Warning: contains spoilers for Absolute Power #1!Batman is known for his exhaustive contingency plans to take down both his allies and enemies. The Dark Knight has custom armor, weapons and gadgets to defeat each of Gotham’s villains and all his friends on the Justice League, from a red-sun powered mech to punch out Superman to yellow silicate that can dampen Green Lantern’s powers. Indeed, one of these contingency plans just took down the Justice League as badly as they’ve ever lost – the twist is that this time, Batman was actually trying to help them.

Readers get to see one of the few plans Batman has to benefit the Justice League in Absolute Power #1 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez, and Ariana Maher. In this issue, as Amanda Waller begins her assault on the superhero community, Batman reveals the Red Channel, a highly encrypted infrafrequency meant to instantly connect every past and present member of the Justice League worldwide. Unfortunately, this plan proves to be instrumental in Waller’s victory.

While Batman was trying to use the Red Channel to keep the Justice League in contact with one another and set up impromptu teams, the frequency was used to track the Justice League and assign anti-hero strike units. Because Green Arrow joined Amanda Waller, he was able to give her the frequency, and it proved to be a far bigger negative for the Justice League. Using the information on the seemingly secure channel, Waller gathers the heroes together and then takes them down with her new team of Amazo robots, who defeat them and steal their powers.

Batman’s Secret Line to Earth’s Heroes Just Set Them up for a Devastating Defeat

Green Arrow’s Betrayal Allowed Task Force VII to Decimate Earth’s Heroes

Communication in the field is one of the most important parts for any organization. Orders need to be relayed, and new information needs to be shared as soon as possible. Because of this, the Justice League has had several forms of communication over the years, most prominently using Martian Manhunter’s telepathy. Batman’s Red Channel instantly hacks into whatever communication devices the world’s heroes have on them, specifically targeting every possible vigilante with any link to the League. Waller could never have figured out a way to have 99% of Earth’s heroes give her real-time reports on their locations and groupings, but because of the Red Channel, she gets exactly that, deploying her Amazo units accordingly.

Task Force VII is designed to steal the powers of Earth’s heroes and then replace them, now totally under Waller’s control. These new Amazos have been designed using the tech of Batman’s ultra-powerful robot Failsafe and the new villain the Brainiac Queen. However, their decisive victory – taking out all the heroes in a single swoop – depends on Green Arrow sharing the Red Channel.

The Justice League Is Brought Down Thanks To Batman, Again

The Dark Knight Was Trying to Help, But It’s Another Occasion Where His Desire for Control Backfires

Everyone knows Batman has a terrible habit of contingency plans, but it seems that he is truly cursed for always bringing his team down. Even as Batman tries to make plans that would benefit the Justice League, they still end up doing more harm to the team. However, that’s no coincidence – Batman always strives for total control, rarely trusting others to enact their own tactics. The Red Channel was meant to make it possible for him to guide all the League’s heroes and dictate how they responded to major threats, but as he has before, the Dark Knight failed to account for what this contingency could become if someone else was at the controls.

While Green Arrow deserves plenty of blame for the Justice League‘s resounding defeat, Batman‘s use of the Red Channel shows that – despite being in an era where he values his allies and cooperation more than ever – his contingency plans will always be dangerous as long as he designs them to try and control other heroes.

Absolute Power #1 is on sale now from DC Comics!