Nothing frightens me. I am fear. 
- — Sinestro src
History
Origin
Thaal Sinestro of Korugar is the arch-nemesis of Green Lantern. At one point the greatest member of the Green Lantern Corps, he was corrupted by his power and exiled for crimes against his own people. He now seeks to impose his own order and control onto the universe, employing a yellow power ring to combat the green he has grown to despise. His prowess and ruthlessness have made him one of the most feared villains in existence, and eventually he establishes his own Sinestro Corps.
Green Lantern Corps
Sinestro was selected by the Guardians of the Universe to become a member of the Green Lantern Corps for his honor and fearlessness. At his height, he was considered to be the greatest of all the Green Lanterns, and Sector 1417 was almost entirely devoid of crime and lawlessness under his vigilant protection. The Guardians had never erred in their judgment before, and he would later be considered one of their greatest mistakes.
Meeting Hal Jordan
His prowess was so great that he was assigned as a mentor to a number of rookie lanterns showing similar promise...the greatest of which would be his last student, Hal Jordan. Ganthet had specifically requested that the two train together, and they quickly became great friends.
Throughout his time in the Corps, Abin Sur was Thaal Sinestro's best friend and trusted confidante, so much so that they considered each other to be brothers. He would eventually fall in love with and marry Arin Sur, his friend's sister, and the two would have a child together. Abin confided in Sinestro what he had learned of the Blackest Night, where a darkness would rise to destroy all life, something Sinestro dismissed as lies by the Five Inversions who told Abin the prophecy. Eventually Abin was killed by the monster known as Atrocitus. Sinestro would later bring Atrocitus to justice for Abin's murder with the help of Abin's successer, Hal Jordan. After Sinestro dropped him off at the prison world of Ysmault, Atrocitus taunts Sinestro with a prophecy of the chaos and deadly coup that would lead to Sinestro's fall from grace. However, Sinestro ignores him and leaves. However, as he became increasingly stressed with keeping his sector as perfect and as ordered as he needed it to be, Sinestro slowly became more unhinged and started employing more questionable tactics in his behavior. His actions were unwelcome by the Korugarans, and threats were made against his family. Arin recognized the danger posed by Sinestro's methods, and secretly gave their daughter away. Sinestro would be unable to find his daughter, and Arin soon died through unknown circumstances.
Dictator of Korugar
On their first diplomatic assignment, Hal proved to be reckless and Sinestro believed that he was a waste of his time. Then upon returning to his home planet of Korugar, they were met with very much opposition and Hal discovered that Sinestro forced his planet to worship him and that he had a very strict and unjust set of rules. After being gone so long, Korugar's citizens rebelled and Sinestro lost control. After a short battle, Hal knocked some sense into Sinestro and he realized that he must hide for the Guardians will punish both of them. After hiding in one of Earth's prisons with Hal Jordan, Oan manhunters brought him in to Oa and he was tried. After Hal testified against him, Sinestro swore revenge against Hal and the Corps right before he was banished to Qward in the Antimatter Universe. There, he met the Weaponers of Qward, who helped him forge a yellow power ring to counter the Green Lantern Corps.
Sinestro as the Greatest Green Lantern Villain of all time.
Imprisonment
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Sinestro was captured and imprisoned within the Central Power Battery. After being converted into energy inside the Oan power battery, Sinestro waited for the opportune moment to strike back. In the battery, Sinestro also spoke with Parallax, which was the source of the yellow impurity in all Green Lantern rings. When Parallax gained control of Hal Jordan and turned him insane, Sinestro knew that his time was near. Eventually after defeating the entire Green Lantern Corps in his attempt to drain the power of the Oan power battery, it came down to Hal and the Guardians. In their sted, the Guardians released Sinestro to fight against Hal as the lesser of two evils, and even gave him a green power ring. Much verbal torture occurred on Sinestro's part and he even enraged Hal Jordan, the greatest Green Lantern ever, to have a bloodlust. A great battle went on and both sides had their attacks hit, but Hal was winning. Eventually it came down to a one-on-one without their rings and Sinestro did what was necessary to bring Jordan over the edge, he allowed him to snap his neck. After this, Hal gains the power of the battery, goes on a rampage as Parallax, and is eventually defeated. After this, he becomes the new host of the Spectre while his real body was elsewhere.
Return of Parallax
Sinestro, revealing that he is still alive and the one responsible for Hal Jordan becoming Parallax.
