The Road To Trinity War

It all started on August 31, 2011, with the publication of Flashpoint #5...

As Barry Allen attempted to fix the damage he caused to the Timestream, as depicted in the Flashpoint mini-series, a mysterious entity inserted herself into the equation, effectively changing reality to suit her unknown wishes.  The history of the entire DC Multiverse would be rewritten by her deeds.

Justice League #1-6 - The mysterious entity, revealed by DC as "Pandora," is next seen in a background shot in Justice League #1, innocuously observing Victor Stone's football game, which was being interrupted by the arrival of Batman and Green Lantern in search of Superman.  Justice League #1-6 are set five years in the past, anchoring the history of the new DC Universe.

Justice League #6 - After the newly-formed Justice League defeats the Apokoliptian invasion, the first Epilogue of Justice League #6 has two shadowed figures meet to discuss the uprising of all of these recent "super-heroes."  The one wearing the three-eyed skull medallion states, "Well, then.  I guess they'll call us super-villains."  This figure casts a very interesting shadow: a seemingly caped figure with pointed "ears" and what appears to be a beak.  An owl, perhaps?

The second Epilogue of Justice League #6 has Pandora and the Phantom Stranger bickering about each other's sins.  The Stranger scolds her for getting involved in the affairs of mankind, decrying her rewriting of reality during the Flashpoint.  Pandora retorts, "I realigned it. I strengthened it," to which he replies, "You think you did. You're dangerous."

The Stranger makes the first mention in the new DCU of "the Circle of Eternity," who are the "Witches and Warlocks" which condemned him and Pandora in the first place.  Pandora wonders if they survived the rumored destruction of the Circle. The Phantom Stranger mentions that the Third Sinner is still out there, "still walking."

Pandora leaves their encounter determined to find again the box which caused all of this misery, vowing, "I will be released from my curse. But only after I find and imprison The Strange. You won't help me do that. But the Justice League will. Whether they like it or not."

Team 7 #7-8 - Set shortly after the Justice League was formed five years ago, the government battalion known as Team 7 goes to the island nation of Gamorra, where the fascist leader, Kaizen Gamorra, has possession of Pandora's Box.  He sacrifices many of his followers in hopes of opening the box to gain the power hidden inside. One of Kaizen's precogs tells the members of Team 7 that he foresees a battle where Pandora battles Majestic over possession of the box, with Team 7 joining in the fray, leading to the entire world being thrown into chaos over this conflict.  The precog states, "No one can control Pandora's Box.  The box cannot be touched."

The Kaizen, however, has amassed enough to conceivably open the box and attempts to do so.  In a desperate attempt to avert global calamity, Majestic dive-bombs off the coast of Gamorra, creating a tidal wave that destroys the island almost completely.  Several members of Team 7 die in the conflict, but Pandora's Box is eventually successfully recovered and taken to the United States.  Presumably, this is when it becomes housed in the Black Room of A.R.G.U.S.

New 52 #1s, September 2011 - Pandora would then appear in all 51 other #1 issues of the September 2011 DCU monthlies, always in the background, observing the various heroes and/or villains in action, mostly set in the present day, with the exception of titles like Action Comics and All-Star Western, which are set at different points in the past of the new DC Universe.  She also makes a bonus appearance in Batman #2 as well (but no other #2 issues)!

Justice League #7 - The back-up serialized origin of Shazam in the New 52 begins, finishing up in issue #21.  The wizards and magic featured throughout this story have an important link to Pandora and her quest. Shazam's new origin runs through Justice League #7-11, 0, 14-16, 18-21.

The New 52! Free Comic Book Day 2012 - The origin of the Trinity of Sin is depicted, set roughly 2000 years ago, including the Circle of Eternity, who judge Pandora, the Phantom Stranger and the Third Sinner to eternal lives wandering the Earth in penance for their sins. Pandora claims she was duped but to no avail.  In the present day, Pandora sneaks into the Red Room, which houses extraterrestrial, unidentified and classified technology recovered from across the globe. Her presence there seems to prompt the Monitor Machine device to pick up a signal from and actually view another Universe!  Scenes from Earth 2 are shown before cutting off abruptly as Pandora leaves.

She then breaks into the Black Room, which contains the world's most dangerous supernatural artifacts.  She finds the crate containing her box, but is confronted by Steve Trevor and his A.R.G.U.S. troops, who attempt to stop her, but she escapes with the box. It's important to note that Pandora's skull-shaped box has the same appearance as medallion worn by the "super-villain" in Epilogue 1 of Justice League #6.

