Green Lantern Corps

Revision as of 09:03, 18 October 2017

The Green Lantern Corps in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #2.

The Green Lantern Corps were a police organization of superheroes that feature in DC Comics.

History

Creation

The Green Lantern Corps were an interstellar law enforcement organization that was created by the Guardians of the Universe. The immortal inhabitants of the planet Oa embarked on a quest to bring order to the cosmos after Krona had unleashed evil on the universe through his experiments around 5 billion yeas ago. (Green Lantern v2 #40) Their first attempt at accomplishing this feat was around 3.5 billion years ago where they created an android force that was known as the Manhunters. These machines continued in their role for one and a half billion years until they rebelled against their creators. As a result, the Guardians stripped them of their power and position whereupon they turned to organic agents. (Millennium v1 #1) Forty thousand years ago, the Guardians employed organic based law enforcement operatives that were known as the Halla who made use of stun rays as they were dispatched to apprehend criminals and were given Power Batteries. (Green Lantern v2 #90) They eventually created the Green Lantern Corps who were a notable success that had lasted for three billion years. (Millennium v1 #1) The first Green Lantern recruited into the new Corps was a humanoid from the planet Rojira named Rori Dag. (Green Lantern v2 #67)

Green Lantern v2 #90 states that the Halla had operated as predecessors to the Corps around 40,000 years ago but this contradicted Millennium stated that the Corps had been a success for 3 billion years.

Around 50,0000 to 40,000 years ago, the Guardians of the Universe encountered the Reach and with the Green Lantern Corps fighting a war with them that ended in a draw. In the aftermath, a treaty was established by both sides to establish boundaries of peace and quell the Reach's destructive expansion. (Blue Beetle v8 #14) By 954.09 years ago, Green Lantern Kendotha Kr'nek was dispatched to bring Oan law to the unknown world of Apokolips. Raker Qarrigat was dispatched to complete her mission where he fought off Apokolips forces leading to an eventual confrontation with Darkseid. Darkseid wounded Qarrigat effortlessly and had him return back to Oa to inform the Guardians of the Universe that Apokolips was beyond their rule. Under Qarrigat's advice, the Guardians initiated a mass recruitment program over two years gaining a new Green Lantern for each sector of space leading to the Corps growing 3600 in number. With this army, Raker Qarrigat led the large Green Lantern Corps against the forces of Apokolips but their foes had studied the Power Ring and learnt of its weakness to yellow thus leading to the coating their armor in it. The Green Lanterns suffered heavy losses till the Guardians of the Universe intervened and deemed that Darkseid in control of Apokolips was the best course for the universe. Thus, a treaty was established where the Oans would leave Apokolips in exchange for Darkseid not expanding his reach to the worlds under the Guardians custodianship. Darkseid agreed but under the caveat that Raker Qarrigat was left behind on Apokolips with the Guardians agreeing and they purged this incident from the Book of Oa. (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant v1 #3) Around a quarter million years ago, a Green Lantern encountered a powerful monster with the Corpsmen killed and his Power Ring taken by the creature. Developing an innate control over the Power Ring, the beast set a course through space towards the planet Oa with the Guardians dispatching the Corps to intercept it. Heading towards their homeworld, creature had slain hundreds of Green Lanterns and wounded thousands until it landed on top of the Central Power Battery. There, it was confronted by one of the Guardians who unleashed his power to stop the beast only for it to begin to adapt to his attacks. The Oan came to realise that he could not defeat the creature and thus sacrificed himself by unleashing his complete power which obliterated the site. It was believed that the monster was slain but unknown to them, the explosion tore a hole in reality which deposited the creature into a different region of space near Calaton allowing it to continue its rampage. (Doomsday Annual v1 #1)

Green Lantern's Light

Rebirth

The Corps reborn in Green Lantern: Rebirth v1 #6.

