You called yourself the villain. I just came to tell you, while the world may always see you that way, I won't. 
Vladimir Sokov was the Red Lantern; a Soviet agent created to be a counterpart to the American superhero Green Lantern. Prior to this he posed as an American soldier named Johnny Ladd, and was Alan Scott's first love.
History
Origins
Vladimir Sokov was born in the town of Bobruisk in Belarus. When he was a child his mother taught him English by reading from a stack of books on ancient myth; every book contained a version of the story of "The Red Fires of Béringovo Môre". Vladimir's father was an abusive alcoholic and in 1923 he left home at the first opportunity to join the Red Army. He quickly earned the respect of his fellows and became a decorated soldier. Eager for advancement, Vladimir seduced a high-ranking male official in the political directorate in order to get a transfer to military intelligence.
His superiors told him that the Red Fires were in fact real, an ancient source of power known as the Crimson Flame. British Intelligence had located it in the Pacific Ocean and the United States Army was mounting an expedition to find it. Vladimir was ordered to infiltrate the mission and retrieve the Crimson Flame for the glory of the Soviet Union by any means necessary. He was furnished with the false identity of an American soldier named "Johnny Ladd" and sent to the USA.[2]
Cpl. Johnny Ladd
In 1936, "Corporal Johnny Ladd" was assigned as the second engineer working alongside Alan Scott on the mission to locate and retrieve the Crimson Flame. He was able to successfully con his fellows and become a valued member of the team despite a lack of actual engineering knowledge. Sokov immediately recognised that Alan was gay and seduced him to gain access to classified materials. Although he claimed this was merely necessary for the mission, he developed feelings for Alan despite himself. They began a romantic relationship while on the mission.[2][1] While on shore leave the two of them took intimate photos of themselves at a motel wearing nothing but underwear and combat boots.[3] They also once spent two weeks in a secluded lakehouse on Lake George in New York. Alan hated it there but "Johnny" enjoyed it.
The ship tasked to retrieve the Crimson Flame sailed out into the Pacific Ocean, secretly trailed by a Soviet boat. During the voyage, Alan once saw a light flashing in the distance, the Soviet sailors signalling to Sokov. To distract Alan, "Johnny" put his own ring on Alan's finger and told him that he would like to stay with him after the mission and go off the radar, for good.[1][2]
They successfully located the Flame and were able to contain a portion of it, but the Flame subsequently attacked the ship and almost caused it to capsize. Alan was able to right the ship by releasing the Flame, but it then grabbed "Johnny" and dragged him underwater, seemingly to his death. As he drowned he was not afraid, he was enraged: at his country, at Alan, and at the voice of the Crimson Flame in his head. He drowned, but the Crimson Flame restored him to life.[3][2]
He was found by Soviet divers and as he was rescued, just for a moment he saw a flash of green in the red. The Soviets also managed to harvest the Crimson Flame from the ocean and, although much of it flickered away and died, some survived. Sokov and the remnants of the Flame were taken to the Red Labs in Moscow for study and he spent the next two years undergoing painful tests to determine how the Flame had bonded to and changed him. The scientists attempted to turn what was left of the Flame into a weapon but discovered that only Sokov could control it, therefore they decided to make him a super-soldier and in time create a corps of men powered by the Flame around him.[2]
The "tests" included allowing the scientists to kill him over and over again; each time the Flame would burn brighter and return him to life. Once while he was dead the scientists were able to sever the link between him and the Flame. Sokov stayed dead for over a month, and in that time the scientists were able to use the flame to empower a team known as the Crimson Host. The Flame eventually resurrected Sokov on its own and as a result of this, the Crimson Flame was the only thing keeping Vladimir alive, giving him no choice but to obey his superiors, as if he defied them they would strip him of his powers and kill him. The existence of the Crimson Host was classified beyond Sokov's level of security clearance, so he continued to believe he was the only one with the power of the Flame.[4]
However when the American mystery man Green Lantern, who Sokov immediately recognised as Alan Scott, revealed himself to the world the Soviet government decided to instead turn Sokov into their own counterpart of him. The scientists refashioned the containment unit for the Flame into a red lantern and created a power ring which allowed him to focus it more effectively. Sokov became the Red Lantern, Russia's first superhero, although unlike Green Lantern he acted at the direct instruction of his superiors and was used to crush dissent and assassinate enemies of the state. He learned that the power of the Flame came from emotion and harnessed his anger rather than trying to suppress it, allowing him to gain greater mastery over his powers than Alan possessed at the time. During this period he also married a woman and presented himself as heterosexual.[2][5]
