Rond Vidar
Encyclopedia
Rond Vidar is a fictional superhero
published by DC Comics
. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
#349 (October 1966), and was created by Jim Shooter
, Mort Weisinger
and Curt Swan
.
, an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes
. Sent to live with a family on Earth, Rond proved to be a genius at temporal theory, and won a prize at an early age for his invention of the Time Cube, a device which can transport its contents in time. The Time Cube later proved indispensable to the Legion, who used it to stop Universo from taking over the world.
Soon the Legion made Rond an honorary member and he continued his research, collaborating on many experiments with the super-intelligent Brainiac 5
. While instrumental in many temporal advances, including the creation of the Time Beacon, allowing for safe travel through time, Rond's experiments took a disastrous turn when they threw Professor Jaxon Rugarth into a time loop, turning him into the Infinite Man
.
recruited him to be a covert member of the Green Lantern Corps
, since Green Lanterns were banned on Earth at the time (due to the actions of the last Earth-based Green Lantern, Universo
). Rond kept this a secret, not even telling his friends in the Legion.
Considering his son (the only other person immune to his powers of hypnotism) a threat to his plans, Universo eventually "killed" Rond. Rond, however, survived the attack but chose to allow the rest of the world to believe he was dead, allowing him to work better undercover. Rond's survival (and secret identity) was revealed in when he helped save Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl
, Duo Damsel, and Mon-El
during an attack on the Time Trapper
, a longtime foe whose manipulations had caused the death of Superboy
. Due to Earth's ban on Green Lanterns, he left the planet, never to return.
was destroyed in a battle with the wizard Mordru
, Rond retired from superheroism.
After the Legion was "rebooted
" in 1994, Rond made occasional appearances as a time-travel researcher, but neither his status as a Green Lantern nor his parentage was ever addressed, and a very different Universo was later reintroduced. As a visual gag, the rebooted Rond occasionally wore outfits resembling the costumes worn by various incarnations of the Doctor in Doctor Who
.
miniseries have restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis
Legion continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
, in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc in Action Comics
.
In Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Rond, as Green Lantern
, was revealed as an active member of the Legion. He was also known as the last Green Lantern due to a defunct Corps and the absence of the Guardians of the Universe
from a dead and decaying Oa
. However, it is unconfirmed if Green Lanterns were still banned from Earth in this new continuity - the absence of a Rond Vidar statue in the Legion wing of the Superman Museum would indicate that the ban was still in effect, and that Rond was a covert member of the team.
Rond was part of a small team of Legionnaires who were rescuing the White Witch
from the clutches of Mordru
until they encountered the Legion of Super-Villains
, who arrived to recruit Mordru. Vastly outnumbered, Rond sent his teammates back to Earth to warn the rest of the Legion and took on the Super-Villains himself to buy them time until he was subdued by Saturn Queen
and Superboy-Prime
. Rond's father Universo
wanted the Green Lantern ring back, but Rond defiantly stated that his father would never have the ring and spat in his father's face before he was killed by Superboy-Prime
. Upon Rond's death, the ring flew off into space looking for a new bearer, but was lost without Mogo
to direct it and it returned to Oa, where it powered down for good. Rond's body was later retrieved and taken to Oa in a casket by Mon-El and Shadow Lass, where they encountered Sodam Yat
, the last remaining Guardian. Yat conducted a ceremonial cremation for Rond before leaving with the Legionnaires to fight Superboy-Prime.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#349 (October 1966), and was created by Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
, Mort Weisinger
Mort Weisinger
Mortimer Weisinger was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' Superman during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books...
and Curt Swan
Curt Swan
Douglas Curtis Swan was an American comic book artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 1950s through the 1980s.-Early life and career:Curt Swan, whose Swedish...
.
Fictional character biography
Rond was the son of UniversoUniverso
Universo is the name of a fictional Legion of Super-Heroes supervillain in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
, an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. Sent to live with a family on Earth, Rond proved to be a genius at temporal theory, and won a prize at an early age for his invention of the Time Cube, a device which can transport its contents in time. The Time Cube later proved indispensable to the Legion, who used it to stop Universo from taking over the world.
Soon the Legion made Rond an honorary member and he continued his research, collaborating on many experiments with the super-intelligent Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
. While instrumental in many temporal advances, including the creation of the Time Beacon, allowing for safe travel through time, Rond's experiments took a disastrous turn when they threw Professor Jaxon Rugarth into a time loop, turning him into the Infinite Man
Infinite Man
This article is about the LSH character; for information on the New Gods character with a similar name, please see Infinity-Man. For information on the 1973 science fiction novel by Daniel F. Galouye, see The Infinite Man....
