. THE NEW ULTIMATE DC RPG .
Character Application
.Screen name: Master Bruce
.Character you wish to portray: Ultimate Hal Jordan
.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Hero
.Powers and physical attributes: Endowed with the legendary Galactic Lantern Corps ring, the wearer is granted access to superhuman abilities far beyond the capabilities of manmade weapons. Limited only to emotion and imagination - the former designating a Corpsman's identifiable color and rank within the field - the ring allows the creation of energy-based constructs from the wearer's thoughts in order to use within the restrictions of Oan Law. Hal Jordan's ring specifically taps into the valuable Green Lantern energy, putting him among the most common and respected agents of the Lantern Corps' ranks. Based upon a Corpsman's rank and color, specific abilities of the ring are heightened by specific personality traits- such as rage, for Red Lanterns, and intimidation for Yellow. Hal's, being Green, is powered through force of willpower and determination.
The rings must be consistently recharged via a GLC-supplied chargebox, dubbed a 'Lantern', activated by DNA and voice recognition in the form of color-based oaths. All of the Lanterns' power derives from the mystical element flame - a heat fueled source of cosmic energy discovered millions of years ago by The Guardians of The Universe.
Without the ring, Hal is an experienced pilot and exceptional brawler, based off of years of training with the United States Airforce and Marines. His fatal flaw lies, perhaps, in the fact that years of emotional trauma has led him to become fierce in action and intolerant of authority.
.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Henry 'Hal' Jordan's life was in shambles whenever he was chosen to be the next Green Lantern of Sector 2814. Born to a father that died when he was young and a mother that despised his bloodbourne addiction to thrills, it seemed no one was willing to accept Hal for who he was. Spending his entire life trying to gain acceptance from the people he loved, his ill-attempted results and their consequences turned him into a bitter young man. Which was why he was perfect for Carol Ferris, the hotheaded daughter of one of the world's top airmen - the two were kindred spirits lost in the world around them. Falling in love and soon marrying, Hal was just about to finally find stability in his life when Carol's father died. Taking it just as hard as she did, Hal soon found his marriage in jeopardy at the hands of an emotionally shutout Carol. Trying his best to reconcile, it was then that destiny had to come crashing on his doorstep - literally speaking. Hal Jordan had been drafted as the newest recruit for The Lantern Corps, a secret organization based beyond Earth and it's galaxy, dedicated to the protection and enforcement of all life. Having to make a difficult choice between his distraught wife and a higher calling that awaited him, Jordan chose the former and left Earth to train on Oa, the home of the Lanterns and their Guardians.
Three years later, and Hal is just now making the rank of field operative for the Green Lanterns. He has adopted an alien culture and strict regime as his new life, and taken to brawls with his fellow Corpsmen and a impassioned love affair with the alien Arisia. The scourge of the Corps for his hard edged attitude and reckless behavior, Hal Jordan now carries the responsibility of doing the hardest thing he's ever had to do: Returning to Earth, as the newly designated protector of Sector 2814. He is no longer the man he was - only now, has he learned to stop calling himself Hal Jordan, and start answering to the name of The Green Lantern.
.The burning question - Why this character?: To be honest, he's becoming one of my favorites. Ever since Geoff Johns decided to spin the GL mythos around and bring Hal back to the forefront, I've become increasingly invested in the title and everything that surrounds it. Not to mention he's about as far away from Batman as you could get, which is ultimately what I was looking for in a second character. So to take the character and make him as much of my own as the RPG's seems like a natural way to explore why I've began liking more and more Green Lantern stories in the past few years - aswell as why they've endured so many years in general.
.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Well firstly, I've tried to be careful in keeping with Blacklight's continuity while adding my own thing to it. The good thing about it is that not much has been established - specifically Hal's personality, which I really want to tinker with. For too long he's been known as the goody-twoshoes of the Green Lantern Corps - the ultimate hero, through and through. And that strikes me as odd, considering how much weight he has on his shoulders. I mean, come on... the guy has to protect an entire galaxy at once! So I'm doing away with this 'fearless', 'unbreakable' crap that's almost made Hal a stale staple of the DC Universe and turning Hal into what he never was: A hardass who's taken far too much crap from his life, and finally has the means to strike back at everything that's ever ailed him. This is not Superman with a ring inplace of powers - this is the soldier that Hal's always been compared to, but never truly captured.
