To be a Green Lantern, one clearly needs a tremendous amount of willpower. Moreover, a Green Lantern requires the proper training in order to carry out their will on the battlefield. To that end, no trainer has been tougher than Kilowog, one of the toughest Green Lanterns to ever wield a power ring.
Kilowog was first introduced in 1986's Green Lantern Corps #201, by Steve Englehart and Joe Staton, as a former geneticist from the planet Bolovax Vik. Tragically, Kilowog lost his planet during "Crisis on Infinite Earths." Even so, the gargantuan Green Lantern didn't seem too saddened by this fact.
Kilowog explained this by saying, as a geneticist, he knew that life comes and goes. Additionally, as a Green Lantern, he realized how big the universe really is, which helped him put things into perspective. In terms of personality, Kilowog was initially depicted as a very simple being.
The massive alien gave off a carefree attitude, while also maintaining a tough-as-nails persona when he was training Green Lanterns, famously referring to them as "poozers." In the heat of battle, Kilowog was so tough that he would hardly need to use his power ring. He eventually set up a new home on Earth alongside his fellow Green Lanterns when the Guardians left them in charge of the corps.
As time went on, however, Kilowog began to show a much darker, tragic side to his personality. In 1987's Green Lantern Corps #218, by Englehart and Bill Willingham, the Green Lantern trainer revealed that he'd absorbed the life force of his entire planet into his ring, in the hopes of saving his people.
The people of Bolovax Vik were revealed to be very communal in nature, rarely allowing any one member of their species to be alone. When Kilowog became a Green Lantern, he was hesitant to leave his planet, feeling too attached to his people. Eventually, when he and his fellow Lanterns came across an uninhabited planet, he released his people from his ring and gave them a new home.
Immediately afterward, however, Sinestro destroyed this planet, leaving Kilowog emotionally distraught. This led to a noticeable change in the kindhearted Lantern. Since this point, his attachment to others has transferred from his people on Bolovax Vik to his fellow Lanterns. Kilowog developed a new family within the Green Lantern Corps, forming strong bonds with Hal Jordan and John Stewart, among others. Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #4, by Keith Giffen, Gerard Jones and Mark Bright even detailed how Kilowog first trained Hal Jordan, forging a long-lasting connection between the two.
One of Kilowog's most heartbreaking moments came during 1994's Green Lantern #49-50, by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks. When Hal Jordan was possessed by Parallax, the alien drill sergeant was one of the Lanterns who stepped in to stop him. Even though, Kilowog was loyal to his friend, he maintained his devotion to the Green Lantern Corps, forcing him to fight Hal.
Sadly, Kilowog was killed in this fight, deeply impacting Hal Jordan. Fortunately, he was revived in 2003's Green Lantern #169, by Ben Raab and Rick Burchett. During Hal Jordan's return, in Green Lantern: Rebirth #6, by Geoff Johns and Ethan van Sciver, Kilowog helped a few of his fellow lanterns imprison Parallax in the central power battery, reigniting his strong ties to the corps.
When the Green Lantern Corps restarted, Kilowog became their main training sergeant, once again preparing new Lanterns to go out into the field. Still, the powerful Lantern was constantly haunted by all of those he'd trained who died in the line of duty. During "Blackest Night," in 2009's Green Lantern Corps #41, by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, the tough as nails alien was tormented by the dead Lanterns that he'd trained.
Moreover, Kilowog was haunted by his former training sergeant, Ermey, who inspired him in the first place. During Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #3, by Peter Tomasi and Chris Samnee, it was revealed how deeply Ermey influenced Kilowog, encouraging him to be a tough leader so he could save lives. This tale also illustrated how impactful Ermey's death was on his successor. Kilowog's feelings of guilt and responsibility have given him much more depth, showing that he's not just a stereotypical drill sergeant. He is tough on his trainees because he wants to ensure their survival. As arguably the best trainer of one of the most powerful forces in the universe, Kilowog has an immense sense of loyalty to the corps, and an undying commitment to those he trains.
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