Superquack: Focal Point

*"Everything is about to change forever, for all of us. Once more, a climactic battle betwixt good and evil awaits us, as does the beautiful and eternal Multiverse, an everlasting adventure into the depths of existence herself. Our time is close at hand. We'll never be the same. Everything we know, it all ends here."*
―Superquack**[src]**
***Superquack: Focal Point*** is an action superhero book. The novel is a sequel to *Superquack*, *Superquack: Relapse of Power*, and *Sebiscuits: Renascence*. It is the forty-fourth installment in the D.I.T. Literary Universe, and the tenth and final installment of Part Five: The Death of Shadows. It is written by D. Isaac Thomas and co-written by Melissa Vaine. Returning into the picture, Superquack and his allies, new and old alike, find themselves with their hands full in conflict with the Circle of Judgment, the Umbralord, and the real Iron Godking. The novel was released on December 8, 2023.

## Plot

Thousands of years ago, the Iron Godking fuses with Pandora's Rod of Conviction, conquering kingdoms and toppling governments throughout history. In 2020, the destruction of the dreaded Power Matrix triggers the reactivation of three pendants linked to the mystical rod, attracting the Iron Godking. Biding his time, he births two children, Himni and Xerxes, reveals himself directly to the nomadic Outriders, who are doing well in the decades following the destruction of the Power Matrix, and goes to the Membrane Sphere deep in the multiverse, where he discovers the Umbralord, the cosmic representation of darkness and war, now imprisoned there in the fabled Cage of Eras after having recently been banished by the Verasect in 2043.

Early in the 2070s, shipment vessels are being attacked by iron-like entities and barbarians with an ominous insignia. A special ops team tracks the entities to Lavaback Research Park and attempts to burn it down, but guards ambush them and all but Vincent Organa are killed, including Exogale. In the sprawling metropolis of New Quackville, Superquack and Morgan are attacked by Kristy, who is working for the anarchistic Circle of Judgment led by the Celestial Bane. After critically wounding Morgan, whose wounds do not heal nearly as fast as they should, Kristy is burned by Macroburst and flees. This leads to them encountering some Outriders, who heal Morgan and invite them to the annual festival. The Iron Godking arrives with Xerxes to their surprise and horror, given how John the Toxicologist had impersonated him years ago. He explains that myth often contradicts reality and asks if the couple can be sure they knew him at all, which leads Morgan to trust him and Superquack to be conflicted about him. Surprised of what conflicts she seems ignorant about, the Iron Godking offers to become Morgan's Multiversal mentor.

Dissatisfied with his situation, Superquack and his friend Macroburst go to a gala introducing the expansion of a space agency called C.R.E.E.D., where they meet Xochitl and the Ruby Eidolon and they band together with Toro, but he turns out to be a bad influence and they are captured. Now imprisoned, the four meet former warrior Captain Obvious, whom Nebula Prime imprisoned for John's impersonation of the Iron Godking, and who makes amends with Macroburst, becoming a valuable ally to the other heroes and helping them escape so they can capture the Celestial Bane. It is later revealed to Morgan how the Iron Godking had been involved in Joey's defamation and social decline, so she confronts him, renounces him as her mentor, and makes a colorful escape from the flagship, but not before learning that the Umbralord is the direct inspiration for who we all know as "Satan," and that the Iron Godking is trying to unleash him. She joins Superquack and his new team, only for Macroburst to derail everything by sending the Celestial Bane to Glabrous Mountain. Suspecting that the Celestial Bane *wanted* to be sent there, Xochitl locks up Macroburst and Captain Obvious. Superquack bands with Morgan, Macroburst, Sarah Ferrell, Captain Obvious, Sebiscuits Cardarphen, Vincent Organa, Pom, and the Ruby Eidolon to end the multiversal madness once and for all. While the rest of the plan is going underway, the Circle of Judgment has infiltrated C.R.E.E.D. and they free the Celestial Bane, allowing him to return with the army of demons he had recruited on Glabrous Mountain. He proceeds to infiltrate New Quackville and kidnap dozens of children in preparation of what is to come.

