The DC Universe is a place that is filled with all manner of superpowers. There are aliens, metahumans, mad scientists and billionaire playboy vigilantes. But, there also the various Lantern Corps. The Lanterns are different, because their power rings can find their way to anyone, be they good, bad, an established superhero or supervillain, or an absolute nobody from the streets of Metropolis. Depending on which emotion they are fueled by, anyone, superpowered or not, can instantly turn into a powerhouse who can fly through space and make a real difference, for the dark or the light.
Although there are now seven Lantern Corps that comprise the emotional spectrum, from the Red Lanterns of Rage to the zombified Black Lanterns, it all started with the Green Lantern Corps. An intergalactic police force that keeps watch over the entirety of the cosmos, the Green Lanterns have seen many members come and go. Some of them have been mainstays, while others were only temporary. Today, CBR locks onto the green power of will to list 15 superpowered characters who, at one time or another, came to wield a Green Lantern ring to effectively become the most overpowered characters in the DC Universe.
15 SUPERMAN
When it comes to superpowers, Superman has quite possibly the most powerful set, at least in the DC universe. Sure, there are some others out there who might be more powerful, villains and heroes alike, but his Kryptonian strength, matched with his too-human heart, make him a combination of both worlds; an unstoppable fighting machine fueled by hope and will.
This means that, in the few brief times that Clark Kent managed to find himself in possession of a Green Lantern ring, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone else who would be more powerful. Not only does he have his strength, his flight, his heat-vision and his indestructibility, he also has the limitless reaches of the Green Lantern ring on his side. But if he takes the ring off, he's still Superman.
14 MOGO
Mogo is undoubtedly the biggest member of the Green Lantern Corps out there. He is, after all, a living planet. He might not have a face, arms and legs, but his sheer presence is impactful enough. As a sentient being in the cosmos, Mogo is not beholden to any one spot in the universe like most planets. He can move around and change his position, and his responsibilities to the Corps are crucial.
Not only can he offer shelter to any Green Lantern out there, Mogo is also responsible for guiding the Lantern rings when they seek out a new potential member. But take away his ring, his power as a Green Lantern, and Mogo is still a living planet who can rearrange his foliage, travel the galaxies and upset the very balance of gravity. With his ring or without it, he just might be one of the most powerful beings in the Universe.
13 BATMAN
Bruce Wayne might be just a man, but his fans will argue that he is not only the best character in the DC Universe, but also its most powerful. He may not have super-speed and he is no half-god, but his incredible wealth, his unwavering dedication and his impressive combat skills have proven to be enough for Batman to defeat anyone, from the Joker to Darkseid himself.
But Batman has also been known to have brushes with super-powers. In fact, in a few instances throughout the years, the Dark Knight has come into possession of a Green Lantern ring for short periods of time. And when the man who is prepared for anything, the man who can literally take down the entire Justice League by himself, is armed with a nigh-unlimited weapon from outer space, he is literally the most powerful being ever.
12 SODAM YAT
Without even a Lantern ring in his grasp, Sodam Yat is a true force to be reckoned with. As an alien from the planet Daxam, he has all the powers native to his Daxamite heritage – powers that are very similar to those of the Kryptonians. Like Superman and Supergirl, Sodam has super-strength and durability, he can fly and heal rapidly. On top of that, he has a bravery that can't be matched.
When you add all of the powers of a Green Lantern, however, you get a super-powered character that is incredibly powerful. And, on top of all of that, Sodam proved that his willpower was above and beyond when he was chosen as the new host for the living embodiment of willpower, Ion. Essentially, Sodam became the very heart of the Green Lantern Corps, and one of the most powerful beings in the cosmos.
11 SONYA BLADE
Wait, Sonya Blade, of Mortal Kombat fame? Yes, that Sonya Blade. If you're wondering what one of the iconic fighting game's fiercest female combatants is doing on a list about Green Lanterns, it's because the character was given a Green Lantern ring in the crossover video game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. The revelation came in the character's ending story, where we learned that a Lantern ring had chosen her.
Powered with a Green Lantern ring, Sonya just became one of the most powerful characters in both the DC Universe, and the Mortal Kombat world. Since she was already a fierce and devastating hand-to-hand fighter who mastered the use of many weapons, the Green Lantern ring will be no different. It will become one with Sonya, and she will not leave any of her opponents standing.
10 THE FLASH
Barry Allen is the self-proclaimed fastest man alive. While his actual status as the fastest ever is debatable, there is no denying that he is still one of the most powerful heroes in the DC pantheon. With the power of super-speed, Flash has essentially the power of a god. On top of that, he has a connection to the Speed Force, a veritable dimension of pure power.
But that's not all for the scarlet speedster. In fact, he was also able to wield Hal Jordan's ring for a time in The Flash Annual #2, when his powers were drained and Hal was down for the count. The ring decreed that Barry had the ability to outrun great fear, making him an ideal candidate. If he were to possess the ring at the same time as his regular powers, Flash simply couldn't be outmatched.
9 CYBORG SUPERMAN
Hank Henshaw, aka the Cyborg Superman, may have started out as a Superman villain, but he eventually became also closely associated with the Green Lantern mythos, thanks to his destruction of Coat City, Hal Jordan's home town. As an android who possesses all manner of technological powers, Cyborg Superman also has all the same powers as his Kryptonian enemy. But, when he became a Green Lantern villain, he became even more of a threat.
In fact, Hank would arm himself not with a single Green Lantern ring, but an entire handful of them. Fueled by anger and hate, Cyborg Superman became a foe unlike any other, and one of the most powerful villains in the Universe. On top of all of his regular powers, a large amount of will-powered rings on his fingers and the fact that he seemingly can't die make him one of biggest threats out there.
