Parallax

"You are afraid. Good."

- Parallax as he drains the life energy of his victims through fear,

Parallax (also known as the "Parallax Entity" and the "Parallax Parasite") is a powerful superhuman creature found in DC universe and one of the main antagonists of the Green Lantern mythos - an embodiment of fear itself Parallax can possess others and cause untold horror in the universe.

Origin
The Parallax Entity is a demonic looking parasitic cosmic entity that is the sentient Embodiment of Fear in the Emotional Spectrum. Its creation came at the dawn of existence when the Life Entity entered into the universe and sheltered itself on the planet Earth. The subtle influences of the Entity brought about the formation of living beings which in turn formed the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum. Parallax was shown to be the second Embodiment of Emotion that was formed when living beings began to fear for their existence.

The Symbol of Fear
Parallax is a demonic parasitic entity dating back to the dawn of time. This parasite was the sentient embodiment of fear, traveling from world to world and causing entire civilizations to destroy themselves out of paranoia. It was known that at some point, the Parallax Entity once fought against the Spectre when the Spirit of Vengeance sought to eliminate its kind from influencing living beings but despite his attempts, Spectre failed. The Guardians of the Universe later imprisoned Parallax within the Central Power Battery on Oa using fear's opposite energy, willpower. Parallax had lain dormant for billions of years, its true nature hidden by the Guardians to prevent anyone from trying to free it. Being yellow in color, Parallax eventually came to be referred to as simply "the yellow impurity." This was the reason why the rings were useless against the color yellow: Parallax weakened its power over the corresponding spectrum; hence only someone with the willpower to overcome great fear could master the power ring. Thus, when recruiting new Green Lanterns the Guardians were careful to look for recruits that were largely fearless. When the renegade Sinestro was later imprisoned in the Power Battery himself, his Qwardian yellow power ring tapped into Parallax's power and awakened it.

Hal Jordan
Originally, in 1994 DC Comics wanted to get rid of Hal Jordan as Green Lantern. The storyline began in Green Lantern #50 with it's seeds planted in GL #48. This idea of Parallax was retconned and Hal cleared of his supervillain career in the series, Green Lantern: Rebirth. The Fear Entity that became Parallax's origin is as follows above and below how it came to possess Jordan. Centuries later, after the death of Lantern Abin Sur, a Human by the name of Hal Jordan became the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 for the first time. With great will power and defense against fear, Hal Jordan was the perfect selection for Green Lantern and proved it on a number of a occasions. However, over the coming years, the being that at the time was trapped inside the Central Battery, found away to escape its imprisonment through Hal Jordan. Parallax (Hal Jordan) confronting the Cyborg Superman. Sinestro hated Hal, Parallax chose Jordan as its tool to free itself. Parallax spent years influencing Hal, causing him increasing self-doubt, then fear and notably his premature whitening at the temples. Parallax's control over Jordan became nearly complete with Jordan's grief over the destruction of Coast City, and it was Parallax who was responsible for Jordan's subsequent murderous activity, his apparent killing of Sinestro (which was later revealed to be an energy construct created by Parallax and Sinestro's manipulation to the creature's creation with his own Qwardian ring, created as the final stage of Jordan's susceptibility to the impurity in order to break his will), and Jordan's destruction of the Central Battery, which allowed Parallax to graft itself onto Jordan's soul.

However, Parallax didn't account for its host's amazing willpower which caused Parallax's plan to take years. Its plan took a major boast when the evil Mongul I, with the help of the mad Cyborg Superman, Hank Henshaw, Laid waste to Coast City. It was that event that tipped Hal Jordan over the edge and allowed Parallax to take over. Despite Parallax’s seeming conquest of Jordan’s soul, Jordan’s heroic tendencies managed to manifest themselves enough for him to sacrifice his life in order to reignite Earth’s Sun. Jordan’s soul (with Parallax still grafted onto it) subsequently became the newest host of The Spectre, the vengeful spirit of God’s wrath. Since Parallax was gone from the Oan Power Battery, the final power ring conferred to Kyle Rayner did not have any weakness against yellow. The Spectre eventually ejected Parallax from Jordan's soul, then departing in order to move onto the next recipient of the Spectre, while Ganthet guided Jordan's soul back to his own body, preserved after Jordan reignited the Sun. His soul and thoughts finally clear for the first time in years, Jordan was resurrected, again taking his place as a Green Lantern; even regaining some of his lost youth (evidenced by his hair becoming brown again). Together, Jordan and Kyle Rayner, along with fellow Green Lanterns John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kilowog freed Ganthet, whom Parallax had possessed after his expulsion from Jordan's soul, and imprisoned the parasite back in the Central Power Battery on Oa

