Green Lantern - Atrocitus / Characters

Atrocitus

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AKA: Atros

Homeworld: Ysmault (originally Ryut)

First Appearance: Green Lantern Vol 4 #25 (January 2008)

The leader and only survivor of the Five Inversions (the others died by his hand). The demonic Atrocitus was directly responsible for the death of Abin Sur and, later, Sinestro's turn to evil. His is the rage that fuels the entire Red Lantern Corps, for he forged the Red Central Power Battery by his own hand. There is a reason for his anger, however: the unprovoked genocide of his people, including his beloved family, by the Manhunters in the Massacre of Sector 666.

Since Krona (the Guardian responsible for the Manhunter massacre) was slain by Hal Jordan, Atrocitus has been struggling with a purpose for himself and his corps. He is also working to reorganize his corps, selecting Bleez as his second and restoring her intelligence - though he quickly realizes this might have been a huge mistake.

As of Rebirth, he has once again taken away the intelligence of his corps, and wishes to create a "Red Dawn" on Earth.

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A - H

Adaptational Villainy: Atrocitus isn't a good guy, but he's not entirely villainous either, with his goals being well-meaning, if a little too visceral and extreme. Adaptations featuring the Red Lanterns, especially Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and Green Lantern: The Animated Series emphasize more on the Red Lanterns' more unsavoury side and either downplay or remove their sympathetic qualities, with their motivations becoming too twisted and/or entirely self-serving. Atrocitus, in addition to being changed into those, also ends up becoming more callous, antagonistic, and unsympathetic in these adaptaions.
Ambition Is Evil: Subverted; he's certainly ambitious and more than dedicated seeing his goals fulfilled, no matter what, but despite his antagonism and looks, Atrocitus is not really evil, just someone who straddles between the line of anti-heroism and anti-villain due to both the good intent and the extremity of his goals.
Aliens Are Bastards: Zig-Zagged; Atrocitus is not a nice guy, to say the least and is among the most violent and brutal characters in the DC Universe. That said, despite his opposition against several heroes, he has an admirable goal to uphold justice and avenge the innocent. However, his way of justice is extreme vengeance and carnage, though no one would fault him for who he kills, seeing as they would have deserved it.
Alternate Company Equivalent: He's this to Frank Castle, and if anything, he fits this better than Jason Todd does. Both are men who had esteemed backgrounds with a decent relationship with their families, until something catastrophic happened that led to their families' deaths, which forms most of their motivation to exact vengeance and start a war against the wicked with no signs of stopping. Though Atrocitus's scope is far larger than Frank's, who usually tends to deal with street crimes and criminal conspiracies in contrast to the former dealing with mass-murdering alien robots and corrupt overseers of the universe.
Anti-Hero: He's incredibly brutal and uncompromising and thinks nothing of killing anyone who impedes him or the Corps, but his hatred towards the Guardians and Krona is very understandable, as is his general kindness towards those who have gone through situations similar to those of Corps members.
- Less so during the "Atrocities" arc, where he's willing to rampage across planets for revenge.
Anti-Villain: Atrocitus is a fearsome-looking individual who resorts to using violence and brutality as his way to establish himself and his corps and hence, he finds himself in opposition against the other Lantern Corps. However, his main motivation is to exact justice upon the wicked, particularly those who have not been condemned for their actions.
Arch-Enemy: He personally sees the Manhunters as this, seeing as they were the ones who killed his family and his entire race, thus becoming the very impetus of Atrocitus's rage and wanting to ensure that no one suffers like he did. He also has this feeling towards Krona, who was the one responsible for turning the Manhunters into ravaging killing machines, though he does hold the Guardians of the Universe in equal contempt due to their lack of acknowledgement and neglect of the many tragedies and destruction that happened because of Krona and the Manhunters.
Artifact Domination: The Red Lantern's Central Power Battery is what channels a Corps member's powers and abilities, but it's also the reason why they're mostly designed to render them as rageful and vicious as they can. Turns out, Atrocitus was the one who programmed it that way. He can shut down the factor that drives a member feral, but he hasn't bothered to do that.