I also plan to mess around a bit with some of the more notable GL conceptions throughout the comics, such as the weakness to yellow and why the Guardians are so out of tune with their officers. There are some things that, due to differing writers, haven't really made alot of sense in the entire spectrum of the Green Lantern history. My plan is to streamline it all into something cohesive, while staying true to the fantastical elements of what makes the tone of the books so engaging and refreshing. This character has the potential to be the centerpiece of a science fiction epic, and by god, I want to do my best to make him that.
.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: I want to provide a deep look at the world of a Lantern Corpsmen- the aliens, the sectors, cultures and so forth - while steeping it into a place where even the most casual GL fan can grasp it. While I do that, I also want to really bring home the fact that even though Hal Jordan may be the best Lantern on the field, he's not required to be the most likable or the most logical.
.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:
For the first time in years, Commander Hal Jordan found himself without words.
It was a sense of unbelievability that he hadn't felt when, probably, he should have. He didn't feel it when he was discharged from the Air Force. He didn't feel it the first time he laid eyes on Carol Ferris, the daughter of Ferris Aircraft's head honcho... and the true reason that he stayed behind to help out around that junkheap. And startlingly enough, he didn't even feel it the moment that he was approached by an emerald clan, purple skin toned airbourne alien named Abin Sur, who had traveled many a lightyear to seek out Jordan and draft him into what would become the most elite squadron in the galaxy.
So why he felt it now, he didn't know. But he figured that didn't matter much, as he continued on in a single file line that spanned from one end of OA's extravagant war dome, right down to the other. It was a practice and a sport that Hal himself didn't much care for, as it was nothing but a display of two individuals' brutality. While he did enjoy a good scrap from time to time, he preferred it on duty... knowing he was getting something accomplished. And unfortunately, that was precisely the kind of thinking that got him kicked out of the Air Force in the first place.
But he had no choice. He was under strict orders from his superior Corpsman, Sin'estro, and the council of Guardians to undergo a month regime and status report of how far his training had exceeded, since originally donning his power ring. And while he knew he could've 'showed' them right then and there, Hal had more class than that. So unfortunately, now, he found himself crammed in between something that looked like it belonged in a horror movie, and something that looked like it's ugly mother. Finally reaching the end of the line, moments later, Hal was approached by a tall, multi-legged creature in what appeared to be a Guardian robe, but without the same insignia.
"Akada Nikto Mekana.", It spoke, with what appeared to be tendrils dangling out of it's mouth.
Hal raised an eyebrow, bewildered by what he was looking at. "Come again, slick?"
"Akada Nikto Mekana.", It repeated, seemingly growing impatient.
For a moment, Hal simply stared. But upon realisation of how he could fix this little matter of miscommunication, Jordan lifted his hand, and displayed the emerald ring upon his finger.
"Here. This'll help...", Jordan stated, as the ring exerted a beam of energy that enveloped the beast's entire head.
"Name and Sector.", The alien spoke in now flawless english, under the bubble of energy Hal had coated it with.
"Oh. Um... Jordan, Hal. Sector 2814?"
"It does not sound familiar.", The creature responded. "You are sure this is your designation?"
Annoyed, Jordan narrowed his gaze. "Look, handsome, I'm under orders from the big man himself. So if you want to take it up with him, it'd be more than my pleasure to accomodate."
The creatures eyes widened. All eight of them.
"You were sent by the mighty Ganthet?!"
Hal paused.
Gan... what, now? No. No, I meant my Corps officer, Sinestro."
"Ah, I see.", The creature realized. "You may pass. You're expected in chamber 587 for suit-up and a practice run."
Hal sighed, walking past the creature.
"Never a dull moment."
.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?:
