Indigo Tribe

A group of Indigo Tribesmen, led by Indigo-1, traverses a desert landscape in Sector 3544, where it observes explosive displays of green and yellow light in the distance. The group investigates the site and finds a wounded porcine Green Lantern Corps member lying on the ground. He reports that he was in a conflict with a "being who knows no mercy," and despite his coughing up blood, difficulty speaking, and open head injuries, he tells the group to stay away so as to not attract the being's attention. Indigo-1 says something, but when the Green Lantern member asks his ring to translate, it replies that it cannot, despite having a catalog of known languages in the DC Universe. Indigo-1 kneels and places her hand on his heart; her indigo power ring responds with the word "will". Drawing power from him, she creates a simple green light construct that smothers him. Although he struggles, she persists, and smothers him until he is dead. The attacker, a member of Sinestro Corps, emerges and exclaims that he will not be taken down as easily as he fires a beam of yellow energy at Indigo-1; however, Indigo-1 is not fazed by his threat; her power staff absorbs the beam. As her power ring says "fear", she creates a monstrous yellow light construct that frightens her attacker away.[12]

Indigo-1 and Munk arrive on Earth to help Hal Jordan, the Flash, and the Atom escape from a group of Black Lanterns, which are former superheroes that have been reanimated. Indigo-1 channels Jordan's green light through her staff, and turns Black Lanterns Elongated Man and Sue Dibny to ash by destroying their rings.[13] Indigo-1 and Munk teleport the group to the Hall of Justice where it is revealed that they can speak English "when they wish to." Indigo-1 explains that, in the beginning, the DC Universe is only darkness until light becomes strong enough to suppress it. As the darkness fights back, it shatters the light into the seven colors of the emotional spectrum. She explains that the Black Lanterns can only truly be defeated if the Corps work together. If all seven Corps cooperate, they can recreate the white light of creation and permanently destroy the Black Lanterns and their power source. As a group of Black Lanterns infiltrates the Hall of Justice, Indigo-1 and Munk escape with Jordan.[13] They go to the planet Zamaron, where they save Carol Ferris and Sinestro from a Black Lantern onslaught. Indigo-1 brings Jordan, Ferris, and Sinestro to Korugar, where Sinestro defeats Mongul and becomes the leader of Sinestro Corps.[14] Meanwhile, Munk transports himself to Oa, and assists the Green Lanterns against their fallen comrades, who have been reanimated as Black Lanterns.[15] Indigo-1, along with Hal Jordan, Sinestro, Carol Ferris and Saint Walker, go to Okaara to recruit Atrocitus and Larfleeze. After the pair agrees, the group travels to Ryut but discovers that the Black Central Power Battery has been moved to Earth.[16] The group goes to Earth; Indigo-1 and the allied members combine powers to make the white light of creation to try to destroy the battery; however, the light is insufficient. Meanwhile, Nekron, the leader of the Black Lanterns, expands his army by resurrecting more former superheroes and converting them into Black Lanterns.[17]

Indigo-1 and her allies encounter "the Entity" which is explained as the embodiment of life itself in the DC Universe.[18] Hal Jordan bonds with the Entity; they convert the Black Lanterns into White Lanterns, and bring back Black Hand. Without Black Hand as a tether, Nekron is eventually defeated and destroyed. Afterwards, Saint Walker says that the Indigo Tribe has disappeared. The Indigo Tribe is shown in a vast procession led by Indigo-1 and Munk. The tribe members tow a shackled Black Hand, who bears an imprint of the Indigo Tribe symbol and carries a power staff.[19]

During the search for the emotional entities, Indigo-1 returns to Earth to infuse Proselyte, the Indigo Tribe's emotional entity, into Shane Thompson, a paramedic who prioritized the care of a mortally wounded patient over a less-wounded man that had insurance. Indigo-1 and Black Hand revisit Hal Jordan, Barry Allen, Sinestro, Saint Walker and Larfleeze. Black Hand explains that the ring has "cured" him of William Hand's sickness. The others realize that the Indigo Tribe cannot feel any emotion without the rings. Given Hand's role in Blackest Night, Jordan suspects that other Indigo Tribe members may have committed evil deeds in the past. The Indigo Tribe offers to take the remaining emotional entities into protective custody, but Jordan declines.[20] Parallax takes over Flash, and wants to take over Jordan. Adara, the entity of hope, fights a cloaked villain who reveals himself to be Krona, who has been planning on capturing all of the Entities with the gathering.[20] Proselyte frees Flash from Parallax's control by reigniting his emotion for compassion over his fear.[21]

In the War of the Green Lanterns storyline, Krona has trapped Indigo-1 and the allied Corps members in the Book of the Black,[22][23] where they are forced to re-live their lives prior to acquiring their current rings.[24] Meanwhile, John Stewart, whose Green Lantern ring has been contaminated by Krona and Parallax, bears Indigo-1's ring, but has trouble trying to wield its power.[25] When Sinestro tries to break free of the book, he finds in a prison cell Indigo-1, who went by the name Iroque prior to joining the Indigo Tribe. Iroque angrily proclaims that she will escape whatever Abin Sur has planned for her.[24] When Kyle Rayner frees her from the book, Iroque does not remember her Indigo-1 identity until she puts on her indigo ring.[26]

