DC Comics — The Lantern Corps

How do the rings find their masters?

It all started with the Guardians…

I wrote a response on Quora about how the various Lantern rings in the DC Universe find their wielders. Kinda liked it, so I wanted to share…

The seven ‘primary’ rings generally look for strong emotion in a nearby sentient being. Human, alien, feline… it doesn't matter.

Red (Rage)

Red rings find a sentient creature full of rage. Like Dex-Starr.

A Red Ring of Rage found Dexter the cat just after some intruders killed his master, who had been very good to him.

He became Dex-Starr and destroyed them.

In his own (internal) words, “Dex-Starr good kitty”.

Do not attempt to pet this cat

Orange (Avarice)

Most Orange Lanterns are actually created when Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern, consumes them with his ring and literally steals their identity. An orange construct is created in the victim’s image, but it is really just a construct. Larfleeze can and has reabsorbed them all at times.

On at least one occasion, an Orange Ring of Avarice was dispatched by Ganthet to find a deputy Orange Lantern on Earth. Guess who it chose?

Shocker, I know

Yellow (Fear)

Yellow Rings of Fear look for beings capable of instilling great fear. Let’s use another Earth example. It found Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow.

Would you believe he was completely depressed just before this happened?

Green (Willpower)

Green Rings of Will are the most well-known. They look for beings capable of overcoming great fear. We’ll look at an unusual example, mostly because he had previously been expelled from the Corps and had been trying to destroy it.

But during the battle with Krona, the Rogue Guardian, Sinestro came through.

He was so stunned, Hal had to snap him out of it

He was chosen, and he was unable to remove the ring for some time.

Blue (Hope)

Blue Lanterns are usually chosen by other Blue Lanterns. When necessary, however, the rings look for beings capable of instilling great hope.

Barry Allen has always been an optimist

Indigo (Compassion)

Indigo Rings of Compassion are also unusual. They are usually placed on beings without compassion by members of the Indigo Tribe in order to rehabilitate them. Abin Sur, Hal Jordan’s predecessor, started the Indigo Tribe by indoctrinating Iroque, who had killed his family.

Again, however, the rings will search out suitable hosts when necessary. Like the Atom, Ray Palmer, who felt compassion for both Sue Dibny (who was murdered by Jean Loring) and for Jean Loring (who murdered Sue Dibny).

Nok

Violet (Love)

Violet Rings search out beings with great love or great loss (due to lost love) in their heart. This is a significant improvement over the previous Star Sapphire technique of possessing hosts without consent. A potential bearer must accept the Violet Ring willingly.

She fought for Hal Jordan, even knowing they could never be together

White (Life)

Now, we have the less common rings.

White Lanterns can become so in one of three ways. The first, which is no longer possible, involves contacting the Entity directly (if they are worthy). The Entity was the first living being in our universe.

I do think ‘Destiny Awaits’ is a pretty good line for a ring.

After Sinestro failed to wield the power sufficiently, the task fell to…

Of course it was Hal Jordan. It’s always Hal Jordan…

On one occasion, Kyle Rayner became a White Lantern by mastering all seven colors of the emotional spectrum. This feat has not been repeated.

…Except this time. This time, it was the Torchbearer, Kyle.

White rings can also resurrect the dead. This happened once, in Blackest Night. Only one of these twelve kept the ring for any amount of time, because it was needed for a later purpose (see Brightest Day). Oddly enough, it was Deadman, Boston Brand.

Eleven of these people were very happy. Deadman was just confused.

Black (Death)

Finally, we come to Black Rings of Death. Their typical methodology is to find a dead body and reanimate it, like they once did with every dead Green Lantern on Oa.

Such a cool scene.

One caveat: a Black Ring cannot claim someone whose soul has found peace, like Don Hall (the original Dove).

Don Hall was the only person to resist the Black Ring

When Nekron is active, he can command Black Rings to claim the previously dead who have been resurrected. This also happened only once, in Blackest Night.

Hal and Barry got away. Barry grabbed Hal and outran them.

Of course, Hal Jordan once ‘died’ in the realm of Death (don’t ask) and managed to claim a Black Ring by willing it. But he is Hal Jordan, after all.

Cool outfit, too

He got better.

…And Two Outliers

Last two, I promise…

The Phantom Ring can be worn by anyone. It feed off the emotions and energy of its bearer, and it’s not very stable.

The Ring of Volthoom (the First Ring) can be wielded by Volthoom. It has control over the entire emotional spectrum and most of the rest of reality. At last sighting, it was destroyed and returned to Volthoom’s home dimension.

See more of my comic wisdom and BI genius on Quora.