The 20 Most Important Green Lantern Villains in Long History of DC Comics (Ranked)

The Green Lantern character is one of DC’s most popular comic book franchises. One of the most distinctive aspects of the character is its colorful cast of villains. A desire for power drives some, others by a thirst for revenge, and still others by a sense of duty or ideology. Many of the villains have unique powers or abilities that challenge the Green Lanterns’ own abilities. If you follow any of the Marvel or DC Universes, you have probably noticed a new wave of interest in their villains. We might cheer for our superheroes, but everyone loves a good villain. This is probably because of their complicated but interesting personalities. With that said, let’s look at the 20 greatest Green Lantern villains.

What sets the Green Lantern series apart is the creativity and diversity of its villains. Each has a unique backstory and motivation, making them more than just one-dimensional bad guys. Despite the variety of Green Lantern villains, they all have one thing in common: they are a formidable challenge for the Green Lanterns to overcome. This creates a sense of tension and excitement for readers and viewers as they follow the heroes’ journey to defeat the villains and save the day. If this topic piques your interest, you should stick with us and keep reading for more!

20. Effigy

Effigy, also known as Martyn Van Wyck, is a very intelligent individual who eventually becomes a mad scientist. His obsession with the Green Lantern became excessive, eventually costing him his sanity. His goal was to harness the power of the Green Lanterns, and he decided to start his experiments with this idea in mind.

His experiments went terribly wrong, and he was transformed into a being of pure energy. After his transformation, Wyck decided to call himself Effigy. He gained the ability to manipulate fire and plasma, making him a formidable opponent for the Green Lanterns.

19. Appa Ali Apsa

Appa Ali Apsa is another Green Lantern villain, but interestingly, he has appeared as both a hero and a villain at different times. Appa does not look like a regular human, and that is because he is a part of the alien race called the Malthusian. The Malthusians are known for their high intelligence and long lifespans. The Malthusians were an ancient, powerful alien race from the planet Maltus. Many of them later became the Guardians of the Universe, who created and lead the Green Lantern Corps to protect the galaxy.

Later on, in the comics, Appa Ali Apsa becomes disillusioned with the Guardians and the Corps, believing they have become too rigid and dogmatic in their approach to policing the universe. This is where his shift happens, and he decides to create a utopian society based on his beliefs.

18. Scar

One of Scar’s notable appearances was back in the 2005 storyline „Sinestro Corps War. “ She is similar to Appa Ali Apsa, as she used to be a Guardian of the Universe and the keeper of the ancient Book of Oa. This book contains the history and knowledge of the Guardians of the Universe.

Scar was a member of the Malthusian race, and in an experiment done by the Guardians of the Universe, her home was decimated. She was the sole survivor, and after the destruction, she blamed the Guardians of the Universe for their actions.

17. Evil Star

Evil Star was a scientist from the planet Aoran who wanted to live forever. He made a powerful device called the Star-Band, which made him immortal but turned him evil and harmed his people. Everyone on his planet died except him, and he became known as Evil Star. He started attacking other worlds and fought the Green Lanterns many times.

The Guardians tried to cure him by using a machine on his brain, but it didn’t work fully. His powers came back, and he escaped to Earth, where he fought heroes like Ferrin Colos and Guy Gardner. After being reminded of the people he had hurt, his mind shut down, and he was taken back for more help. Later, a demon named Neron set him free for a short time, but he was captured again.

16. Krona

Krona was one of the major villains. He made his first appearance in the 1960s and became a recurring antagonist for the Green Lantern Corps. Krona was once a member of the Guardians of the Universe. He was a scientist who became obsessed with learning how the universe began. His experiments went wrong and caused great evil to spread across the universe. This also led to the creation of the multiverse.

15. Shark

Shark was another Green Lantern character who appeared in the 1960s. He is a humanoid creature who can transform into a shark-like creature, giving him enhanced strength, speed, and durability.

Karshon was a normal tiger shark until a radioactive spill super-evolved him into an anthropomorphic shark. He became an enemy of Green Lantern.

14. Tattooed Man (Abel Tarrant)

The Tattooed Man was introduced in 1963 and named Abel Tarrant. His ability was that he could bring his tattoos to life.

Several people have used the name Tattooed Man. The first was Abel Tarrant, a sailor turned thief. The second was John Oakes, who got his powers in a magical way. The most recent is Mark Richards, who has been both a villain and a hero, working with groups like the Justice League and the Titans.

13. Nekron

Nekron was another major Green Lantern villain. He is known for his role as the lord of the unliving, which is the realm of the dead in the DC Universe. He first appeared in 1981 and became a recurring antagonist for the Green Lantern Corps.

Nekron is an embodiment of death, and his powers are linked to the concept of death and the afterlife. This essentially means that he can resurrect the dead and control and manipulate the spirits of the deceased.

12. Fatality

Yrra Cynril was from the planet Xanshi. While she was away, her planet was destroyed because of a mistake by Green Lantern John Stewart. Heartbroken and angry, she trained to become a warrior and took the name Fatality.

She hunted Green Lanterns for revenge, later joined the Sinestro Corps, but was captured by the Star Sapphires. They helped her change, and she became one of them, leaving her evil past behind.

