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Kell Mossa is the last survivor of his world, cast out as a Pariah into the Multiverse. He was doomed to have his warnings ignored and see worlds die in the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

In his home dimension, Kell Mossa was one of the most gifted scientists to have ever lived. Arrogantly hoping to unlock the mysteries of the universe, and flying in the face of his people's concerns, he locked himself in an anti-matter chamber. He hoped to witness creation at the Dawn of Time, but instead he witnessed the Anti-Monitor, and helped begin that being's rampage of destruction. His world destroyed, Kell was saved by the Monitor, who renamed Kell as Pariah. He acquired the mostly involuntary ability to travel from one alternate Earth to another, forced to witness untold billions perish, although he could control this ability on occasion. He blamed himself for the destruction of his own world, the release of the Anti-Monitor, and the subsequent destruction of universe after universe, until he eventually learned he was essentially blameless.

During the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pariah worked with different heroes from different realities, including Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three, in an attempt to defeat the Anti-Monitor. Once the Crisis was abated, Pariah remained on the newly reformed Earth, relieved that his penance seemed to be over, and hoping to find a new life for himself.

Infinite Crisis

After some time living in peace, Pariah attempted to warn Lex Luthor of a threat from outside the universe. However, this Luthor was in actuality Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three in disguise, posing as the New Earth Lex Luthor, and preparing to remake the universe to his liking by restoring the multiverse. Pariah was subsequently murdered by Alexander Luthor.[3]

Blackest Night

During the Blackest Night, Pariah returned as a zombie and a member of the Black Lantern Corps with a black ring. He was once more condemned to travel the universe and warn of impending disaster. Pariah reappeared for the first time in Gotham Cemetery right before the Spectre was reanimated,[4] and then in deep space he appeared to John Stewart right before the entire planet Xanshi became a Black Lantern.[5]

New 52

At some point, he was held captive by A.R.G.U.S. until he was freed by Vibe and Dale Gunn.[6]

Infinite Frontier

Pariah fell through a crack left in the new Multiverse by the Flashpoint, landing back in the ruined Multiverse-2. He was held prisoner by the Empty Hand and The Gentry, who forced him to watch as they devoured the infinite Earths one by one. His captors eventually left to invade the new fifty-two Earths.[7]

Alone in an empty Multiverse, Pariah slowly went insane, tormented by visions of his dead wife and children. He walked in a circuit of the dead world he was standing on, hallucinating that he was walking through a park in winter. He continuously resisted his powers attempting to transport him to the new Multiverse, as he believed that every time he became involved in the affairs of the Multiverse he brought destruction. The vision of his wife constantly badgered him to rebuild his antimatter chamber, telling him he had the power to bring his family back. As Pariah was about to commit suicide, he somehow made telepathic contact with the Great Darkness.[1] Pariah believed that he heard the Darkness' voice tell him that the Multiverse was in danger and only he could save it, but in fact his own madness had corrupted the Darkness, and he was hearing his own thoughts echoed back to him.[8][9]

Pariah decided there was a way to escape the cycle of destruction and rebirth. While Alexander Luthor had tried to create one perfect world, Pariah would create perfect worlds for everyone. He drew immense cosmic power from the Great Darkness, believing that he had become its "voice". He also began building an army of cosmic villains, again believing he was acting on behalf of the Darkness.[10]

Eventually Barry Allen, the man who created the cracks, crossed through one himself and entered Multiverse-2. Pariah sent Barry into his own pocket dimension, Earth-Flash.1, where he would always be happy "No matter what."[7]

Dark Crisis

Barry's teammates in Justice League Incarnate came to rescue him but he refused to leave as he did not recognize them or remember his previous life. Pariah confronted them and Doctor Multiverse's Multivision allowed her to see what he was, so she teleported the team away back to Multiverse-1. Justice League Incarnate headed to Earth 0 to gather reinforcements, just as Pariah had planned. He met with the corrupted Great Darkness, and his Dark Army of cosmic villains.[11]

Justice League Incarnate teamed up with the Justice League of Earth 0 and the two teams chased him to Multiverse-2, where he was modifying his anti-matter chamber to allow the Darkness to fully manifest in the physical Multiverse. The heroes attempted to reason with him but he refused to listen and summoned the Dark Army to hold them off. Green Arrow was able to destroy the chamber with an explosive arrow, causing the Dark Army to disappear back into the Darkness' dimension. In a rage, Pariah hit most of the heroes with a wave of energy, seemingly annihilating them. Black Adam was able to resist the energy long enough to call his lightning down on them both, knocking Pariah unconscious and sending Adam back to Earth 0.[12]

The members of the Justice League had not been killed but were in fact sent into their own pocket dimensions like Barry Allen had been.[13][14] Hal Jordan, Jo Mullein and Kyle Rayner managed to reach his base in Multiverse-2 by passing through the Black Lantern Central Power Battery. Jo and Kyle fought Pariah while Hal made a break for the world holding John Stewart. He attempted to open it but was transported inside instead. As he dematerialised Hal told Pariah that the Great Darkness was using him, unaware that in fact the opposite was the truth.[10]

Meanwhile, Barry Allen escaped from Earth-Flash.1 and travelled through the other paradise worlds looking for the Justice League.[15] Hal Jordan was captured by alternate Green Lanterns in John Stewart's paradise world, but he was rescued by Barry, who took him to Batman's world to try and enlist his help. However, their actions somehow accelerated the process Pariah was using to build a new Multiverse and infinite earths spawned from the paradise worlds.[16]

The infinite earths were unstable, and Pariah needed more heroes to fuel them, but the Justice League escaped from the paradise worlds. They attempted to stop him, but Pariah's forces on Earth 0 spread Darkness across the world, triggering a Crisis. Pariah's powers pulled him to the battle at the Hall of Justice at the centre of the Crisis. As he teleported away he warned the Justice League that they would die if they followed him.[9]

Pariah took personal command of the Dark Army on Earth 0 and sent multiple heroes into paradise worlds to fuel his new Multiverse. Wonder Girl was able to bind him in her Golden Boleadoras, forcing him to see the truth that the voice of the Darkness that he believed he heard was just a hallucination. However, Pariah refused to believe this and broke free.

Mister Terrific and the new Batman modified Pariah's antimatter chamber, which the heroes had recovered on an expedition into the Starheart, to turn his powers against him. When Pariah attempted to send Wonder Girl into a paradise world, Batman figured out the device and blasted him with a beam of energy from the chamber. He was sent into his own paradise world, which apparently resembled his home reality that had been destroyed in the Crisis on Infinite Earths.[17][18]

Powers

Abilities

Other Characteristics


  • This character existed before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, but made his first appearance during it.
  • The numerical designation (Earth-?) of Pariah's home universe has never been revealed. Though fans often dubbed it "Earth-Omega" as it was the site of the "beginning of the end".[19]
  • Post-Crisis, his home universe was retconned as an alternate dimension rather than a parallel Earth.[20]

Related

Footnotes


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Justice League Villain
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This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice League, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Justice League Villains."

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Black Lantern Corps member
This character is or was a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Those who have died may wield the Black Power Ring, symbolizing their lack of both life and emotion.
This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Black Lantern Corps members category."

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