Star Sapphire (comics)

Star Sapphire

A cartoon image of Green Lantern and a super villainess (wearing shades of violet) in mid-air, high over a city below. The woman is looking over her shoulder at Green Lantern and shooting a yellow beam of light at him with her hand. The beam has hit him in the chest and he is surrounded by a wavy orange outline. Green Lantern is being forced backward and away from the villainess. A thought bubble over his head shows he is thinking: "She hurled a repelling ray at me! There must be a way of defeating this mystery woman!" The top of the image is titled "Green Lantern" with a small label that reads "DC" in the upper left corner. The bottom of the image has a caption that reads: "The Secret Life of Star Sapphire!"

Cover of Green Lantern vol. 2, 16 (Oct 1962)
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance All-Flash Comics #32
(Dec 1947/Jan 1948)
Created by (Golden Age)
Robert Kanigher
Lee Elias
(Carol Ferris)
John Broome
Gil Kane
(Notra)
Gerry Conway
In-story information
Team affiliations Zamarons
Abilities wields a Zamaron star sapphire

Star Sapphire is the name of several fictional characters in DC Comics; many of them are villainous, and all connected in origin. Within DC continuity, an immortal race of warrior women (the Zamarons) were depicted as having the ancient tradition of choosing physically identical mortals from across the cosmos to serve as the host body for their queen. The woman chosen to serve this queen is called Star Sapphire. She is given the queen's symbolic weapon; a crystal resembling an actual star sapphire that grants the user powers similar to the power ring of Green Lanterns.

In the 2000s the term came to refer to the Star Sapphires, an organization whose members in part include women previously depicted as the singular Star Sapphire in DC titles. Not clearly defined as superheroes or supervillains, the Star Sapphires debuted as a corps in Green Lantern vol. 4 #20 (July 2007). They were created by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver.

Fictional character biography

Golden Age Star Sapphire

A page taken from All-Flash Comics #32, showing the Flash and a woman in a coat standing on an alien planet with a yellow sky and violet sand. They are watching a woman in a violet costume escape up a floating stairway she's made using her super powers, and she tells the two they only have two minutes to live unless a device is reached in time. Flash tries to follow her using his super speed but falls to the ground with "stunning force" because speed is reversed on this planet.
Flash faces Star Sapphire in All-Flash Comics #32

The first version of the character appeared in All-Flash Comics #32 (Dec–Jan 1947) and Comic Cavalcade #29 (Oct–Nov 1948) and battled the Golden Age Flash. This Star Sapphire claims to be a queen from the 7th Dimension, and attempts to conquer Earth by destroying all the plant life, which would cause the world to run out of oxygen.

A later retcon connected her with the Zamaron Star Sapphires, explaining that she had been chosen as Queen of the Zamarons, but had proved unworthy, hence her banishment to the 7th dimension.[1] In this story, she attempts to manipulate Carol Ferris into using the Star Sapphire stone to destroy the Zamarons. The Flash is able to break the connection. This was the Golden Age character's sole modern appearance.

Carol Ferris

Main article: Carol Ferris

Carol Ferris is first introduced in S.O.S. Green Lantern!, which ran in Showcase vol. 1, issue #22 (October 1959). In her original appearance, Hal Jordan becomes employed at Ferris Aircraft and (after asking her to dinner) she makes it clear that she does not date employees.[2] However, she would go on to play an on and off romantic role in his life. She first appears as the second Star Sapphire in Green Lantern vol. 2, #16 (October 1962). As Star Sapphire, she battles Jordan (as Green Lantern) for many years, because the Zamarons want to prove men are inferior. When she is first defeated by him they take away her memory of the event, but the persona keeps resurfacing. When Jordan becomes the Spectre, he removes the Star Sapphire persona from Ferris. While seeking to inhabit the body that Jordan most desires, the Star Sapphire gem again possesses her for a brief period during the Mystery of the Star Sapphire story line. Her reunion with the Star Sapphire entity is short, however, as it soon learns that Jordan most desires Jillian Pearlman and as a result abandons Ferris.[3] Though she no longer holds the singular position of Star Sapphire, in Green Lantern vol. 4 issue #38 (March 2009), she receives a violet power ring sent to her by the Zamarons. It attaches itself to her, and she leaves for Zamaron to be inducted as a member of the Star Sapphire Corps.[4] As the Queen dies at the end of Green Lantern (fourth series) #57 (October 2010), Carol is named queen by her predecessor.

Dela Pharon

Dela Pharon was introduced as the third woman to hold the position of Star Sapphire in Green Lantern vol. 2, issue #41 (December 1965). Technically speaking, however, Carol Ferris simultaneously appears as Star Sapphire in the same issue.