Around this time, the Spider Guild struck where they forced Oa's star to slowly transform into a black hole from which their forces attacked the planet. It was only the efforts of the Green Lanterns that overloaded the Guild's nest that was forming the black hole which ended the threat. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #5)

During the Infinite Crisis, Superboy-Prime intended to smash through the planet Oa at the speed of light in order to initiate a new Big Bang to kill everyone whilst leaving himself the only survivor. The Corps confronted him in space where 32 of their number were slain by the mad Kryptonian. Superman and his Earth-1 counterpart managed to enter into the fight where they plunged Superboy-Prime through Krypton's red sun and to the surface of Mogo where the star had rid him of his protective armour. The three battled on the surface where Superboy-Prime fatally wounded the Earth-1 Superman thus killing him but had become exhausted in his fight leading to him collapsing. The Green Lantern Corps then encased him in a cell near a junior red Sun-Eater to deprive him of his powers whilst a detail of 50 Green Lanterns kept watch over him. (Infinite Crisis v1 #7)

War of Light

Return

Despite returning to the universe, the Corps had suffered heavy casualties with them only number 399 instead of 7200 Lanterns. John Stewart was leading the Corps in this weak state whilst Hal Jordan was seeking to find them since their disappearance. By this time, the Sinestro Corps had supplanted the Green Lanterns as the universes new protectors. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #2) A number of Yellow Lanterns led by Soranik Natu refused to follow the more criminal actions of Sinestro and instead sought their own path. These Lanterns agreed to work with the Green Lantern Corps that were low on numbers with a single green and yellow Lantern assigned to a sector of space. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #14)

Overview

Organization

One of the most important figures within the Corps is the living world Mogo who is vital for its continuation. This is because Mogo serves as the one who finds potential ring users and guides them in their use of the power ring. Without Mogo, the Corps would lose the ability to recruit new members which would spell the doom of the Green Lanterns and as such means Mogo serves as one of the most important individuals within the organization.

The Green Lanterns consisted of a large diverse set of different species who were all intelligent and adept at projecting their thoughts to overcoming the language barrier. (Green Lantern v1 #9) The purpose of the Green Lantern Corps was to right wrongs of galactic nature and to end threats to entire worlds over an entire Space Sector. It was held that mere crimes were to be resolved by the law officials on a planet as the Corps was intended to ensure that greater evils did not hold sway. (Green Lantern v2 #149) Green Lanterns were not to interfere with another races culture unless it was to protect the innocent. (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant v1 #1)

During times of importance, they gathered in an assemblage at a designated world where the conference attendees spoke of outbreaks of evil in the universe. (Green Lantern v1 #9) At times, the Guardians sometimes had an accused Green Lantern judged by a jury of their peers. (Green Lantern v2 #11)

The Guardians had perfected mental probing to eliminate recruits that were corruptible or had self-interests whilst adding a system of training to ensure that each Green Lantern devoted all their energies to their duty. (Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II v1 #4)

When a Green Lantern was killed, their bodies were teleported to the headquarters of the Corps and they summoned the various Corpsmen to attend the funeral rites. (Green Lantern v2 #46) An everlasting reward given to Green Lanterns was being placed in Emerald Space which was given to those that had given all in service to the Corps. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #9) Resignation from the Corps was not considered a simple matter as time in training was infested in a Green Lantern which meant that they could not easily afford to lose their service. (Green Lantern v2 #149)

Many Green Lanterns had taken to building headquarters in space in order to manage their designated Space Sector so as to avoid favouring one world over another. (Green Lantern v2 #149)

An old Corps legend that predated the Book of Oa was the Emerald Sun that was an old ghost story. It involved a big, bold green star whose light shined strong, bright and clear but at times of fear the vision was clouded like a thick dense thunderstorm. This prevented the person from seeing far above their own head as they became scared but forget that the Emerald Sun was still out there and that it only took a person to look past the clouds to find it. The Emerald Sun was used as an example of willpower that was always present within a Green Lantern and that they simply needed to envision it in order to tap into its power for their ring. (Green Lanterns v1 #23)