Ax-Crazy: While more reasonable and mentally sound than the other members of the Red Lanterns, Atrocitus does have his moments of going all-out on his rage, viciously butchering and slaughtering whatever gets in his way. And like most in his Corps, he's a notable Blood Knight.
Badass Crew: The Red Lanterns are filled with rageful, but ultimately capable and powerful beings who inspire almost as much terror as Sinestro does, and Atrocitus is the leader of them.
Batman Gambit: In Brightest Day, Lobo attacks Atrocitus, trying to get the bounty on his head. The White Lantern Battery orders Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris, and Sinestro to help Atrocitus, so they do. After Lobo is driven off, the four of them vow to work together to find the missing emotional entities. Atrocitus hired Lobo to attack him in the first place and take a dive, in order to get the others to trust him. As payment, Lobo is given a Red Lantern Ring.
The Berserker: A customary for anyone who is a Red Lantern, provided that they are powered by rage. That said, Atrocitus has shown himself to be among the most proficient and skilled member regarding his use of his berserker rage, keeping himself tempered and focused whilst still showing himself off to be a rampaging destroyer towards the reprehensible.
Beyond the Impossible: Killing Guardians without a power ring, not to mention just how much he can survive without his heart or ring.
Big Bad: For the Reds during Guy Gardner's tenure in their numbers, especially during the "Atrocities" arc.
The Big Guy: Atrocitus ends up serving as this to the other Lantern Corps leaders during the Blackest Night, being the largest and most physically strongest out of the alliance, alongside being the most offensive in regards to taking on the Black Lanterns head-on.
Big Red Devil: His appearance is pretty evocative of your standard depiction of a demon or the devil. He's got bright red skin, has sharp teeth and claws, has powers that would normally be associated with a villain, and normally is in opposition against the many heroes that reside in his universe. That said, he doesn't come across as a Satanic Archetype, if mainly because Atrocitus has ostensibly noble goals that he wants to fulfil.
Blood Knight: Atrocitus relishes on the prospect of having to do battle and lay upon his wrath towards the truly evil in the universe. That said, he's a lesser example than, say, Dex-Star and Bleeze, and tends to focus more on the long-term effects of his objectives.
Blood Magic: Part of a Red Lantern's power asset includes the ability to enchant and magically enhance and control blood based on what the wielder desires for their usage. Atrocitus, being the Corps' founder and leader, also uses it for divinations towards his organization and its influence.
Bloody Murder: Given the Red Lantern Ring's power to manipulate blood and the organization's nature as violent berserker vigilantes, Atrocitus is not above using blood as a way to slaughter his foes as well as using their blood as improvised weaponry in the middle of battle against another horde or adversary if need be.
Blue-and-Orange Morality: Atrocitus' moral code is very simple: Killing and destroying whoever or whatever has made you mad. After reading his mind, Sheko notes that he's a monster by her people's standards and laws, but he's utterly convinced that his actions are righteous and necessary.
Breakout Character: While he did play a notable role in Blackest Night, Atrocitus was, at best, a supporting character with most of the focus being on Hal Jordan. And his Earth friends, alongside Sinestro. Later on, he would be given more exposure thanks to his popularity and his character would be explored and expanded upon. It culminated with him and his Corps getting their own comic storyline and issues in the New 52.
Breath Weapon: As a Red Lantern ring significantly alters one's inner physiology, their own blood can be weaponized into liquid plasma that can burn almost anything upon contact. Given that this is one of the Corps' most infamous abilities, Atrocitus has used it countless times.
Burning with Anger: Just like the other members of the Red Lantern Corps, Atrocitus's rage also amplifies their blood to become an acidic sort of plasma that they use very offensively, most notably as a lethal puke or to create constructs and barriers with an added lethal enhancement.
Chest Insignia: Just like most members of any Lantern Corps, Atrocitus has the Red Lantern Emblem emblazoned onto the chest, much like the other Lantern Corps leaders.
