With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Zig]

There's a comic early in Order of the Stick where a couple of characters have to walk through a room full of monsters. One of them casts a spell to make the monsters ignore them, but remarks that they're surprised that it worked on all of them as at least one of them should have passed a will save. After a little while they realise that the room is filled with 1st Edition monsters, and as such they don't have a will save.

The Entities haven't encountered New God technology before, let alone had to deal with the Source. While it doesn't really help with Scion, the Renegade can no-sell a lot of things that are devastating to the local squishy people.

Basically, if it only works due to how agents network, it won't work on him at all. Jack Slash's mind control? Fail. If it requires the agent to connect to him, it'll be rolling against his exotic resistance and probably fail. The Renegade's like a boss character who's immune to status effects, playing against builds focused on status effects.

Click to shrink...

Jack Slash does in fact only work due to the agents network, he doesn't even work on regular humans. Mama Mathers on the other hand doesn't rely on it as her power works on regular people just fine, it's far more like traditional telepathic invasion (which can be resisted with similar tricks to what the Renegade has learned).

Tinkertech is actually kind of similar to New God tech now that I think about it. Like, it explicitly does not work for long without the builder (or in some cases another tinker) continuously "pouring their power" into it.

While the Protectorate is federal, it's not a police force because they are capes that only deal with capes. The Renegade pulling that would be interesting because others in canon have made the same argument. The PRT is closer to a federal police force as it's regular humans and they justify their existence as making it their job to watch the Protectorate. It's an interesting argument, and making it in universe would split opinions into groups that aren't on the villain / hero divide.

 

[Stsword]

I've been thinking about Gravy in Worm, since I was disappointed by catfarmer alt.Paul's performance in Worm.

I decided that Gravy unlike catfarmer, would be rather useful in Worm. Garrick and Danner formulas, and Worm could definitely use some empire building.

And a funny thought occured to me- New God apotheosis enhances the defining strengths of a person. So an archer would get better at archery, a danner enhancile would get stronger and tougher, etc.

So uplifting a parahuman would probably make a New God that is rather Titan like. I was imagining a New Gods with Endbringer durability and able to call apon the full capabilities of their Shard.....

It would be hard to imagine a parahuman whose defining strength isn't their parahuman power, and their parahuman power is a connection to a Shard, so I'd imagine a New God parahuman would be able to hack their Shard and squeeze out all the goodies.

 

[Mr Zoat]

I've been thinking about Gravy in Worm, since I was disappointed by catfarmer alt.Paul's performance in Worm.

Click to shrink...

He wasn't there to fix it, he was there to prevent it being a problem for his people. It's sort of like [country] in [modern politics]; levelling the place actually is an acceptable outcome as long as none of it follows him home.

I decided that Gravy unlike catfarmer, would be rather useful in Worm. Garrick and Danner formulas, and Worm could definitely use some empire building.

And a funny thought occurred to me- New God apotheosis enhances the defining strengths of a person. So an archer would get better at archery, a danner enhancile would get stronger and tougher, etc.

So uplifting a parahuman would probably make a New God that is rather Titan like. I was imagining a New Gods with Endbringer durability and able to call apon the full capabilities of their Shard.....

It would be hard to imagine a parahuman whose defining strength isn't their parahuman power, and their parahuman power is a connection to a Shard, so I'd imagine a New God parahuman would be able to hack their Shard and squeeze out all the goodies.

Click to shrink...

It would depend on whether or not the awakening considered the shard to be a part of them or now. Canis Minor didn't merge with Breton Brut when he became New God of Art, or with his Mother Box or with his chisel. If that was the case, the New God might keep a variant of their original ability while losing their shard.

On the other hand, Shilo Norman merged with his Mother Box when he became a New God, so perhaps the shard would fully merge with them and give them full access.

Assuming that they were compatible.

 

[Stsword]

He wasn't there to fix it, he was there to prevent it being a problem for his people. It's sort of like [country] in [modern politics]; levelling the place actually is an acceptable outcome as long as none of it follows him home.

It would depend on whether or not the awakening considered the shard to be a part of them or now. Canis Minor didn't merge with Breton Brut when he became New God of Art, or with his Mother Box or with his chisel. If that was the case, the New God might keep a variant of their original ability while losing their shard.

