I saw the love you had for Fiona, how you fought for her. I also know what you're gonna do, and I can't let you kill a man, even if that man is Agent Liberty. Once you cross that line, Manchester, there is no going back.
You have no idea what lines I've already crossed. [points at J'onn's chest] See that there? That's your heart, beating. Mine is dead. And every time I close my eyes, I wait to hear Fi's voice. There's nothing, just silence. I'm empty, man.
That's an empathy amplifier. It was created to use against empaths. Don't move around, keep everything in. If I can't escape this pain, neither can you. You shouldn't have believed in me.
Why are you here? Both times you let me go on my merry, and both times I went on to do, well let's call it unspeakable things. So my theory is, part of you wanted me to get away. Part of you wanted me to do what you couldn't.
And I see we're not the only ones who gave you a Valentine's gift.
J'onn
Well, most of these are from the aliens in my support group. This box is from members of a Crime Watch I helped set up to catch taggers who were spraying "Free Ben Lockwood" up and down the block. And these flowers are from a Toomian whose, uh, lost family I found.
Um, she's been in Washington, so that's good, I guess. It's just, seeing how much you've accomplished, it reminds me of how little I've done since I took over the DEO.
J'onn
You have not done little. Mercy and Otis Graves. Agent Liberty.
I mean in my personal life. I took over the DEO to use that stability to finally be able to pursue the things that I want. And I did, you know, at first. And I dated a lot.
Yeah, well... you know, and I was also working on my adoption portfolio, but, you know, when President Marsdin got exposed, it kind of all just fell to the wayside. It's weird, because I feel like I have this capacity for so much more lately and I'm doing nothing.
You think I'm good deep down, eh? Well, it's a bad time to be a good man. Take you, for instance. If it weren't for your bloody promise, I believe you could solve all the world's problems. You just need... motivation.
Why? 'Cause Supergirl says that's not the way? Supergirl's like a folk tale. In theory, comforting, noble. In reality, oof, ill-equipped and clinging to ideals of a time long past. When they go low, she goes high. We put them six feet lower. We're through giving these devils the benefit of the law. Supergirl's done. This is the era of the Elite.
But I'm struggling, Kara. There's a duality in me that's at war. I want to be a man of peace, just like my father, but every fiber of my being is fighting against that. Being a Manhunter was part of my nature.
Well, if you choose to join the fight to bring the Elite to justice, I'm sure your father would understand. Even M'yrnn joined the fight against Reign.
J'onn
Manchester is baiting me. We're connected somehow. I think he can feel the rage that lies within me. The rage born of the massacre of my family. One thing's for certain, Manchester was a test for me. But whether he's a test of my resolve or just a mirror showing me that I cannot walk my father's path, I just don't know.
It's just a phase. I did the same thing when I became Supergirl. I practically slept in my suit. And, I mean, let's face it. The suits are pretty cool.
When you broke into my mind to stop me from killing the Lockwood brood, you opened up a motorway. It goes both ways. So whenever you poke around in my mind, I can poke around in yours. So I did. And looky what I found. Your people's most powerful weapon.
Why should I? I'm not the one who failed as the one task I have. Or was it another Green Martian who erased the mind of the DEO colonel, who reached into Manchester Black's brain to inflict pain upon him, and opened a channel for him to access your mind so he could defile my grave site and steal the Staff of K'hollar, which he could've used to destroy planet Earth?
Because you said you could handle it. You insisted...
J'onn
I shouldn't have! I tried to you, Father, but I can't! And you should never have asked me. I'm not a man of peace! And if that means I have to give up the Symbols, and Martian religion has to die, then so be it. At least I will know who I am!
You were angry already. Just pushing it down. And you were right to be angry with me, J'onn. I wasn't clear. I said I wished for your to promote peace, but I never intended for you to become me. I meant only that your should help the world in whatever state is true to you. When I found you again, I was so proud of the Martian you had become. I never meant to make you feel you had to change, J'onn. I'm sorry. I failed to impart my unconditional love for you.
J'onn
I'm so sorry I couldn't be the keeper of the Sacred Symbols, Father.
I was so close. I had him. I... now they've destroyed all my evidence, so I've got nothing. Lockwood walked, and people think Supergirl's an assassin, and the president is working with a man who's almost blown up the world more than once.
This is specifically a Martian form of agony. In the early days of Mars, there were two brothers, Phobos and Deimos. Their rivaly and bloodshed was the reason for the split of the Green and White Martians. To prevent this ever happening again, a curse was placed on the Green Martians. We call it Fa'ra'too'rik. It is the punishment for brother attacking brother.
Supergirl · 472 quotes
J'onn