In the story, Ferris is injured testing out one of her new flying machines, and is brought to the hospital for treatment. However, she awakens and finds herself drawn away from the hospital. It's shown that Ferris is being lured off by the Star Sapphire gem, and upon finding it she once again takes on the mantle of Star Sapphire. As Star Sapphire she returns to pursuing her quest to marry Green Lantern; however, conflict arises with the arrival of an alien woman who also appears to be the Zamaron's queen and Star Sapphire. Jordan discovers Ferris' transformation upon finding her fighting the second, alien, Star Sapphire. The Zamarons arrive to meet Jordan and explain that Dela Pharon (from the planet Xanador) is the woman that Ferris is fighting.[5]

Before the events of the issue, the Zamarons chose Pharon as their new queen and recipient of the Star Sapphire, but a dissenting group of Zamarons claimed that Ferris would have made a superior queen. Angered by the opposition, Pharon travels to Earth and attacks Ferris in retaliation (which was the cause of her aircraft malfunction). Recognizing the attack provokes Ferris to become Star Sapphire again and defend herself. At the conclusion of their duel, Ferris appears to be the victor and leaves to challenge Jordan. Following his defeat, she forces him to travel with her to Zamaron and become her husband. Before the wedding, Jordan discovers that the woman he believed to be Ferris is really Pharon in disguise. Jordan finds the real Ferris living Pharon's life on Xanador, and brings her to Zamaron. He defeats Pharon and returns with Ferris to Earth without her retaining any knowledge of the events that transpired.[5]

Dela Pharon reappears in a story told by Carol Ferris during the Mystery of the Star Sapphire story line. She continues to serve as Star Sapphire after her first appearance, and eventually both falls in love with and enslaves the Green Lantern of Xanador. After becoming his mate, she kills him and encases their planet in violet crystal so that they will be together until the end of time.[6] This presumably leaves her encased in crystal during the events currently enfolding in Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. However, promotional imagery included in Blackest Night vol. 1, issue #0 (March 2009) lists her as a prominent member of the newly formed Star Sapphires. What role she will play among the corps is unknown.

Deborah Camille Darnell

Remoni-Notra as Star Sapphire.
Star Sapphire is killed by the Spectre. Artwork from Infinite Crisis #6 (2006).

Remoni-Notra, of the planet Pandina, was chosen by the Zamarons to be their queen, an honor previously bequeathed upon Earth's Carol Ferris, but refused. Remoni-Notra was given one of the five star sapphire gems and was told of the existence of the other four. Using her powers, she came to Earth to locate and steal Carol Ferris' gem and joined the Secret Society of Super Villains as the new Star Sapphire in hopes of finding a clue to the gem. On Earth she took the name Deborah Camille Darnell and became a stewardess at Ferris Aircraft, in hopes of getting closer to Carol to take the Star Sapphire gem. As Star Sapphire, Darnell can use her gem of power to fly and to hurl blasts of force nearly equal to the power of a Green Lantern's ring. Moreover, the Sapphire bestows upon her a certain amount of invulnerability and allows her to survive in airless space.

As Debbie Darnell, she often dated long-time hero Captain Comet. She also portrayed a French real estate agent named Camille on Earth. Her whereabouts were unknown until recently when it was revealed that she was mind-wiped and put in a coma. She was most likely mind-wiped at the request of Green Lantern, Hal Jordan to protect Carol Ferris. She was in a coma following the mind-wipe, and was revived by her teammates in the Secret Society. Together, they again battled the Justice League of America.

In Geoff Johns' run on "Green Lantern", her origin is rebooted: she is presented as a flight attendant who dated Hal Jordan when he broke up with Carol Ferris and, thus, was chosen to be the new Star Sapphire, since the crystal is used to possess Hal's girlfriends. Later, in Infinite Crisis #6, several magic-users assemble at Stonehenge and summon the Spectre. He singles out Darnell, condemns her, and transforms her into a star sapphire and shatters her, killing her.

Jillian Pearlman

Main article: Jillian Pearlman

The fourth child of a Texan rancher, Jillian enlisted to the United States Air Force after she turned nineteen. Her sharp wit, attitude, and Texan accent earned her the call sign "Cowgirl."[7] Jillian met Hal Jordan's alter-ego, Green Lantern, after he saved her life when the engine of her jet, an X-2020, was failing and later met Jordan face to face at Edwards Air Force Base. Jordan and Jillian felt a romantic attraction to each other, and eventually realize that they have a lot in common.[8]

During the lost year, Cowgirl, Hal "Highball" Jordan, and Shane "Rocket-Man" Sellers were sent on an Air Force mission, on which Jordan, per usual, did not wear his Green Lantern ring. During the mission all three of their jets were shot down and the pilots taken as prisoners of war. Jordan filed down his chains in an attempt to escape the camp, finally doing so when his captors attempted to torture Cowgirl in front of him to get him to reveal secrets, since torturing Jordan himself wasn't working. Cowgirl and Jordan used the surprise to overcome their jailers, located Rocket-Man, fled the camp, and eventually made it to a campsite and a hospital.[9] Upon their return to America they were awarded POW medals in a ceremony interrupted by a ship piloted by Tomar-Tu crashing to Earth.[10] When the three recovered POWs were put back on active Air Force duty, it was done so on the condition that they attend therapy sessions. All three skip the sessions, deciding instead to get together at Pancho's, the station bar, and work through it.

