Origin
Maltus, home planet of the Maltusians, a race so old, theirs was the apex of civilization when the first signs of life began appearing across planets of the universe. The blue skinned humanoids of Maltus were the immortal beings responsible for creating the scientific utopia that defined their planet. Eons of evolution and scientific discovery had gifted the Maltusian people with powerful telepathic and cosmic powers. The paradise the Guardians created seemed as though it would last forever, until the greedy ambitions of their finest scientist lead to its utter ruin. The Maltusian Krona, obsessed with gaining knowledge at any cost, had created a time machine against the wishes and warnings of his fellow Maltusians. Krona used his machine to gain the knowledge of creation itself, traveling back in
time to witness the Big Bang, and the origins of the Maltusian race, something that had long been a taboo amongst his people.
In his hubris, Krona unleashed an explosion of anti-matter, erasing 1 billion years from the time-stream. The backlash of the devastation wrought by the explosion unleashed a new threat unto the cosmos. For the first time, evil had awakened in the Universe.
The vast amount of anti-matter released in the explosion coalesced itself into the Anti-Matter Universe, and from the shattered fragments of space and time the Multiverse was born. More seriously, the Maltusians knew that, as it had in the past, the universe would one day contract upon itself to be reborn by a new “big bang”. Due to the anti-matter unleashed by Krona, the universe was deprived of sufficient matter necessary to ignite a new “big bang”. As a result of Krona’s actions, the universe and all existence would one day simply die out, never to be reborn.
Feeling responsible for this, a faction of the Maltusians relocated to the planet Oa, located at “the center of the Universe”, and became the Guardians of the Universe. Their goal was simple: combat evil and create an orderly universe. And they acted quickly on that goal. During this transitory period, the Maltusians’ appearance changed as they adapted to their new life as Oans. Ganthet, as one of them, also took on the responsibility of living to the end of time, and using his power along with his fellow Guardians to aid the universe in creating a new big bang.
Ganthet is the oldest living Guardian of the Universe, and last of the Maltusians that voyaged to Oa from Maltus. He is currently the eldest of his brethren, not because he was born first, but because they sacrificed the last of their energy during the events of Emerald Twilight to protect him from dying as a result of the Power Battery being drained. Displaying an uncharacteristic interest in the affairs of humans, Ganthet served alongside Zeus, Shazam, and the Highfather in the Quintessence to keep watch over the Earth. Ganthet also had the distinction of being one of the few Guardians with which the Corps members felt they could identify. Despite these differences, Ganthet began life much the same as any other Guardian. Ganthet has been known to be frequently at odds with his fellow Guardians, deviating from their usually rigorous diligence in rule following and adherence to the Greater Good.
Major Story Arcs
Ganthet’s Tale
When a renegade Guardian Dawlakispokpok (Dawly) attempts to use a time machine to change history Ganthet must call upon the greatest Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, for help. Dawly, planning to use his own time machine to send Krona to the end of time, and prevent him from creating the Anti-Matter Universe, Hal and Ganthet arrive to stop him. In the ensuing battle, Hal discovers that it is in fact Dawly that was responsible for the universe being “born old”. After his defeat, Dawly and his family are brought before the Guardians to stand trial, during which the Guardians erase the memories of all those involved. Ganthet, however, decided to shield Hal’s mind, allowing him to retain his knowledge of one of the Guardians’ darkest secrets.
Emerald Twilight
After losing their greatest Lantern (Hal Jordan) to insanity, and the destruction of the Central Power Battery, the Guardians decide transfer all of their power to Ganthet, leaving him as the last remaining
Guardian. Creating one last Green Power Ring from the remains of Hal Jordan’s ring, Ganthet goes to Earth to find a new Green Lantern. After being turned down by his first choice, Guy Gardner, Ganthet settles for Kyle Rayner, a struggling artist, reluctantly bestowing him with the ring, saying “You shall have to do”.
During Kyle’s first few months as a Green Lantern, Ganthet is rather unimpressed with him and decides to take back his ring. Kyle is finally able to prove his worth by facing Parallax without his Power Ring.
