Sodam Yat

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caption= Sodam Yat from Green Lantern Corps #17
Art by Patrick Gleason
character_name=Ion
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Green Lantern Annual" #2 (1986)
creators=Alan Moore (writer)
Kevin O'Neill (artist)
full_name = Sodam Yat
species = Daxamite
homeworld = Daxam
alliances=Green Lantern Corps
partners =
aliases =
supports=
powers=Daxamite powers, Power ring, Ion entity|

Sodam Yat (Pronounced "Sod-amm Yat,") is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in "Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual" #2 (1986), and was created by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill. He is currently operating as Ion, having become one of the most powerful characters in current continuity.

Publication history

First introduction

Sodam Yat is a prophesied future member of the Green Lantern Corps, created by Alan Moore and appears initially in "Tygers", a story in "Green Lantern Annual" #2 (cover billed as "Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #2"). He is mentioned in passing to Abin Sur by a demon named Qull of the Five Inversions, who had been imprisoned on the planet Ysmault by the Guardians of the Universe. As a Daxamite (a race with inherent Superman-like powers) with a power ring, he would be nearly unstoppable. Despite this, in Qull's prophecy, he is still defeated as part of the final destruction of the Green Lantern Corps.

Alan Moore planned to use the character in his proposed story, "Twilight of the Superheroes", which went unpublished. In the proposal that was leaked onto the Internet, the Daxamite Green Lantern is named "Sodol Yat" and is also referred to as "The Ultimate Green Lantern". In that story, Sodol Yat is the last Green Lantern to confront a rogue Superman, who has just killed many Green Lanterns, Thanagarians and the Martian Manhunter, before finally defeating him. The character would subsequently go unused until 2006.

Modern introduction

As a young boy, Sodam Yat wants nothing more than to explore the stars, but the xenophobic Daxam society forbids it. When a spacecraft crashes on Daxam, Sodam rescues the pilot. The pilot, called Tessog, and Sodam become friends, despite not speaking the same language. His parents discover Tessog and kill him, and then brainwash Sodam into thinking his friend was a violent menace. Years later, while on a school field trip to a museum, Sodam freezes at the sight of an anti-alien diorama, featuring Tessog's stuffed and preserved body attacking a Daxamite. This discovery causes Sodam's true memories to resurface. Enraged and disgusted by what had happened, Sodam rebuilds Tessog's ship, planning to leave Daxam forever. On the night of his departure, a Green Lantern ring comes to him, telling he has the ability to overcome great fear, and Sodam becomes a member of the Green Lantern Corps.

Sodam Yat makes his first appearance in regular DC continuity in "Green Lantern Corps" #12, and part three of the "Sinestro Corps War" ("Green Lantern Corps" #14), when Kilowog gathers a group of Lanterns to strike back against Sinestro's forces attack in Space Sector 2263. Salakk singles out Arisia to keep an eye on the newly graduated Lantern Yat, while she wonders why Sodam is so important. Salakk has been charged by the Guardians of the Universe to keep Qull's prophesy from coming to pass, but keeps this to himself, only saying that one day she may know why he is so special. In "Green Lantern Corps" #16, Sodam destroys the core of Ranx the Sentient City, ending the battle of Mogo.

In "Green Lantern Corps" #17 Sodam is chosen as the new host for the Ion entity by the Guardians of the Universe and fights Superman-Prime. The two battle each other fiercely through different areas of New York. Ion begins to unleash Superman-like powers, such as heat vision, to hurt his opponent. While the two trade blows, Ion is thrown into a nuclear power plant. The lead lining the walls causes Ion to weaken. Prime takes the opportunity to spear him with several uranium rods, severely injuring him. Ion tries to escape, only to have Prime knock him into a cemetery. They continue to do battle, each drawing blood from their opponent. Although Ion battles courageously, the lead poisoning and loss of blood begins to affect him and he is beaten unconscious. He is later seen receiving medical attention from Soranik Natu.

After the events of the war, The Guardians request Kyle Rayner assist Sodam in adjusting to his new role. While speaking about Sodam's history and attitude as a Lantern, it is revealed that Sodam must now permanently wear a Power Ring (despite his possession of the Ion powers) to prevent the lead in his body from killing him. They are then attacked by Alexander Nero, who had been freed during the initial assault on Oa but had not participated in the overall Sinestro Corps story. Kyle fights to less than his abilities to encourage Sodam to embrace his status as Ion. Sodam eventually defeats Nero by taking control of Nero's own constructs--something Kyle states that he had never attempted.

Powers and abilities

Daxamite powers

Like their Kryptonian cousins, the Daxamites gain a large number of abilities when exposed to yellow sunlight including super-strength, flight, super-speed, super-hearing, X-ray, heat, microscopic, and telescopic visions. While the Daxamites are near invulnerable while under yellow sunlight, the substance lead is still very lethal to them even in small quantities, as Kryptonite is to Kryptonians. Due to his exposure to lead from pipes stabbed into him by Superman-Prime, Yat must wear his Green Lantern ring at all times to stop the lead poisoning or he will die within a few minutes.

Ion powers

The benevolent Ion entity bestows its host with powers similar to a Green Lantern Corps Power Ring and the Starheart. With those powers, Sodam Yat has been described in some advertising as the most powerful superhero in the universe.

References

*"Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2"
*"Green Lantern Corps"
*"Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime"
*"Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Ion"
*"Green Lantern Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1"