Neal Emerson (New Earth)

Neal Emerson and his brother John where raised in an abusive household. Due to the psychological trauma behind those events, Neal became withdrawn and developed a dark side. When Neal was older he left the U.S. for a year and returned to find that his brother had married a woman named Katherine and adopted a baby he named Grant. Neal was not particularly family oriented but he was fond of Grant.

Neal excelled in medical school and begun to be develop a interest in magnets. Though ridiculed for his ideas, Neal believed that by using ones mind magnetism could be used and harnessed by the mind. He becomes a author and lecturer on the idea of "Health via Magnetism." Neal becomes even more immersed in the idea to the point he comes up with the name "Doctor Polaris" and even dawns a special costume and mask to use during his lectures.

Downward Spiral to Evil

Neal eventually comes to believe that his overzealousness has allowed him to absorb too much magnetic energy, and tries to drain off the excess energy without success. Out of options, he decides his best bet would be to make a public appeal at a charity event to Green Lantern. Neal believes that Green Lantern's Power Ring can help him, but his evil persona chooses that moment to take over. He then proceeds to rob the charity event, and ends up getting into a confrontation with the Green Lantern. At the hospital, Green Lantern probes Neal's mind and learns of his split personality. When Neal recovers he attacks the Green Lantern with metal objects, but Green Lantern gets the upper-hand and defeats him. Neal's good personality resurfaces and he is placed in police custody.

Justice League & Green Lantern

Neal returns to fight the Justice League with new associates Killer Moth, Dagon, the Mask and the Pied Piper, but it is revealed the Demons Three, Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast had made magical duplicates of the villians. In the end the Justice League prevails.

After being released from prison, tries to find out whats the source of Green Lantern's power by kidnapping his friend, Tom Kalmaku. He comes to find that Green Lantern's power battery is hidden at Ferris Aircraft. Using his abilities Neal places a magnetic barrier around the battery, so that Hal couldn't recharge his ring to full power. After tracking down Neal just as his ring ran out of power, Neal uses his powers on Green Lantern, apparently killing him. Hal's body disappears.

Underworld Unleashed

Over the years, the Polaris and Emerson personalities fought for dominance, until Polaris was approached by the demon Neron. Polaris sold Neron Emerson’s soul in exchange for greater power and being rid of the other, restraining side of his personality. Polaris was one of Neron's lieutenants before being betrayed by Lex Luthor and the Joker.

Polaris attacked Steel at his home in Washington D.C., seeking a weapon called the Annihilator which Steel had built. Polaris was not satisfied when Steel told him he had destroyed it, reasoning that Steel could easily build him another one. During the battle, Steel's grandmother attacked Polaris and was killed. Polaris was only driven away because the Parasite had turned up and attacked him. Parasite, afraid of absorbing Polaris's mind and not just his power, let him go before killing him. Polaris fled to Keystone City.

Some time after that, Polaris showed up at Poseidonis when that city was on the surface. Polaris attempted to seize control of the city, prompting a battle against Aquaman and his allies. At that same time, Maxima was in the city trying to force Aquaman to marry her. Using her powerful mental abilities, Maxima compelled Polaris into believing that his alternate personality had re-emerged, forcing him into a nearly catatonic state.

In 2001, Polaris emerged during the Joker's Last Laugh crisis attempting to take control of the magnetic South Pole itself, forcing a battle against the Justice League.

Villains United

Doctor Polaris was a member of Lex Luthor's Secret Society of Super-Villains during the Infinite Crisis. He joined a large gathering of Society members who ambushed the Secret Six in a dockyard outside Gotham City. He was then part of a group that ambushed the Freedom Fighters in an abandoned plant near Metropolis. The battle became a bloodbath as the Society killed Black Condor and Phantom Lady. Polaris lunged at Human Bomb. The explosive hero ripped open his costume and unleashed the full force of his power at point-blank range right at Polaris. The force of the explosion blew Polaris to bits. Following the battle when the site was investigated, pieces of Polaris were all over the place.

One Year Later

Recently, however, in the pages of "Justice League of America," a Doctor Polaris has appeared as a member of Libra's Secret Society. This has been shown to be his successor.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Magnetic Manipulation: Doctor Polaris can shape and manipulate electromagnetic fields that exist naturally or artificially, allowing him to lift and move heavy objects, control ferrous particles in the atmosphere, and even alter the Earth's magnetic field.

Electro-magnetic Spectrum Manipulation: ability to project or manipulate many forms of energy that are related to magnetism. He can fire bolts of electricity and create enough intense heat to destroy a metal door.
Magnetic Force-Fields: Doctor Polaris can erect electro-magnetic force fields with a high degree of impenetrability, protecting himself or others from almost any psionic, energy, or physical attack.
Flight: By creating an anti-gravity field around himself, Doctor Polaris possesses the ability to levitate, and inevitably fly and subsonic speeds reaching 500 mph.
Abilities

Physician & Physicist: Polaris was a noted physician and physicist who originally could use magnetic power for healing purposes

Weaknesses

Vulnerability to heat, which reduces the powers of magnetism and can shut off his powers. Vulnerability to telepathic attacks due to his extremely fragile psyche.

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Flight

Weapons

At the beginning of his career, Polaris used various weapons to generate the needed magnetic power

Notes

Neal Emerson's name was revealed on his memorial vault placard at the JLA Hall of Justice in Blackest Night #3.

Trivia

Dr. Polaris appears in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon.

Links and References

Doctor Polaris at Wikipedia

Footnotes

Green Lantern Villain(s)

This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Green Lantern of Earth, or the Green Lantern Corps as a whole. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Green Lantern Villains."

Neal Emerson (New Earth)

From DC Database

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