On the other hand, Shilo Norman merged with his Mother Box when he became a New God, so perhaps the shard would fully merge with them and give them full access.

Assuming that they were compatible.

Click to shrink...

When did Shilo Norman merge with his Mother Box? Last I saw his "mother box" was woven into his costume. So not really a mother "box" really.

And shards connect to their hosts through the Corona Pollentia, and control over the powers comes from the Gemma, parts of their brain. So powers come from an organic hardwired communication network between the parahuman and a Shard. Well except when the parahuman isn't organic, of course.

So my thinking was that even if the process didn't see the Shard as part of the body, it would see the connection as part of the body.

If I'm making sense.

 

[Mr Zoat]

When did Shilo Norman merge with his Mother Box? Last I saw his "mother box" was woven into his costume. So not really a mother "box" really.

Click to shrink...

Here.

And shards connect to their hosts through the Corona Pollentia, and control over the powers comes from the Gemma, parts of their brain. So powers come from an organic hardwired communication network between the parahuman and a Shard. Well except when the parahuman isn't organic, of course.

So my thinking was that even if the process didn't see the Shard as part of the body, it would see the connection as part of the body.

Click to shrink...

No half measures, I'm afraid. It's either part of your divine concept, or it isn't.

 

[Coda]

I am entirely too old to have watched Ben 10.

Click to shrink...

You say that, but I'm older than you...

 

[Mr Zoat]

12th August 2012
19:33 GMT

The construct-image of K'ryssma nods.

"It is an experimental prototype. One of three. The other two are safely on Oa."

"Interesting." Hinon's construct looks genuinely interested. "I hadn't realised that the Guardians were still capable of that sort of creativity. Ganthet's work?"

K'ryssma hesitates, then appears to decide that there's no point lying to someone who can already make power rings.

"No. Guardian Meadlux was the designer. The project was suspended after his death, but his prototypes were preserved."

"And what was he trying to achieve? The core power ring design the Green Lantern Corps uses has been essentially unchanged since the Corps' inception."

"If you want to know that, you will have to speak with the Guardians."

"I may just do that. I take it that you don't have a captured Scarab somewhere to give them?"

"Why would I reward their theft?"

"Probably for the same reason that you haven't already attacked them. It costs you something -or could cost you something- and you want to avoid that." I turn to the holographic image of Kalmin. "Are you willing to trade your antithesis ring for this?"

"No. It's the last one I have, and it's a potent reminder of my fall from grace." He regards K'ryssma impassively. "Let the Green Lantern Corps cover its own debts."

"We don't have a Scarab, I assume?"

"Not an intact one, no. Clarissi Dox has a plan to remedy that situation, but at the moment it isn't worth the effort it would likely require. I'll have Dox increase fleet alertness on their likely egress routes in case the Reach do get their hands on it, but unless Meadlux became a great deal cleverer than I remember him being, it shouldn't be a problem for us even if the Reach are about to evacuate it."

I look at Lantern K'ryssma.

"Is there a reason why you're not attempting to reclaim it legally?"

"Information is traded here as readily as products and services. We do not want knowledge of the existence of this ring to spread further than it already has."

That sounds dubious. I mean, how much do most people actually know about power ring technology? The symbol is widely known, but if a Green Lantern turned up with a working ring that happened not to have it, would that actually bother anyone? I wouldn't have thought so, but then again I can't claim to have actually conducted any sort of survey.

"I am more interested in what these freebooters want in exchange for the Scarab."

"They seemed more interested in studying it than in trading it. I can only assume that they've got a research centre somewhere, because they all scanned as standard pattern humanoids and that ship isn't anything like advanced enough to get anything out of a Scarab."

"If the Reach get that ring then I have failed in my mission."

"Right, but while we'd like to help, you're not exactly giving us a lot of reasons to prioritise this. Frankly, an unowned Scarab is more useful to us than whatever good will we'd get for recovering a ring you can't admit to having lost in the first place. I mean…" I turn to Hinon. "Am I wrong there?"

"No, not that I can see."

"And-. Anyway, why can't you just recall it? Guy and Jordan can remote control their rings and they can't be that much better than you."

"The container they are storing it in disrupts remote control. And I would prefer to avoid breaking local law."

"And you're trying to get me to do it?"

I mean, between phasing, invisibility, and my arcane abilities I probably could. Heck, I could probably just make them want to hand it over. But K'ryssma is obviously hiding something-.