It turns out that Sinestro survived and he returned to torture Kyle Rayner at the same time that Parallax returned. He revealed himself to be the one behind all of Hal's torments and problems, but now he chose to take direct action. After soundly defeating Kyle Rayner in the JLA Watchtower, Green Arrow managed to fire one Green Lantern arrow from Hal's old ring. He was also beaten by Sinestro and his apparent new power over fear given to him by Parallax. This power coincided with his yellow power ring and it gave him a new charge that surpassed any Green Lantern's. Due to other circumstances, Hal Jordan returned to his old body and smashed Sinestro through a wall with a will-powered blast from his power ring. Soon they were in intense battle and Sinestro once again taunted him and tried to bring him over the edge while truly fighting to win instead of knowing that he will have his neck snapped later. In the midst of battle, Kyle Rayner returned and aided Hal in his war against Sinestro. To end the battle, Hal and Sinestro both swung at each other and their rings clashed. All focus was bendt and altered until Hal smashed Sinestro's ring into pieces. As Sinestro instantly teleported back to the Antimatter Universe of Qward, he said, "Heh... Jordan... Welcome back."
The Secret Society of Super-Villains
After some time passed, Sinestro joined Lex Luthor's new Secret Society and was responsible for the apparent but uncertain murder of the Freedom Fighters' Uncle Sam. During the Battle at Metropolis, Sinestro was easily captured by Hal Jordan and received the same treatment as the rest of the Society.
War of Light
Sinestro Corps
Main article: Sinestro Corps War
Sinestro forms the corps
The events of the Infinite Crisis brought about a restored Multiverse, and with it, the resurrection of the Anti-Monitor. With his help, Sinestro established his own Sinestro Corps, which served in direct opposition to the Green Lantern Corps, using yellow rings instead of green rings. Sinestro masterminded a massive attack plan against the Green Lantern Corps in an event that has come to be known as the Sinestro Corps War. Sinestro's motives behind instigating the war was to manipulate the Guardians into allowing the Green Lantern Corps members to use lethal force in combat - an ability that had always been restricted in the past. The Green Lanterns proved victorious over the Sinestro Corps and Hal Jordan faced Sinestro in physical combat on Earth with Kyle Rayner. Jordan and Rayner defeated Sinestro in hand-to-hand combat and placed him in a Sciencell back on Oa where he sits on Death Row.
Rise of the Red Lanterns
Sinestro is defeated by the combined forces of Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner, ending the Sinestro Corps War.
When sentencing finally came down, Sinestro was to be publicly executed on his homeworld of Korugar. The prisoner transport to the planet was to be secret and security tight. A guard consisting of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Kilowog, Salakk, other corps members and three Alpha Lanterns was to make the trip. The task was going off without any event until the group was ambushed by a contingent of Sinestro Corps members seeking to free Sinestro. Only for they in turn to be attacked in a ambush by Atrocitus and his newly formed Red Lantern Corps. They then kidnapped Sinestro and what corps members that were still alive to sacrifice in a blood ritual to reign in the beginning of their campaign of rage.
Arriving on Ysmault, Atrocitus had Sinestro crucified to a replica of the Red Lantern symbol before the Red Central Power Battery, vowing to destroy the Sinestro Corps, Korugar, and the Green Lantern Corps in an effort to break him. However, Sinestro nonchalantly shrugged off Atrocitus' threats, saying he had no fear of pain or death, and that the Red Lanterns were a group of uncontrollable animals who wouldn't even be able to beg for their lives. Desiring a means to find what Sinestro feared, Atrocitus used the heart of a dead Sinestro Corps member to learn his secrets. The ritual was a success, and Atrocitus vowed to destroy what Sinestro had so desperately hidden—his daughter.[1]
Sinestro is rescued by the Sinsetro Corps members who remained loyal to him, however Hal Jordan along with Saint Walker and Warth from the Blue Lantern Corps arrive on Ysmault to retrieve Sinestro as well, which causes a battle between the Sinestro Corps, the Red Lanterns, Hal and the Blue Lanterns. He murders Laira just as Hal is started to break through her red ring's influence, so he can taunt him. Hal's anger draws Laira's red ring to him and under the influence he nearly kills Sinestro. Fortunately Walker gives Hal his own blue ring which frees Hal from the red ring's influence which saves Sinestro. Sinestro and his Corps members escape Ysmault and regroup on Qward. He plans to attack both Mongul's faction of the Sinestro Corps on the planet Daxam, along with the Star Sapphires. Before he goes through with his plan he goes to Korugar to check on his daughter.
