Larfleeze (New Earth)

Larfleeze is the Orange Lantern Corps. Whereas other corps recruit their members, Larfleeze is too greedy to share the Orange Lantern Corps, so his corps is made of ring constructs of "members" he killed.

History

The origins of Larfleeze, also known as Agent Orange, remain shrouded in mystery, largely due to the actions of the Guardians of the Universe. He revealed that his people were farmers and he was considered ugly as a child. He was mistreated by his parents, Larfloozee and Larflem, and his 16 siblings. Aliens called Lakadakians came to conquer his world. Larfleeze was forced to mate with a female prisoner named Brokia and they had many children. But they were sent off to distant worlds for slavery. One day he had an escape plan were he went on a corpse cart and clawed his way through an incinerator and led a revolt. According to his own account, Larfleeze was one part of a group of five thieves who wanted to pull off the greatest heist in the history of their guild. They raided the planet Maltus, where one of their own was lost, and stole several treasures, mainly a box and a map. The box was supposedly worth more than an entire star system, for it contained Parallax, the sentient embodiment of fear. The other thing they stole was a map made by the fallen Maltusian Krona, said to contain something very valuable.

Making their way to Okaara, they entered the Forbidden Forest of Weeds. Another of their group was killed by the forest, and the others fell into a temple. Inside was an Orange Lantern Power Battery. Mesmerized by it, the three remaining thieves started fighting among themselves for the Lantern. The Guardians then arrived with a force of Manhunters. However, their power was drained by the orange light, and several Guardians and Manhunters were killed, along with a third member of the thieves, leaving only Larfleeze and Blooch remaining. The Guardians then said that all they wanted was the box containing Parallax. If the two would give it up, they would be allowed to keep the Orange Battery, as long as it stayed buried in the temple on Okaara. Additionally, only one could own the battery. Larfleeze and Blooch accepted the deal, and then fought to the death. Larfleeze won, and became the sole wielder of the Orange Battery, then known as Agent Orange.^[1]

When the Sinestro Corps War ended, multiple Yellow Lantern Rings made their way to the Vega system, and the Guardians authorized the Green Lanterns to enter the system and capture the rings and their bearers. Agent Orange tolerated them as they did not head to Okaara. However, the Controllers, aware of the coming War of Light, decided to seek out the orange light and harness it for their own power. Journeying to Okaara, the Controllers discovered Larfleeze's underground palace and entered. They found the Orange Lantern Power Battery and attempted to claim it, only for Agent Orange to unleash the Orange Lanterns from the battery to kill the Controllers.^[2] Enraged at this perceived violation, Agent Orange sent the Orange Lanterns to capture the Green Lantern Stel, who was pursuing a member of the Sinestro Corps. Stel was captured and seriously damaged, and Agent Orange ordered the Orange Lanterns to brand Stel with their seal. When the Green Lanterns recovered Stel and returned him to Oa, a hologram of Agent Orange burst forth and confronted the Guardians about the attempt to steal the Orange Battery. Although the Guardians pointed out that it was the Controllers who had entered Vega, Agent Orange refused to listen, and declared that the treaty was null and void, and that the Guardians would submit to his demands or face the wrath of the Orange Lanterns. Saying that the Guardians did not negotiate with terrorists, the Scarred Guardian blasted the Agent Orange hologram and presented a motion to repeal the Vega ban.^[2]

Despite reservations, the Guardians went ahead with the repeal of the ban. Making their way to Okaara, the Guardians and the Green Lanterns were soon attacked by Orange Lanterns. Larfleeze's lanterns began draining the energy from the constructs the Guardians and the Green Lanterns created, and managed to kill Gretti and steal his ring, adding Gretti's power to his own. However, Larfleeze quickly realized that Hal Jordan had a Blue Lantern Ring that he could not drain. Intrigued, Agent Orange dragged Hal underground and demanded that he surrender the ring.

Larfleeze touches the ring in his desire for it, and is forced back by the power of the blue light (the ring itself claiming that "hope is selfless"). This enrages Larfleeze, who bargains with Jordan over it, telling the history of how he got the Orange Lantern Power Battery.^[3] Though Jordan agrees to give the ring to Larfleeze, he finds he is unable to remove it. Not finding this to be an acceptable answer, Larfleeze creates an axe from the orange light and removes Jordan's hand by force. No longer attached to Jordan, the blue power ring welcomes Larfleeze to the Blue Lantern Corps.^[1]

For a moment the constant hunger he feels is pacified, but the relief is temporary as the reader is shown at the beginning of the following issue that Jordan's blue ring created an illusion to deceive him. Sensing Larfleeze's hope for relief, it made him believe he gained the blue ring he desired when in actuality he had never cut off Jordan's hand at all. Jordan returns to battle Larfleeze with the Green Lantern Corps. During the battle, Jordan is possessed by the overwhelming orange power of avarice after briefly seizing Larfleeze's power battery (assuming that by stealing it, Larfleeze would no longer be able to power his army of constructs). Unfortunately, it was explained that Larfleeze has been in contact with the orange battery for so long that it is as much a part of him as the main power battery in Oa is a part of the Guardians.^[4]

