Recap / With This Ring Episode 34

Episode 34: Prayer

Takes place 7-12 February 2011.

Short version

A group of demons empowers a new Sabbac and opens a hell-portal to take over Fawcett City, but Paul repels the invasion with John Constantine's help and takes the Sword of Second and Third.

Longer version

Paul is visiting Fawcett City, where Captain Marvel and Adom are discussing government forms, when the police burst in to report a ritualistic murder showing signs of demon worship. Paul contacts John Constantine, while search teams quickly find other sites dedicated to other demons. It soon becomes apparent that someone is attempting to recreate Sabbac, a demonic champion empowered in a similar fashion to Adom and Marvel.

Paul and John visit the previous Sabbac, Timothy Karnes, who is depowered and in prison, and who wants revenge on whoever is trying to claim the title. Traveling with him to the centre of the murders, they see a Hell Gate open up, unleashing a cloud of demons and the new champion, who kills Timothy, severely injures Marvel with the Sword of Second and Third, and claims the title of Sabbac. Paul steals the Sword and evacuates Marvel to the Mountain (with Beautia Sivana's help), where the Sword of Beowulf is able to heal him.

Returning to the fight, Paul finds that the former carpark has been replaced with a rune-covered demonic fortification. The new Sabbac then expands the Hell Gate to cover the entirety of Fawcett City, and attempts to summon his sponsors. However, John Constantine has altered the spells on the tower, and it instead summons the First of the Fallen, who is incensed to learn that Sabbac lost the Sword of Second and Third (since it's the only weapon he fears). The First summons Sabbac's sponsors himself — except Satanus, who disconnects himself Just in Time — and strips them of most of their power as punishment, then sends Sabbac to Hell. At that point, Paul attacks with the Sword and kills the First.

In the aftermath, John's demonic counterpart is captured, but since Captain Marvel is unwilling to kill him, they just send him back to Hell. He tells them that he expects Satanus to be pleased with the outcome — the First dead and five rivals crippled. John reveals that the real Timothy is still in hospital, and that what Sabbac killed and absorbed was a magical golem, which John then used to track and influence his mind.

The Renegade takes a different approach: instead of just taking the Sword, he immediately uses it to kill Sabbac II. This bothers the League, but avoids the expansion of the hell gate.

The title refers to the demonic worship that was involved in the invasion. Notably, when the portal expands to cover the entire city, tormented souls appear everywhere in an attitude of prayer.