Following this scene are five pages with a glimpse of the coming Trinity War, showing the members of the Justice League battling other super-heroes while Batman is carrying Pandora's Box.

Justice League Dark #14 - After defeating Nick Neckro, the grouping of magical heroes known as "Justice League Dark" take a rest while looking for a way to rescue Zatanna and Tim Hunter, who have disappeared.  The Phantom Stranger appears to confront John Constantine, stating that "War is coming among among the Three, Constantine. And it is time you picked a side." Pandora watches them from a safe distance.

Justice League #9 - While in the Batcave, Batman is shown looking at the letter that his father wrote to him in the alternate Flashpoint reality (which the Flash gave to him at the end of Flashpoint #5). Innocuous character scene or more portentous?  This letter is proof to Bruce that reality was once very different and that there is no guarantee that Barry was successful in putting things back exactly as they were (he wasn't, thanks to Pandora).  Is this scene a throwaway or something more?

Justice League #12 - Superman and Wonder Woman begin their romantic relationship with a kiss.

Justice League International Annual #1 - The Brother Eye satellite takes over Kevin Kho's body and uses OMAC to decimate the JLI. Brother Eye mentions a "New Programmer" awakening and repurposing it, and, although that Batman is its creator, Batman is now "the ultimate enemy." After Booster Gold flushes Brother Eye from Kevin Kho's system, Time suddenly freezes and a future version of Booster appears (wearing an A.R.G.U.S. jacket).  Future Booster is rushing to tell Present Booster that he needs to find Steve Trevor and the Justice League of America before it's too late: Superman and Wonder Woman must be stopped before they begin their romance! Future Booster then begins to vanish, fading from reality, regretting trusting an unnamed person.  As the JLI's monitor screens show Superman and Wonder Woman kissing, Present Booster then also fades from reality as well.

Later, in the Detroit branch of S.T.A.R. Labs, Brother Eye appears on monitor screens to taunt its creator, Batman.  Brother Eye says all of its work is because of its new programmer, stating, "And he will destroy you, Batman."  Brother Eye says it will await its new programmer's signal, declaring, "He is coming, Batman. And you will join him or die."

Justice League #0 - Billy Batson finds the Wizard, the seemingly final surviving member of the now-named Council of Eternity.  The Wizard bestows his power upon Billy, transforming him into Shazam, the new champion for the Council with the power of living lightning.  The Wizard then slumps over after transferring his power to Billy.

In the second story in Justice League #0, Pandora, now in possession of the three-eyed, skull-shaped box which caused her to be cursed, discovers that she cannot open it. Suddenly, the Wizard arrives, his power now fading after transferring it to Shazam. He apologizes to Pandora, now realizing that she did not deserve her punishment. Before he disappears in a flash of lightning, the Wizard tells Pandora that "You cannot imprison what has already been unleashed, yet there is still great power contained... and only the strongest of heart or the darkest... can open the box and claim its power... can transform the..." and then he is gone!

In Hub City, the Third Sinner makes his first appearance as the Question in the New DCU, rescuing a little girl from a kidnapper.

Phantom Stranger #0 - The Phantom Stranger's origin is expanded upon, revealing him to have been Judas, who betrayed Christ for silver coins.  After hanging himself, Judas is resurrected by the Council of Eternity and tried for his crimes against humanity.  The Stranger is cursed to wander the Earth in search of how to atone for his sins. He finally realizes, after inadvertently causing Jim Corrigan to become The Spectre, that each time he completes a task, one of his silver coins falls off, bringing him closer to freedom.  These "tasks," however, usually involve betraying an innocent person for the greater good of humanity.

Phantom Stranger #1-2 - The Stranger has crafted a human existence with an Earthly family (shown in Phantom Stranger #1) as Pandora watches him from the window. In issue #2, she confronts the Stranger again, asking for his help to open her Box, now that she has found it. She declares that it can only be opened now by either the strongest of heart or the darkest, and that she needs the Stranger's help in finding who that might be.  The Stranger refuses his help and vows to do everything in his power to stop Pandora, who claims that her salvation and the salvation of the world rest in that box. She then leaves, threatening to expose his semblance of a normal human life to the world.

