Blackest Knight

During the Blackest Night event, when word got out that apparently everyone around the world who have died are rising as undead Black Lanterns, Lex isolates himself in his safehouse in fear that all the people he had murdered over the years would also reanimate and seek revenge on him.[62] His fear is justified as his victims, including his deceased father, arrive, seeking to feast on his avarice-filled heart. However, Lex escapes after receiving a power ring fueled by the orange light of avarice and becomes a deputy of the Orange Lanterns. Lex arrives at Coast City and joins the battle against the Black Lantern Corps.[63] Lex engages battle with the Black Lantern versions of Superman and Superboy. However, the Agent Orange Larfleeze wants Lex's ring off, as the alien does not want to share his power with him, resulting them battling each other for it despite all of the dangers around them.[64] Lex is able to use all of the people he has killed as his own Orange Lanterns, and seeks to add Superman to their numbers.[65] Lex is quickly overwhelmed by his greed, and sets out to steal the rings of his fellow inducted Lanterns, taking Scarecrow's ring and attempting to steal Mera's, but is held back by the Atom and the Flash. When Wonder Woman uses her magical lasso to restrain Lex, under its spell of truth, Luthor is forced to confess that he secretly wants to be Superman.[66] When Nekron is defeated, Larfleeze takes the ring from Lex, leaving him powerless, and allows Luthor to remain on Earth with the Green Lanterns (Although Sinestro notes that this is the first time Larfleeze has given anyone anything.[67]

In the aftermath of the crisis, Lex, craving the power of the orange light, recovers and operates on several Black Lantern remains in an attempt to find one with a ring still on its finger. He is then visited by Larfleeze, who demands to know what is important to the people of Earth. Lex responds with "power", which Larfleeze already possesses, and "land", which intrigues the alien.[68]