Just 24 hours after being re-activated, Cowgirl was sent on a mission alongside pilots "Sugarsnap" and "Whims" to take down the same group of terrorists that took her captive. During the mission her jet was hit and the Air Force lost contact, causing Jordan to go after her, in his Green Lantern guise, when he found out.[9] When he made it to the crash site and nearby camp there was no sign of her, the terrorists having immediately taken off with her in a jeep when they realized the Green Lantern was coming. Cowgirl yanked the steering wheel, sending the jeep into a tree and herself into a frozen lake, from which she was saved by Hal Jordan, whom she recognized beneath the mask. As he attempted to heal her with his power ring numerous bounty hunters attacked him, until John Stewart, undercover as Hunger Dog, "captured" him and deposited Cowgirl in a hospital.[11][12]

When the Star Sapphire gem resurfaced, hosted by Carol Ferris, it attacked Cowgirl at Pancho's to get to Jordan before realizing that Jordan had feelings for her.[13] The Star Sapphire jumped hosts to Cowgirl and chased Jordan, carrying Ferris, through the city as he tried to tire her out, eventually knocking him into a "Honeymoon Hotel". Jordan covered Ferris with a Green Lantern "suit" and the two did battle, with Jordan finally pinning Cowgirl under a car and prying the Sapphire off of her. Four Zamarons stepped out of the portal, and one said that both Cowgirl and Ferris would become the first two members of their Corps.[14]

Jordan then told Ferris to attempt to remove the Star Sapphire from Cowgirl while he confronted the Zamarons. Though she was able to do so, the stone immobilized both her and Cowgirl while the Zamarons gained the upper hand over Jordan. The stone asked Jordan which of the two women he desired most, and that the woman he chose would be able to be with him forever. In response, Jordan kissed one of the Zamarons which in turn convinced the stone to release its hostages and possess the Zamaron Jordan kissed instead. The stone reacted with its new host violently, prompting the Zamarons to retreat to their home planet.[15]

Pearlman currently resides in Coast City, living with Hal Jordan.[16] She most recently appeared at the beginning of the Blackest Night storyline, performing a "fly-by" with the Green Lanterns of Earth for Coast City's "memorial day".[17]

Nol-Anj

A new villainous Star Sapphire debuted in Green Lantern Vol 5 #21 (August 2013). Prixiam Nol-Anj was a former prisoner of the Oan sciencells, imprisoned for a slew of different crimes: racketeering, smuggling, extortion, murder for hire, abduction, trafficking in organisms, larceny, grand theft starship, and assault with an energy weapon. Over time, she uses her wiles to beguile her guard, a Green Lantern named Cossite, and he falls in love with her. When Larfleeze attacks Oa in the aftermath of the First Lantern's defeat and the death of the Guardians, his constructs kill a Star Sapphire who arrived to aid in the defense of the planet. The fallen Sapphire's ring flies to Nol-Anj's cell, where it declares her eligible to become a Star Sapphire herself. Nol-Anj persuades Cossite that the ring's presence is proof that her love for him is true, and he readily opens the door and allows her to slip the ring onto her fingers and acquire its power. To his understandable shock, she then kills him, declaring that the love in her heart that the ring detected was not for him, but for the Clann she belonged to, that accepted her when no one else would.

After Larfleeze's attack is thwarted, Hal and the rest of the Lanterns discover Cossite's body and learn of Nol-Anj's escape, who had by then commandeered a spacecraft and left for space sector 0563. This is the home base for her clann, the Braidmen, a group of scavengers and contraband pirates, of which she is the "Prixiam". As Prixiam, she serves similarly as would a queen. The love for her clann is so potent, Nol-Anj has been shown to have the ability to extend her violet powers to shatter green constructs and summon/control multiple members of the Braidmen across great distances.

Star Sapphires (Violet Lantern Corps)

Star Sapphires

A cartoon image of four super heroines wearing glossy, violet costumes. The woman on the far left is wearing a small mask and has blue skin. The woman centered, standing in front of the rest, has long hair, a provocatively low cut costume, and wearing a glowing violet ring that she is holding up at chest height. The woman immediately to the right of her is wearing a similar costume and is flying upward. The woman on the far right is flying toward the viewer, has blue skin, and no nose.

an image of Star Sapphires from Blackest Night
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Green Lantern vol. 4 #20 (July 2007)
Created by Geoff Johns (writer)
Ethan Van Sciver(artist)
In-story information
Base(s) Zamaron
Roster
See:below

The Star Sapphires are one of the seven Corps empowered by a specific color of the emotional spectrum within the DC Universe. Though their roots can be traced back to the earliest appearances of the Star Sapphire queens, they have entered into a significant plot role as part of the 2009–2010 Blackest Night crossover event.[18] First formed by the Zamarons at the conclusion of the Mystery of the Star Sapphire storyline running in Green Lantern vol. 4, issues #18–20 (May–July 2007), their abilities come from violet power rings which wield the power of love. At present, members of the Star Sapphires have only been depicted as being females. During the Blackest Night panel at Comic Con International 2009, Geoff Johns explained that: "anyone can join, but most men are not worthy."[19]

