Product Code Database
Kyle Rayner (), one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is depicted as being associated with the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which he has been a member.
Rayner has been adapted into various media outside comics, including animated series and video games. He has been voiced by Michael P. Greco, Will Friedle, Josh Keaton, and John Rubinow.
Following Jordan's return to Green Lantern status in the 2004–2005 limited series , and the 2005 crossover storyline "Infinite Crisis", Kyle returned to his alias of Ion. After the events of the "Sinestro Corps War", Kyle returned to his original role as a Green Lantern officer, along with a promotion to Honor Guard Illustres of the Corps. Later on, he becomes a White Lantern following the mastery of all seven lantern rings. After DC Rebirth, Kyle again returns as Green Lantern, along with his original Corps uniform.
At first, Kyle took possession of the ring very lightly. His girlfriend, Alexandra DeWitt, encouraged him to be more responsible, create his own version of the Green Lantern uniform, and helped him train for his new role as a superhero, but she was later murdered and stuffed in a refrigerator by the supervillain Major Force. Green Lantern (vol. 3) #54 (August 1994) The guilt over this event drove Kyle to take his role more seriously, and as a result, he strove to be the best Green Lantern he could be in honor of Alex's memory. Kyle then moved to New York City, since Los Angeles reminded him of Alex and he needed a fresh start.
Kyle grew up enamored with Superman and Batman, though he had only a passing knowledge of Earth's various Green Lanterns. This soon changed, and he found that the Green Lantern ring was the ultimate expression of his fertile imagination. While in battle, he often used the ring's power to create constructs of just about anything his artistic mind could imagine: other superheroes, anime characters, mystical characters, , futuristic weapons, and original characters from his comic books. While other members of the Green Lantern Corps questioned the practicality of those constructs, they often made Kyle an unpredictable and formidable opponent.
During his superhero career, Kyle accumulated a rogues gallery that included characters from his predecessors' pasts such as Doctor Polaris and Doctor Light.
Finding himself in a role as a leader, Kyle split this group up to handle different crises caused by Oblivion, or in some cases to search for a way to defeat him. Eventually, in a confrontation, Oblivion reveals that he is a distillation of Kyle's doubts and darker impulses, made manifest through the power of the ring. The villain also reveals that Kyle has subconsciously created the Circle of Fire based on his positive aspects because he needed help; Alex is an embodiment of Kyle's capability for love, while Tavin represents his bravery, Ali represents hope, G.L.7177.6 represents logic, and Hunter and Forest represent his imagination. When they realize this, they decide that the created Green Lanterns should return to Kyle's mind. Doing so allows him to unlock more powers from the ring that had been previously unavailable to him and also discovers an inner strength he never knew he possesses after his positive aspects return to him. Facing up to this, Kyle is able to defeat Oblivion in New York City, imprison the entity within his own mind, and free the Justice League.
After the brutal gay bashing of his young assistant and friend Terry Berg, Kyle went on a lengthy self-imposed exile into space. Before leaving, Kyle selected John Stewart to replace him in the Justice League. Upon his return, he discovered that Jade had begun seeing someone new and was doing so in his own apartment. He left New York and spent some time trying once again to find his place on Earth and ended up staying with his mother for a brief time.
In the series Ion: Guardian of the Universe, Ion seemingly destroys a fleet of starships and violently attacks two Green Lanterns, but Kyle has no memory of the destruction and only learns of his possible role in it after being attacked by a bounty hunter. Upon visiting the fleet's wreckage, Kyle loses control and finds himself near the sentient planet Mogo, also a Green Lantern, who uses his Lantern abilities to help convalescing Lanterns gain insight into their problems through the use of constructs conjured by the Lantern's own subconscious. On Mogo, Kyle converses with images of Alex, Donna, and Jade and fights Major Force. Kyle realizes that as Ion, he is able to channel the green energy of both the Alan Scott and the Central Power Battery. This new energy is called the "Ion Power".
Later, Jordan finds Ion destroying a planet but discovers that this is in fact Alexander Nero, who claims that his connection with Kyle and new powers are the result of a third party's interference. Jordan and Kyle then discover that the Guardians had placed Kyle through these events as a test of whether he could handle his power, in anticipation of their granting him an honored position among Green Lanterns as their Torchbearer, now that he harbors the ability to revive the Corps should it ever be destroyed again. They explain that he will not patrol a sector as other Lanterns do but will be called upon for aid in situations that the Corps cannot handle alone. They also reveal that some unforeseen enemy manipulated Nero, who unleashes a massive amount of energy that Kyle dissipates into what is presumed to be a pocket universe. Kyle later learns that he was hunted by enemies such as Effigy, who was subliminally instructed to attack Kyle by Nero. Ion: Guardian of the Universe #8 (January 2007) After clearing his reputation on the planet that was scorched by Nero while using Kyle's identity, Kyle learns his mother is dying of an unknown cause. After being attacked by the Tangent Comics version of the Atom and the Flash, and being transported to the interdimensional realm known as the "Bleed", where he encounters Captain Atom, he returns home to attempt to reanimate his mother, but after a tearful farewell, she declines resurrection.