Clingy MacGuffin: Because he wields a Red Lantern Ring, Atrocitus's biological functions are affected so that his organs and blood are mostly replaced with boiling plasma. While it guarantees a large level of invulnerability, the removal of the ring would kill Atrocitus as it's now bound to his consciousness and biological functionality.
The Corruptor: It should be noted that Atrocitus tends to be the only sane member of his own Corps and that the other members end up devolving in savage beasts who would waste no time assaulting and brutalizing whoever Atrocitus commands them to attack. It turns out that Atrocitus himself built the Red Lantern Central Power Battery to operate it's power and influence to every member sans himself. As a result, what appears to be The Corruption is actually the doing of Atrocitus, seeing as this fuction can be stripped, but he doesn't bother with that.
Crusading Widower: Well, part of the reason he's lashing out under the guise of "righteous vengeance" is because his wife was among the victims of Ryut's attack by the Manhunters. To say that Atrocitus didn't take her death well would be a sore understatement.
Dark Is Evil: On his worst days, Atrocitus can be antagonistic and pretty nasty to deal with, not willing to take compromises and simply wanting to get his objectives done, even if it means oppressing heroes and manipulating his own Corps members to his own advantage.
Dark Is Not Evil: Usually. He is incredibly violent and ruthless, but he's not really evil and has a decent goal with understandable reasons behind it. This is emphasized in Blackest Night when it's shown that he joined the combined Lantern corps without having to be bribed or motivated by a quest for glory; he wasn't lying when he claimed that he fought to protect life. It's also important to note that while Atrocitus is the head of the Red Lanterns - beings who are fueled by anger and rage - it's established that Atrocitus is at the very least very justified for the anger he feels, as he is the sole survivor of the extermination of his entire sector by the Manhunters. His breakdown shows that - while not completely innocent - his sector did not deserve the punishment wrought upon it.
Dark Messiah: Plays himself up as this in the "Atrocities" arc.
Despair Event Horizon: He went through a very harrowing one after having to see his family and planet get ravaged by the Manhunters. Said despair then forms the very basis of Atrocitus's rage, making him a suitable candidate to become a member of the Red Lantern Corps and ever since, it's been an established rule that for one to become a Red Lantern, one rage needs to stem from feeling personal loss and tragedy.
Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: With Krona dead, Atrocitus' rage no longer has a target... but it's still there.
Determinator: Despite not representing it or being a member of the Green Lantern Corps, Atrocitus has actually displayed incredible willpower and resolve throughout his time as a Red Lantern. His determination and committment to rage is such that once his heart was removed, he still kept on going, even more angry than before, despite the fact that the ring's removal should have killed Atrocitus.
Empowered Badass Normal: He was outrageously a badass billions of years before he created the Red Power Battery, enough to kill hordes of Manhunters with his bare hands, and torture and kill Guardians of the Universe. He and the other four Inversions founded an empire that extended throughout three entire galaxies.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: While he barely tolerates most of his subordinates for their treachery, weakness, and incompetence (both perceived and actual flaws depending on the Lantern) he has a soft spot for Dex-Starr. He even stated that he is the only Red a Lantern whose death he would mourn. He also loved his wife and his children before the massacre of Sector 666.
Evil Is Bigger: Atrocitus is one of the more physically bigger Lantern Corps leaders and easily one of the more relentless, vicious and antagonistic ones, albeit he is someone with good intentions. Amusingly, he contrasts nicely with Sinesteo, who qualifies more for Lean and Mean.
Evil Sounds Deep: Adaptations tend to give Atrocitus a growling, deep voice to further emphasize his authoritative and fearsome nature.
Evil Virtues: He has several of them, which further reinforces his position as an Anti-Villain. To boot, Atrocitus possesses an astute ambition, does take the well-being of his Corps quite seriously, can be honorable and reasonable, is determined and dedicated to his cause, is surprisngly smarter than he appears, and is more than willing to fight to the bitter end for his, even if it means dying.
