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CHARACTER CLOSE-UP

CHARACTER CLOSE-UP : Kilowog

1/26/2013

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Origins
A towering alien with a brutish cross of porcine and bull-doggish appearance, Kilowog is renowned throughout the Green Lantern Corps as the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits. The Guardians of the Universe recruited Kilowog, a gifted genetic scientist, from the planet Bolovax Vik, located in Space Sector 674. Kilowog was trained by Lantern Ermey (reference to Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey), who would often use the word "poozer", which means "useless rookie" (a word Kilowog would later adopt, albeit in a friendlier way). In the middle of a particularly arduous training session, Ermey had Kilowog and his fellow rookies help stop an attack on a group of Lanterns, one of whom was the future renegade Sinestro. Ermey, fatally wounded in battle, commended Kilowog on his abilities, telling him that he had the makings of a great leader. In addition to serving with distinction as the Green Lantern of that sector, Kilowog also began to spend extensive periods of time on the Green Lantern Corps' home planet of Oa instructing new recruits on how to handle and best utilize their power rings. In this capacity, Kilowog acted as the first trainer to a young Hal Jordan, the ring-recruited successor to the slain Abin Sur of Ungara, the Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814. Kilowog and his new recruit helped the Guardians confront Abin Sur's murderer, the hive mind interstellar malefactor known as Legion.
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Crisis
During the Crisis on Infinite Earths (referred to as a "great crisis"), Bolovax Vik was destroyed. This was a powerful blow to the giant Green Lantern, as his race lived a highly communal lifestyle, and to be alone was one of the worst things imaginable. Owing somehow to this genetic similarity to and affinity for each other that all Bolovax Vikians possessed, Kilowog was able to rescue the entire population of his homeworld (billions of beings) by storing their collective life essences within his ring upon that world's annihilation.
The Crisis saw the immortal Guardians ethically divided (a faction of six Guardians broke away from the majority, deciding to follow the example of their estranged brethren The Controllers and create their own Green Lanterns to directly combat the Anti-Monitor, but five of them were killed shortly after they chose their first and only recruit, Guy Gardner of Earth) and their ranks depleted for the first time in millions of years (only 22 of the 36 Guardians survived). The Corps as well suffered hundreds of casualties. The Guardians then decided to end their direct leadership of the Corps, and left for another dimension with their former mates, the Zamarons.

Earth years
Before leaving, the Guardians informed the remaining GLs that the Corps was now theirs to administer; they were no longer bound by their former assignment to one particular Space Sector and could deploy themselves as they saw fit. Adrift following the destruction of his Sector and the end of his role training new GLs for the Guardians, Kilowog relocated to Earth with his former pupil Jordan and the group of GLs that had decided to make their base there. They ultimately became the Green Lantern Corps of Earth. While his appearance at first frightened most humans, Kilowog briefly became a celebrity following his defeat of the villain Black Hand on live television in a battle over Anaheim Stadium.
This goodwill was soon squandered, though, when he was approached by a KGB agent and invited to live in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as the society of Bolovax Vik was somewhat similar to a communist system. During his time in the USSR, Kilowog was instrumental in the creation of the Soviet Union's first super-powered force, the Rocket Red Brigade. Kilowog ultimately became disenchanted with the U.S.S.R. and the flawed communist nations of Earth.
While adventuring with the GLC of Earth, Kilowog found a world in Space Sector 872 which would make a suitable "Bolovax Vik II". Moved to action, he tapped into his ring and reconstituted the entire population of his world, some 16 billion beings. No sooner had he done this, though, than the world was obliterated by the renegade Green Lantern Sinestro, and all 16 billion Bolovax Vikians were permanently killed. The trauma of this drove Kilowog temporarily insane, but he was helped back to his senses by fellow GL Arisia, to whom he confessed his love. He was also supported by other Green Lanterns, who made an effort to be near him, as they knew Kilowog's race enjoyed being in crowds.
Shortly after this adventure, the Corps was finally and completely destroyed when they voted as a body to execute the captured Sinestro for crimes against the universe; this set in motion a chain of events that led to the dissolution of almost all power rings. Around this time, Kilowog is allowed to be one of the honor guard at Superman's funeral.

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Emerald Twilight
When the Corps began to expand again, Kilowog returned to Oa to train the new generation of Green Lanterns. During the Emerald Twilight arc, numerous Green Lanterns were sent to stop the supposedly insane Hal Jordan. The very last Green Lantern to oppose Jordan was Kilowog himself, on Oa. He attempted to prevent his old pupil from entering and absorbing the power of the Great Battery itself, which destroyed the Corps. Kilowog was disintegrated with a blast by Jordan's ring, leaving nothing but a seared skull and ashes, and a shaken but undeterred Jordan stole the energies of the Great Battery. The remaining guardians sacrificed themselves by merging their life forces into the final green lantern ring. The only Guardian left to bestow the ring was Ganthet.