11. Major Disaster

Major Disaster is a villain who fights Green Lantern and can cause chaos and natural disasters by changing luck and chance. He started out as a small-time criminal who used science-made weapons, but later got real superpowers.

Over time, he tried to be a hero and joined the Justice League, invited by Maxwell Lord. He was also part of many teams, both good and bad, like the Army of Crime, Injustice League, and Suicide Squad. In the end, he was killed by Superboy-Prime during the Battle of Metropolis in the Infinite Crisis story. Major Disaster first showed up in Green Lantern #43 in 1966.

10. Star Sapphire

Star Sapphire is the name used by several women in DC Comics, often as enemies of the Green Lanterns. The name comes from the Zamarons, a powerful race of warrior women who choose someone to wear a gem called the Star Sapphire, which gives powers like a Green Lantern ring but fueled by love.

In 2007, the Zamarons created the Star Sapphire Corps, a group using violet power rings powered by love. At first, only women were allowed, but later some men joined too. They have powers like flying at light speed, being super strong, using telekinesis, and surviving harm. However, their emotions, overconfidence, and focus on gender issues sometimes cause their defeat.

9. Mongul

Mongul is a powerful alien who tries to take over planets and rules a battle planet called Warworld. He is cruel and dangerous, making him an enemy of Superman and a threat to the whole universe. He often uses a plant called the Black Mercy to trap people in fake dreams. Mongul was later killed by a villain named Neron. His son became the new Mongul, continued his father’s evil ways, and joined the Sinestro Corps. Mongul’s daughter, Mongal, became queen of a planet called Almerac, but her brother killed her.

8. Parallax

Parallax was an entity of fear that had existed since the beginning of time. He essentially seeks to consume and control the entire universe. Parallax was originally trapped within the Central Power Battery, the weapon we mentioned earlier as the source of power for the Green Lantern rings.

However, it was released when Hal Jordan, one of the Green Lanterns, became corrupted and became the villain known as Parallax. Hal Jordan was consumed by fear as Parallax and sought to remake the universe in his own image.

7. Hector Hammond

Hector Hammond is a villain who fights Green Lantern Corps and has powerful mind abilities. After being exposed to a strange alien meteor, his brain grew very big and smart, but his body stayed the same, leaving him stuck and unable to move much.

He can read minds, control people, and even fly using his thoughts. He looks very strange and spends most of his time in prison. He is obsessed with feeling what other people feel, which made him the perfect host for Ophidian, the spirit of greed. He has also been part of the Royal Flush Gang, Secret Society of Super-Villains, and the Orange Lantern Corps.

6. Dr. Polaris

Doctor Polaris is a villain with strong magnetic powers. A scientist named Neal Emerson got these powers by exposing himself to powerful magnetic energy, but it also made him mentally unstable and turn to crime. He became one of Green Lantern’s biggest enemies and was part of the Secret Society of Super-Villains and the Cadre.

He was killed by Human Bomb during Infinite Crisis. Another man named John Nichol took his place, a businessman who admired the original. Nichol joined Intergang but was later killed by a zombie version of Neal Emerson during the Blackest Night. On another Earth (Prime Earth), Doctor Polaris also became part of the Suicide Squad.

5. Atrocitus

Atrocitus is the leader and creator of the Red Lantern Corps and a main enemy of the Green Lanterns. His power comes from rage, which he feels because his whole family was killed by the Guardians’ broken robot enforcers, the Manhunters, in a disaster called the massacre of Sector 666.

Since then, he has wanted revenge on the Guardians by destroying the Green Lantern Corps. He has also been part of groups like the Empire of Tears, the Five Inversions, and the New Guardians.

4. Akrillo

Arkillo is a powerful alien from the planet Vorn in Sector 674. Sinestro chose him to join the Sinestro Corps because he is very good at creating fear, and gave him a yellow power ring. He is like an evil version of Kilowog, the trainer for the Green Lantern Corps. Arkillo has also been part of the New Guardians.

3. The Manhunters

The Manhunters were a group of villains from the Green Lantern comics. The Guardians of the Universe created them as a force of robotic peacekeepers designed to uphold law and order in the universe.

However, the Manhunters eventually became corrupted and turned against their creators, seeking to eliminate all life in the universe in the name of their twisted idea of justice. They saw themselves as superior to organic life and sought to create a universe ruled by machines.

2. Black Hand

Black Hand is a super-villain who has a Power Rod that can take energy from others. He is an enemy of Green Lantern. Later, he also learns to take life energy from people. He works for Nekron and leads the Black Lantern Corps. He has also been part of the Indigo Tribe and the Secret Society of Super-Villains.

1. Sinestro

Thaal Sinestro is a powerful villain from the planet Korugar. He used to be the best Green Lantern and even trained Hal Jordan. But he became a dictator and was sent away by the Guardians of the Universe.

After that, he fought the Green Lanterns using a yellow power ring and started his own group called the Sinestro Corps to spread fear. He was also part of the Injustice League, the Secret Society of Super-Villains, and helped start the Legion of Doom.

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