Once upon a time, one of DC’s most iconic Silver Age heroes faced a tipping point. But how did Hal Jordan spend his shot at redemption? Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of The Final Night #4 awaits!

THE FINAL NIGHT #4

Writer: Karl Kesel
Penciler: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Colorist: Trish Mulvihill
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Editor: Dan Thorsland
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $1.95
Current Near-Mint Pricing: $6.00
Release Date: September 25, 1996

Previously in The Final Night: When an alien warrior crash-lands on Earth, warning of an oncoming Sun-Eater, the heroes of Earth banded together to try and ward the being off. After every plan failed, just as they had for dozens of other worlds, everything seems hopeless. As the Sun dies out, even Superman’s power begins to fail, leaving the heroes with few meaningful options, until Lex Luthor steps up with a plan of his own.
Those who remember the Silver Age adventures of the Legion of Super-Heroes probably recognize this plan, as it was how the first Sun-Eater ever encountered was ever destroyed, thanks to the sacrifice of a young man named Ferro Lad. Of course, that wasn’t the original plan, as they had an Earth-1 Kryptonian handy. The heroes of New Earth decide to send the last Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner, instead, only to have him suddenly teleported away by person or persons unknown.

The question then becomes, who will fly the ship into the Sun-Eater?
I’ve always found this particular moment to be highly suspect, because even as it shows that Luthor is willing to sacrifice someone else to save the world, it has Superman and the League judging him for being just human. It’s exactly the kind of behavior that Luthor mistrusts the metahumans for. Stuart Immonen’s art doesn’t get the appreciation that some of his contemporaries do, but the visuals are incredibly powerful. Luthor’s cowardice, Superman’s disappointment, and the distaste on the faces of the Justice League pull the whole sequence together so well that you almost don’t notice the disturbing undertones.

That said, it is a powerful moment for Superman, as he volunteers to fly Luthor’s force-shield Hail Mary plan into the creature. But, just as his counterpart did, the Legionnaire called Ferro believes himself more disposable than Superman, and decides to take his place. As the spacecraft blasts away, it seems like Ferro is doomed, until the secret of Green Lantern’s sudden exit is revealed.
Earth’s first Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, lost his mind after the destruction of his hometown of Coast City during a previous crossover, and sought out the power to set things right… by resetting the entire universe. Naturally, that put him at odds with the Justice League and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps, which led to a murder spree and other complications, eventually turning him into the villain Parallax. The conversation with his successor (as well as a number of other characters, seen in his own solo one-shot) has convinced Parallax to use his power to not only stop the Sun-Eater, but heal the damage to the Sun and the entire planet. As Ferro prepares to die, he laments that he didn’t give back his flight ring, only to have Parallax appear and assure him, “I know how important rings can be.”
Teleporting Ferro safely back home, Hal does exactly what he said he would, reigniting the Sun, carefully warming the planet a little bit at a time. It’s another moment brought to life perfectly by Immonen, especially since it is, for the most part, just a man hanging in a black-and-green void. It’s a goosebumps moment as he musters his energies and speaks his Green Lantern oath for the final time. Unfortunately, it takes every ounce of his stolen power to do it, and he is unable to finish his Green Lantern oath before the end. As the heroes rejoice, Saturn Girl confirms that he did not survive the process, leaving the heroes of Earth to ruminate about redemption.
The end of this story is very well-done, not taking a side in the debate between Superman’s optimism and Batman’s “DAAARKNESSSSS. NOOO PAREEEENTS!” negativity, but leaving the readers and the other heroes of the DC Universe to examine their own beliefs. The Final Night #4 is the end of a remarkably solid giant crossover story, improving on the nonsense that was Zero Hour, putting an end to Parallax, and remarkably, ending on a positive note for once, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars overall.

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THE FINAL NIGHT #4

87%

87%

The End That Should Have Stuck

Whether or not Jordan's sacrifice was enough to redeem him or not is still up for debate, but one thing is sure: His resurrection was unnecessary and makes this well-done story seem meaningless.

• Writing

  8
• Art

  9
• Coloring

  9
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