Green Lantern's powers and abilities
Green Lantern Ring Jordan's constructs are among the most powerful. When he creates them, one often witnesses an "afterburner" behind Jordan of all his stray thoughts unconnected to the job at hand.
Bright Green Energy Conduit
The rings use pure energy supplied by a Power Battery, which in most cases takes the form of bright green light. This energy is the green light of willpower of the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum. Rot Lop Fan, from a race without eyes, perceives it as the sound "F-Sharp" and his 'ring' is actually a bell. A Green Lantern's ring, considered by some to be one of the most powerful weapons in the known universe, has the ability to affect and use fundamental forces of the known universe, including electromagnetic energies such as gravity, radiation, heat, light, and powerful blasts of concussive force. It is also theorized that the ring also has a basis in other dimensional energies commonly called magic by users of such energies. The ring can also create fields of force formed from an unknown energy that is bound by the users' will. The limitations of such use are the skill, knowledge and imagination of the user. Some of the abilities that a Green Lantern Ring has shown are:
Energy Projection
The ring can be used to fire blasts of Oan energy or create weapons such as projectiles of them. The ring can project beams of force powered by the will of the user. The ring can be used to produce kryptonite and kryptonite radiation. Kyle generally used fanciful constructs in the shape of advanced technology. Their appearance does not indicate the power of the weapon. The weapon's power is more an indication of the will of the user. Certain users (i.e. Hal Jordan) have been powerful enough to stagger even Superman. If the user wishes, they can alter the form of the blasts such as Kilowog's "booms."
Force Field
The ring can create various force fields of various sizes and shapes to protect the wearer and others around him. With the cosmic scope of a Green Lantern's duties, it is only natural that the power ring is designed for operation in space. The ring creates a force field around the wearer, protecting him/her/it from the hazards of the void including filtration of stellar radiation and microscopic particulate matter which would ordinarily be fatal should the space debris strike the ring wielder at high speeds. An atmosphere appropriate to the ring wielder's biology is created inside the force-field while body temperature is maintained and waste products are removed. Gravitational stresses which could cause injury are stabilized for the ring wielder. Theoretically, a ring wielder could use the ring as his/her/its sole source of life support. The force field seems to be created instantaneously whether this is due to programming or an instinctive reaction from intensive training has not been established. It could be considered as a subroutine of the ring's automatic defensive system, but as of yet this theory has not been proven. The only exception to that was attacks based on the color yellow. The newer version of the ring is not limited by the color yellow.
Energy Constructs
The ring can form constructs of Oan energy. The primary function of the Power Ring is to provide a weapon capable of transforming the wearer's thoughts into physical constructs through the wearer's strength of willpower. A Green Lantern can create any particular items or construct that they can imagine as long as they have the willpower necessary to will it into existence. The constructs are made out of bright green energy, which is a tangible form of pure willpower, and they exist only as long as a Green Lantern is fueling it with their willpower. Items created by the rings are not indestructible and are only as powerful as the willpower of the Green Lantern creating them. The types of constructs usually reflects the ring wearer's personality. For example, Kyle Rayner was an artist, so his constructs reflect his strong imagination. John Stewart is an architect so his constructs often appear mechanical as if he designed them in his mind before making them a reality.
Phasing
The Power Ring allows the wearer to pass through certain solid objects such as walls. Which objects that are not penetrable are not known, but it may depend upon the strength of the wearer's willpower and the density of the object's molecular structure.
Environmental Playback
Upon request, the power ring can recreate a holographic environment based on data in its memory banks. The ring wielder can observe events in a ghostlike state, but the ring wielder cannot alter the outcome of the playback. All objects in the playback will appear in the full spectrum of colors, regardless of the wielder's level of expertise creating simulacra. The power ring will automatically end the playback if outside interference warrants the ring wielder's undivided attention.
Invisibility & Light Refraction
A ring wielder can render him/her/itself invisible by willing the ring to bend light waves around his/her/its form, as well as that of the power ring. Presumably, a similar action allows an experienced ring wielder to create objects of colors other than green. As Hal Jordan's experience grew, he was able to create power ring illusions of people and objects. It can be assumed the ring wielder would not risk the extra time and effort to create other colors in a combat situation. An invisibility shield was used by Hal Jordan to hide his power ring, which would only become visible when he changed to Green Lantern.