Return to Korugar
Sinestro returns to Korugar where he quickly incapacitates Princess Iolande and subdues Soranik Natu to tell her that she is his daughter. During his time as a Green Lantern Sinestro was married and eventually his wife gave birth to Soranik. When Sinestro began to take control of Korugar away from the people, his wife left him with Soranik, she gave Soranik to Karoll and Dgibb Natu to protect Soranik. Sinestro had not known about Soranik's whereabouts for years, but eventually found her, and gave her mark on the face that was their family's secrect coat of arms and laced it with a microscopic transmitter so he could always locate her. He also returned to Korugar once, using his ring to alter his appearence to see Soranik recieve her medical degree and even took her picture along with her adopted parents.
Sinestro reveals that he is proud of Soranik's accomplishments and that she is establishing his plans; getting the people of Korugar to accept a Green Lantern. Soranik questions Sinestro's goals and denies being similar to him. He warns Soranik about Atrocitus and tells her to contact him if she needs help. He visits Arin Sur's grave where he plans to attack the Star Sapphires.
Blackest Night
Main article: Blackest Night
During the attack on Zamaron, Sinestro is surprised to see Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan's longtime lover and frequent host of the Star Sapphire, willingly fight for the Corps. Carol places Sinestro in a crystal and
The New Guardians
forces him to relive events regarding Arin Sur's death. Breaking free of the crystal, Sinestro attacks Carol in a rage, but they are stopped by the arrival of the Black Lantern Corps, the agents of the Black Abin Sur had long feared. These particularly Black Lanterns were members of his corps who had died, seeking to claim their hearts and raise their master. Hal Jordan was then teleported to Zamaron by the Indigo Tribe, whose leader, Indigo-1, knew Abin Sur. When the Black Lanterns destroy the Star Sapphire Central Power Battery, the others teleported to Korugar, where Mongul was trying to reestablish his coup. Enraged that Mongul tried to steal both his corps and world, Sinestro attacked. Though Mongul was the stronger physical opponent, Sinestro revealed that he had installed security directives in the yellow power rings to prevent them from harming him. Sinestro overpowered Mongul and imprisoned him in his ring, and was unanimously hailed by the rest of the Sinestro Corps. Sinestro then announced that he would be leading the coalition against the Black Lanterns, but was interrupted by the arrival of two other Black Lanterns—Abin and Arin Sur.
While Hal and Carol were fighting against Abin Sur, Sinestro faced off against his late wife Arin Sur. She made him question whether all of his actions were for her, which he believed was necessary. But before he could answer, she was blasted by Indigo-1 by combining her power with the Green Lantern ring. Afterwards, Sinestro joined with the other three and together, they combined their powers to destroy Abin and Arin. Now that the threat of Mongul's coup and the Black Lanterns on Korugar was removed, they all decided that they needed to get the heads of other three Lantern Corps to recreate the white light necessary to destroy the Black Lanterns. Hal was distrustful of Sinestro leading the coalition and took charge himself. The Lanterns then teleported to Odym and managed to get the Blue Lantern Corps to join them before heading to Okaara where they found Atrocitus and Larfleeze fighting each other as the Black Lanterns on Okaara were gathering. After destroying the Black Lanterns, Sinestro tied Atrocitus up saying that despite their encounters, Sinestro was willing to join forces with the Red Lantern Corps to destroy the Guardians ad their Green Lantern Corps, but Atrocitus was unwilling to even listened and attacked him before he was subdued by Hal. After getting Atrocitus and Larfleeze to join up, they all teleported to the dead planet of Ryut, which was the home of Atrocitus and the base of the Black Lantern Central Power Battery, which was transported to Coast City to help resurrect the mastermind behind the Blackest Night, Nekron.
After destroying the dead Guardian Scar, Sinestro and the other heads of the seven Lantern Corps, along with Ganthet and Sayd, tried to destroy Nekron and the Black Lantern Central Power Battery, but was ineffective since their power only created a small fraction of the white light. So, in order to bolster their ranks, Indigo-1 contacted her other tribesmen to gather the remaining members of the other Lantern Corps, while Ganthet initialized a program in the seven power rings, since all their rings are based on Oan technology despite their differences, to duplicate and seek out sentient beings that had power over their respective emotions as a temporary member for each Lantern Corps. Sinestro's ring duplicate found and attached itself to the Scarecrow because of his ability to instill great fear, and inducted the villain into the Sinestro Corps as a deputy. With their numbers increased and with the Indigo Tribe gathering all the other Lanterns, they resumed their attack on the Black Lanterns.