Justice League #13 - In the backup story, Green Arrow finds Steve Trevor in a bar and shares a beer with him, telling Steve about his recent encounter with Firestorm villain, Multiplex.  Oliver states that taking down Multiplex was fairly simple, but then noticed Multiplex speaking to an unseen someone else.  Instantly, something appears which knocks out Green Arrow, but he is left with the villain's communication device: a silver coin with the same three-eyed skull-shaped visage as Pandora's box as well as the medallion worn by the mysterious shadowed "super-villain" from the first Epilogue in Justice League #6.  Steve recognizes the device of obviously advanced technology and tells Oliver that he had a dangerous errand for him.

Justice League #14 - After being remanded to Belle Reve, the Cheetah speaks to an unseen someone over a communicator of some sort: "I'm in Belle Reve. Just as you requested." She listens and then replies, "Yes, I can wait... Just tell me when Black Manta arrives. Cheetah, out."

In the second story, Black Adam has been freed by Sivana from his millennia-long imprisonment.  Attempting to enter the Rock of Eternity, Adam is barred from entering, but still sees the crumpled body of the Wizard inside, realizing that the Wizard must have bestowed his power onto another champion, whom Adam sets out to find. Once in Brooklyn following the trail of magic, Black Adam begins freeing the Seven Deadly Sins of Man from their human shells, beginning with Sloth, as they form an alliance to destroy Shazam and claim the power of the Rock of Eternity for themselves.

Aquaman #14 - In his cell in Belle Reve after being defeated by Aquaman and the Others, Black Manta is approached by members of Amanda Waller's staff in hopes of recruiting him for Task Force X.  Manta turns Waller down personally, seemingly preferring to wait out his sentence in his cell rather than risk his life in the Suicide Squad.

Justice League #17 - After the Atlantean invasion is repelled and Ocean Master is in custody at Belle Reve, the mysterious owner of the skull medallion declares, "The opportunity is now. It's time for recruitment... starting with the Scarecrow," as he looks at photos of that Batman villain and other villains, including Felix Faust, Poison Ivy, Cheetah, Blockbuster, Copperhead, Grodd, Black Manta, Killer Frost, Mirror Master, and Captain Cold.

Justice League #18 - After the League meets with several possible new recruits to the team, Cyborg realizes that their computer system has been hacked during their battle with the out-of-control robot, Platinum, during which "Someone sent every one of our case files from our secure server to Earth.  Our entire five-year history was stolen from us."  Cyborg concludes that it was someone who was in the satellite, and they did not even bother to cover their trail, leaving an ominous message: an image of a skull and crossbones with "HAVE A NICE DAY" scrolled across the top.

Justice League of America #1 - In an expanded version of the scene from the first Epilogue in Justice League #6, five years ago in London, Professor Ivo meets with the shadowed super-villain with the skull medallion, who declares that he has a map to make and that Ivo has "things to build."

In the Kielder Forest in England (present day),  Green Arrow, who had been disguised a the Dark Hunter, escapes captivity from a group who call themselves the "Secret Society."  At A.R.G.U.S. headquarters, Oliver struggles to tell Steve Trevor about "the guy heading it up" before he flatlines!

Justice League of America #2 - Scarecrow wakes up, strapped into an interrogation chair, in an unknown location.  The same super-villain with the skull medallion is seen for the first time outside of the shadow, revealing his chalk-white skin, his clothing consisting of a bowler hat and purple jacket, holding a cane.  He is very thin.  As he talks to Scarecrow, the Leader punctuates his offer with "Ha" twice.  He offers the Scarecrow extraction if captured, as well as protection, in exchange for aiding the Leader without question when called upon.  He lets Crane know that, "I'm bringing something more frightening than the Batman into this world -- and you could be on the front lines to witness it. You could be more terrified than you've ever been in your life." When Scarecrow wonders what could induce that kind of terror, the Leader simply says, "Join us and find out."

Later, the Leader is in the library of the mansion where Green Arrow and Scarecrow were held, looking at maps and a globe as Ivo reveals that Green Arrow was not recovered, which does not please the leader.

Oliver, meanwhile, has survived his flatlining, and, with the aid of the Martian Manhunter's telepathy, reveals to Steve that he fought an unstoppable Batman-like figure while escaping from the Secret Society.  Steve takes his newly formed Justice League of America to England, following Green Arrow's trail, where they are seemingly confronted by Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman!

