Green Lantern

The Guardians of the Universe are a group of incredibly advanced aliens who live on the planet Oa. The males of this race are short and blue with white hair and for years were the only members of the race that were ever seen. Their females split from the males for many years and lived on another planet. They were of average human stature and had an affinity for purple. The male Guardians mentally give off an unknown type of green energy. They are able to manipulate this energy for a number of purposes, creating whatever they can imagine. The strength of the energy construct is based upon the willpower of the wielder.

In the past, a member of the Guardians built a machine that would allow him to see the beginning of time. This experiment was forbidden by the other Guardians, but he proceeded with his experiment. In doing so, the Guardian caused the universe to split into an infinite number of universes all proceeding from that one point. In this, the multiverse was formed.

The Guardians sought to undo the wrong they felt their race had committed by creating a cosmic police force. Their first attempt was a group of super-powered androids called the Manhunters. The Manhunters had the ability to tap into the green energy that the Guardians created. The Manhunters eventually became a force for evil, having strayed from their original programming. The Guardians deactivated most of the Manhunter robots, but some escaped and those multiplied and sought to control the universe, later bringing them into conflict with the heroes of Earth.

The Guardians tried a second time to create a cosmic police force, this time arming the bravest members of races in the universe with rings powered by the green energy that the Guardians made. This group became known as the Green Lantern Corps. The Guardians originally split the galaxy up into sectors, with one Green Lantern per sector. Later, they ditched this plan and allowed the Green Lanterns to travel as they wished.

The power rings worn by the Green Lantern Corps members hold a charge equal to the time period of one day on the wearers native planet. After the prescribed time, the wearer has to recharge the ring using a lantern shaped device that is linked to the central power battery on Oa. Due to a flaw in the central power battery's design, the ring's energy is unable to affect any object that is yellow.

Notable Green Lanterns of the former Corps have been: Abin Sur (the original Lantern who bestowed the ring to Hal Jordan), Katma Tui (wife of one-time Lantern Jon Stewart, later murdered), G'nort, a stupid dog-humanoid whose uncle gave him a GL ring so he could aparrently create giant green fire hydrants and get in everyone's way, Torquemada (sorcerer), Kilowog (former GL who turned into general handyman for the Justice League, killed by Parallax), Arisia (girl totally infatuated with Hal Jordan, prematurely aged herself using the ring, became a confused supermodel on Earth after the Corps was destroyed), and Stel (robotic GL, heroic who died and then was actually revived by the power of the ring, since he was essentially just software re-booted in his robotic body). Another notable GL was Sinestro, who ended up using his power to dominate his home planet and was therefore exiled by the Guardians to the antimatter planet of Qward, Oa's counterpart. He ended up developing with the Weaponers of Qward a ring capable of duplicating the Lantern power--but using a yellow frequency, a perfect counter to theirs. Still another Green Lantern was the every-annoying and stupid haircut-wearing Guy Gardner.

Guy was originally a decent, mild-mannered guy who was actually supposed to have received Abin Sur's ring, but Hal Jordan turned out to be closer. Due to an accident that put Guy in a coma for a number of years, he emerged with a twisted and brutish personality. When the Guardians were desperate for a Lantern on Earth and Hal Jordan had refused to help them, they gave a ring to Guy. He has recently been stripped of that ring and after a short adventure of self-discovery is now a completely different, non-human superhero who co-owns a superhero-themed restaurant/bar.