Green Lantern

What is a Green Lantern?

A Green Lantern is equipped with an item that is regarded as one of the most powerful weapons in the DC Universe, called a Green Power Ring. The Power Ring enables its bearer to manifest their thoughts into hard-light constructs and other various properties only limited by the ring's amount of power and the user's willpower and imagination. The Power Ring is based on advanced technology rather than having its power magically derived.

Mainly, the ring is used for anti-gravity, to unleash torrents of energy, to translate alien dialects and to create hard-light constructs of any shape or complexity. Though, in the past, it has been unable to affect yellow-colored objects, this impurity has been overridden by Hal Jordan's power of will.

The ring must be periodically charged by contact with a Power Battery (a.k.a. Lantern) which in turn draws energy from the Guardians Of The Universe' Central Power Battery on the planet Oa, the central headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps at the center of the universe.

Oath of the Green Lantern

Though not necessary, many Green Lanterns recite an oath while re-charging their Green Power Ring. Some believe it aids them in re-affirming their strength of will. Recitation of the Oath takes an approximate equal amount of time required to recharge the ring. The most common oath used is as follows:

In brightest day,

In blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight,

Let those who worship evil's might,

Beware my power!

Green Lantern's light.

The Green Lanterns of Earth

While the title of Green Lantern is bestowed upon anyone in the Green Lantern Corps there are several superheroes associated with the Earth in the DC Universe (and the sector designated as sector 2814).

Alan Scott

Alan Scott was the original Green Lantern, and unlike the others his title had nothing to do with the Corps. His powers are derived from a magical artifact called the Starheart rather than the advanced technology that makes up the Power Ring. Alan originally came from a parallel version of Earth known as Earth-2.

Hal Jordan

The first Green Lantern of DC's mainstream continuity's Earth, Hal Jordan was given his power ring by the dying Lantern Abin Sur when his spaceship crashed on Earth. Hal Jordan would be the first human Green Lantern of sector 2814. His first appearance was in Showcase #22 in 1959.

John Stewart

John Stewart was chosen to become the Green Lantern of Earth after Hal Jordan gave up his position and Guy Gardner was injured.

Guy Gardner

When Abin Sur's spaceship crash-landed on Earth his Power-Ring logged Guy Gardner away as a "backup" Green Lantern of Earth. Guy became a full-fledged Green Lantern after John Stewart. Guy Gardner is now a part of the Honor Guard of the Green Lantern Corps.

Kyle Rayner

Kyle Rayner was selected by Ganthet to be the Green Lantern of Earth after Hal Jordan was infected by the demon Parallax. For a short time he played the role of Ion, but has since then become a regular Green Lantern. Kyle Rayner is commonly referred to as the Torchbearer of the Green Lantern Corps.

Other Notable Lanterns

Soranik Natu

Kilowog

Salaak

Sodam Yat

Mogo

Weapons

Each member of the Green Lantern Corps is located by a green power ring for individuals that can overcome great fear. The Green Power Ring is able to perform a number of abilities which can be found here: Green Power Ring.

Retconned

Radiation: Besides light based radiation used to create the energy constructs associated with a Green Lantern, the ring can simulate various forms of radiation. One example of this is the ability to simulate the radiation of Green Kryptonite, a form of radiation that is harmful to Superman. However, this ability is no longer valid and has been retconned.

Time travel: The ring allows the wielder the ability to travel through time, though the process requires great willpower.

Weaknesses

Mental Incapacitation: The ring cannot be wielded correctly if the wearer is under the influence of drugs or if there is an involvement of neural interference.

Yellow Impurity: In the beginning the Green Ring was vulnerable to the color yellow. It was unable to defend against attacks from wielders of the Sinestro Corps as well. This weakness however has now be changed and can be overcome by veterans who have the ability to overcome great fear. Hal Jordan was of the first of the Green Lanterns to show that this weakness could be overcome.

Recharge: Previously had to be recharged every 24 hours or when it has been depleted of energy. This can be accomplished if the bearer of the ring recites an oath into his power lantern while holding the ring to it. However now, the power ring only needs to be recharged when it runs out of energy. Sinestro stated to Hal that it was possible for a Green Lantern to store his.her battery in a pocket Universe and take it with them wherever they went but so far Hal has not displayed the ability to do this.

Red Lantern Corps. Bearers of the red ring have the ability to drain a Green Power Ring of its energy. The ring of a Blue Lantern however has the ability to charge a Green Lantern Ring or negate this negative effect. Blue Lanterns rings also have the ability to purge the negative effects that a Red Lanterns Ring can cause upon the wielder of a Green Lantern Ring.

(Previous Weaknesses)

Ability To Kill: One of the main weaknesses of the Power Rings that greatly disturbed Sinestro was the fact that the bearers of the Green Lantern Ring were unable to kill. Recently however, this restriction on the rings has been lifted but murder is still against the law of the GL Corps. This restriction was lifted by the Guardians of the Universe during the War of the Green Lanterns

Related Articles

• Green Lantern Corps
• Green Power Ring
• Green Power Battery
• Central Power Battery
• Guardians Of The Universe
• 3600 Space Sectors
• Ion
• Parallax
• Sinestro Corps
• Sinestro
• Blackest Night