The Sinestro Corps confront Kyle, who has his powers drained out of him by Sinestro himself and is immediately taken over by Parallax. Parallax then clothes itself in a new uniform, which appears as a combination of the Sinestro Corps' uniform, Kyle's original Green Lantern costume, and the armor Hal Jordan wore as Parallax. Parallax's possession also turns the hair on top of Kyle's head gray, just as it turned the hair on Hal Jordan's temples. Parallax returns to Qward with the Sinestro Corps and is inducted into their ranks, becoming one of the Anti-Monitor's . Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps one-shot (August 2007)
In Kyle's body, Parallax captured Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart and brought them to Qward. Before bringing them, Parallax made Hal relive the only time he ever experienced fear: when his father died. Parallax also elaborated that since invading Kyle's mind, he now has nearly infinite creativity to call upon in his deeds. Green Lantern (vol. 4) #21 (July 2007) During the battle with the Green Lantern Corps, who arrive at Qward to rescue the captured Lanterns, Parallax murders Jack T. Chance and crushes his Power Ring before it can find a replacement. Green Lantern (vol. 4) #22 (August 2007) During his fight with the Earth Green Lanterns, Parallax revealed that Kyle's "twisted desire" was to be the last Green Lantern again and thus "special". He is stopped from murdering Guy Gardner by the intervention of the surviving Lost Lanterns and the Ion entity. Parallax then led an advance group of the Sinestro Corps, readying to attack Coast City. It is also suggested by the Guardians of the Universe that Kyle is no longer destined to be Ion following his being taken over by Parallax. Green Lantern (vol. 4) #23 (September 2007)
As seen in the one-shot Parallax (September 2007) Kyle was trapped within his own mind. He is able to witness all that Parallax says and does from a third-person perspective but is unable to stop it. Kyle's personality watches Parallax's actions from inside the prison that his own imagination has constructed: his mother's empty house. The only fixture in the house is an old painting of uncertain origin and authorship that had belonged to Kyle's mother. As Kyle watches Parallax battle Hal Jordan and the Lost Lanterns a manifestation of the fear entity comes to pay him a visit. In the realm of his imagination, Kyle is able to "transform" into Ion and engage the parasite in battle. After being blasted back by Parallax and losing his Ion form, Kyle forms a power ring, places it on his finger, and appears in his original costume. Although he puts up a valiant fight, Parallax is too much for him, and Kyle is defeated. Parallax taunts Kyle with his deepest fear: failing the people who depend on him, especially the women in his life. Many of the women in Kyle's life have died or come to harm because of their association with him, and this causes Kyle to struggle with feelings of guilt and responsibility. Parallax mocks Kyle's helplessness and turns to depart, but Kyle grabs a pencil and stabs Parallax in the eye with it. Parallax, unfazed and unhurt, taunts Kyle once more with the hopelessness of his position and disappears. Left alone, Kyle is about to smash the painting in frustration when he notices his mother's signature in the bottom corner and realizes that she secretly painted it years ago. This connection with his mother gives Kyle hope, the thing he needs to overcome his fear. With renewed faith in himself, Kyle walks into the painting and ends up in a field walking toward a bright, green star. Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Parallax (September 2007)
Meanwhile, John Stewart orders Guy Gardner to retrieve the painting of a little boy in a field, which was hanging in Kyle's mother's house. As Guy returns and shows the painting to Parallax, it visibly shifts his demeanor. Jordan, the beacon of green light that had come to Kyle inside his mind, assists Kyle in fighting Parallax exhaustively until they finally break free from the fear embodiment's grip.
