Foolish Heroism

[mrosa]

Although I hate Parallax, I've always had a soft spot for Final Night. I think it's one of the best crossovers DC ever had, which pitted Earth's heroes against a Sun-Eater bent on eating our sun. In the end, it was Hal Jordan, fresh from the Zero Hour debacle, who saved the day, by sacrificing himself. Say whatever you want about the idea to darken him, I think his sacrifice is one of the finest in all of comics. In fact, I found most of issue #4 deeply moving.

The issue starts with Kyle Rayner returning from space, after having tried to persuade Hal to help them. He wasn't sure he could ever face his superhero friends and teleported Kyle back to Earth, without an answer. This means our heroes have to come up with an alternative plan. They're going to send a space ship into the Sun-Eater armed with a device they think can kill it. They just need someone to pilot it. Of course Superman volunteers immediately:



(ah, Lex is so perfectly captured here)

He just has to get something done, and then he'll leave:



But someone else is in the spaceship:



Aww! This is when I start to get all teary-eyed. I just love Ferro's foolish but well-meaning heroism. Sacrificing himself in Superman's place because he's too important! Talk about being an inspiration. Ferro had also previously met the Legion of Super-Heroes and Spark had loaned him her flight ring. It always moves me to read the promise he made to her.

But things don't work out according to plan:



(At this point I'm already crying)

But as you know, rings have a history in the DCU, so:



Hal's words here always get me!

He sends Ferro back to Earth, recites his oath one last time and kills the Sun-Eater, and Earth is saved:

Comments

[mrosa]

Oh, I get it.

When I said I 'hated Parallax,' I wasn't talking about the fear bug retcon. That doesn't bother me because I never read it. I meant I just disliked the idea of turning Hal into Parallax back in the early '90s. I think that could have been avoided, but at least it led to this lovely finale.

[deepspaceartist]

I wasn't commenting in your opinion of Parallax. To each their own and whatnot. It was just a general comment on how retcons don't neccesarily diminish or ruin the stories they alter.

My first comic book ever starred Kyle Rayner as GL (and Silver Surfer), with Parallax Hal as one of the villains. My only real opinion on Hal turing evil is that it lead to the creation of my favourite comic book superhero.

[mrosa]

Yeah, Kyle is my Green Lantern :-)