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---Watchtower---
Barnes found himself seated in an interrogation room, surrounded by superheroes, as he awaited further questioning. Zatanna, a woman with black hair, wearing a female magicians clothes but in a very skimpy fashion.
Despite the tense situation, Barnes was allowed to keep his armor on, though he had to stow away his utility belt temporarily. He glanced at the one-way mirror, contemplating how his encounter with a Gorilla had landed him in trouble with these powerful individuals.
Zatanna began the interrogation, starting with a simple question: "What is your name?"
Barnes's eyes widened at the straightforwardness of the query. "Barnes Taggart Blazkowicz," he replied.
"Okay, Barnes. Why did you kill Gorilla Grodd?" Zatanna inquired, holding a pen to her lips as she awaited his response.
"I killed him because he was trying to mind-hack me," Barnes explained, offering his reasoning.
Zatanna pondered her next question while outside the room, Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman observed the proceedings through the one-way mirror. Diana couldn't help but tease her colleagues, suggesting, "Are you sure he didn't kill him for the thrill of it?"
Batman gave a succinct reply, "No."
Manhunter added his insights, remarking, "It does seem strange that our friend here surrendered after only a few minutes of fighting."
Back inside the room, Zatanna proceeded with her line of questioning. "Where do you come from?" she inquired.
Barnes took a deep breath, preparing himself for his answer. "Will you believe everything I say from this point forward?" he asked, capturing Superman's curiosity.
Before Zatanna could respond, she interrupted the interrogation, requesting Wonder Woman to bring in the Lasso of Truth. Diana entered the room, carrying the lasso, and placed it around Barnes's upper body.
Perplexed, Barnes questioned, "What's this?"
"It's meant to make you speak the truth," Diana explained, handing the handle to Zatanna. With that, she exited the room, leaving Zatanna and Barnes alone to continue the interrogation.
Zatanna activated the lasso, its glow signaling the compulsion, to tell the truth. Barnes straightened himself, locking eyes with Zatanna, his voice compelled by the lasso's power. "My origin does not start in this universe. I come from a different dimension. My abilities and arsenal are inherited from my father, an interdimensional being known as The Doom Slayer. For eons, he fought against the forces of Hell, bestowed with divine blessings from the Seraphim. However, eighteen years ago, he succumbed to his wounds after battling Davoth, the Dark Lord. I arrived here through an interdimensional portal, driven by the sole purpose of eradicating evil from the multiverse."
Zatanna halted Barnes, placing her free hand over her mouth in sympathy. She reflected on the fact that an eighteen-year-old was destined to carry the weight of ridding the multiverse of evil, aware that his father had slain the root of all evil.
Superman shared a similar reaction, knowing that the lasso had never failed before.
"So, your father fought demons and Hell. Is the Hell you speak of similar to what we read in religious texts?" Zatanna probed.
The lasso glowed once again as Barnes responded, "It is the Hell described in religious texts, but it has been sealed since both my father and Davoth's demise."
Superman, satisfied with the answers he had received, opened the door and left, recognizing that Barnes was no longer a threat.
Observing the ongoing proceedings through the one-way glass, Diana turned to Batman and asked, "Did you catch all of that?"
"Being the son of an interdimensional slayer is quite a legacy. I believe it would be best to offer him membership in the League," Clark suggested, approaching his friends.
Batman expressed his concerns about Barnes's readiness to employ lethal force. "Having no qualms about killing, he could be dangerous if left unrestrained," he warned, providing his perspective.
"Batman, despite what you may think, the boy does exhibit some remorse for killing Grodd. Furthermore, his ability to hold his ground against Clark indicates that he could become a valuable ally in the future," Martian Manhunter interjected, attempting to sway Batman's opinion.
"I agree with Manhunter. Someone who can fight alongside Clark and fights for the cause of goodness should be welcomed," Diana chimed in, highlighting the positive aspects of having the stranger join their ranks.
Batman held firm, presenting his logical objection, "The issue for me lies in the public perception. If the Justice League recruits someone who doesn't hesitate to kill, it could be problematic, especially since we haven't finished constructing the Watchtower."
A lively discussion ensued among the heroes, fueled by Batman's statement until Superman interjected with a proposal. "How about this? We can speak with him, requesting that he refrains from using lethal force and proves himself before fully joining us."
Flash contributed his suggestion, saying, "Why don't we offer him life on Earth? We can provide him with a new identity and job, allowing him to acclimate to our world."
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"Very well then. Let's have Zatanna leave the room, return Barnes's equipment, and move him to the isolation cells. Clark, Diana, and I will personally explain the circumstances to him," Batman ordered, finalizing the course of action.
---fifteen minutes later---
Barnes found himself seated in an isolation chamber, grateful to have his utility belt returned to him. As he sat there, contemplating his situation, the door to the chamber swung open, and three individuals entered. The first to step in was a man dressed in a bat costume layered with armor, exuding an air of authority. He was followed by the man with the S symbol on his chest and the warrior woman.
Noticing the commanding presence of Batman, Barnes stood up with his arms crossed, bracing himself for the conversation that was about to unfold. "What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice tinged with defiance.
Superman took the lead in the conversation, stating, "We want to invite you to join our organization known as the Justice League. However..." He glanced at his fellow heroes, indicating that there was a condition to his offer.
Batman continued, "We have a strict no-kill rule within the Justice League. In other words, we adhere to the same principles of justice as any government, allowing criminals to face proper legal procedures after apprehension. Your willingness to use lethal force not only jeopardizes the trust Earth has in us but also undermines the trust we are trying to establish with you."
