The volume ends with the "New Guardians" officially formed—not out of friendship, but out of the grim necessity to stop the Guardians of the Universe from "restarting" the cosmos by extinguishing emotion itself.
Kyle Rayner, the torchbearer of the Green Lantern Corps, finds himself surrounded by six glowing rings of different colors, all claiming he has been chosen. This unprecedented event immediately draws the suspicion and ire of the other Corps. Representatives from each color descend on Earth to reclaim their property, leading to a massive Mexican standoff in the middle of New York City. Among those who arrive are: (Sinestro Corps) Bleez (Red Lanterns) Saint Walker (Blue Lanterns) Fatality (Star Sapphires) Munk (Indigo Tribe) Glomulus (Orange Lanterns) The Conspiracy
Invictus reveals a grudge against the Guardians and views the Lanterns as their puppets. To survive, Kyle must do the impossible: he begins to learn how to harness the energies of the other rings. This is the first step in his evolution toward becoming the .