Just as the now-separated Parallax counterattacks the Lanterns, ousted Guardians Ganthet and Sayd arrive with four Lantern Power Batteries, and they proceed to entrap Parallax within them all. Ganthet explains that his final act as a Guardian is to give Kyle his power ring. The Guardian asks Kyle if he is willing to downgrade himself to a regulation Green Lantern after serving as Ion's host for so long. Kyle quickly agrees, and the four officers then take their batteries, recite the oath, and recharge their rings. Green Lantern (vol. 4) #24 (October 2007)
The four Green Lanterns then split in two directions; Hal returns to Coast City to prevent it from being destroyed again with Kyle by his side, and John and Guy head to New York City to battle the Anti-Monitor, Superboy-Prime, and Hank Henshaw. As Hal and Kyle battle Sinestro, Sinestro momentarily gains the upper hand after one of the Manhunters absorbs their power ring's energies. After the Green Lantern Corps defeat the Cyborg Superman, the Manhunters immediately deactivate, with Hal able to take one of the robots' skulls to absorb Sinestro's power. With three of them powerless, Hal and Kyle immediately engage Sinestro in combat, with the two Lanterns emerging victorious. Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25 (December 2007)
After the war, he is assigned to the Honor Guard as Guy Gardner's partner and sent to counsel Sodam Yat, the new Ion. Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Ion (December 2007) Kyle and Guy decide to move to Oa, giving them better access to performing their duties. Kyle places his mother's painting on the wall of his new Oan apartment. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #20 (February 2008) The Ion is now stated as unrelated to the Starheart Power given to him by Jade: Such sudden spike in powers enabled the Guardians to temporarily bond the Ion entity with Kyle. With the loss of the Ion entity, Kyle again has the powers and abilities of a standard Green Lantern.
Since his promotion to Honor Guard, Kyle has acted as a troubleshooter for the Corps, participating in actions such as the defeat of Sinestro Corps member Mongul and the capture of Sinestro Corps member Kryb. Additionally, he and Lantern Soranik Natu began a romantic relationship.
Kyle briefly appears in All-New Atom #15, once again carrying a Green Lantern ring. He makes it clear that he is no longer Ion, stating that he "has to change his business cards". Kyle joins Donna Troy, Jason Todd, Bob the Monitor, and the Jokester in the Countdown Presents the Search for Ray Palmer. This story takes place after the events of the "Sinestro Corps War", though it was started while the war was still ongoing in the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps series. Kyle's new uniform is an amalgamation of his previous Lantern uniforms and elements of the traditional version, as well as his original mask. Countdown #33 (September 2007)
When the challengers finally locate Ray Palmer (on Earth-51) Bob attacks him, revealing his acts of assistance to be a ruse. Countdown to Final Crisis #18 (December 2007) Kyle escapes with Ray, who reveals that it was the deceased Earth-51 Ray Palmer who was meant to stop the great disaster, not him. The two are then attacked by Power Ring and evil versions of Booster Gold and Supergirl. Countdown to Final Crisis #16 (January 2008) Countdown to Final Crisis #15 (January 2008) While the battle between Monarch and Superboy-Prime rages, the hand of the Source urges the Challengers to go to Apokolips. With the help of Earth-51's Monitor, Nix Uotan, the group manages to leave before Superboy-Prime tears open Monarch's armor, obliterating that entire universe. Countdown to Final Crisis #14 (January 2008) Countdown to Final Crisis #13 (January 2008)
After Darkseid's defeat, Kyle joins Donna, Ray, and Forager in becoming border guards to the Multiverse. Countdown to Final Crisis #1 (April 2008)
After the prison break, the Alpha Lanterns are ordered to execute all Sinestro Corps members and all other prisoners. Kyle and Guy oppose this, cautioning the Alphas and the Guardians to avoid the dark path to which such actions would lead, but the Guardians ignored this, reassigning Kyle and Guy to Earth. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #38 (July 2009) After briefly returning to Earth, the two Lanterns return to Oa, encountering an immense swarm of black rings. The rings resurrect all the deceased Lanterns in Oa's crypts, including Jade. Blackest Night #1 (July 2009) Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #39 (August 2009) Having learned that these Black Lanterns are not truly the deceased persons they once were but grotesque mockeries, Kyle tries to destroy them, but Jade torments Kyle with images of people he has failed in the past. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #40 (September 2009) The false Jade is destroyed by Natu. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #41 (October 2009)
During the Black Lanterns' attack on the Central Power Battery, Alpha Lantern Chaselon's internal power battery is breached. Kyle sacrifices himself by grabbing the battery and using it to destroy as many Black Lanterns as he can. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #42 (October 2009) Soon afterward, Kyle is resurrected by Miri Riam of the Star Sapphires. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #43 (December 2009) Journeying to Earth, Kyle battles a Black Lantern version of Alexandra DeWitt and helps defeat the Black Lantern Corps leader, Nekron. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #45–46 (February–March 2010) In the aftermath, some of the Black Lanterns are restored to life, including Jade. Blackest Night #8 (March 2010)