Dark Lantern
The enigmatic being known as Dark Lantern seemed strangely familiar to those closely acquainted with the legacy of the Green Lantern Corps when he first made his presence known on Earth.
He was created by some of the remaining Green Lanterns who had lost their rings when Hal Jordan went mad. Based on Xudar, they called themselves the "Brotherhood of the Cold Flame". Boodikka was one of their number. They tapped into arcane forces and based on the unusual nature of the Bolovax Vik afterlife, they converted the soul of Kilowog into the Dark Lantern in order to send him after Jordan.
When Jordan became the Spectre, he convinced his old friend Tom Kalmaku to help correct his sins against the Green Lantern Corps. Kalmaku used Hal's old power ring to rebuild Oa and the Great Battery as shown in Green Lantern Legacy: The Last Will and Testament of Hal Jordan. This allowed the vengeful spirit of Kilowog to rest. Soon after this, though, his spirit was recalled to life by Kyle Rayner and Ganthet.

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The New Corps
Recently the Guardians were reconstituted, and reformed the Corps in the wake of Hal Jordan's rebirth. Kilowog retakes the role of Green Lantern drill sergeant, training new recruits (or "poozers" as he often refers to them) for the newest incarnation of the Green Lantern Corps, once again in the service of the Guardians of the Universe. In the Infinite Crisis storyline, Kilowog (along with fellow Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, later Ion) played a key role in the Rann-Thanagar War and its aftermath.
In Superman/Batman #30 (2007) Kilowog is deeply affected by a force that has turned most of the super-powered aliens allied with Earth hostile against all humans. He, or the force controlling him, attempts to violently sway Superman into hating all humans, but a very confused Man of Steel does not fall for it. It is later revealed that Kilowog and other alien heroes are being affected by Despero and an alien armada. The threat is swiftly neutralized by Superman and Batman.
Once again, in Green Lantern Corps #11 (2007) Kilowog is pushed, apparently from a Despotellis-infected Mogo, into a xenophobic hate against the Guardians and the Corps, acting with imagery of his dead people. Kilowog fell victim to the deception.
During the Sinestro Corps War, Kilowog was on the front line during the battle of Mogo. When the conflict moved to Earth, Kilowog battled his Sinestro Corps counterpart, Arkillo. Kilowog defeated the villain and removed his ring. After the war's climax, Kilowog was seen on Mogo, eating dinner with energy constructs of his family members.

Blackest Night
During the Blackest Night event, Oa is invaded by a swarm of black power rings, that turn all the deceased Lanterns in the Oan crypt into Black Lanterns, who promptly attack the living Lanterns. Kilowog is attacked by the reanimated Ermey, who mercilessy berates him for not preventing his death, and for saving the life of Sinestro, citing the deaths Sinestro had caused as being Kilowog's fault. He also torments Kilowog over the death of the current class of Green Lantern rookies, whom Ermey himself had just slain. Gaining the upper hand, Ermey attempts to rip out Kilowog's heart, but is interrupted by the announcement that Black Lanterns' rings have reached one hundred percent power. Subsequently, the Black Lanterns are given new instructions: to devour the Central Power Battery. Ermey departs for his new objective, joined by the rookie Lanterns he had just killed. Kilowog then joined his fellow Green Lanterns in their attempt to protect the Central Power Battery. After the Black Lantern threat is defeated Kilowog decides he does not want to be the drill instructor anymore, just a regular Green Lantern. Kilowog arranges for the robotic Lantern Stel to take over his duties.

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War of the Green Lanterns
Kilowog and Arissa accompany Guy Gardner on a mission to the 'unexplored sectors'. The three defeat a powerful telepath. They also avenge the death of several Lanterns, a concept Kilowog is becoming increasingly unable to process.
When Krona launches his attack on the Green Lantern Corps by infecting the power battery with Parallax, Kilowog is the only alien Lantern not to fall under Krona's influence due to his past experience with the entity. However, Krona quickly deduces the reasons for his greater resistance, forcibly placing a new ring on Kilowog's finger to bring him under his control.
Following the war, Kilowog briefly attempts to resign from the Corps after the Guardians discharge Hal Jordan and allow Sinestro to at least provisionally remain a Lantern, but is convinced to rethink his decision by Salaak due to the obvious upheaval the Corps will have to undergo in future due to the destruction of Mogo.

New 52
Kilowog is back to being drill instructor of the Green Lantern Corps, and is part of the team that breaks John Stewart out of prison when the Alpha Lanterns sentence him to death. He and Salaak have also uncovered the Guardians' plans regarding the Third Army.