"Sorry, just had an attack of common sense. Goodbye, Lantern K'ryssma." I dismiss her construct image and cut communications. "Ring, call Lantern Jordan."

"Compliance."

My ring blinks for a few moments, then Jordan's face appears.

"What is it, Paul?"

"I'm on a planet called Yuna, and someone has recovered an odd-looking power ring from D'xe and is trying to-"

"What?"

"-sell it to the Reach. Know anything about it?"

"Damn it! Did you get the ring?"

"No. That's not really my job, and Honour Guard Green Lantern K'ryssma is being suspiciously cagey about the whole thing. Anything you can tell me that might make me want to help out?"

He shakes his head.

"I don't know much about them. Three Green Lanterns in good standing used them, and they all went crazy. I thought I got them all back to the Guardians, but I guess I missed one. What does it look like?"

"Plain ring with a diamond with a hole in it in place of the sigil."

He nods.

"Yeah, that's it. They told me at the time they weren't meant for deployment, so they don't have any security on them. No recall, no shutdown… The Reach can just hand them to a Scarab Warrior and they'll have the best of both worlds." He shakes his head. "I'll talk to the Guardians, find out exactly how many rings are still missing."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

"Thank me by keeping that ring away from the Reach."

His face vanishes, and I turn to Hinon.

"The Reach can't use it to make new rings, right?"

"Without knowing exactly what Meadlux did, it's impossible for me to say. Reach citizens have the mental flexibility that their thralls lack. With a power ring, one of them might have the focus to create more. But you're the mortal with the best command of any colour I've seen, and you haven't been able to make a decent personal lantern yet. I doubt that we'll have to worry about them churning the wretched things out."

"How long until a fleet can get into position?"

"This would seem to require something a little more potent than a patrol fleet. I will speak with Dox at once."

I nod.

"And I'll try and keep the Negotiator busy. Let's find out how serious the locals are about mediation."

 

[Darko]

rings.

No. Guardian Meadlux was the designer. The project was suspended after his death, but his prototypes were preserved."

Click to shrink...

Missing a "

Right, but while we'd like to help, you're not exactly giving us a lot of reasons to prioritise this. Frankly, an unowned Scarab is more useful to us than whatever good will we'd get for recovering a ring you can't admit to having lost in the first place. I mean…" I turn to Hinon. "Am I wrong there?"

Click to shrink...

Well there's the fact that you'll keep a power ring away from Reach, and potentially other hostile, hands.

avoid breaking local law."

"And you're trying to get me to do it?"

Click to shrink...

You don't really have a problem with that.

Sorry, just had an attack of common sense.

Click to shrink...

A rarity.

I doubt that we'll have to worry about them churning the wretched things out."

Click to shrink...

Oh Hinon. You have not heard of Murphy.

 

[DrThoth]

"Sorry, just had an attack of common sense. Goodbye, Lantern K'ryssma."

Click to shrink...

Would have loved a Common Sense interrupt here, unless he's just being totally facetious.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Missing a "

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Handlewithcare]

"Let's make a super prototype without any security. What could go wrong?"

Literally billions of years old idiot

 

[Cuchulin]

"Let's make a super prototype without any security. What could go wrong?"
Literally billions of years old idiot

Click to shrink...

Let's face it, that's kinda par for the course considering who made it.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

(Reply delayed by weird-ass internet issues...)

12th August 2012
19:33 GMT

The construct-image of K'ryssma nods.

"It is an experimental prototype. One of three. The other two are safely on Oa."

Click to shrink...

Well, good for them. Still doesn't excuse the fact that the third one is in the wild. Someone effed up somewhere, and guess who's likely to end up having to clean up the mess?

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"Interesting." Hinon's construct looks genuinely interested. "I hadn't realised that the Guardians were still capable of that sort of creativity. Ganthet's work?"

K'ryssma hesitates, then appears to decide that there's no point lying to someone who can already make power rings.

Click to shrink...

It's the most likely option, certainly. But evidently not, judging by the Lantern's responses...

"No. Guardian Meadlux was the designer. The project was suspended after his death, but his prototypes were preserved."

"And what was he trying to achieve? The core power ring design the Green Lantern Corps uses has been essentially unchanged since the Corps' inception."

Click to shrink...