The Extremist Was Right: He absolutely abhors the Guardians of the Universe just as much as Sinesteo does, given that the Manhunters they created were responsible for the death of his family and race. Despite being a hardcore extremist in regards to upholding justice and vengeance, Atrocitus is absolutely justified in his hatred towards the Guardians; most of them are lazy and negligent, even withholding several limitations to the Green Lanterns in regards to their effectiveness and how much is the universe really in stake, and they did nothing to really help anyone from helping others in their time of grief. It also didn't help that one of their kind happened to be Krona, who deliberately engineered the Manhunters to act hostile towards all life.
A Father to His Men: Zig-Zagged. A really good way to piss Atrocitus off is to harm one of Red Lanterns. . . and given he's fueled by pure rage, this won't end well for the one who did the hurting. Though it swings between this trope and "the Red Lanterns are my toys, I am the only one who gets to break them." (Though when he does go all Bad Boss, he usually has a pretty good reason.) At other times, he'll get downright Darwinian, claiming a slaughtered Red Lantern wasn't strong enough to be a "true" Red Lantern, or they would not have been slaughtered. That said, this is played entirely straight in regards to Dex-Starr, who he never has to forcibly take control of because the cat's love and devotion to him is always unyielding, with Atrocious returning the sentiment in kind.
Foil: He is one to Sinestro; both are two of the Green Lantern's greatest enemies, both had a history with Abin Sur, with Sinestro being his best friend and Atrocitus being his killer, and both of them have their own extreme unscrupulous ideas of how to make the universe a better place. However, their motivations and ends are different, as Sinestro wants to bring peace to the universe by enforcing his way of order, whereas Atrocitus opts to hunt down and kill anybody who endangers innocents and perverts justice. Both are feared adversaries, though Sinestro is the only one who powers himself up from it whereas Atrocitus gets his strength from sheer rage.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Used to just be another guy, with a wife and family. Then the Manhunters came and leveled his planet.
Full-Frontal Assault: He was naked when he killed Abin Sur and fought back against Sinestro and a rookie Hal Jordan's efforts in recapturing him. It wasn't until he forged the ring and power battery of the Red Lantern Corps that he started wearing a uniform.
Genius Bruiser: With the possible exception of Sinestro, he's easily the most intelligent of the Corps leaders. To that end, he has manipulated the Guardians, Sinestro, Guy Gardner, the other leaders, and Lobo to fit his schemes, often without the others even being aware. Before the Massacre of Sector 666, Atrocitus was a student of psychology, which may account for his manipulative abilities.
- He's smart in other ways as well. He knows the weakness of Blue Lantern Rings without needing to be told, is proficient in the use of Blood Magic and constructed a cosmic divining rod capable of absorbing Green Lantern Ring energy out of spare parts from a gun shop on Earth.
Hair-Trigger Temper: Given that he's the leader of a faction that's empowered by rage, it's pretty easy to set Atrocitus off.
Hard Light: As with anyone possessing a Lantern Ring, Atrocitus can use his to create red light constructs of whatever he lives to visualize. Considering his affinity to rage, his constructs are used more offensively than the other Lantern Corps.
Heel–Face Turn: He undergoes this in the Post-Crisis timeline after Blackest Night. Out of all the outright antagonistic Lantern Corps that also includes the Orange^notereally, just Larfleeze and Sinestro Corps, the Red Lanterns are the most genuine in their attempt to change, which also cements Atrocitus's reputation as an Anti-Villain.
Hero Antagonist: Often borders on this. He just wants his revenge against the Guardians and has no time for anyone who gets in his way, but he's so sympathetic and has such a heartbreaking backstory that it's hard to even really call him a villain at times.
Hero Killer: He's responsible for Abin Sur's death, due to him mortally wounding Abin by slashing him in the chest and his destructive escape leading to Abin's lethal crash landing. Him being an example of this trope is also how Hal Jordan came to become a Green Lantern, and it's most championed member.
He Who Fights Monsters: Deliberately used by Atrocitus in recruiting new Red Lanterns, since he believes true rage comes from personal pain (which led to his forming the Five Inversions, as he also lost his family in the Manhunter massacre).

