Sinestro Was Right, Fear Is the Most Powerful Force in the DC Universe

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In the heart of Washington D.C., it’s widely acknowledged that willpower reigns supreme as the mightiest power in the cosmos, driving the potency of Green Lanterns. Once considered as the polar opposite, antimatter was believed to fuel Sinestro’s yellow energy ring. However, following Geoff Johns’ takeover of the Lantern mythos and his introduction of the emotional spectrum, fear emerged as the mastery that governed the yellow rings. Fear, undeniably, is the most potent weapon humans can wield against each other, a notion that Sinestro and the Sinestro Corps have consistently emphasized as the ultimate force in the DC Universe – and I must admit, they’ve got a point.

Initially, the first to wield the yellow ring, before fear was his dominant emotion, Sinestro was already revered across the cosmos with awe. Originally a prominent Green Lantern within the Corps, Sinestro transformed into the cosmic ruler of fear post-embrace. Adopting Parallax, an entity symbolizing dread, and its ethos, Sinestro established his own corps that thrived on fear’s power. This decision, though predictable to some extent, was not imprudent on his part. Some of the most daunting cosmic beings joined the Yellow Lanterns, including the Anti-Monitor, Cyborg Superman, and Superboy-Prime. Two of these figures were once central antagonists in different Crisis events, demonstrating fear’s dominance even over them, with Sinestro being one of the few to rule above them all, thus highlighting just how potent fear can truly be.

Parallax Takes All

In the popular Green Lantern tale titled “Emerald Twilight”, Hal Jordan, a character known for his sanity, loses control and transforms into Parallax. Tragically, Hal unknowingly took on the role of the universe’s most powerful entity by absorbing Parallax, an entity locked within the central power battery on Oa. With nearly all Green Lanterns deceased, Hal became invincible. As Parallax, his most remarkable act was initiating a catastrophe, similar to what we know as the “Crisis” event, titled “Zero Hour: Crisis in Time”. This crisis mirrored the original “Crisis on Infinite Earths”, with Hal attempting to shatter the timeline to reshape it according to his desires.

In a future scenario, Parallax – initially perceived as an embodiment of evil and terror unknown to all – brought Oliver Queen back from the dead before his past death, which was a significant twist for the character. Later, when Johns entered the Green Lantern mythos, this concept became clearer with Parallax being revealed as a parasite that had possessed Hal Jordan. This revelation somewhat absolved Hal of many actions he should have faced consequences for, but there remained lasting effects. The portrayal of Hal Jordan as Parallax was fascinating and knowing now that it was fear within him that fueled his power, everything fell into place, offering readers a tangible demonstration of how potent fear can be in the DC universe.

Fast forward further, Sinestro exploited fear to establish his own Lantern Corps patterned after himself. Given that Sinestro wields fear as a tool and understanding its mechanics, it’s evident that he commands the most formidable force in the galaxy.

Currently, Sinestro finds himself in a distinct position, yet his concept about the ultimate power in the cosmos remains valid. Though the green light symbolizing willpower is destined to prevail over fear within the narrative, the thought of anything challenging such potent force as fear is intriguing and thought-provoking in our reality. If only we could find an Earth-bound wielder of the yellow power ring…

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2025-07-14 01:40