Zamaron

The Zamarons are a fictional extraterrestrial race published by DC Comics. They were first introduced in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #16 (October 1962), and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane.

Fictional species biography

The Zamarons were the female members of the race known as the Maltusians. When the renegade Maltusian scientist Krona performed a forbidden experiment that had terrible effects on the whole universe, the male Maltusians (now called Oans, the race having settled the planet Oa) argued about how to deal with the situation. One group of Maltusians decided to dedicate their eternal existences to contain evil; this group fractured into the Guardians of the Universe and the Controllers. The females, however, saw no need to involve themselves and, since the Oans were by then immortal and had no more need to reproduce, left their mates and became known as the Zamarons (a near-anagram of Amazons).

After billions of years, the Zamarons, Guardians and Controllers evolved (since they did not reproduce, it was the individuals themselves who evolved) into different forms. While the Maltusians were originally human-like but blue-skinned, the Zamarons eventually became something else entirely. In their first appearance, they appeared identical to Caucasian Earth women. The Zamarons developed a warrior-like culture, and, unlike the Guardians, preferred to focus on developing their physical abilities over their mental ones. They stored their psionic energies in violet crystals. They also chose a female that resembled their leader and gave her a violet crystal, turning her into Star Sapphire, with a namesake gem that grants her enormous mental powers, but also takes over her mind (the gem has its own sentient intelligence that controls its user). One of the women chosen was Carol Ferris, lover of the human Green Lantern Hal Jordan. She ended up becoming one of his greatest foes. When she was first transformed the Zamarons commanded her to attack him, as she felt attracted to him and they wanted to prove that men were inferior. He beat her and they removed her memory of the incident, though the persona would resurface many times.

The Zamarons eventually chose to take males from the planet Korugar as mates. This led the Guardians to enact a secret decision: should they or any of their agents ever kill a Korugarian male, the main Power Battery on Oa would self-destruct. Apparently they meant this as a measure to keep themselves from ever acting against them out of jealousy. This backfired when, after the Guardians had left our universe temporarily, the Green Lantern Corps decided to execute the Korugarian criminal Sinestro, unaware of the special provision. This caused the destruction of the battery and led to the temporary dissolution of the Corps.

The Zamarons eventually decided to rejoin their Guardian mates in order to parent a foretold new generation of Oans. They left this dimension in order to mate. Although the Guardians later returned, the Zamarons continued to wait to give birth.

Millennium

One Zamaron did return to our universe, along with her Guardian mate, to use their powers to accelerate the evolution of several humans from Earth specially chosen to become the new Guardians of the Universe in an event known as "the Millennium". Despite the interference of the Manhunters, they achieved their ends, although they died in the process. The humans formed a group of heroes called the New Guardians, and were involved in a battle with Krona—now an agent of Entropy. After that they faded into obscurity.

Guardians reborn

When the Guardians were restored as mixed-sex infants, Ganthet asked the Zamarons to come to Oa and help him take care of them. Their own children have not been referenced since, but in the 2006 ''Omega Men'' mini-series, Lianna was erroneously speculated to be one of them.''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #19 (May 2007)

One Year Later

The Zamarons have recently resurfaced, conducting an underground war against the Guardians. Their origins have been retconned/clarified somewhat. It has been revealed that the Zamarons left Oa due to the Guardians' decision to suppress their emotions, while the Zamarons decided to embrace them. After settling on the planet Zamaron, the Zamarons discovered a parasitic violet crystal sprouting from the remains of two corpses. They used these crystals to create several Star Sapphire gemstones and gave these to women who had been loved and spurned, thus giving them the opportunity to gain revenge.

