This article contains spoilers for Justice League Odyssey #20.
Cyborg has become the Justice League's spy - in Darkseid's army. Darkseid has returned to threaten the universe once again in Dan Abnett's Justice League Odyssey, and he has already forged a fearsome new army. In a terrifying twist, his soldiers include several corrupted superheroes and prominent Justice League members - including the likes of Starfire, Azrael, and Cyborg.
In a surprising twist, though, Green Lantern Jessica Cruz - the last member of the Justice League standing against Darkseid - has been receiving messages from Cyborg. He's been giving Jessica crucial information to help her oppose Darkseid, leading her to believe some aspect of Cyborg's identity has survived the transformation into Darkseid's pawn. Her allies, who include Starfire's sister Blackfire, and Epoch the Lord of Time, insist she's deluding herself. But this week's Justice League Odyssey #20 has finally revealed the truth.
Justice League Odyssey sees Cruz realize the potential of Epoch's time travel technology, and she figures out a way to try to save her friends from Darkseid's influence. "We can't save them today," she points out. "We can't save anything today. But I'm thinking linearly... We're standing in the middle of a giant temporal manipulation device! I don't save them linearly!" Jessica knows enough about time travel to understand the risks she's taking, and resolves to do something subtle and non-invasive; to send a message that won't shred time apart.
There's just one problem; it turns out none of the Justice League members back then are receptive to a quantum message. Cyborg's systems, however, registered it and buried it in his subsystems. He wasn't even aware of the message until Darkseid converted him. The warning was too late, but it became a mantra for his will to focus upon, a source of strength to help him survive. He doesn't have the strength of will to break Darkseid's hold, but he is denying him in the only way he can; by becoming the Justice League's spy in Darkseid's army, feeding information directly to Jessica.
As popular as time travel may be in comics, it's actually a tricky concept for writers to use. The problem is that there's no real-world analog for the concept, which means it's hard for writers to settle on a consistent model of temporal mechanics. There's also the temptation to abuse time travel, using it as little more than a cosmic reset button, and preventing events from having any real stakes. Fortunately, Abnett is far too skilled a writer for that, and he's woven the idea into his Justice League story in a fascinating and organic way. Cruz can save her friends, but beating Darkseid won't be easy.