Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #7 (2022)

Kara hangs alone in the void of space. Behind her looms the planet where Krem of the Yellow Hills is held captive. Down on the surface, Ruthye rests in a cove now renamed "Kara's Beach." She sits beside Comet, who has been ordered to stay on the shore to protect Ruthye and watch over Krem—or perhaps the exact opposite: to watch over Ruthye and protect the gagged, bound Krem, who is tied securely to a tree. Up in the stars, Kara confronts the pirates. They open fire on her with heavy artillery. Kara attempts to withstand the onslaught, but despite her extraordinary abilities, their weapons manage to bypass her Kryptonian resilience, efficiently driving her back. Back on the beach, Krem tries to speak beneath his gag. Ruthye manages to convince Comet to let her draw closer, and she removes the cloth. Krem immediately begins to taunt her, tempting her to take dark, vengeful action, but Comet swiftly asserts his presence, forcing her to rethink. In space, Kara plummets through the vacuum. Just as she begins to tear through the planet's atmosphere, she regains consciousness and renews her assault. She smashes straight through the ship's hull and deck, instantly finding herself surrounded by a horde of pirates. On the shore, Krem continues to mock Ruthye, recounting the story of how he murdered her father. He claims the man was nothing special. Krem had spent years traversing the plains for the King's Council, a job he enjoyed and which paid well. He would mingle with the people, earning their trust just to listen to their whispers—snaring the loyal and punishing the wicked. He had a routine: he would tell a crude joke about the King, specifically regarding rumors that the Primogeniture was sired by the King's sister rather than the Reverend Mother. Those who played along blindly revealed themselves as traitors ripe for execution. Ruthye’s father didn't laugh—a testament to his character. Instead, he fiercely objected, shouting at Krem for his insolence on their land. He despised both the comment and its context, demanding that Krem apologize immediately for the blasphemy and leave his family’s home. Krem stood there, staring as the farmer berated him about serving the King and national betrayal. As the father made his demands, Krem grew deeply indignant; he felt a mere peasant had no right to demand anything from someone of his stature, someone who dutifully served the crown. Consumed by anger, Krem became trapped in a trance-like daydream about the man—a sudden vision of the future where he saw Ruthye's father endlessly clearing hard seeds from the soil, growing old and frail, yet spending all those years believing he was superior to Krem. Lost in this mental fantasy, Krem's body reacted on its own in the present, entirely bypassing his conscious awareness. When Krem finally snapped back to reality, he discovered he had already drawn his weapon and buried it deep into the gut of Ruthye's father. Ruthye listens to the entire tale in absolute silence, pure hatred burning in her eyes. Back in the cosmic battlefield, Kara battles the entire crew. The pirates exploit their overwhelming numbers to slowly wear her down, striking her with an arsenal of specialized weapons. Despite Kara’s immense power and the sheer volume of brigands she manages to defeat, they eventually overwhelm her, pinning her to the floor. On the beach, Krem relentlessly jeers at Ruthye. He continues his provocations, mocking her father's death until he drives her to tears as she grips Comet's back. Krem remains smugly confident that his time there is short, certain that his pirate fleet is already on its way to rescue him. Back in space, Kara is completely immobilized by kryptonite chains, and the pirate captain stands over her, preparing to fire his single kryptonite bullet. Kara begins to plead. The captain gloats, laughing at her desperation alongside his crew. But Kara keeps speaking, saying, "she needs you... Don't... Stay... Please..."" The captain and his men freeze in confusion. Kara isn't begging for her life—she is speaking to Comet, commanding him not to dare rescue her. Down on the beach, the horse hears his name and grows restless, anxious to save Supergirl but bound by his promise to protect Ruthye. Recognizing his turmoil, the young girl tells him to go to Kara's aid. She assures him he can trust her, swearing upon her father's grave that she will not do anything foolish. Reassured, the steed bolts into the sky like a rocket. Now entirely alone with Krem, Ruthye draws her sword and glares down at him with absolute, unwavering resolve.