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Powers and abilities
As a Green Lantern, Kilowog possesses the same power ring and power battery used by all GLs. The Great Power Battery, located on Oa, is the repository for billions of years' worth of willpower in energy form. This energy has been harnessed and focused by the Guardians and is tapped by each GL's power battery. This in turns feeds it to their individual power rings. By applying willpower and concentration, the ring is literally able to accomplish anything of which the wielder can conceive, and is therefore as limited or limitless in abilities as the wielder. In Kilowog's case, he has shown an affinity for creating astoundingly complex machinery using the ring. In terms of combat, Kilowog tends to eschew the "giant boxing glove" fighting style of Hal Jordan and mainly uses his ring to fly and to absorb any enemy's attacks long enough for him to get close enough to batter them into unconsciousness.
According to the 2005 miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth, Kilowog's ring is the only one that Hal Jordan knows of that makes a sound when being used. (Hal Jordan is apparently unaware of the blind Green Lantern, Rot Lop Fan, who can only make sounds with his powers).
In addition to his power ring, Kilowog possesses the natural super strength and durability of his species, as well as a powerful intellect that surpasses many of his fellow corpsmen. Under Mind Control, Kilowog even managed to combine all of these abilities to hold his own against Superman easily.

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In other media
Television
Kilowog has appeared in a few episodes of Justice League, voiced by Dennis Haysbert. This portrayal of Kilowog casts him in a more jovial light, although at no loss of his significant competence as a Lantern. The first appearance by Kilowog was "In Blackest Night", where Kilowog was one of several Green Lanterns attending the trial of John Stewart for the crime of destroying an entire planet. The Lanterns, unfortunately, were not there to support John, but rather join in the crowd's vocal abuse of Stewart. This was a wrinkle of his teammates' behavior that Kilowog believed to be wrong, but he didn't have the courage to say so until Hawkgirl confronted the Lanterns for abandoning John. Kilowog then realized that John deserved his trust and support, and went to the trial to speak in John's defense. His next - and to date, most substantial - appearance was in the episode "Hearts and Minds". After a battle with Despero's forces on Kalanor, Kilowog arrived at Earth badly injured, and when John found him, his mention of Katma Tui sent John off to find Katma. J'onn J'onzz brought Kilowog back to health, and he and Flash went to go find John's lantern battery so Kilowog could recharge (it is here that Kilowog expresses an ability - and willingness - to eat almost anything, be it ice cream still in the container or a VHS copy of Old Yeller, declaring them both "delicious!"). Kilowog brings Flash, J'onn, and Hawkgirl to Kalanor to join the fight against Despero that Katma and John have already been participating in. In determining how to fight Despero and his Flame of Py'tar, Kilowog suggests a carbon bomb, a complex explosive that he himself ends up constructing to exact perfection (leading to Flash's new title for him: Kilowog, the man of a thousand talents). The bomb ends up not being used, as the Py'tar is alive and suffering under Despero's reign, but Kilowog's actions in the episode still prove quite impressive. In this episode he and The Flash are shown to be very friendly with each other. Also, he, along with Kyle Rayner, Katma, and a few other GL's, is among the grievers at Superman's funeral in the episode "Hereafter". He has no lines. His only appearance in Justice League Unlimited has been as one of the many angry Green Lanterns in "The Return", who are enraged at Amazo for seemingly destroying Oa. He has no lines here (nor do most of the Lanterns), but he does show up to take place in the large line-up of willing executioners once the Lanterns find Amazo.
Kilowog appeared in the Duck Dodgers episode "The Green Loontern" voiced by John DiMaggio.
Kilowog appeared in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Day of the Dark Knight" voiced by Diedrich Bader. He was taking in a prisoner when Guy Gardner's antics caused that prisoner to go into rage. Thanks to him and Batman, he was caught. In "The Eyes of Despero," he was in Hal Jordan's army when he was brainwashed by Despero. He was later revealed to be alive and was in Hal's Power Ring. In "Revenge of the Reach," Kilowog was present when the Reach invade Oa.
Kilowog is a main character in Green Lantern: The Animated Series voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, reprising his role from Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters. He travels through Frontier Space on the Interceptor with Hal Jordan and is one of the strongest agents in the fight against the Red Lantern Corps.

