Laira (comics)

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caption=Laira bestowed with the ring of a Red Lantern.
Art by Mike McKone.
comic_color=background:#8080ff
character_name=Laira
real_name=Laira Omoto
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Green Lantern Corps Quarterly" #6 (1993)
creators=Ruben Diaz
Travis Charest

alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
alliances=Green Lantern Corps
aliases=
powers=Red Power Ring|

Laira Omoto is a fictional character in comic books from DC Comics. Laira is an average height well-muscled female humanoid Green Lantern with purple skin and auburn hair. She first appeared in "Green Lantern Corps Quarterly" #6 (Autumn 1993) in the story entitled "What Price Honor?"

Fictional character biography

Early years

Laira was born on the planet Jayd in space sector 112. She was trained by her father Kentor Omoto to take over his role as a soldier of the Guardians of the Universe as Green Lantern of her sector. Her training was also one strict with tradition and honor. During her training she became exceptionally adept at her native martial arts. Throughout his time with his daughter he never hid the fact that the ruling council of his planet were not doing things the way he would, he saw their rule as weak and disreputable."Green Lantern Corps Quarterly" #6] After the disappearance of her father during the Crisis on Infinite Earths and the proclamation by the Guardians that he was dead, she was considered for the post of ring bearer and Green Lantern of her sector. Her instructor turned out to be Ke'Haan of Varva, Kilowog's second in command. Most would have thought her doomed to fail as Ke'Haan was renowned for his tough as nails training. More green lantern recruits flunked out or quit under him than anyone else. Eager to please and finding a kindred spirit of honor within her teacher, she became his prized pupil."Green Lantern" (vol. 4) #12]

Green Lantern of Sector 112

To complete her training she was sent to the city of X'ol on her home planet. Her mission was to put an end to one who had become known as the 'Golden Dragon'. When she used her formidable skill to infiltrate his Castle, she made a startling discovery. Upon coming face to face with the villain, he was revealed to be her previously thought dead father, Kentor Omoto. Discovering that her father had become a tyrant in X'ol, she was shocked and hesitated to attack him. He explained to her his return from the crisis and to his home planet, where the years of sitting idly by had finally broken him. He was disgusted by the behavior of the people of X'ol and had crossed the same ethical line as Sinestro, using his ring to influence the people's behavior as well as that of the ruling council. When the guardians discovered his actions, he was charged with political interference and was stripped of his power ring and returned to Jayd. Once he was back home, the ruling council exiled him. Having lost everything he created the identity of the Golden Dragon so that he could remake X'ol in his image. Her father pled with her to forget the guardians and the things he had taught her about honor. Realizing her father endangered not just X'ol but all of Jayd she engaged him in battle and through her skills, coupled with the teachings of her mentor Ke'haan, she bested the fallen Lantern. Omoto defeated by his daughter asked her to kill him, as honor demanded his blood for what he had done. She however refused and he instead committed Hara Kiri.

Her mission completed, Laira returned to Oa angry at the guardians for hiding the true nature of her mission from her. The guardians impressed with her loyalty and skill, awarded her the title of Green Lantern of her sector and inducted her into the Green Lantern Corps, she had passed their test. She was known as one of the Corps' fiercest warriors, and her martial arts skills were second to none. She is noted as never looking at her target, so that every attack is a surprise. Due to the amount of time she spent with Ke'Haan, many in the Corps thought that they had a relationship separate and apart from teacher and pupil despite the fact that Ke'Haan had a family. However, both were too honorable to start an affair despite the developing feelings. Nevertheless, they could often be found together on Green Lantern Corps missions.

Emerald Twilight and Beyond

When word that Hal Jordan had gone rogue reached the guardians on Oa, they quickly sent word to their fiercest warriors. Laira and her mentor, Ke'Haan, engaged Hal Jordan but fell to his increased power and near psychotic rage. She and Ke'Haan were both stripped of their power rings and left for dead. ["Green Lantern" (vol. 3) #49]

She was later discovered by a reformed Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner to be held captive by the Manhunters, along with the other "Lost Lanterns," including Kreon, and Tomar-Tu, who had recently escaped to kill Jordan in revenge for his rampage. ["Green Lantern" (vol. 4) #10-12] She, her mentor, and the others, with the help of Jordan and Gardner, put an end to the manhunter planet of Biot and returned to Oa where she resumed her duties as Green Lantern of her sector. ["Green Lantern" (vol. 4) #13] During the Sinestro Corps war, Laira and the Lost Lanterns came to Hal Jordan's aid on Qward. the group then split up, with Laira, Ke'Haan and Boodikka searching for Ion, and Hal, Graf Toren, and Tomar-Tu looking for John Stewart and Guy Gardner. Laira's group would then run into the Anti-Monitor, who slaughtered Ke'Haan, but they were able to recover Ion and return to Oa.

After preventing the invasion of Coast City by the Sinestro Corps, Laira visited the Crypt of the Green Lanterns to mourn Ke'Haan's death. Hannu reveals to Boodikka that the two had been attracted for some time, but that Ke'Haan had refused her because he had a family on his home planet. Laira and the Lost Lanterns set out to his homeworld to deliver news of his death, only to find that his family has been murdered by Sinestro Corps member Amon Sur. Enraged by this act, Laira ignores Sur's requests that he be taken into custody (to which he had willingly submitted), and the Lantern murders him. Afterwards, Laira is held in custody on Oa, while her fellow Lanterns who were with her at Amon Sur's death all testified that she murdered him. She was placed in the custody of the newly founded Alpha Lanterns, and then tried by the Guardians, who found her guilty and stripped her of her power ring."Green Lantern" (vol. 4) #28]

After her trial, Laira was supposed to be transported back to her homeworld Jayd by Hannu, until a red power ring attacked their ship and chose Laira as its bearer, making her the second person to become a Red Lantern. [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=149332 Newsarama.com: GEOFF JOHNS: SECRET ORIGINS AND BLACKEST NIGHT] ]

Footnotes

ee also

*Graf Toren
*Kreon
*Boodikka
*Jack T. Chance
*Tomar-Tu
*Ke'Haan
*Emerald Twilight