Arisia

Origin

Arisia Rrab is a native of the planet Graxos IV. Her family has a distinguished history of serving as Green Lanterns for the Graxonite sector of space, Sector 2815, dating back at least three generations. Arisia’s grandfather Santara, mother Marata, father Fentara, and uncle Blish all served as Green Lanterns, and all were successively killed in the line of duty. After Blish’s death, the Guardians of the Universe chose Arisia to assume the role of Green Lantern of her sector when she was only thirteen years of age, making her the youngest being ever to serve as a Green Lantern. It was later revealed that due to the elongated orbit around its two suns, thirteen years on Graxos IV were the equivalent of two-hundred and forty years on Earth, so in terms of Earth years Arisia was actually far older than her childlike appearance indicated. For a Graxonite, however, she was still a very young teenager. While serving as Green Lantern of her home planet, Arisia adopted the civilian identity of “Cynella” in order to protect her true identity, and made a name for herself as an artist and fashion designer.

Arisia’s first action role appeared in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #1, when she joined a large group of Green Lanterns sent to thwart the villains Krona and Nekron. After a critical event involving the Guardians of the Universe, a small group of Green Lanterns including Arisia, Hal Jordan, Kilowog, and Ch’p were assigned specifically to Earth, since it was expected that humanity was going to make a large step forward in evolution soon. She later was one of the Green Lanterns, along with Katma Tui, Salakk, Ch’p (who affectionately referred to Arisia as the “big cutie”) and Kilowog, who relocated to Earth after the Crisis on Infinite Earths. After settling on Earth, Arisia adopted the civilian identity of “Cindy Simpson,” and idolized Earth’s greatest Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.

Creation

Arisia was created by writer Mike W. Barr and artist Joe Staton in 1981 and made her debut in that year’s Tales of the Green Lantern Corps miniseries. She was named after the planet Arisia from science fiction author E. E. Smith’s Lensman series of novels, as a tip of the hat to Smith’s groundbreaking work.

Storyline

Dating Hal Jordan

While on Earth, Arisia’s interest in Hal Jordan soon developed into a major crush. She watched enviously when Hal was with his then-girlfriend Carol Ferris, and, being in love with him herself, wished she were older so that Hal might notice her. Since a Green Lantern’s ring reacts to its bearer’s will, she subconsciously used its power to accelerate her aging and essentially “grew up,” at least biologically. In the span of a few weeks she transformed from a young teenager into an exotically beautiful young woman. Because her old Lantern costume was now too small, Arisia designed a more revealing outfit for herself as part of her efforts to attract Hal, featuring a low-cut white top and green miniskirt. This design eventually became her signature Green Lantern costume. She also redesigned the rest of the uniforms of Earth’s Green Lantern team to better reflect their individual personalities.

When Arisia finally approached Hal again and he realized what had happened, he resisted her advances. He told her that he still thought of her as a child, even if she was now physically older, and therefore he could not have a romantic relationship with her. Arisia nevertheless persisted, and Hal eventually gave in to the feelings that he had developed for her. The two ended up dating and formed a close and happy relationship until it was tested by various issues that disrupted the entire Green Lantern Corps.

Later, due to disruption in the Main Battery on the planet Oa from which the Green Lanterns drew their power, several Green Lanterns, including Arisia, lost their powers. However, Arisia decided to remain on Earth with her boyfriend Hal Jordan and pursued a modeling career. They moved in together for a time, but their relationship became strained as they adjusted to the changes affecting the Corps, and they eventually broke up.

After her traumatic breakup with Hal Jordan, Arisia became good friends with her Lantern teammate Kilowog. During one visit, an accidental blow to the head caused memory loss and triggered a return to her thirteen-year-old mentality. She sought out the only person she felt could help her: Hal Jordan.

She returned to Ferris Aircraft, desperate to find Jordan. Following an attack by the New Guardian known as Floro, she was reunited with Jordan. After a short time, her memories slowly began to return, yet she still wasn’t ready for the responsibility of being a Green Lantern again. She came up with the idea of being Hal’s backup, like Guy Gardner and John Stewart were, but the idea was rejected.