Presumably either going for more power or more control. Because Guardians.

"If you want to know that, you will have to speak with the Guardians."

"I may just do that. I take it that you don't have a captured Scarab somewhere to give them?"

Click to shrink...

Man, to be a fly on the wall in that meeting.

"Why would I reward their theft?"

"Probably for the same reason that you haven't already attacked them. It costs you something -or could cost you something- and you want to avoid that." I turn to the holographic image of Kalmin. "Are you willing to trade your antithesis ring for this?"

Click to shrink...

I rather imagine him giving OL a flat stare at this. Still, it could be a worthwhile option. A Ring that basically kills its user within a day? Might be a useful poisoned chalice to throw at the Reach...

"No. It's the last one I have, and it's a potent reminder of my fall from grace." He regards K'ryssma impassively. "Let the Green Lantern Corps cover it's own debts."

"We don't have a Scarab, I assume?"

Click to shrink...

If they did, I doubt they'd let go of it for something like this.

"Not an intact one, no. Clarissi Dox has a plan to remedy that situation, but at the moment it isn't worth the effort it would likely require. I'll have Dox increase fleet alertness on their likely egress routes in case the Reach do get their hands on it, but unless Meadlux became a great deal cleverer than I remember him being, it shouldn't be a problem for us even if the Reach are about to evacuate it."

I look at Lantern K'ryssma.

Click to shrink...

So, not concerned about the possible 'unlimited charge' aspect of it? Then again, probably safer not to have Orange lanterns with unlimited charge anyway.

"Is there a reason why you're not attempting to reclaim it legally?"

"Information is traded here as readily as products and services. We do not want knowledge of the existence of this ring to spread further than it already has."

Click to shrink...

A secret more than one person knows is not a secret. It's a leak waiting to happen.

That sounds dubious. I mean, how much do most people actually know about power ring technology? The symbol is widely known, but if a Green Lantern turned up with a working ring that happened not to have it, would that actually bother anyone? I wouldn't have thought so, but then again I can't claim to have actually conducted any sort of survey.

"I am more interested in what these freebooters want in exchange for the Scarab."

Click to shrink...

Besides a big fat paycheck? And honestly, a green ring without a sigil might sound good for something like covert ops, but the second you use it, your cover's good as blown. Because big glowing green objects? Too well associated with Lanterns.

"They seemed more interested in studying it than in trading it. I can only assume that they've got a research centre somewhere, because they all scanned as standard pattern humanoids and that ship isn't anything like advanced enough to get anything out of a Scarab."

"If the Reach get that ring then I have failed in my mission."

Click to shrink...

Your mission is hardly a priority, honey. The Reach getting that ring will be bad for everyone.

"Right, but while we'd like to help, you're not exactly giving us a lot of reasons to prioritise this. Frankly, an unowned Scarab is more useful to us than whatever good will we'd get for recovering a ring you can't admit to having lost in the first place. I mean…" I turn to Hinon. "Am I wrong there?"

"No, not that I can see."

Click to shrink...

True enough. Honestly, there isn't much point OL getting involved, in the end.

"And-. Anyway, why can't you just recall it? Guy and Jordan can remote control their rings and they can't be that much better than you."

"The container they are storing it in disrupts remote control. And I would prefer to avoid breaking local law."

Click to shrink...

...Because recovering stolen property is illegal? Or would you have to give the case to the local law enforcement, which you can't allow to know about the Ring? Ugh, what a Charlie Foxtrot.

"And you're trying to get me to do it?"

I mean, between phasing, invisibility, and my arcane abilities I probably could. Heck, I could probably just make them want to hand it over. But K'ryssma is obviously hiding something-.

Click to shrink...

Too much effort, not enough reward.

"Sorry, just had an attack of common sense. Goodbye, Lantern K'ryssma." I dismiss her construct image and cut communications. "Ring, call Lantern Jordan."

"Compliance."

Click to shrink...

!Quest rejected. Activating alternate Quest Path!

My ring blinks for a few moments, then Jordan's face appears.

"What is it, Paul?"

Click to shrink...

"And how many things are on fire this time?"

"I'm on a planet called Yuna, and someone has recovered an odd-looking power ring from D'xe and is trying to-"

"What?"

Click to shrink...

Good to see he remembers that name.

"-sell it to the Reach. Know anything about it?"

