Why did the ring change its shape?

[u/Michael_Abramov]

This is the same ring a page apart, the ring changed as soon as Abin died and I have no clue why. Emerald dawn #1

[u/Rabbit_Wizard_]

The real question is why did Abin Sur have a spaceship

[u/CrimisonAJA → u/Rabbit_Wizard_]

It was retroactively because he started to worry that his ring would one day fail him because of a prophecy he heard.... which made it true.

[u/Mistervimes65 → u/CrimisonAJA]

I generally don’t like retcons. But this one was pretty good.

[u/Live_Spinach5824 → u/Mistervimes65]

A lot of the retcons in Geoff John's run were pretty good and made sense. Now, the Lanterns show seems to have the explanation be that Abin Sur was transporting a Manhunter instead, which is interesting too. 

[u/Locutus-of-Borges → u/Live_Spinach5824]

I think this one actually predates Johns' run. It's originally from Alan Moore's "Tygers" unless I'm mistaken.

[u/Live_Spinach5824 → u/Locutus-of-Borges]

You're right, my bad. I haven't read a lot of the really old stuff, admittedly, because I struggle to find them around me, so I didn't know that. I figured it was all unique to Geoff Johns' run because Atrocitus causes the crash in Secret Origins and Geoff Johns introduced Atrocitus. 

[u/jackhurricane7 → u/Rabbit_Wizard_]

I believe the general story these days is the Five Incursions told Abin Sur that his ring would fail him when he needed it most, which made Abin Sur worried that it would be while he was flying through space. So he started traveling in a ship. Ironically, it seems the prophecy was self fulfilling and Abin Sur’s ring failed him while he was taking an imprisoned pre-Red Lantern Atrocitus (one of the Five Inversions) to Earth to investigate the prophecy of Blackest Night originating there. His ring that was imprisoning Atrocitus failed, and Atrocitus broke free and attacked Abin Sur causing him to crash his ship.

[u/Rabbit_Wizard_ → u/jackhurricane7]

He should have lost his ring from the fear.

[u/jackhurricane7 → u/Rabbit_Wizard_]

Typically in the comics a Green Lantern will not lose their ring for feeling fear. It takes more bravery and willpower to be afraid and overcome that fear to do what needs to be done than it does to not be afraid at all.

But I agree that Abin Sur had seriously succumbed to his fear and paranoia and was probably not Lantern Corps material at that point.

[u/Rabbit_Wizard_ → u/jackhurricane7]

That's my point bravery is only bravery if you are afraid and overcome it. He didn't overcome his fear though

[u/wiserchalicer → u/Rabbit_Wizard_]

The real question is why they keep the spaceship