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Films
Michael Madsen voices Kilowog on Warner Premiere animated feature Green Lantern: First Flight. Kilowog is initially distrustful of Hal Jordan, even demanding that he return Abin Sur's ring to him, despite being given it. Kilowog is later shown to be upset that the Guardians assigned Sinestro to train Jordan, since the job usually went to Kilowog. Later Jordan saved Kilowog while chasing Kanjar Ro and starts to trust him, when they discover that Sinestro framed Jordan for Kanjar Ro's murder. After Sinestro uses the yellow battery to destroy the green battery, the now powerless Green Lanterns are ordered to give up their rings. Kilowog refuses and Sinestro holds Kilowog in front of the yellow battery saying that Kilowog "wasn't going to survive this anyway". However, Jordan saves Kilowog from Sinestro. After Jordan knocks Sinestro back to the surface, Kilowog crushes his hand and ring. Kilowog discovers that his ring still has some power left, saves Jordan from a free-fall.
In the anthology film Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Henry Rollins provides the voice for Kilowog. His segment of the film involves his training and how he gained his current position.
Kilowog appeared in the Green Lantern live-action movie directed by Martin Campbell and released June 17, 2011. He was featured in the third trailer for the film, and his voice was performed by the late Michael Clarke Duncan. As before, Kilowog puts Hal through his training course in ring-slinging, saying he has never seen a human before and stating that Hal "smells funny". However, when Jordan defeats Parallax single-handedly, Kilowog is pleased at how well he trained the new recruit.

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CHARACTER CLOSE-UP : Laira

1/19/2013

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Origin
Laira was born on the planet Jayd in space sector 112. She was trained by her father Kentor Omoto to take over his role as a soldier of the Guardians of the Universe as Green Lantern of her sector. Her training was also one strict with tradition and honor. During her training she became exceptionally adept at her native martial arts. Throughout his time with his daughter he never hid the fact that the ruling council of his planet were not doing things the way he would, he saw their rule as weak and disreputable. After the disappearance of her father during the Crisis on Infinite Earths and the proclamation by the Guardians that he was dead, she was considered for the post of ring bearer and Green Lantern of her sector. Her instructor turned out to be Ke'Haan of Varva, Kilowog's second in command. Most would have thought her doomed to fail as KE'Haan was renowned for his tough as nails training. More green lantern recruits flunked out or quit under him than anyone else. Eager to please and finding a kindred spirit of honor within her teacher she became his prized pupil.

Green Lantern Corps
To complete her training she was sent to the city of X'ol on her home planet. Her mission was to put an end to one who had become known as the 'Golden Dragon'. When she used her formidable skill to infiltrate his Castle, she made a startling discovery. Upon coming face to face with the villain, he was revealed to be her previously thought dead father, Kentor Omoto. Discovering that her father had become a tyrant in X'ol, she was shocked and hesitated to attack him. He explained to her his return from the crisis and to his home planet, where the years of sitting idly by had finally broken him. He was disgusted by the behavior of the people of X'ol and had crossed the same ethical line as Sinestro, using his ring to influence the people's behavior as well as that of the ruling council. When the Guardians discovered his actions, he was charged with political interference and was stripped of his power ring and returned to Jayd. Once he was back home, the ruling council exiled him. Having lost everything, he created the identity of the Golden Dragon so that he could remake X'ol in his image. Her father pled with her to forget the Guardians and the things he had taught her about honor. Realizing her father endangered not just X'ol but all of Jayd she engaged him in battle and through her skills, coupled with the teachings of her mentor Ke'haan, she bested the fallen Lantern. Omoto, defeated by his daughter, asked her to kill him, as honor demanded his blood for what he had done. She however refused and he instead committed Hara Kiri.

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Her mission completed, Laira returned to Oa angry at the Guardians for hiding the true nature of her mission from her. The Guardians, impressed with her loyalty and skill, awarded her the title of Green Lantern of her sector and inducted her into the Green Lantern Corps, she had passed their test. She was known as one of the Corps' fiercest warriors, and her martial arts skills were second to none. She was noted as never looking at her target, so that every attack is a surprise, every moment a work of art. Due to the amount of time she spent with Ke'Haan, many in the Corps thought that they had a relationship separate and apart from teacher and pupil despite the fact that Ke'Haan had a family. Nevertheless they could often be found together on Green Lantern Corps missions.

Emerald Twilight and Beyond
When word that Hal Jordan had gone rogue reached the guardians on Oa, they quickly sent word to their fiercest warriors. Laira and her mentor, Ke'Haan, engaged Hal Jordan but fell to his increased power and near psychotic rage. She and Ke'Haan were both stripped of their power rings and left for dead. She was later discovered by a reformed Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner to be held captive by the Manhunters, along with the other "Lost Lanterns," including Kreon, and Tomar-Tu, who had recently escaped to kill Jordan in revenge for his rampage. She, her mentor, and the others, with the help of Jordan and Gardner, put an end to the Manhunter planet of Biot and returned to Oa where she resumed her duties as Green Lantern of her sector.