In the aftermath of the war, Kyle and Soranik are forced to deal with their relationship issues. Kyle talks with Tomar-Tu about his problems with Soranik, but they, along with Soranik, are teleported into an alien world ravaged by Miri Riam. The Lanterns subdue Miri, who reveals to them that she did not kill anyone on the planet and she only damaged property to force Kyle and Soranik to reunite and solve their problems, reminding them of the time when she used her crystal to reveal to them their respective true loves. However, Kyle reveals that when Miri showed him his true love, he saw Jade, not Soranik. He justified himself saying that although Jade was the love of his life, she was dead and he needed to move on. Angered, Soranik breaks up with Kyle, telling him not to enter her sector. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #62 (July 2011)
As Kyle fights the four lanterns, a blue ring appears, claiming Kyle as its bearer. Soon afterward, Saint Walker appears, having tracked the ring's trajectory, and helps Kyle reach Oa to try to understand what is happening. On their way an orange ring reaches Kyle, with Saint Walker claiming if the orange ring had come to Kyle, and since only one orange ring exists, it means that its former bearer must be dead. On Oa, Kyle tries to talk to Ganthet, only to discover that the Guardians have removed all emotion from him, and Ganthet now acts just like all the other Guardians of the Universe. When the Guardians try to capture Kyle and forcibly discover what turned the Green Lantern into a magnet for the different Corps' rings, the six rings impose themselves on Kyle, turning him into the first entity to bear all seven Lantern Corps' rings. Green Lantern: New Guardians #2 (October 2011) Despite some initial success, Kyle's body is eventually unable to keep up the strain of wielding all of his new rings, with five of the new rings destroyed after a few moments, leaving just the orange ring along with his green ring. Ganthet attempts to remove Kyle's green ring and dismiss him from the Corps, but the ring itself reacts violently to this attempt to remove it. The orange ring is revealed to be a construct of Glomulus, who asks Kyle for help, with the other ring-bearers arriving to either assist or attack Kyle. When the Guardians forcefully strike down the lanterns save for Glomulus, Larfleeze appears and attacks the Guardians. Green Lantern: New Guardians #3 (November 2011) Accompanied by Sayd, Larfleeze attacks the Guardians, but when Kyle hears Sayd imply that there is a way to restore Ganthet to normal, he joins forces with the other ring-wielders and flees the Guardians, essentially resigning from the Corps while retaining his ring. Talking with Larfleeze, they learn that the rings were drawn to Kyle due to the actions of a mysterious spaceship that has just entered this universe. Larfleeze sent Glommulus to investigate it since he was able to resist the "compulsion" of the source that tried to remove his ring due to his prolonged contact with it, and the new team resolved to investigate this new threat. Green Lantern: New Guardians #4 (December 2011) When they are attacked by the Archangel Invictus, who claims that all who wield the rings are evil, Kyle sends out a message to the other ring-wielders by convincing his ring to tap into his own emotions of hope, fear, and compassion to "tune in" to the appropriate "wavelength". Green Lantern: New Guardians #6 (February 2012) Learning of Invictus's history with Larfleeze, Kyle is able to trick him into letting the ring-bearers go by claiming that they will kill Larfleeze for him. Green Lantern: New Guardians #7 (March 2012) With his ring low on power, Kyle returns to Earth with Bleez to recharge his ring, Bleez suggesting that Kyle will need protection from the Guardians after his expulsion while retaining his ring. Green Lantern: New Guardians #8 (April 2012) Although he fails to reach the Blue Lanterns in time to save them from the invading Reach, Green Lantern: New Guardians #10 (June 2012) Kyle is able to lead the New Guardians to fight Larfleeze and Invictus, subsequently learning that Sayd was responsible for turning him into a "ring magnet" in the hope that he would be able to bring the seven Corps together to save Ganthet, as both the only person who loved Ganthet as much as her and the only person able to wield all the powers of the emotional spectrum. Green Lantern: New Guardians #11 (July 2012) Despite learning the truth about their origins, the New Guardians split up since they feel that the circumstances of their origin have tainted the team from the beginning regardless of Sayd's motives. Green Lantern: New Guardians #12 (August 2012)
In the final battle, Kyle and the reserve Lantern Corps attack the First Lantern, and he is finally destroyed. Green Lantern (vol. 5) #20 (May 2013) Afterwards, Kyle travels to Earth and helps other people with the White Lantern's miracle power on his own. However, he is confronted by Saint Walker, who convinces him that he has to visit his own father, considering that Kyle has not seen him since the First Lantern's attack. Later, Kyle arrives in Arizona and reunites with his father in his filling station. Green Lantern: New Guardians #20 (May 2013)
In Dark Crisis, Kyle is held in an alien prison before escaping and gaining a new ring from Hal Jordan and Sojourner Mullein. He accompanies them in freeing the Justice League before battling Pariah and the Great Darkness.
