. such pathetic creatures
to thwart Chaos' will.
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37. Hmm. Time to unleash
the chaos.
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38. I got them.
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39. Ah! I'm okay.
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40. Dad.
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41. Space Trek 3016,
Episode 516,
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42. scene 16, take 16...
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43. Action!
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44. Captain, we're surrounded.
Shields are failing.
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45. There's only one way
to survive this.
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46. Cut!
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47. Okay. Great stuff, people.
Really great.
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48. We're just gonna
run it one more time.
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49. For coverage.
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50. Gar, buddy,
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51. this is supposed to be
life or death for Tork.
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52. And at nearly 3:00
in the morning,
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53. with everyone on overtime,
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54. it's almost
life and death
for me.
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55. So can you please
just give it more...
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56. More.
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57. Sure. J.A. Sure.
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58. More "more" coming right up.
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59. Space Trek 3016,
episode 516,
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60. scene 16, take 17...
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61. Action!
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62. - Line.
Cut!
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63. Dang it!
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64. Now I'm just a flaming diamond
careening through
time and space.
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65. I hate to admit it,
but I need a hero.
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66. Good morning, Charlie.
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67. Morning, Penny.
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68. Okay, kids. Next stop, school.
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69. - Uh-uh-uh!
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70. No fussing
and frowning allowed
on old Charlie's bus.
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71. Only nice big smiles.
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72. I had that.
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73. I didn't want to
take the chance.
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74. As it is, your landing
could have destabilized
the entire bridge.
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75. - It didn't.
But it could have.
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76. - We don't yet know
the limits of your powers.
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77. Huh! Since when does
Superman have a sidekick?
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78. - Sorry, Super... boy.
Duty calls.
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79. Dang it, too late.
Gotta find another hero.
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80. But first,
I need an anchor
to this mortal plane.
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81. This motorcycle will do.
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82. I'm taking over
your dumb skateboard, mortal.
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83. Uh, it's a bus.
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84. Bus. Bus.
You knew I meant...
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85. Hey, you remind me of somebody.
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86. After saving
the audience from the fire,
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87. I was moved to do more
with my abilities
than simply entertain.
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88. Lacking a clear
direction forward
drove me to distraction.
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89. And then...
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90. there he was,
the Superman.
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91. I had, of course,
heard of the Man of Steel,
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92. but I had not yet seen him
through my daughter's eyes.
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93. Superman astonished the world
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94. with wondrous feats of flight
and strength and courage.
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95. But behind his heroic acts,
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96. I saw an alien
from another world,
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97. an immigrant like me,
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98. fighting to keep
his adopted planet safe.
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99. Could I not do as much
for my adopted country?
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100. I pondered this question.
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101. I prayed for guidance
until I knew
what I needed to do.
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102. Sindella was nervous for me,
but understood.
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103. - And so, inspired by...
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104. - ... Superman and my daughter...
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105. it began.
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106. Between performances
and family time,
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107. I used my gifts
to protect and serve society.
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108. Still, I wished to do more.
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109. And just like magic...
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110. Dad? Nabu? Anybody?
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111. Oui.
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112. Your father is well enough.
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113. Now do you believe
that Child is a threat?
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114. We do.
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115. And that you need
our help to fight her?
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116. Possibly.
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117. What the hell was that?
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118. Stealing our power
without asking.
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119. There wasn't time to ask.
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120. The kid had just demolished
the Tower of Fate.
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121. I was the only one conscious
to even try to stop her
from doing it again in...
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122. I don't know,
New York or El Paso.
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123. Look, I'm sorry.
I am.
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124. But I had to
give it a shot.
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125. - All right.
- Yeah, I guess.
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126. But please
do not do that again
without asking first.
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127. Hmm.
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128. The hunt for Child
will now commence.
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129. Can you call on
the Lords of Order,
ask for a power boost?
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130. That is not their way.
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131. Nor will it be necessary.
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132. Listen, bubala,
you're giving me fits, here.
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133. Last season, it was
all that prima donna crap,
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134. feuding with
the not-to-be-missed Granny,
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135. outsiders missions
making you late,
et cetera, et cetera.
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136. But at least you were sharp,
in the moment.
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137. This year, I can't even
get you to focus.
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138. You're, like,
a million miles away.
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139. More like 140 million.
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140. Uh, okay.
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141. Look, I know your buddy
Superboy passed.
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142. Do you need some help dealing?
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143. The studio has resources.
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144. No, man, I'm fine.
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145. Just...
I'm tired.
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146. So maybe you need a rest,
you know, some downtime, huh?
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147. Yeah, right.
I thought everyone's jobs
depended on me.
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148. We've been building up
Harvey's Lieutenant Der'Chow
character.
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149. He's become
a real fan favorite, see?
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150. The suits think
he can carry the load...
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151. You know, until you're rested
and ready to return.
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152. Just think about it.
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153. We love you, kid.
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154. I just want
what's best for the show.
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155. And you, of course.
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156. Kent Nelson
gave me direction, focus.
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157. Over the next few years,
the work dedicated
to my secret calling
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158. increased exponentially.
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159. But between
my public stage career
and my secret life as a hero,
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160. I spent less and less time
at home.
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161. Kent helped out,
practically becoming
a member of the family,
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162. watching over them
when I could not.
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163. Still, I hated being away
from Sindella and Zatanna.
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164. Once again, I prayed on it
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165. and came to believe
my absence from my family
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166. was a necessary sacrifice
for the greater good.
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167. But God, the universe
or fate had other ideas.
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168. It was not an enemy
that undid me.
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169. It was cancer.
