Green Lantern is a controversial figure in pop culture because comic book fans absolutely adore the character due to his fascinating powerset and accompanying lore, while general audiences have completely shunned the character since his disastrous theatrical showing in 2011’s Green Lantern. Suffice it to say, "Lanterns" was under a tremendous amount of pressure to properly represent an iconic character while completely reinventing his public image.
John Stewart's Green Lantern will also make his theatrical debut in the DCU in Man of Tomorrow next year, after getting a glimpse of Guy Gardner's Lantern in last year's Superman. With Supergirl bombing at the box office, this series is really the only way to build hype for the Superman sequel between films. Was "Lanterns" able to tell a compelling story that properly established one of DC’s legendary heroes? Kind of. Here is everything the DCU’s "Lanterns" series did right and a few things it got VERY wrong.
RIGHT: The Characters/Actors
Without a doubt, the best aspect of this show was the performances from Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as their respective Green Lanterns. Both characters are written so beautifully, with the perfect balance of comic book details and creative reimagining. Chandler’s Hal Jordan stands out in particular because they took a big risk in aging him into his late-50s for the series. Many fans were initially upset by this announcement because they assumed this interpretation would be grizzled without Jordan’s signature charm. Chandler, with help from the writers, took the stereotype of a veteran cop and infused it with intuition, likability, and an utter distaste for authority. This made Hal Jordan far more fascinating to watch because underneath all the insecurity and pompous behavior was a true superhero who is good at what he does. At every single point in the show, Hal’s experience and gut instincts lead him in the right direction.
Conversely, Pierre’s John Stewart was raised to be the absolute perfect candidate for the Green Lantern ring, but there is clearly still some stuff he doesn’t know about the world and himself. John appears fearless and is undeniably strong, tactical, and capable, but he lacks the field experience that Hal has garnered over the last 30+ years. It is so compelling to watch this unlikely duo work together, because they truly are an amazing team, but the ring that brought them together is simultaneously creating an immense amount of tension. John has essentially been conditioned to hate the man who is now training him, and Hal is completely dismissive of John because he views him as a replacement. The chemistry between these performers, along with the excellent character work, has solidified John and Hal as some of the best characters we have gotten in the DCU thus far.
WRONG: Not Enough Green Lantern-ing
Whether it is Hal or John making constructs with the Green Lantern ring, the results always look pretty great. There is a cool materializing effect with a signature green hue, and the items feel like they have actual weight to them. It is a shame, though, that we only get to see around 14 constructs throughout the entire season. Nearly half of these constructs are vague protective bubbles, which really makes it seem as if our protagonists lack creativity. So, are the other constructs cool enough to make up for the sparsity? Not really. The most amazing construct we see throughout the entirety of the "Lanterns" series is -- drumroll please -- a big drill. We see this spectacular drill for all of one minute as our main characters leisurely walk behind it as it digs underground. At least the drill was essential to the plot. Although it wasn't really necessary at all because they end up back at the surface anyway and are captured shortly thereafter. The show is absolutely making an attempt to remain grounded, and there is a chance that budgetary restrictions are the real cause behind this flaw. Even if that is the case, the few constructs that we do see are underwhelming and bland. Hal Jordan is a seasoned veteran, yet he seems to use the ring primarily for flying and creating protective bubbles. John Stewart, on the other hand, is this gifted, creative protégé who has a fascination with art and architecture to fuel his imagination, but the unique object he creates is a big kettlebell. We don’t need flashy effects to be satisfied with a series, but the writers begin teasing the impressive power of the ring early on in the series only for there to be little payoff.
RIGHT: The Themes
"Lanterns" took it upon itself to handle some pretty intense themes, but we think it was done masterfully. John’s origin is explored in Episode 3, where we learn that his parents essentially molded him into the perfect Green Lantern candidate. Their motivation stems from the fact that the Green Lantern ring originally came to John’s father, but he was not fearless enough to be selected. The ring later finds Hal Jordan, whom John’s parents view as a spoiled white man who has everything handed to him. John’s mother has some amazing lines in this episode, especially when she is interacting with the Guardian. The show posits the idea that a Black man in the 1980s has experienced so much racial discrimination throughout his life that it is a luxury for someone to claim they are "fearless". This matter is handled so brilliantly because it interweaves racial inequality and generational trauma into an otherworldly story while establishing the Stewart family’s underlying distaste for Hal. John’s character is not defined solely by his race, but the hardships his parents have gone through result in immense pressure for him to defy the odds and become a Green Lantern. Obviously, as the series goes on, we learn that Hal’s fearlessness comes from a similar place of trauma, which only deepens the bond between the two while adding to the idea of Nature vs. Nurture. Hal’s fearlessness develops through his personal experiences, while John’s is cultivated through his upbringing. That very distinction is vitally important in the finale and heavily impacts John’s decision in facing the villain. Speaking of, how was that finale...?
WRONG: The Finale
If the rest of this show hadn't been so good, its finale might have been acceptable. The finale stings so badly precisely because the show had established such a consistent level of quality, and it is a shame that it faltered in its final steps. Hal and John’s final interaction was a sweet, heartfelt way for that relationship to wrap up. Similarly, John’s final conversation with current Green Lantern, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), really solidified him as a badass who is now fully embracing his moral compass outside of the Guardians. For a moment, these two scenes almost make you forget the 40 minutes you just slogged through. Then, you get one of the worst-looking superhero takeoffs that has ever been put on screen. Whatever technique they used to lift the actors off the ground was so janky because every aspect of this looked unnatural. It is absurd, because when Hal Jordan flies in previous episodes, it looks really fluid and powerful. Instead of that, John’s big moment is ruined by this colorless, lazy takeoff that looks like it came straight from a CW show. The poor CGI is not enough to ruin the finale, but the lackluster conclusion to the murder mystery is more than enough. To nobody’s surprise, Sheriff Kane's (Kelly MacDonald) son was revealed to be a Manhunter, but John decides to let him live because it seems like he has some good in him. That part isn't shocking, and it's a bummer there is no fight scene, but it honestly fits with the show's idea of Nature vs. Nurture. Sheriff Kane, however, admits to killing Hal in a fit of desperation and seemingly faces absolutely no punishment. We know that Kane has been through a lot, and Hal really liked her, but having her just walk around scot-free is absolutely ludicrous. This cop, who just admitted to committing a murder, should not be given the authority to raise a child who is capable of destroying a civilization. That entire aspect of the finale felt rushed, nonsensical, and just plain unsatisfying. John Stewart doesn’t even get to wear any form of a Green Lantern suit, and that felt like a final spit in the face to viewers who had been watching week to week. The show might have been better off just ending with Eepisode 5.
Regardless of the ending, we are still thoroughly excited to see John Stewart make a full-fledged appearance in Man of Tomorrow. "Lanterns" had so many incredible creatives behind the scenes and it absolutely has the potential to be something great. It would be a shame to never see Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler interact again. With any luck, Hal will somehow be revived, and the duo will get a chance to actually do some spectacular Green Lantern-ing together!
Stream all episodes of "Lanterns" now on HBO Max!