Warriors

Over time, her memories returned completely, and soon she sought Guy Gardner’s help to find the missing Kilowog. Arisia offered to go to Oa with Gardner and the Justice League Task Force, since her knowledge of Oa could be an asset to the group. Gardner turned her down because her lack of powers would be more hindrance than help. Arisia then returned, armed to the teeth, and demanded to join them.

They soon discovered the skeletal remains of Kilowog on Oa and were attacked by Hal Jordan, whose mind had been taken over by the villainous entity known as Parallax. She survived the attack and, upon returning to Earth, began working at Gardner’s new bar, called Warriors.

On opening day, Arisia learned of Hal Jordan’s supposed death from Kyle Rayner. The next day, she discovered the truth when Jordan returned, though still under the influence of Parallax. He changed Arisia back into her Green Lantern costume, offering her a return to the way things were. Arisia argued that things had changed, and she tells him that he was not the man he once had been and asks him to leave.

While working at Warriors, Arisia made friends with Buck Wargo, Desmond Farr AKA ‘Tiger-Man’ and the rest of the ‘monster-hunters.’ Joined later by Lead from the Metal Men and a time-lost Lady Blackhawk, they acted as bouncers and battled various villains that attacked the bar. During this time, Arisia began demonstrating enhanced healing abilities.

Eventually, a mysterious woman with ties to the equally mysterious organization known only as the “Quorum” tried to cast a spell over Guy Gardner and gain control of his actions. Because of Veronna, who had sworn to protect Warriors, Guy escaped the grasp of the woman who could have any man she desired. In mid-fight with enemies, the resurrected Major Force seems to be looking for Veronna as well. Though unsuccessful, he was only too happy to dispense with any of Guy’s friends that he came across. Arisia was working at Warriors at the time and was unprepared for an attack by Major Force, who ambushed her and suffocated her to death.

Major Force called Guy Gardner out, the villain delivering him a picture of Arisia dead. Enraged, Gardner avenged Arisia by confronting and killing Major Force (though the villain would later return). At Arisia’s funeral, Hal Jordan, still in his Parallax guise, appeared beside Guy Gardner to pay his final respects to the woman he had once loved. Before quietly leaving, he created a floating green hologram of Arisia above her body.

Revenge of the Green Lanterns

The Parallax entity that had been possessing Hal Jordan was finally destroyed. After regaining his Green Lantern status, Hal traveled with Guy Gardner to the Manhunters‘ homeworld of Biot and discovered dozens of missing Green Lanterns (including those Hal had left for dead during Emerald Twilight) in suspended animation, kept as batteries to power the Cyborg Superman and the overhauled Manhunters. Hal woke several of the Green Lanterns, but they attacked him, mistakenly believing he was still Parallax and therefore their enemy.

Hal found Arisia unconscious and cocooned in a cavern wall and freed her. The Cyborg Superman revealed that after Arisia had been murdered by Major Force and buried, her species’ natural healing abilities revived her while she was underground. Henshaw sent his Manhunters to retrieve her and bring her to Biot. Fully restored, Arisia fought by Hal’s side, helping him destroy Biot. The status of Arisia’s relationship with Hal was in doubt, but the former lovers did share a kiss.

Sinestro Corps War

Arisia was then seen fighting the Sinestro Corps off Oa along with Kilowog and many of the rookie members of the Corps. She seemed to have a professional connection to Sodam Yat, the Green Lantern of Daxam, but still only has feelings for Hal. She was shown to have a slight disdain for Yat due to his cocky attitude.

Following the events of the Sinestro Corps War, Arisia resumed her role as a senior Lantern and a respected mentor to the fresh recruits chosen to replace the 400-plus Lanterns that perished in the war.

Arisia has also had to deal with the rumor circulating amongst the ranks that she was the Guardians first choice to house the power of Ion. Whether Arisia was approached by the Guardians is unknown, however the rumor prompted Sodam Yat, the current Ion, to request that Arisia evaluate his performance. Uncomfortable with Yat’s request, she has since managed to avoid further inquiry from the Green Lantern from Daxam.