Energy Twin
The power ring allows the wearer to create an "energy twin" of his/her/itself that can travel at far greater speeds than that of the ring wielder's physical form. While the energy twin is active the ring wielder remains motionless, his/her/its life force is needed to guide the energy twin. The energy twin can not alter its surroundings and may only be perceived by the Guardians or another ring wielder as a green, ghostlike image. Any knowledge gained by the energy twin is transferred back to the ring wielder's physical form upon recontact with the body. The Guardians frequently used energy twins as a means of contacting a Green Lantern. As a rule, a ring wielder can not create actual, independent duplicates of him/her/itself, as the power ring cannot create life.
Energy Absorption
The ring can absorb and store other energies. Doing so does NOT replenish the normal store of energy the ring has. A ring that needs recharging but contained a store of electricity could only discharge that electricity, for example.
Flight
By the manipulation of anti-gravitons and directed molecular movement, the ring allows the user to fly at incredible speeds. In atmosphere, a Green Lantern has been known to fly as fast as Mach 10 in atmosphere by creating an aerodynamic envelope around his body. Towing others, usually within a bubble, his speed is limited to the twice the speed of sound or 1440 mph. In space, Green Lantern's speed can be significantly greater and has been known to approach 99% of light speed in normal space. Flight has been shown to be velocities far exceeding light speed. In atmospheres, air friction is not a hindrance since heat is either absorbed or reflected by the ring's field.
Superhuman Strength
While not superstrength of the conventional sense, a Lantern while using constructs created by the ring becomes capable of lifting/moving tremendous weights far heavier than 100 tons with little effort.
Wormholes & Spacial Warps
The power ring grants its wearer access to wormholes in space, enabling the ring wielder to rapidly cut time and distance needed for transport. The Guardians established at least one known wormhole to Oa, which required the use of a power ring to enter. Black holes can be navigated by experienced ring wielders. During a battle with Sinestro and his ally, MadGod Sector 3600, members of the Green Lantern Corps of Earth and the Green Lantern Corps of the Klyminade traveled through a black hole to be deposited outside a white hole in Space Sector 872. The power ring cannot generate a Boom Tube as it needs a Mother Box and a sample of the highly unstable X-Element. There is no known way to duplicate either item even with the power ring. Should a Green Lantern make his/her/its way to the other-dimensional worlds of Apokolips or New Genesis through a Boom Tube, the ring will function as it does in the rest of the universe. John Stewart encountered no ring related difficulties during his stay on New Genesis, despite the loss of the Central Power Battery. The ring wielder would still need a Boom Tube to return to his/her/its dimension.
Time Travel
Time travel is possible with the power ring, though the further forward in time a ring wielder travels, the more willpower it takes. As Green Lantern, Hal Jordan once explored as far as the 70th century. Jordan had also traveled to the 58th century as Pol Manning, a role later adopted by Salakk of Slyggia.
Limited Cellular Regeneration
The ring has an ability to heal physical injuries; this seems to be a feature held over from the previous incarnations of the ring. Green Lantern can use the ring to repair injuries in himself or others. Speculation has been rendered that if Kyle actually had medical knowledge he would be able to cure a wider variety of dysfunctions beyond normal physical injuries.
Electromagnetic Scanning
The ring has a wide range of detection abilities based on the imagination of the user. If one can conceive of it, he can probably detect it. Magical effects like clairvoyance seem to be beyond the scope of the ring. Most normal electromagnetic phenomena are within the range of the ring, including radio, radar, television, infrared, ultraviolet, microwave, and high frequency band communications.
Galactic Encyclopedia
The earlier rings worn by the Corps functioned as references for their users. Having the vast knowledge of the Book of Oa to draw upon, each ring functioned as a ready reference on most peoples, stellar events and conditions that may have been seen by other rings or other Green Lanterns. The rings also served as a repository of adventures had by the Green Lantern and these mission reports were stored in the Prime Battery on Oa for review and training.
Universal Translator
Keeping in mind the myriad of worlds, life forms, and cultures throughout the cosmos, it is understandable why the Guardians added a translation system to the power ring. The power ring can translate virtually any language in the universe, facilitating diplomatic encounters rather than violent confrontations. Complications arise when a frame of reference for translation is not available, as evidenced during Katma Tui's induction of Rot Lop Fan into the Green Lantern Corps. Katma Tui had the difficult assignment of explaining the concepts of "light" and "color" to the sightless Rot Lop Fan. She overcame this barrier by using sound rather than light as the basis of the ring's power. Some Green Lanterns, such as the planet form known as Mogo, have used the ring to create an intermediary "being" to expedite communication. However, this ability seems less effective since the restoration; it is possible that not all the data was recovered.
