This week, on Most Heroic I have a new example of courage to show my readers.
These images come from Green Lantern: Rebirth. Allow me to set the scene. Sinestro, the archenemy of the Green Lantern Corps, has reappeared on the JLA satellite and attacked Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) and the Green Arrow (Oliver Queen). Kyle is already greatly weakened, and he’s overwhelmed by the fully-powered Sinestro. Green Arrow himself knows that he’s nowhere even in the same league as the other two. He’s just a rich guy who uses a bow and arrow to take down street crime. There’s not much that he can do to stop a foe as strong and powerful as Sinesto himself. In fact, already skewered him with some energy arrows.
But Ollie has one card up his sleeve…
He quickly puts on the Green Lantern ring of his once and future best friend, Hal Jordan. Unlike Hal, Green Arrow does not have the willpower to use the ring at its proper power. Earlier in the story, he himself claims that he’s never been able to do anything more than make the ring glow. Heck, he can’t even remember the oath that the Green Lanterns use to charge the ring.
But he’s not going to let Sinestro win.
Kyle buys Ollie some time to recover and give the ring a charge. When Sinestro is leaning in to finish off Kyle, Ollie makes his reappearance. He’s injured, and is actually leaning against the wall to support his own weight.
I absolutely love this scene. I should find a way to frame these images and put them on a wall somewhere in my home.
When Sinestro arrived at the satellite, he quickly took responsibility for helping drive Hal crazy, which eventually led to his first death. In a rare instance in the struggle of good and evil (at least for comic books), he actually accomplished his scheme. Where Hal was once thought of as one of the shining examples of heroism across the universe, he’s now regarded as one the most tragic villains due to the crimes he committed as Parallax. The Green Lantern Corps was destroyed, and Hal Jordan was now as hated as Sinestro himself. Green Arrow and Kyle now know that it truly wasn’t Hal’s fault. It was because of Sinestro that all of this happened.
Needless to say, this really pisses Ollie off. Sinestro makes it worse by reminding him of how he personally shot Hal in the chest with an arrow. Sinestro claims that Hal has no one left to help him. Ollie proves him wrong. The Green Lantern Corps insignia is glowing in his eye, and for the first time, the ring starts to heat up.
Ollie’s rage at Sinestro and faith in his best friend gives him enough energy for just one shot. The construct takes the image of Ollie’s signature weapon.
The arrow takes flight and buries itself dead center in Sinestro’s chest.
Unfortunately, this action doesn’t defeat Sinestro, but it doesn’t have to. After all, this is ultimately, Hal’s comeback story. He shows up a few minutes later to make his triumphant rebirth and give Egghead some good old-fashioned payback. That doesn’t stop this moment from being so deliciously awesome.
An average human like Ollie was never supposed to be capable of using a Green Lantern ring, but when the chips are down and a friend’s life is in danger, Ollie does something that no one ever thought he could. By believing in his friend when no one else did, he made all the difference.
I’m Jesse Blume, and this moment is Most Heroic indeed!
Beautiful. Long live Oliver Queen. He’s established himself as my favorite hero in Identity Crisis and he has remained there since. Thank you for this article.