Time's running out...
... for the Challengers of the Unknown.
Ace Morgan, daredevil test pilot.
Professor Mark Haley, master scientist and scuba expert.
Red Ryan, famed adventurer and mountain climber.
Rocky Davis, world champion triathlete.
Brains, brawn, skill and guts.
They are the Challengers of the Unknown.
Man, check out the overgrown lizards.
This is one crazy, mixed-up island.
That meteorite hit the ground...
...near these coordinates.
Are you picking up anything on your gizmo, prof?
I'm getting a strong reading in this direction, Ace.
Whoo-ee! That rock packed a heck of a punch.
I wanna get some samples for analysis.
Careful. That meteorite's highly radioactive.
Batman. I should have known we'd find you here.
I was finishing up business in the Devil's Triangle...
...when the Batjet's instruments picked up that meteorite's trail.
Thought I'd investigate.
What in blazes?
The radiation must have mutated a humble spider...
...into that horrific beast.
My thoughts exactly.
Look out!
That was some quick thinking, prof.
I can see you have things well in hand here.
I'm needed back in Gotham City.
Thanks for the assist, Batman.
Hey, prof, get a load of this.
And now to claim this treasure for my own. Unh!
Surrender now, Evil Star.
Or face the wrath of the armored avenger, Blue Beetle.
You just stepped into a world of pain, kid.
Hey, I could have done that myself.
Yeah, yeah. Look, I know Batman told me I'm not ready for a solo mission.
How could I just ignore that distress call?
Besides, I'm not alone. I've got you. We're partners. Unh!
Okay, maybe we do need help.
And I know just who to call.
- Yo. - Paco, I need...
Can I hit you back, Jaime?
I'm deep into this new "Blue Beetle" video game.
Pretty awesome, isn't it?
Yeah, it's not half as cool as the "Aquaman" game.
What...? Seriously?
Aquaman is the king of the sea, the champion of Atlantis.
Outrageous.
Blue Beetle, he could be any loser.
Not just any loser. Unh!
I mean, what's he stand for anyway?
For all we know, the armor's calling the shots.
That is so not true.
Yeah, well, do you have any clue how Beetle would take down Evil Star?
Whoa, Evil Star? I'm still stuck on Crazy Quilt.
How did you get to that level so fast?
That's a good question.
Hang on a minute, Pac. Hello?
What do you think you're doing? Saving the universe?
You'll be lucky if you can save yourself.
Hang on a second, Bats.
Paco, I'm dying here.
I think I've got it. - Great. Let me dump this other call.
Bats, I've really gotta go.
Wait, there's one thing... - Beetle out.
Teenagers.
So this Evil Star dude gets his powers directly from starlight, right?
Yeah. So what?
Got it. Thanks, Paco.
One starlight-blocking electromagnetic pulse coming up.
Aah!
Beetle. Ease up, kid. He's out. You won.
- We're the good guys, remember? - Sorry.
Wait. Did you actually follow me here?
I need to know you're ready for solo missions.
That's not just a suit of armor you're wearing. It's a weapon.
Weapon? You're talking about my best bud here.
Good idea. Take Evil Star to Oa...
...and turn him over to the Green Lantern Corps.
Just one thing: Which way is Oa?
Oa.
I can't believe we're really here. And we're actually gonna meet the Corps.
Hey, guys. Got a special delivery.
Something wrong?
- Power down and turn over the scarab. - Excuse me?
Nobody's holding you responsible, kid. It's the armor.
- Got you under its influence. - What's going on here?
Stay out of this, Bats. Corps business.
- Is this a joke? - Stand down, poozer.
If it is, I gotta tell you, I don't think it's very...
Okay, light him up.
Sorry, bug boy...
...but we gotta lock you up in the science cells for your own good.
I don't think so.
Jaime, Guy, break it up.
Why don't you keep out of it?
Be a good boy, Guy. Remember what happened last time?
You so much as sneeze without my permission...
...you're going to regret it.
That I'd like to see.
Lucky punch.
Now, will somebody other than Guy tell me what this is all about?
Perhaps I can help.
The scarab that generates your power, Jaime Reyes...
... is actually a piece of alien technology that belongs to our sworn enemies...
