Ask any DC Comics lover what type of especial gismo he or she would like to wield and odds are you ’ll discover everyone would like to try on aGreen Lanternring . Ask the same question to fans of BBC ’s prospicient - runningDoctor Whoseries , and you ’ll in all likelihood incur that those fans would like to handle the Doctor ’s famous transonic screwdriver .

Both these tool are up to of providential feats – but a close examination reveals they also share quite a few things in common , include an strange weakness . Although it might seem like a strange conception flaw , both Green Lantern ’s top executive ring and the Doctor ’s sonic screwdriver are powerless against wood !

relate : A Doctor Who Dalek Once Made A Pass At The X - Men ’s Kitty Pryde

_Cillian-Murphy-in-28-days-Later

To clarify – the Green Lantern ring in question here isnotthe same power ring wielded by Hal Jordan and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps but the tycoon ring used by theoriginal Green Lantern , Alan Scott . introduce in 1940 , Scott used a wizardly closed chain fashioned from a mystical alloy which he charged with a magic unripe lantern . Once the ring was fully charged , Scott could do somewhat much anything with its superpower , including fly , pass through solid objects , and make energy constructs . He used these powers to become a superhero and oppose alongside the Justice Society of America .

In late comic books , Scott establish that the generator of his big businessman come from the “ Green , ” a mystic power from the inhabit world that also authorize DC ’s plant life - base hero the Swamp Thing and the Gotham antihero Poison Ivy . This differ from the power source used by other Green Lanterns , who draw rein the green Inner Light of will and lodge their band from the fundamental Power Battery of the major planet OA .

As powerful as his ring made him , however , Scott had a unique exposure – his ring could not sham anything made of wood . This meant that although he could manifest energy shields that could deflect bullet and bombs , a wooden arrow or baseball game bat could sink in his defenses and knock him out . In general , Scott was able-bodied to find ways around this weakness , but it continue to be a problematic Achilles Heel .

gary larson far side cow and cavemen

Related : Doctor Strange vs. Doctor Who : Which One Wins In A Fight ?

Over twenty years later , the BBC came out with their own legendary hero whenDoctor Whohit the airwaves . The series followed an alien venturer who search the existence in a time - traveling space ship know as the TARDIS . Frequently drive Companions on his journeying , the Doctor set up himself facing off against several malefic entities , include thecyborg extraterrestrial Daleksand the universe conquer Cybermen . Although he often became humans ’s champion against these baddie , the Doctor bemoan violence and ceremonious weapon system , opting to practice an exotic “ sonic screwdriver ” as his master trouble - solving machine .

A popular multifunctional tool , thesonic screwdriverwas first precede in 1968 after the original Doctor “ restore ” into a new “ Second Doctor . ” The dick was used sparingly by the Second Doctor , although histhird and fourth incarnation used it more often . At one point , it was write out of the show although modern versions of the Doctor use the transonic screwdriver on a veritable basis .

Morty looking straight-faced in his pyjamas next to Rick smiling with a portal behind them in Rick and Morty

Much like the Green Lantern annulus , the sonic screwdriver is capable of an almost limitless number of uses . At its center , the screwdriver is used to “ fix things , ” and the Doctor has used it to unlock doors , hyperbolise sound waves , disarm weapons , shatter ice , scan devices , hacker computers , carry aesculapian scan , track exotic life , and even create force field .

Interestingly , both Alan Scott and the Doctor ab initio manage their power ring and sonic screwdriver nonviolently . Scott would largely use his ring to only move objects , melt metallic element , head-shrinker detail , or put out fires in his dangerous undertaking and would defend his enemies script - to - handwriting rather than practice his ringing as a weapon . Over time , this changed , and Scott would use his anchor ring to shell his enemy with energy balance beam of green personnel or trap them in light-green energy constructs .

The Doctor , meanwhile , was adamant about using his transonic screwdriver as a prick to work problems without unnecessary violence and would use the gadget in sneakier ways . For example , he would grant himself to be overtake and then use the screwdriver to free himself and his Companions , giving them free sovereignty over their foe ’s al-Qaida . When he need to employ more drastic means , he would only apply the transonic screwdriver to pass off a burst of brawny speech sound at his enemies that would temporarily bedaze them .

Doctor Who Green Lantern

connect : Iron Man Once Used A GREEN LANTERN Powered Armor

Like Scott ’s might mob , however , the Doctor ’s sonic screwdriver was also powerless against woods . At one point , the Doctor explained this was because the transonic screwdriver manipulated share in machinery , and since Natalie Wood does n’t have moving part , it ca n’t affect plant tissue paper . oddly , the screwdriver does seem to be able to repairhumantissue , however , meaning there must be something unique about Sir Henry Wood that fix it imperviable to the screwdriver ’s sonics . Beyond this odd failing , the sonic screwdriver – like all Green Lantern halo – needs to be point sporadically in ordination to fulfil its miracle .

So , why do these two twist – introduce in such dissimilar medium – have such close similarities ? While it’spossiblesomeDoctor Whowriters may have witness inspiration in oldGreen Lanterncomic book , betting odds are the “ wood failing ” was just cast in to give the Doctor ’s all - knock-down arm a vulnerability to Doctor would have to work his way around , much like Alan Scott did with his gang . Both thepower ringand the sonic screwdriver are capable of so many thing that if a weakness was n’t introduced , bothGreen Lanternand the Doctor would just use their twist to lick all of their problems , leading to some very wearisome taradiddle . It might seem like a strange plot gadget , but wood basically became the reasonableness for much of the dramatic stress devotee loved in these adventure !

Green Lantern Alan Scott Ring Oath

Next : Green Lantern John Stewart : Changing DC Comic Origins excuse

Jodie Whittaker with sonic screwdriver and blowtorch in Doctor Who

Comics

Green Lantern