Line #24 ComicBook/RiseOfTheThirdArmy


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_2riseofthethirdarmy_6094.jpg]]The first BatFamilyCrossover for Franchise/GreenLantern after the ComicBook/{{New 52}}, this story is a continuation of the plots already laid out by Creator/GeoffJohns. Unable to learn from their mistakes surrounding the Manhunters or their perceived mistakes with the [[SpacePolice Green Lantern Corps]], [[EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity the Guardians of the Universe]] decide that, rather than their own censorship policies and internal errors, the problems with the universe are due to TheEvilsOfFreeWill. After forcing EmotionSuppression on [[OnlySaneMan Ganthet]], they decide to make their own viral army that they name their [[TitleDrop Third Army]], after the Manhunters and the Corps, [[FaceHeelTurn to spread order throughout the galaxy at the expense of free will]].
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3	The outcome of this event leads directly into ''ComicBook/WrathOfTheFirstLantern'', the concluding arc of Creator/GeoffJohns' run on Franchise/GreenLantern.
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6	!!Tropes found in this storyline:
7	* AllYourPowersCombined: ''New Guardians'' focuses on Kyle Rayner learning to control the seven colors of the emotional spectrum. In ''New Guardians'' #16, he masters them all and [[spoiler:becomes a White Lantern]].
8	* AndIMustScream: The climax has the Guardians call the Green Lantern Corps to come to Oa for "innoculation" against the Third Army. They freeze them in place to make them easy prey for the Third Army, but the Lanterns can still hear and move their eyes.
9	* AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent: Sinestro and Hal are taken out before the Guardians do anything, and Sinestro's ring finds a man named Simon Baz.
10	* AssimilationPlot: Given that the Third Army's modus operandi is to assimilate organic entities into beings like themselves, this was a given.
11	* BigBad: The Guardians of the Universe.
12	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: The Guardians start out by erasing Ganthet's emotions so he won't object to their plan.
13	* ClearMyName: Simon Baz plans to use his ring for this. The Third Army gets in the way of that plan.
14	* EmotionSuppression: The Guardians' plan for the Third Army. One mind, under Guardian control, with no capacity for emotion.
15	* EyesAreUnbreakable: Averted and exploited. When the Third Army assimilates someone, the only thing left unchanged is their eyes. The eyes end up being the Third Army's weakness and attacking Third Army drones through its eyes ends up being the quickest way to destroy them.
16	* FaceHeelTurn: After a long time being just extremely unhelpful or detrimental for ostensibly noble causes, the majority of the Guardians have finally crossed this line.
17	* GoForTheEye: In ''ComicBook/RedLanterns'', Atrocitus finds that the best way to fight the Third Army is to go for the eyes.
18	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Sayd, to save the New Guardians. [[ComicBookDeath It doesn't take]].]]
19	* HumanResources: How the Third Army gains new members.
20	* ImplacableMan: Applies to the entire Third Army. It takes a lot to put even one of them down.
21	* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: The Guardians have made plenty of questionable decisions before, but attempted omnicide is a whole new level.
22	* KickTheDog: The Guardians go out of their way to reveal their evil AssimilationPlot to Salakk, a veteran Green Lantern and ardent follower of the rules of the Guardians, after he uncovers their plot, then imprisons and mocks him for disagreeing with their plan when he rebukes them.
23	* LivingBattery: The First Lantern is the power source for the Third Army.
24	* MoralEventHorizon: The entire arc serves as this for the Guardians, removing their longstanding status as a group of tolerable WellIntentionedExtremist and diving into full-on villainy.
25	* MythologyGag: Volthoom is named after a character from Earth-3 who had a connection to the evil counterpart of the Green Lantern.
26	* NeverMyFault: The Guardians, despite their numerous massive screw-ups (with several instances of ApocalypseHow under their belt), and despite every one of these mistakes being the result of "logical", emotionless decisions, have decided that emotion is the universe's Number 1 Problem.
27	* NiceJobFixingItVillain: The Guardians release Volthoom from captivity in order to use his powers to make the Third Army. This leads into an even worse conflict against the aforementioned First Lantern.
28	* NoMouth: People lose their mouths when assimilated by the Third Army so they won't talk back to the Guardians.
29	* NoSell: Due to being made from Oan flesh, Lantern Rings capabilities, at least from that specific type of Lantern, are completely ineffective against the Third Army. [[spoiler:White rings are much more useful.]]
30	* NotSoDifferentRemark: The First Lantern is a sadistic monster who happily points out the Guardians aren't exactly much better.
31	* OmnicidalManiac: The Guardians.
32	* OnlyMostlyDead: Hal Jordan and Sinestro.
33	* PhlebotinumBreakdown: Simon's ring isn't working properly, and is severely drained on top of that.
34	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Agent Fed, the only person outside the Lanterns and the Justice League willing to listen to Simon.
35	* RunningGag: Humans having problems on seeing Ch'p.
36	* SealedEvilInACan: The First Lantern, whom the Guardians of the Universe use to power the Third Army.
37	* SummonBiggerFish: [[spoiler:The Guardians unintentionally do this at the end of the story, drawing on Volthoom's power so much they end up breaking him free from his prison, causing him to destroy the Third Army and kick off the sequel story arc.]]
38	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill: The Guardians' motivation for creating the Third Army. Despite all the disastrous coldly logical decisions they've made in the past, they decide that emotion and free will are the sources of all the suffering in the universe.
39	* TheReveal: There are more Malthusians alive, guarding the Chamber of Shadows.
40	** Hal and Sinestro's host in the afterlife? It's Tomar-Re.
41	* TheUndead: Black Hand
42	* TonightSomeoneDies: How the Green Lantern annual that started off the event was advertised.

Context ComicBook / RiseOfTheThirdArmy