Abysmus

Origin

Abysmus was created by Atrocitus soon after the death of the Five Inversions on the planet Ysmault. Abysmus was created with the intent to form an army for the Red Lantern Corps and was molded together by the remains of stranded travelers. However Abysmus was seen as a failure in the eyes of his “father” Atrocitus, due to the fact he felt empathy for other living creatures. Atrocitus killed Abysmus and buried him beneath the soils of Ysmault in the abominable zone. Centuries later, Atrocitus returned to the abominable zone to discover plant life growing where there has not been life for the longest of time. With this new life he also discovered Abysmus had arisen with the help of the planet itself which fed him and in turn fed off of him. Abysmus was accompanied by other failures which were now deemed Abysmorphs which were brought back with the help of Abysmus himself and had a hunger for vengeance on their “father”.

Major Story Arcs

Blood and Rage

During the “Blood and Rage” story arc, Abysmus reveals himself to Atrocitus. He is angry at Atrocitus, saying that he rejected him and his other Abysmorphs. Abysmus then tells Atrocitus that he has taken Krona‘s body, flayed it and eaten it to gain his power. He then, with the aid of the Abysmorphs, attacks Atrocitus. However, Atrocitus easily defeats most of the Abysmorphs, and Abysmus is suprised, saying that Atrocitus was meant to be a weak and burnt-out force of rage. Suddenly, a Red Lantern from Earth lands on Ysmault, and Atrocitus is momentarily distracted, asking the new Red Lantern why he is here. Abysmus takes this oppurtunity of Atrocitus’ distraction and stabs him through the heart with a chunk of tree, saying he is no longer rejected. He then sees the new Red Lantern, Jack Moore, and tells his Abysmorphs to kill him.

Death on Ysmault

While the Abysmorphs are busy attacking Jack Moore, Abysmus limps to the Red Lantern Central Power Battery and poisons it by touching it with a rib torn from his own body. Later, he flies away from Ysmault with his fellow Abysmorphs, and repeats his origin story to them.

Exodus

While the Red Lantern Corps are slowly being poisoned by the Central Power Battery, Abysmus and the Abysmorphs head to the Ice Planet of Hummb in Space Sector 2043. There, Abysmus realises he no longer feels empathy, for when he sees the children dying on that planet, he does not feel a thing. Abysmus says that it is the soil of Ysmault that destroyed his empathy, and says that he will restore his empathy once more.

Love and Hate

As the Red Lantern Corps and Ysmault continue to be polluted, Atrocitus finds Abysmus on Planet Akimedes in Space Sector 1939. Abysmus has become much more enhanced, and he says that his masters have given him this reward for poisoning the Central Power Battery. Atrocitus tells Abysmus that he has no empathy, for he is killing his “father”. Abysmus replies, saying that he is not killing Atrocitus out of revenge – he is putting him out of his misery.

Nectar

Abysmus tells Atrocitus that before he kills him, he wants Atrocitus to admit that it is not Abysmus who is flawed, but it is he who is flawed for being blind with rage. Atrocitus refuses to say it. Abysmus keeps insisting on Atrocitus admitting that empathy is better than madness and rage, when suddenly the new Red Lantern Rankorr (aka Jack Moore) arrives. Rankorr shows Abysmus a construct of all the suffering he has caused the other Red Lanterns. Abysmus is overcome with guilt, saying that his rage has caused the suffering of innocent Red Lanterns. Abysmus says that the Guardians promised him his empathy back if he killed Atrocitus. Atrocitus then a rips a blood seed out of Abysmus. When Atrocitus had taken a blood prophecy, he had forseen that the Central Power Battery would be polluted, so he made this blood seed so he could use it to shock the Red Power Battery back into work. Next, Abysmus asks Atrocitus to turn away from blind rage, to show some affection, before he dies. Atrocitus shows no mercy, and lets his pet, Dex-Starr, eat Abysmus for dinner.