Green Lantern’s Son Unleashes Nightmare Fuel Powers, Making Him DC’s Scariest Hero

Nov 09, 2024

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Warning: Spoilers for JSA #1Green Lantern stands proudly as a hero in the DC Universe, and his son Obsidian is no different - although his powers suggest otherwise. As a member of the Justice Society of America, Obsidian has used his powers on behalf of good countless times, but his most recent power feat sparks fear rather than hope. Obsidian's new use of his powers calls his heroism into question as he undergoes a horrific transformation.

In JSA #1 by Jeff Lemire, Diego Olortegui, Luis Guerrero, and Steve Wands, the younger heroes of the Justice Society are left to their own devices after the disappearance of their older mentor figures. While some of his teammates are content with standing by, Obsidian - the son of Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern - decides to take action. In pursuit of Kobra, who's thought to be behind the incident, Obsidian ambushes his men by manifesting his shadow powers into a form that would give anyone nightmares.

The skeletal form Obsidian takes when attacking Kobra's men is his most disturbing power feat to date. He may be on the side of good as a Justice Society hero, but Obsidian's abilities make him one of the scariest heroes in the DC Universe.

Todd Rice, also known as the hero Obsidian, is a major powerhouse in the Justice Society of America due to the shadow powers at his disposal. With his abilities, he's able to control shadows at will by harnessing energy from the Shadowlands. He can turn himself into a three-dimensional shadow, or even flatten himself into a two-dimensional shadow to get a jump on opponents. Because of his membership in the Justice Society and Infinity Inc., Obsidian normally uses his powers for benevolent purposes, but his latest application of them alludes to darkness lurking beneath his surface.

This latest update for the original Green Lantern manages to connect Alan Scott's power level to his queer identity in a way that hints at much more.

Not only does Obsidian induce fear within Kobra's men, but he also takes his scare tactic a step further. After appearing before them in his body horror transformation, he channels his shadows into tendrils that he sends up one of their nostrils to poke at his brain. Obsidian's anger against Kobra is justified after the harm he's caused and the danger he poses to the world, but his actions defy what the Justice Society stands for to an inhumane degree. Interestingly enough, this doesn't mark the only time that Obsidian's powers have taken a dark turn in DC lore.

While Obsidian's sister, Jade, inherited their father's Green Lantern powers, he didn't get quite so lucky. Todd's abilities are a byproduct of Alan Scott's exposure to shadow energy during a battle with Ian Karkull, which was passed down from father to son. In the "Darkness Falls" arc from the 1999 JSA series, Obsidian's emotional turmoil as a result of his connection to the Shadowlands reaches a breaking point, and Ian Karkull seizes the opportunity to manipulate him to his side. His tactics prevail, and Obsidian's corruption by Karkull leads to him unleashing the full dark potential of his shadow powers upon the Justice Society.

The full "Darkness Falls" arc from 1999's JSA series - written by David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns, with art by Stephen Sadowski - is available now digitally and in collected formats from DC Comics.

JSA (1999) #7 demonstrates the god-level extent of Obsidian's powers as he uses them against his teammates. An entire city is overrun with his monstrous shadows, and even the heroes comment on how he isn't usually capable of such feats. His tendrils proceed to pick off the Justice Society heroes one by one and replace them with shadowed duplicates. This is the most overtly villainous that Obsidian has been in DC lore, as he betrays his team and allows his powers to run rampant. Now, he's using his powers in this creepy fashion again, suggesting that history might be repeating itself.

Considering his past, Obsidian's current actions could indicate another lapse into villainy. However, there's more to this story than meets the eye. At the end of JSA #1, it's revealed that Johnny Sorrow of the Injustice Society has been masquerading as Todd the whole time. This means that Obsidian isn't the one using his powers in twisted ways, thus easing the minds of anyone who's begun to question whether he's been corrupted again. Regardless of what the Injustice Society is planning, Obsidian is not at fault for the dark deeds that have transpired.

Though Obsidian seems to be absolved of responsibility for torturing of Kobra's men, the fact remains that his shadow powers grant him immense potential, evidenced by the haunting forms he's taken. Obsidian has proven that he can defeat the JSA with his shadows, and he could easily do so again. Now that the frightening scope of Obsidian's powers has been shown, there's no doubt that Green Lantern's son could be a serious threat if he ever did switch sides, so the Justice Society of America had better hope he stays a hero through and through.

JSA #1 is available now from DC Comics.

Green Lantern is the name given to multiple enforcers of intergalactic justice in the DC Universe. Green Lanterns can harness the cosmic energy of willpower, and create unique spectral objects to face off against their enemies. Though some Green Lanterns have assisted with the Justice League, they primarily belong to the Green Lantern Corps.

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