Jordan is able to subdue Larfleeze by finally gaining control over his blue power ring. The Guardians realize that if they take the battery from Larfleeze, someone else would inevitably find it, becoming a new Agent Orange. Preferring to know where Agent Orange was, they decide to negotiate with Larfleeze once more. The details of the negotiation are not fully revealed to the reader, however it is shown that Larfleeze asked the Guardians where he could find a blue power ring. The issue ends with Larfleeze launching an assault on the Blue Lantern Corps, sending a group of his Orange Lantern constructs to Odym.^[4] Though Larfleeze remains on Okaara (observing the progress of the conflict through his power battery), he sends a construct of himself to accompany his Orange Lanterns.^[5][6]

Blackest Night

As the battle rages on in Odym, however, a swarm of Black Lantern Rings fly into his palace and latch into the corpses of all the victims he had accrued over the years. While at first he is overjoyed at the concept of a new ring he could hold, he soon became horrified at the power of the Black Lanterns, and tried unsuccessfully to destroy them until Atrocitus of the Red Lantern Corps managed to reach him, demanding he surrender the Orange Lantern Power Battery.^[7][8] Larfleeze is saved by the intervention of Saint Walker, Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris, Indigo-1, and Sinestro, who convince both of them to join to face the Black Lanterns.^[9] Larfleeze greedily demands the group for his cooperation if they give him what he wants, such as his own Guardian in which Sayd promises that when the battle is done, she will become one for him, despite the objections of her fellow Guardian Ganthet; and a planet-sized buffet, all for him, to placate his intense hunger. His demands greatly annoy Atrocitus and Sinestro, in which the former wants to kill him and that the latter approves as Larfleeze's ring will go to another bearer which they could find and locate its owner. However, Indigo-1 defends Larfleeze, stating that he is not inherently evil and that his hunger is merely a side effect of the orange light. Saint Walker approaches Larfleeze, telling him that his attack on Odym is forgiven and that as long as Saint Walker is near, the blue ring will keep Larfleeze's hunger at bay. Larfleeze finally relinquishes and accompanies the group to Ryut and Earth in a failed attempt to destroy the Black Lantern Central Power Battery. During the assault, he attempted to consume the Black Lantern Guardian Scar as his own, but she managed to gain the upper hand, which forced the other members of the group to destroy her.^[10] After the mastermind behind the Blackest Night, Nekron turns all the resurrected heroes into Black Lanterns, Ganthet initializes a program in Hal's ring which duplicates the ring and welcomes Ganthet into the Green Lantern Corps. His last act as Guardian was to initialize the same program in the rings of the other Lanterns. Larfleeze's ring duplicated and went to Lex Luthor, who was consumed by the power of the orange light and started attacking the Lanterns, demanding their rings, but Larfleeze does not want to share the power and attacked Luthor. After defeating Luthor for control of the Orange Lanterns he handed him over and received his Guardian as promised.

Brightest Day

Larfleeze later finds and assaults Lex Luthor, asking him what humans value most, to which Lex responds that the most valuable possession is land. Larfleeze is shown to have taken up residence in a small, upper midwestern town. He sends his Orange Lanterns into town to steal things for him. When Hal Jordan confronts him and tells him to leave the town alone, Larfleeze tells him that he will not need to ransack the town anymore because he has learned of the legend of Santa Claus. Larfleeze intends to make lists of all the things he wants and send them to Santa Claus. When Hal tries to explain to Larfleeze that Santa Claus is not real, Larfleeze comments that the mountain of stuff, that he has stolen, is evidence to the contrary. Frustrated, Hal reveals that he has come to Larfleeze to find out how he was able to trap the orange entity in his lantern, so that they can trap the other entities to keep them out of the hands of the one trying to collect them. Before Larfleeze can tell him Hector Hammond arrives. After struggling with Larfleeze and Hal for the battery, Hammond ends up swallowing it. This frees Ophidian and the entity of avarice takes Hammond as its host. Larfleeze shows a great deal of concern at Ophidian's freedom, particularly because it seems that Ophidian does not like him very much. The battle with Ophidian does not go very well for Hal or Larfleeze. While fleeing Ophidian, Larfleeze admits that he was not entirely honest about his ownership of the orange lantern and that he and Ophidian have a rather antagonistic relationship; however, he is quick to blame Ophidian for starting whatever it was that came between them. Ophidian states that Larfleeze was the only being in the universe capable of resisting his temptations, thereby allowing Larfleeze to subdue him and become Agent Orange -- and that now it is Larfleeze's turn to be subdued and used by Ophidian. Ophidian then attempts to devour Larfleeze, but this is prevented by Hal. After that the desires of Hector Hammond begin to override those of Ophidian and he leaves to search for his ultimate desire, Carol Ferris.