Unsurprised by Batman's authoritarian stance, both Superman and Wonder Woman exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the significance of his words.
"This means you'll have to give up your arsenal-" Batman began, but Barnes interrupted him.
"I won't. This arsenal isn't just a tool for me to eradicate evil from the multiverse; it is also a symbol of my heritage and a connection to my father. Besides, it feels ironic to have someone dressed for Halloween telling me to abandon my weapons," Barnes vehemently refused to part with even a single bullet.
Superman leaned in, whispering into Batman's and Wonder Woman's ears, prompting them to leave the cell. "We've read the report from Black Canary, and I must say, your background is quite extraordinary," Superman empathized. "Losing your father in combat against the devil himself and growing up without him must have been tough. But it also means you have the opportunity to forge your own path."
Barnes, still defensive, retorted, "And what do you know about choosing a different path?"
Smiling gently, Superman replied, "Maybe not much, but I want you to sit down and hear me out." He took a seat across from Barnes, encouraging him to do the same.
"I don't come from Earth. My entire race was wiped out when I was just an infant, and I was sent to Earth as a symbol of hope... that's what this S on my chest represents," Clark explained, placing his hand over his heart.
Barnes, intrigued, asked, "What does hope have to do with an arsenal of weapons?"
Clark began to elucidate, "Everything. It's about how you use them to bring hope. With my abilities, I could have easily taken over the Earth and killed any criminals, but that would have turned this symbol into a symbol of injustice. Your strength, weapons, and abilities have the potential to make people feel safer and inspire them to strive for a better tomorrow, but only if you use them responsibly."
Barnes's skepticism emerged once more as he pointed to the red marking on his helmet. "This symbol on your helmet means something," Clark remarked.
"It's the mark of the beast. I hardly think it can be a symbol of hope," Barnes retorted, revealing his thoughts on the emblem.
Superman chuckled, his gaze fixed on Barnes. "Only because everyone in your universe witnessed someone using it to slay demons. But here, you're a stranger to everyone and everything. You have the chance not to become a symbol of fear like Batman out there."
Barnes glanced at the porthole and saw Batman staring back at him, giving him an eerie sensation. If it weren't for his own abilities, armor, and weapons, he might have felt intimidated.
"I'm offering you an opportunity to join the Justice League without giving up your weapons. Please, help me, and I'll help you," Superman concluded, placing a comforting hand on Barnes's shoulder.
Barnes nodded, accepting the offer to join the Justice League and embark on a new life, free from the suffering his father had endured.
---Later---
Barnes found himself in a room, laying out every weapon from his warp pack on a table for inspection by the Justice League.
"Walk us through it. Tell us the names of the weapons," Batman ordered, his tone as focused as ever.
"Alright, first up, we have the combat shotgun," Barnes began, picking up the weapon and showcasing its features and various modifications that could be equipped.
"You've got a whole minigun in your warp pack!" Shazam exclaimed excitedly, grabbing the chain gun.
"Billy, put the gun down," Diana commanded, and Shazam obediently returned it to the table.
Both Batman and Doomguy examined the weapons meticulously, examining each one in turn.
Meanwhile, Flash picked up the double-barrel shotgun that Doomguy had prominently used in his battle against Clark. "You seem to favor this one over the big green gun over there. Why?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"This one is called the super shotgun," Barnes began before being interrupted by Flash.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! We don't throw around the word 'super' here, thanks to the Boy Scout over there. So what makes it 'super'?" Flash asked, seeking clarification.
"Well, there are two reasons. First, it's the most powerful and versatile gun in my arsenal. I could accomplish my mission with just this gun alone. Second, only a few of these weapons can destroy multi-level buildings, including the BFG-9000, rocket launcher, and ballista. So, I'm able to combine my strength with my guns to maximize their destructive potential," Barnes explained, providing a detailed description.
"Can you simplify that for us non-tech people?" Flash requested, hoping for a layman's explanation.
"In simpler terms, if Batman were to use the shotgun against Superman, it wouldn't do much. But I can enhance its damage output, making it effective against Superman. However, Batman would probably be knocked back by the recoil and suffer before the shotgun had any effect. Additionally, the hook on the bottom allows me to grapple around or pull enemies closer," Barnes summarized, using more accessible language for Flash to comprehend.
"So, basically, if you had a pistol, you could increase its damage output to destroy a tank?" Flash clarified.
"Exactly," Barnes confirmed.
Meanwhile, Diana picked up the hilt of a sword, examining the strange markings and mechanisms that seemed to keep the blade closed.
"What is this?" Diana inquired, showing the hilt of the crucible to Doomguy.
Barnes snapped at her, his tone slightly irritated as he explained, "That's the crucible, a powerful sword. When plunged into an immortal being, it renders their immortality useless, leaving them in a constant state of near-death and immobility. You activate it by shaking it vigorously."
A smile crept across Diana's face as she whispered to herself, "I have to try this on Ares," before setting the hilt back down.
Superman gathered everyone's attention, preparing to make a decision. "Based on the weapons' capabilities, several of them require energy that doesn't exist in our universe or even the multiverse. Therefore, Barnes, you'll need to let go of most of your arsenal, keeping only those weapons suitable for city-level threats. However, when it comes to the planetary, solar system, or even universal threats like Darkseid, you'll be permitted to use your original arsenal against them," Superman concluded, providing Barnes with clarity on what he needed to change and what he could retain.
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