Power Ring
- For other uses of this name, see Power Ring (disambiguation).
A Power Ring is an object that features in DC Comics.
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History
Origin
Power Rings were a type of technology that were constructed long ago and had the ability to create constructs shaped from the Emotional Spectrum.
From the Travel Lantern, Rami was responsible for cannibalising it to create the first seven Power Rings. (Green Lanterns v1 #23) Long ago, Rami had created a new kind of Power Ring that could accept any wielder and was known as the Phantom Ring. (Green Lanterns v1 #8)
The original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, had a magical Power Ring which was vulnerable to wood and had to be recharged every 24 hours. (This wood vulnerability was derived from this power ring's original source, the Starheart, which had merged with rogue Green Lantern Yalan Gur, whose ring was specially vulnerable to wood.) Long-term use of the ring apparently affected Alan's body, first by giving his offspring powers, and later by turning him into a being of living green flame. This ring was destroyed by Parallax but later recreated.
Volthoom was the first person that had managed to master a Power Ring. (Green Lanterns v1 #12) Around 10 billion years ago, he as the First Lantern threatened to destroy the Guardians of the Universe on Maltus. The Guardians themselves were weak to directly combat Volthoom with them turning to Rami who was one of their own who had created the Power Ring. These devices were to be used as weapons to battle the First Lantern but due to time consideration he could only get them to channel the green light of will in the Emotional Spectrum. (Green Lanterns v1 #13)
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps' power rings were ineffective against anything yellow, but also had to be recharged every 24 hours. The yellow vulnerability derived from the fear-entity Parallax, which was imprisoned within the Central Power Battery on Oa.
The power ring constantly protected their wielder from harm, could not be removed from their owner's possession unwillingly, and could be used as an information resource, since they had limited intelligence. The rings could also duplicate themselves, so that a Green Lantern could pass a ring on to someone worthy. The rings were not permitted to directly kill a person, but (unfortunately) a creative wielder could find ways around that.
The Guardians later created a new series of improved Power Rings for the Corps with improved capabilities though it still required a charge after 24 hours. (Green Lantern v2 #90)
Torchbearer
The power ring held by Kyle Rayner is similar, but has several differences from the "classic" rings. It is not vulnerable to yellow, nor does it need to be recharged every 24 hours- instead, it only needs to be recharged when it has used all of its energy (which varies depending on usage). However, its protective abilities are only running when specifically activated, and it lacks its own intelligence. During his stint as Ion, Kyle added an emergency reserve of power to the ring that would activate in crisis situations.
- In Justice Legion A's timeline, Kyle's ring would eventually be buried as the "Knight Fragment" on Mars, and would eventually fall into the possession of the Prime Superman.
Rebirth
Overview
The power ring is the primary weapon of the various Green Lanterns. The power ring, which is recharged via a Power Battery, can shape emerald energy into any shape or device or effect desired by the user. It can create complex machines or big fists, suits of armor or anvils. The energy can also be focused as a blast, used as a universal translator, or even maintain the ebbing life energies of the dead, among many other effects. It is limited only by the user's willpower and imagination. The power rings are widely considered the most powerful weapons in the universe.
It served as a portable battery and mind-key transmitter to the central power source. (Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn v1 #3) As such, they served as conduits to the main power source which was the Central Power Battery. (Green Lantern: Rebirth v1 #3) Within the ring was a jewel that contained a crystalline structure which maintained its functions. In some cases, the structure could develop a flaw leading to some unexpected side effects such as absorbing the electrical emanations of its wielder and amplifying their emotional responses causing them to act uncharacteristically. (Green Lantern v2 #58)
For Green Power Rings, users forced their willpower into the ring and asked it to give their thoughts life. For an untrained user, the experience was exhausting and such individuals felt like they had not slept for days. (Green Lantern: Rebirth v1 #4)
A Ring was capable of accessing its own ring memories for data queries asked by its wielder and contained logs of previous users or other shared information. It could either do this through audio breakdowns or a full-environmental playback whereby a simulation was created. (Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn v1 #3) Green Lantern Corps members were able to use the rings to open or close a duty log that was saved for later use. (Brave and the Bold v3 #1)
A further method of communication was through switching to a telepathic sub-channel allowing the users to mentally speak to one another. This proved particularly useful to mentally communicate sensitive information without others in the area overhearing the conversation. (Green Lantern: The Lost Army v1 #1) When encountering other races, the ring could activate its omni-translation mode allowing communication with other species. (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant v1 #1)
An autopilot feature was present within the ring allowing it to remotely pilot the user to their destination though the wearer could disable this feature. (Brave and the Bold v3 #1) A feature within the Oan rings was if their wearer was unable to respond or recharge then it went into emergency evacuation procedures. This resulted in it opening a wormhole towards Oa and warned anyone nearby to stay away from the departure area as it took its wearer to safety. (Justice League of America v4 #1)
Current models of the devices were classed as twelfth generation solid state Power Rings that were constructed by the Guardians of Oa. (Green Lanterns v1 #2) One special version of these devices was the Phantom Ring that had the power to tap into emotion. However, it lacked any safety with it controlling its user and feeding on their emotions. (Green Lanterns v1 #12)
Rings were known to go through system updates. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #19)
Wielders
- Alan Scott :
- Kyle Rayner :
- Jessica Cruz :
- Frank Laminski :
Notes
- The power ring was created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell where it made its first appearance in All-American Comics v1 Number Sixteen (July 1940).
