Brightest Day
Once dead, 12 heroes and villains were resurrected by a white light expelled deep from within the center of the Earth. Deemed a miracle by many and a sign of the apocalypse by others, the reasons behind their rebirths remain a mystery. But it will not be a mystery for long.
Off My Mind: Does The White Lantern Have Good Intentions?
Perhaps my suspicions are simply a result of some "bad guys" being part of the twelve that were given a second chance at life. Why were Maxwell Lord and Captain Boomerang brought back? According to issue #7, Max Lord has to stop the war with Magog that apparently leads to Kingdom Come while Boomerang's "mission" is to throw a boomerang at Dawn Granger to try to kill her (you can see their 'missions' here). Obviously stopping a war is a good goal but trying to kill someone (just for another resurrected person to try to prevent it) seems a little weird.
The White Lantern claim they have been brought back to protect the world until the arrival of its new champion. Is that really what's going on? What happens to the resurrected twelve once that champion is found?
== TEASER ==
There's also what the Lantern said to Deadman about "truly living." Are we to surmise that they aren't actually alive? Is the second life they've been given something that the Lantern might take away if they don't attempt to do what it wishes?
I know I sometimes read into things just a tiny bit. I just feel that Geoff Johns definitely has something up his sleeve. If these twelve are going to be given another chance to live, there has to be a price. It would be interesting to see what would happen if they immediately refused to do what the Lantern instructed them to do. What gives the White Lantern the right to choose who lives and who doesn't? Why does it have the power to bring the dead back, yet it can't bring about the "new champion" on its own?
I really want to believe that the White Lantern is a force for good. After the evil things the Black Lanterns did, it would be nice to know that there is a force that represents the true lighter side. Maybe it's due to the downfall that the Green Lanterns have seen. For the longest time it seem they really had good intentions in protecting the universe. But we've seen that they often have their own agenda and have made some bad decisions. Does the White Lantern truly want everyone to "embrace life" or will we discover that there is a price to that brightness?
So far Professor Zoom did his part (unintentionally) of the White Lantern's request, so I'm hoping to see some talk about it in the following The Flash issues, and what's gonna happen with him.
I've been wondering that myself, like the Captain Boomerang/Hawk thing wtf...or its more to help Hawk to embrace life especially after what happened in BoP and his talk with Dove. I wonder who won't complete their task set out by the White Lantern ring, my feeling is that they would die if not. I think its safe to say that the 12 really aren't living, since the few that have completed their tasks the ring said LIVE so...that kinda supports the theory here. This is their "second" chance at life, so of course if they can't or won't complete their "price" for life then they should just go back to the afterlife. The one I'm most curious about is Deadman, what will happen to him when he complete's his task. He's the only one who doesn't have his powers back, he's mortal, but if he does will he remain mortal or become Deadman again?
I think the White Lantern represent Peace. And Peace is a good thing, right? After all Dove, the avatar of Peace, seemed to be the only character who produced the power of the White Lanterns naturally.
Besides that, I don't think don't the WL corp is permanent. I think members will be called in when necessary.
Cue Queen: "Who wants to live forever? Who wants to live FOR-EVA?!"
i've been thinking the same thing. Just because the White entity it fights for life doesnt mean that its on the side of good. Yea it didnt want to be snuffed out by darkness, but i have a feeling it will fight for anything on the brink of extinction even if that endangered thing is evil.
Just because death equals bad doesnt mean life equals good.
I dont think the white lantern fights for good or evil, I think it only fights against death. i dont think the white entity has a moral compass besides fighting for life. I think not until the entity embodies someone who cares about good or evil will the it then care about good and evil. I really hope the new champion is Dove.
Also i dont think that the new champion can be pushed in to the position of champion, i think it must be chosen and accept but someone. I believe the 11 (not including Zoom since he accomplished his mission) were given the chance to live again like a temporary pass across boarders but are only allow to get to stay there if they pay their dues. No one ever said that these passes back to life would be free.
We now the further out from the middle of the spectrum (Green) you get the more each color spectrum ahs the power to control and influence the bearer or that color. Black has full control over people dead, so white should have full control over people alive, Both white and black lanterns work for their masters unwillingly.
I know absolutely nothing about white lantern and all. Apparently there are black lanterns involved also,.. is this kinda a racial conflict or such? White and black hoodies with pointed tops?
But I can tell why they were brought back to life, it's because of their names. Though Maxwell lord is interesting, it wouldn't be my first choice. so he can die again later on. But how many Commander Boomerangs do you know? None i bet..what a cool name! Death shouldn't put that name to rest, Death should be told to go suck it. Commander Boomerang should be allowed to live. Forever.
yeah.
