When Lanterns debuted its first episode, it dropped fans right into the middle of the action in a lot of ways. The very first scene not only confirmed that Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan had been sporting the green power ring for over a decade at that point, but also that Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart was well into his time as the new trainee to wear the ring in some form. As the episode progressed, we got a handful of other breadcrumbs about the DCU version of Jordan, including his thoughts about being Green Lantern as well as the circumstances of how it happened. That first scene also gave fans a taste of something else, John’s larger origin story.
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This week’s episode of Lanterns, the third in its first season, largely dips away from the central mystery of the show itself and instead focuses on delivering a bigger tableau surrounding John’s early life and what led to him becoming Jordan’s protege. The result is not only the best episode of an already stellar series but a new detour in the world of a beloved comic book character, one that remixes and reworks his origin to become something entirely new. Fans of DC comics will no doubt recognize some elements of Stewart’s history
Lanterns Meshes Both Origins for John Stewart for the DCU
In DC Comics, John Stewart has had a couple of different origin stories. When he first debuted in Green Lantern #87 in the early 1970s, his backstory was that of a young architect who also had strong feelings about civil rights. As DC continuity would shift and change, John’s backstory and early life would alter as well, going from the son of a single-parent home to having both parents in his life, but a drunk father and even varying numbers of siblings. When The New 52 initiative kicked off in 2011, Stewart’s backstory was changed again, going from just an architect to a former soldier who studied the profession later.
Lanterns combines elements from both of these, giving Stewart the sniper background as a former Marine but also revealing that, after a botched mission gone bad, he was given the chance to go to art school; the origin for John Stewart the DCU has delivered is one that not only pays homage to his comic roots but also has a dark twist at its very core.
Fans, of course, were shocked when the opening scene of Lanterns‘ first episode revealed John’s father taking him outside and forcing him to stand still while he shot an apple standing on top of his head, a test of his ability to overcome fear. What this week’s episode confirms is that this test is not only a regularly scheduled activity in the Stewart house, but that the family has a more intimate connection to Green Lantern than they did in the comics.
John Stewart’s Origin Takes a Dark Turn Compared to the Comics
In one of the first scenes of Lanterns Episode 3, it reveals that when Abin Sur crashed on Earth and the Green Lantern ring began to search for replacements, it found someone before making its way to Hal Jordan, John Stewart’s father. In the first episode, Jordan noted that there was just one question he was asked by the ring: “Are you afraid?” This already marked a pretty distinct change from the comics, where Jordan was simply chosen and not even any kind of test; the mettle of his willpower was already clear to the ring, but Lanterns reveals that it goes a little differently.
John Senior is not only asked if he’s afraid by the ring, but the answer becomes clear, and it’s yes. The result of this is something that ruins his life, bringing in the “drunk father” angle of Stewart’s comic book life, but one that is rooted in the fact that his personal failure in being afraid haunts him.
Things get an even more distinct note that defines Stewart’s life after one of the Guardians visits his family (while he’s still a baby) and offers compensation to his mom for the troubles that the ring selection process had on his father. What becomes clear in their conversation, though, is that the Guardians believe that John Sr.’s genetic make-up means his offspring could be candidates if raised to be fearless, prompting his mother to consider the possibility of raising her son that way and essentially training him to be Green Lantern for his entire life.
The result is a dark one, as John is told about his destiny and that the Guardians are watching him (via birds) to make sure that he’s able to take the job when the time comes. His parents often put him in dangerous situations simply to see how he handles the pressure and the fear. This alone is a pretty drastic dark turn for Stewart’s origin in the DCU compared to the comics, but the series is also quick to reveal another wrinkle to the story that adds an extra layer of depth to it all: Hal Jordan.
The structure of this week’s entire episode is centered around one of the Guardians interviewing the adult John Stewart to determine his aptitude after years of perparing for this very moment. What comes to light is that the man currently acting as the Green Lantern of this sector gets admonished by the Guardians frequently; as a result, they’re eager to replace him, and John has literally been built for this moment…all of which ends with teeing up the rest of the series.
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