- In Justice League - the Darkseid War: Green Lantern v1 #1 (2015), a Mother Box merged with Hal Jordan's Power Ring as he accepted the transformation into a New God where he became the god of light whilst his ring was transformed into the godly Mother Ring. With its power, he reversed time to prevent the destruction of Oa and death of the Green Lantern Corps, consoled his younger self after his father died and relinquished the power to become a mortal again.
Alternate Versions
- In Green Lantern/Star Trek: The Spectrum War (2015), they featured in the cross over story between the two franchises. They were described as being advanced alien computers designed by the Guardians of the Universe with their origins being exactly the same as the DC Comics universe. A point of divergence was that the Blackest Night was won by Nekron with the Oan Ganthet initiating the Last Light protocol. He gathered a ring from each aspect of the Emotional Spectrum and used them to open a doorway to escape into another universe along with a Lantern from each of the Corps. The act killed Ganthet and his remains were discovered by the U.S.S. Enterprise whereupon the rings activated and selected users from various inhabitants of the Star Trek universe.
In other media
Television
- In The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, the Power Ring featured in the Green Lantern shorts. It was described as being magical and was used by Hal Jordan when he operated as Green Lantern.
- In the DC Animated Universe, Power Rings made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Superman: The Animated Series, a Power Ring made its first appearance in the episode "Brightest Day". A ring arrived on Earth where it selected Kyle Rayner to be its wearer with Sinestro arriving on the planet to retrieve it.
- In Justice League, a Power Ring made regular appearances in the animated series starting from the pilot episode with it being worn by Green Lantern John Stewart.
- In The Batman, the Power Ring featured as part of the plot in the episode "Ring Toss". It was being worn by Green Lantern Hal Jordan when he was attacked by Sinestro who was equipped with a yellow ring. To protect it, he hid the Power Ring in Gotham City where it was stolen by Penguin. Jordan teamed up with Batman to recover the ring with Batman being forced to wear it in order to battle Sinestro. However, the charge in the Power Ring was low which forced Batman on the run where he threw it to Hal Jordan. In Hal's hands, he used his Power Battery to re-power it and used it to battle Sinestro. During the battle, Batman managed to snatch Sinestro's ring from his hand allowing the Dark Knight to knock him out and defeat him.
- In Green Lantern: The Animated Series, the Power Ring featured heavily in the plotline of the cartoon series as it was the prime weapon of the Green Lanterns. The Green Lantern Corps made use of green Power Rings given by the Guardians to bring order to the cosmos. In the Forgotten Zone, Atrocitus's Red Lanterns used red Power Rings that made use of rage. Ganthet managed to create the first blue Power Ring that was powered by hope in order to combat evil.
Films
- In Green Lantern: First Flight, Abin Sur's Power Ring was given to Hal Jordan of Earth when he crashed on that world and died. He was later inducted into the Green Lantern Corps and placed under the tutelage of Sinestro after the Guardians reluctantly accepted the human based on him being chosen by the ring. Green Lantern Sinestro decided to take Jordan to find Sur's murderer namely the criminal Kanjar Ro. However, first he would take the human to the Central Power Battery in order for Jordan to download from it all information regarding Space Sector 2815. At the Battery, Hal was told to put his ring into the light and think the words 2815 with the information on that region of space downloaded directly into his mind through the Power Ring.
- In Green Lantern, the Power Rings appeared in the live-action film. They were created billions of years ago by the Guardians of the Universe after they harnessed the emerald light of willpower. Following their creation, they were provided to the Guardians intergalactic peacekeeping force known as the Green Lantern Corps.
- In Justice League: War, it was worn by Hal Jordan who was the Green Lantern in the animated movie with the Power Ring being voiced by Andrea Romano. It operated on concentration and was said to be linked to the knowledge of the Guardians of the Universe. Jordan used it to analyze the Mother Box placed by a Parademon underground in Gotham City. Despite its knowledge, the ring was unable to determine the origin of the artifact but was unable to do so during this first contact with Apokolips.
Video games
- In Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, power rings made an appearance as part of the videogame's setting with Hal Jordan's ring being voiced by Grey DeLisle.
- In DC Comics Legends, Green Lanterns Power Ring featured in the iOS video game where Hal Jordan needed to recharge it after it was nearly depleted of energy. It was referenced in his backstory and abilities as being the source of his powers as it allowed him to generate constructs and other feats.
Appearances
- Green Lantern:
- Green Lantern Corps:
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors:
- Green Lantern: New Guardians:
- Red Lanterns:
- Sinestro:
- Green Lantern: The Lost Army:
External Links
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