In response, Morgan successfully anchors her allies into the Membrane Sphere, with Morgan realizing she can finally touch the Multiverse at will. They meet a group of natives and Superquack negotiates a truce. As the Circle of Judgment arrives and a series of skirmishes ensues, the Iron Godking personally approaches Superquack and offers him wealth, power, and a chance to personally lead his forces in exchange for his submission. After Superquack declines, Morgan imbues the children with her power to fight the Celestial Bane's monsters while the Circle of Judgment is effectively routed when Sarah defeats Kristy in a lengthy duel. After cryptically promising dues find ways of being paid, the Celestial Bane plummets to his apparent death, after which the Ruby Eidolon reveals within his discarded robe a bag of the Iron Godking's gold. Now unobstructed, the Iron Godking begins the process of terraformation, and the Umbralord uses the amplified energy to break free from his cosmic cage. Catching up to the Iron Godking, Superquack questions him until Xerxes reveals that she will fuse with the Umbralord herself because she has been in love with the demon for a long time. The Lumiking finds them, and Xerxes diminishes much of his power and triggers a thought bomb to massacre several angelic guardians before fully merging with her subject of infatuation, preparing to revolutionize the Multiverse. Superquack duels the Umbralord to a stalemate, but Xerxes over-exerts her new powers and perishes. The Iron Godking furiously pronounces himself the mortal enemy of both cosmic counterparts. The Lumiking assaults him, but the Umbralord protects him. He then speaks to him alone, and upon his return announces that both cosmic beings will go their separate ways. The Separation of the Divinities has begun, reflecting Ora's words. The Iron Godking makes amends with Superquack and Morgan, promising to atone for his wrongdoings. Reclaiming control of Glabrous Mountain, the Umbralord vows to protect the Multiverse for as long as he can. During a ceremony, the Iron Godking vows to govern and heal his people and hence bring the Outriders into a new Golden Age as the cosmos itself begins to heal. While Sebiscuits Cardarphen and Vincent Organa simply go home, Superquack ultimately decides to step away from superheroism for good and focus on leading the Metro Board as he is "getting on a bit". Morgan becomes a symbol of renewal for everyone. Sarah Ferrell prepares to leave, but having long suffered hallucinations of Jamboga the Unholy, she can hear him condoning her desertion, prompting her to remain in New Quackville by Morgan's side. In a Postscript scene, Morgan comes to live with an elderly Superquack in the middle of his peaceful retirement.

## Development

In 2014, Thomas stated that, in addition to having the "basic story" for *Superquack: Relapse of Power* since he began junior high, he also had ideas for a potential third book.

In the weeks leading up to the release of *Superquack: Relapse of Power*, D. Isaac Thomas announced that he would write its sequel, *Superquack III.* However, the book was heavily postponed due to the creation of the *Before The SMSB* series, which he felt would "be a much more successful franchise than what I had planned for Superquack and Morgan". By December of 2016, production was reportedly delayed to June 2020, with Thomas reiterating that production on the book was ultimately put on hold.

On December 21, 2019, the Dark Priest was confirmed to make an appearance in this novel. Much later, the real Iron Godking was also confirmed to appear on October 4 of the following year. Later still, the Circle of Judgment were slated as antagonists in September of 2021, with Vincent Organa returning to action to aid our heroes in their new conflict with evil.

On October 12, 2021, he announced the official title of the novel, while confirming it would be released in January of 2024. However, it was eventually pushed back to October of 2023.

On December 23, 2022, he confirmed the Umbralord would challenge Superquack and Morgan.

On September 17, the release date was pushed forward again to December 8, in light of *Legacy of the Light* being adapted and incorporated into D.I.T. One-Shots, which would be October's release in lieu of *Focal Point*.

