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How I Met Your Mother (24)
Lie to Me (12)
Trauma (6)

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<Gazes at show description for "Shark Tank">


Um, yeah.

Shark Tank (4)

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Medium (24)
Ghost Whisperer (24)

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Picking up from where the prologue left off, with Black Hand sneaking to Bruce's unmarked grave in Gotham after Hal and Barry leave, Hand has unearthed Bruce Wayne from his grave and holds his skull, as he goes on his usual rambling soliloquy about death, with "Death" in his ear telling him it's hungry. Seemingly talking to the skull itself, Hand tells it that no one escapes death, including "you"; the dead shall rise, and that he is connected to them all. At this moment in space sector 666, black rings spew from the Black Lantern battery like flies.

The next day is the anniversary of Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday, which, since Superman's return has turned from a national day of mourning for the Man of Steel to a day to honor all superheroes who have died protecting the world. We're in Coast City, where Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and some air force pilots among them Cowgirl, celebrate Coast City's return with the lighting of a GL battery monument as Hal mulls to himself about the presence of death in every superheroes lives, and laments the specific losses of love his fellow GL's have endured, John losing Katma Tui, Kyle losing Jenny and Jade, Guy losing but getting back Ice.

Meanwhile we're shown other's mourning in the day of remembrance; in Smallville, Clark, Conner, and Martha are visiting Johnathan's grave, as Conner laments not being around when Jonathan died, and how it should've been him (it was you kid, that's the whole reason you weren't around at the time!); Martha dismisses his guilt and tells them both to stand proud as its what Jonathan would want. Clark assures her that they are.

In Pittsburgh, Professor Stein, Jason Rusch, and Gehenna are visiting Ronnie Raymond's grave. As Stein mourns, Gehenna notes that they might want to turn into Firestorm to check the graveyards toxicity levels. As Jason begins to chastise her for her apparent lack of respect towards Stein's grief, Gehenna points out that although it is raining, all the plantlife in the cemetery seems to be dying.

In the Titans Tower Memorial, Bart is musing to Wonder Girl over how his old memorial statue didn't even look like him. Cassie reminds him that they took it down, to which Bart replies that he wishes they could take them all down.

In the hidden graveyard of the Rogues in Central City, Owen joins the others in what will soon be their own special memorial complete with a keg, gathered around Captain Boomerang's grave.

In Chicago, Fire, Ice, Guy, and Booster are standing at the grave of Ted Kord as Black Canary pulls a single rose from a bouquet to place on Blue Beetle's headstone. The rose begins to wither almost immediately.

In Valhalla Cemetery in Metropolis, many superheroes are gathered to honor those buried there, among them Kyle and Alan at Jade's monument, Damage seemingly lamenting his own survival at the tombs of the Freedom Fighters and his father.

In Amnesty Bay, Mera and Tempest are paying their respect to Arthur Curry's grave, as Garth tries to convince Mera to have Aquaman's remains moved to Atlantis as opposed to being in the earth. She explains being buried here was what Arthur wanted.

Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Alfred arrives with a bouquet of flowers to visit Bruce, but immediately sees the desecrated grave and yells that he's made a terrible mistake.

.....

As evening approaches, Hal goes to the JLA headquarters, while Kyle and Guy are noted to have returned to Oa. Hal however wants to visit Barry first, who is down in the morgue for the League's enemies looking over the tombs, among them Maxwell Lord, Alexander Luthor, Psycho Pirate, Dr. Light, etc. Hal explains to Flash that originally the League wanted to bring the remains of their fallen friends to the Headquarters as well, but did not want to rob their families of being able to pay their respects. Therefore if their identities were public, they were buried in Valhalla cemetary in Metropolis; if still secret, they were sent to their families. Barry asks why the need to keep their old enemies' remains in vaults, and Hal tells him about Dick found out about a body snatching scheme to harvest parts for re-use. Hal tells Barry that the sickening plot is just one of many sick and twisted plots since Barry's death. Bary then asks Hal to tell him who else, besides J'onn and Arthur had died (Wouldn't he have found most of this stuff out by now? Anyway...)

With his ring, Hal conjures an image of many heroes who have since fallen. Barry looks in disbelief as he finds Ronnie among them, then is even more horrified to learn that Ralph and Sue have died as well.

....

In Stonechat Museum, we're greeting with Hawkman on the phone with Ray Palmer, angrily refusing some request from him. Ray tells him that he needs someone to "come with him" but Hawkman is just as steadfast in his refusal. When Atom tells Carter that he's coming through to phone line to talk to him face to face, Carter smashes the phone. Hawkgirl arrives at this commotion, where we learn that Ray wanted Hawkman to join him in visiting Jean Loring's grave. Hawkgirl tries to calm him down and explain Ray's motivations, but Carter is unwaivering, pointing out that Jean destroyed "a love that was as strong as ours was". This prompts Hawkman into lamenting how difficult it is to continue loving Kendra knowing that she does not love him in return.