8 GANTHET
Ganthet is a member of the Guardians of the Universe, some of the oldest beings in the Universe; a group of (basically) gods who have taken it upon themselves to protect it and all life. The Guardians are as old as time itself, immortal beings with great power, beings who were able to harness the emotional spectrum and create the Green Lantern Corps. Their function was more oversight in nature -- they never were actual members.
That is, until the Guardian of the Universe named Ganthet deputized himself as a member of the intergalactic police force when the situation was too dire, when the threat of Nekron and the Blackest Night were too grave to ignore. As an actual Green Lantern, Ganthet was not only an all-powerful elder of the Universe, but a powerful soldier in a war that, up until a time, was hopeless.
7 DAFFY DUCK
Wait. That Daffy Duck? Yes, that Daffy Duck. Or, more precisely, Duck Dodgers, who, in his own cartoon series, became the Green Loontern after coming into possession of a Lantern ring of willpower. Now, when one starts listing powerful beings, a Looney Tunes character might not be the first choice, but perhaps they should.
In fact, Duck Dodgers is a space hero from the future. He might not have all the talents and qualities of a hero, but he does appear to be able to survive anything that befalls him, which instantly makes him incredibly powerful. When you add to that all the powers of a Green Lantern, than Duck Dodgers becomes a formidable hero who would truly earn his way in the official ranks of the Corps in the DC Universe.
6 UNCLE SAM
Uncle Sam represents the very fighting spirit of America. He might hail from a different Earth, but America is America, and he will fight until his last breath in the name of his nation. As the leader of the Freedom Fighters, Uncle Sam is already a very powerful hero. He has super-strength, speed and endurance, he can teleport himself and he can even change his own size.
By all accounts, Uncle Sam is already a formidable superhero. But when he would come into possession of a Green Lantern ring, he would turn into even more of a powerhouse. With will as his weapon, there is little that could stand in Sam's way, and nothing that could prevent him from carrying his mission of protecting not just America, but the entire world.
5 BIG BARDA
As a New God from Apokolips, Barda is already quite a few notches above the DC Universe's humans and aliens. Not only is she from another planet, she is also an immortal god with incredible power. She is an expert fighter, and her powers of super-strength and general endurance made her a fine addition to the cruel ranks of the Female Furies. But, with love in her heart, Barda turned to the side of good.
On top of New God physiliogy and weaponry, Big Barda also found herself as a Green Lantern in an Elseworlds story. With her strength, her weapons, a Mother Box and a Green Lantern ring, Big Barda is effectively a god with the power of another god. These levels of power are nearly unmatched, and this would make Green Lantern Big Barda one of the most powerful in the DC Universe.
4 LEEZLE PON
Leezle Pon is different from most members of the Green Lantern Corps. Like Mogo, he is not a person. But he is not a sentient planet either. He stands on the other side of that spectrum, as a sentient microscopic virus. Now, Leezle Pon has not been the subject of many stories, but he did play a crucial role in the Sinestro Cops War event, when he saved the life of Green Lantern Guy Gardner.
Even if he weren't a Green Lantern, Leezle Pon would still hold great power in the universe because, as a sentient virus, he could technically infect any civilization that stands in his way. Thankfully, he is on the side of the good guys, even though he doesn't take part in Lantern meetings -- ring or no ring, it's best if he is kept at a safe distance.
3 HARLEY QUINN
Like Batman, Harley Quinn has no discernible superpowers. But that doesn't matter in the slightest, because she is still a force to be reckoned with. She may have twisted wits, but time and time again, Harley has proven to be a crucial addition to the heroic missions of the Suicide Squad. In fact, it's no wonder that Harley is next set to join up with the Justice League's Team Wisdom.
When a Red Lantern ring found itself a new host in Harley, Hal Jordan was on the case, and it wasn't long before the two had a team-up in Harley's Little Black Book #2. But once Hal found himself unconscious, it was up to Harley to strap on the green ring, and save the day. With this ring, she could be one of the most powerful (and potentially dangerous) heroes on the planet.
2 DOOMSDAY
When it comes to sheer, raw strength in the DC Universe, there aren't many characters who can match the might of Doomsday. After all, Doomsday is the monster that took on Superman, and managed to kill the Kryptonian. With incredible power and the ability to adapt his body to counter any lethal attack, the unstoppable creature is the most fearsome in the entire cosmos.
And yet, those aren't all the powers Doomsday would come to possess. In fact, in Doomsday: Year One Annual #1, the supervillain took hold of a will-powered ring after killing a Green Lantern. Although he wouldn't wield it for long, the added powers of a Lantern ring made Doomsday even more of an unstoppable creature, and it would take a Guardian's noble sacrifice to stop him.
1 MARTIAN MANHUNTER
Now, to be clear, Martian Manhunter was never actually a Green Lantern, nor did he exactly wield one of the will-powered rings. J'onn J'onzz did, however, once dream that he was a Green Lantern during the Brightest Day event, seeing what life could be like if he were to embrace a different kind of role in the universe. In the dream, J'onn wore the appropriately epic costume, and just like him, it made us wonder.
As a Martian, Manhunter already has many powers that make him a formidable fighting force for good. He can shapeshift, turn himself intangible and invisible, read minds and fly, and he has super-strength, among many, many other abilities. Add to that all the possibilities of a Green Lantern ring, and the Martian Manhunter would truly be an incredibly powerful character, on any planet.