When the Spectre attacked them, due to being trapped in the body of Crispus Allen who was resurrected as a Black Lantern, Hal had Ganthet summon his Power Battery, along with Guy Gardner's, John Stewart's, and Kyle Rayner's. When Sinestro asked, Hal told him that after the Sinestro Corps War, the four Green Lanterns of Earth, along with Ganthet, separated and imprisoned Parallax inside their batteries so that no one, including Sinestro, could release him. Saying that Sinestro was the only one who could release Parallax, Hal reasoned that if he rejoined with the parasite, then he would have the power to stop the Spectre. Sinestro released Parallax from the batteries, but intended to join with the entity because of his control over fear, but was stopped by Hal, who joined with Parallax and managed to stop the Spectre.
Sinestro bonds with the Entity
After Hal was freed from Parallax's control, Sinestro tried to join with the fear entity to stop Nekron, but it was pulled away by a mysterious force. However, after killing one of the Guardians, Black Hand used the Oan blood to create a symbol in the ground, which Nekron used to order the sentient embodiment of life to rise. After seeing the Entity being attacked by Nekron, Hal realized that it was an entity like Ion and Parallax, so it needed to bond with someone in order to fight against Nekron, but Sinestro stopped him, citing that he had his turn with Parallax, and the Korugaran joined with entity, with the ring telling him, "Thaal Sinestro of Korugar. Destiny Awaits."[2]
Now with this new power, Sinestro was destroying the Black Lanterns with ease, and was even shown the history of the entity, from its creation at the dawn of the universe, to when it landed on Earth and created life, as well as the sentient embodiments of the seven emotions. As that was happening, Nekron attacked and managed to sever Sinestro in half, trying to draw out the Entity and destroying it. While the other Lanterns were looking at Sinestro, Indigo-1 realized that despite the severing, there were no wounds on Sinestro, who used the power of the white light to heal himself and resume his attack on the Black Lanterns.[3]
Sinestro has the advantage over Nekron and appears to kill him. However Nekron being death itself cannot simply be killed, his spirit simply takes a new body. He separates Sinestro from the Entity. Hal used this chance to bond with the Entity and with the help of other resurrected heroes defeated Nekron by restore Black Hand's life thus cutting Nekron's link to the living plane.
Brightest Day
Main article: Brightest Day
Sinestro discovers that the White Battery is on Earth, he tries to pick it up, but is unable to do so. The Life Entity tells him to retrieve Hal Jordan. Sinestro finds Hal who is with Carol, and after a brief struggle he brings them to the White Battery. The Entity warns the trio that the entities of the emotional spectra are in danger and urges them to find them before a mysterous enemy does. After that, the trio is teleported to New York City, where they find Atrocitus. After a brief struggle, Lobo arrives. Apparently, someone offered a bounty for Atrocitus and Lobo came looking for him, dead or alive. The trio decides to protect Atrocitus and the four ring wielders fight against Lobo. After driving away Lobo, the four of them separate to search the Entities. Sinestro must also work with Kyle Rayner and the Green Lantern Corps in an effort to rescue Soranik Natu from a Qwardian, who made Sinestro's original yellow ring.
War of the Green Lanterns
Main article: War of the Green Lanterns
When Sinestro and the other 'New Guardians' are trapped in the Book of the Black by Lyssa Drak while trying to recover the entities from Krona, Hal Jordan escapes with their rings. He later uses Sinestro's ring when Parallax is returned to the Central Power Battery, allowing Krona to control all Green Lanterns- Hal and others escaped only thanks to their prior experience with Parallax-, in order to give himself a weapon against the other Lanterns.
While attempting to escape the Book- which forces the New Guardians to re-live their lives prior to acquiring their current rings-, Sinestro discovers Indigo-1 in a prison cell, angrily proclaiming that she will escape whatever Abin Sur has planned for her, although he chooses to focus on his own escape rather than remain to question her more about this, only for Krona to burn the page that Sinestro is on before he can escape.[4]
Later, Sinestro was redrawn in the Book of the Black and freed by Kyle Rayner. He was then denied his yellow ring by Krona. As Hal Jordan fought Krona, Sinestro was granted a green ring for unknown reasons. He then helped turned the tide in Jordan's battle with Krona, leading to the latter's death.
Following the battle, Hal Jordan was expelled from the Corps for killing Krona, but Sinestro was allowed to keep his ring and new position, with his fate still being determined by the Guardians in the Citadel. Much to the outrage of all the other Green Lanterns.[5]
New 52
The DC Universe heavily changed its continuity into the DCnU following the events of Flashpoint in 2011. This was part of an effort to make storylines more accessible to newer readers, beginning with the New 52. This new timeline combines elements from the DCU, Vertigo Universe and Wildstorm Universe while drastically changing the origins and histories of characters.
