The Bug People fires the nuclear missiles while Mantis and Orion clash in combat. Mantis attempts to stop Orion on his heels by mentioning how his destiny is to serve Darkseid, but those words only enrage Orion, who blasts the bug until his apparent death.

Lightray attempts to stop the missiles, but DeSaad commands his men to shoot him down, but Orion comes to his assistance while the Bug People escape to their home via Boom Tube. Together, they gain enough speed to catch up with the missiles. Without Lightray's knowledge, Orion uses a Boom Tube to send the rockets toward the insects' homeland to destroy their base.

On the wasteland, Orion feels a turmoil of emotion, unable to understand why there's no joy in fulfilling his revenge. Metron appears and reminds him that only Darkseid lives to find joy in the death of others. Orion justifies himself, saying they deserved it for killing the woman he cared about, and Metron replies Forager is alive. After giving him a cryptic message, Metron leaves, and Forager arrives shortly via Boom Tube, surprising Orion. But more shocked is Forager, who is horrified by the sight of her people's demise. Crying, she asks him if he is any different than Darkseid, a question that weighs a lot upon Orion's conscience.

Meanwhile, Metron follows the events revolving around Lightray, who takes Eve Donner back to her home. Metron witness Eve's past, the life of a failed and lonely writer who never found true love until she met Lightray. Lightray returns to New Genesis, where he finds Highfather, worried about Orion becoming more and more like Darkseid.

In Apokolips, Darkseid notices the Anti-Life crystal's energy is fading, so the time is ripe to harvesting another possessor of the Equation. Immediately, Desaad sends his Parademons to kidnap Eve Donner.