Warning: contains spoilers for Infinite Frontier #6!
In Infinite Frontier, DC has revealed the true nature of its supposed Black Lantern, leading to a major sacrifice to save the multiverse from Darkseid. Thus far in the new series, Darkseid and his agent Psycho-Pirate are seeking to reach what lies beyond the confines of the multiverse in order to control the intermingling of worlds, granting the ruler of Apokolips absolute control. However, while Barry Allen’s Flash has been a key player that they’ve manipulated to their own ends, it turns out that Roy Harper is also vital, as his dark powers are more than they seem.
While Roy Harper had been dead since the tragic Heroes in Crisis event, he came back after Dark Nights: Death Metal, resurrected by Batman in that event’s final battle. However, the former Green Arrow sidekick was resurrected wearing a Black Lantern ring in this new series, granting him new powers that also made him a prime target for Darkseid’s plans. But once Roy Harper and several other heroes such as the JSA and Justice Incarnate make their way to Earth-Omega where Darkseid resides, it’s revealed that Roy’s ring isn’t actually a Black Lantern ring at all.
According to Psycho-Pirate, Roy Harper was chosen by a darker and much older force that had simply been disguised as a Black Lantern ring. Apparently, this force sought Roy out due to his rocky and tumultuous history with darkness, pain, and suffering, making him “the perfect bull’s eye.” However, while this means Roy has the power to save all the heroes that have been trapped in energy chains due to Earth-Omega closing off the worlds of the multiverse from each other, the act will turn Roy into a mindless zombie. Roy still chooses to become the avatar of darkness in order to free the other heroes, and his daughter Lian as well, confident that he has plenty of suffering to fuel the ring’s power.
While fans thought they understood the Black Lantern ring from prior appearances, it turns out Roy’s weapon is actually something far darker and older, awakened by the Batman Who Laughs’ war on reality itself. With Darkseid claiming Roy as what he calls, “my Omega Lantern,” at the end of the issue, it seems that despite freeing his fellow heroes, Roy may be connected to the supreme force the Lord of Apokolips has been seeking throughout Infinite Frontier. Roy Harper has had to endure a lot throughout his life, so hopefully this dark sacrifice will turn out to be the break the forces of good needed, not just one more step in Darkseid’s plan.
With one more issue left in this miniseries, it’s likely fans are about to find out more about the entity behind Roy’s transformation, but if Darkseid seeks to command it, DC fans can be assured it’s a being of staggering power, and one with deep roots in comic history. It’s chilling to see Darkseid turn the actions of selfless heroes like Flash and the Black Lantern to his own ends, but even more disturbing to learn that Roy’s new powers come from an ancient, recently awakened being attracted by his suffering – hopefully, Infinite Frontier‘s conclusion makes his sacrifice worthwhile.
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