"Damn it! Did you get the ring?"

"No. That's not really my job, and Honour Guard Green Lantern K'ryssma is being suspiciously cagey about the whole thing. Anything you can tell me that might make me want to help out?"

Click to shrink...

Go on, make it worth his while.

He shakes his head.

"I don't know much about them. Three Green Lanterns in good standing used them, and they all went crazy. I thought I got them all back to the Guardians, but I guess I missed one. What does it look like?"

Click to shrink...

Okay, that's an issue. Now we have a general idea of why the Ring isn't being developed further...

"Plain ring with a diamond with a hole in it in place of the sigil."

He nods.

"Yeah, that's it. They told me at the time they weren't meant for deployment, so they don't have any security on them. No recall, no shutdown… The Reach can just hand them to a Scarab Warrior and they'll have the best of both worlds." He shakes his head. "I'll talk to the Guardians, find out exactly how many rings are still missing."

Click to shrink...

...No security... Oh, fuck me. Fucking Guardians! The only thing worse than Bobblehead Malware on your ring: A super-ring with no Bobblehead Malware at all. Seriously, what made them think it was a good idea to allow that thing outside of a lab without at least the basic security features installed? Oh, no, "We Guardians know better than everyone."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

"Thank me by keeping that ring away from the Reach."

Click to shrink...

Well, knowing that it drives the user crazy fairly reliably is some small comfort. Still don't want it anywhere near the bad guys, though.

His face vanishes, and I turn to Hinon.

"The Reach can't use it to make new rings, right?"

"Without knowing exactly what Meadlux did, it's impossible for me to say. Reach citizens have the mental flexibility that their thralls lack. With a power ring, one of them might have the focus to create more. But you're the mortal with the best command of any colour I've seen, and you haven't been able to make a decent personal lantern yet. I doubt that we'll have to worry about them churning the wretched things out."

Click to shrink...

Then again, they may try to go for quantity over quality. Making an entire planet experience Will for long enough to make a ring, casualties bedamned, would be entirely in character.

"How long until a fleet can get into position?"

"This would seem to require something a little more potent than a patrol fleet. I will speak with Dox at once."

Click to shrink...

Yes, I can just see his reaction... Why, he may experience two letters worth of rage.

I nod.

"And I'll try and keep the Negotiator busy. Let's find out how serious the locals are about mediation."

Click to shrink...

So, basically blocking the deal form proceeding. I guess that might work.

Seriously, Guardians. What made them think field trials were a good idea without any method of controlling the Ring or shutting it down was a good idea? If it's 3 for 3 for Lanterns sent for a loop, it is not ready for primetime. And now OL's stuck helping to clean up the mess. At least its existence isn't general knowledge.

---

"No. It's the last one I have, and it's a potent reminder of my fall from grace." He regards K'ryssma impassively. "Let the Green Lantern Corps cover it's own debts."

Click to shrink...

Also, shouldn't Kalmin's speech be Orange too, if he's communicating via ring?

 

[Darko]

"And how many things are on fire this time?"

Click to shrink...

I can see many people who interact with Paul thinking this.

Also, shouldn't Kalmin's speech be Orange too, if he's communicating via ring?

Click to shrink...

He's probably using his own device to talk.

He did it during that diplomatic conference.

 

[Mr Zoat]

"Let's make a super prototype without any security. What could go wrong?"

Literally billions of years old idiot

Click to shrink...

To be fair, he left it in his laboratory on Oa. That would generally be considered pretty secure.

Also, shouldn't Kalmin's speech be Orange too, if he's communicating via ring?

Click to shrink...

No, the text is only orange if they're using the interring communication system or their text would be orange anyway. If they're just using the ring to transmit sound it's not orange. And Kalmin is using a quantum entanglement communicator because he hates using someone else's technology.

 

[Ngamer11]

"Sorry, just had an attack of common sense. Goodbye, Lantern K'ryssma." I dismiss her construct image and cut communications. "Ring, call Lantern Jordan."

Click to shrink...

I kinda wish there was a Common Sense interrupt before he says this.

 

[Stsword]

(Reply delayed by weird-ass internet issues...)

...No security... Oh, fuck me. Fucking Guardians! The only thing worse than Bobblehead Malware on your ring: A super-ring with no Bobblehead Malware at all. Seriously, what made them think it was a good idea to allow that thing outside of a lab without at least the basic security features installed? Oh, no, "We Guardians know better than everyone."