Material Alteration
The Green Lantern's uniform is not made out of fabric. It is created by the Power Ring whenever the wearer wills to wear it. It automatically appears over the wearer's normal clothing, and vanishes when the wearer wills to return to their civilian attire. Most Green Lanterns wear similar uniforms that are programmed into the ring by default such as Hal Jordan's uniform. However, each Green Lantern is able to adjust their uniform to fit their own needs, personalities and whims. For example, Kyle Rayner was unsatisfied with the traditional Green Lantern uniform and created several of his own designs. John Stewart's uniform is similar to Hal Jordan's, but lacks a mask to hide his identity. Jack Chance is the most extreme example, refusing to wear a uniform save for a Lantern badge on his trench coat. The green parts of the wearer's uniform are usually very warm or hot to those who touch it, while the black parts are very cold. The uniform also produces a "siren" taking on the form of the Green Lantern Corps' symbol, circling the Green Lantern when active. The symbol, or badge, will not appear on the uniform until after a newly inducted Lantern has completed training on Oa, leading to the term "White-circle" to describe a rookie Lantern.
Ring Duplication
Most Power Rings are capable of automatically duplicating themselves. Each duplicate typically shares the qualities and capabilities of the original ring. While the thought of an unauthorized person getting a hold of a power ring and making duplicates for nefarious purposes, their ability to inflict damage is limited because each duplicate still requires to be recharged by a personal power battery.
Emergency Beacon
A Green Lantern in distress can use his/her/its power ring as an emergency beacon. The alert can be directed to a Green Lantern's neighboring sector, or it can be a Corps-wide alert.
Homing Beacon
A homing beacon in the power ring can lead one Green Lantern to another. This was one of the recent power ring upgrade features added by the Guardians of the Universe. The power ring can be ordered to disguise itself to elude power ring wielding trackers. Guy Gardner successfully escaped the Green Lantern Corps of Earth by willing the power ring to keep his location a secret. Most often ring wielders will allow the beacon to signal their location to others. The Green Lantern Corps of Earth found the remnants of the Green Lantern Corps of The Klyminade by tracking them through their power rings.
Mind Alteration
Though the ethics of mind tampering may be debatable, sometimes it is necessary. As the power ring relies on thought and will to operate, mind tampering is not impossible. The real difficulty lies in properly applying the power. There lies a risk of catastrophic damage to the mind should mistakes be made. A ring wielder can use the power ring to erase portions of an individual's memories. To protect his secret identity as Hal Jordan, Green Lantern created a mental block in the mind of Major Disaster. Green Lanterns have used mind techniques as part of training. New recruits may be subjected to mind scans by other Green Lanterns or the Guardians of the Universe. They are taught to build mental defenses to protect themselves from psionic attack. The power ring can also be used to beam information from the ring wielder to another being. Green Lanterns have used this technique to share information regarding their enemies during combat situations.
Pocket Dimension
Within the ring exists the possibility of an entire world. When Green Lantern Abin Sur of Ungara defeated the evil sorcerer Myrwhydden, he reduced the magician to submicroscopic size and imprisoned him inside the power ring within a world created by the Green Lantern's will. This undefined space may be a tesseract or a virtual reality created by the power ring. Whether or not this area exists in all rings has yet to be proven. Years after Abin Sur's death, Myrwhydden's power grew, allowing him to alter his environment and escape to battle the next Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. The power ring's interior appeared as a barren wasteland, dotted with dead trees and sea shells which Myrwhydden used during an escape attempt. A few years ago, Mywhydden was removed from the power ring to be sentenced to an Oan Sciencell.
Security Protocol
The rings can be programmed. They are coded to the wearer to make them unusable if stolen. The ring will refuse to take an action that would kill a being unless they are on Oa or with permission. The Guardians recently removed the lethal force prohibition, first to allow lethal force against members of the Sinestro Corps, then against all enemies of the Green Lantern Corps.
Preset Conditions
Commands can be stored in the ring to be executed at a later date even if the bearer is not wearing the ring. This ability was demonstrated by Ch'p, who surrendered his ring but ordered it to restrain his enemy after a few moments had passed.
Thought Relay
Otherwise known as a telepathic link.