Group history

The Star Sapphires are first mentioned in the context of a group during a conversation between Carol Ferris and Hal Jordan immediately after Ferris has just recovered from having been possessed by the Star Sapphire stone during Mystery of the Star Sapphire. Ferris explains that while under the possession of the stone, she learned a number of things about its history and capabilities. She says that it told her that billions of years ago, when the Guardians of the Universe decided to form the Green Lantern Corps, a tribe of women left Oa because they did not agree with the Guardians' belief in living a life without emotion. They said they would continue on their own existence living with emotions, starting with love. They searched the universe for billions of years for the thing the Guardians feared, and eventually found it on a planet called Zamaron. They learned of love from the first Star Sapphire gem, which was discovered locked between the embrace of two crystallized skeletons inside a cave. She explains to him that despite the fact that he had been able to defeat the various incarnations of the Star Sapphire he'd encountered up until then, other Green Lanterns had not been as fortunate. She describes another Star Sapphire falling in love with a Green Lantern and encasing his world in violet crystal so that the two could be together forever. She also mentions that the Star Sapphire gem is like the green power rings used by Green Lanterns and the yellow power rings used by Sinestro Corps members.[6]

After this exchange, Jillian "Cowgirl" Pearlman (being possessed by the Star Sapphire) attacks the two. Jordan uses his ring to grant Ferris enhanced abilities needed to help fight Cowgirl. The two fight with the Star Sapphire and she is defeated by their combined efforts. An energy vortex opens in the room and a voice is shown as saying that "a new Corps is rising and so must ours." Four Zamarons step out of the portal, and one announces that both Cowgirl and Ferris will become the first two members of their Corps.[6] Jordan tells Ferris to attempt to remove the Star Sapphire from Cowgirl while he confronts the Zamarons. Though she is able to do so, the stone immobilizes the two Earth women while the Zamarons gain the upper hand over Jordan. The stone asks Jordan which of the two women he desires most, and that the woman he chooses will be able to be with him forever. In response, Jordan kisses one of the Zamarons, convincing the stone to release its hostages (Cowgirl and Carol Ferris), and possess her instead. The stone reacts with its new host violently, prompting the Zamarons to retreat with her to their home planet to remove the star from their ally and discuss the gem's future.[20]

At the end of the final issue in the storyline, the Zamarons are shown to have removed the Star Sapphire from their sister-in-arms at the cost of her life. The Zamarons agree that Jordan was right in showing how the Star Sapphire's power is too overwhelming to one host.[20] The farther from the center of the emotional spectrum, the greater the influence a powered light has over its bearer (a plot element which would again become significant at the opposite end of the spectrum with the Red Lanterns).[18] The Zamarons claim they could rectify the problem by taking a page from the Book of Oa. They are shown transforming the Star Sapphire into a violet power ring which they place on a pedestal along with a violet power battery. In discussion, they also describe how they'd been focused on love so long that they were almost like the emotionless Guardians. Depicted in the same room as the violet ring and battery, are a green and yellow set of powers rings and power batteries. Upon revealing this to the reader, the Zamarons comment that they "must collect them all."[20]

Sins of the Star Sapphire

Sins of the Star Sapphire, running in Green Lantern Corps vol. 2, issues #29–32 (December 2008 – March 2009), is the story arc in which the formation of the Star Sapphires is shown. It both introduces important members of the new corps and reveals distinguishing features which set them apart from their peers. At the beginning of the arc, the Zamarons have crafted their own main power battery. Inside of their main battery are the crystallized "Adam and Eve" skeletons and Star Sapphire gem found when they first arrived on Zamaron. While experimenting with their new means of controlling the violet light of love, the Zamarons (perhaps intentionally) attracted the attention of the Guardians on Oa. Perceiving their visible power fluctuations as a threat, Guardian Scar decides to act on the display rather than wait and "hope for the best." In response, she requests a diplomatic audience with Zamaron's Queen Aga'po. Two other Guardians accompany her, while Lanterns Guy Gardner, Arisia, and Sodam Yat serve as escorts.[21] While on Zamaron, the delegates from Oa find that the Zamarons are in possession of a number of yellow power rings that were left unclaimed after the Sinestro Corps War plotline. The rings are shown being drained of their power (which Arisia interprets as a deliberate display of how the same could be done to green power rings). More importantly, the delegates also discover that a number of female Sinestro Corps members have also been collected after the war and are imprisoned in violet crystals.[22]

Queen Aga'po explains that the women imprisoned in the crystals (Fatality, Karu-Sil, and Kiriazis are specifically named, though other filled crystals are shown in Green Lantern vol. 4 #36) are being rehabilitated. The yellow light of fear is being drained from their rings and replaced with the violet light of love. Queen Aga'po also claims that violet light is filling an emptiness in their hearts and replacing their capacity for creating fear. The delegate meeting ends poorly for the Oans, as the Zamarons refuse to stop their pursuit of the violet light.[22] Perhaps in response, the Guardians unanimously vote that love between Green Lanterns is forbidden within the Corps.[23]

