The Legends looked at Diana with pleading eyes, as if she were their last hope.
Jack Kadere turned to her with a smirk. "Your turn, Wonder Woman. The one who was—let's say—'forced' into having a child with me. Tell them, do you wish none of this had ever happened?"
Diana froze. The answer should have been simple—of course she wished it hadn't happened. But… what if Jack Kadere had never been there? Without him, she wouldn't have stopped Eris. More Amazons would have died. Artemis never would have ascended as the new Goddess of Discord. And who knew what state Themyscira would be in now?
Taking a slow, deep breath, Diana finally shook her head. "This… this might actually be the best possible outcome," she said, her voice steady. "I will defeat him one day, make him pay for what he's done, and reclaim my honor. I swear it on the name of the Amazon Princess!"
The Legends collectively slumped, despair clear on their faces. Even Wonder Woman didn't want to change the outcome? Why? How could she possibly say that?
"What did you do to her?!" Sara Lance—the White Canary—demanded, glaring at Jack.
"I only did what I wanted," Jack replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "For example… I want the Waverider now."
"Impossible!" Rip Hunter barked, his voice laced with panic. "The Waverider is mine!"
Jack's smirk widened. "Well… it's mine now."
Then he turned to Hippolyta. "Congratulations, Queen—you're free. Themyscira is no longer under my rule."
With the Waverider secured, Jack was already making preparations to leave.
Being "liberated" didn't seem to overly excite Hippolyta. Her tone remained even. "Do you require anything from us before you go? Should we… kill them?"
Diana was hesitant for a moment but then stood firm. "Mother, they may have caused all of this, but they don't deserve to die."
Hippolyta glanced at Jack, waiting for his judgment.
Jack shrugged. "No need. They're from another point in the timeline. Even if you killed them here, their younger selves would still exist in the past. And besides, if they die, who's going to take out Vandal Savage before he conquers the world in 2166? I'm not interested in traveling to the far future just to play hero. So no—don't kill them. Just… be more welcoming next time I drop by. Don't turn me away when I ask to borrow a horse."
"I'll choose the finest white stallion," Hippolyta said without hesitation.
Jack gave a satisfied nod. "Good. I'm going to take a little trip elsewhere. You can all disembark now."
Hippolyta signaled for the Amazons to leave the Waverider.
"I…" Artemis began, but Hippolyta raised a hand to silence her.
"Paradise Island will face greater trials ahead," the Queen said firmly. "You are the Goddess of Discord now, and your people need you."
"But—" Artemis tried to protest.
"I know what's on your mind," Hippolyta interrupted. "Trust me, no one will hold your earlier decisions against you. You saved them."
Artemis looked between her Queen and Jack Kadere, her expression tight. Without another word, she stepped off the ship in silence.
"Diana," Hippolyta suddenly called as they reached the cabin door.
"Mother?" Diana turned, confused.
"You're staying—with him," Hippolyta said plainly.
Diana's eyes widened. "What? Why? You just said Themyscira will be in greater danger—shouldn't I be there? And if you're worried about the Legends changing things, shouldn't Artemis stay instead? Why me?"
"Child, you've always wanted to see the world beyond our shores," Hippolyta said, stepping closer to gently cup her daughter's cheek. "If you follow him, you'll see more, learn more, and grow stronger. Only then will you have a real chance to defeat him… and protect Themyscira in the future."
Hippolyta's touch lingered for a heartbeat longer before she stepped back, her expression filled with reluctant resolve. She turned and left without another word.
"Mother…" Diana whispered, watching her disappear beyond the closing cabin door.
Outside, Artemis frowned. "Why did you make her stay?"
"For her own good," Hippolyta answered quietly, more to herself than to Artemis.
As God-Killer, Diana's destiny was to face Ares. But as she was now, she couldn't hope to match him—especially with the other gods still alive, and with Hera's jealousy likely to stir trouble after Eris's death. Hippolyta believed Diana would be safest under Jack Kadere's watchful eye.
As for defeating Ares? Hippolyta had once planned, when Diana was still a child, to find a substitute to fulfill that role. She later abandoned the idea, but the chosen candidate had continued to receive the same rigorous Amazon training as Diana. In peacetime, she could live as an ordinary Amazon warrior. But now… perhaps her skills would be needed.
I hope Diana can grow quickly under his guidance, Hippolyta thought, watching the Waverider lift off into the sky. Even if she stayed here and somehow defeated Ares, she would never be ready to face Steppenwolf's invasion when it comes.
...
Onboard the Waverider
Jack Kadere idly slid his fingers across the control console as holographic projections of various time periods flickered past.
"They all look boring," Jack said with a smirk. "Got any more exciting time points to recommend?" He glanced at the Legends crew sprawled across the floor, still groaning from their defeat.
It wasn't easy to gain control of the Waverider. Jack couldn't fly it manually, and automated piloting required Gideon—the ship's AI—to cooperate. The problem was that Gideon only obeyed Rip Hunter's commands, and Rip had the highest authority on board. So Jack chose the simplest, most direct solution: make Rip Hunter very cooperative.
If a crew doesn't listen? You knock them down until they do.
When the Legends thought they had a chance to overpower him and "correct the timeline deviation" after the Amazons left, Jack beat them to the punch—literally.
Now, looking at their bruised, resentful faces, Jack chuckled. "Don't look at me like that. You should be thanking me. Trust me, lying on the floor is a lot more comfortable than the alternative."
"Then why don't you try it yourself?" Rip Hunter grumbled from where he sat, clearly irritated.
Jack grinned. "Because I haven't met anyone who can put me there yet."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Sara Lance—White Canary—said coolly, her eyes flicking past him.
Jack turned, eyebrows raised, and found himself staring at Diana. "Diana… are you seriously thinking about having a child with me?"
Still saddened from their recent farewell to Themyscira, Diana didn't dignify that with an answer—she simply threw a solid right hook at him.
"I've got this!" Jack said with a laugh, catching her fist effortlessly. His grin turned into a mischievous, almost villainous smile. "And here I thought I'd have to search for a new body pillow. Looks like one just volunteered."