I didnt think the power of the white lantern would rip a person apart. I didnt rip Sinestro apart, it just didnt agree with sinestro being its host
@G'bandit:
i thought the human race was the closest resembelance to the white entity and that is why humans can show the full emotional spectrum.
I definitely have been wondering this myself since I've been reading the new Flash series. Boomerang is supposed to throw a boomerang at Dove, but right now he doesn't seem to know or care how he's supposed to do that. He's keeping his own agenda, so does that mean he's going to end up not completing his task? Will the White Lantern kill him if he doesn't? And will he die anyway once his task is done?
To me, it's killing me because a lot of these characters shouldn't have died, and now they're being brought back to maybe just die all over again. It doesn't seem fair.
I have a theory..
The White Lantern is says the Chosen One knows that life is a gift. Now we haven't been told who the Chosen One is yet but I think it could be one of 2 people.
Green Lantern (Hal) He died to reignite the sun and Lantern like but I'm hoping that one is wrong
Batman (Bruce) In a upcoming issue of Brightest Day it shows White Lantern Batman and Batman did see his parents get shot so he could understand the meaning of a life.
My biggest trust issue with the Entity as written (that is, ignoring the cultural imperialism of white = good = life) is its clear ability to communicate (using phrases like "hit the books" and commanding the consumption of burgers) and provide visions and foretelling the future (in a deterministic planning way such that it knows it needs these few to do these predetermined tasks) yet it talks in cryptic fragments and unclear visions.
I'm extraordinarily skeptical that the lack of communication is justifiable. It feels like a clear bid at LOST-like storytelling which is to throw up a bunch of random and potentially meaningless fragments for the rabid audience to assemble into something meaningful.
Let's take a look at Professor Zoom's mission, for example. His mission, supposedly accomplished... was to bring Barry back! Let that sink in for a second. The Entity with the ability to bring people back to life... brought someone back to life... to bring someone else back to life? Really, Geoff, really?! Further, with the Entity's ability to speak and give visions, why not simply tell another to do it? Even if the Entity can speak only to those raised there are better candidates much more likely to be compliant with a benevolent goal.
Surely everything will be written off in the end as the unknowable ways of a great and powerful being responsible for the creation of all life in the DC universe... but that doesn't really make a being trustworthy... and it's not like the Entity is using clear prophets, scripture, and the like to make its will or character known... it is being obtuse for mystery's sake... and that's pretty sketchy.
The white Lantern's a pussy! Always whining! I think the Light is neither good or bad it just is. Just like Nekron. Death cant be bad or good.
Their both just opposites, so i guess the white lantern's agenda cant be anything other than to preserve life.
@daak1212 said:
" Nekron was bad not death."Dude, Nekron IS death. Johns said it himself (somewhere). He didn't want to kill everyone cuz he was bad, he wanted to do so cuz he was first in the Universe, then the Light trespassed in his territory. So hes not a bad guy, he just wanted things a little quieter! ;)
I believe the Entity is a force of good it. like Ganthet said it god like power . and the twelve some them were chosen for obvious reasons Max lord and Captain Boomerang "Digger" Harkness
Professor ZoomEobard Thawne are obvious villains they are wiling to kill with out much hesitation. Max lord labor is to stop the war before it starts Magog starts the war and need be Max lord willkill Moagog. The entity need people who will do what needed done no matter what the consequences but this is my reason for the why villains were brought back . and if the white lantern has the power all the lights combined it obvious can see into the future! Not everything but a good amount it to know what needs to be done.
"Let's take a look at Professor Zoom's mission, for example. His mission, supposedly accomplished... was to bring Barry back! Let that sink in for a second. The Entity with the ability to bring people back to life... brought someone back to life... to bring someone else back to life? Really, Geoff, really?! Further, with the Entity's ability to speak and give visions, why not simply tell another to do it? Even if the Entity can speak only to those raised there are better candidates much more likely to be compliant with a benevolent goal.The point there I believe was that Barry was in fact not 'dead' as we know it, but just trapped eternally in the Speed Force. Thus, The Entity could not bring him back as he was not truly 'dead.' Only Zoom had the capability to initiate the events of Flash: Rebirth.
"
The Entity is Geoff Johns and the missions are for the lolz.
And they give the 12 interesting things to do. Thus, by forcing them to be interesting he is in fact saving the DC Universe and all life within it. Because is they weren't interesting they would be cancelled.
