The Lantern Corps are eleven known groups existing in the Universe, most of whom control a different emotion of the Emotional Spectrum as a source of power. A group of Immortal Maltusians, the Guardians of the Universe, were the first to create a lantern corps, wielding the immense power of will to create the Green Lanterns. For millennia, the Green Lanterns were tasked with maintaining order throughout the Universe, as an "intergalactic police force", gaining countless members throughout every Galaxy. New recruits to the Green Lanterns were chosen from individuals who exhibited a great capacity for overcoming fear, and wielded the green energy of willpower through the use of a power ring. These rings allowed the Lanterns to generate hard-light constructs limited only by the user's will and imagination. Although the Green Lanterns remained the only Lantern Corps for untold years, six other Corps were eventually formed, each represented by another color of the Spectrum.
The former Green Lantern Sinestro was eventually disgraced and incarcerated after his attempt to subjugate his home planet of Korugar, but escaped to form the Sinestro Corps. This Corps wielded the yellow light of fear, and became a grave threat to the Green Lanterns due to the debilitating effect that fearful emotions can have on willpower.
Other Maltusian would separate from the Guardians and find the planet of Zamaron. Their leader Aga'po would learn to harness the violet power of love, resulting in the creation of the Star Sapphire Corps.
The tormented Ryutian, Atrocitus, whose home planet of Ryut had been massacred, harbored a neverending hatred for the Guardians as a result, as well as against Sinestro, who had imprisoned Atrocitus in exile on the planet Ysmault. From the boiling depths of his rage, the Red Lantern Corps was born.
On the distant planet of Okaara, the most greedy and selfish beings in the Universe created the Orange Lantern Corps of avarice. One member, Larfleeze, began hoarded a collection of valuable items, foodstuffs, and succeeded in killing all other Orange Lanterns, later creating light and hard constructs, formed from the deaths of the beings he had murdered. When the Guardian Ganthet was exiled by his peers for displaying emotion, he escaped to the planet Odym, where he formed the Blue Lantern Corps along with its first member, Saint Walker. This Corps was designed solely for the purpose of using the blue light of hope to bolster the Green Lantern Corps, in anticipation of the coming War of Light. A nomadic tribe comprised of some of the most violent and murderous beings in the Universe learned to wield the indigo light of compassion, forming the Indigo Lantern Corps. These Lanterns are the only known group that does not make use of a power ring, choosing instead to use a staff to channel their power. A being named Brannl harnessed his extreme happiness and joy to create the Gold Lantern Corps. A being named Hattar would form the Grey Lantern Corps after harnessing his own apathy
Of these seven emotional types, willpower is constantly described as the most powerful, as it is represented by the color green - the balancing point of the spectrum. As the colors drift closer to the outlying edges of the spectrum, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the associated emotional manifestation, potentially leading to the corruption of a power ring's wielder. This is most clearly demonstrated by the emotional energies of love and rage, which occupy polar opposite ends of the color spectrum. The overwhelming nature of rage leaves Red Lanterns primarily reliant on base instincts, as only their leader Atrocitus appears to have retained the ability to make conscious decisions. Although the majority of the Guardians refused to believe in it, Ganthet anticipated the emergence of each new Lantern Corps, and that each force would inevitably fight against the others in a battle across the universe. This eventually culminates in the event known as "The Blackest Night", the worst of the hidden prophecies of the Book of Oa.
This resulted in the emergence of the Black Lantern Corps, initially led by the former Guardian Scar and her puppet William Hand (Black Hand), who reanimated a large number of heroes and villains that possessed emotional ties to those still living.
These Black Lanterns proceeded to goad their living counterparts into strong emotional reactions, at which point the intent was to harvest their hearts to charge the Black Power Battery and bring about the rise of the Black entity Nekron.
As the seven Corps eventually united to face this new threat, they successfully triggered the appearance of the white light of life, represented by a force known only as The Entity.
Sinestro forcibly merged with this entity, believing himself to be destined as the savior of the universe, and the white power ring enabled him to provide the spark needed for the seven Lantern Corps to finally cut off the source of Nekron's power.
Lantern Corps[]
Green Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Green Lantern Corps
Blue Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Blue Lantern Corps
Orange Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Orange Lantern Corps
Red Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Red Lantern Corps
Indigo Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Indigo Lantern Corps
Sinestro Corps[]
- Main: Sinestro Corps
Violet Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Violet Lantern Corps
Gold Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Gold Lantern Corps
Grey Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Grey Lantern Corps
The Grey Lanterns preside are one of newly discovered corps that is not connected to the Emotional Sprectrum. They reside over Apathy, an entire lack of emotion. Like the Indigo Tribe, they are known to recruit people lacking compassion.
White Lantern Corps[]
- Main: White Lantern Corps
Black Lantern Corps[]
- Main: Black Lantern Corps