In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, the Indigo Tribe learns that Sinestro is returning to Earth to assume his old role of Green Lantern. Sinestro asks Hal Jordan to work with him[27] as the Guardians are planning to replace the Green Lantern Corps with the Third Army; however, the Indigo Tribe goes to Earth and captures Sinestro. Jordan follows them to Nok, the Indigo homeworld, but he is captured and delivered to Indigo Tribe member Black Hand.[28] Jordan tricks Black Hand into recharging his ring, and escapes; however, he discovers that Sinestro has been forcibly inducted into the Indigo Tribe.[29]

As he flees into the jungles of Nok, Jordan finds the Indigo Central Battery and meets its guardian, Natromo, who tells him of the Indigo Tribe's history. The group is originally created to fight the Guardians in case they ever become mad with power. Abin Sur discovers the Indigo light on the planet Nok during a mission; he and Natromo forge it into a battery. Sur brings Iroque, his mortal enemy who killed his daughter, and converts her to become the first Indigo Tribe member. The others are selected from the most dangerous criminals and psychopaths of their worlds. Sur foresees the danger that the Guardians would pose once the Blackest Night passes, and seeks a way to stop the Guardians by converting them instead of fighting them. However, when Jordan reveals that Sur is dead, Natromo destroys the battery, believing that there is no hope with Abin Sur dead. This restores Sinestro to normal, just as Jordan is discovered, but leaves them at the hands of the once-again-psychotic former Tribesmen.[30]

Jordan and Sinestro are pursued by the former Tribesmen through the forests of Nok. They run into Natromo, who is on his way back to his people. Jordan asks Natromo to reforge the Indigo Central Battery, but Natromo says that it is an impossible task since the compassion within the battery has already dissipated throughout the universe, and it will take weeks to forge more out of the rivers of Nok. They are then approached by Iroque, who begs Natromo to find a way to restore their rings. The sadness and compassion she feels for what she did to Abin Sur and his daughter is the spark that enables Natromo to reforge the battery. As a result, the former Tribesmen and Sinestro become members of the Tribe again, although Black Hand refuses to submit to the process by leaping to his death. Jordan implores the Indigo Tribe to release Sinestro; Indigo-1 agrees, but only on the condition that Jordan swear that Sinestro can be redeemed without having to use an indigo ring.[31]

Meanwhile, Munk has joined the New Guardians as the representative for the Indigo Tribe.[32] He works alongside Fatality as they investigate the Orrery that has turned Kyle Rayner into a ring magnet.[33] In the New Guardians' fight against Larfleeze, Munk duplicates Larfleeze's ring, which proves to be the New Guardians' only effective weapon against Larfleeze.[34]

In Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1, the Indigo Tribe is presented as a Corps that travels in a large nomadic procession. Indigo-1 explains that the group eschews everything associated with individualism, including names.[13] However, while interacting with others, some members allow themselves to be addressed by name:

• Indigo-1 (Iroque) (Sector unknown): A violet-skinned female humanoid who serves as the chosen leader of the Indigo Tribe. Unlike the other members of the tribe, Indigo-1 wears indigo-colored garments. During Blackest Night, she helps Hal Jordan assemble members from each of the Lantern Corps to combat the Black Lanterns.[13] She claims to have once met Abin Sur at a time when she was "self-centered and self-important".[14] Sinestro later encounters a pre-Tribe version of her in the Book of the Black where she waits in a prison cell for Abin Sur to pass judgment on her.[24] Her original identity is revealed to be Iroque,[26] Sur's greatest enemy, who is responsible for the death of his daughter. She becomes the first person to convert to the Indigo Tribe.[30] When she is freed from her ring, she initially reverts to her old, violent personality; however, because of the previous influence of the Indigo power of compassion, she comes to regret her actions, and begs to have her ring and status returned.[31]
• Munk (Sector unknown): A humanoid who acts as the Indigo Tribe's second-in-command.[14] He accompanies Indigo-1 to Earth, and then to Zamaron, before teleporting himself to Oa in order to assist the Green Lantern Corps.[35] Munk represented the Indigo Tribe in the Green Lantern: New Guardians series before the team was disbanded.
• Natromo: An inhabitant of planet Nok, Natromo is the Keeper of the Indigo Light; however, he does not wield an Indigo Power Ring or Staff, so the light of compassion has no influence over him. He and Sur create the first Indigo Tribe ring. While Sur leaves the planet, Natromo remains and forges more rings to convert the worst beings from the other worlds into Indigo Tribe members.[30]
• Kreaven (Sector unknown): A bird-like alien, who was the worst psychopath on his world.[31]
• Slog the Slayer (Sector unknown): Slog is also a former psychopath who was converted to a member of the Indigo Tribe.[31]