I - N

Incendiary Exponent: His plasma blood is incredibly hot and is even applied to whatever constructs he creates, further enhancing their offensive and lethal capabilities. Atrocitus would make sure to use this as much as he can.
In It for Life: Atrocitus's Corps works like this, albeit in a lethal sense. The Red Lantern Rings grant users to be invulnerable to whatever can legally harm them physically, but their life force would then be tied to their ring, hence it's removal would result in death. Atrocitus designed it this way as a way to further his grip and control over his organization, with the only cure to this being the healing powers of a Blue Lantern Ring.
In Love with Your Carnage: Seeing Mera barbecue her zombie son leaves him in awe.
- "Earthwoman. I have nothing to say but - welcome to the Red Lantern Corps."
Knight Templar: He'll take his revenge come hell or high water and doesn't care who he has to kill to get it.
Last of His Kind: His entire race was wiped out by the Manhunters.
The Leader: He leads the Red Lantern Corps under the virtue of being it's oldest, most experienced, and usually most powerful member. That said, he has seen his leadership being challenged at times.
A Lighter Shade of Black: He straddles between anti-heroism and anti-villainy. While certainly one of the more brutal characters the Green Lanterns have had to face and one of the most vengeful beings in the DC Universe, Atrocitus stands out as being one of the more moral and sympathetic "bad guys", mainly because his main motivation of exacting vengeance stems from losing his family and home and that he has every to call out on the Guardians for their neglect and recklessness as well as letting the Manhunters run rampant in the universe. Of course, there's also him allying with the other Lantern Corps to stand a chance against Nekron during the Blackest Night.
Logical Weakness: Because Red and Rage is on the far-left side of the emotional spectrum, Atrocitus and his Corps are vulnerable to the light and powers of the opposing spectrum. For example, Blue and Hope can negate several of a Red Lantern Ring's functionality and Violet and Love is more than capable of killing a Red Lantern without much of a resistance.
The Lost Lenore: While not referenced too often, Atrocitus did have a good relationship with his wife (unnamed in the Post-Crisis timeline, while she is named Ferta in the Post-Flashpoint universe) and her death, alongside their children is a major reason for why Atrocitus desires revenge against the Manhunters and the Guardians.
Kick The Son Of A Bitch: Atrocitus is more than willing to kill any oppressors of justice^notein his mind's perspective, at least, the most morally wicked, and those who commit injustice after injustice. While he can be incredibly extreme in what he does, Atrocitus does make it clear that whatever he does to his victims would be an indication that they really had it coming.
Kindhearted Cat Lover: Kindhearted would be a massive stretch and Atrocitus desires a good goal with extreme measures, but if there's one thing that is wholly positive about him, it's the fact that he's very fond and affectionate of Dex-Starr, which makes sense as both of them can relate to seeing their loved one die callously, which ended up becoming the main basis for their rage. It even goes to the point where Atrocitus acts on instinctual rage if he finds out that Dex-Starr gets hurt.
Knight Templar: This is a trope trait that, for all their difference, Atrocitus shares with Sinestro. He's adamant in his belief that injustice needs to be dealt with and that whoever spreads, commits, and advocates it should be condemned to be killed by the Red Lanterns. While he goals are understandable, Atrocitus's nature of being way too militant about exacting vengeance makes him butt heads against a lot of people, who think that he's being too extreme for his cause.
Manipulative Bastard: For all his Unstoppable Rage, Atrocitus is a surprisingly subtle and deep thinker. Those plotting against him (like Bleez) will frequently find, to their surprise, that Atrocitus was a step ahead of them (if barely).
Mars Needs Women: After fighting side-by-side with Aquaman's wife Mera, many have noted that he is attracted to her. He won't admit it.
Monster Is a Mommy: He had a daughter, but she was killed by the Manhunters.
Moral Sociopathy: He's committed to his cause, commands respect from his subordinates, and can display signs of honor, but these do not change Atrocitus from being a militant zealot who believes that the wicked deserves a death sentence by their own hands, at times finding it pretty hard to find a compromise. While he makes a point to Never Hurt an Innocent, he's not exactly too sympathetic towards them either, unless one could really relate to him.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Atrocitus, which brings to mind the word atrocity. Though it's actually a codename. His real name is Atros.
Never Hurt an Innocent: Very notable considering how he treats people that aren't. Although he does have a nasty habit of shifting blame (equating the crimes of the Guardians with every Green Lantern) and tends to shoot first and ask questions later.
Never My Fault: A constant negative trait for Atrocitus is that, while he's genuine about what he wants to do, he does have a knack of shift blames of confidence towards others, including members of his own Corps in an attempt to avoid any challenge to his authority and cause. This trait also contrasts to how Guy Gardner feels about not doing a good of leading the Red Lanterns during the eponymous series and Red Daughter of Krypton, though Atrocitus is responsible for many mishaps, Guy ends up blaming himself for the most part.
Nigh-Invulnerability: Atrocitus is durable enough to withstand knife attacks.
Noble Demon: His rage will burn one into a charred corpse. . . but he'll make sure you really deserve it first. He's been known to cogitate on what rage is more worthy of his attention, especially when it comes to conflicts rooted in Grey-and-Gray Morality. He goes so far as ordering his own death at the hands of his Red Lanterns, because he was given the opportunity to undo the massacre of Sector 666 and did not take it, making him (in his mind) responsible for it.
Atrocitus: By the code of the Red Lanterns, there must be no mercy. . . only vengeance.
"Not So Different" Remark: He and Saint Walker have had very similar histories, with a loving family and supportive community when they were suddenly ripped away from them, with this being a major motivation for the men that they've become in the present. The two acknowledge their similarities during a conversation with one another in Blackest Night.
Number of the Beast: He hails from Sector 666. Coincidentally enough, he himself looks like a demon.

