We finally got the green in Lanterns — and a whole lot more. The latest teaser for HBO’s new superhero adventure gives us our best look at the show yet, smoothing over some of the issues fans seemed to have with the initial rollout. Sure, Lanterns is still very, very brown, and the scope of the series remains just as muddled. This story is also doubling down on the idea that “only one” can wear the Green Lantern ring, between the tenured Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his reluctant protégé, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre)... which can be very annoying for anyone hoping to see these two beloved heroes actually fighting together.
On the bright side, though, it is exciting to see Lanterns set up John Stewart as one of Earth’s primary protectors. The series is all about his origin as the new Green Lantern, which will directly influence the films to come, like James Gunn’s upcoming Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow — and even the Justice League film that may or may not be in the works.
In the new Lanterns trailer, Hal is positioned as the one thing standing between John Stewart and the ring. The “only way” John can succeed Hal as the Green Lantern is if he’s no longer in the picture, which all but confirms what most assumed about this older version of Hal. He’ll most certainly bite the dust at some point in the series, while John will take over in his stead, joining Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) as one of the two Lanterns tasked with defending the sector.
It’s not only the new trailer sneakily setting up Hal’s demise. When Pierre joined the cast of Man of Tomorrow, most assumed that he’d be the official face of the Lantern Corps in the DC Universe. Now that Hal is insisting that John will only get the ring “over my dead body,” those assumptions are all but proven true. Again, it’s a little frustrating for those who wanted to see Hal and John fight side-by-side in live-action, not share a ring between them. But for those who grew up with John Stewart as the definitive Green Lantern, thanks to animated shows like Justice League, it’s better than nothing.
We might be a long way from seeing the Justice League officially form in the DCU, but with John’s appointment and his upcoming role in Man of Tomorrow, we’re definitely one step closer to the ideal Justice League line-up. With Superman (David Corenswet) and a version of Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) already established in this universe — and maybe, just maybe, Wonder Woman waiting in the wings — the super-team is slowly but surely forming. Lanterns is a crucial step on the road to a highly anticipated crossover, but it’s also shaping up to be a decent series in its own right.
