This is an in-universe article with out-of-universe material.
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Alan Scott as Green Lantern; illustration by Alex Ross
- "And I shall shed my light over dark evil, for the dark things cannot stand the light...the light of the Green Lantern!"
Real Name: Alan Ladd Wellington Scott
Nicknames: GL; Lantern
Former Aliases: Sentinel
Other Current Aliases: White King
Status
Occupation: Adventurer, Former railroad worker; Former radio engineer
Legal Status: Citizen of US, no criminal record
Identity: Secret
Marital Status: Married
Group Affiliation: Checkmate; Justice Society of America; Formerly the Sentinels of Magic; Formerly All-Star Squadron
Base of Operations: Formerly Capitol City; currently Gotham City and New York City.
Origin
Two-thousand years ago a green meteor came to Earth and landed in the provinces of China. An aging occultist named Chang discovered the meteor and took it home. A mysterious voice boomed from the heart of the stone. Referring to itself as the Green Flame of Life, it began chanting, "Three times shall I flame green! First - to bring death! Second - to bring life, and third - to bring power!" Cutting away a portion of the alien rock, Chang fashioned it into a small lantern. The neighboring villagers distrusted the sorcerer and before long, a mob gathered together and killed him. The Flame of Life fulfilled the first of its prophecies.
The lamp traveled across the globe for centuries until it eventually fell into the hands of a man named Billings - a mental patient at Arkham Asylum in Gotham City. Billings remolded the lamp into the shape of a train conductor's lantern. The Green Flame of Life flared again and mystically restored Billings' sanity – granting him a new lease on life. As promised, the second of three prophecies has been fulfilled.
A short time later, engineer Alan Scott and his colleague, Jimmy, traveled aboard a train across the state of Arizona. Alan was present to inspect the recently designed Trestle Bridge. He had outbid a rival engineer named Alert Dekker for the Trestle Bridge contract, and Jimmy was concerned that Dekker might try to sabotage the bridge's test trial. Alan assured him that there was nothing to worry about.
As fate would have it however, a bomb exploded beneath the bridge derailing the train. Everyone on board were killed in the explosion – everyone but Alan Scott. Alan awoke to find a strange emerald lantern resting near the wreckage. The lantern began to glow and the Green Flame of Life began to chant once again, "Three times shall I flame green! First - to bring death! Second - to bring life, and third - to bring power!" The disembodied voice infused Alan with visions of the past and he learned of the fulfillment of the first two prophecies.
Flaring up for a third time, the Green Flame of Life bestowed the gift of power upon Alan Scott. The Flame instructed him to cut away a small piece of the lantern and mold it into the shape of a ring. It further told him that the ring would be a source of great power, but he must use the lantern as a power battery and charge the ring's energy stores once every twenty-four hours.
With this fantastic new power under his command, Alan set out to find Albert Dekker – the man responsible for blowing up the Trestle Bridge. Glowing like a green phantom, he phased through the walls of Dekker's office, forcing him to take responsibility for the bridge's destruction. Moments after Dekker confessed to his crimes, he fell away dead from fright.
Alan decided to use his newfound powers and tools to fight crime as a man of mystery, and so named himself after the very power at his command...the Green Lantern.
Place of Birth: Gotham City
Known Relatives: Harlequin (Molly Mayne-Scott) (wife), Thorn (Rose Canton) (first wife, deceased), Todd Rice (Obsidian, son), Jennie-Lynn Hayden (Jade, daughter, deceased)
First Appearance: All-American Comics #16
History
Pre-Crisis
Main article: Pre-Crisis
As the Green Lantern, Alan Scott became one of the founding members of the Justice Society of America. In 1951, when the team was investigated by the "Joint Congressional Un-American Activities Committee," they were accused of possible Communist sympathies and asked to reveal their secret identities. The JSA declined, and most of the membership retired in the 1950s.
The JSA re-formed in the 1960s with Scott as a member, though little is known of their adventures during this time save for their team-ups with the Justice League of America, of the parallel world Earth-One, and a few cross-universe adventures Scott shared with Earth-1's Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.
From the late 1940s to the 1970s, Scott ran the Gotham Broadcasting Company (GBC), which was ruined by creditors. He was temporarily driven mad by the Psycho-Pirate (Roger Hayden), and the rest of the JSA helped him recover. Jay Garrick helped him start a new career as a scientist, although he eventually regained control of the GBC and is still running it to this day.
Alan fell in love with Rose Canton, unaware she was also the evil Thorn. She faked her death soon after they married rather than let Thorn take over and kill him... Rose also hid the fact that she was pregnant with twins.
The two children, Jade and Obsidian, later revealed themselves to Alan. In a confrontation Rose killed herself rather than let Thorn harm her children and husband.
Alan later remarried, this time to the reformed Harlequin, Molly Mayne.
Post-Crisis
Main article: Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, which merged all parallel realities into one, the source of Scott's power would be revealed to be the mystical Starheart, the gathered magical characteristics of the Universe by the Oan Guardians of the Universe. This collective force was hidden in the heart of a star and became sentient, and also helped retard Scott's aging process. Another adventure implied a connection to an ancient member of the Green Lantern Corps.
During one of his earlier adventures, Alan and his friend Jay Garrick (also known as the Flash) had an encounter with Abin Sur, the Green Lantern who preceded Hal Jordan; tracking a criminal to Earth, Sur's ring was immobilised by his foe forming a yellow barrier around the ring, necessitating Sur to borrow Alan's ring when he and Jay were knocked unconsious. With the new ring, which lacked a weakness to yellow, Sur was able to take his foe by surprise and defeated him, before returning the ring to Alan and leaving Earth.
