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Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter #4 is an issue of the series Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 2024. It was published on October 23, 2024.
Synopsis for "Chapter Four: Descending"
Deathstroke, Bat-Prince and Alec enter Slen Rastløs, a Draugr-haunted frozen wasteland on the way to Gyllenhjem. They fight their way through an undead army, but Bruce is severely weakened by the lack of sunlight. Bruce asks what happened in Jarnlünd and Slade tells him that the last king, Maxwell I of the Clan Lord, had an affair with Lady Nora, the wife of his court magus Viktor. When Viktor discovered this he cursed the land, transforming the people of Gyllenhjem into the Draugr they are fighting, banishing colour and bringing down the endless Allwinter. Bruce is exhausted by the fight, and appears troubled by the parallels between the story and his own origins, but insists on going on. Alec says that Bruce is a hero, but Slade says heroes are worth little in this place.
As they march onwards Bruce asks why no-one has tried to stop the Allwinter before. Slade replies that the lands around Gyllenhjem are full of Draugr, and the city itself is surrounded by the impenetrable Everstorm. They are attacked by another army of Draugr, and Bruce's powers have diminished so much that one of them is able to slit his throat; he survives but is severely wounded. Slade dispatches the Draugr and tells Bruce that he can't go on, as there is no sun at Gyllenhjem and without his powers Bruce will surely die. Bruce refuses to abandon them, but Slade says he will just slow them down and Alec tells Bruce that he's done enough. Bruce bids farewell to them and retreats south to absorb more sunlight and heal.
Slade and Alec press on through the wastes. They take refuge from a storm in an abandoned tower and Slade asks Alec where he comes from and how he got caught up in everything that is happening. Alec tells Slade that he is from a small village on a distant island which was raided by the Vandal Clan. His family were killed and he fled into a nearby swamp which his people believed was cursed by an evil spirit that dwelt within. In the swamp he met the Green, who restored his colour and told him he would save the world. Slade is still sceptical of Alec's visions, and Alec says he would question why Slade is with him if the Green hadn't told him what happened to his sons. He tells Slade that it wasn't his fault and Adeline was wrong to blame him.
Enraged, Slade grabs him and yells that Alec doesn't know anything about him, but Alec says that he knows it's not too late for Slade to be a hero. Suddenly, a javelin of ice shoots through the window and punches straight through Slade. Rose and Killer Frost enter and Rose throws Slade off the tower.
In Gyllenhjem, Viktor's undead servant Solomon reports that Rose and Killer Frost are heading south with Alec. He asks if he should dispatch Draugr to finish off Slade but Viktor tells him to leave Slade to the storm.
Appearing in "Chapter Four: Descending"
Featured Characters:
- The Deathstroke (Slade) (Apparent Death)
Supporting Characters:
- Alec (Origin)
- Bat-Prince (Bruce Wayne)
- The Guardian Tree (Unnamed) (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
- Vandal Savage (Vandar Adg) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Killer Frost (Fru Caitlin) (Cameo)
- Rose (Cameo)
- Vandal Clan (Flashback only)
- Viktor (First appearance) (Flashback and main story)
- Draugr
- Solomon (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Adeline (Deceased) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Grant (Deceased) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Joseph (Deceased) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- King Maxwell I (First appearance) (Deceased) (Flashback only)
- Lady Nora (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- Alec's mother (Unnamed) (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Earth 118
- Jarnlünd (Flashback and main story)
- Gyllenhjem (First appearance) (Flashback and main story)
- Hvitspiir (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- Jernhal (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- "The Old Swamp" (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- Slen Rastløs (First full appearance)
- Jarnlünd (Flashback and main story)
- Sphere of the Gods
- Underworld (Mentioned only)
- Hel (Mentioned only)
- Underworld (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Bat-Prince's Armour
- Deathstroke's Axe
Events:
- Allwinter
Concepts:
Synopsis for "Heir to the Sea, Chapter Four"
Agents on the surface inform Emperor Manta and Orvax about rumours of a boy who can command sea life. Manta realises that Arthur is alive and dispatches King Shark to kidnap him and bring him to Lemuria for a public execution.
In Gotham the Kents pack up and leave the city, but on the road they are attacked by King Shark and his crew of pirates. Martha gets Arthur behind their cart and tells him to run to the Arkham Orphanage as soon as he hears the sounds of battle. She and Jonathan draw weapons and stand ready to fight the pirates, aware that they cannot win and will simply be buying Arthur time. However, as soon as battle is joined the pirate fighting Jonathan goes down from an arrow fired from the nearby woods. Jim Gordon and Amanda Waller charge out of the woods and join the fight. They reveal that Amanda saw them desert all those years ago, but Jim convinced her to keep it a secret. When they heard the rumours about the boy who could talk to fish, they knew that enemies from the sea would be coming for the Kents and so came to help.
Although the odds are more even, King Shark's strength and savagery still overpowers them. Arthur emerges from behind the cart and runs between his parents and King Shark. The Kents yell at him to run, but Arthur refuses. He charges at King Shark and punches him, driving his fist elbow-deep into King Shark's chest as his eyes glow with power.
Appearing in "Heir to the Sea, Chapter Four"
Featured Characters:
- Jonathan Kent (Narrator)
- Martha Kent
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Emperor Manta/Black Manta (First appearance as Black Manta)
- King Shark (Real name revealed) (First full appearance) (First appearance chronologically)
- Pirates
- Lemurians
- Orvax
- King Shark (Real name revealed) (First full appearance) (First appearance chronologically)
Other Characters:
- Atlanna (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Earth 118
- Kingdom of the Waynes
- Gotham Town
- Arkham Orphanage (Mentioned only)
- Gotham Town
- Lemuria
- Kingdom of the Waynes
Items:
Vehicles:
- Kent's Wagon
Concepts:
- Life Force (Behind the scenes)
Notes
- This issue was originally scheduled for publication on October 16, 2024, but was delayed by one week.
- Arthur is stated to be seven years old at the time of the second story, which would put it approximately eighteen or nineteen years before the events of Dark Knights of Steel (Volume 1). It is possible that the House of El are on Earth by the "present" of the story, but have not yet revealed themselves to the world.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter series
- Images from Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter Vol 1 4