Warning: contains spoilers for Zero Hour: Crisis in Time 30th Anniversary Special!
Green Lantern’s one true nemesis has returned, and not only does it spell doom for Hal Jordan, but the DC Universe as a whole. Green Lantern has one of the best rogue galleries in comics, but one member, more than any, strikes literal fear into his heart, and this evil powerhouse makes their grand return to the DC Universe in the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time 30th Anniversary Special.
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time 30th Anniversary Special is written by Dan Jurgens and drawn by an all-star roster of artists. Throughout the one-shot, Kyle Rayner fights alongside the heroes of a “lost” Earth, created by Hal Jordan while he was under the influence of Parallax.
At the end, Kyle is victorious over Parallax, but as a result of the battle, the Fear Entity is once again unleashed on the universe.
Parallax vows revenge on the heroes, stating that Rayner has made a “mistake” that will haunt him.
Parallax’s DC Universe Origin, Explained
Parallax Forced Green Lantern to Commit an Unspeakable Crime
While it may be tempting to give Sinestro the title of Green Lantern’s greatest foe, there is a strong argument it is actually Parallax. Within the DC Universe, Green Lanterns, as well as other Lantern Corps, draw their power from the Emotional Spectrum, where each color is ascribed a particular emotion. Each color in the Spectrum also has its own oath, symbol and representative entity. In the case of the Yellow Light of Fear, that entity is Parallax. A fearsome, dragon-like creature, Parallax is immensely powerful, and responsible for one of the DC Universe’s greatest tragedies.
During the Reign of the Supermen story, Mongul destroys Green Lantern’s home of Coast City, and in the aftermath, Parallax seizes control of a grief-stricken and emotionally compromised Hal Jordan. Under the entity’s influence, Jordan not only slaughters the entire Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians of the Universe, but also the entire DC Universe, as documented in the original Zero Hour. Hal would remain under Parallax’s influence for several years later, before freeing himself from it once and for all during Green Lantern: Rebirth. The DC Universe perhaps thought the threat of Parallax had passed.
Parallax, Not Sinestro, Is Green Lantern’s Greatest Enemy
Where Will Parallax Strike First?
His actions while being controlled by Parallax continue to haunt him to this day, and the entity’s return to the DC Universe is sure to dredge up trauma.
Now, however, Parallax has made a roaring comeback, one that threatens to upend Green Lantern’s life as well as the status quo of the DC Universe. Under Parallax’s influence, Hal Jordan was forced to turn on his friends, both in the Corps and the Justice League. His actions while being controlled by Parallax continue to haunt him to this day, and the entity’s return to the DC Universe is sure to dredge up trauma. Parallax took Green Lantern to the darkest corners of his psyche in a way Sinestro never did, making the fear entity his real worst enemy.
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time 30th Anniversary Special is on sale now from DC Comics!
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