A sub plot is also shown to the reader in Sins of the Star Sapphire which introduces a key member of the new Corps. In the secondary story, Mongul frees himself of Mother Mercy's vines after being imprisoned in Green Lantern Corps vol. 2, issue #26 (September 2008).[24] Ravenous after his imprisonment, he destroys a space craft belonging to newlyweds Kered and Miri Riam (on their way to their honeymoon) in order to ransack it for food. Kered approaches Mongul to ask him to spare their jet packs and enough food for them to find help. In response, Mongul cracks the face plate of Kered's pressure suit, killing him. After Mongul leaves, Miri drifts in space alone for two days before deciding to kill herself out of grief. Before she is able to complete her suicide, a violet power ring finds her and offers to fill the hole in her heart with violet light. Miri accepts and becomes the first new recruit to the Star Sapphires.[21] Miri quickly finds herself fighting for love as she assists a group of Green Lanterns attempting to apprehend Sinestro Corps member: Kryb. Through their temporary partnership they are able to defeat the yellow ring wielder. Though an argument ensues between Miri and Kyle Rayner (one of the Green Lanterns involved in the incident) over whether Kryb should be sent to Oa or Zamaron for detainment, it's agreed that Miri will escort Kryb back to Zamaron for reconditioning and re-education.[25]

Blackest Night

In the issues of Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps serving as preludes to the Blackest Night event, the Star Sapphires continue to make preparations for the predicted conflict. After undergoing treatment within a violet conversion crystal, Fatality emerges as a newly transformed Star Sapphire. Her first thoughts upon being released are to seek out John Stewart (a Green Lantern she'd been trying to kill for causing the destruction of her home planet).[26] Upon finding him, however, she saves him from Agent Orange's attacking Orange Lantern constructs, demonstrating that they are unable to absorb constructs made from violet light. She admits that revenge is no longer her goal, and that she has other plans.[27] In the following issue, she reveals that she's attracted to Stewart, may have always been, and the Star Sapphire has given her the ability to finally absolve herself of her survivor's guilt.[28] After Fatality's successful conversion, Miri and Queen Aga'po observe that Kryb appears to be crying inside of her crystal (seemingly distraught over being separated from the children she kept imprisoned on her back). Queen Aga'po remarks that it is a sign the treatment is working.[29]

Carol Ferris once again gains the attention of the Zamarons as well. After a divorce and giving up the chance at being with Hal Jordan, he is no longer in her life and a hole in her heart has formed. While flying his former plane, the Zamarons send her one of their new violet power rings to fill it.[4] Ferris' reunion with the violet light is not fully shown until Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #2 (July 2009). In Tales of the Star Sapphires: Lost Love, Ferris initially expects to be possessed by her violet power ring as had been the case with the Star Sapphire gem. The ring explains to her that the Zamarons have changed service to the Star Sapphires: it must be voluntary and now extends to an entire violet Corps. The ring reveals that Ferris has the potential of becoming the most powerful Star Sapphire, and also has the ability of leading the Star Sapphires into war alongside the Green Lantern Corps. At the end of the story, the power ring keeps its word and does not recruit Ferris until she gives it permission. She is, however, manipulated by being told that her love (Hal Jordan) may die depending upon the outcome of the War of Light. By joining the Star Sapphires, Ferris may be able to prevent that from happening.[30]

After his run-in with the Red Lanterns and Blue Lantern Corps during the Rage of the Red Lanterns plotline, Sinestro's attention turns from Oa to Zamaron. Before attempting to defeat a splinter cell of yellow ring wielders led by Mongul, he decides it's necessary to rescue the captured members of his Corps that are being converted into Star Sapphires.[27] Glimpses of a planned Sinestro Corps attack are first shown coming to fruition in Blackest Night #1 (July 2009). Carol Ferris is depicted confronting the Sinestro Corps robot, Tekik, as conflict between the two Corps rages in the background.[31]

The passage taken from The Book of the Black at the end of Blackest Night #2 states that love will be the first emotion to fall in the Black Lantern Corps' crusade against the colored lights.[32]

Green Lantern vol. 4 #45 and 46 depicts the battle between the Sinestro Corps and the Star Sapphires. During the conflict, the conversion crystals are compromised and the Sinestro Corps members inside are released. Kryb immediately abandons the battle to see to her children; she is followed by Sapphire Miri Riam and the two eventually reach Kryb's planet to find her children are gone. Kryb begs Miri to help her find her children promising to return to Zamaron of her own free will if Miri helps her. Miri senses that Kryb's love for her children is genuine and, despite the fact that Miri is repulsed by Kryb, agrees to help her. Back on Zamaron the battle takes an unexpected turn when deceased Sinestro Corps members resurrected as Black Lantern arrive. Carol Ferris and Sinestro are forced to work together until Hal Jordan and the Indigo Tribe arrive. The battle rages on until two black rings head for the violet Central Power Battery, bonding to the two crystallized lovers inside (who are Prince Khufu and his consort Chay-ara; the original forms of Hawkman and Hawkgirl). The two are transformed into Black Lanterns and their escape causes the battery to explode, causing widespread devastation to the planet and freeing the Predator. The damage is so great that the Sapphires are forced to abandon the planet to the Black Lanterns, fulfilling the Book of the Black's prophecy. Carol joins with Hal, Sinestro, and Indigo-1 to face Mongul on Korugar. The loss of the Central Power Battery does not appear to have affected Carol's powers.[33]