---

• 24-Hour Armor: Grayven wears his armor as clothing. Justified since he's strong and tough enough that it wouldn't inconvenience him at all.
• Armor-Piercing Question: OL says two in quick succession to Captain Marvel in regards to Shazam and the wrongful imprisonment of souls.
  OL: We don't know that they did. It's perfectly possible that whoever did this chose them because he or she knew that they would go to hell anyway. And… There are magics that can send souls to places they shouldn't go. It's not impossible…
  Captain Marvel: That's disgusting.
  OL: Yes, it is. Why did you think Adom hates Shazam so much?
  Captain Marvel: [momentary pause] It's not the same. He didn’t just do it because he enjoyed it. I heard Green Lantern talk about Sinestro; the Wizard thought Adom was heading in the same direction and that would have been a disaster.
  OL: If he really thought that, I understand killing him. But why did he bind his soul to his corpse?
  Captain Marvel: I don't know. But I'm not going to worry about it while there's a murderer loose in my city. [flies away]
• Backstory: Paul tells Captain Cold's to Jade.
• Batman Gambit: Constantine's plan from the beginning was to use a golem of Timothy Karnes to lure the new Sabbac and defeat him. For bonus points, this turns the brainwashed orphan back into the innocent boy he was before he was tortured into becoming Sabbac.
• Beat Still, My Heart: Ishmael Gregor does this to Timothy Karnes to complete the ritual to become the new Sabbac.
• Bilingual Bonus: When Accomplished Perfect Physician sees Captain Marvel's injured state, he says "Wo cao". This means "holy shit" or "fuck me" in Mandarin.
• Bullying a Dragon: Sabbac II had no idea who he was dealing with when Grayven stepped up to end him.
• Cool Sword: The Sword of Second and Third. It has twin blades, made from the second and third most powerful demons in Hell, to slay the first. It's only the size of a large knife and shaped like a tuning fork, but it cuts through anything and negates magic on contact. Thus far in the story, it appears to work on anything - top tier demons, angels, Lords of Chaos, you name it. The Renegade intends to use it to kill Darkseid.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Grayven is able to easily take out Sabbac II. Only part of it can be blamed on Sabbac II's arrogance.
• Didn't See That Coming: Queen Bee getting killed by one of his drones was something Grayven didn't expect to happen.
• Evil Is Petty: Queen Bee targeted the Logans because M'gann annoyed her and she knew the Logans were important to M'gann.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: Renegade Sabbac II is killed with the same sword he used to defeat Captain Marvel.
• Indy Ploy: After Sabbac II literally brings Hell to Earth, John is able to come up with a plan to defeat him which involves summoning an even more powerful demon: the First of the Fallen. John also expected Paul to take care of the First of the Fallen before he became a problem.
• Internal Reveal: Beautia Sivana learns that Captain Marvel is a ten-year-old.
• Just in Time: OL gets Captain Marvel to the Cave just before his ring runs out of power.
• Literal Disarming: Sabbac II cut off both of Captain Marvel's arms in the Renegade timeline.
• Manipulative Bastard: Satanus seems to be this, as Demon Constantine heavily insinuates that everything that occurred works in Satanus' favor.
• The Matchmaker: Paul essentially sets up Kaldur and Dana Dearden on a blind date under the pretense of an interview. This is to help the former get over Tula and because Paul isn't interested in the latter's crush on himself.
• Mythology Gag: When discussing Captain Marvel's name, Paul asks why he doesn't call himself "Shazam". Lieutenant Marvel says that if Captain Marvel did that, he would never be able to say his name without transforming. Lieutenant Marvel's counterpart in the comics had this very problem as his superhero name was Captain Marvel Jr., and he says "Captain Marvel" to transform.
• Noodle Incident: As a result of testing the Ace of Winchesters on Elementals, Paul has to avoid Silt Elementals.
• Oh, Crap!: OL has this reaction when he realizes Sabbac II has the the Sword of Second and Third.
• Physical Fitness Punishment: Wonder Woman makes Paul run a marathon offscreen for skipping a class.
• Summon Bigger Fish: John Constantine tricked Sabbac II into summoning the First of the Fallen, who he knew would be mad at Sabbac II for losing the Sword of Second and Third. The First's presence would have been even worse, except that as soon as he was done beating up Sabbac II's sponsors, Paul killed him with that sword.
• There Is No Kill Like Overkill: As Orange Lantern himself puts it: He goes Raiden on his (First of the Fallen) arse.
• Transformation Is a Free Action: Subverted. OL takes the time Ibac uses to transform to try and take Captain Marvel to safety.
• What Have I Done: Beautia Sivana is distraught to learn that she's been crushing on a ten year old, even kissed him.
• White Sheep: Father Mattias is this in John Constantine's eyes, as the former is the first good priest he's ever met.
• Word of God:
  • Queen Bee knows about Marie Logan in the Paragon timeline because Savage read the Team's mission reports while he was on the watchtower.
  • The Light have someone in mind as Klarion's successor.
  • The power that Zeus bestows Captain Marvel is different from the one he gives Dana through her magic coins.
  • Mr Zoat explains why Paul doesn't use Construct Morrow.
  • The Wizard Shazam will not make an appearance.
  • Mr Zoat explains a part of Constantine's plan.
  • Magic suppression manacles aren't used because they might not work.
  • Truggs was consulted about the villain's plan. However, he didn't give the Sword of Second and Third.
  • The OCPB drew in many who later became Construct Lanterns.
  • The Ace of Winchesters' ability is explained.
  • Zeta tubes work better than Dolmen Gates when going to space.
  • Mr Zoat doesn't plan to use Vartox.
  • You can't use a recording to force a transformation.
  • Mr Zoat has a pairing in mind for Wonder Woman.
  • Mr Zoat elaborates whom Paul might give a ring to.
  • Baron Blitzkrieg 16 died in horrible pain.
  • The ritual site that cleansed the scarab in canon won't be around here.
  • How Cornwall Boy's powers interact with Spell Eaters is explained.
  • The Rocket Reds of Earth 16 aren't a result of Kilowog's meddling.
  • Beautia tutored Billy because he was a particularly needy case.
  • Sabbac II doesn't have his predecessor's weakness.
  • Mr Zoat clarifies what holy men actually use.
  • The First of the Fallen isn't limited to Earth.
  • Nabu wasn't helping fight the forces of Hell because he was preoccupied tracking whoever cast a nasty spell on him.
  • Truggs is being experimented on by LexCorps in the Renegade timeline. It was clarified that this was due to the League of Shadows not being destroyed in that timeline.
  • The Renegade will permanently leave the Team.

---