... an ancient race called the Reach.
Thousands of years ago, we Guardians defeated these cosmic marauders...
... but not before they seeded countless worlds with scarabs similar to yours.
The scarabs give their host extraordinary powers...
... transform them into heroes of their people.
Yeah, until their real programming kicks in...
...and these heroes become the point men for a Reach invasion.
Wait a minute.
Are you saying I'm some kind of intergalactic villain?
Loud and clear, punk.
I've been training Jaime for months. He's a good kid.
If the scarab was controlling him, I'd know it.
Well, if he's such a good kid, then he won't mind giving up the scarab.
I keep the scarab.
You want it? You'll have to take it from me.
In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light.
- Poetry? - A sacred oath.
That's what I stand for, bug boy. What do you stand for?
That's what I thought.
We shall see if the boy controls the scarab...
...or the scarab controls the boy.
They've got some nerve treating me like this.
Suspecting me after all the good I've done.
What if they're right?
No, no, come on. That's impossible.
What did you say?
I said, it is nothing personal.
This is what I am programmed to do.
What are you talking about? We're partners, we're friends. Get...
- Hey. - Sorry, Jaime.
But you belong to the Reach now.
Authorized personnel override.
Intruder alert. Stand down.
Intruder alert. Stand down. Intru...
Care to explain what you're doing?
Jaime, snap out of it.
Told you.
Game's over, kid. And I win.
Hold it, hotshot.
Warning. Defense protocols aborted.
Warning. Defense...
Jaime, what are you doing?
Where am I?
In hot water, bug boy.
Back off, Gardner.
You two better get over here.
Guardians of the Universe...
... Green Lantern Corps...
... you are ordered to surrender...
... or face complete annihilation.
This is the final judgment of the Reach.
We congratulate you, infiltrator...
... for serving the collective so well.
You may now embrace your destiny and join us.
No. Whatever you did to me, I'm gonna undo it. I'm... Unh!
Get out of my mind!
The invasion of Oa has begun.
All Lanterns are ordered into space to defend our world.
Maybe you ought to stay here and babysit the traitor before...
Jaime, don't let them control you. They...
There is no Jaime, only the Reach.
You brought that traitor here, Bats.
Oa goes down, it's gonna be on your head.
That traitor could have destroyed us all, but he didn't.
Which means that Jaime is still in there, somewhere.
They're after the central power battery.
If they take that out, our rings are as good as dead.
And so are we.
Jaime, you've got more strength than you ever realized.
It's not just the armor.
It's in you. Use your willpower. Fight back.
Batman?
Human garbage.
Your resistance is futile, Jaime.
Our programming cannot be overwritten.
No, we're stronger than that.
The only reason you have been a hero is because the Reach allowed you.
Allowed us to be one.
Without their will, we are nothing.
We're not gonna make it, are we?
It's been an honor serving with you guys.
Oa is ours.
Not yet, it ain't.
Sorry, Jaime. We must submit to the will of the Reach.
No, we have to make our own choices, use our own will.
We're stronger than the Reach, but only together, me and you...
...the best team ever.
We are the Reach.
No, we are the Blue Beetle! Aaggh!
- Miss me? - I knew you wouldn't let us down.
I need you three to pour your remaining ring energy into my armor.
Like that will ever happen.
Another few minutes and we're done for anyway.
Why not trust someone for once in your life?
I gotta say, that's pretty ironic coming from you, Bats.
But what the heck? Let's do it.
There is no hope.
There's always hope.
No. The Lantern energy, poisoning the Collective.
In case you hadn't noticed, kid, Blue Beetle just saved Oa.
Welcome back, partner.
We will have these analyzed...
...cataloged, and then destroyed.
Jaime Reyes, not just the Guardians, but all who live owe you a debt of thanks.
However, we must now ask you to surrender the scarab.
- But... - Not so fast.
When it comes down to it, bug boy here kicked that scarab's tail.
If you ask me, the kid proved he can handle this tin suit.
Perhaps Jaime Reyes has proven that he is the master of the scarab.
So does this mean we're buddies, Guy?
Let's not get carried away.
Next time you get the urge to go off on a solo mission, Jaime...
...I think you'll be ready.