.
Green Lantern Corps
At some point in Rond's career, the Guardians of the UniverseGuardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
recruited him to be a covert member of the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
, since Green Lanterns were banned on Earth at the time (due to the actions of the last Earth-based Green Lantern, Universo
Universo
Universo is the name of a fictional Legion of Super-Heroes supervillain in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
). Rond kept this a secret, not even telling his friends in the Legion.
Considering his son (the only other person immune to his powers of hypnotism) a threat to his plans, Universo eventually "killed" Rond. Rond, however, survived the attack but chose to allow the rest of the world to believe he was dead, allowing him to work better undercover. Rond's survival (and secret identity) was revealed in when he helped save Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, Duo Damsel, and Mon-El
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
during an attack on the Time Trapper
Time Trapper
The Time Trapper is a fictional character, a supervillain in stories published by DC Comics. The Time Trapper's main enemies are the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, a longtime foe whose manipulations had caused the death of Superboy
Superboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
. Due to Earth's ban on Green Lanterns, he left the planet, never to return.
Retirement
Late in his career, Rond formed a close bond with former Legionnaire Laurel Gand, eventually fathering a daughter by her. When Rond's Green Lantern ringPower ring (weapon)
A power ring is a fictional object featured in comic book titles published by DC Comics. It first appeared in All-American Comics #16 .-Origin:...
was destroyed in a battle with the wizard Mordru
Mordru
Mordru is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos who is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard...
, Rond retired from superheroism.
After the Legion was "rebooted
Legion of Super-Heroes (1994 team)
The 1994 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the DC Universe. The team is the second major incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes after the 1958 version and followed by the 2004 version. It first appears in Legion of Super-Heroes The 1994...
" in 1994, Rond made occasional appearances as a time-travel researcher, but neither his status as a Green Lantern nor his parentage was ever addressed, and a very different Universo was later reintroduced. As a visual gag, the rebooted Rond occasionally wore outfits resembling the costumes worn by various incarnations of the Doctor in Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.
Post-Infinite Crisis
The events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
miniseries have restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
Legion continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga
"The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
.
In Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Rond, as Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
, was revealed as an active member of the Legion. He was also known as the last Green Lantern due to a defunct Corps and the absence of the Guardians of the Universe
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
from a dead and decaying Oa
Oa
Oa is a fictional planet that lies at the center of the DC Comics universe. Since its inception, Oa has been the planetary citadel of the Guardians of the Universe and the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps...
. However, it is unconfirmed if Green Lanterns were still banned from Earth in this new continuity - the absence of a Rond Vidar statue in the Legion wing of the Superman Museum would indicate that the ban was still in effect, and that Rond was a covert member of the team.
Rond was part of a small team of Legionnaires who were rescuing the White Witch
White Witch (comics)
The White Witch is a fictional comic book character who exists in the DC Universe, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century. Her real name is Mysa Nal, although her name was given as Xola Aq in Silver Age Legion stories in Adventure Comics; the revelation that her name was...
from the clutches of Mordru
Mordru
Mordru is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos who is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard...
until they encountered the Legion of Super-Villains
Legion of Super-Villains
The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future...
, who arrived to recruit Mordru. Vastly outnumbered, Rond sent his teammates back to Earth to warn the rest of the Legion and took on the Super-Villains himself to buy them time until he was subdued by Saturn Queen
Saturn Queen
Saturn Queen is a fictional comic book character owned by DC Comics. She debuted in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...
and Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
. Rond's father Universo
Universo
Universo is the name of a fictional Legion of Super-Heroes supervillain in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
wanted the Green Lantern ring back, but Rond defiantly stated that his father would never have the ring and spat in his father's face before he was killed by Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
. Upon Rond's death, the ring flew off into space looking for a new bearer, but was lost without Mogo
Mogo
Mogo is a fictional character and planet in the DC Universe, a member of the Green Lantern Corps. It first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2 #188 , in a story titled "Mogo Doesn't Socialize." Mogo was created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons....
to direct it and it returned to Oa, where it powered down for good. Rond's body was later retrieved and taken to Oa in a casket by Mon-El and Shadow Lass, where they encountered Sodam Yat
Sodam Yat
Sodam Yat is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 , and was created by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill...
, the last remaining Guardian. Yat conducted a ceremonial cremation for Rond before leaving with the Legionnaires to fight Superboy-Prime.
External links
- Rond Vidar: Honorary Legionnaires Hero History at Major Spoilers
- DCU Guide: Rond Vidar
- GLCorps.org: Rond Vidar