In DC Comics’ Green Lantern mythos, there exists an ultimate Lantern called Ion that is more powerful than all other members of the Green Lantern Corps combined. Capable of feats that would make even the omnipotent villain of Darkseid blush, Ion is a rarely seen hero that truly has no equal. But who exactly is this overpowered Lantern, and how did he come about?
Created by Judd Winick and Dale Eaglesham, Ion was first seen in all his emerald-tinged glory — and officially named — in the 145th issue of the third volume of Green Lantern. First bonded to the fan-favorite “Torchbearer” known as Kyle Rayner, it’s revealed much later on that Ion is the physical embodiment of willpower, and is a creature that is far more cosmic and substantial than fans initially thought.
Using Ion’s limitless power to recharge Oa’s Central Power Battery after its destruction at the hands of a Parallax possessed Hal Jordan, Kyle was able to not only revive the deceased Guardians of the Universe but also put into motion events that would see the return of the Green Lantern Corps proper. Powered down and returning to work as a regular Lantern, Kyle was yet again imbued with the power of Ion after the death of his lover, Jade, leading to his very own twelve-part comic series titled Ion: Guardian of the Universe, written by Ron Marz and illustrated by Greg Tocchini.
Following the events of this epic limited series, the Ion entity was stripped from Kyle Rayner by the always nefarious Green Lantern villain of Sinestro, only to be bonded with another Green Lantern recruit, the Daxamite named Sodam Yat. As Sodam Yat, Ion is taught by Kyle how to adjust to his new role as an overpowered hero, taking on the annoyingly strong Superboy-Prime, Green Lantern staple villain Nero, and even the terrifying yellow-ringed Sinestro Corps in the process before seemingly sacrificing himself to turn his homeworld’s sun from a red star to a yellow one, effectively giving the Daxamite people the superpowers they needed to beat back the baddie known as Mongol, save their planet and liberate their entire race. In time, it’s revealed that Sodam Yat was still alive inside the sun, but after the villainous Krona forcibly rips the willpower entity from him, the hero known as Ion has not made a true appearance ever since.
Capable of effectively manipulating time, space, and reality itself, Ion was at his most powerful while using Kyle Rayner as a host the first time around, with his limitless powers as a hero declining with each new iteration, yet never becoming lessened enough to be considered weak. Exponentially boosting the abilities he wields that are inherent to normal Lanterns, Ion still stands as a powerhouse hero that is by far one of the most powerful characters in the entire DC Universe, if not in all of comics.
So while the DC Universe is chock-full of interesting characters and sprawling mythology, the Green Lantern Corps has just as many unique and fun wrinkles in their ever-expanding cosmic lore as well, with Ion being one of the most fascinating. And while Ion might not be utilized as often as he once was, knowing DC, the ultimate Green Lantern’s return might not be too far away.