Fictional Character Biography
Kimiyo Hoshi, a brilliant but arrogant and unpleasant scientist, was the supervising astronomer at an observatory in Japan, overseeing a group of astronomers charting the unnatural effects of the Crisis on Infinite Earths. (She is also a medical doctor, as shown in Justice League Annual #3 (1989) and Justice League America #55 (October 1991).)
As the Crisis continued, Hoshi's fascination with the phenomenon grew into an obsession while the men grew concerned for their safety. Disgusted by their mounting fear, Hoshi arrogantly insulted them and ordered an evacuation, leaving her to study the Crisis alone through her telescope.
Meanwhile, the Monitor, a being linked with all positive matter, senses his enemy, the Anti-Monitor, absorbing yet another positive-matter Earth with his antimatter cloud. In order to tip the scales for the heroes of the positive universe, the Monitor activates one last warrior.
He sends a devastating beam of energy from the star Vega to Earth, which strikes the observing Hoshi, leaving massive destruction in its wake. Granted the power of photonics and the name Doctor Light, Hoshi is assigned by the Monitor to guard one of the vibrational forks needed to save the Earth. Teen Titans member Starfire and Outsiders member Halo set out to destroy the machine. Since Doctor Light can't speak to them in English, she resorts to blasting them away from the machine. Superman is the first to communicate with her, given his knowledge of most of Earth's languages.
Once the Earth's heroes and villains are brought aboard the Monitor's satellite, the Japanese-speaking Katana takes over as Kimiyo's translator.
Doctor Light, granted the ability to understand English, accompanies several heroes to the anti-matter universe to confront the Anti-Monitor. She and Superman soon discover the machines that the villain has deployed to destroy the remaining Earths. The Anti-Monitor ambushes the Man of Steel; Doctor Light defends Superman as best she can. Supergirl arrives, and sacrifices her life, allowing Doctor Light to carry the unconscious Superman to safety.
Seeing Supergirl's sacrifice makes Doctor Light realize how selfish she has been, and she resolves to change.
When Harbinger summons her to fight in the final battle, Doctor Light is ready. As the other heroes barrage the Anti-Monitor, she absorbs the energy of a gigantic star that he is using as a power source. Scoring the first fall of the Anti-Monitor during that battle, she blasts a gaping hole through him.
In the post-Crisis continuity, Supergirl was written out of existence, so it is explained that Doctor Light was inspired by the other heroes.
She is potentially one of the most powerful superheroines in the DC Universe, but she has not tapped into the heightened levels of power she used during the Crisis. (Although few remember those events, Doctor Light is one of the few who do, seeing as how she once mentioned in Showcase '96 #9 (October 1996) that she's faced "Anti-Matter Gods").
Doctor Light has joined the Justice League a few times over the years, most notably as a member of Justice League Europe during the latter half of its incarnation. She was also a one-time ally of the Outsiders and was briefly part of an incarnation of the Doom Patrol. During her time on the Justice League Europe, she believed that her anti-social attitude during the Crisis was due to the food she regularly ate, after Power Girl is diagnosed with a similar condition. However, it is revealed that her behavior in Crisis was, in fact, her genuine behavior. While a member of the Justice League, Doctor Light formed significant friendships with The Flash (Wally West) and Power Girl. There is a protracted period of animosity with the member of the Global Guardians known as Rising Sun. His romantic endeavours win out and the two enter into a relationship
Read more about this topic: Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
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