Carol travels with the rest of the group to Okaara to recruit Larfleeze and Atrocitus. Then they head to Ryut to determine the status of the Black Central Power Battery.[34] Finding that it has been moved, they head to Earth with the intention of destroying the battery with the combined white light of creation. Ultimately though, the white light they produce fails to destroy the battery, and appears to feed Nekron's power.[35]

When Ganthet duplicates the seven colored rings to deputize partners for each of the bearers, the violet ring chooses Wonder Woman as Carol's partner, deciding that no one else has more love for the planet Earth. Wonder Woman was under the control of a black ring (from being one of numerous resurrected superheroes), but she and the violet ring's power are enough to break the black ring's hold, turning Wonder Woman into a Star Sapphire.[36]

Brightest Day

In the aftermath of the Blackest Night, the Zamarons rebuilt the Central Power Battery and Queen Aga'po began using her life-force to power the battery until they could capture the Predator and reseal the entity into the Violet Power Battery in order to recharge it.

For that mission the Zamarons contacted Carol Ferris on Earth, and reveal to her that the Predator was on the planet. While searching for the violet emotional entity, Carol travels to Las Vegas where she locates the Predator, now inhabiting the body of a man who is infatuated with a woman who does not even know who he is, and defeats it alongside Larfleeze and Hal who also had come searching for the love entity. The three then take the Predator back to Zamaron, however when Carol discovers the intentions of the Zamarons, she argues that the Guardians' technology that the Zamarons-based the battery on can be powered by the ambient love in the universe and refused to deliver the Predator. Upon hearing Carol's words, the Zamaron Queen Aga'po used the last of her life force to charge the Central Power Battery, leaving her title of Queen of the Star Sapphires to Carol.[37]

Not much later, Zamaron is invaded by Queen Shriek of Hawkworld and her Hawk-Men. Carol and the Predator with the help from Hawkman and Hawkgirl tried to stop the Queen from taking the power of the Battery for herself, until the Predator bonded with the Queen. The Hawks eventually separate the Queen from the entity, as the skeletons from the Hawks past incarnations come alive due to the power of the Violet Battery and take Queen Shriek to the inside of the battery where she's sealed away with all the skeletons.

New 52

The Zamarons are the first to acknowledge, after learning of Larfleeze's role in banishing the Orrery of Archangel Invictus into another dimension, that the events like Sinestro becoming a Green Lantern once again, the fall of the Sinestro Corps, the Red Lanterns Central Battery being poisoned, the return of Invictus and the Reach invasion in Odym are no coincidence,[38] a fact that was currently revealed to be the Guardians of the Universe doing as they try to bring about the rise of the Third Army.

Leadership

Ring-bearers

Conversion crystals

A distinguishing feature that marks the Star Sapphires as unique among their peers, in Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, is their use of conversion crystals. While other Corps exclusively recruit their members by sending out their rings in search of sentient beings, the Star Sapphires are also shown as being able to convert other Corps members into Star Sapphires. By encasing the members of other Corps within violet rehabilitation crystals on Zamaron, the light of their rings is slowly transformed into violet, whereupon they emerge as newly formed Star Sapphires, such as Yrra Cynril (Fatality).[26] Similarly, violet power rings also momentarily encase new members to the Corps in crystal before granting them their Star Sapphire abilities and uniform.[21] Those imprisoned within the crystals can be freed by an outside force, or free themselves if sufficiently motivated, interrupting the transformation process before it's complete.[44]

The silhouettes of numerous Sinestro Corps members are shown within conversion crystals, but they are all released before their conversions are complete.[44] The following characters have been depicted as escaping their crystals before becoming Star Sapphires:

Lobo was placed in a crystal by Carol Ferris during his battle with her, Hal Jordan, Sinestro, Atrocitous, and Dex Starr. We never see what he does, but Lobo breaks out thanking her "for the peep show." He then whispers to her what he really wants, causing Carol to smack him with a giant hand created by her ring.[45]

It was originally believed that this process simply awakened the love each of these people already had inside them, allowing them to love without being inhibited by other emotions. Statements by Fatality after her ring is destroyed seem to indicate that the conversion process instead forces the convert to feel love regardless of their actual feelings, placing them essentially under mind control.[46]

Oath

Just as the Green Lanterns and other Lantern Corps recharge their own rings, the following is the oath used by Star Sapphires to recharge their violet power rings:

“
For hearts long lost and full of fright,
For those alone in blackest night,
Accept our ring and join our fight,
Love conquers all-- with violet light!
 ”
— Carol Ferris, Green Lantern vol. 4 #38 (March 2009)

Entity

Originally believed to be one of the subconscious identities developed by Carol Ferris, which acted as a masculine animus to the feminine anima of Star Sapphire, the Predator repeatedly appeared as a mysterious figure, protecting Carol's beloved company from the threats of Eclipso, the Demolition Team, and Jason Bloch. He also established the company Intercontinental Petroleum (Con-Trol) to let her regain control of Ferris Aircraft. Finally, the Predator started to court Carol (who did not know that the Predator was a part of herself) and battled Hal Jordan for her love.[47] The Predator was later assumed to have been killed by Nekron.