Hal has to get to Las Vegas to save Carol, and Larfleeze (who is in a state of near hysteria, telling Hal that he cannot live without his lantern) demands to come. Once there Larfleeze seems to forget entirely about Ophidian and his lost lantern (which appears to have had no effect on his ability to spawn orange lanterns) and instead revels in the rich culture of Las Vegas. He is stopped by the Predator, who forces him to experience the sadness of his empty heart, briefly causing him to think of his family. He is later taken to Zamaron by the Star Sapphires along with Hal, Carol, The Predator, and Abraham Pointe (the man possessed by the Predator). Larfleeze is present when Carol is named the new Queen of the Star Sapphires, and states that he wants to be queen. While watching over Pointe, Larfleeze is shaken to discover that Pointe knows of his past through the Predator -- that he was taken from his family, and that "Larfleeze" is not his real name. Larfleeze almost kills Pointe to keep him from speaking his name, before returning to Earth with the others to meet a young woman who has been possessed by the hope entity, Adara. Adara reveals to a shocked Larfleeze that his parents are still alive, and that they miss him.

Larfleeze Christmas Special

On Christmas Day, Larfleeze is outraged to discover that Santa Claus has not brought him anything that he asked for. He attacks every costumed Santa in the nearby town, and tries to melt the North Pole, only to be stopped by Hal Jordan. Jordan tells Larfleeze of Christmas spirit, and how it comes from giving. On Hal's suggestion, Larfleeze gives away every item in his mountain of possessions, but afterwards declares that he does not like Christmas spirit. Jordan then suggests that he look over his Christmas list and see if he actually needed anything there. That night, Larfleeze stares at a part of his list, on which he had written "my family".

War of the Green Lanterns

When Krona's attack trapped the other six New Guardians in the Book of the Black, Hal was able to escape with their rings. Although he initially discouraged John Stewart from using the ring due to its psychological effects, Hal later used Larfleeze's Orange ring in conjunction with Sinestro's ring to hold off the attacking brainwashed Green Lanterns long enough for Guy to break Parallax out of the Central Power Battery and restore their comrades to normal. While trapped inside the Book of the Black, Larfleeze was forced to relive a childhood memory of slavery.

This history is continued in The New 52 at Larfleeze (Prime Earth).
The DC Universe was rebooted in 2011 as part of the Flashpoint event. This was an attempt to simplify continuity, and make DC Comics more accessible to new readers. Prior to this, mainstream comics took place in New Earth continuity since the Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985. The continuity established following Flashpoint is Prime Earth.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Alien Physiology
  • Immortality: Larfleeze appears to have an incredibly long Life Span, having lived on Okaara for a millennium and he said he is more than 2 million years old during the Manhunter Event which happened billions of years ago.
  • Incredible Sense of Smell: Larfleeze possesses an extremely powerful sense of smell, as he was able to detect the presence of the New Guardians on Okaara, despite them being some distance away on the surface, and Larfleeze himself being underground.
  • Superhuman Durability: Larfleeze mentions that his people cannot die quickly or easily.
  • Orange Energy Conduit: For some reason (Possibly from spending a great deal of time around the orange energy), Larfleeze can tap into the energy without a ring and can wield an Orange Lantern Ring without a need to recharge it.

Abilities

• Thievery
• Orange Ring Mastery: Larfleeze has mastered the Orange Ring, allowing him to summon dozens of Energy Avatars in the form of the beings he has killed, for extended periods of time, to act as his soldiers, carrying out his orders and killing his enemies. Since he is a living battery, his rings never need to recharge and can use a ring for a great deal of time.

Other Characteristics

• Obsession: Larfleeze is completely consumed by his greed, making him paranoid and fearful of...well, everyone.
• Insatiable Hunger: As a side effect of the Orange Light, Larfleeze is overwhelmed by an almost insatiable hunger, forcing him to constantly crave for large quantities of food.
• Vulnerability to Blue and Violet Light: Larfleeze's Orange Ring cannot absorb energy from a Blue Ring, and is useless against a Violet Ring's energy. In addition the energy of a Blue Ring can counteract some of the side effects of his Orange Ring.
• Mental Disorder: Larfleeze is crazy and believed that he was from a made up planet called Sh'Kputzz and in a dream he talked to his supposed mother in a dream and she mentions that his mind has collapsed in of itself and his supposed memories may have come from years of longing. Anything about his history may be false or untrue.
  

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Orange Lantern Power Battery

Weapons

• Orange Lantern Ring

Related

• 46 Appearances of Larfleeze (New Earth)
• 22 Images featuring Larfleeze (New Earth)
• 6 Quotations by or about Larfleeze (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Larfleeze (New Earth)

Footnotes

Orange Lantern Corps member This character is or was a member of the Orange Lantern Corps, whose greed knows no bounds. Due to the nature of avarice, only one person can wield the Orange Light at a time. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Orange Lantern Corps members category."

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."