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Dark Knights of Steel: The Gathering Storm Vol 1 1

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"In the Beginning": This story is reprinted from Dark Knights of Steel #1.

Dark Knights of Steel: The Gathering Storm #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of May, 2022. It was published on March 1, 2022.

Synopsis for "In the Beginning"

This story is reprinted from Dark Knights of Steel #1.

Jor-El and Lara escape the destruction of their home planet Krypton, crash landing on an Earth that is stuck at a medieval level of technology and culture. A band of mounted archers ride out from a nearby castle to attack them as Lara gives birth, but Jor-El obliterates the attackers with his heat vision just as their son, Kal-El, is born. Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Storms, a peasant named Constantine has a vision of demons who will conquer the world, while King Jefferson listens and orders the prophecy recorded.

Nineteen years later, a now grown Prince Kal-El asks a knight named Bruce to let him join a hunt for a banshee, but Bruce refuses as the banshee's magic is one of the few things which could harm Kal-El. Bruce and Alfred ride to Feist Village, which has been evacuated by the Robins, orphan children who act as Bruce's spies and agents. Bruce goes to confront the banshee, whose name is Dinah, alone and accuses her of being an assassin sent by King Jefferson. Dinah denies it and attacks him, her screams levelling the building they stand in but leaving Bruce unharmed except for damaged ears much to both their shock. Kal-El swoops in and covers Dinah's mouth, observing that she looks like a scared girl rather than a monster. Bruce knocks Dinah unconscious and they carry her back to the Castle of El.

Jor-El and Lara, now king and queen of the land, summon them to the throne room. Bruce initially claims he brought Kal-El with him, but Kal-El admits he went of his own accord and without Bruce's knowledge, saying that he is unwilling to let normal men risk their lives for his family when he is almost invincible. He also suggests that Dinah is not the assassin that Bruce's spy in Jefferson's court reports is coming for them, believing that they are imprisoning innocents in their quest to remove magic from the kingdom. It is also revealed that Bruce is the bastard son of Queen Martha, wife of the previous ruler King Thomas. When his mother and stepfather died, Bruce refused to take the throne as the people would never accept a bastard king, and so Jor-El and Lara took power despite believing Bruce should be king.

Kal-El and Bruce begin arguing over Bruce's refusal to claim the crown but Jor-El orders them to stop and tells Bruce to walk with him. They go up to the battlements and Bruce tells Jor-El that he believes he is cursed as he was able to survive the banshee's scream despite being a normal man, and asks to be imprisoned or exiled. Meanwhile in the distant Hobb Forest, the Green Man charges an arrow with magic from his ring and an outlaw named Oliver fires it towards the castle. Jor-El confesses to Bruce that he is Bruce's father, which is why he is strong enough to fight the ones with magic. Immediately after, the magic arrow hits him in the eye and he is killed instantly. Bruce cradles Jor-El's body, his eyes glowing red.

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Synopsis for "Distant Thunder"

This story is reprinted from Dark Knights of Steel #2.

Holding Jor-El's body, Bruce screams in rage and grief. Lara and Kal-El hear him and run up to the battlements and see Jor-El's body. While they grieve, Bruce leaps from the castle walls to the courtyard below and he and Alfred ride hard to Hobb Forest. With his powers seemingly activated by his anger, Bruce displays great speed and strength and easily spots Oliver in the trees. He leaps into the air and cuts Oliver's arm off with a single blow. Alfred restrains Bruce from killing him and they return him to the Castle for questioning.

The Green Man, who left Oliver behind at the behest of his ring, flies to the Kingdom of Storms and informs John Constantine that Jor-El is dead. Constantine reports to King Jefferson, who is watching his children practice their magic power over storms which is the royal family's birthright. Constantine tells King Jefferson that Jor-El is dead, but he is concerned that the situation may be made worse by Jor-El's death, and he has begun to doubt his own prophecy. He also warns Jefferson that he has angered the Els.