Meanwhile back at JLA headquarters, Hal has just finished relaying to Barry the sordid details of Sue and Ralph's deaths. A shocked Barry tries to make sense of it, pointing out that Iris had always found Jean to be a bit strange, but how all three women used to often get together for coffee, often inviting Carol. This leads Hal to tell Barry that Carol is okay, but how he hasn't been with her for a long time and that its best that way. With that we're treated to a quick panel to show how okay Carol is: as a Star Sapphire battling the Sinestro Corps.

Just then, a panicked Alfred contacts the League, which Barry and Hal intercept. Alfred babbles about how Dick tried to persuade him otherwise because it wasn't safe, but that he wanted to honor Bruce's wishes and bury him next to his parents...

....

On Oa, the Guardians of the Universe are watching on as the War of Light begins, despite their efforts to stop it. They also are noticing now a shadow sweeping across the light, emanating from Sector 666, approaching them. Outside Kilowog hears from Guy and Kyle about a mass of black rings headed towards them like flies, easily penetrating a force field they tried to create to block them. Within moments the rings are in the atmosphere.

The Guardians realize that Ganthet was right and the war never could have been stopped in the first place, and that they must initiate a Code Black and return all GL's to Oa. Scar disagrees, saying the GL's will in fact not return to Oa, for they will not receive the call. At this Scar finally reveals her true alliance and attacks the other Guardians, viciously biting into one's throat, then pulling his heart out through his chest with her bare hands. Meanwhile the rings are headed toward the GL Corps crypts, once again easily penetrating a shield that the cryptkeeper raises. Guy yells to alert the Guardians but they're not responding. Scar, upon consuming the heart of a Guardian, notes that they abandoned emotions eons ago, and thus their hearts are useless and empty. All attacks against her are easily repelled, as she then goes about coccooning the rest of the Guardians in some disgusting black matter that she vomits up.

Back on Earth, Hal and Barry are in Gotham on the scene, noting that Bruce's skull is gone, with Barry in full cop mode, noting two questions that need to be answered first: who knew Bruce was buried here, and who knew he was Batman?

Swarms of black rings are seen now in sector 2814, many headed for Earth...one headed for Mars.

The rings finally begin calling to their would-be wielders. J'onn J'onzz of Mars, Katma Tui of Korugar, Dee Tylar of Earth, Ryan Kendall of Earth, Roy Lincoln of Earth, Al Pratt of Earth, Roscoe Dillon of Earth, Lisa Snart of Earth. Arthur Curry of Earth. Rise.

A voice calls Hal and Barry's name from behind them.

On Oa, Kyle, Guy and the rest of the Corps on planet are greeting to a grisly sight, their fellow fallen Corpsmen before them, all Black Lanterns.

On Earth, Hal and Barry turn as the voice tells them they shouldn't be back. Hovering before them is Black Lantern Martian Manhunter, proclaiming they both should be dead.

.....

Back at the museum, Hawkgirl finds Hawkman about to leave through a window. When asking where he's going he simply tells her he's going out. Kendra tells him he should call Ray back, as they're best friends.

In another part of the museum a rotted hand wearing a black ring is seen taking a mace from a display.

Kendra tells Carter they need to talk, but he wonders why she's even bothering, why she's even here. Kendra tells him that she knows that everytime their souls admit their love for one another, that's when the hourglass turns and they die before their time. Hawkman says that doesn't matter as she doesn't love him anyway. She retorts that all she's ever said is that she doesn't want to give control of her life over to a curse and destiny. Carter responds that he never wanted to control her or make ever force her to feel anything she didn't. Crying, Kendra tells him he never forced anything on her, she does love him.

Before she gets the words out however she's stabbed from behind by a spear. She falls into Hawkman's arms coughing blood as he screams her name. Before he's able to do anything however he himself is struck across the face with a mace. The attackers are revealed: Black Lanterns Sue and Ralph Dibney. As Hawkman realizes who has attacked them, Ralph strikes him again, knocking his helmet off. As he's dazed and Hawkgirl bleeding profusely, Ralph mocks him, saying that Kendra was going to tell him that she hated him. Ralph grows increasingly crazed and violent, repeating that Hawkgirl hated him, striking him the skull repeatedly and harder with the mace with each word. Finished with his assault, Ralph goes to Sue, remarking how Hawkman and Hawkgirl were never as close as they were. "Were they, bun?"

Hawkgirl crawls to Hawkman and finally professes her love before dying. Hawkman screams her name as Ralph grabs Carter and holds him down, as the Black rings order to feed. Sue reaches into Kendra's chest, as Carter screams at Ralph that he'll kill him. Ralph simply replies that he can't, and rips Hawkman's heart out of his chest. Sue has done the same to Hawkgirl, and the rings seem to feed off the heart's energy, powering them slowly, disintergrating the hearts in the process.

As Ralph and Sue look on, Black Hand arrives, still with the skull, and tells Hawkman and Hawkgirl that they will not escape death this time. Two rings emerge from the skull, instructing Carter Hall of Earth and Kendra Saunders of Earth to rise.