Red Lantern
Red Lantern's first mission in 1941 was to destroy the Green Lantern. He went to America and began murdering any man that Alan had been with after him, supposedly to break him mentally, although really out of jealousy.[2] Red Lantern kidnapped Alan's former boyfriend Robert, the first man Alan had been with after his supposed death. He then forced Robert to rob a bank dressed in nothing but underwear and combat boots, similar to the photograph the two of them had taken together. He then "foiled" Robert's robbery while disguised as Green Lantern and murdered Robert the same way he had first died, drowning him while burning his arms with the Crimson Flame; then left Robert's corpse at the scene of the robbery for Alan to find.[3][6]
He then murdered another man named Tommy, Alan's first lover since coming to New York. He then planted a fake, empty police file on the murder in a police precinct other than the one he had left Tommy's body in. This made it appear that Alan was murdering his former lovers and tampering with the police files to keep his sexuality a secret. He stalked Alan around the city in a cab driven by Alan's unaware friend Derby Dickles, taking pleasure in Alan's pain and his desperate search for the killer. That night, he had Derby drive him to Alan's neighbourhood and broke into his house. Meanwhile Alan had deduced who he was and came home to confront him. Alan asked "Johnny" to look at him, but Red Lantern backhanded him to the ground and told him "Story time, my love".[7]
Vladimir transported Alan to his hideout in New York City and revealed his origins to Alan once he regained consciousness. He claimed that he had never loved Alan mocked him for falling for his cover as "Johnny Ladd". Enraged, Alan attacked him, but Vladimir knocked him to the ground again and phased through the wall. Alan chased after him, but during the chase his ring ran out of power and he fell out of the sky. Vlad caught him in an energy bubble and took him safely to a rooftop, telling Alan he had no idea what the full potential of his powers were. He told Alan that he had defeated him, but Alan asked Vladimir why he hadn't just killed him and why he had killed his ex-lovers, which Sokov was unable to answer. He denied being jealous of them and angrily insisted that he was not gay.
Alan turned his back to Vlad and leaned up against the wall of the bubble. After a moment Vladimir did the same and they stood back-to-back with only the bubble between them. Alan revealed to Vladimir that he had bought the house at Lake George at great expense, because he felt like an echo of "Johnny" was still there. They turned to face each other and Alan put his hand on the bubble; after a moment's hesitation, Vladimir did the same. Suddenly Alan punched through the bubble and hit Vladimir in the face. He dropped the red lantern and Alan grabbed it. Vladimir shouted that it was too dangerous but Alan charged his ring with the red lantern, become imbued with the power of the Crimson Flame.[2]
Alan attacked him, filled with rage and paranoia by the Flame; during the fight Sokov told Alan how the Crimson Flame was the only thing keeping him alive. As they fought, Alan began to succumb to the ill effects of the Flame and Sokov told him he needed to let the power go before it killed him. Just when it seemed Alan was about to die, a blast of green energy flew in and hit Alan, purging the Flame from him and recharging his powers. Rather than continue the fight he told Vladimir that they both had a bigger fight on their hand and something was coming for them. Alan flew outside and Vladimir followed him, and they saw crimson energy blasts throughout the city.
They were attacked by the Crimson Host, who had orders to kill and replaced Red Lantern. They destroyed Vladimir's lantern, meaning he would die when his current charge ran out. The two Lanterns tried to fight the Host off but were outnumbered. Fortunately, Alan's friends the JSA came to help them.[4]
The JSA battled the Crimson Flame and initially held their own, but as the fight went on the Crimson Host gradually gained the upper hand. Sokov's urged Alan to create a construct and trap them, but Alan was unable to get his ring to work and Major Blaze tackled him to the ground. Vladimir tried to save Alan from Blaze, but Blaze easily overpowered Red Lantern and viciously beat him to death. Enraged, Alan was able to create an energy bubble around the Host, his first ever construct.
Trapped, the Crimson Host told Alan to just kill them, but Alan replied that wasn't how the JSA did things and they would face justice for their crimes. However, the Crimson Flame once again returned Vladimir to life, as it had chosen him as its wielder, not the Host. He used the last charge in his ring to kill the Crimson Host in a single massive energy blast. Alan grabbed him and demanded to know why he had killed them when they posed no threat, to which Vlad sadly replied "I'm the villain". Alan took his ring and placed him under arrest.