At the Castle of El, General Waller calls for war against the Kingdom of Storms, although both Harley and Alfred counsel against it. Still grieving, Lara does not want to send soldiers to their deaths but Waller warns that a pre-emptive strike may be their only hope. Harley asks Bruce what he thinks but Kal-El, who blames Bruce for failing to protect Jor-El, says that Bruce has no right to speak and that he wants to question Oliver and make sure King Jefferon was responsible before they make a decision. The council disperses, but Alfred warns that a war between the House of El and the Kingdom of Storms will draw other kingdoms into the conflict.

Indeed on Amazon Island, Queen Hippolyta's agent Lois returns and informs her that Jor-El is dead. Hippolyta convenes a war council and Lois goes to the training field to inform "the princess" of what has happened. However, it is not Princess Diana she has gone to speak to, but Diana's sparring partner and lover Zala Jor-El, Jor-El's daughter. Weeping, Zala flies off, and Diana and Lois both predict that the war against the Els they have been trying to prevent is now inevitable.

Meanwhile at the Castle, Kal-El storms into the dungeon and dismisses Bruce and Harley. As they leave, Harley tells Bruce she is worried that the loss of Jor-El may drive Lara and Kal-El to lash out and asks him to help her convince them to back down, but Bruce isn't interested in listening, telling her that her words are treasonous.

Kal-El confronts Oliver, who tells him to kill him and get it over with, but Kal-El replies that his family are not murderers. However, at that same moment, Zala Jor-El attacks the Pierce's castle and drops Prince Jacob to his death. King Jefferson blasts her with lightning, but she smugly replies "It tickles" and flies away as Jefferson weeps.

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Synopsis for "The Gathering Storm"

This story is reprinted from Dark Knights of Steel #3.

Master Olsen watches through a telescope as a piece of kryptonite falls from the sky. He sends for a Robin in order to inform the Batman.

The Court of El debate what to do about the fallen star. Bruce says he and Alfred will ride half a day to Lands of Magnus where the star fell. General Waller argues that it is not a good idea for Bruce to leave on a quest after an attack, but Bruce and Quinn are in favor of investigating the star because of the prophecy, which begins with the words “Come from the stars”. Kal-El does not believe in prophecy. Queen Lara decides to send Bruce to investigate but tells him to be quick.

In the Magnus Lands, the metal men ride to investigate the fallen star themselves, but they encounter Zala Jor-El, who kills them.

On Amazon Island Lois informs Queen Hippolyta and General Philippus that King Jefferson is on his way and that Prince Jacob has been murdered, Lois suspects as retaliation for the assassination of King Jor-El but notes that killing Jacob makes no sense.

Jefferson arrives on the shore of Amazon Island with Constantine, but because of Amazonian law, is not permitted to set foot on shore. Jefferson and Hypolyta agree to meet on Jefferson's ship. Jefferson admits to having Jor-El killed and then reveals that Zala Jor-El was the one to murder Prince Jacob. Diana does not believe Zala to be a murderer, and Lois asks why Zala didn't just destroy the castle. Jeferson tells Hippolyta that a war with the Els is inevitable and asks if she will stand with the Kingdom of Storms. Hippolyta agrees. Diana insists the coming war is not the Amazonian's to fight, and, against Hippolyta's order, she leaves Amazonia.

As Jefferson and Constantine sail back to the Kingdom of Storms, Jefferson reveals that causing Diana to leave Amazonia was part of his plan. As Diana is an ally to the House of El, Jefferson wanted her removed from the Amazonian court. Zala Jor-El attacks and fatally stabs Jefferson with a piece of the ship. A dying Jefferson tells Constantine that Anissa is now the queen.

Bruce and Alfred arrive at the site of the meteorite impact to find the slaughtered metal men. Bruce finds the shard of Kryptonite and it makes him weak. He starts to tell Alfred that Jor-El was his father but Alfred reveals that he already knows and that he has a truth to tell Bruce.

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  • King Jefferson's Ship (Destroyed)



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