There, that's the secret of Brightest Day. :D
" @Mainline said:"Even if the Entity can speak only to those raised there are better candidates much more likely to be compliant with a benevolent goal."The point there I believe was that Barry was in fact not 'dead' as we know it, but just trapped eternally in the Speed Force. Thus, The Entity could not bring him back as he was not truly 'dead.' Only Zoom had the capability to initiate the events of Flash: Rebirth. "
I addressed that in the last sentence (preserved above).
We don't need Rebirth for the mission to be accomplished. Barry had already been brought back by the time Rebirth started, wherein Zoom kills two Central City CSI, recreates Barry's experiment to create the Negative Speed Force mumbo-jumbo, and then kills two Central City cops.
The point is that Zoom had already raised Barry from the dead before this... which means the only real powerset necessary was the Speed Force and (maybe) Time Travel... both of which a litany of other speedsters both living and properly dead possess. The Entity could have reached out to Wally or brought back Bart (like the Black Lanterns did) to do its bidding.
The two gaps would be motivation and information (for Zoom, the motivation is to make Barry suffer and information... well, Johns conveniently left out how Zoom knows any of the stuff he knows) both which would be filled neatly by the Entity's communication skills and ability to perceive the future. If the Entity told either hero that the fate of all life (or what not) rested on them bringing back their beloved Barry there would be no motivation issue (heck, with the barrier down and Barry back, Wally went right back into the Speed Force to fetch Barry on his suicide run in #4 and brought back Max to boot... so clearly it's hardly prohibitive). And whatever gap of knowledge Wally or Bart might have, the Entity being sufficiently all-knowing to know what Zoom could/would do... would have all the information to pass on to his benevolent speedster to perform the task.
Best of all, if the Entity used Bart, it would be well within its rights to revoke its gift of life and no one would mind since young Bart is back and around. Such a paradox clearly does not bother the Entity since there are to Prof. Zooms around and that is an issue.
" @The Mighty Monarch said:Brain............... Broken." @Mainline said:"Even if the Entity can speak only to those raised there are better candidates much more likely to be compliant with a benevolent goal."The point there I believe was that Barry was in fact not 'dead' as we know it, but just trapped eternally in the Speed Force. Thus, The Entity could not bring him back as he was not truly 'dead.' Only Zoom had the capability to initiate the events of Flash: Rebirth. "
I addressed that in the last sentence (preserved above).
We don't need Rebirth for the mission to be accomplished. Barry had already been brought back by the time Rebirth started, wherein Zoom kills two Central City CSI, recreates Barry's experiment to create the Negative Speed Force mumbo-jumbo, and then kills two Central City cops.
The point is that Zoom had already raised Barry from the dead before this... which means the only real powerset necessary was the Speed Force and (maybe) Time Travel... both of which a litany of other speedsters both living and properly dead possess. The Entity could have reached out to Wally or brought back Bart (like the Black Lanterns did) to do its bidding.
The two gaps would be motivation and information (for Zoom, the motivation is to make Barry suffer and information... well, Johns conveniently left out how Zoom knows any of the stuff he knows) both which would be filled neatly by the Entity's communication skills and ability to perceive the future. If the Entity told either hero that the fate of all life (or what not) rested on them bringing back their beloved Barry there would be no motivation issue (heck, with the barrier down and Barry back, Wally went right back into the Speed Force to fetch Barry on his suicide run in #4 and brought back Max to boot... so clearly it's hardly prohibitive). And whatever gap of knowledge Wally or Bart might have, the Entity being sufficiently all-knowing to know what Zoom could/would do... would have all the information to pass on to his benevolent speedster to perform the task.
Best of all, if the Entity used Bart, it would be well within its rights to revoke its gift of life and no one would mind since young Bart is back and around. Such a paradox clearly does not bother the Entity since there are to Prof. Zooms around and that is an issue. "
As said before, they probably represent peace, but peace isn't necessarily good. If everyone is following strict guidelines to good and living in a totalitarian state, there's peace, isn't there? They seem more like Knight Templars than anything, but maybe it's just my constant exposure to the Megami Tensei series that's made me jaded to the idea of "pure" good guys.
Maybe the White Lantern is kinda like Jigsaw from the Saw movies. He thinks he's doing the right thing, but his methods are questionable (at best).
Well said! I just finshed brightest day and that made me think about things all over again. Loved this comic so far it's up there as my top ten favs. Can't wait to see what unfolds.
Well, since the Entity just dusted Hawkman and Hawkwoman after they accomplished their missions, I don't know what to think anymore.
The Entity obviously doesn't care about anything other than finding the "Chosen One"; although I fail to understand how resurrecting an unrepentant bastard like Max Lord, yet killing two people who finally had a chance at a normal existence is supposed to accomplish this goal.
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