Justice League of America #3 - The Justice League trinity are revealed to be immensely powerful robotic duplicates of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, and are eventually dismantled by the powers of Justice League of America's Vibe.  The JLA searches the Kielder Forest but there is no longer a mansion there, only a shingle which dates bak to the 1800s and a broken shard of stained glass.  When Amanda Waller scoffs at the notion of the Secret Society's lair just getting up and walking away, Steve reminds her that the Justice League Dark's headquarters, the House of Mystery, is capable of moving physically as well as through dimensions.

Steve and Amanda conclude that Professor Ivo's presumed suicide was a ruse and that he must have created the robotic doubles of the Justice League.  They concoct a plan for Catwoman to get herself recruited into the Secret Society, which ends with Selina incarcerated in Arkham Asylum, plus Green Arrow joins the JLA.  After escaping Arkham as planned (as detailed in Catwoman #19), Selina is then captured Society members, Signal Man and Blockbuster.

Justice League #19 - In the wake of Damian Wayne's death, Jason Todd and Alfred are overpowered by a masked intruder in the Batcave.  This intruder, who wears a utility belt, is recognized and accepted on palm-print and retinal scans.  Gaining access to a secret chamber within the Batcave (where Batman's blueprints for the Brother Eye satellite are shown) the Intruder goes directly to where Batman keeps his secret protocols designed to defeat each Justice Leaguer in the event of them going bad or being mind-controlled.  The intruder takes Kryptonite from the box marked with the Superman emblem.

Cyborg, Batman, and Aquaman deduce that the intruder was human, not a robot, did not teleport in or use the waterways into the Batcave.  He also was able to obscure his image to the cameras in the cave.  They then get word that Superman and Wonder Woman have liberated hostages in the country of Kahndaq, a country which has been closed to the United States for over twenty-six years, sparking an international incident.  Batman teleports to Kahndaq to confront them, not only over their freedom-fighting action, but also over their new romance which could cause them to lose perspective.

Meanwhile, new Justice League recruits, Firestorm and the Atom, are surprised when legendary villain, Despero, crashes into the satellite!

Justice League #20 - The Atom and Firestorm are joined by their new teammate, Element Woman, and all three try in vain to stop the rampaging Despero, who causes the Justice League satellite to begin to fall from orbit.  Seen only by the Atom, Despero is defeated in a psychic battle with the Martian Manhunter, who promptly leaves afterward, telling Atom not to mention his presence on the satellite to the other Leaguers.

After the satellite is safely brought to Earth's surface, the League discovers that the unconscious Despero is wearing a ring fitted with Kryptonite - the same Kryptonite that had just been stolen from the Batcave!  They realize that the intruder stole the Kryptonite and then gave it to Despero.  Upon further inspection, the Atom notices that a small sliver has been carved out and is missing from the piece of Kryptonite.

Later, Batman shows Superman his Justice League protocols in the Batcave, and reveals that there is no protocol for stopping Wonder Woman.  She has no Kryptonite to stop her in case she ever needs to be taken down.

The Atom is then shown arriving at Amanda Waller's office at the headquarters of the Justice League of America.  She has been a spy for Waller and Trevor, helping them assess the best way to confront each individual Justice Leaguer.

Justice League #21 - The origin of Shazam concludes, with Billy Batson and his new foster siblings defeating Black Adam, which, inadvertently releases the Seven Deadly Sins of Man from servitude to Adam, setting them free upon the Earth.

Justice League of America #4 - Catwoman awakes to find herself strapped in an interrogation chair in the lair of the Secret Society (as planned), quickly frees herself, and sets out to explore the mansion.  She discovers the Leader's study, where a book is opened to what, Selina is shocked to see, is a map of the Batcave.

Also in the room is one large globe of Earth, but also several other globes (at least four are seen) as well as many wall maps.  One of the globes shown has the continents in a flipped configuration compared to our Earth, like a mirror-image (which is reversed).

Selina finds Professor Ivo and eludes him, only to be taken down by Copperhead, on behest of the Society's Leader.

Meanwhile, A.R.G.U.S. scientist, Dr. Arthur Light, is summoned by Amanda Waller to help home in on the frequency used by the Society's communication device (the silver coin apprehended by Green Arrow in Justice League #13) in order to find Catwoman.  One side of the coin has the Latin words for "Let them hate as long as they fear" while the other side has "Forever Evil" written in Latin, along with a picture of a burning skull.  Amanda says that while A.R.G.U.S. can replicate the signal, they have not been able to identify the frequency, most like because, she surmises, it is of biological origin.  Thus, someone in the Secret Society is capable of "manipulating radio waves themselves, or it's not of this world."