During the Blackest Night, it was revealed through the Guardian known as "Scar" that the Predator is actually the sentient embodiment of Love: 'love with nothing to temper it'; and one of seven Embodiments of the Emotional Spectrum resembling a reptilian creature,[48] which had been held captive by the Zamarons within a crystal chamber; the length of this containment is unknown.

The entity emphasizes the aggressive nature in one's being, making the subject paranoid and highly obsessive. The Predator imbues its host with the power to latch onto and manipulate people's minds, and is able to change and affect them at the host's will. Queen Aga'po mentions to one of her attendants that Carol Ferris would be an ideal candidate for taming the Predator.[49]

When the planet Zamaron was attacked by Black Lanterns who succeeded in destroying the Star Sapphire Central Power Battery, the Predator was able to escape its crystalline containment and return to the universe at large.

The Predator, like all the other emotional entities, was attracted to Earth by the Entity and is now being hunted by Krona. The white entity intones for Hal, Carol, and Sinestro to find them before it is too late. According to Atrocitus' divining ritual, the emotional entities had come to Earth and the Predator should be located somewhere in the southwestern United States.[50]

After battling an Ophidian-possessed Hector Hammond, Hal and Larfleeze traveled to Las Vegas, where Carol Ferris was already hunting the love entity. There the Predator possessed a man named Abraham Pointe, who was obsessed with a woman named Lisa. After attempting to have its host meet the target of his affection, the Predator became corrupted by the man's infatuation with the woman, as Abraham did not know what true love was.

Discovered by Carol, Hal, and Larfleeze, the four battled within a casino as the Predator-possessed Abraham attempted to reach Lisa. Knowing the only way to win was to allow Abraham to feel love, Carol kissed the man and severed his connection to the Predator. With the entity subdued, Carol, Hal, and Larfleeze were teleported to Zamaron with the Predator. Carol successfully defended the Predator from having the Zamarrons imprisoning it back within the Star Sapphire Central Power Battery and, in doing so, became the new Queen of the Star Sapphires.[51]

Zamaron was soon after attacked by forces from Hawkworld. The Predator was ridden into combat by Carol, until it sensed the complete lack of love in the heart of Hawkworld's leader, Queen Shrike (mother of Shiera Hall). The Predator then proceeded to bond with the evil queen,[52] however the entity was soon drawn out of its host by the love felt between Hawkman and Hawkgirl.[53]

Later it is revealed through Carol that the Predator was captured by Krona.[54] The Predator was later seen with Krona on Oa where it possessed one of the remaining six Guardians of the Universe.[55] Predator was eventually free from Krona's control when the rogue Guardian was killed by Hal Jordan and is once again at large in the universe.[56]

Powers and abilities

Star Sapphire gem

The original Star Sapphire's powers are vast. She is equipped with an arsenal of weapons, including a replicate Zamaron star sapphire, of unknown origin. She also has a variety of personal powers, though whether they stem from herself or her personal armament is unclear. She is also able to access the memories of the Zamorans regarding the Star Sapphire gem, such as the experiences of other wearers. As with the powers of the woman bearing the title of Star Sapphire, the limitations of the Star Sapphire gem are also unclear. Psychologically, the women serving as Star Sapphire have displayed a bizarre preoccupation with gender, suspected of reflecting a pathological fear of men. They also have had a less than accurate grasp of the variations in physics between dimensions. They are sometimes foiled primarily due to their own overconfidence. The Star Sapphire gems used to power the original incarnations of Star Sapphire were used by the Zamarons to create the main violet Power Battery.[20]

Violet power ring

Corp members of the Star Sapphires use violet power rings, fueled by the emotion of love. They allow the wearer to fly, generate a protective aura, and create violet light constructs.[21][25]

Violet rings have several unique abilities. They can create crystals which can be used to imprison members of other Lantern Corps on Zamaron.[22] Over time, the rings of the prisoners trapped in stasis within the crystals are infected with violet energy. After spending enough time inside, the prisoner will emerge as a Star Sapphire.[26] The rings can also detect when a love is in jeopardy, locate it, and then create a connection to the embattled heart that can be used as a tether. Sapphires are also shown as being able to show others their greatest love.[25] Unlike constructs created by Green Lanterns, Orange Lanterns cannot absorb those made by Star Sapphires.[27] Star Sapphires appear to be able to teleport in order to escape attackers, while their energy constructs release a disorienting dust when destroyed. These two abilities can be combined effectively to avoid being pursued.[28] Violet power rings have the ability to restore the recently deceased to life by drawing power from the heart of one that loves them.[57]

Though Star Sapphires do not have a weakness to other Corps (they are immune to the energy stealing properties of an Orange Power Ring), they are more susceptible to being controlled by their own power. Love is one of the two emotions on the far ends of the emotional spectrum, and has a much stronger influence over its users.[40] Unlike the Star Sapphire gem, which could force itself on a user, violet power rings must be accepted by the wearer.[30] It is unknown what will happen if a Star Sapphire converted from another corp against her will were to have her ring removed, as none so converted have been seen to remove them, however given that this is similar to Indigo Tribe conversion, there is a good chance they will revert when freed.