Eventually, Scott and of the rest of the Society disappeared for years, transported to another dimension fighting in an eternally recurring Ragnarok. They were eventually rescued, and continued activity until a disastrous battle with the villain Extant, during which Scott was physically aged to a point closer to his actual age, prompting him to semi-retirement.
For a time, the Starheart became part of Scott's body and he adopted the name Sentinel, becoming a founding member of a new JSA. Thanks to the rejuvenative properties of the Starheart, Scott's physical body was again temporarily revitalized so that he resembled a man in his 30s or early 40s. He has since has been physically altered again so that he more closely resembles his true chronological age. He continues to fight crime in his original costumed identity, using a ring again, serving as an elder statesman to the JSA and to the superhero community in general.
Infinite Crisis and "One Year Later"
Main article: Infinite Crisis
Main article: One Year Later
During the Infinite Crisis event, Scott and his daughter Jade, along with many others, traveled with Donna Troy to the center of the universe to save the galaxy from an unknown threat; later revealed to be Alexander Luthor, Jr.. Jade died on that mission. A year later, Scott appears to be still active, still relatively youthful in comparison to his true age, but now wears an eye-patch due to losing his eye in a Zeta beam transporter accident while returning from space. [1] During the missing year, Scott has joined Checkmate at the rank of White King. Scott assigned his JSA teammate Mister Terrific as his bishop.
Scott soon found himself in a moral conflict with Checkmate's Black Knight Sasha Bordeaux over the violent nature of Checkmate, particularly after Bordeaux and her team slaughtered dozens of Kobra operatives during a raid on a facility. Bordeaux contended that the ends justified the means, while Scott adhered to the principle that heroes should not kill unless absolutely necessary; Bordeaux responded to this by suggesting that Scott should resign. Concurrent with this internal conflict, Scott and "White Queen" Amanda Waller attempted to keep the organization from being discontinued by political forces.
During the fourth week of the "Missing Year", Scott lost his left eye during a period when he and several other superheroes had been declared missing . The Zeta Beam Adam Strange was hoping to use for teleporting the heroes in space away from the time-space ripple caused by Alexander Luthor, Jr. actions was splintered by the ripple itself, mutilating the heroes in various ways. Somehow, both Adam Strange and Alan Scott lost their eyes. Alan then somehow gained Adam's right eye and lost his left eye completely.
His missing eye was later replaced by a portion of his daughter Jade's mystic green energy. After being put into a comatose state during an attack by the Gentleman Ghost, Jade appeared to him, told him goodbye and granted him another portion of her green energy. His missing eye is currently replaced by a green glowing orb that, due to its mystical origins and connection to Jade, allows him to track astral and mystical energy forms such as ghosts.
A short time after the Infinite Crisis event, Alan Scott briefly served as the White King to the revitalized U.N. chapter of Checkmate. Frustrated by the bureaucracy, his tenure was cut short in the wake of an international scandal. Scott vacated his position, recommending his former JSA teammate, Michael Holt, to fill the empty seat.
Characteristics
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 162 lbs (73 kg)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
Unusual Features: Alan appears much younger than his actual age. Recently, Alan suffered a grave injury resulting in the loss of his left eye.
Powers
Known Powers: Alan Scott is empowered with the Starheart and can use its mystical green energy for a variety of purposes and effects. Body entirely composed of the Starheart's Green Flame.
Energy Maniupulation:
- Flight
- Phasing through solid objects
- Stun, paralyze or blind people temporarily
- Energy blasts
- Energy constructs
- Protective forcefields
- Alter and manipulate other objects, such as melting metals
- Sense and reveal dangerous objects by causing them to glow
- Occasionally to read minds or playback events
Weaknesses: His ring could protect him against any object made of metal, but would not protect him against any wood or plant based objects. This was said to be because the green flame was an incarnation of the strength of "green, growing things". Alan also limits himself at times due to still thinking of himself as human.
Known Abilities: No known abilities.
Strength Level: Strength level unknown
Miscellaneous
Equipment: Alan has formed a ring which acts as a focus for his powers.
Transportation: No known transportation.
Weapons: No known weapons.
Notes
- The character of Green Lantern was created by graphic artist, Martin Nodell, under the pen name Mart Dellon.
- One piece of retroactive continuity fills out Scott's early history: All-Star Squadron Annual #3 states that the JSA fought a being named Ian Karkull who imbued them with energy that retarded their aging, allowing Scott and many others (as well as their spouses) to remain active into the late 20th century without infirmity. The events of that incident also lead to his taking a leave of absence from the JSA, explaining why the character vanished from the roster for a time.
Trivia
- Alan Scott is left-handed.
- The original name for Alan Scott was Alan Ladd. This was intended to be a play on the name Aladdin, and not a reference to Silver Screen actor, Alan Ladd.
Recommended Readings
- All-American Comics
- All-Star Comics
- All-Star Squadron
- Green Lantern (Volume 1)
- JSA
Related Articles
- Green Lantern appearances list
- All-Star Squadron
- Green Lantern
- Harlequin (Molly Mayne-Scott)
- Infinity, Inc.
- Irene Miller
- Jade
- JSA
- Obsidian
- Thorn (Rose Canton)
External Links
- Green Lantern article at Wikipedia
- Green Lantern biography page
- Green Lantern biography page at GL Corps
- Green Lantern biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
References
- Green Lantern cover art gallery
- Green Lantern picture gallery
- JSA Secret Files and Origins #1
- JSA Secret Files and Origins #2
- Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #9 (Green Lantern biography page)
- ↑ 52 - Week Four