Dr. Light tracks Catwoman's signal to somewhere in upstate Minnesota, where the JLA finds the Society's moveable mansion, enter it, and Vibe immediately senses inter-dimensional forces within the house, including technology not from this dimension. They then discover more of Ivo's Justice League robots, right before Ivo's latest creation, the Shaggy Man, attacks them.

Awake again, Selina is questioned by the Leader, just as Dr. Light gets a message through the Society's communication device that he'd been studying.  A blast of force envelops Light.  After Catwoman assures the Leader that Batman will surely come after the Society if anything bad happens to her, he replies, "Good. Ha. That's exactly what we want," promptly shooting a bullet through Selina's head.

Justice League of America #5 - Standing over Catwoman's dead body, the Society's Leader, surrounded by Blockbuster, Signal Man, and Copperhead, assures the others that Batman will come to them once they dump Selina's body on his doorstep.  Signal Man asks, "You have Batman's home address?" to which the Leader replies, "Yes. Ha. I do."  After he and Blockbuster leave the room, the Martian Manhunter reveals himself to have been masquerading as Catwoman, swiftly defeating Copperhead and Signal Man.

The Leader checks in Ivo and the downed JLAers.  Since Trevor was able to track them, there might be backup on the way, so the Leader instructs Ivo to "prepare to transport the manor."  Ivo objects, "So soon? The strain might kill him," to which the Leader retorts that he is replaceable.  He states, "The Secret Society is about the whole. That's why we come together. And once we kill the Justice League of America, the influx of recruits begging to join us will multiply."  After this, the Leader looks at his skull medallion and says to himself, "Ha. If the Joker could see me now."

The JLA is breaking free of Ivo's robots, so the Leader, in a hurry to move the manor, goes to his study, where he opens one of the world globes therein, and presses a red button. Catwoman bursts in upon him, and in their sparring banter, the Leader says, "Oh, my name is a secret." The Martian Manhunter arrives and is challenged by the Leader to attempt to read his mind in order to find out who this strange pale man is.  The Leader opens his mind up a bit for J'Onn's telepathy to see inside, and the Manhunter states, "I ... I have something," as the Leader smiles and asks, "What is it, Manhunter?" A stunned J'Onn says to this stranger, "Like me, you watched your world die."  "Bravo, J'Onn," replies the Leader.

The rest of the JLA has discovered the Society's "teleportation" device: the man known as Chronos, the kidnapped A.R.G.U.S. agent who, as Ivo explains, "secretes temporal energy -- a fuel we can utilize for a variety of things, including personal time travel."  The Society's manor moves by Chronos' power temporarily freezing the rest of the world in Time while the mansion moves in a normal orbit, going wherever they choose, including the Society members, as long as they have the skull communication devices on them.  Since the JLAers have no such devices, they can only watch as the manor and the villains disappear.

As he is fading away, the Leader intones, "It was good to see you again, J'Onn."

Amanda and Steve discuss the mission afterwards, glad to have retrieved Chronos and captured some of the villains, but Amanda wants to know how the Society even found Chronos, who was on a secret mission to locate Booster Gold.  Amanda's agent, the Puzzler, then alerts her that the image on the stained glass recovered from the Society's manor was from an image of Pandora's Box.

Back in the manor, the Leader is talking to an unseen guest, "They know the Secret Society exists, they just don't know why."

The unseen villain says, "And they don't know about me."

The Leader simply replies, "Ha. What a surprise that will be."

Trinity Of Sin: Pandora #1 - Pandora's origin is retold with new details as well as affirming that her opening the box was an innocent act on her part.  Pandora is shown combating the Seven Deadly Sins of Man throughout the ages.  The scene from Justice League #0 is also expanded, as the Wizard tells Pandora, "The box is the key. You must access the great power within. Only the strongest of heart or the darkest... can open the box." He adds, "We... did not create the box. My divinations told me that only... the power within... can end the curse..." after which he vanishes in a strike of lightning.  Pandora realizes that Superman must surely be the "strongest of heart" who can utilize the power within to vanquish the Sins that were released, as well as end her curse, and she sets off to find him.

Although the Trinity War itself will be a separate entry, the identity of the Society's Leader is revealed on the final page of Justice League #22, sparking all kinds of speculation as to the scope of this Event.

All characters, artwork, and images are owned and copyrighted by DC Entertainment.