Other versions

In other media

Television

Star Sapphire as seen in Justice League.

Film

Video Games

References

  1. ↑ Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold #6 (March 2000)
  2. ↑ Showcase (vol 1) #22 (October 1959)
  3. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 4 #18 (March 2007)
  4. 1 2 3 Green Lantern vol. 4 #38 (March 2009)
  5. 1 2 Green Lantern vol. 2 #41 (December 1965)
  6. 1 2 3 4 Green Lantern vol. 4 #19 (June 2007)
  7. ↑ Green Lantern Secret Files and Origins #1
  8. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #1 (May 2005)
  9. 1 2 Green Lantern (vol. 4) #14 (November 2006)
  10. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #10 (April 2006)
  11. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #16 (January 2007)
  12. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #17 (February 2007)
  13. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #18 (March 2007)
  14. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #19 (May 2007)
  15. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #20 (July 2007)
  16. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #27
  17. ↑ Blackest Night #1
  18. 1 2 Green Lantern vol. 4 #25 (December 2007)
  19. ↑ CCI LIVE: Green Lantern Blackest Night Panel, Comic Book Resources, July 26, 2009
  20. 1 2 3 4 Green Lantern vol. 4 #20 (July 2007)
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Green Lantern Corps (vol.2) #29 (December 2008)
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #30 (November 2008)
  23. ↑ Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #31 (February 2009)
  24. ↑ Green Lantern Corps (vol.2) #27 (October 2008)
  25. 1 2 3 4 Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #32 (March 2009)
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Green Lantern vol. 4 #36 (January 2009)
  27. 1 2 3 Green Lantern vol. 4 #41 (June 2009)
  28. 1 2 3 Green Lantern vol. 4 #42 (June 2009)
  29. ↑ Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #34 (May 2009)
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #2 (July 2009)
  31. ↑ Blackest Night (vol. 1) #1 (July 2009)
  32. ↑ Blackest Night #2 (August 2009)
  33. ↑ Green Lantern #46 (September 2009)
  34. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 4 #48 (January 2010)
  35. ↑ Blackest Night #5 (January 2010)
  36. 1 2 Blackest Night #6 (February 2010)
  37. 1 2 3 Green Lantern vol. 4 #57 (September 2010)
  38. ↑ Green Lantern: New Guardians #09
  39. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 4 #32 (August 2008)
  40. 1 2 3 4 Blackest Night #0 (April 2009)
  41. ↑ Brightest Day #17
  42. ↑ Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2
  43. ↑ Blackest Night #8 (March 2010)
  44. 1 2 3 Green Lantern vol. 4 #45 (October 2009)
  45. ↑ Green Lantern(vol.4) #55
  46. ↑ Green Lantern Corps vol. 3 #34 (August 2014)
  47. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 2 #192 (September 1985).
  48. ↑ Green Lantern (vol.4) #43 (July 2009)
  49. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 4 #45
  50. ↑ Green Lantern #54 (July 2010)
  51. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 4 #57
  52. ↑ Brightest Day #17
  53. ↑ Brightest Day #18
  54. ↑ Green Lanter #63
  55. ↑ Green Lantern vol. 4 #64 (May 2011)
  56. ↑ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #67 (July 2011)
  57. ↑ Green Lantern Corps (Vol.2)#43
  58. ↑ Tangent Comics: Doom Patrol # 1 (December 1997)
  59. ↑ Green Lantern #23.1
  60. ↑ "Star Sapphire". Jl.toonzone.net. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  61. ↑ Injustice For All. Justice League. 2002-01-06 and 2002-01-13. No. 8 and 9, season 1.
  62. ↑ Fury. Justice League. 2002-04-07 and 2002-04-14. No. 16 and 17, season 1.
  63. ↑ Hereafter. Justice League. 2003-11-29. No. 45 and 46, season 2.
  64. ↑ Destroyer. Justice League Unlimited. 2006-02-18 (UK), 2006-05-13(US). No. 39, season 2.
  65. ↑ http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=1020
  66. ↑ "Blake Lively to return as Star Sapphire in Green Lantern Sequel". blog.zap2it.com. June 16, 2011.
  67. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (April 1, 2011). "'Green Lantern': Blake Lively loves the idea of Star Sapphire in sequel". Los Angeles Times.
  68. ↑ http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=1135

External links

Golden Age Queen of the 7th Dimension:

Remoni-Notra:

Jillian Pearlman:

Animated:

Miscellaneous:

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