Comics are awesome.

[Shockwave]

Almost sounds like the problem they had with Worf on TNG. Every time someone showed up that the writers wanted to show what a bad ass they were, they'd beat up Worf. After a while it seemed to diminish the impact if every villain that comes on board can beat up Worf.

[Gomess]

Haha, the Worf Dichotomy is one of the things I DO know about Star Trek! It's a classic way to Show Don't Tell a physically strong character, except overuse causes it to totally backfire. I'm pretty sure Wesley has a better KO record than Worf.

[Sparky Prime]

Well, as I said, it took Hal years to get free, and he had to have the Spectre's help to do it. They Kyle frees himself much more easily, with Hal's help. And then Hal's in and out in one issue thanks to some of the other corps. Each time someone's possessed, it's less time and trouble to free themselves.

I think you're over-simplifying these situations a bit and leaving out some important details... In Sinestro Corps War, there was a stand alone issue showing Kyle's internal struggle, fighting against Parallax with everything he had but ultimately being powerless to do anything to slow Parallax down, let alone break free of his control. It took everything Kyle and Hal had combine, plus Guy and John supporting them on the outside, for them to break free. And in Blackest Night, the Spectre was once again on hand to free Hal, with some additional help from Carol. So again, I don't see how it's getting any easier to free someone possessed by Parallax. They're learning faster ways to combat him perhaps, but that doesn't mean it's easier. It's still shown to be a struggle and that the host has to have help in order to be freed.

It's also worth noting that the first time Hal was infected by Parallax, it was said Parallax grafted himself on Hal's soul itself, unlike subsequent possessions we've seen where the Entity takes control of a hosts body. It's possible that's why it took Spectre so long to separate them the first time.

[andersonh1]

I think you're over-simplifying these situations a bit and leaving out some important details...

That may be... but what I wrote is still the impression I've formed from what I've read. Parallax doesn't seem like the threat he once was.

It's also worth noting that the first time Hal was infected by Parallax, it was said Parallax grafted himself on Hal's soul itself, unlike subsequent possessions we've seen where the Entity takes control of a hosts body. It's possible that's why it took Spectre so long to separate them the first time.

That's a valid point.

[Onslaught Six]

I don't mind.

What? Parallax used to be an end level boss. Now he's a mid-level Tough Enemy.

[Sparky Prime]

I just don't agree that's what's been done to Parallax. As one of the Entities, he's one of the most powerful beings in the DC universe. The thing is, he needs a host to use those powers. And it makes sense there would be ways to pull him out of a host.

[Shockwave]

And it also stands to reason once people figure out how to kick him out that it would be easier to do so.

[Sparky Prime]

It might be easier to fight Parallax knowing what he is and what he's capable of, but everyone we've seen that's been possessed by him hasn't been capable of fighting him off, even for someone like Hal who has been possessed a couple times. It hasn't gotten any easier to kick him out, not that we've seen yet at any rate. It's always taken help in the form of a great deal of Willpower from several Green Lanterns, or otherwise beings as powerful as Parallax himself to pull him out of a host.

[Shockwave]

Yeah but it goes from being a year of "WTF? Why can't I get rid of this?" to "God damn, not again! Guys! A little help here!" And it kind of makes Parallax sound retarded for attacking the same person over and over again.

As an example. I was playing a MP match on WFC once where this guy was camped out and sniping people. The first couple times I was like "What the hell?" and killed him when I found him. Then, when I saw that he was using the same strategy over and over again, I went up to his perch, killed him and waited for him to come back. I killed him 4 times before he realized his strategy had been broken and gave up. But point is he went from being a viable threat to being a joke. I dunno, I just think that once you figure out how to defeat something it's a case of lather, rinse, repeat.

[Sparky Prime]

Yeah but it goes from being a year of "WTF? Why can't I get rid of this?" to "God damn, not again! Guys! A little help here!"

That's over-simplifying things. Each situation involving Parallax has been unique, and Parallax is extremely powerful. It takes an extremely powerful force to stop him, not something that you always happen to have around.

And it kind of makes Parallax sound retarded for attacking the same person over and over again.

Doesn't that pretty much describe every villain? They all always go after the same hero. Or the same hero is always going after them. Given Parallax is tied to the Green Lantern background and as a grudge against Hal, there is nothing unusual about this.

As an example. I was playing a MP match on WFC once where this guy was camped out and sniping people. The first couple times I was like "What the hell?" and killed him when I found him. Then, when I saw that he was using the same strategy over and over again, I went up to his perch, killed him and waited for him to come back. I killed him 4 times before he realized his strategy had been broken and gave up. But point is he went from being a viable threat to being a joke. I dunno, I just think that once you figure out how to defeat something it's a case of lather, rinse, repeat.

I really don't see how what your describing here compares... Someone repeatedly using the same strategy gets old fast, and by your example, becomes useless if it is relied upon too often. That isn't want has happened to Parallax at all. The same exact strategies haven't been used by him or against him. Like I said above, each situation has been unique. The threat of Parallax hasn't changed at all. He's still very dangerous. What it comes down to is they've just been lucky in the last few encounters to be able to exorcise Parallax from a host so quickly.