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170. I tried to be there
for Sindella, for Zatanna,
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171. but still I had to perform
to pay medical bills,
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172. had to fight
to protect the world.
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173. Then, in some damned hotel
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174. - in some damned city...
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175. there came another
knock on the door.
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176. Holy moly!
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177. Didn't know
they had active volcanoes
in Sydney.
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178. They do not.
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179. Anyone tell the volcano?
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180. We are too late.
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181. Child has come and gone,
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182. and this land
is forever scarred
by her mark of Chaos.
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183. The Pillar of Fire.
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184. We must go.
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185. But we have to help
the people here.
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186. We have to save
the world.
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187. Fate is correct.
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188. I have summoned the League,
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189. the outsiders,
and every mystic champion
I could recruit.
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190. Sending heroes
to each new crisis
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191. as quickly as Madame Xanadu
predicts them.
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192. But our efforts
will be for naught
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193. unless all of you
stop Child herself.
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194. It pains me
to agree with Nabu,
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195. but he and the Stranger
are right.
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196. We have to go.
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197. Dang it!
Wrong heroes.
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198. Dang it!
They can't help either.
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199. Holy freakin' moly!
Child's reversed gravity.
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200. Is that the wizard?
I can't believe he's helping.
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201. Come. We must find Child.
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202. Dang it!
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203. Whoa!
This one's even bigger
than the one in Sydney.
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204. Better to destroy
the entire World Ocean.
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205. But Child
is already gone.
So we must follow.
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206. Oh!
I feel split in half.
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207. - I have to go
through this twice?
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208. Dang it! Whose idea was it
to split the Earth in two?
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209. Holy mo...
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210. Don't even say it.
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211. Child is gone.
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212. Finally we're safe.
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213. Dang it!
I keep seeing
the same heroes.
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214. Dang it.
Now I don't see
any heroes at all.
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215. Dang it!
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216. There are no other
heroes here yet.
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217. Dang it!
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218. That means
we're getting closer.
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219. Dang it!
Dang it! Dang it!
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220. But we're the only ones here.
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221. We have to stop and help.
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222. Follow the plan.
We need to be
where Child is now.
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223. Dang it.
That was them.
That's who I need.
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224. Oh, but not this soon.
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225. The loss of my wife
sent me reeling, spinning.
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226. At Kent's suggestion,
and with his recommendation,
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227. I joined the Justice League.
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228. While I still battled
mystic threats,
I no longer faced them alone.
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229. I cut back on
performance tours,
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230. - and when I did travel...
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231. - ... I brought Zatanna with me.
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232. And still, I was spinning.
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233. For just as I had been inspired
by Superman, Kent, and others
who had come before me,
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234. I, unfortunately,
had become an inspiration
to those coming after.
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235. Thus, in a moment of crisis,
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236. my little girl over-reached.
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237. And in that moment,
my compass ceased to spin.
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238. Great Nabu,
release my daughter.
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239. No.
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240. Then and there,
I knew exactly what I must do.
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241. As if my entire life
had been designed
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242. like perfect prestidigitation
to lead up to this very moment.
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243. Take me instead.
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244. No, please!
This was my fault.
Dad, don't! Dad!
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245. But to her,
it must have seemed
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246. as if I was abandoning
my girl once again,
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247. taking my show
on the road permanently.
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248. Giving her no more
than one hour of my time
and attention every year.
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249. Daddy.
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250. But I took on
this burden.
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251. Sacrificed myself
to save my daughter.
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252. Action!
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253. Captain, we're surrounded.
Shields are failing.
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254. There is only one way
to survive this.
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255. We must surrender.
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256. Cut!
Print. Perfect.
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257. Jeez! It's cold!
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258. Gut it out,
and follow the plan.
Now!
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259. My compliments, humans.
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260. Your species has done
a marvelous job
melting this polar ice cap.
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261. But I believe I can do better.
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262. Care to watch?
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263. You can't kill me!
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264. Power of Zeus!
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265. Child, your mayhem
on this world ends now.
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266. We will restore peace,
where you have wrought havoc,
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267. for we are
the defenders of Order,
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268. the conquerors of Chaos.
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269. And for you,
a fate worse than death.
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270. Ooh! Pretty, pretty,
pretty, pretty!
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271. Like I said...
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272. You can't kill me!
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273. You can't kill me!
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274. But I can kill every
living thing on this world.
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275. Dang it!
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276. No, wait. This is it.
I found them.
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277. Dad.
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278. Why do you tell us
what we have no need to know.
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279. There must be a record.
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280. We both know
my body cannot last forever.
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281. But you and the Helmet
will endure.
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282. I tell you these things,
so that when the time comes,
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283. you may tell my daughter.
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284. That is not
our responsibility.
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285. It is your responsibility.
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286. As long as you hold
my body hostage,
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287. I charge you, Nabu,
pass these words, my story,
on to my daughter.
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288. Hmm, fine.
We will honor your wishes
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289. if that becomes necessary.
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290. Oh, it seems
quite necessary.
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291. For in this coming battle,
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292. I will not allow
my daughter to perish.
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293. And it will almost
certainly take
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294. all that remains
of my vim vitae,
my life force,
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295. for Doctor Fate to survive,
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296. let alone triumph.
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297. The Stranger
had the right idea.
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298. We're in a crisis situation.
Again.
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299. If we make it out of this,
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300. we can't rely on
another villain like Wizard
to come through for us.
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301. Jeff, I think we have to start
thinking about organizing
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302. a true Justice League
Reserves system.
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303. Unfortunately,
I have the feeling
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304. we're going to need it
more and more
in the days to come.
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