Ring Quest

Arisia was selected by the Guardians to join Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Soranik Natu, Princess Iolande, Isamot Kol, Vath Sarn, Ion, Stel, and Bzzd in a mission to locate and gather as many yellow power rings as possible before the rings chose a new bearer. In doing so, Arisia and Ion were captured by Mongul the new “leader” of the Sinestro Corps. Mongul offered the two Lanterns to the Black Mercy in exchange for allowing him to genetically graft Sinestro rings to its seedlings. Arisia and Ion were nearly digested before being rescued by their teammates.

Once Mother Mercy removed her children from Arisia and Sodam’s chests, Arisia exploded in anger, furious that she was forced to relive her fear and horror of being alone and buried alive. She was restrained from attacking Mother Mercy by Sodam Yat, who was able to calm her by sharing his own visions of his life on Daxam. Arisia composed herself and listened as Mother Mercy explained her origin and her original intention to use her children’s powers to ease suffering throughout the universe. Just as Mercy finished explaining how Mongul had perverted her children and forced her into submission, the Lanterns were ambushed yet again by the merciless warlord. Using the element of surprise, Mongul managed to overcome the Lanterns and graft Black Mercies to each of them, intent on leaving them for dead.

Mongul sensed Mercy’s growing treachery and threatened to destroy her children unless she cooperated and disposed of the Green Lanterns. Before leaving, Mongul used his power to split apart his Siamese lackey Duel Enkham, leaving one half behind to ensure that the Lanterns were absorbed and digested by Mother Mercy. Enkham watched dutifully as the Lanterns were absorbed into the ground. Unbeknownst to him, Mercy did not kill her new allies as Mongul commanded. Instead, she opened up an air pocket under the surface and freed the Lanterns from their bonds. Arisia and her companions wasted no time dispatching both halves of Duel Enkham and then raced into space for a final confrontation with Mongul. Working together, the Lanterns drove Mongul into the local moon, where a major battle ensued. Having mastered his Sinestro Corps rings, Mongul was able to hold his ground against superior numbers. While the Lanterns continued their assault, Lantern Bzzd entered Mongul’s body and unleashed a powerful burst of energy inside of the monster’s skull. As Bzzd burst out of Mongul’s eye, Arisia and the others blasted their enemy back into Mercy’s orbit, where Mother Mercy began to digest him.

Arisia and the others sadly gathered around Lantern Bzzd, who was mortally wounded from his attack on Mongul. Arisia wept as Bzzd thanked his friends for the honor of serving beside them. The Lanterns returned to Mother Mercy’s planet, to find that Mother Mercy has been chosen by both Bzzd’s Green Lantern ring, and the yellow ring of the Sinestro Corpsmen, Duel Enkham. Mercy choose the Lantern ring and rejected the yellow symbol of fear, which was taken into custody and sent to Salaak back on Oa. Arisia and her companions left Mercy and returned to Oa, escorting the deceased Lantern Bzzd home one last time.

Sins of the Star Sapphires

In a prelude to the War of Light, Arisia was assigned a mission to escort three of the Guardians of the Universe on a diplomatic mission to Zamaron, home world of the Zamarons and their newly assembled Star Sapphire Corps. On this mission with her were her sector partner, Sodam Yat, and Guy Gardner.

The Guardians had become increasingly concerned over the Zamarons’ use of the violet spectrum of light, which governed the emotions, and negotiated a meeting with the Zamaron Queen Aga’po to discuss this growing threat. Arisia quietly gathered intelligence on the Zamarons while the Guardians and Queen Aga’po debated the role emotion should play in the protection of the universe. The Queen intended to build her own Corps of Star Sapphires who would use the power of the violet spectrum of light to combat fear and anger in the universe. The Guardians believed her plan to be dangerous, arguing that emotions such as love can be destructive and chaotic.