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Sinestro Corps War
During the Sinestro Corps war, Laira and the Lost Lanterns came to Hal Jordan's aid on Qward. the group then split up, with Laira, Ke'Haan and Boodikka searching for Ion, and Hal, Graf Toren, and Tomar-Tu looking for John Stewart and Guy Gardner. Laira's group would then run into the Anti-Monitor, who slaughtered Ke'Haan, but they were able to recover Ion and return to Oa. After lethal force has been authorized by the Guardians, Laira killed as many Sinestro Corpsmen for the death of Ke'haan.

Red Lantern Corps
After preventing the invasion of Coast City by the Sinestro Corps, Laira visited the Crypt of the Green Lanterns to mourn Ke'Haan's death. Honnu reveals to Boodikka that the two had been attracted for some time, but that Ke'Haan had refused her due to the fact that he had a family on his home planet. Laira and the Lost Lanterns set out to his homeworld to deliver news of his death, only to find that his family has been murdered by Sinestro Corps member Amon Sur. Enraged by this act, Laira ignored Sur's requests that he be taken into custody (to which he had willingly submitted), and the Lantern murdered him. Afterwards, Laira was held in custody on Oa, while her fellow Lanterns who were with her at Amon Sur's death all testified that she murdered him. After hearing that, Laira defended her actions and incinerated Amon Sur's corpse, present on the room, preventing any chance of resurrection for the killer. Afterwards, she was taken into custody by the Alpha Lanterns. After being held she was then sentenced in a trial by her former fellow Lost Lantern turned Alpha Lantern, Boodikka. She was expelled from the Green Lantern Corps and while on route to her homeworld of Jayd with Honnu, the ship was damaged by a Red Lantern Ring and she became one of the first members of the Red Lantern Corps.

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Reduced to an almost animalistic state, Laira participated in the Red Lanterns attack on the Green Lanterns escorting Sinestro to his execution on Korugar, infecting Hal Jordan and John Stewart with her rage. On Ysmault, Laira made a blind run for Sinestro, and was thrown aside by Atrocitus. During Hal Jordan and the Blue Lanterns Corps' attempt to rescue Sinestro, she attacked Jordan, who tried to get through to her, vowing not to see her lost again. Laira was able to see past her rage, and regained some control, asking Jordan for help—only to be cut down by Sinestro, who mockingly noted that Jordan failed his promise. In a rage, Jordan tried to kill Sinestro—summoning forth Laira's former ring, which attached itself to Jordan. During The Blackest Night, Black Lantern Power Rings emerged with several travelling to Ysmault where they resurrected the Five Inversions as well as Laira thus turning them into members of the undead Black Lantern Corps.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights  
She participates during the main storyline as she battles against Krona. As the Green Lanterns are waiting for the start of the battle; Hal tells a sub plot about Laira to Arisia, a rookie who Hal is doing her rookie orientation. Later, Laira rescues Hal Jordan and Arisia from the attack of the shadow shield that is protecting Krona during his raising from the Sun. 

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In this sub-plot into the main story, Laira responds to an attack to her home planet. Her people is losing the battle. The Green Lanter for that sector arrives to help them but he dies during the scuffle. As a result, the ring choose her to carry on as a new Green Lantern. Her first instinct calls for help from the other green lanterns. As a result her home is safe from the invasion after reinforments arrived. However, her father is really disappointed that she asked for help from the Green Lanterns. She did not let him defend his people or die trying. She left to begin her training. In her first mission alone, she had to return as mediator because her people were responsible for the massacre of their remaining enemies.
As she arrived, her Mother in law battle her but she manages to break her armor to defeat her. Laira advances to the palace where her brother is waiting for her to face her. He has the the ability to make himself invisible. He comments about his abilities to hide and points out her inability to find him in the past when they were kids. They also discuss why he is on his father's crusade and from his point of view she betrayed her family.

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As the battle progress, she is able to overcome him as well by using the green light energy to make him visible. She is also able to break his armor as well. The Golden Dragon is a race of warriors who use a golden armor to protect themselves against enemies. After the armor is damaged, they are not as strong opponents. She advances into her old room where she finds memories of her past life there. In the place, Laira and her father talk to explain how they feel about the situation. He doesn’t see any peacefully solution. He wears  his armor and prepares to face in combat. It's the only way to regain his honor. She explains her point of view but since there is no compromise. They battle against each other, even they love eachother as father and daughter.

