Lanterns' finale has officially introduced John Stewart’s Green Lantern into the DCU. By solving the late Hal Jordan’s murder, John paid his respects to one of Earth’s most prominent heroes and announced himself as the planet’s self-proclaimed protector. Honestly, when it comes to sticking to the source material, no movie or show creator is taking the traditional route.
From taking significant creative liberties to introducing glaringly obvious and debatable changes, the DCU has rewired John Stewart’s character to fit the larger ‘movie-verse’ narrative and the evolving storylines. Among these magnanimous changes, one thing that has garnered the fandom’s attention is John’s oath at the end of Lanterns episode 8.
After handling the Noah situation and taking the new lantern battery from Sinestro, John finally accepts his fate and charges Hal’s ring. He felt the traditional Green Lantern oath did not suit his beliefs or what it truly means to represent the people’s interests; therefore, he would make his own. The fans want to know what this change means for John’s future as a superhero in the DCU.
John Stewart got a significantly different origin story in Lanterns
Lanterns has been lenient in its approach to adapting the source material. John Stewart’s origin story was significantly altered to match the tone and storyline set by the show. The criteria for becoming a Green Lantern remain the same in the series, but the elements that drive the doctrine of the Corps have been heavily centered on worthiness.
In the comics, John Stewart was not raised to be a Green Lantern; on the contrary, he was chosen because of the man he was. There’s a subtle difference between becoming what your destiny demands and embracing destiny because of who you are. The show turned John’s life into a lifelong training session in which his parents were dedicated to making him fearless.
He grew up knowing that he would one day have the chance to become the Green Lantern, but that’s not the case in the comics. While this may not have sat well with comic fans, the approach does set a solid foundation for making John stand out as someone who stands against the system. Throughout the comics, the Corps and the Guardians have been at odds with each other on several occasions, and John declining the ring on the Guardians’ terms proved the point.
He has been set up to carve his own path without playing into traditionalism. Lanterns ensured that John Stewart wasn’t just going to replace Hal Jordan; he will revamp the entire role. He understood that the real power wasn’t in being fearless; it was to understand how fear can sometimes be the best motivator. John chose to charge his ring from a lantern that was made with the power of fear because he knew that the Corps’ ideology was flawed.
John’s new oath pays homage to his place in the new DCU era
John Stewart declared in Lanterns that he will become Earth’s new protector, while Guy Gardner can remain the official Green Lantern of Sector 2841. This means John will handle everything outside the Guardians’ authority, which also gives him enough freedom to make his own oath since he won’t be a traditional Lantern.
That’s exactly what co-creator Tom King thinks, as he explained at a press conference after the show’s finale. He believes giving John a different oath makes sense because he is ‘not a hundred percent a Green Lantern anymore.’ John chose a unique situation for himself, which means he can have a unique oath.
Since he charged his ring from a lantern whose power contains an element of yellow, or fear, it makes sense for him to alter the oath to reflect the principles he will live by as a Green Lantern. King added that it's no different from a Yellow or Orange Lantern having their own version of the oath.
Speaking at the press conference, King emphasized the importance of evolving the character beyond what’s on paper. They want to create the Green Lantern’s legacy, and that wouldn’t happen if the writers copied what was before them. It felt right to push things a bit further in a different direction, and it simply felt right at the moment to do what the show did with John Stewart.
What’s more, with an unsanctioned lantern in the picture, the show has every opportunity to explore the kind of Green Lantern that John would want to become now that he has embraced the yellow. Future seasons can build on how this single decision can cause a ripple effect in the cosmos, especially within the Green Lantern Corps. We can only hope that Lanterns is greenlit for a second season so we can find out if a new oath has repercussions.
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