Ranks

• Lantern Sentinel :
• Torchbearer : was an honorary title given to Kyle Rayner when he became host to the Ion entity. This was a prestigious position, one that every Green Lantern envied. It was also an experiment by the Guardians in increasing the power of the Green Lantern Corp making them even more powerful but for a time they were content with a single Torchbearer who served as one of their most powerful weapons.
• Clarissi : a position that was second only to the Guardians and was the title given to the individual that could command the Corps in case the Oans were ever missing. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #40)
• Illustres : a position below the Clarissi with these being held by leaders of the Green Lantern Honor Guard. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #40)
• Guardians Adminitrative Liaison : chief aid of the Guardians of the Universe and relayed their orders to the rest of the Green Lantern Corps. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #1)
• Chief Training Lantern :
• Cryptkeeper :
• Lantern Trainers :
• Honored Lantern :
• Senior Lantern : older more experienced members of the Green Lantern Corps. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #2)
• Rookiee Lantern :
• Trainee Lantern : newly recruited Green Lanterns that were put through field training and given temporary badges until they qualified. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #2)

Divisions

• Fist of the Guardians : mechanical humanoid enforcers that served the Guardians of the Universe and were dispatched as arresting officers to apprehend rogue Green Lanterns to bring them to Oa for trial. (Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II v1 #5)
• Green Lantern Honor Guard :
• Lost Lanterns : were a group within the Green Lantern Corps who were the last of their number that stood between Oa and Hal Jordan when Parallax took hold of him. Rather then be killed, the Lost Lanterns power rings were taken from them and they were left near dead in space but managed to survive. They would continue to live on and were given a place within the Green Lantern Corps once it was re-established by the newborn Guardians. Their experiences with Parallax made them somewhat hostile towards Hal Jordan due to his past actions and were quite defensive of their own members.
• The Corpse : a black ops division within the Corps that did covert assignments with no obvious ties to the Green Lanterns or the Guardians of the Universe. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #7) They were established originally by a rogue Guardian who had recruited a handful of Corpsmen to pursue his own agenda. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #8)
• Alpha Lanterns Corps : are one of the latest developments within the Green Lantern Corps which were created under the orders of the Guardians themselves. Their reason for doing so was to create an elite group of Green Lanterns that would serve as an internal affairs agency within the Corps that would be tasked with bringing in rogue Lanterns or those who had committed crimes and apprehend them so that they could be punished. Taking note on the effectiveness of the old Manhunters and the organic Green Lanterns, the Guardians created a fusion of the two. Cybernetic organisms that married the cold logic of the Manhunter androids with that of the initiative of sentient organic beings. In addition to this, the Alpha Lanterns have a device that links them directly to the Central Power Battery allowing them to use the green light without a power ring.

Corps Directives

There are several rules and regulations that members of the Corps are subject to which include:

• Being forbidden from entering the Vegan system as part of a pact with the Spider Guild.
• Corps members are forbidden from engaging in a transluminal exit maneuver too close to a planetary mass.

There appear to be several different alerts available to the Corps:

• Code Zero : the highest alert and an emergency which states that the Guardians homeworld of Oa was under attack. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #4)
• Code One-Zero-Nine : a warning to investigate an unknown spacecraft entering terrestrial atmosphere. (Green Lanterns: Rebirth v1 #1)
• Code Three Twelve : unauthorized alien presence. (Green Lanterns v1 #1)
• Code Fifty-Four : approves the use of excessive force against a dangerous target. (Infinite Crisis v1 #7)
• Code Six Zero Three : detecting an unlawful execution. (Green Lanterns v1 #1)
• Code Nineteen Sixty Three : suspect escaped into an extra-dimensional vortex to another dimension such as the Anti-Matter Universe. (Green Lantern: Rebirth v1 #5)
• Code Ten-Twelve : when initiated, the rings incinerated all extraterrestrial weapons and technology. (52 v1 #6)
• Code Eight-Nine-One-Two : expressively forbade the violation of indigenous religious beliefs in service to a rescue. (Green Lanterns v1 #33)
• Code One-Zero-Zero-One : deicide whereby a god had been murdered and required a vast expenditure of energy. (Final Crisis v1 #1)
• Red Twelve : detection of increased rage levels. (Green Lanterns v1 #1)
• Code Yellow One : an emergency created after the Sinestro Corps War which warns Green Lanterns of a sighting of a yellow power ring. (Rage of the Red Lanterns)
• Code Yellow Twelve : detection of a fear energy spike. (Green Lanterns v1 #17)
• Phalanx Directive : a command pattern where the Green Lanterns were tasked with blocking an escape over a grid area. (Green Lantern Corps v1 #37)
• Krona Protocol : a command given if the Central Power Battery on Oa faced an ultimate threat whereupon it was hidden until the danger passed. (Final Crisis v1 #5)