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CHARACTER CLOSE-UP : Saint Walker

1/12/2013

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Saint Walker is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. Created by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver for the Green Lantern series, Saint Walker is an alien member of the intergalactic Blue Lantern Corps, an organization dedicated to spreading peace and harmony through the power of hope throughout the universe.
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Fictional character history
Walker was a priest on his home planet of Astonia (with a wife and two children), which was doomed, as its ancient sun was dying. Saint Walker manages to calm his despairing people and give them hope in the face of extinction, which causes a Blue Lantern ring to choose him as a member of the Blue Lantern Corps, stating that he "has the ability to instill great hope". With his ring, he sets his sun's age back 8.9 million years, thereby saving his home planet. Saint Walker and his fellow Blue Lanterns are first introduced in the midst of the Final Crisis event as part of the build-up to the Blackest Night storyline. During the Final Crisis, Hal Jordan and John Stewart of the Green Lantern Corps have just been ambushed by the Red Lantern Corps, who take the rogue former Green Lantern Sinestro from their custody. After Jordan is injured during the conflict, his wounds are healed when he first comes into contact with Saint Walker.
In the Blackest Night storyline, having joined Hal Jordan's and Indigo-1's efforts to rally one member of each Corps to attempt to destroy the Black Lantern power battery, Saint Walker agrees to use his power ring to ease Larfleeze's hunger while they work together. When deputizing an Earth hero to assist in the current crisis until the rest of the Blue Lantern Corps can arrive, Walker's ring selects Barry Allen as a temporary Blue Lantern. After Nekron is defeated, Walker works with Carol Ferris to heal Mera of the influence of her red power ring.
In Justice League of America #55 (2011), the character joins the titular team in battling Eclipso, and attempts to assist the resurrected Hank Henshaw against Doomsday on Batman's orders.
In the War of the Green Lanterns storyline, Saint Walker and the rest of the New Guardians make their way to the planet Ryut. Krona and the Emotional Entities are nowhere to be found but the group does come upon the Book of the Black. When former Sinestro Corps member Lyssa Drak appears, she quickly subdues the New Guardians, trapping all but Hal in the Book of the Black. Hal escapes with the rings of the New Guardians, later passing Walker's ring on to Kyle Rayner when Krona infects the Central Power Battery with Parallax to bring the Green Lantern Corps under his influence. In the final battle Saint Walker is freed from the book by Kyle, his blue ring returns to him and the Guardians of the Universe then teleport him back to Odym. Afterwards, Saint Walker returns to Oa to restore Ganthet's missing hand.

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DC Relaunch
In the new series Green Lantern: New Guardians, Saint Walker assisted Kyle Rayner when he became a "magnet" for other power rings, helping Kyle escape the attacks of the other four Corps members who had tracked the rings. They travel to Oa to try and seek the aid of the Guardians. Unfortunately, this plan backfires when it is revealed that Ganthet has been stripped of his emotions by the other Guardians, to the extent that he attacks Walker when Walker tries to help Kyle directly after he is briefly overwhelmed by the rings. Ganthet proclaims that the Blue Lantern Corps were a mistake that he will now rectify. After they are forced to escape the Guardians, Walker heals Arkillo's severed tongue using an illusion of Sinestro. However, in the subsequent confrontation with Archangel Invictus, Walker is unable to heal Invictus' anger at the Lanterns, although his actions do help Invictus see that the Lanterns are not completely tainted. Returning to Odym to regroup after Invictus releases the New Guardians only if they agree to kill Larfleeze, Walker learns that Odym is being attacked by the Reach, enemies of all ring-wielders, forcing him to call the other New Guardians for help when he attempts to teach the other Blue Lanterns how to channel their auras to increase their offensive capabilities so that they can fight on their own. Although he and the other New Guardians aid Kyle against Invictus, the team splits up after learning that Sayd was responsible for drawing the rings to Kyle as part of a plan to assemble a team to save Ganthet, feeling that her actions have tainted the team before it began, regardless of her motives in bringing them together.

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Powers and abilities
Saint Walker possesses a blue power ring which is fueled by the emotion hope. While hope is the most powerful of the seven emotions, he must be near an active Green Lantern's power ring to tap into his own ring's full power. Otherwise, the rings are only capable of the default abilities of flight and a protective aura. This is due to the fact that the power of hope is nothing without the willpower to act on it. Blue rings must be fueled by true hope in order to operate at their users' command. While under the influence of a nearby green power ring, Saint Walker can heal wounds. The ring's power can be supplemented with the hope of other living beings; for instance, Saint Walker and Warth were able to reduce a dying sun's age by 8.6 billion years because of the hope emanating from the inhabitants of a nearby planet. A blue ring can negatively impact the performance of rings on the opposite side of the emotional spectrum. During his initial meeting with the JLA, Saint Walker discovered that his abilities can also be augmented by proximity to Starman (Mikaal Tomas). As the first and most experienced Blue Lantern, Walker has shown the ability to channel his aura to increase his strength and hold his own in a fight against some adversaries, although his powers are limited to simply strengthening his force field to a greater density around himself, and he still requires a Green Lantern to be present to actually generate constructs.

