The main storytelling thrust of Lanterns thus far has been the lifelong journey of John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) toward inheriting the Green Lantern power ring that belongs to veteran Green Lantern, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). And in episode five, the two strong-willed men literally punch it out over who gets to wear the ring. But ultimately, John Stewart chooses against taking the power ring, telling the Guardians of the Universe he won’t do the job for them. But what led John to such a huge decision? It all goes back to his early childhood.
The Intense Lanterns Backstory of John Stewart
As we learned in episode three, John’s father was approached to wield the ring after Abin Sur’s death, before Hal Jordan was, around 1986. Unfortunately, when the ring asked, “Are you afraid?” he said yes. Probably as most people would if a glowing green light appeared out of nowhere and talked to them. The ring went to test-pilot Hal Jordan, who became Earth’s first Green Lantern. John Sr. became bitter after passing on the opportunity of a lifetime. Afterward, any mention of Green Lantern on television would set him off.
John Stewart Was Trained Since Childhood to Become Green Lantern
The Guardians of the Universe, the Green Lantern Corps’ alien creators and bosses, approached John’s mother Bernadette on Earth. She apologized for the trauma they caused her husband. But they recognized the same genetic potential in their infant son, John Jr. The Guardian, Lianna (Laura Linney) suggested that if they raise him in a way where he loses all fear, they will choose him as Earth’s next Green Lantern. This leads to a traumatic childhood for John. His parents essentially torture him with different tasks designed to weed out fear from his mind, including shooting apples off his head as a child.
John’s parents raised him to become a weapon for the Guardians, the “perfect” Lantern his father never got to become. They kept John isolated emotionally from his siblings. They did not even allow him to consume the same music and art they did. Needless to say, it’s a very abusive childhood. The Stewarts raised him to sublimate his love of drawing in order to become the ultimate soldier. He grew up to become a Marine sniper, before receiving a dishonorable discharge for “bungling” an incident Hal actually caused. He later becomes an architect, finding a way to channel the creativity his parents stifled.
John Fights Hal Jordan Over Who Gets the Green Lantern Ring
In episode five, after Zoe the Manhunter rescues John from a fire in his car that Hal Jordan abandoned him in, she saves his life and repairs his burnt skin. He admits to her that the Guardians manipulated him, and never told Hal Jordan they were replacing him. Instead, they told him to train John as a backup Lantern. They wanted John to essentially steal the ring off Hal’s finger and take it for himself, something he felt uncomfortable doing, no matter how much he felt he’d earned the ring, or disliked Hal. He finds Hal after Zoe restores him, and the two get into a knock-down, intense fistfight over the ring. The younger John wins, and takes the ring off Hal’s finger. He then kills the Manhunter, fulfilling the Guardians’ assignment.
In Lanterns Episode 5, John Stewart Rejects the Power Ring
After the attack on Rushville and many citizens’ deaths, John meets with Guardian Lianna again. She congratulates him on getting the ring, telling him, “It looks good on you,” and anoints him as the official Green Lantern of Sector 2814. But after these harrowing events, he realizes that she lied and manipulated him during this entire mission, and probably his whole life as well. And he realizes the Guardians have manipulated Hal too. He tells her, “Hal betrayed everything to keep this ring. His code, the oath, even himself, and it broke him. He probably doesn’t even remember why he wanted the damn thing. And neither do I.” John Stewart then places the ring on the table, and walks away from becoming a Green Lantern.
John Stewart Will Almost Certainly Take the Ring in the DCU’s Future
Based on episode one of Lanterns, we know that at least a decade into the future, in 2026, John won’t be a Green Lantern; Guy Gardner will. But we’d be shocked if this series ends without John reclaiming the ring for himself, although how and why we still don’t know. He is in Man of Tomorrow, after all. And probably not as an architect. But we can’t wait to continue watching Lanterns to see how it all shakes out, and learn why John Stewart ultimately embraces the Green Lantern role.
The post Why Did John Stewart Reject the Power Ring in LANTERNS? appeared first on Nerdist.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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