At one point, the Guardians had instituted a Territorial Edict that restrict a Green Lantern to their respective Space Sectors and forbade them from pursuing enemies outside their region of space. This had also meant that Green Lanterns were not allowed to partner up with one another. (Green Lantern v5 #31) Corps regulations specifically forbid transluminal exit maneuvers at close proximity to a planetary mass. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #5)

Technology

The Guardians claimed that only they held the knowledge and ability to forge a Power Ring. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps: Rebirth v1 #1) They had recruitment subroutines that were designed to seek out new wielders. (Green Lanterns v1 #24) Corpsmen experienced from their rings a buzzing feeling when encountering regular magic whilst Reach technology led to feelings of hostility and migraines. (Blue Beetle v8 #1) The Guardians had scanners that could detect faults within a Power Ring and determine the problem. They also had equipment that generated null fields that prevented a ring from working. (Green Lantern v2 #116)

The Power Batteries received their energy from the Master Power Battery that broadcast it via tachyon transmission that allowed a Power Ring to recharge 24 hours worth of energy. (Green Lantern v2 #87) Within the battery was psychoplasmic energy that could develop a fault which in turn affected the Power Ring's charge and lead to effects such as time distortions whereby future events manifested in the present. Any such flawed battery's were expected to be destroyed as the had the potential to be dangerous to operate. (Green Lantern v2 #116) The storage of personal charging units could be achieved by placing them in a confined pocket dimension with the Power Battery capable of being summoned at anytime by a Green Lantern. (Green Lantern v4 #34)

Members of the Corpse made use of small black discs instead of Power Rings with this giving them effective powers of a Lantern that had the charge equivalent of five Earth days. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #7)

They operated large lantern shaped space stations known as Sector Houses. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #2) The stations had their own central computer that allowed entry for authorized personnel or could be set to initiate an emergency lockdown to shutdown the facility. This caused the field generator to activate that permitted no entry or exit. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #12) The Corps could make use of junior red Sun-Eaters that were kept contained through quantum containment for use as special detention cells to hold powerful Kryptonian level villains such as Superboy-Prime. (Infinite Crisis v1 #7)

Members

The Green Lantern Corps.

• Hal Jordan :
• John Stewart :
• Guy Gardner :
• Kyle Rayner :
• Kilowog :
• Salaak : After the Green Lantern Corps was re-established, he was appointed the Guardians Administrative Liaison. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #1)
• Arisia :
• Katma Tui :
• Mogo :
• Stel :
• Soranik Natu :
• Green Man :
• Chaselon :
• Laira :
• Saarek :
• Boodika :
• Sodam Yat :
• Von Daggle :
• Simon Baz :
• Jessica Cruz :
• Xenofobe : male alien who was the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 near the 30th century who battled the Time Trapper when the entity had manipulated the time-stream to bring about a future for modern day Earth that led to a single natural disaster. Xenofobe disguised himself as Father Time and orchestrated events so that Superman would battle Jaxon the Mighty to generate enough energy to break the Time Trappers fixed future. (Superman v1 #295)

Notes

• Green Lantern Corps was created by John Broome and Gil Kane where they made their first appearance in Showcase v1 #22 (September 1959).