O - Z

Obviously Evil: He looks like a demon who came straight out of Hell, has rows of sharp fangs and clawed fingers, is in a perpetually furious mood, and is tied to a colour that is commonly associated with violence, bloodshed, horror, and occasionally villainy. That said, Atrocitus is actually an Anti-Villain with good intentions, albeit with more violent conclusions in mind
Only Sane Man: He's still an insanely angry berserker, but he can at least communicate.
Our Demons Are Different: He's not exactly a demon, but his appearance and general abilities are pretty evocative of one, so in a sense, he can be considered a space demon. He's got red skin, sharp claws and teeth, and possesses abilities that one would normally seen in a villain, not to mention that like Lucifer, he leads a rebellious team dedicated to revenge. That said, unlike Sinestro, Atrocitus isn't a Satanic Archetype as his motivations and goals are far more well-meaning.
Outliving One's Offspring: He had two children, and both of them died in an onslaught committed by the Manhunters who also killed Atepcitus's wife and everyone else in Ryut. Their premature demise is a major impetus in Atrocitus's rage.
Atrocitus: As my beautiful daughter dies so does something inside me. Hope. The hope of the future. The hope of happiness. The hope of their being a benign force in the universe. It all dies...
Papa Wolf: Is fiercely protective of Dex-Starr. Knowing he's been hurt is enough to piss off Atrocitus even more than he already was.
Pay Evil unto Evil: His targets usually have it coming.
Pet the Dog: Literally, he's been seen stroking Dex-Starr and calling him "good kitty". In general, he seems to sympathize with the circumstances that brought his corpsmen to him. He also pointed out to The Spectre that The Butcher's host should not be punished for The Butcher's crimes.
The Power of Blood: The Red Lantern Ring allows a user to control and manipulate blood to their liking and intent. Atrocitus, being the founder, made it so that blood can be used in the most lethal and fearsome way possible, hence it's plasmic, yet corrosive nature.
The Power of Hate: More than fitting, considering one becomes a Red Lantern through sheer rage. That said, this is a unique take in that the Rage of a member comes from personal loss and tragedy, which is then weaponized in the most lethal and offensive way possible. Given what Atrocitus went through, it's safe to say that the massacre of his family and race was more than enough of a reason to tap into unbelievable levels of anger and become an emotional representative of rage
Atrocitus: "Do you hate? The most powerful hate is not born out of ignorance or prejudice or a perceived threat. Those three are fear in disguise. The fury that fuels my corps ignites from personal pain. Those whose lives were ravaged by greed, lust and control wield the crimson light. The rings replaced our damaged hearts. They beat for them. And they keep us alive only to hate. But at least we live."
Psycho Psychologist: Prior to Ryut's attack by the Manhunters, Atrocitus was once well educated in the subject of psychology. While he isn't a psychologist these can be possible factors behind how Atrocitus can be deceptively manipulative as well as a skilled tactician in battle.
Rage Breaking Point: As usual, this is customary for a Red Lantern, as well as a reason for why one becomes a Red Lantern in the first place. For Atrocitus, he's in a perpetual state of this, though one way to really tick him is if a valuable member of his Corps, especially Dex-Starr, gets hurt, his goals aren't met, or if he comes into contact with a Manhunter or a Guardian.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: As if the color red couldn't get any more obvious, Atrocitus also has eyes with that shade of color. That said, they aren't too noticeable, that is when he's really pissed off, when his eyes start glowing.
Red Is Violent: Atrocitus leads the Red Lantern Corps and they are literally powered by feeling the Rage that is bought upon by loss and tragedy. He's even got the appearance, attitude, and reputation to uphold the trope in spades. There is a reason he's currently the image provider of the trope.
Red and Black and Evil All Over: Atrocitus is red and his costume is also mostly red with black accents and a white outline for his Corps' symbol. That said, Atrocitus is more of an Anti-Villain with a goal of wanting to exact vengeful justice, undermining the "Evil" part of this trope.
Redemption Failure: Doesn't go very far at all. Like he had done to Bleez, Simon attempts to purge Atrocitus of his rage and restore him to the person he originally was. Simon only manages to piss Atrocitus off even more.
