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After regrouping and pinpointing Steppenwolf's location alongside the Mother Boxes, the team wasted no time boarding Batman's Batplane, flying directly towards their foe.
Unlike the original story's pitifully small Justice League lineup, Batman's team this time boasted incredible strength.
Not only were the original Justice League members present, but external reinforcements like Roger and Thor had also joined the fray.
And to top it off—
"I suppose... I'm not too late?"
Hovering outside the Batplane, Superman, now fully restored to his senses, floated in place and addressed the people inside.
Seeing Superman's arrival, smiles spread across the Justice League members' faces.
With Roger already on their side, victory against Steppenwolf was practically assured.
Now, with Superman added to the mix, the final battle against Steppenwolf was unquestionably in their favor.
With such overwhelming power, there was no way to lose!
Roger knew such confidence might sound like tempting fate, but even if he planted all the proverbial "flags" imaginable, there was no way they could lose in this situation.
Even if Darkseid himself were to arrive, with both Roger and Superman present, Darkseid wouldn't stand a chance.
Steppenwolf? A mere warm-up.
Superman's addition was invigorating for morale, and the team pushed their flight speed to the limit, heading straight for Steppenwolf's location.
As in the original story, a glowing red dome resembling a giant cocoon had been established in a radiation-saturated area.
Roger and Superman didn't even need their X-ray vision to confirm it—Steppenwolf was surely hiding within, and the decisive battle was about to begin.
Batman organized the Justice League's strategy, while Roger turned to his squad members and said:
"Well... this is basically a walkover. Just charge in, but keep some level of coordination. Thor, you and Clarice work well together, so you handle the smaller enemies. Jean..."
Roger looked at Jean Grey, then turned to the Flash (Barry) and Cyborg (Victor), and said to Jean:
"Whatever happens, you absolutely must protect Barry and Victor. They are the key to everything. Nothing can happen to them."
Victor had to separate the Mother Boxes, and Barry was responsible for charging him up. Their roles were more critical than even defeating Steppenwolf.
If the Mother Boxes couldn't be stopped from merging, the devastation unleashed would obliterate the planet.
As the original story showed, the Mother Box fusion's shockwave was powerful enough to disintegrate Superman.
If Barry hadn't reversed time and rewound events, Darkseid wouldn't have needed to manipulate Superman. He could have simply taken over Earth without resistance.
Thus, protecting Barry and Victor was paramount, and with Jean's telekinetic abilities, she was the perfect choice for their guardian.
While Roger finalized his team's assignments, Batman completed his own battle strategy.
Without Superman present, Batman might have spent time figuring out how to breach the protective dome surrounding Steppenwolf.
But with both Superman and Roger here, things were far simpler.
Batman gave Superman two instructions:
Destroy the outer dome.
Take out the central pillar supporting the dome.
Superman followed the plan. Within seconds, the protective barrier was gone, and Superman charged directly into the enemy forces, heading straight for Steppenwolf at the center.
Superman's entrance marked the battle's beginning.
Justice League members leaped from the Batplane one after another, with Batman driving his Batmobile straight into the parademons.
Clarice opened a portal, sending Thor and Jean ahead.
The moment Thor stepped through, he leapt into the air, summoning lightning. Wielding Stormbreaker, he slammed it into the ground.
Lightning flashed, blue electricity danced across the parademons, and within moments, half the enemy forces were obliterated.
"Cool."
Seeing Thor's display of raw power, Roger whistled.
He'd thought Thor had gotten rusty after spending months drinking and gaming. But now it seemed Thor hadn't lost his edge.
At least a few months of indulgence hadn't turned the God of Thunder into a has-been who couldn't wield an axe.
Relieved, Roger turned to Clarice and said, "You stay here."
Clarice blinked, confused. "Stay here?"
"Yeah, no need to step out. This is over already."
Roger's words weren't exaggerated.
What should have been an epic battle that stretched to its limits was over in less than two minutes.
Superman had already sent Steppenwolf flying like a volleyball, launching him out of his safe zone.
Roger wasted no time, accelerating towards the airborne Steppenwolf. Like a relay, he struck Steppenwolf mid-air, slamming him into the ground with a thunderous impact.
BOOM!
The ground cratered around Steppenwolf, who lay at its center. Superman followed immediately, landing on Steppenwolf and pummeling him relentlessly.
This recreated the iconic scene from the original story, but this time, the team had plenty of time.
This was why Roger had said Clarice wouldn't be needed.
With Thor clearing parademons and Batman drawing enemy attention, Wonder Woman and Aquaman didn't even need to join the fight. They stood by as spectators.