Kyle Rayner
Parallax about to take control of Kyle Rayner. The Sinestro Corps capture Kyle Rayner with the intention of making him Parallax's new host. Sinestro reveals to Kyle that Ion is actually an energy entity that needs a host, similar to Parallax. Sinestro removes the Ion entity from Kyle, who is immediately taken over by Parallax. Parallax then clothes itself in a new uniform, (which appears as a combination of Kyle's original Green Lantern costume and the costume Hal Jordan wore as Parallax), and returns to Qward with the Sinestro Corps (He also turns the hair on the top of Kyle's head grey, as he did Hal's temple hair). The new Parallax became a herald of the Anti-Monitor.

Sinestro Corps WarEdit
After the massacre of several Green Lanterns, Parallax leads an assault against Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner, and brings them to Qward. The "Lost Lanterns" arrive to rescued the captured Lanterns. During the battle, Parallax murders Jack T. Chance after making him experience his repressed fear of his abusive family. Kyle is currently trapped within his own mind. He is able to witness all that Parallax does and says from a 3rd person view, but is unable to stop it. Parallax confronts Kyle's personality inside a room constructed by Kyle's thoughts. Kyle "transforms" into Ion (as his mind allows him to dream up anything, he dreams up his powers), and the two battle. After being blasted back by Parallax and losing his Ion form, Kyle forms a power ring, places it on his finger, and appears in his original costume. Although putting up a valiant fight, Kyle loses. Parallax reveals Kyle's fear is that he has to live without his mother (the fear which allowed Parallax to possess Kyle's body). Before he leaves, Kyle stabs Parallax in the eye with a pencil. The creature, unnerved, comments that Kyle will always remain trapped, and with that, leaves. Kyle is about to smash a painting in frustration when he realizes that his mother secretly painted it years ago. With renewed faith in himself, Kyle walks into the painting and ends up in a field walking towards a bright, green star. Parallax taking hold of both Kyle Rayner and Hal JordanAdded by MisterE===ImprisonmentEdit=== Kyle (as Parallax) is finally confronted by Jordan after threatening his brother and his family. Hal actually manages to beat Parallax until his rings power runs out. Parallax then absorbs Hal as John Stewart looks on in horror. John orders Guy to retrieve the real life painting seen in the one-shot of Parallax. As Guy returns and shoves the painting into Parallax's eyesight, Hal (who turns out to be the bright green light seen at the end of the one-shot) tries in vain to help Kyle fight Parallax, which has now begun sucking Kyle and Hal himself into the "ground". Kyle finally breaks free and with Hal escapes Parallax. Just as Parallax (now back in his monster form) attacks the lanterns, Ganthet and the other guardian, Sayd, arrive and suck Parallax into into four separate lanterns (Hal, Kyle, John, and Guy's, respectively). The four men then take their lanterns and hearing the Sinestro Corps oath, recite the Classic Green Lantern Oath.

The Blackest Night
During the Blackest Night at Coast City on Earth, Hal Jordan and the leaders of the various Lantern Corps fought against the undead Black Lantern Corps. As the battle raged, a Black Lantern Spectre was unleashed and nearly overpowered the group. This led to Jordan summoning the Lanterns of himself, Rayners, Stewart and Gardners where upon he revealed his plan to free Parallax; the one foe that could fight a being as powerful as The Spectre. Whilst initially Sinestro stated that he would be a better host, Jordan claimed that it had to be him and after kissing Carol Ferris; he opened his feelings of fear whereupon Parallax possessed him. Once freed, the Parallax possessed Hal Jordan attacked the Spectre where the fear entity revealed that the Spectre had previously attempted to destroy it as well as its kind though had failed due to the collective emotions from all sentient life in the universe. After diving into the Spectre, it uncovered the Black Lantern Crispus Allen who had corrupted the Spectre into an agent of Nekron. Using his power, Parallax destroyed the Black Lantern and freed the Spectre though the agent of god intended to destroy Parallax regardless of the fact that Jordan was its host. In the mean time, Carol Ferris asked for Ganthet's aid in removing Parallax from Hal Jordan and Sinestro attempted to do so but the fear entity revealed that it would not be controlled by anyone leading to a skirmish between them. The Spectre revealed that he was in fact afraid of Parallax and Carol Ferris later used that link to separate Jordan from the fear entity. Sinestro later attempted to lay claim to the manifestation of fear before the Spectre could destroy him but it was teleported and captured by an unknown entity. Hector Hammond later stated in his prison cell that "It has Parallax."