## Rating

This novel is rated PG for action violence, for brief language, and for some thematic elements. As far as violence goes, the novel features intense character peril and psychological suspense laced with the often supernatural action, which often involves blades, firearms, ominous journeys through menacing cosmic planes, skirmishes, falls, explosions, flames, collisions, and the like. Creepy human villains including the callous and extremely sadistic Celestial Bane as well as scary monster creatures like the Ironers threaten beloved characters. Much of the violence is implied rather than shown on-page, but bloody injuries and dead bodies are shown. Mild insults and language include "hell hole," "fools," "wuss," "lunatic," etc. The "thematic elements" primarily refer to some mature themes such as religion, death, moral philosophy, bereavement, and disease, all of which are milder than what a PG-13 rating would allow.

## Appearances

### Locations

* Sol
	+ Earth
		- Unknown Countries
			* New Quackville
				+ New Quackville Docking Bay
				+ New Quackville Medical Center
				+ New Quackville Town Hall
	+ Jupiter
		- Lavaback Research Park
	+ Saturn
		- Courts of Akkeitus
	+ Venus
		- Bast Castle (mentioned)
* Multiverse
	+ Bracket Lacuna
	+ Dominion of Iron
		- Region of Pure Iron
			* Nebula Castle
	+ Enchanted Dimension (mentioned)
	+ Glabrous Mountain
		- Castle of the Chthonian
		- Chthonic Forge
		- Devil's Amegdala (mentioned)
	+ Membrane Sphere
	+ Protreon Gamma (mentioned)
	+ Quatan Five (mentioned)
	+ Yrnaal Majoris (mentioned)

### Events

* Big Bang (mentioned)
* Dawn of the Halo Guardians (flashback)
* Siege of the Order of the Krechican (flashback)
* Dominion of Iron Crisis
	+ Attack on Morgan
	+ Escape from Saturn
	+ Escape from the *Looming Trio*
	+ Attack on New Quackville (flashback)
	+ Showdown in the Membrane Sphere
	+ Black Iron Event
* Separation of the Divinities
* Dinobot Invasion (mentioned)
	+ Battle of Quackville (mentioned)
* Time Army Offensive (mentioned)
* Melanization (mentioned)
* Brightening (mentioned)
* Trojan War (mentioned)

### Objects

* Armor
* Eternal Flame
* Hellfire Chain
* Hubble Space Telescope (mentioned)
* Humanitarian Global Services Award
* Lesionite
* Meditation Bracelet
* Nucleus Drill
* Nobel Prize (mentioned)
* Power Matrix
* Supersuit
* Throne of Iron
* Verasect (mentioned)
* Wolataffe and Almataffe (mentioned)

### Organizations

* Brotherhood (mentioned)
* Circle of Judgment
* Confederacy
* C.R.E.E.D.
* Metro Board
* Nebula Prime
* Time Army (mentioned)
* Quack Foundation

### Species

* Angels
* Camels
* Cats
* Chickens
* Demons
* Dogs
* Donkeys
* Dragons (mentioned)
* Ducks
* Gods
* Humans
* Ironers
* Lions
* Monkeys (mentioned)
* Octopi
* Outriders
* Penguins (mentioned)
* Sheep
* Wolves (mentioned)

### New characters

* Erica
* Himni
* Kristy
* Pom
* Toro
* Xerxes
* Xochitl

### Mentioned

* Big Bang
* Brightening
* Dinobots
* Dragons
* Enchanted Dimension
* Ginnifer
* Hubble Space Telescope
* Incursion
* John
* Melanization
* Monkeys
* Nobel Prize
* Penguins
* Protreon Gamma
* Quatan Five
* Saint Nicholas Day
* Time Army
* Trojan War
* Verasect
* Wolataffe and Almataffe
* Wolves
* Yrnaal Majoris

## Music

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Template:The Death of Shadows