It was almost comedic.
Despite gathering such a formidable team to face Steppenwolf, Superman and Roger rendered most of their efforts unnecessary.
But that was the reality.
With Superman, Earth was one of the safest places in the universe.
Even ten Steppenwolves wouldn't be a world-ending threat.
The only true crisis would be Darkseid himself, but it wasn't yet time for his appearance.
"Is it... over already?"
Thor, having finished off the remaining parademons, expressed his confusion at the anticlimactic resolution.
Roger shrugged.
"With him here, this was never a big deal. The real crisis comes later. For now, just enjoy the cutscene."
"Got it."
Thor quickly understood Roger's meaning.
The group wasn't facing the final boss yet—Steppenwolf was just a mini-boss.
Mini-bosses could be tough, but with Superman and Roger in play, even mini-bosses were trivial.
The rest of the process unfolded smoothly.
Victor separated the Mother Boxes while Barry provided energy.
Without any snipers like the original "Parademon Sharpshooter" to disrupt Barry, he completed his task effortlessly, allowing Victor to finish the separation.
Darkseid didn't even make an appearance; the separation was completed so quickly that the portal wasn't opened.
"It's over. Job done."
What should have been an epic showdown was wrapped up in under ten minutes.
Half of that time was spent traveling to the battlefield.
The Justice League members dispersed, and Roger's group decided to stay in this world for a while before starting their next journey.
Thor was the main reason.
He had only just arrived and hadn't explored the world yet. Since his reason for joining Roger was to play games in other worlds, Roger couldn't deny him this opportunity.
Roger also wanted some downtime, so he decided to rest in this world temporarily.
Meanwhile, with Earth safe, Roger could send his "son," Ryan, to this world for some "education."
"Are you sure you won't join the Justice League?"
...
Three days after the battle, sitting outside Superman's house, Bruce, Clark, and Roger looked out at the fields.
Bruce posed the question.
"Do you think I'm suitable?"
Lounging on a chair, Roger lazily replied:
"I've got my own team, and I'm always jumping between parallel universes. I'm gone for ages, sometimes forever. You still want me on the team?"
Bruce nodded. Roger's reasoning was sound—a hero frequently absent, potentially forever, wasn't ideal for the Justice League.
But Bruce added, "The Justice League will always have a place for you."
"Thanks."
Although Roger didn't need it, he appreciated the gesture.
Hearing this, Clark turned to Roger and asked, "So how long do you plan to stay this time?"
"Until Ryan starts school. I can't just leave him here indefinitely."
Roger had already sent Ryan to this world.
...
It was summer vacation, so Becca allowed Ryan to visit. For Ryan, it was like a trip to another world.
Ryan didn't want to be away from his mother for too long.
While he disliked Butcher, he cared deeply for his mother, Becca.
Becca, as the most constant presence in Ryan's life, meant far more to him than Roger ever could.
Roger and Ryan's relationship was more like that of friends with a significant age gap. Roger never treated Ryan as a traditional father would.
So Ryan preferred staying in his own world over traveling with Roger to save other universes.
Roger didn't force him.
At the end of the day, Ryan was still a child, even younger than Clarice. If not for Ryan's abilities, Roger wouldn't have considered taking him to other worlds.
"That child... he's your son, isn't he?"
Clark suddenly seemed curious about Ryan.
"What's his mother like? Was there anything... unusual when Ryan was born?"
Roger froze, surprised by Clark's interest, but quickly realized where this was headed. His smile turned mischievous as he said, "Lois... right?"
"Cough, cough, cough—"
Clark choked immediately.
Roger laughed, patting Clark's shoulder.
"I get it. You're wondering if Lois could have your child. While my situation is a bit unique, theoretically, it shouldn't be a problem.
"The odds are lower, but it's possible. The only issue might be the child's powers manifesting uncontrollably at birth... Hmm."
Roger thought for a moment.
"But since Kryptonians only gain powers under sunlight, your child would likely be normal until they're born. Nothing to worry about."
Roger's answer visibly eased Clark's mind.
After being with Lois, Clark had more concerns.
As a Kryptonian, he had to be careful in everything he did with Lois, ensuring she wouldn't get hurt—especially in intimate moments.
And then there was the question of children.
Clark wouldn't pressure Lois, but the possibility of children was something he had to consider.
Whether Kryptonians and humans could even have children was a question that loomed over him.
Seeing Roger with his son had sparked hope for Clark. Though Roger wasn't Kryptonian, the similarities were close enough to give Clark reassurance.
Hearing Roger's response, Clark felt much more at ease.
After all, this was the advice of someone with experience.
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