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In other media
Saint Walker appears in the Green Lantern: The Animated Series episode "Lost Planet," voiced by Phil Morris. In the episode, Saint Walker is introduced as a hermit who lives on Mogo, a sentient planet that traps evildoers. He encounters Razer, a former member of the Red Lantern Corps, and tries to convince the youth to turn away from the path of violence he currently walks. Despite his peaceful demeanor, Walker is portrayed as a very agile and adept fighter, capable of disarming Razer in hand-to-hand combat without the use of a power ring. Although in possession of a green power ring, he declines joining the Corps, believing that his own destiny lies elsewhere. During "Invasion" Saint Walker talks to Mogo about what his role is in the Red Lantern invasion (as Mogo saved him and told him there is a beacon of hope that can stop the Red Lanterns) so Mogo tells him that he must climb to the highest peak of the sentient planet. As he climbs, he witnesses Atrocitus recruit one of the prisoners Mogo kept on his surface. Saint Walker wanted to exact revenge on them after they destroyed his homeworld but Mogo insisted that they were not important at that time. Once he reached the peak, he asked Mogo where the beacon was and while he thought that the empty peak was a message that there was no hope, Hal Jordan's Green Lantern power battery (now a Blue Lantern power battery thanks to Ganthet) presents Saint Walker with a Blue Power Ring and the role of being both the leader of the Blue lantern Corps and the universe's last hope. In the season finale, Saint Walker (now a Blue Lantern), along with Mogo, aid Kilowog in the final stand against the Red Lantern fleet of ships.

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CHARACTER CLOSE-UP : Major Force

1/5/2013

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Major Force (Clifford Zmeck) is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He is a supervillain that first appeared in Captain Atom vol. 3, #12 (February 1988).
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Character biography
Early life
Major Force is a product of the same U.S. Federal project which created Captain Atom during the Vietnam War. The government, in a project headed by Wade Eiling and the scientist Megala, was experimenting with the effects of atomic energy on an alien metal they had taken from a crashed spaceship to determine its full protective abilities; such as protecting a human being from a nuclear blast. After the disappearance of Nathaniel Adam and the perceived failure of the Captain Atom Project, the government restarted the project with a new subject, Clifford Zmeck and increased the amount of metal used (Captain Atom #36 Dec. 89). While in the USAF, Zmeck had been jailed in a high security prison for rape and murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was offered a pardon in exchange for participation in the high-risk governmental experiment. The results were the same as with the Captain Atom Project and Zmeck disappeared into the Quantum Field, emerging one year after the return of Nathaniel Adam. This time, the government was ready and implanted microexplosives under the metal while it was still malleable, in order to control Zmeck in case he went rogue. During one mission, a government operator (who was actually the son of the woman Zmeck had murdered) activated one such explosive, amputating one of Zmeck's hands. Introduced as an ally, then successor to Captain Atom, Force's brutality betrayed his government-concocted role of superhero and brought him in frequent conflict with Atom. Major Force is now arguably Captain Atom's arch-enemy. Eventually, he became a hired gun for General Wade Eiling's purposes.

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Crime and punishment
In Green Lantern vol. 3, #54 (August 1994), Major Force killed Alexandra "Alex" DeWitt, girlfriend of the Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, and stuffed her remains in a refrigerator where Kyle would find her. Rayner tortured Major Force after their fight, but was stopped by forces of LAPD's Special Crimes Unit. Alex's demise inspired writer Gail Simone to create the website Women in Refrigerators, which in turn coined the term of the same name.

In Guy Gardner: Warrior #43 (June, 1996), Force killed Arisia, a former Green Lantern and dear friend of Guy Gardner. Force was apparently confronted in Kyoto, Japan. Guy Gardner seemingly kills him in revenge. In reality, Force is made of energy and not matter. He cannot die and has effectively gained immortality.

In Superman/Batman #3 and #4 (December 2003 and January 2004), Force is part of a Government Task Force led by Captain Atom, in addition to Green Lantern John Stewart, Power Girl of the JSA, Starfire of the Teen Titans, Outsiders and allies of Batman Katana and Black Lightning. He is saddled with Captain Atom by President Lex Luthor in order to bring in Superman when a Kryptonite asteroid was headed for Earth. Superman and Batman escape them in Washington, D.C., but met up with them again in Tokyo. Power Girl and Katana reveal they are double agents working with Superman and Batman the whole time. When Captain Atom and his squad pursue them to Japan, Power Girl strikes at the Major. When he returns fire, Katana chops his hands off, releasing the atomic energy he harbored. Batman convinces Captain Atom to absorb the energy leaking from Force, which threatened to decimate the city. Captain Atom absorbed all the energy and disappeared, moving several years into the future in a quantum leap.