Ion and Restoration of the Corps
After absorbing the residual energy of the sun after the Final Night, Kyle Rayner became the godlike Ion, a being even more powerful than Parallax. Soon coming to realize that continuing to wield Ion’s power would cost him his very humanity, Kyle travels Oa and uses his power to recharge the Central Power Battery and restore the Green Lantern Corps. With the Central Battery restored, a new group of childlike Guardians are born, both male and female. Entrusting Ganthet to raise and care for the new Guardians, teaching them to use their great power, and to embrace emotion rather than purge themselves of it. One Guardian in particular, a small girl named Lianna, demonstrated a proficiency and aptitude for her powers that far exceeded that of her peers. When a peaceful world under the Green Lantern’s jurisdiction comes under attack, Ganthet realizes that Lianna has disappeared and so sends Kyle and Jade to investigate while he searches her. Upon their arrival, Kyle and Jade come under attack from a female warrior, the missing Lianna. Arriving on scene, Ganthet qualms the fighting and take Lianna back to Oa, apologizing for his arrogance in thinking he could care for all the new Guardians himself. Deciding to seek aid in order to prevent such an event from occurring again, Ganthet sends for the Zamarons to aid him in raising the new Guardians.
Seeking knowledge of Parallax, Kyle Rayner travels to the end of the Universe. Upon his return Kyle relays his findings to Ganthet. Concluding that Parallax must have altered his memory after their last encounter, Ganthet tells Kyle the whole story behind the birth and imprisonment of Parallax. Realizing that their only hope my lay with Hal Jordan, Ganthet instructs Kyle to retrieve Jordan’s corpse, so as to bring about his resurrection. Leaving immediately, Kyle is attacked by Kilowog, a fellow Green Lantern. Under Parallax’s control Kilowog tried to kill Kyle, but is stopped by Ganthet. Releasing Kilowog, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart, Ganthet sends Kyle on his way. Discovering that Hal’s corpse still holds remnants of Parallax, it takes the combined efforts of Hal and the Spectre to fully cleanse his soul. Purged from Jordan’s body Parallax instead, bonds itself to Ganthet. Just before he is taken, Ganthet sends a beacon of energy to guide Hal Jordan’s soul back to his body. Now fully purified and resurrected, Hal Jordan leads Kyle Rayner and the other Lanterns in defeating the Parallax-possessed Ganthet, returning Parallax to its prison in Central Power Battery.
In the aftermath of these events, all of the new Guardians are restored to adulthood, becoming as cold and manipulative as their predecessors. The only notable difference being addition of female Guardians to their ranks. Ganthet, as ever, maintains his belief that they should embrace their emotions.
Sinestro Corps War
As events are set in motion that will ignite the long awaited war between the Green Lantern Corps and the Sinestro Corps, Ganthet and fellow Guardian Sayd are their order for embracing emotion. During the war, the Guardians decide to rewrite the Book of Oa to include 10 new laws, the first of which is lethal force against the Sinestro Corps. Ganthet and Sayd vehemently protest against this, and are banished from the Guardian Council when the Guardians reveal that they are aware of Ganthet and Sayd’s romantic relationship, which is taboo amongst the Council.
Having finally regained its true, monstrous form, Parallax attacks the Earth Lanterns for freeing Kyle Rayner from his control. Ganthet and Sayd arrive just in time to save them by banishing Parallax into their four power batteries (Hal Jordan’s, Kyle Rayner’s, John Stewart’s, and Guy Gardner’s, respectively). After revealing his and Sayd’s expulsion from the order, Ganthet enacts his last act as a Green Lantern Guardian to forge a new power ring for Kyle, and asks that he step down as Ion, to which Kyle readily agrees. Taking up their power batteries, the four Earth Lanterns hear the Sinestro Corps oath echoing in the distance, and, as one, recite the Green Lantern Oath, and depart to confront the Sinestro Corps.
To prepare them for the battle ahead, Ganthet and Sayd reveal the emotional energy spectrum created at the start of the universe. The seven colors of the emotional spectrum: green (will), yellow (fear), violet (love), red (rage), indigo (compassion), orange (greed), and blue (hope) each derive their power from their respective emotions. Those colors closest to either end of the spectrum are far more dangerous and unwieldy, often corrupting those they empower after prolonged use. Ganthet also reveals that, in the very near future, each color will develop its own Lantern Corps of followers, all gathering to fight one another, culminating in a War of Light that will lead to the cataclysm known as the Blackest Night, the darkest secret concealed within the Book of Oa.