Seriously, Guardians. What made them think field trials were a good idea without any method of controlling the Ring or shutting it down was a good idea? If it's 3 for 3 for Lanterns sent for a loop, it is not ready for primetime. And now OL's stuck helping to clean up the mess. At least its existence isn't general knowledge.

Click to shrink...

From the storyline Zoat adapted this from, they didn't. Those green lanterns stole the super-rings from R&D when they found out that the Guardians were holding out on them.

Everything considered, those rings were probably only in alpha testing.

So really they don't have anyone else to blame for the whole going mad thing.

 

[moralrelativity]

Would have loved a Common Sense interrupt here, unless he's just being totally facetious.

Click to shrink...

My interpretation was facetious.

 

[CTrees]

"Let's make a super prototype without any security. What could go wrong?"

Literally billions of years old idiot

Click to shrink...

Maybe they're Gundam fans, and were hoping some teenager would stumble upon it? That sort of thing usually works great in that franchise.

 

[SaltyWaffles]

cover it's own debts."

Click to shrink...

Should be its.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Should be its.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Joelseph14]

If there's a time skip and Paul returns for Young Justice Season 2 its gonna be funny if he pops up and the Reach are on Earth and Blue Beetle is just chilling in the mountain and he's just like "Wtf is going on here I was only gone for a few years"

 

[Ngamer11]

Please note that the below link leads to the NSFW section.

"John Constantine considers most of them… Unreliable.

Click to shrink...

The picture here doesn't work. Not sure what it would show, but since it's John Constantine, it's either ridiculous, or gruesome.

 

[Pez]

I'll admit that before a prototype Green Ring being shown, I was thinking it was the Platinum Ring. I like this idea much better.

 

[Darko]

If there's a time skip and Paul returns for Young Justice Season 2 its gonna be funny if he pops up and the Reach are on Earth and Blue Beetle is just chilling in the mountain and he's just like "Wtf is going on here I was only gone for a few years"

Click to shrink...

This may actually happen.

I think Zoat once said that paragon will come back to Earth to find the Reach there and proceeds to use them as target practice.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Please note that the below link leads to the NSFW section.

The picture here doesn't work. Not sure what it would show, but since it's John Constantine, it's either ridiculous, or gruesome.

Click to shrink...

I think that was the meeting where he hit them with a Total Perspective Vortex. I'll change the picture when I get home.

 

[webxro]

Wait, am I being dumb or something ? Jordan said that there were 3 rings used by lanterns in good standing and he got them all and gave them to the smurfs, the lady that I don't remember the name says that there 2 lanterns back on Oa. So who took one of the rings from Oa and gave it to those guys ?

 

[Someguy Somewhere]

I'm having a flash back to an old episode of JAG....USA sends lawyer-pilot to country x to try and negotiate the return of a downed aircraft. Pilot's objective, if the thing can't be returned is to destroy it.

Pilot manages to booby trap the thing so it'll crash on take off, and THEN finds out the country was SUPPOSED to get the plane, and his attempts to negotiate were to make the whole thing seem legit. The CIA hid malware in the thing that would mess with folks duplicating it. So the pilot had to go BACK and Un-booby trap the thing.


If Jordan DID get all 3 rings....how this one got back out into the wild MIGHT be a Guardian ploy. A bit of the Left hand not knowing what the Right Hand is doing with regards to the Greenies, but Once again OL lumbers into the middle of it like a bull in a china shop.

 

[Radiant Knight]

Seriously, Guardians. What made them think field trials were a good idea without any method of controlling the Ring or shutting it down was a good idea? If it's 3 for 3 for Lanterns sent for a loop, it is not ready for primetime. And now OL's stuck helping to clean up the mess. At least its existence isn't general knowledge.

Click to shrink...

They didn't do 'field trials', the lanterns in question learned about the ring's existence from a third party (this was during the height of the 'yellow impurity' issues). So they broke into the lab, kicked the Guardian developing them in the nuts and stole the prototypes.

 

[Maxx Crowley]

Blue Beetle is just chilling in the mountain

Click to shrink...

I wanna say that the WoZ was that whatever event caused Ted's death, and Jaime's coming upon the Scarab was butterflied out of existence by the SI's actions.