• John Stewart (of Sector 2814): In the Brightest Day and War of the Green Lanterns storyline, after Krona the rogue guardian launches his attack on Oa and restores Parallax into the Green Central Battery, Stewart is forced to remove his green power ring to avoid being contaminated by the yellow impurity.[36] Later Hal Jordan gives Stewart Indigo-1's ring so he can fight Krona,[25] and while at first he cannot control the Indigo power properly,[37] he later masters the ability to the point that he can tap into the remnants of the Black Lantern Corps around Mogo's core.[38]
• Atom (Ray Palmer) (of Sector 2814): A professor at Pace University, who is the second variation of the superhero known as the Atom and selected by indigo power ring as a deputy member of the Indigo Tribe during the Blackest Night crisis.[39] He is later discharged from the Tribe after the final battle.[19] He is the only known Indigo Tribe member that is selected by a ring because of his abundance of compassion instead of his lack of it.
• Shane Thompson (of Sector 2814): A paramedic who was pinned under an ambulance in an accident, yet still attempted to help the wounded. Instead of becoming a regular member of the Indigo Tribe, Thompson becomes the host for Proselyte, the Indigo Tribe's entity of compassion.[20] He is later discharged after Krona captures Proselyte.[21]
• Thaal Sinestro (of Sector 1417): In The New 52 storyline, he is captured by and forcibly recruited into the Indigo Tribe.[29] He is freed when guardian Natromo destroys the Indigo Central Battery.[30] When Natromo later restores the battery, Sinestro becomes a member again, but Hal Jordan implores the Indigo Tribe to release Sinestro, so he can be redeemed without the aid of an indigo ring.[31]
• Black Hand (William Hand) (of Sector 2814): In the final issue of Blackest Night, Black Hand is seen with the Indigo Tribe as a prisoner and recently converted member.[19] In Green Lantern (vol.4) #56, he is with the Tribe on Earth.[40] In The New 52 storyline, he is tricked by Hal Jordan into recharging Jordan's ring. He is freed when guardian Natromo destroys the Indigo Central Battery.[30] When the battery is later restored, he kills himself rather than return to the Indigo Tribe. A Black Power Ring later emerges from his corpse and revives him as a Black Lantern.[31]
• Krona (of sector 0): Krona temporarily becomes a member of the Indigo Tribe during the War of the Green Lanterns story line when he puts on Indigo-1's power ring. After he's killed the power ring returns to Indigo-1.

In the universe prior to the current one, groups managed to tap into the wellspring of power created by the Emotional Spectrum. In this universe those who tapped into the indigo light were known as the Lightsmiths of the Indigo Light of Empathy.[50]

In a possible future, when Nekron launches a new assault on the universe, rapidly recruiting the dead as his agents against the living as his forces claim even more lives, Ganthet triggers a 'last light' protocol that uses the last of his energy to send himself, the rings of six of the seven Corps (Minus a Green Lantern ring) and the last surviving members of the seven Corps to another universe to try and escape Nekron's assault, the various ring-wielders and the rings arriving in the new Star Trek universe. Although the Blue, Violet and Indigo rings find wielders in Pavel Chekov, Nyota Uhura and Leonard McCoy, the Yellow, Red, and Orange rings choose Klingon general Chang,[51] a Gorn leader and a Romulan councillor as their wielders.[52] While other members of the other Corps survive, McCoy's ring is apparently the only Indigo ring to make it into the new universe, as no other members of the Indigo Tribe are witnessed in the storyline. In the final confrontation with Nekron, McCoy transfers his ring to Spock on Captain Kirk's request, Kirk realising that Spock alone has sufficient emotional and psychological strength to channel all seven Corps and restore the White entity to vanquish Nekron.[53]

The Indigo Tribe appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, with Indigo-1 being a playable character and voiced by Kari Wahlgren. Indigo-1 was originally captured by Brainiac in order to use the powers of Indigo-1 and the other Lanterns to power a shrink ray so that he can shrink Earth. When the device overloaded, Indigo-1 was teleported back to Nok. Martian Manhunter, Cyborg, and The Flash later arrive on Nok where they discover that the Indigo Tribe's power battery was damaged and the entire Indigo Tribe was acting violent. When the Indigo Tribe's battery is rebuilt, Indigo-1 and her Tribe return to their heroic and compassionate personality and she agrees to help the Justice League restore Earth to its normal size.

Proselyte, the Indigo Tribe's entity of compassion, made an appearance in Injustice 2. The entity appeared during Atrocitus' single player ending.

In the online game DC Universe Online, Iroque and the Indigo Tribe's home world can be seen in a few screen shots when the game is loading. The home world is also one of the many background images for the main screen.

• Indigo-1 was featured in the DC Comics Super Hero Collection in 2010.
• Indigo-1 received a six-inch figure in the "Blackest Night" toyline.
• A six-inch Munk figure was included in the "Blackest Night" toyline four-pack.
• A light-up Indigo Ring was released by DC Direct along with rings for all the other Corps.