The Brightest Day
When next seen, the Parallax Entity was witnessed being chained up to a pillar of stone with the symbol of fear on it located on the planet Ryut in the Lost Sector. There, Parallax was being watched over by a mysterious figure who intended to protect the universe once more as the individual had done previously under the watchful eye of the Guardians of Oa. Afterwards, Parallax once again returned to Earth but now under the thrall of its mysterious kidnappers who seemed to be control of the cosmic fear parasite. As it approached members of the New Guardians, Parallax's "master" quickly reigned the entity in line by preventing it from attacking Hal Jordan and instead directing it towards his friend; Barry Allen, also known as the Flash. Sensing the fear the Flash felt for his friend the Green Lantern, it quickly entered into his body and possessed him, thus becoming the latest host of the fear parasite. Using his new body, Parallax battled against Jordan whilst his master Krona emerged in order to lay claim to the Emotional Entities. In the skirmish, the Proselyte Entity attempted to purge Barry Allen of Parallax's presence but all the Emotional Entities were removed from their hosts whereupon he took them to Oa.

War of the Green Lanterns
Whilst the other Entities took forcible possession of the Guardians of the Universe, Parallax was sent into the Central Power Battery which allowed Krona to subvert the entirety of the Green Lantern Corps to his will as the Yellow Impurity was reintroduced into the repository of willpower. However, those beings that had been possessed by Parallax previously were temporarily immune to the fear parasite's influence. This included Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Kilowog and Ganthet. Only the four Humans managed to escape Krona when they wore the Power Rings of the trapped New Guardians. Armed with different lights of the Emotional Spectrum, they attempted to purge the Green Lantern Central Power Battery of Parallax but failed to pierce its shell. It was only the freed Ganthet who advised Gardner to use a combination of Star Sapphire and Red Lantern Power Ring which successfully forced Parallax from the Central Power Battery. This act seemingly freed the Corps from Parallax's influence but Krona was ready to begin the next stage of his plans.

Powers and abilities
Parallax has immense fear-casting and mind-control powers, strong enough to easily frighten and control the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, and even someone like Spectre, except those who are capable of understanding and conquering inner fear such as Kyle Rayner or Batman.

Strangely, it was unable to control Alan Scott even though he experienced fear from Parallax ( Abin Sur explains that in humans fear is intellectual, which may have something to do with the ineffectuality of Parallax's powers and the fear entity itself mentioned that Alan's power differs from the fear entity, the Guardians, and the Green Lantern Corps as they derive their powers from emotional spectrums, although he did experience a fever which led him to increasingly weaken during Parallax's attempts.

It can take possession of someone's body when they feel even the slightest fear. Parallax is also capable of creating solid light constructs, such as creating a convincing duplicate of Sinestro for Hal Jordan to kill. Parallax can create both green and yellow objects or creatures. As a being of pure energy, Parallax has no true physical form of its own; it generally changes into forms that will instill fear in its victims.

Movie appearance
Parallax appears as the main antagonist in the 2011 film Green Lantern. He is voiced by Clancy Brown.

Videogame appearance
Parallax appears in DC Universe Online. He is the final boss of S.T.A.R. Labs Alert where he possesses Sinestro, Arkillo, Kilowog, and Hal Jordan. When each one is possessed, they end up changing; their faces darkening, their mouths stretching out, and gaining the symbol of Parallax in their mouths.

Trivia

 * Parallax will inspire the color of certain elements, a loop and corkscrew, of the installation of the Green Lantern roller coaster debuting at Six Flags Great Adventure in May 2011.