WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Justice League Odyssey #8, by Dan Abnett, Daniel Sampere, Juan Albarran, Ivan Plascencia and Andworld Designs, on sale now.
Throughout the annals of DC comics history, Darkseid has been one of the top villains. Whether he's invading other planets or enslaving the universe using the Anti-Life Equation, it's difficult to consider the iron-fisted ruler of Apokolips as anything other than a tyrant.
Justice League Odyssey seemingly continues down this path, as Darkseid appears to rummage through the Ghost Sector to acquire relics to create a means of living forever. But Issue 8 adds a shocking twist by revealing Darksied's new project isn't just a tool to preserve life; it may be the key to defeating the destroyer known as Perpetua.
In the current Justice League arc, we discover Perpetua was the creator of the last Multiverse who was locked away by her son, the World Forger. After Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom broke her out and destroyed the Source Wall, they're now looking to manipulate Perpetua into reshaping the Multiverse the way they see fit. However, when the wall shattered, Darkseid was the first to feel the agony in the Ghost Sector as Apokolips and New Genesis were apparently taken out by the cosmic shockwave. But while he couldn't prevent those tragedies, the New Apokolips the villain wants to build is meant to be a safe haven for the future, while also holding another crucial role in the war to come.
On the planet Aeolon, Darkseid is imprisoned by Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael and Jessica Cruz after he was attacked by the cosmic vultures known as the Eskaton. The Justice League figured out he's scouring for relics across the Ghost Sector, and using these hidden planets as building blocks and keys to creating the planet known as Sepulkore. However, Darkseid explains fully what Sepulkore really is, and in the process, his words prove to be shockingly earnest and convincing.
Firstly, Sepulkore is indeed an ark that will house all the planets in the Ghost Sector so that they can exist in the next Multiverse. Darkseid sees this as order, especially as he senses Perpetua will be unleashing chaos soon and devouring this current reality. His ancestors predicted this and that's why they left the Other Box and other tools to build this New Apokolips, as it's the only way to safeguard the right people needed to rebuild and possibly fight Perpetua when she tries writing her next chapter.
However, apart from being a safety boat or "panic room" that's also going to withstand residual energy waves following the Source Wall's demolition, we find Sepulkore can also function as a Warworld. Given that it's impervious to Perpetua's destructive energies, Darkseid hints it won't just be a piece of defense, but it'll also be used for offence too.
He even hints at the weapons it boasts, similar to Star Wars' Death Star, and that's why the League decides to help the New God. Finding the relics will unlock its true potential and turn it into the bastion of hope and saving grace the DCU needs moving forward. As much as the heroes don't like the idea or trust Darkseid fully, they know they'll need all hands on deck and every weapon of mass destruction to stop the goddess when she inevitably returns to action. Ultimately, Sepulkore serves everyone's purposes and right now, it might be the DCU's only hope against Perpetua which leads to a reluctant alliance for the greater good.
Justice League Odyssey #9 will go on sale May 8.