Random Happenstance

In the old Star Trek episode, "The Devil in the Dark," there's a scene where Dr. McCoy yells at a crewmember, to beam down the thermal concrete like he asked, "...and never mind what I want it for. I just want it! Now move!" And that seems to be how I'm buying action figures lately, since I don't usually buy a lot of McFarlane figures, but I wanted Atrocitus. Because, that's why! Although, Build-a-Figures or "Collect to Build" rarely come with accessories, so he didn't have a Red Lantern or his beloved pet, Dex-Starr! But there may be more rage-inducing elements in this issue: from 2013, Red Lanterns #18, "The Decision" Written by Peter Milligan, art by Miguel Sepulveda.

I had to re-read Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 before this post, since like so much DC continuity, this spins-off a throwaway line in an Alan Moore story. Billions of years ago, space sector 666 was destroyed by the Manhunters, as part of a ploy of the renegade Guardian Krona to show maybe robot space-cops wasn't such a great idea. There were only five survivors, beings that would eventually become the demonic Five Inversions, and one of them was Atrocitus, formerly Atros of Ryutt. He had seen his wife and daughter murdered before his eyes, which would set him on a path of vengeance spanning millennia...but what if it didn't have to be that way? This was part of yet another Green Lantern-title crossover, "Wrath of the First Lantern," featuring the return of the nigh-omnipotent Volthoom. (A name that might ring a bell if you know your Crime Syndicate!)

Volthoom toys with Atrocitus, wondering where his "critical moment" was. And, just to see what would happen, he offers to show him "an alternate life-path," It's a Wonderful Life-style: what if the Manhunters hadn't destroyed his world? Would Atros have lived a happy and peaceful life? Not according to Volthoom, anyway: in his version, Atros becomes a tyrant, conquering his world, even murdering his wife in a show trial. Atrocitus argues he never hit his wife, Volthoom says in that life you did: someone with the potential to become Atrocitus was never going to be "a regular man." But, at the peak of power, his son avenges his mother, gunning down Atros. Volthoom suggests he may want to reconsider hating the Manhunters: "They saved you from yourself."

Still, Volthoom offers Atrocitus the chance to change things, to stop the massacre of his planet...even if it would mean death at the hands of his son. Atrocitus declines, which leaves Volthoom free to get the Macguffin he wanted, which would make him controller of all reality. Atrocitus then makes a call to all Red Lanterns: he had discovered the individual responsible for the destruction of his homeworld...Atrocitus! He could have stopped it, and didn't; and orders all Red Lanterns to execute him, immediately...!

I only read a few issues of this fresh off the racks, but Milligan takes what should probably the dumbest thing ever, and makes some interesting choices: how long can rage keep you going? What will you be if you let go? Some bastards probably should die, but who should make that choice? Atrocitus does seem to occasionally consider the deeper issues, then get rolled back to being the basic bad guy since his name is "Atrocitus." We don't see Dex-Starr this issue, either: he would be softened a bit later in Justice League Odyssey, because he's a cat and everyone loves them, even though he really was a hatey little monster.