In DC All In, Kyle regains his White Lantern abilities to help battle Thaaros and Varron, who threaten the emotional spectrum.
Kyle's ring was constructed from what remained of Hal Jordan's ring by Ganthet. It is keyed to Kyle and Hal Jordan's DNA, making it only accessible to them unless the bearer willed the ring to another individual. This is done by Ganthet to prevent the last ring from being stolen, as there would be no other Lantern to send to retrieve it. Unlike most of the Green Lanterns' rings, Kyle's did not require a twenty-four-hour period of recharge, only when the ring's capacity was depleted; and it was not necessary to recite the Corps' oath when recharged. Kyle is the first Lantern not to suffer from a weakness to items colored yellow. Both Mongul and Superman are surprised at this upon first encountering him. Kyle states that he didn't know about the weakness and never had any trouble with it. Originally, this was explained as his ring being a "new model", which also explained why it had slightly different abilities than those seen previously. Later, this was retconned with the explanation that rings can affect yellow if the user faces and overcomes their fear; as an artist, Kyle had faced his fear of rejection every time he showed his work, and this extended to his constructs, which he considered part of his artwork.
When bonded with the benevolent Ion symbiont, Kyle was capable of much more elaborate usage of his imagination which can extend to the manipulation of reality. In possession of the more sinister Parallax entity, Kyle was theoretically capable of similar feats.
During his relationship with Donna Troy, Kyle engaged in combat training with his then-girlfriend. During his first battle with Fatality, he proved to be a formidable fighter and was able to defeat her when his ring was drained. In nearly every encounter with Fatality since that incident, Kyle would use his combat skills to defeat her rather than his ring to maintain an element of surprise (she expected him to use his ring) or when his ring is drained or absent during battles. As a member of the Justice League, Kyle occasionally would train in the League's combat training systems on the Watchtower and under the tutelage of combat-experienced Leaguers, such as Batman. Even though Kyle is now a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained by the Dark Knight himself, he is not an expert in hand-to-hand; for example, while he initially held his own in a hand-to-hand fight with Sinestro, the villain proved to be a better fighter due to his greater experience. Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #54 (January 2011)
As an Honor Guard Illustres, Kyle ranks only below Salaak, who holds the rank of Clarissi, and the Guardians in the new Corps chain of command.
During a brief period where he was turned into a 'magnet' for all rings, Kyle could briefly wield the power of the entire emotional spectrum, but the strain of doing so meant that the other six rings disintegrated after only a few moments, leaving him feeling significantly weakened by the effort. Despite all of the rings barring his own turning to dust, a measure of each ring's power resides in Kyle which he is able to channel in a combined burst of multicolored lights, Sayd noted that Kyle is the only being she knows capable of bringing together the powers of all of the branches of the emotional spectrum. The ability to use any emotion spectrum light appears to be permanent, as Kyle is learning from different members of each Corps on how to use each power individually with limited success; he harnessed the power of Hope with relative ease, but required a brutal training session with Atrocitus to master Rage, while he only harnessed the power of Love during his fight with Ganthet.
After learning to master Avarice from a reluctant Larfleeze, Fear from Arkillo, and Compassion from Indigo-1 Kyle has learned how to harness the entire emotional spectrum and as a result became a White Lantern. As a White Lantern Kyle can heal injuries and ailments although by his own admission he cannot resurrect the dead. His ring is more powerful than a standard power ring and can replicate the abilities of any ring in the spectrum (except black) though the full extent of its abilities is yet to be revealed.
Kyle was later revealed to possess the Life Equation as a result of being inside the Source Wall. With the Equation, Kyle could manipulate reality itself. However, Kyle was unable to control this level of power and was dying because of it. As a result, Kyle divided the Life Equation by creating seven additional White Lantern power rings and gave them to the most worthy candidates. He swore to never unite the rings unless absolutely necessary. In the Rebirth storyline, when Kyle attempted to use the white ring to resurrect the Blue Lantern Corps, some unspecified force resisted his efforts, causing his ring to 'break' into seven different rings of the seven Corps, the other six rings flying off to find new wielders while Kyle retained his original Green Lantern ring.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Wayback Machine:
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Archived from the original on September 1, 2016.
|
|