Six weeks later, Alan to visited Vladimir in prison and told him that the Nazis had invaded Russia. Vladimir realised that Hitler was looking for the Red Labs and the Crimson Flame. He begged Alan to make sure that Hitler never found the Flame, as its power in his hands would be devastating. Alan told Vladimir that, although he deserved to be punished for what he had done, he understood how his superiors had used him and that he forgave him. After Alan left, Vladimir summoned a flicker of the Crimson Flame within his hands and discovered that his latest resurrection had made him a living vessel for the Crimson Flame who no longer needed a ring and lantern to use his powers. He quickly escaped from prison.[8]
Sokov would go on to fight Green Lantern multiple times throughout the 1940's and the two became arch-enemies, although Vladimir was never able to kill his rival. On one occasion they had to temporarily join forces against a group of Nazis, who were hostile to both America and the USSR. After they defeated the Nazis Green Lantern suggested they continue to partner together, but Sokov refused.[5]
Ruby
In 1951, Sokov's daughter Ruby was born. She was born with a natural connection to the Crimson Flame and glowing red skin similar to Green Lantern's daughter Jade. Ruby was taken from her father and sent to the notorious Red Labs for study. Red Lantern stormed the facility to get his daughter back, killing every scientist in the building. He was supposedly killed by the Red Army but his ring, lantern and body were never found.[5] However, Alan would later claim that Sokov was definitely dead and that he had seen his old lover and rival die.[9]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Crimson Flame Manipulation: Red Lantern is the chosen wielder of the Crimson Flame. He originally needed a lantern and power ring to channel its power. However, after the lantern was destroyed and the ring was confiscated by the United States Government, he learned to use the power of the flame without them.[8]
- Energy Construct Creation: Red Lantern can generate energy constructs powered by emotion.[2][4]
- Force Field: Red Lantern can generate solid force fields to trap his opponents[2] or to defend himself and others.[4]
- Energy Projection: Red Lantern can project the Crimson Flame as blasts of energy.[2][8]
- Flight: The Crimson Flame allows Red Lantern to move through the air at considerable speed.[2]
- Amphibian: The Crimson Flame allows Red Lantern to survive underwater for at least a brief period.[2]
- Chronokinesis: Red Lantern has the ability to travel through the Fourth Dimension using the power of the Crimson Flame.[2]
- Pyrokinesis: He can manifest crimson fire.[5]
- Resurrection: As long as the Crimson Flame is present in Vladimir's body he cannot permanently die and will come back to life soon after dying.[2][8]
- Energy Construct Creation: Red Lantern can generate energy constructs powered by emotion.[2][4]
Abilities
- Deception: Vladimir was an extremely gifted liar able to keep cover stories up for months without generating a single doubt about him.[2]
- Espionage: Vladimir was a talented spy, able to quickly identify and adapt to every advantage that presented itself.[2]
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Vladimir was a skilled combatant, said to be the deadliest man in Russian history even without his ring.[5]
- Indomitable Will: He can command the crimson energy that charges his power ring through his willpower.[5]
- Military Protocol[5]
- Multilingualism: Red Lantern speaks Belarusian, Russian and English.[7][2]
- Seduction: Vladimir was able to quickly seduce other men to further his own goals.[2]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Red Lantern: (Formerly) Sokov's lantern and ring were developed by Soviet scientists. The lantern contains the remnants of a legendary power source known as the "Crimson Flame", a counterpart to the Starheart. The ring's power is limited by the strength of its wielder's willpower and it must be recharged periodically using the lantern.[5][2] It was destroyed by Major Blaze.[4]
Weapons
- Power Ring: (Formerly) Sokov's power ring was created by Soviet scientists in imitation of Green Lantern's, allowing him to better focus and control the Crimson Flame.[2] The ring was taken by the Americans when he was arrested, but he learned to use his powers without it.[8]
Notes
- Previously DC Pride #1 had established Jimmy Henton as Alan's first love. Johnny Ladd/Valdimir Sokov's reintegration back into the timeline along with the rest of the Thirteen appears to have changed this.
- Supposedly, Red Lantern first appeared in Green Lantern #1, but does not appear in said issue.
- Martin Nodell, the original creator of Green Lantern, was inspired when he saw a conductor wave a green railway lantern to signal a train to go and a red lantern to stop.
Related
- 12 Appearances of Vladimir Sokov (Prime Earth)
- 9 Images featuring Vladimir Sokov (Prime Earth)
- 1 Quotations by or about Vladimir Sokov (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Vladimir Sokov (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 DC Pride: Through the Years #1
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #4
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #5
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 The New Golden Age #1
- ↑ Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #2
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #3
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6
- ↑ Justice Society of America (Volume 4) #8
  This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Green Lantern of Earth, or the Green Lantern Corps as a whole. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Green Lantern Villains." |