Revenge: One of the biggest and consistent aspects of his characterization is his drive to exact vengeance upon those who have wronged him by killing his family and obliterating his planet without any provocation. While the Manhunters caused the destruction, this was mainly because of the Guardians of the Universe not being careful and considerate enough to look into and fix their creation's flaws. This ultimately made both the main targets for Atrocitus's right for vengeance.
- Later on, it was revealed that Krona was the one responsible for deliberately making the Manhunters morally malfunctional and going out to attack whatever is in their sight. Even with this revelation as well as a new target for revenge, Atrocitus still holds the Guardians in contempt because their way of maintaining order is lazy and counterproductive, not to mention they didn't do a good job in stopping Krona. The saddest part through all of this is that Atrocitus really does have a point to make.
Revenge Before Reason: Because he registers vengeance as the best way to achieve solutions, Atrocitus is often blind to the fact that many other issues can simply be solved through other emotional reactions and offers, such as forgiveness, compassion, and even fear. This ends up being one of the biggest reasons why Atrocitus ends up having to fight against other Lantern Corps, despite his own well-intentioned goals.
Right-Hand Cat: Dex-Starr serves as one for him and, appropriately enough for the first two words, he's Atrocitus's closest confidant and the Red Lantern he has the best relationship with, to the point that harming is a sure-fire way to piss Atrocitus off more than usual.
The Rival: He winds up serving as this to Guy Gardner in regards to who gets to lead the Red Lantern Corps during their eponymous comic issues and Red Daughter of Krypton. Atrocitus wants to keep his Corps as traditional as it could be under his watch whereas Guy wants to steer them to a more heroic cause as well as better bind with them, given his own tenure as a Green Lantern.
Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Ever since the destruction of Ryut, Atrocitus has been on a mission to annihilate the Manhunters and punish the Guardians of the Universe ever since. On another note, he also advocates this trope to members of his Corps as well as those who have went through great loss in an attempt to make them feel rage and be tempted to join him in his rampaging crusade against those who have made countless wrongs on the innocent.
Shadow Archetype: He and his Corps is this to the Green Lanterns and he wants to enforce this notion. Both the Green and Red Lanterns are intergalactic organizations out to stop and prevent evil and injustice from spreading. However, unlike the Green Lanterns who abide to a strict code of law and regulations, Atrocitus seeks to lead the Red Lanterns without any restraints. Lastly, the Green Lanterns are not allowed to kill, courtesy of how the Guardians want the rings to act, that is until the Sinestro Corps War, whereas the Red Lanterns make it a goal to kill others, though not without good reason and justification.
- Atrocitus himself is this to Saint Walker. Both went through incredible hardships and both lost their families and reached a Despair Event Horizon once they saw themselves as the last ones remaining out of their company. However, where Walker was inspired to embody and represent hope, becoming an All-Loving Hero and someone who is more than welcome to aid the Green Lanterns as leader of the Blue Lantern Corps, Atrocitus dabbled into rage, grief and hate, and made it his life's work to avenge the innocent by viciously butchering anyone who shamelessly spreads injustice and evil. Essentially, both had similar circumstances and tragedies, but with different outcomes and perspectives, with Atrocitus being the cynical to Walker's optimistic.
Shut Up, Hannibal!: He ends up on the receiving end of this by Guy Gardner, of all people, in Red Lanterns #34.
Atrocitus: Oh, the things I have planned for you, Guy Gardner. You and anyone who stands with you.
Guy Gardner: Get in line, pal. You ain't the first, and I guarantee you won't be the last. Worse than you have tried to take Guy Gardner down! And you know what? You know what? I'm still here, you bastard! I'm still here!
Skull for a Head: Depending on the Artist, he ranges from just being an ugly, pink-skinned alien with lots of sharp teeth to looking like a beefier version of Red Skull.
Sociopathic Hero: He can be this occasionally. He does want to do good, albeit in his own warped way, but he can be really callous, brutal, and uncompromising and is not above creating swathes of collateral damage in his constant war to exact "righteous vengeance" upon evil beings in the cosmos. Really, it's his warped thinking that's led Atrocitus into making a lot of enemies and oppositions who happen to be heroes.
