posted 10-21-2001 07:02 PM            

At his temple in the Utah desert, the Spectre broods over the loss of his brother and sister-in-law and wonders what he is going to do with Helen, his niece who has now landed in his charge. As he looks out upon the world, he feels a "psychic poison" growing in the world. He sees the Joker on Easter Island and can sense that the maniac hasn't even begun to reach the destructive potential of an army of Jokers.

The Spectre tries to reach into the Joker's mind and break the bond between the Joker and his other selves, but his plan backfires. The Jokers toxic nature infects the Spectre and the psychic backlash sends Hal all the way to the moon.

The Joker's toxin purges from the Spectre's eyes and mouth and forms a Jokerized version of Parallax. "Can y'believe it? You were infected by the joker-virus and it--rooted through your psyche...manifesting your very own personal madness..."

Hal tries to restrain Parallax, but is unable to. Knowing that he is fighting just one aspect of his being, Spectre pulls Parallax into himself , but he is able to break free. Parallax goes to Spectre's temple and toys with Hal's niece Helen, turning her into a giant marionette. Abin Sur tries to prevent Parallax from hurting the little girl, but Parallax swats him down with a giant flyswatter. When Hal arrives, he tells Parallax he will surrender if the maniac promises not to hurt Helen.

Parallax rips Hal's head from his shoulders and launches it into the void. Hal feels himself disentegrating into nothingness.

A few minutes later, The Spectre returns from the void and he is changed. He has let go of the idea of his individual identity and come to an understanding of the many aspects of who he is as both Hal Jordan and The Spectre. "You really don't amount to much, do you," he tells Parallax.