No.
- What do we do? - We fight!
Unfortunately, Batman, this is not a fight
anyone, any planet has ever survived.
- Don't they look angry? - Not they, it.
The Joining has many bodies, but only one mind
a mind focused on harvesting your planet's technology
and destroying what's left.
Now might be a good time for you to float us out of here.
Not with them up there.
Well, if you can't go up
you go down.
boom
Oh, my!
There's an emergency exit tunnel right behind this wall.
Well, I'd say this qualifies as an emergency.
screech
'Go, I'll deal with them.'
'It's not that Batman doesn't want our help'
it's just that he doesn't need our help.
- Big difference. - Great.
So you're saying that to the big guy
we're basically useless.
I wouldn't go that far.
We proved Alfred's not a robot.
And I'm so relieved.
Lucius, you're hurt!
You know what to do, Alfred.
What's going on?
Alien invasion.
Alien invasion, huh?
Excuse me.
- Alien invasion? - Aliens?
What happened to robots?
A-ah! Alien! Got an alien here!
- Different kind of alien. - Hi. John Jones.
Huh..
How are you so calm, Alfred? Aliens!
I think that would warrant at least
one of your signature cocked eyebrows.
I keep house for a man who dresses like a bat
and works in a cave, at this point in my life
there's little that phases me.
Uh...what's that?
Robothead. So five minutes ago.
No. It can't be.
More than your city is in danger now, Batman.
- This is about Earth. - It's the end of the world.
It can't be. It just looks a whole lot like it.
We can stop it, right?
If I may, sir...how?
Shut it off. Please.
I'm sorry, Batman. I had hoped to prevent this.
I'm not ready to give up just yet.
The saucer, it's our one physical link to The Joining.
Earlier analysis revealed it was made up
of a bonded metallic hybrid.
Different metals bonded together to form a single alloy.
Like The Joining itself
many elements, one purpose.
They created a metal stronger
'than almost any compound on Earth'
'but they used Wayne Industries' technology to do it.'
- Ah, then that would mean-- - Exactly!
The Joining's just made their first mistake.
We do not make mistakes. We are The Joining.
- Unplug it. - It is unplugged.
I am drawing power from The Joining.
We have taken your technology, we have improved it.
We use it now to destroy your world.
We are unstoppable.
For such a good-looking guy
he talks too much.
We have work to do now. Gotham is depending on us.
Gotham City has literally been overrun by..
- Aah! - Oh, come on. Come on.
On my command! Fire!
Commissioner, what else can we do?
I've already done the best thing I can think of.
'Time to test it.'
Robin, go for a ride.
'Take it up, but not too high.'
Why not?
Whoa!
Molecular instability.
- Impressive. - And funny.
Bruce made sure I built a fail-safe into all our tech
just in case it ever fell into the wrong hands.
I get it, like a shut-off switch.
And by the way.. Ow!
And since The Joining used our technology
to build their fleet..
We can use it to take their fleet apart.
Looks like they came halfway across the galaxy
just to get their butts kicked.
We still have one problem.
A signal strong enough to affect all the ships
would have to be sent from a satellite relay.
Which means we need to send the signal
from inside Wayne Industries.
This wouldn't be the same Wayne Industries
that's guarded by giant robots.
- Would it? - We're going with you.
I know the Wayne Industries' layout better than anyone.
A group is only gonna slow me down.
'You have to learn to trust your partners, Batman.'
And no, this isn't your conscience speaking.
Haven't you been watching The Joining?
They're linked, coordinated, strong.
If we wanna beat them, we have to be like them.
- No way I can shake you? - Not on Earth.
Then do me one favor.
Fasten the belt.
- Planning repairs, are we? - No point.
End of the world, remember?
Besides, you heard Batman.
We'd only get in the way.
There are times when I, too, disagree
with Master Bruce's decisions.
And when that happens, there's something I do
that never fails to lift my spirits.
I disobey him.
I think I saw a welding torch around here.
You ready?
Not even Martians live forever.
You go around the south side. I'll take the north entrance.
Strangely beautiful, isn't it?
I found a phonograph record that seems fitting.
Good choice, Wagner would have been too--
And I found this.
I'd forgotten this.
We took him to the air show.
A long time ago.
I think that was the first day
where he forgot, just a little.
I just counseled two young people
to disobey orders
to help if they could.
Perhaps, we should take the same advice.
I don't think I'm up for any fisticuffs.
There are other skills.
It's probably useless, you know?
Oh, absolutely.
Forgive my inhospitality
but terrorizing Gotham is my job!
screech
Commish, it's Freeze. What do we do with him?
We back him up!
This town's gone mad!
Yes!
No time to celebrate. We need to get to Wayne Industries.
Broadcast ready. Activate now.
"Signal blocked?" No!
We can tap into the Wayne Industries'
security camera system
be another set of eyes for Bruce.
Humans...defiant
even in the face of certain defeat.
Certain defeat? We shall see about that.
If you're referring to the fail-safe signal
you hope to transmit
then know your friend was unsuccessful.
'The Joining has blocked it.'
'Like everything else on this planet'
'The Joining now controls the satellite feeds.'
The signal's being blocked, Alfred.
'Lucius believes he can hack into the system'
'and override The Joining's control'
'but you will need to manually override it'
'from your end, as well.'
That's going to take time.
I'm not sure I can override the system
and keep these guys at bay.
Then it sounds like someone needs backup.
I told you two not to come here!
That's why we had to quit as your partners.
Yeah, that's right. We quit.
You can't order us around anymore.
We're freelancers and can be wherever we wanna be.
I hear there's work in Metropolis.
You picked us, Batman, because you knew we were strong.
'And sometimes that's about'
'being strong enough to help you.'
'Even when you think you don't need us.'
It's never been about not needing you.
It's about not losing you.
It was a long way around from the south entrance.
Am I interrupting something?
No, I was just..
...consulting with my team.
If I don't get this done
this will be a very dangerous place.
We'll secure the room, Batman.
You just get that signal ready.
They seem to be rising above the center of each major city
and forming into giant rings.
The Joining has what it came for.
Now it is time for the end.
Within minutes, your world will be destroyed.
'Sir, we have a new problem.'
'The alien ships are forming into superweapons'
'and I fear, we haven't much time before they activate.'
Just keep working, Alfred.
'We're ready on our end, sir.'
Let's do it.
'Bruce's signal is spreading across the planet.'
It's looking good.
This has never happened before.
It worked! Yes!
We did it!
How unusual.
'Humans.'
thud
What, Martians don't knock?
How are things, Bruce?
Good. Gotham's rebuilding.
Not just Gotham, the entire world
rebuilds towards a new tomorrow
a tomorrow that would never have come
if not for one man who wanted to make a difference.
'You saved your planet, Bruce.'
I didn't. We did.
In the end, you did work well with partners.
Perhaps you would be open to expanding your circle.
Sorry, John, I already have two partners, don't need a third.
Well, actually we were hoping you would join us.
Let me show you.
I found others..
...like me, like you.
'The world's changing, Batman.'
'You can go it alone if you want'
or step into the larger world
and be a part of the greater good.
I've been monitoring your construction here for months
'hacking your systems since they came online.'
I wondered, John, when you were gonna tell me
about your space station.
You've put together quite a league.
Let's get to work.