Fictional character biography
Origin
Criminal physicist Doctor Arthur Light captures the League with light rays after first drawing them in by capturing Aquaman, then sending the League to different planets based on their weaknesses. [6] He then orders Snapper Carr to write this down, before imprisoning him in a light field. He has not realized Superman and Batman impersonated each other, allowing Superman to escape the world he was sent to and rescue the other members. Light fools the League with three duplicates of himself that are apparently committing robberies of light-associated objects, though they are actually placing devices around the world. Green Lantern realizes this trick and fakes his death to track Doctor Light, finally stopping him before he pulls the lever that would have set off the light impulses allowing him to take over the world.
A retcon in Secret Origins #37 reveals that Light is the second Doctor Light. His predecessor was his partner at S.T.A.R. Labs, a scientist named Jacob Finlay. Finlay created a technologically advanced suit to control light allowing him to be a minor superhero, but was accidentally killed by Light, who took the suit and the Doctor Light codename. Light is periodically haunted by Finlay's ghost through the years, but uses the light generated by the suit to drive off this spirit. [1]
Through the Silver and Bronze Ages, Doctor Light is a minor but persistent foe for a number of heroes, including the Justice League's former sidekicks, the Teen Titans. [7] Light founds the supervillain team the Fearsome Five, but they are defeated by the Titans and Light is expelled from the group. [8] [9]
Suicide Squad
Driven by self-doubt and guilt, thanks in part to Finlay's ghostly presence, he volunteers for the Suicide Squad, a group of incarcerated supervillains who perform dangerous missions for the US government in exchange for clemency. On a mission against the patriotism-themed super-team called the "Force of July", he encounters Sparkler, the Force's youngest member. The presence of a super-powered child reminds him of past defeats and he lashes out, killing Sparkler with a blast through the chest.
Jacob Finlay's ghost convinces Light to attempt a heroic turn during a mission where multiple members of the team, some unwillingly, have traveled to Apokolips. Light is swiftly shot dead by Parademons. Light is sent to Hell, where he is physically reunited with Finlay. Under the watch of a lesser demon and its assistant, both men are released from Hell in turns and returned to life. Both only soon die again: Light suffocates while still inside his grave, while Finlay claws his way out of his own grave, only to be killed by a family of religious vigilantes. Arthur Light is again returned to life and attempts to rejoin the Suicide Squad, but is rejected by Amanda Waller.
Identity Crisis onwards
The 2004 miniseries Identity Crisis retroactively reveals that Doctor Light had raped Sue Dibny, wife of the superhero Elongated Man, on the JLA Satellite. [1] Later issues reveal that he was a serial rapist. The Justice League resolve to alter his mind with Zatanna's magic so that he will no longer pose a threat. In the process, they accidentally give him a partial lobotomy, thus explaining how he fell from a plausible foe of the Justice League to a punching bag. He later recovers his memories and intellect when witnessing a fight between the League members responsible for his mind-wipe and Deathstroke, and vows revenge against the Justice League. [1]
Doctor Light captures Green Arrow, using him as bait so he could get revenge on the Teen Titans. The entire Teen Titans roster, former and current, responds to the call, but he brutally defeats them. After a mass battle against the Titans wears him down, Cyborg uses a device to drain the light out of the area, rendering Light powerless. Batman and Batgirl appear to take him to prison, but reveal themselves to be Deathstroke and Ravager in disguise, and offer Light a place in the new Secret Society of Super Villains. Light, hungry for vengeance and power, accepts. [10]
As a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains, he aids Merlyn and Deathstroke in defeating Green Arrow in Star City. Doctor Light then attacks and absorbs a great deal of power from Kimiyo Hoshi. [11] He later participates in the Battle of Metropolis in Infinite Crisis #7, where he is defeated by the Ray, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, and Hoshi. [12]
In the Justice League of America Wedding Special, Light appears as a member of the Injustice League Unlimited. During a battle with the Justice League, fellow Injustice Leaguer Cheetah betrays Light and slashes him in the back because of her hatred of rapists. [13] The entire Injustice League is captured and deported to an alien world by the Suicide Squad; Light is consequently one of the villains featured in Salvation Run .
