Swamp Thing (Volume 5) Issue 15

## "Rotworld: The Green Kingdom, Part III"

"*A land with no life, Green, Red... The* truth *is, I fear there's no saving it. But every step closer we get to Arcane's Kingdom, I feel* you *more strongly, Abby. I won't let it end here, this way!*"
―Swamp Thing
## Synopsis

### "Rotworld: The Green Kingdom, Part III"

Swamp Thing and Deadman have been attacked by William Arcane while on their journey up the east coast to Gotham City. Anton Arcane gave William the Trident of Neptune and dominion over the sea, which has allowed him to command the massive Starro against the pair. Starro's acid threatens to burn through Alec's vegetable exterior to his flesh interior, but he rallies, determined to find Abigail Arcane. With a burst of might, he uses The Green to cut right through the creature's middle.

Unfortunately, William regroups with yet another massive sea-monster at his command. Alec tries to reason with him, but William coldly explains that his violence is not merely a reaction to Alec's connection to the Green, but because he loves Abigail. He promises that if Alec screams loud enough from the torture he intends to inflict, he *may* tell of what happened to her; how she died.

A year ago, Abigail was captured by her uncle in Blestemat. He reveals gleefully that since he took a bite out of her back in the swamps, he kept her genetic material in his mouth long enough to create Un-Men clones of her. The difference between the clones and Abby is that they have no brains, only stems. Outraged and disgusted, Abby tried to use her power to free herself, but was no match for Arcane's own powers. He had always been able to dampen that power, and any time she got close, he would make her forget with the use of his rot flowers.

Desperate to put an end to their battle with William, Deadman offers to possess him. The only problem is that when he does so, the reaction of a ghost possessing an entity of the rot is that he will surely be gone for good. As such, he urges Swamp Thing to get to Gotham City and make his sacrifice count. Against Alec's protests, Boston Brand enters William's body, and the boy collapses into the water, losing control of the sea. Alone and safe, Alec prepares for the remainder of his trip to Gotham.

In a dream, Abigail remembered how Alec had always been waiting for her at the bottom of a long hallway, leading to a dark, bad place. However, in this dream, he was nowhere to be found. Soon, Arcane's influence on her dream became clearer, and Abby realized she had been duped, trapped by the influence of one of his sick flowers again. Angrily, she determined not to forget again, and broke free with a renewed, stronger connection to The Rot. She turned on her uncle and caused his body to unravel. Though she knew it would only afford her a minute's safety, she hoped this would be all she'd need. She smashed the vats containing her clones, and rushed out of the chamber, disturbed by the sound of her freed clones' chanting of "the mouth! the mouth!" over and over.

She rushed down the darkened hallway, remembering her dreams and trying to get to a room which she knew contained the *other* Parliament. When she got to the darkened door, though, she found that she was too late.

In Gotham, Swamp Thing finds the Batcave - and indeed, most of the city - empty. He is surprised and hopeful, though, when he sees Batman's silhouette crouched in front of his large computers. When he taps the man on the shoulder, though, he is startled to see that even the Batman has been taken by the Rot, and someone has chained him to the floor for safety. Batman lunges at Swamp Thing, biting with a disgusting, toothy mouth into his shoulder.

A shotgun blast causes Batman's deformed head to explode in a shower of blood. Swamp Thing looks up to see a humanoid bat-creature wielding that weapon. The creature seems to recognize him, and before his eyes, it transforms into a human, offering a hand to help him up. She introduces herself as Barbara Gordon, and welcomes him to New Gotham.

## Appearances

### "Rotworld: The Green Kingdom, Part III"

#### Individuals

* Swamp Thing
* Deadman ***(Dies)***
* Abigail Arcane ***(Flashback Only)***
* Batgirl
* William Arcane
* Starro ***(Dies)***
* Parliament of Decay
	+ Anton Arcane ***(Flashback Only)***
* Batman ***(Rotted)*** ***(Dies)***

#### Locations

* Atlantic Ocean
* Europe
	+ Blestemat ***(Flashback Only)***
* Gotham City
	+ Batcave

#### Concepts

* The Green
* The Rot

## External links

* *Swamp Thing (Volume 5)* Issue 15 on DC Wiki
* *Swamp Thing (Volume 5)* Issue 15 on Comic Vine