Ophidian (DC Comics)

Ophidian is the embodiment of greed which is connected to the orange light of the Emotional Spectrum. This entity resembles a large serpent with the Orange Lantern insignia on its head. In its debut appearance, it is depicted being created when the first creature ate what it did not need. In an interview with Newsarama, Johns revealed that the orange entity of greed resides in Larfleeze's power battery and speaks to Hal Jordan when he is briefly overwhelmed with the power of the orange light in Green Lantern #42. More recently, it was revealed that Ophidian had been trapped in the Orange Power Battery by Larfleeze.

Publication information

Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: Green Lantern Vol 4 #52 (May, 2010)
Appearance of Death: Green Lantern Annual Vol 5 #2 (December, 2013)
Created by: Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke

In-story information

Alter ego: Ophidian 
Notable aliases: Entity, Ophidian The Tempter
Relatives: Ion, Parallax, Predator, Black Hand, Butcher, Adara, Proselyte, White Entity (not related, but their nearest peers)
Affiliations: Formerly Hector Hammond
Team affiliations: Orange Lantern Corps
Enemies: Larfleeze
Abilities: Avarice
Base Of Operations: Okaara, Vega System
Sector: Space Sector 2828


Alignment: Bad
Identity Secret: Secret
Marital Status:
Occupation: Embodiment of the Avarice Aspect of the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum


Unusual Features: A snake with the symbol of the Orange Lantern Corps on the top of its head. Like Parallax, Ophidean can posses and control a host.


Origin: Born out of the white light of creation at the dawn of the universe.
Universe: New Earth 
Place of Birth: Earth



Ophidian, also known as Ophidian The Tempter, is the physical embodiment of the emotional concept of Avarice. This cosmic being was born following the entry of the Life Entity into the universe on Earth, which sparked the creation of living beings as well as the birth of the Emotional Spectrum. As sentient beings emerged, the Greed Entity became the fourth to be formed when a creature began to desire something thus sparking the existence of avarice after the births of Ion, Parallax and the Predator.

The Thieves Guild

Billions of years ago, when the Guardians still resided on Maltus, a guild of 5 thieves stole several items from the Guardians, one of which being a map to a treasure hidden in the Vega system. Making their way there, three of the five still alive made it there, and upon finding the Battery, began fighting over who should possess it. The Guardians intervened with a force of Manhunters, and a furious battle ensued, which killed 2 Guardians, another of the thieves, and the entire force of Manhunters. The Guardians offered the thieves a deal; give them back the box they had stolen which contained Parallax, and stay in the Vega System. In return, they could keep the Battery, and do whatever they wanted in the system without interference from the Guardians. There was only one condition; only one of the two surviving thieves could keep the Battery. Larfleeze managed to win the battery. Larfleeze claims that he was the one who sealed Ophidian within the Orange Central Power Battery, and that it had been "a bit tricky", meaning that the Battery created by the Maltusians had not contained the entity until after Larfleeze had taken possession of it.

Agent Orange

The Entity was shown in Green Lantern: Agent Orange to be able to whisper to any who possessed it, keeping them greedy and desirous of the battery. When the Guardians attempted to arrest Larfleeze, the current owner of the Battery, Larfleeze kidnapped Hal Jordan, attempting to get his Blue ring. Attempting to stop Larfleeze, Jordan stole the battery, and was immediately bombarded with mental messages by the Entity, trying to entice him into deep greed. It whispered such things as "You could really go for a hamburger", "You deserve your own Guardian", and "I'm beautiful aren't I?". Larfleeze quickly stole it back. The Battery, and the entity, remained in Larfleeze's possession after the Guardians left.

The Brightest Day

When Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris and Sinestro uncovered the White Lantern Central Power Battery, each of them attempted to move it but failed. This led to all three attempting to move it, which caused a surge of energy and apparitions in the form of the resurrected Earth heroes to appear. Amongst their number was Aquaman, who told Hal Jordan to "find them". When Jordan asked who he was referring to, Aquaman repeated the statement and declared the names of the various Embodiments of the Emotional Spectrum, namely the Predator Entity, The Butcher, Adara, Proselyte, Ion and Ophidian. Hal Jordan later went to North Branch, Minessota to track down Larfleeze and inform him of the danger posed to the Emotional Entities. Furthermore, he attempted to inquire as to how Agent Orange managed to imprison Ophidian, though Larfleeze did not elaborate on this at the time.
However, a mysterious figure spoke to Hector Hammond and informed him that the Avarice Entity could fulfill all his desires. Thus, he managed to escape from his prison and journeyed to Minnesota, where he attacked Agent Orange and Hal Jordan. Hammond demanded to know from Larfleeze on how to free the Ophidian Entity, but the alien simply said that he had made sure that the Greedy Entity would remain trapped within the Battery. Upon hearing this, Hammond simply devoured the Battery, which allowed the Ophidian Entity to be freed by possessing the human's body. Distorting his host, Ophidian told Larfleeze that it was now time to get even. However, the desire of its host to gain the affection of Carol Ferris meant that Ophidian departed the scene in its search for her. Afterwards, it was revealed that Krona had returned and was gathering the Entities leading him into a skirmish with the New Guardians. During the fight, Ophidian emerged and battled Krona's enemies and ultimately the renegade Maltusian ripped all the Entities from their respective hosts and travelled to Oa where Ophidian along with its kin were used to possess the Oans thus allowing him to take full control over them.

War of The Green Lanterns

The Guardian possessed Ophidian was later seen being sent to fight Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner when the two were attempting to reach the Central Power Battery in order to purge it of Parallax's influence.

Powers and Abilities


The Avarice entity is greed incarnate with all of avarice's power at its disposal.


Strength level







The Avarice Entity currently resides within the battery and speaks only to its wielder, enticing them to covet the battery more than anything else in existance. (As recently revealed in an interview with Geoff Johns)
In Green Lantern #52 it is alluded to that the Avarice Entity was the snake in the garden of Eden; as evident by the serpent in the tree slithering next to the shiny red fruits.


Ophidian is another term for a snake, and derives from the Greek όφις/óphis, "serpent".