The Starman Dynasty began in the first half of the twentieth century when the inventor/astronomer Ted Knight discovered the secret to tapping "cosmic energy" (a background energy field generated by the stars). This discover would make him famous for millennia to come. However at the time he was more widely known as Starman I and was the founder of the Starman Dynasty. While not all subsequent Starmen were Knights (notably Will Payton, Thom Kallor alias Danny Blaine, Tommy Tomorrow II) or even heroes, the majority (including Knight's own sons David and Jack) were descended from Ted Knight.

Prior to the return of Superman Prime the Starman Dynasty had been dormant for quite some time. That was to change when a distance descendant of Ted Knight who was working as a pilot was attacked by Klinesiders (a form of space pirate). He was marooned on an asteroid where is discovered a device of unknown origin called the Quarvat. the Quarvat, which functions much like the comic rod of the original Starmen, enabled this Knight to escape and capture the pirates. Afterwards he discovered his family connection to Starman Prime and decided to use the Quarvat to become a Starman.

In time the Starman mantle was passed on to his son, Cale Knight, who became one of the most celebrated of the later Starmen. it was under him and his father that the Starman Dynasty built the star shaped Star Citadel and took responsibility for the then defunct Solaris. in time Cale Knight would pass the mantle on to his daughter. An historian she spent as much time researching the history of the Starman Dynasty as fighting evil. it is she that unearthed the history of Jack Knight, Lis Roo> and the early Dynasty. When it came time she too passed on the mantle of the Starman to Farris, her son.

Farris Knight was not like his mother, grandfather or great-grandfather. he had to real desire for the responsibilities of Starman but performed the duties anyway. A member of justice Legion A in good standing he quickly became addicted to the fame, glamour and wealth that his position as Starman gave him, but at the same time he wished to be free of the duties. While routinely servicing Solaris Farris awoke the tyrants original programming. Solaris offered Farris a deal, be his agent in the Justice Legion A and Solaris would arrange for Farris to be free of the Starman responsibilities. With an increasing hate for the Starman Dynasty Farris agreed to Solaris offer.

Pressured into becoming Starman without a say in the decision Farris decided that the alliance with Solaris would be his best chance at freedom. However there was a price to be paid because he would have to help Solaris kill Superman Prime. The plan was simple, Farris would travel with the Justice Legion A back in time as part of the celebrations for the return of Superman Prime. While in the twentieth century he would locate and conceal on Mars a lump of Kryptonite called the Knight Fragment. Then in the 853rd century Vandal Savage would unearth the rock and Solaris would use it to kill Superman Prime.

The Knight Fragment is a large meteorite of Kryptonite that appeared in the skies over Opal City during the days when Ted Knight was active as Starman Prime. Not knowing the significance of the mineral (Superman had not yet appeared) he put it in storage and forgot about it. While in the twentieth century Farris sought out Ted Knight and arrived in time to save him from the assassin Deathbolt. Farris revealed to Ted that he was his direct descendant and the two began talking at length about the Starman legacy. Farris was surprised to see how alive and how much meaning was attached to this era's Starmen Dynasty compared to his own tired and dejected views of the later Dynasty.

When Ted Knight asked why the Knight Fragment was important Farris discovered that he could not bring himself to lie to the man who was essentially his grandfather many times removed. Farris confessed to his alliance with Solaris and as he recited how he was deprived his freedom by the Starman Dynasty his anger rose. All his feelings about the Dynasty were reflected in the man who stood before him. If he killed Ted Knight he would have his revenge. However Ted Knight would not give up on Farris and told him that he was proud of Farris, not of what he had become but of who he was. His anger broken against the charisma and words of Ted Knight Farris left with the Knight Fragment in silence.

Meanwhile the rest of the Justice Legion A had realised that the Hourman Virus was actually Solaris' core program looking for a device to download itself into. To save humanity they would have to build Solaris' body so that the Virus would leave Earth. A crucial part of the construction of Solaris was the ignition of the proton-proton fusion processors at a temperature of fifteen million Kelvin. Only two devices could generate these conditions safely - the Green Lantern Power Ring and Starman's Quarvat. This led Batman M* to deduce Starman's connection with Solaris (as the GL ring was with Kyle Rayner in the 853rd century) and thereby accuse him of treason before the other Legionnaires.

With little time left before the Hourman Virus had a permanent effect Batman M* gave Farris a chance to redeem himself. He gave Farris his Quarvat back and asked him to ignite Solaris' proton-proton fusion processors. Farris redeemed himself by igniting Solaris, but that was only the start of the problem. As Solaris' systems vented plasma they would generate a photosphere laying waste to Earth and the Moon. To stop this Farris used a manoeuvre against the infant Solaris that opened a singularity at his core sucking him into the gulf between galaxies. In the final moments before he vanished Solaris unleashed a barrage of attached against Farris that separated him from his Quarvat. Farris had to watch the Quarvat disappear into the singularity with Solaris. Deprived of a way to survive and lost in the gulf of space Farris activated his suit's "mercy destruct".

The traditional weapon of the Starman Dynasty is the Gravity Rod or the more powerful Cosmic Rod. Originally invented by the discovered of Cosmic Energy, Ted Knight, the traditional rod features a wide range of abilities including flight, energy blasts, limited force fields and a number of more advanced features. The Quarvat of the later Dynasty possessed these abilities along with a wider range of energy and force manipulation abilities approaching in power, in not in versatility, the Green Lantern Power Ring.