Radiant

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The Radiant
Radiant as drawn by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding in Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey #2.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman/Doomsday #1
In-story information
Place of origin	Calaton
Abilities	Energy blasts Flight Protective force field Superhuman strength Near invulnerability

The Radiant is a superhero from the DC Comics Universe. He was created as part of the backstory to Doomsday from "The Death of Superman" storyline, in which the origin of Doomsday as well as his future (and that of Superman's) is revealed. The Radiant bears surprising similarities to Watchmen’s Doctor Manhattan.

Origin

The monster known as Doomsday traveled across the galaxy to Calaton, a rich world of golden spires and advanced technology. Calaton could not withstand Doomsday's onslaught, and after three years of his relentless attacks only the capital survived. Royal scientists had worked night and day to find a way to stop Doomsday.

The Monarch's family, inbred for eons, had developed certain unique metahuman abilities which would be the key to Calaton's survival. The royal scientists created a vessel to channel their leaders' abilities, and all members of the King's families were gathered up at his command. Their metahuman life forces were drained, their lives willingly given to a greater good. The royal scientists, grieving as they watched their rulers make such noble sacrifices, channeled the energies into their creation; the Radiant, a being of pure energy, artificially engineered to destroy the artificially engineered Doomsday.

The Radiant vs. Doomsday

The battle between The Radiant and Doomsday lasted over a week. Bertron had created a creature that could kill any known form of life but, as a being of pure energy, the Radiant proved stronger and prevailed over Doomsday, unleashing a final blast of pure energy that destroyed a fifth of Calaton.

Had the Calatonians destroyed Doomsday's body his story might have ended there, but, following their usual custom of burial, Doomsday was suited and chained so his spirit wouldn't escape in the afterlife. As a murderer he was deemed unworthy of burial on sacred Calaton, so his body was cast into the coldness of space where it would drift forever. His ship, in which his body resided, became entangled amidst an asteroid flow and eventually crashed on Earth, its impact carrying it deep underground until Doomsday finally escaped.

Death

After his apparent death at the hand of Superman, the body of Doomsday was tied to an asteroid and flung away from the Earth. Doomsday eventually revived and ended up on Apokolips, the homeworld of Darkseid. Darkseid's servant had Doomsday teleported to Calaton, hoping that the Calatonians could defeat Doomsday again. A new incarnation of The Radiant again fought Doomsday, but Doomsday had adapted, and tore The Radiant apart by cancelling out his energy. As Superman arrived, the Radiant asked Superman to save his people, before finally dying once again.^[1]

Following Doomsday's battle with the Radiant (and Superman), much of Calaton's surface had been ravaged and irradiated. A religious group sprang up, worshipping the Radiant and expecting his return. As Calaton's police force arrived to arrest the cult and bring them into a (radiation-safe) city, the Radiant's face appeared and left a message of hope, before disappearing again (presumably forever).

Powers

• Composed of pure energy with no apparent limit
• Can project energy from anywhere on his body
• Flight
• Creation of a bubble of energy for protection.
• Can travel great distances in a short period of time
• Almost limitless superhuman strength
• Near invulnerability
• Possibly other unspecified abilities

Angel of mercy Radiant

Final Crisis introduces a character called The Radiant that bears little to no resemblance to the previous one. She is the embodiment of god's mercy and the opposite of The Spectre. The Radiant was once Sister Clarice, a nun who was attacked and brutally beaten by three men. She was not angry at them, and was at peace when she later died at the hospital. When she died, she was fused with the Radiant and set out to bring mercy to the world.

Radiant was first seen during Final Crisis: Revelations , saving Renee Montoya, the Question, from a disgruntled Spectre. The Spectre, angered that God forced him to kill his own son, but spared Question and Libra from his wrath, Attacks Radiant, but she is able to hold of against him. After an argument, they are attacked by minions of Darkseid, and find out that they cannot release them from the Anti-Life. They flee and take shelter along with other survivors in a nearby church. There Radiant sees the men who killed her, and her own faith begins to falter. ^[2]

The church is then attacked by Vandal Savage reborn as Cain, who hold an ancient grudge against the Spectre for branding him. Cain uses the Spear of Destiny to separate Spectre from his host, Crispus Allen, and use him to subjugate the world for Darkseid. Radiant, with some help from Question and Huntress, is able to protect the people inside the church.

Then she reveals that, because free will is God's greatest gift to man, it must be man, and not heavenly beings, who will decide the battle for it. The Question understands this, and she and Huntress attack Cain and try to take the Spear of Destiny from him. With the three men, who sacrifice their lives to help them, thus earning Radiant's forgiveness, Question manages to wrestle the Spear from Cain, purify it, and then give it to the Spectre, who undoes everything Cain has done and banishes him away.

Following this, Radiant appears to have retreated back to limbo along with the Spectre. Along with the Spectre, Radiant attempts to offset the arrival of Mandrakk the Dark Monitor, but is defeated and sucked dry of power.^[3]

Greg Rucka has said that he envisions The Radiant and The Spectre are a "package" hinting that the two will have roles to play in The Blackest Night. ^[4]

Powers

Being a Angel on par with The Spectre she has a similar power level and abilities.

References

1. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Jurgens, Dan (p), Breeding, Brett (i). Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey (3): 8-13 (1994), DC Comics
2. ^ Final Crisis Revelations
3. ^ Final Crisis
4. ^ http://e3.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/693256/Fresh-Ink-Greg-Rucka-Comic-Con-09-Interview.html