Start of Darkness: His family was killed and his planet was destroyed by a group of genocidal aliens who were originally programmed to uphold order, not to mention that their creators were too lax and neglectful to keep them reigned. Of course, the most logical outcome for Atrocitus was to lash out and become a being powered by and representing rage, all to exact revenge.
Super-Strength: Before he got his ring, he was strong enough to smash through ring constructs and pick up a bulldozer.
Sympathy for the Devil: During Blackest Night, Atrocitus ends up having a heart-to-heart with Saint Walker, as they commiserate that the paths that led them to their respective corps are actually quite similar. Mind you, Atrocitus points out just how different he thinks they are by showing that unlike Walker, he knows that specific individuals are to blame for his misery, and that they haven't ever been brought to justice.
Time Abyss: Atrocitus is one of the oldest members of any Lantern Corps, being around 4.5 billion years old.
This Means War!: Atrocitus destroys the Red Power Battery to declare war on Guy and his Red Lanterns.
Took a Level in Badass: A few of them. First he becomes the sole survivor of a murdered system, then becomes a blood magician, then creates a power battery and becomes a Red Lantern.
Tragic Villain: He saw his wife and children die because of an attacked committed by a group of robots that malfunctioned and their creators did nothing but watch. Not only that, but his planet was razed to oblivion as well, leaving Atrocitus as the only survivor. It's not hard to see why he would be considered one of the most tragic and sympathetic villains in the DC Universe. The fact that his rage is based on the fact that he had lost what he held dear to to his heart also furthers his tragic nature.
Unstoppable Rage: A universal trait for Red Lanterns and what drives them in their actions. In Atrocitus's case, wrath, mixed with sorrow and grief is what fuels his powers, goals, and desires and because of it, he's usually in a rageful and vengeful state with a desire to uphold his violent code of standards and deliver his brand of justice towards the wicked. While a major source of his power, it has been a Fatal Flaw on a few occasions as Atrocitus is sometimes unwilling to reason with other willingly, which contrasts with most Red Lantern members who have been molded into being subservient to their own rageful desires and wrath. He will stop at nothing to exact his revenge towards the Manhunters and the Guardians and he isn't going to stop from committing attacks and slaughters to those who he sees as morally reprehensible. His rage is so strong that even having his heart and his ring removed doesn't kill him so much as he's more pissed off. All in all, Atrocitus channels his rage and his nature as a Determinator to showcase just how far and willing he will go to achieve his means.
Villainous Friendship: Him and Dex-Starr. The two genuinely care about each other and will always watch the other's back.
Villain Respect:
- He ends up developing this towards Mera during the event of the Blackest Night. It turns out that underneath her steely demeanour, Mera is someone who can and will go into rage whenever something she cares for is under threat, and Atrocitus was quick to notice that. It's further enforced when Mera herself is deputised as a Red Lantern, and responds to her undead husband's taunts and zombified infant son by barbecuing them both.
Atrocitus: Earthwoman. I have nothing to say but - welcome to the Red Lantern Corps.
- Despite having the exact contrasting personality and disposition, Atrocitus actually respects Saint Walker for his compassion and for the fact that the two can relate to one another's past circumstances, even if the two clash against one another on different occasions.
Villainous Valor: He's not one to go down with without a fight. Atrocitus's desire to exact vengeful justice is never going to stop in his perspective and, if need be, he will go down fighting for it. He's also shown the capability to display resilience and willpower that rivals that of a Green Lantern.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Every once in a while, goes into this territory.
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: As shown in the Distant Finale section of Wrath of the First Lantern, Atrocitus continues to lead the Red Lanterns in their quest to avenge the wrongs of the universe, though he does it with the knowledge that he'll never truly be free of the pain of the past, and its implied he's made his peace with that.
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: He can destroy planets if he really wanted to, and would do so of every member of its inhabitants are irredeemable scumbags. However, he's doing this as a way to exact what he sees as "righteous vengeance" and given what he went through to become a Red Lantern, it's hard not to see why he's in a perpetually raging state.

Characters / Green Lantern - Atrocitus

Atrocitus

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