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As indicated in Superman/Batman #25, a copy of Major Force's mind, his thoughts, his anger, gets mixed in with the essence of the new Kryptonite Man.

In an issue of Guy Gardner, Major Force seemingly slays Guy's mother in the same manner as Kyle's beloved girlfriend. After some confusion, it is learned Force had killed a neighbor who had been house-sitting. In Green Lantern vol. 3, #180 (October, 2004), Force apparently decapitates Maura Rayner, mother of Kyle Rayner, and stuffs her severed head in an oven. He later says it was just a mannequin. Kyle snaps, decapitates Force (whose head was still talking), seals it in a bubble of Green Lantern energy and sends it into outer space (Kyle later finds out his mother is alive and well).

"One Year Later"
Major Force reappeared in the new Battle for Blüdhaven book, a title set a year after the events of Infinite Crisis, as the field leader of project S.H.A.D.E. In issue #5, he rips the right arm off a government hero named Major Victory, and beats him with it (Major Victory reappears in issue #7). He also picked a fight with Hal Jordan, as Force vowed to kill any Green Lantern on sight after his last encounter with Kyle Rayner. Jordan personally wants to put an end to Force's murderous rampage, as he's enraged by the knowledge of Alexandra DeWitt and Arisia's murders, and even sent Force to a hard-light constructed refrigerator in a similar fashion as Force done to DeWitt during the battle. However, Captain Atom was revived by the Atomic Knights in issue #6 (as Monarch), and Force's rampage was quickly brought to an end when Atom drains him of his energy, leaving nothing but a husk. Force's corpse was last seen falling into the chaos left by Atom's energy expenditure.

His image appears in the series Ion as a representation of Kyle Rayner's fear.

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"Blackest Night"
Major Force's body is seen being kept in a secured crypt beneath Justice League of America's Hall of Justice in Washington, DC during Blackest Night #1.
However, he is subsequently seen alive and well among a band of villains that includes Eclipso and Dr. Polaris in during Justice Society of America #29. He is also seen in the pages of Action Comics #882, as part of the government project 7734, attempting to capture the rogue Captain Atom, who had since returned to his former identity.

Powers and abilities
Major Force is coated with the same Dilustel alien alloy that covers Captain Atom. As a result, he also can access the Quantum Field and use its energies for a variety of powers. However, his abilities stemmed from a different spectrum of field granting him different powers from Atom, aside from the superhuman strength and durability. This was theorized to be a result of the Major Force Project using double the amount of alien alloy and detonating a different type of bomb.

When he debuted, Major Force seemed to control matter much in the way Captain Atom controls energy. Therefore, he could project blasts of dark matter from his hands. He could manipulate this matter into various shapes and quantities. He used this ability to create a hand to replace one that was blown off by explosives implanted under his skin. He did not possess the ability to fly, but rather leapt great distances or traveled on ramps made of dark matter.

Anti-Matter Universe
Major Force had a counterpart on the antimatter universe's Earth named Q-Ranger, a member of the Justice Underground.

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In other media
Television
Major Force appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Powerless!" voiced by Fred Tatasciore. He ends up stealing the Quantum Vacuum and uses it to steal Captain Atom's powers regressing him back to Nathaniel Adams. Then he drains the energy of a nuclear plant before engaging the other Justice League International members. Martian Manhunter states to Nathaniel Adams and Aquaman that Major Force defeated the Justice League International members that fought him. When Batman, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter try to fight them, Major Force manages to knock them down causing Nathaniel Adams to take action and crashes a jet into him. When Major Force grabs Nathaniel Adams, the Quantum Vacuum overloads which ends up releasing the stolen powers. Upon regaining his powers, Captain Atom ends up defeating Major Force.

Major Force appears in Young Justice with Fred Tatasciore reprising his role.

Film
Major Force appears in the animated film Superman/Batman: Public Enemies voiced by Ricardo Chavira. His role in the film is very similar to that of the comic with the difference that he personally kills Metallo in order to frame Superman. It is hinted that he knew firsthand about Lex Luthor's plans for world domination and deliberately kept it a secret in exchange for Luthor allowing him to kill Metallo (something Batman makes note of). In the end, he is killed when Captain Atom succeeds in absorbing all the radiation that leaked out of a hole in his suit, otherwise it could've destroyed the whole city of Metropolis. In the movie, he shares Captain Atom's power of flight, whereas he doesn't in the comics.

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