This article needs maintenance and organization, as it may have become cluttered or confusing. Its heart is in a good place, it's just a little special. Won't you please help out an article in need? This template will categorize articles that include it into the Clean Up task category.
I must be the stupidest idiot in the whole universe. I got no ring. My partner is down. My new team is gone. Volthoom can crush me like a grape. You bet I'm scared. Good thing there's a Green Lantern power that doesn't require a ring. The ability to overcome fear. But it's like I told you...I never give up. Never quit. Never learned how. 
- — Simon Baz src
History
Simon Baz is a Green Lantern for Sector 2814. A former mechanic, street racer and car thief, he is the partner of Jessica Cruz.
Origin
Simon Baz is a Lebanese American who was born in Dearborn, Michigan. When he was ten years old, he and the rest of his family watched their television in horror as airplanes flew into the World Trade Center. As he grew up he and his Muslim family found themselves falling under intense suspicion and ostracism in the days, months and years following the attacks. During those years, Simon had to physically defended his sister from bullies on several occasions.
Despite these hardships, Simon managed to graduate high school, and proceeded into higher education, gaining a degree in engineering, followed by a job in an automotive plant. However, when the financial crisis hit, Simon was fired from his job.
In desperation to make money, Simon took up illegal street-racing, something he proved good at. Eventually, though, disaster struck during one race, and his brother in-law was severely injured and placed into a coma. Simon just barely escaped being arrested and sent to prison for that. As a result of his guilt, Simon grew increasingly distant from his sister.
Some time later, still financially desperate, Simon began stealing cars, to re-sell them for parts. One night, while stealing a van, Simon accidentally stole a van filled with explosives. A high-speed chase ensued, ending with Simon's arrest. As a result of his heritage, Simon was immediately suspected to be a terrorist and deported to Guantanamo Bay for further questioning. Despite the efforts of the more reasonable Agent Fed, Simon's attempt to claim he was innocent was ignored, and he was nearly subject to torture.
At that moment, a Green Lantern Ring burst into the room, and despite being badly defective found Simon a suitable candidate, removing him from the holding facility. [1]
Green Lantern
The ring transported Simon to Florida, and while he remained unconscious, mapped his neural pathways. When Simon awoke, the ring displayed a message from its previous owners, Hal Jordan and Sinestro, telling him not to go to Oa, and not to trust anyone. Ignoring their message, Simon made his way to Detroit and contacted his sister. Angered by his former distance, she told him to meet him at a safer location. As he waited, Simon altered his ring-generated outfit to hide his identity better. Unfortunately, the quiet wait was interrupted by the arrival of the Justice League. [2]
Knowing he would not be a match for the League (except perhaps Batman), Simon restated his innocence to them. He offered to let Wonder Woman use her Lasso of Truth on him, to determine his innocence. Unfortunately, since the ring had been programmed by Sinestro, it responded violently to contact. Panicked, Simon retreated. Despite having little operational knowledge of his ring, he was able to create multiple constructs, as he evaded Superman and the Flash, ignoring their entreaties to turn himself in.
Some time later, he met up with Sira, who had acquired the name and location of the van's owner. Simon declared his intention to find out what was going on by himself, refusing to let anyone else get hurt. [3]
Simon proceeded to the residence of the van's owner, one Edward Wale, and tried to talk to him about the van. Wale allowed Simon into his residence, only for Simon to quickly learn the man was no innocent, having been deliberately planning to blow up the van under the bridge Simon found it under. His attempt to kill Simon was foiled by the ring protecting him, but any attempt on Simon's part to pay Wale back for his actions were foiled by the ring's charge running out. Cornered, Simon was only saved by the intervention of Agent Fed, who'd been investigating his case. Before the stand-off could proceed any further, the Third Army arrived, transforming Wale into one of their own, before advancing on Simon.
Grabbing Wale's gun to defend himself, Simon and Fed fled into the house's basement, finding a small stockpile of weapons. As the Third Army followed, Fed wired up some of the room's explosives to explode. The resulting explosion destroyed the creatures, Simon and Fed only being saved by the timely arrival of Green Lantern B'dg. [4]
This article is in need of updated information.
Please follow the guidelines in the Help section and complete this article to the highest level of quality. Remove this message when finished.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Emerald Sight: For reasons currently unknown, Simon Baz has unlocked an extremely rare power among Green Lanterns known as the Emerald Sight which allows a Green Lantern to receive glimpses of the near future.[5]
Abilities
- Driving
- Firearms: Simon is skilled in the use of firearms.
- Indomitable Will: Simon's willpower is extremely strong, even for a Green Lantern. He was able to wake his best friend and brother in-law, Nazir Amar from his coma, which was considered impossible. He also briefly cured a Red Lantern of her rage by himself.
- Mechanical Engineering
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Weapons
- Green Lantern Ring
- Handgun (Formerly): Simon carried a firearm with him on all occasions, in case his ring ended up failing which on some occasions it has. This safeguard was ironically his greatest weakness at times, being the symbol of his fear of his ring failing. Despite this fear and ridicule for using what is seemingly pointless for a Green Lantern, he is still a capable hero and rarely relied on his gun. After helping defeat the Scarecrow with Batman however, he realizes he has enough confidence to trust in the ring and himself, and turned in his firearm to Commisioner Jim Gordon.[citation needed]
Oath
"In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power...Green Lantern's light!"
Trivia
- Baz has a forearm tattoo that reads "courage" in Arabic. His father objected to it, as tattoos are haram.[1]
- Simon Baz was previously the liaison for the Red Lantern Corps when they were under the leadership of Guy Gardner.[citation needed]
- Simon's Green Lantern ring was originally supposed to go to Frank Laminski.[6]
Related
- 252 Appearances of Simon Baz (Prime Earth)
- 190 Images featuring Simon Baz (Prime Earth)
- 22 Quotations by or about Simon Baz (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Simon Baz (Prime Earth)
External Links
Footnotes
  Green Lantern Corps member |
 This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |
 This character is or was a member of the White Lantern Corps, guided by the Life Entity to wield the White Light of Life. |