Alternate Versions

• In Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century v1 #6 (2007), the Green Lantern Corps appeared in the alternate reality setting that was a tie-in to the animated cartoon series set in the 31st century. The Green Lantern Corps were stated as being an interstellar police force originating on Oa with 7200 officers divided in 3600 sectors with each Green Lantern armed with a Power Ring. Some of Earth's greatest superheroes were mentioned as being Green Lanterns with Jordana Gardner being the latest human from Sector 2814 with her being the youngest ever recruit leading to her being referred to as Teen Lantern. They were allies of the Legion of Super-Heroes but were briefly taken over by the Star Conqueror parasites that used the Green Lantern Power Rings to cloak their presence on their hosts faces until Superboy along with the Legion freed the Green Lantern Corps.
• In Smallville: Lantern v1 #2 (2014), an alternate version of the Green Lantern Corps appeared in the Smallville Season 11 tie-in comics set after the events of the television show. They were created by the Guardians of the Universe after they stopped using the Manhunters and were equipped with Power Rings that made their will manifested into constructs. Hal Jordan was the first of their number on Earth followed by Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Guy Gardner. During this time, the Manhunters had reactivated and began attacking all of known space with the Green Lanterns struggling against this threat. Thus, the Guardians sought to tap into the yellow light and made a treaty with Parallax to create Yellow Lantern shock troops against the Manhunters in the Parallax War. During this time, the cosmic entity Parallax infected Hal Jordan who went insane and devastated the Green Lantern Corps before he was lost. Kyle was killed and the Guardians were believed to had been killed with the remaining survivors of the Corps being reduced to a fraction of its size but they reformed in order to continue their duty as interstellar peacekeepers.
• In Dark Nights: Metal v1 (2017), an alternate version of the world designated as Earth-32 was shown in the Dark Multiverse. On this world, Bruce Wayne's parents were killed in Crime Alley by Joe Chill with him feeling a complete lack of emotions as he sought to murder the shooter with this attracting a Green Lantern Power Ring. It inducted him into this universes Green Lantern Corps where he used its power to kill Chill and operated as Green Lantern of this sector where he brutally murdered other criminals. Bruce's willpower overwhelmed the ring bringing his darkness into it with this shadow manifesting as a malfunction allowing him to create shadow constructs that allowed him to kill. After killing James Gordon, the Green Lantern Corps arrived to take the ring but he initiated his shadow Blackout abilities to kill them all whereupon he proceeded into his Power Battery to become the Dawnbreaker. His world then collapsed into the Dark Multiverse but the Dawnbreaker was met by the Batman Who Laughs who recruited him into Barbatos's Dark Knights as they sought to invade the mainstream Earth.

In other media

Television

Green Lantern Corps in Justice League.