During the tour, Queen Aga’po demonstrated how the Zamarons were using their light to rekindle the faint sparks of love that remained within the hearts of their prisoners: Fatality, Karu-Sil, and Kiriazis of the Sinestro Corps. Horrified, Arisia spoke out stating that these women were all killers and would never be anything more, despite the Zamarons’ “brainwashing” attempts. Tensions ran high between the two Corps, and the debate ended with Queen Aga’po refusing the Guardian’s demand to stop harnessing the violet light. Arisia’s ring sparked with energy as the Guardians and the Queen exchanged subtle threats, but the diplomatic mission ended without violence. Arisia accompanied her masters back to Oa as the specter of war loomed all around them.

It’s worth noting the the story arch title ‘Sins of the Star Sapphires’ seems to have been an odd choice for a title, as, during the storyline, nether the Star Sapphire Corps not the Zamarons behaved in any way badly. The title could refer to their efforts to reform the three female Sinestro Corps members (Arisia was doubtful that it was a morally justified thing for them to do), or it could refer to the Guardians’ perception of their actions. It was never made clear.

Emerald Eclipse

In this storyline, Arisia is with her sector partner, Sodam Yat, in the Sector 2815 Green Lantern Corps station house, when Sodam’s mother crashes her space ship into the station and pleads for Sodam’s help. Mongul (still in possession of several Sinestro Corps power rings) had conquered Sodam’s home-world, Daxam, and was intent on using it’s people as slaves and making Daxam the base of operations for the large faction of the Sinestro Corps he had appropriated for his own. Sodam at first flatly refused to even speak with his mother, telling Arisia the story of why he left Daxam in the first place, that his parents had taught him nothing but hate for all alien races and had gone so far as to murder an alien friend he had made who had crash landed on Daxam. Arisia pleaded with him and convinced him that they needed to help, regardless, because it was their duty as Green Lanterns, and becasue, despite everything, she was still Sodam’s mother. The second argument didn’t work, but the first did, and they went to Daxam.

They sneaked onto Daxam, hiding in the trail of a meteorite, then saved a large group of Daxamites who Sodam’s father had convinced to commit suicide rather than capitulate to the Sinestro Corps Arisia and Sodam went from there to Daxam’s main city. When there, Sodam planned to confront Mongul in a one on one battle, thinking that if he defeated him with his Ion power, his followers would leave (or at least be in disarray). During the battle, Sodam was denied the Ion power by Scar, and so had to put himself under stress by taking a beating from Mongul so he could access the power on his own. Once he did, he flew into Daxam’s sun and used the Ion power to turn in yellow, giving all his people Superman level powers.

Following that, grieving for her fallen partner, and in spite Sodam’s father’s protests, Arisia rallied and led the Daxamites in battle against the Sinestro Corps and drove Mongul into calling for a retreat.

The battle won, Arisia stayed to help rebuild Daxam for a time, at least until Sodam’s father made it very clear that she was no longer welcome, and all but threatened her death if she stayed. The anti-alien sentence was still very strong on Daxam, so Arisia judged it a fight she couldn’t win and left, going back to Oa. Though not before calling Sodam’s father a raciest bastard and decking him so hard he bled, and not before pausing to gaze at the sun for a time, to say her goodbyes to Sodam and pay her respects.

Blackest Night

Arisia returned to Oa. On the way there, she’d tried to file a report about Sodam’s death and her actions on Daxam freeing that world from Mongul, but had been unable to do so. When she got to Oa, she found that the lantern shell that had been surrounding the planet had been broken and destroyed, leaving the planet once again open to space.

She went down to the planet to see what was going on and to help and found herself in the middle of the Black Lantern Rings attack on Oa. The Black Lantern Rings had penetrated the crypts of Oa and reanimated the dead bodies of all the past Green Lanterns who had been lain to rest there. Including Arisia’s family.

Arisia was attacked in orbit by Black Lantern versions of her father, mother, and uncle and she had to battle them. It was not easy for her, but she triumphed in the end, burning her family’s bodies to ask with her power ring, leaving nothing for the Black Lantern rings to reanimate.

Following that, she joined the rest of the Corps, along with Miri Riam of the Star Sapphire Corps, and Munk of the Indigo Tribe, in defending the Green Lantern Central battery from the Black Lanterns. She battled bravely, as did the rest of the defenders, but things weren’t looking good.

Mogo arrived, and enacted a contingency plan to cleanse Oa of the Black Lantern infestation though, and the day was won.