Birth of Hope
Seeking refuge from the Sinestro Corps War, Ganthet and Sayd settle on the planet Odym. Realizing that the Green Lantern Corps will not be able to save the universe alone, the two Guardians take it upon themselves to create the Blue Lantern Corps, to aid in the coming War of Light. Powered by the Blue Light of Hope, Ganthet and Sayd forge the first Blue Power Ring, and set out to Space Sector 1, seeking their first Corps member.
They find one in the form of Saint Bro’dee Walker. Taking him back to Odym, they spend several days with him teaching him about the powers of the Light of Hope. They also explain the drawbacks if he were to join their corps, before finally giving the choice to him. He accepted and they set him forth to bring hope to the universe. Saint Walker would go on to search Sector 2 for a candidate, a process that would continue until their Corps was fully manned. When he brought Warth to them, Ganthet and Sayd then repeated the same training process.
While they were training Warth, Ganthet and Sayd became aware of the events in the universe. Knowing Sinestro’s fate, he sent Saint Walker to save him from the combined forces of the Green and Red Lanterns. He also hoped for him to bring back Hal Jordan, whom Ganthet had explained was to lead the Blue Lantern Corps. When Saint returned with Jordan, it was just as Warth’s education was finishing and he made the choice to join Ganthet’s new corps. Ganthet then spoke with Jordan, attempting to explain why Sinestro needed to be saved and also spared. He was unsuccessful in swaying Jordan, though he agreed to work with his Corps. Ganthet then ordered Warth and Saint Walker to continue educating Hal during their mission, readying him for his future role.
War of Light and The Blackest Night
After the mission was done, Ganthet revealed to Jordan that the blue power ring – which Saint Walker placed on his finger to remove the red power ring – wouldn’t leave him until it detected a sincere hope. Jordan left, but Ganthet said that he and Sayd were planning to create an alliance to those who wield the indigo power of compassion along with Oa. However, Ganthet, Sayd, and the Blue Lanterns found themselves being attacked by Agent Orange as the villain sought the powers they possess after the Guardians had successfully made peace with the glutton by informing him where to get a blue ring, which Larfleeze had desired since seeing the one Hal Jordan bore. They were eventually rescued by Hal Jordan, accompanied by Sinestro, Carol Ferris, and Indigo Tribe member Indigo, though it became apparent that what had actually caused Larfleeze to withdraw his Corps. was the rising of Black Lanterns on his homeworld of Okaara..
Ganthet and Sayd then sought Atrocitus and Larfleeze’s aid to recreate the “white light of creation” with their saviors. In order to get Larfleeze to cooperate with them, Sayd offered her servitude to the Agent Orange, who expressed desire of having his own Guardian over Ganthet’s protests. Ganthet and Sayd later arrived at Coast City with the Lanterns to aid Earth’s heroes and tried to free the Guardians from the Black Central Battery. Failing that, Ganthet duplicated Hal Jordan’s ring and placed it on his own finger, inducting himself into the Green Lantern Corps.
He and Sayd also duplicated the other Lantern Rings, allowing for a whole group of Deputy Lanterns to be created just before the Spectre arrived in Coast City. Ganthet and Sayd try to rescue Hal Jordan from the Black Lantern Spectre, though are nearly consumed by the being themselves but are rescued. They eventually defeat the Black Lantern Spectre by Ganthet summoning Parallax from the 4 Earth batteries, and allowing Hal Jordan to take it into his body. Parallax proceeds to defeat and release the Spectre from his Black Ring, but is quite suddenly pulled away across space by an unknown force. As the battle rages on, Nekron summons a “Trespasser”, the Entity of Life. Ganthet told Hal that it was The Entity, a being that started all life in the universe, that life started not on Maltus, but on earth. Sinestro was outraged by the cover up and stabbed Ganthet, challenging the Guardian that he and his kind had hidden this fact in order to preserve their own authority, where as in fact they had formed the lie in order to deflect attention away from earth and the Entity, onto themselves, thus saving the Entity from exploitation and possible destruction. At the same time, Nekron proceeds to try and kill the Entity.
After Sinestro’s failed attempt to control the Entity, and then Hal Jordan creating the White Lantern Corps. in order to resurrect Black Hand, thus cutting off Nekron’s tether to the living realm.