• In the DC Animated Universe, the Green Lantern Corps made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
  • In Superman: The Animated Series, the Green Lantern Corps made their first appearance in the episode "In Brightest Day". They were stated to be recruited by the Guardians of the Universe from inhabitants of various interplanetary systems that were tasked with promoting order and justice in the cosmos. Sinestro was once recruited but he was shown to had villainous motivations leading to him being expelled though he acquired a yellow Power Ring and began murdering Green Lanterns in order to empower himself further. After he killed Abin Sur, the aliens Power Ring sought a new wielder and recruited Kyle Rayner into the Green Lantern Corps.
  • In Justice League, the Green Lantern Corps are represented on the team by John Stewart. The Green Lantern Corps itself was shown in the episode "In Blackest Night" where it was revealed that they were successors of the Manhunters created by the Guardians of the Universe. The Guardians operated as custodian of the Green Lanterns power source but allowed individual Corps members their own autonomy. John Stewart was arrested by the Manhunters for the charge of destroying a planet. Members of the Green Lantern Corps were present where a number of them believed him to be guilty except for Kilowog. In "Hearts and Minds", members of the Corps led by Katma Tui were dispatched to the planet Kalanor when the warlord Despero had risen to power. A G-Class Cruiser was dispatched that was destroyed by heavy firepower with the Green Lanterns suffering heavy casualties by the Legion of the Third Eye that were empowered by Despero with the Flame of Py'tar. After their mission failed, Katma Tui went undercover on the planet.
  • In Justice League Unlimited, the Green Lantern Corps briefly appeared in the episode "The Return". It was described as being a military organisation with strict regulations that was used to ensure peace was maintained in the universe. As A.M.A.Z.O. approached Oa, the Corps was dispatched in order to stop the android but were easily defeated. They later arrived on Earth where they helped rescue the defeated Justice League and moved to battle A.M.A.Z.O.
• In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Green Lantern Corps made a number of appearances in the animated series. In "The Eyes of Despero", the villainous Despero arrived on Oa where he battled the Green Lantern Corps and took the majority under his mental domination. To prevent them from being used by the warlord, Hal Jordan sent the assembled Corpsmen along with the Guardians into his Power Ring that was dispatched to Batman. Batman later was joined by Guy Gardner, G'Nort and Sinestro to stop Despero with the mind controlled Mogo from conquering Earth. With Despero defeated, the Green Lanterns were restored from within Hal Jordan's Power Ring.
• In Young Justice, the Green Lantern Corps made brief appearances in the animated series. A number of members were shown including Hal Jordan, John Stewart and Guy Gardner. They were said to had been an intergalactic police force that patrolled the universe. Millennia ago, they had fought against the war-like Reach with a peace treaty signed to stop their advancements.
• In Green Lantern: The Animated Series, the Green Lantern Corps featured heavily in the animated series. They were an intergalactic police force created by the Guardians of the Universe after the failure of their android Manhunters. The Corps was divided into 3600 Green Lanterns to patrols the 3600 Sectors that comprised of Guardian space. However, there was region known as the Fronter that took months to travel to due to their great distance. This region of space had a number of Frontier Lanterns that had limited training and relied on information on their Power Rings for support. The Red Lantern Corps were slowly killing the Frontier Lanterns attracting the attention of Hal Jordan and Kilowog who sought to stop them.

Films

• In Green Lantern: First Flight, the Green Lantern Corps was a privileged organization that was made to promote law and order in the universe. They were overseen by the Guardians of the Universe that provided the Corps their Power Rings and they were based on the planet Oa.
• In Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, the Green Lantern Corps feature with various of its members having their backstory being explained to Arisia. They were created by the Guardians of the Universe long ago during an early period of the cosmos where there was only chaos. After forging the first Power Ring, the Guardians sent the first Lanterns to battle against the rampaging Dominators thus defeating them. In the time that followed, generations of Green Lanterns had been chosen in bringing about law and order to the universe. The Corps later assembled in defeating the threat of Krona who was manifesting in Oa's sun and bringing an army of Shadow Demons to attack the Green Lanterns.
• In Green Lantern, the Green Lantern Corps featured in the 2011 live-action film. They were formed by the Guardians of the Universe after they harnessed the emerald light of willpower billions of years ago and used it to forge Power Rings. After dividing the universe into 3600 Sectors, they sent a ring to each region of space to select a wielder that was without fear to join the ranks of the intergalactic peacekeepers that the Guardians formed who were known as the Green Lantern Corps.

Video games

• In Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, the Green Lantern Corps featured in the video game tie-in set after the events of the Green Lantern movie.
• In Infinite Crisis the MOBA game, across the Multiverse resided an Arcane Earth where the Green Lantern Corps were instead noble mystical knights known as the Order of the Emerald Lantern.
• In DC Legends, the Green Lantern Corps were referenced in the iOS video game where they came under attack from Nekron and the Manhunters with the dead being reanimated as Black Lanterns.

Appearances

• Showcase v1:
• Green Lantern v1:
• Green Lantern Corps v1:
• Tales of the Green Lantern Corps v1:
• Green Lantern: Lost Army v1:

External Link

• Wikipedia Entry
• DC Database Entry

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