With Oa safe, and the primary battle against the blackest Night taking place on Earth, Arisia left with most of the rest of the Corps to go back to Earth to carry on the fight, this time with help from members of the other Corps. On Earth, Arisia first joined in the effort to protect the planet from orbit against a new wave of approaching Black Lanterns, then she went to Earth’s surface and took part in the Battle against the Anti-Monitor.

Once the Blackest Night was over, Arisia returned to Oa to help rebuild. She attends a memorial service for all the departed Lanterns whose bodies were desecrated by the Black Lantern rings. In an audience with the Guardians of the Universe, where in she decks one of them for what happened to Sodam, for them not allowing him access to the Ion power. They told her that Scar was to blame. When they left, Guy Gardner told her that she was now officially his favorite Green Lantern (becasue of the whole decking a Guardian thing).

Last Will

During the Brightest Day storyline, Arisia was one of the the team who ventured into the unknown sectors to confront a mysterious danger to the Green Lantern Corps.

Krona, the mad Guardian, had traveled to Daxam’s sun and drawn out Ion from inside the sleeping form of Sodam Yat. He returned Sodam to Daxam with his ring, turning Daxam’s sun red again.

On Oa, Arisia had, at Kyle Rayner‘s prompting, taken up sculpting. Lately, she’d been feeling especially compelled to express herself through clay. While sculpting one night, she fell asleep and dreamed of Sodam, who had been assumed dead. After waking from the dream, she felt somehow sure that Sodam was alive again. When she heard about Guy Gardner‘s expedition to the unknown sectors, she, along with Kilowog, went to the Guardians and volunteered to go along with him.

As the three Green Lanterns began their journey, Arisia asked Guy if they could make a detour to Daxam first before heading into the unknown sectors, becasue she suspected Sodam was alive. Guy easily agreed, becasue he felt that Sodam would be a big asset to their team, especially if he still had the Ion power.

Before they went to Daxam however, they traveled to Odym, home of the Blue Lantern Corps, so that Guy could rid himself of the Red Lantern ring residual that was still inside him after the events of Blackest Night. A Blue Lantern was about to grant his request, when Bleez, a Red Lantern sent by Atrocitus (whom Guy and Ganthet had made a mysterious secret deal with), stopped him and insisted that Guy would need his rage in the coming battles. Arisia, Kilowog, and Guy battled Bleez, but eventually they came to an understanding and Bleez joined their team.

When they arrived on Daxam, they confronted Sodam’s father, who had since been elected president of Daxam. He’d been torturing one of his son’s followers. They rescued him, and he offered to take them to see Sodam. They went, but not before Arisia punched Sodam’s father when he said some very hateful and bigoted things to them. When they went to where the former prisoner took them, all they found was a Green Lantern symbol burned into the floor, Sodam having left the planet with his Daxamite followers and headed off into the unknown sectors, for unknown reasons.

Reluctantly (and after decking Guy Gardner for being so cold about it), Arisia agreed to forsake searching for Sodam in favor of the mission they were on (finding out what was draining part of the power from the Green Lantern Corps batteries), and hoping to find Sodam in the unknown sectors as their mission progressed.

From there, they went to a Rakkonium mine on the planet Kralok. Rakkonium is a highly weaponizable substance that they feared as going to be used against the Corps in an attack. The y found the mine run by slavers who treated their slaves horribly. They freed the slaves and questioned the slavers, finding out where they were shipping their product.

On the way there though, they met up with a group of nine rookie Green Lanterns who had been brainwashed to see them as Sinestro Corps members. They tried to kill them, and Arisia’s group had to fight back. They soon caught on to the idea that if they caused the rookies some pain, it would snap them out of the brain washing. That tactic only ended up motivating the man who’d been controlling them to cause them to commit suicide though, much to everyone (except perhaps Bleez’s) horror.