After returning to Earth, Doctor Light joins Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. In Final Crisis #1, he and Mirror Master are sent by Libra to recover Metron's chair. They are briefly challenged by Empress, Sparx, and Más y Menos, but defeat them by combining Light's beams with Mirror Master's mirrors. Light also aids the Human Flame and Libra in killing Martian Manhunter.
In Final Crisis: Revelations #1, the Spectre delivers final judgment on Doctor Light and burns him to death by turning him into a candle, using his head as the wick. [14]
During the "Blackest Night" storyline, Doctor Light is entombed below the Hall of Justice. [15] His corpse is revived as a Black Lantern. [16] He devours the remains of Gehenna and attacks Kimiyo Hoshi. [17] Just as he is on the verge of victory, Light threatens Hoshi's children, enraging her to the point of incinerating him. [18]
The New 52
In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Arthur Light is a scientist working with A.R.G.U.S. and the Justice League of America. As he is studying a communicator used by the Secret Society of Super Villains, he receives a "nasty call" and is engulfed in an explosion of light leaving his body glowing on the floor. [19] Director Amanda Waller finds him transformed. [20]
During the "Trinity War" storyline, Doctor Light is a reluctant member of the new Justice League of America, and expresses disgust over being made to harm Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch. During his first mission with the team, he is seemingly killed by Superman. [21] The Phantom Stranger takes Batman, Katana, and Deadman to the afterlife to locate Light, but he does not remember anything about his death. The Phantom Stranger tells Light that he will try to free him from the afterlife, so he can be with his family. Light gives a piece of his soul to the Phantom Stranger in hopes that he can give it to his family as a final gift if he does not get out. [22] It is later revealed that Atomica is responsible for Light's death. [23]
During the "Forever Evil" storyline, Doctor Light's body unleashes energy that destroys Washington, D.C.'s A.R.G.U.S. headquarters and exposes the A.R.G.U.S. agents to it. Etta Candy is approached by an energy manifestation of Light. [24] Light appears in Los Angeles and is found by the Crimson Men. [25] The Crimson Men take Light to their secret location and promise to make him human again in exchange for information on Steve Trevor. Light heads to Trevor's location and states he must kill him for him to live. [26] Killer Frost faces off against Light, holding him off so that Trevor can subdue him with the Lasso of Truth. Compelled by its power, Light explains that he died and woke up confused. He was told what to do and where Trevor would be. The Crimson Men had told him the truth that Light is dead. Horrified by his own self-realization, Light disappears in a blast of energy. [27]
Doctor Light later resurfaces, now sporting his classic appearance. He states that his human body is dead and that he now exists as a construct of living light energy. It is also implied that he used to be a villain prior to his stint as a member of the Justice League, indicating his backstory has been retconned to some degree. Having been cut off from his wife and daughters, Light flees to the country of Chetland, where he is given asylum in exchange for his services. After a conversation with Deathstroke, Light contemplates returning to a life of villainy. [28]
Powers and abilities
Doctor Light can control light for a variety of purposes. He can bend the light around him to become invisible, generate blasts of energy, create force fields, and fly. By mentally repulsing photons, Light can create areas of complete darkness. Teen Titans #23 implied that Light could "power up" by draining the ambient light in the area.
The limits of his powers are unclear, but he seems to be able to wrest control of anything that emits light. [1] He is also able to take the "internal" light away from light-powered characters, the heroic Doctor Light and the Ray, leaving them temporarily powerless. He also has the ability to create holographic images.
Arthur Light is mentally brilliant, a genius in the field of physics. However, his mind-wipe by the Justice League reduces his intelligence substantially, along with his skills for creative use of his powers. Light's recovery of his memories seems to have brought his intellect back with them and also his paraphilia. [1] As a result, he becomes a much deadlier opponent.