A new Star Sapphire recently appeared and first takes possession of a girl named Krystal, and then sought out Carol Ferris.''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #15 (November 2006) Ferris is released once the gem discovers that Hal Jordan is in love with Jillian "Cowgirl" Pearlman, whom the gem then possesses.''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #18 (March 2007) However, Hal and Carol manage to free Cowgirl from the gem after a battle. When the Zamarons reappear, Hal gives a false affectionate kiss to one of the Zamarons, leading the gem to possess her and kill her after the other Zamarons attempt to remove it, which forces them to retreat. Realizing that the Star Sapphire is too powerful to control in its current state, the Zamarons create a violet Power Battery and violet power ring from the gem. It is revealed in ''Green Lantern'' #25 that the Zamarons have been experimenting with the emotional energy of love (represented by violet in the emotional color spectrum) in preparation for an upcoming war, the prophesied " War of Light".''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #20 (May 2007)

Since then it has also been revealed, during a Guardian diplomatic mission to Zamaron, that the Zamarons have begun experimenting on captive Sinestro Corps members, hoping to "amplify the love within their hearts", thus making them less violent. Guy Gardner, however, feels that whatever they do will not change the fact that the captives are psychotic and cruel, while other Green Lanterns were appalled at the thought of the prisoners' hearts and souls being subverted to the Zamarons' will.

The Guardians argued with the Zamarons over their attempts at power gathering which the Zamarons refused to cease. They then allowed the Guardians to leave, making it clear that if they wished, the Guardians would not be able to leave alive. It was only through their generosity that the Guardians were spared.''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 2) #30 (November 2008)

Blackest Night

Acknowledging that Carol Ferris' ability to put aside her own happiness for others gave her the potential to be the most powerful Star Sapphire of all, the Zamarons sent a violet ring to her which she accepts.''Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps'' #2 (July 2009) As they watched Carol lead the Sapphires against the encroaching Sinestro Corps, Queen Aga'po declared that Carol may even be capable of taming the Predator, the embodiment of the violet light.''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #45 (August 2009) The Black Lantern Corps then attacks, killing several Star Sapphires and Sinestro Corpsmen, and sending black rings to reanimate the two corpses the Zamaron gained their crystals from, who are revealed to be Khufu and Chay-Ara, removing the very power source from their central power battery. The entire planet is decimated as a result, and the Predator is released.''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #46 (September 2009)

Brightest Day

The Zamarons rebuilt the Central Power Battery and attempted to use the Predator as its power source by sealing the entity into the Violet Power Battery. To accomplish this, they asked Carol to bring the Predator back home but kept from her their true intentions. With the help of Hal Jordan and Larfleeze, Carol tamed the Predator and brought the entity to Zamaron. After discovering the true intentions of the Zamarons, she argues that the Guardians' technology that the Zamarons based the battery on can be powered by the ambient love in the universe and refuse to deliver the Predator. With this faith, Queen Aga'po, who had been charging the battery herself by giving it her life force, names Carol the new Queen of the Star Sapphires and using the last of her life force, charges the Central Power Battery for the last time.

In the meantime, Khea, the mother of Hawkgirl and the current Queen of Hawkworld, plans to attack the Zamaron homeworld following Hath-Set's death at the hands of Hawkgirl. Not only were they able to repel Khea forces, but they trapped the queen in the Star Sapphire main battery.

The Guardians threaten Zamaron with the 'Third Army', but this is stopped by Kyle Rayner.

In other media

Television

* The Zamarons appear in the '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' episode "Scorn of the Star Sapphire!"
* The Zamarons appear in '' Green Lantern: The Animated Series'', they appear in "...In Love and War", "Homecoming", and "Love is a Battlefield". Grey DeLisle voices Queen Aga'po.

Video games

* Zamaron appears as one of the planets featured in the video game, '' Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters''. Star Sapphire doesn't appear, but other Zamarons feature as characters. The Zamarons are voiced by Wendee Lee and Queen Aga'Po's by Olivia d'Abo.
* Zamaron appears in the video game, '' Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham''.

References

External links

The Book of OA: Maltus

DCU Guide: Zamarons

DCU Guide: Star Sappire I-IV

{{Justice League characters

Characters created by Gil Kane
Characters created by John Broome
DC Comics deities
DC Comics female characters
Green Lantern characters
Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities
Fictional characters who can manipulate light
Fictional characters with immortality
Single-gender worlds