Sinestro returns to the Corps
Hal Jordan at the mercy of Sinestro.
Returning to Korugar after the Guardians decide to leave him with the ring, Sinestro learns that his Corps have reverted to their brutal methods, terrorising and slaughtering the people of Korugar rather than ruling it, Sinestro creating a new Green Lantern ring for Hal Jordan albeit one that he can shut off at will so that Jordan can help him retake control of the Sinestro Corps, who now want him dead in the belief that his killer will become the new Sinestro Corps leader.[6][7] After turning various Korugarian prisoners into a temporary Green Lantern Corps using short-lived duplicates of Sinestro's ring,[8] Sinestro and Hal are able to hold off the Sinestro Corps long enough to drain the power away from the Central Power Battery of the Sinestro Corps, de-powering all of the Corps members on Korugar, although those more distant from the battery will still have access to their own power supplies.[9] Later all Lanterns' rings registered that the Sinestro Corps have disbanded with 98% of all known Corpsmen dead or incarcerated, requiring Arkillo, who was cut off from the other Corps in the Orrery with the New Guardians during this attack, to use a new, independent power battery forged by the Weaponer from the fear of the Korugarians.[10] It has since been revealed that the Guardians were responsible for Sinestro acquiring a Green Lantern ring in an attempt to undermine the Sinestro Corps as part of their future plans to destroy all seven Corps.[11] During the conclusion of the "Wrath of the First Lantern" storyline, Sinestro becomes once again a member of the Sinestro Corps after the destruction of Korugar at the hands of Volthoom, and after bonding with Parallax, he reactivates the yellow rings and releases all the Sinestro Corps members who were incarcerated on Oa. Afterwards, he killed every one of the Guardians of the Universe but Sayd and Ganthet, exiling them from Oa instead, and left all of the corps' behind, nothing involving them having any meaning to him any longer with Korugar destroyed.[12][13]
Forever Evil
Sinestro is revealed to be among the villains split on the idea of how to handle Earth. He is said to have a good relationship with Black Adam. He returns to Earth due to the powerful use of a Qwardian Power Ring by Batman against Power Ring. He later tells Batman that he left himself vulnerable by resisting the bond with the ring, and so having it destroyed by Power Ring. Sinestro also mentioned that Batman would make a fine Sinestro Corpsman, vaguely hinting at Batman's experience with the yellow ring of fear in the past.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Fear Attunement: Sinestro has an innate understanding of the fears of others, even without access to his ring. He also seems to have some form of mental link with his corps members which possibly is attributed to his understanding of others fears as well.[14]
Abilities
- Alien Physiology
- Indomitable Will
- Intimidation
- Leadership
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
- Genius Level Intellect
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Weapons
- Qwardian Power Ring
- Green Lantern Ring (Formerly)
Notes
- Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.
- In Pre-Crisis stories, Sinestro's origin was significantly different. Although he was still a former Green Lantern, he wouldn't meet Hal Jordan until after going renegade, and they would become instant arch-enemies. Sinestro being Hal's mentor was a retcon established in Emerald Dawn.
- Sinestro was the featured origin spotlight in Countdown to Final Crisis #16. [1]
Trivia
- Sinestro's predecessor in the Green Lantern Corps for Sector 1417 was the greatly respected Jewelius Blak, who took him on as an apprentice before her death.
- Prior to becoming a Green Lantern, Sinestro was actually an anthropologist on Korugar.[15]
- Sinestro is also known as the Wicked.
- Sinestro is usually portrayed as being left-handed.
Related
- 239 Appearances of Thaal Sinestro (New Earth)
- 88 Images featuring Thaal Sinestro (New Earth)
- 28 Quotations by or about Thaal Sinestro (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Thaal Sinestro (New Earth)
External Links
Footnotes
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 4) #36
- ↑ Blackest Night #7
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 4) #52
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 4) #66
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 4) #67
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #1
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #2
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #4
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #5
- ↑ Green Lantern: New Guardians #8
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #12
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #19
- ↑ Green Lantern (Volume 5) #20
- ↑ Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns #1
- ↑ Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1
  Green Lantern Corps member |
 This character is or was a member of the Sinestro Corps, chosen by Sinestro to counteract the Green Lantern Corps and spread terror throughout their sector with a Power Ring. |
 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." |
 This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice League, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Justice League Villains." |
 This character is or was a member of the White Lantern Corps, guided by the Life Entity to wield the White Light of Life. |
 This character is or was a member of the Indigo Tribe. These are individuals who show an incredible capacity for compassion, and were given Power Rings |