That really tore Kilowog up inside, as he’d seen so many of the lanterns he’d trained killed in action recently all ready, what with the Sinestro Corps War, the Blackest Night, and other such catastrophes having all occurred one after the other. Arisia was offering him comfort when Gardner started coughing up blood, and a lot of it. The blood formed the image of Atrocitus, the Red Lantern Corps leader, who proceeded to tell them that he’d found out that Krona was going to strike on Earth. That let lead Arisia and Kilowog to question Gardner on just what he was keeping from them. Come to find out, he and Ganthet had struck a secret bargain with Atrocitus becasue of the looming threat of Krona.

Kilowog and Arisia argued with Gardner, then left, leaving him on his own for a while. They both came back in the end though to rescue him when he got in trouble.

Arisia fought Sodam, being mind controlled by their enemy. Gardner tried to kill him rather than let him escape with all that stolen Green lantern energy inside him. Arisia stopped him, and the villain got away with Sodam still his prisoner, but alive.

Statistics

• Gender: Female
• Race: Graxonite
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 146 lbs
• Eyes: Gold
• Hair: Blonde
• Green Lantern Corps Status: Active
• Space Sector: 2815
• Sector Partner: Sodam Yat
• Predecessor: Blish Rrab
• Successor: not applicable
• Place of Birth: Graxos IV
• Marital Status: Single
• Occupations: Green Lantern, adventurer, artist, sculptor, former fashion designer/model during her time on Earth, she’s also gotten pretty good at decking people who act like jerks
• Known Relatives: Fentara Rrab (father, deceased), Marata Rrab (mother, deceased), Santara Rrab (grandfather, deceased), Blish Rrab (uncle, deceased), Talla Rrab (aunt)

Powers and Abilities

Green Lantern

Arisia is an experienced Green Lantern and possesses all of the powers and abilities accorded when wielding her Green Power Ring. She is a respected senior member of the Green Lantern Corps and and has served as a mentor to fresh recruits for the team.

Graxonite

Arisia’s Graxonite physiology allows her to heal and regenerate at a greatly accelerated rate. She can even recover from fatal injuries, such as those inflicted on her by Major Force, by entering a death-like state until her body repairs itself. Due to the slowness of her home planet’s orbit compared to that of Earth, Arisia only ages one of her years for every 18.5 Earth years, giving her great longevity when compared with humans.

Physical Prowess

Arisia possesses natural grace and agility, and is adept at stealth and sneak attack. She is an accomplished hand-to-hand combatant as well as an expert markswoman. She’s also got one hell of a right hook.

Animated Films

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011)

Arisia was given a starring role in this upcoming direct-to-video feature, with the storyline following her character shortly after she is recruited into the Green Lantern Corps. She was shown in the same white top and green miniskirt that she wore in First Flight. Her young age was mentioned when she stated that she was in the middle of her school exams when her Ring found her. She was trained by Hal Jordan, who told her the origin stories of several prominent Green Lanterns as well as the history behind the Sinestro Corps. Just as in her origin story in the comics, Arisia must rise to the occasion to help the Green Lanterns combat the threat of Krona. She was voiced by actress Elizabeth Moss.

Green Lantern: First Flight (2009)

The grown-up version of Arisia finally made her debut in this direct-to-video animated feature and she was also given a larger speaking role. She fought alongside the rest of the Green Lantern Corps against the villains Kanjar-Ro and Sinestro. In this appearance she wore her signature white top and green miniskirt from the comics (though it was redesigned so that her cleavage was covered). Unlike in the comics she was shown to already be an experienced and long-standing member of the Corps when Hal was first chosen. She was voiced by actress Kath Soucie.

Animated Series

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008)

The child version of Arisia has made non-speaking cameos as a Green Lantern in several episodes of this series.

Justice League Unlimited (2004)

Arisia had a non-speaking cameo as a Green Lantern one episode, The Return, appearing as a young teenager rather than an adult.

Superman: The Animated Series (1999)

Arisia’s first animated appearance was a non-speaking cameo the episode In Brightest Day as a member of the Green Lantern Corps. She resembled the thirteen-year-old version of her character rather than the grown-up version that appears in comic books.

Video Games

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2010)

In this game based on the animated series of the same name, Arisia had a larger speaking role despite making only non-speaking cameos in the series. She was voiced by Grey Delisle, who also voiced Black Canary in the game.