After Nekron is vanquished, Sayd willingly goes with Larfleeze, as she had promised to serve him as his Guardian, much to Ganthet’s protestation.
Brightest Day
Among his first acts during the Brightest Day, Ganthet officially resigns as a Guardian. He is no longer a Guardian of the Universe nor a Guardian of Hope. A formal request is issued to become the permanent Green Lantern of Space Sector 0. His fellow Guardians implore him to rejoin them, but he is stalwart in his decision, and his brethren finally agree to his proposal, asking him to inform them of his findings amongst mortals, and not to underestimate their ability to understand. Ganthet proceeds to forge himself a new green power battery and green power ring.
Prior to his induction, Ganthet informs Atrocitus and Guy Gardner of a new dire threat to the universe, and forms a pact between the three. The actual threat is not revealed, but told off-screen, but it is serious enough to interest Atrocitus and convince Guy to do something that will lead to an end to his friendship with Hal Jordan.
After he becomes the Green Lantern of Sector 0, he begins to notice the lack of Alpha Lanterns. He then gets Kyle and Soranik to help him investigate the matter. They discover that the Alpha Lanterns have betrayed them and the Guardians, and that John Stewart is in trouble. They travel to Grenda, where they last knew John Stewart to be investigating the disappearance of Stel, the Green Lantern of that Sector. They discover that the Alphas have in fact been subjected to the will of the Cyborg Superman, Hank Henshaw. In order to save John from becoming an Alpha, Ganthet engages the cyborg in a fight while Kyle and Soranik take John from the battle.
Ganthet is drained of his rings power, and forced by the Cyborg under threat of killing the Alphas, to find a way of reversing Alpha Lantern status back to mortality. Ganthet protests, saying that he had no part in their creation, so did not know how to. The cyborg mercilessly orders one of the Alphas to blow its own head off, prompting Ganthet to try. Ganthet almost fails the first Alpha, but upon seeing that he is not going fast, the cyborg rips out the Alpha’s organic heart, killing him. Ganthet wonders aloud what the ache is in his chest as tears streak his face. The cyborg informs him, dispassionately, that “it is grief, the most wonderful of emotions”.
Other Media
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Ganthet appears in Green Lantern: The Animated Series, still one of the Guardians of the Universe, yet to become a Blue Lantern. He subtly gives Hal and Kilowag the knowledge to go after the ‘Lantern Killers‘
Injustice: Gods Among Us comics
Ganthet has a somewhat significant role during the later half of the Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 2 prequel comics. He personally comes to Earth in order to convince Superman to stop with his dictatorship, but the talks take a turn for the worst when it’s revealed that the Guardians of the Universe knew about Krypton’s destruction before it happened, but did absolutely nothing to help the Kryptonians. This almost causes Superman and Ganthet to fight, until the Green Lantern Guy Gardner tries to calm them down. Ganthet then leaves Earth and orders Kilowog and a team of Green Lanterns to capture Superman and bring him to Oa. However, the team fails, due to the intervention of Sinestro and his Corps. Shortly afterwards, the Guardians find out about Superman’s alliance with Sinestro and his Corps, prompting the Guardians to assemble a massive army of Green Lanterns (including Mogo) to stop Superman’s dictatorship once and for all. However, without the knowledge of the rest of the Guardians, Ganthet himself goes with the army. During the battle, he personally kills scores of Sinestro Corps members, and even Sinestro is no match for him. He’s also responsible for expelling Hal Jordan from the Green Lantern Corps, taking his green power ring away against his will. He also defeats Captain Marvel, and even Superman himself, with ease. However, instead of capturing Superman, he blasts him into Earth’s atmosphere, and goes on to keep killing Sinestro Corps members. However, Superman eventually recovers, now carrying a yellow power ring as well. Realizing how dangerous Superman is, he decides kill him on the spot instead of taking him alive, and fires a massive energy blast at him. Unfortunately, Superman’s power ring has made him far more powerful than ever before, and he easily withstands Ganthet’s attacks, grabs him by the neck, and tackles him into Mogo. The living planet blasts Superman, but his attack is easily shrugged off. He tackles Ganthet with so much force that he starts pushing Mogo as well, eventually throwing both of them into the Sun, killing them.