Brandon Fletcher
In a pivotal scene from the third episode of Lanterns, John Stewart receives the power ring and is tasked with crafting a watch. This moment marks a significant turning point in John’s journey, serving as a fitting anchor for the episode’s intricate narrative. Much like a finely tuned Swiss watch, the episode weaves through various timelines, tracing the life of John Stewart and his family from his earliest days. By the conclusion, our understanding of Lanterns shifts dramatically. Let’s delve into the details.
The episode opens with an air of mystery as John unexpectedly falls from the ceiling of a shopping mall, guided by strange arrows to a secluded back room. There, Laura Linney appears, inviting John to sit down. He complies and remains there throughout the evening. When Linney returns, she questions John’s decision to wait, to which he replies that he was instructed to do so. At this point, both John and the audience are left in suspense about the unfolding events.
Linney portrays a Guardian, a powerful figure among the galaxy’s overseers and the creators of the Green Lanterns. She is conducting an interview with John for the position of Green Lantern, a scenario that piques his curiosity. He questions whether the rings don’t choose the Lanterns independently. While that’s typically true, the recent death of one of the Guardians has altered the usual process. This situation hints at deeper mysteries yet to be revealed.
During this exchange, Linney shares that many candidates ask her, “Why them?” John confidently states he understands why she is talking to him, leading us to flashback to the moment when everything changed for him. As a baby, he is in his parents’ room when his mother rushes out to assist one of his brothers. A sudden green light lifts his father, John Sr. (J. Alphonse Nicholson), from the bed. “Are you afraid?” it inquires. “Yes,” he screams, and then the light disappears. This pivotal incident, hinted at in the first episode, reveals the moment John Sr. lost his chance to become a Green Lantern, a role that ultimately passed to Hal Jordan.
We witness another crucial moment as John Sr. realizes the impact of that incident. A television news anchor discusses Hal Jordan, then still maintaining a secret identity, and recounts the “Are you afraid” question. Fueled by anger, John Sr. shoots the TV, startling his wife, Bernadette (Jasmine Cephas Jones). This reaction indicates that John Sr. is struggling to cope with the situation, particularly as Bernadette expresses disbelief that such an event occurred, endangering their family dynamic. In a moment of tension, she asks him to leave.
Shortly thereafter, Laura Linney arrives at the Stewart home, seeking John Sr. She informs Bernadette that the Guardians have recently acknowledged that their methods might have caused distress among humans, offering an apology accompanied by an extravagant diamond. Bernadette, still confused about the situation, demands proof of Linney’s alien identity. Linney obliges, momentarily transforming into her strikingly tall, blue form (albeit only from behind).
The conversation deepens as Bernadette explains to Linney that asking a Black man in America if he is afraid carries significant weight. There are fears and realities that aliens may never grasp, and Linney concedes this point. “Even in space, you all don’t consider us,” Bernadette asserts, delivering a powerful and impactful line. This exchange stands out as one of the most resonant and skillfully crafted moments of the episode.
Linney expresses her admiration for Bernadette’s profound insights and proposes an idea. While John Sr. can no longer be the Green Lantern, perhaps John can step into that role. Given humanity’s brief lifespan, the Guardian suggests that if Bernadette and John Sr. cultivate a fearless mindset in John, he could be the next Green Lantern. Linney promises Bernadette that John will be given a fair opportunity to prove himself.
This revelation leads to several important realizations. First, John has been raised from birth with the expectation of becoming the Green Lantern. The episode then cleverly utilizes the job interview to navigate through various pivotal moments in John’s life, showcasing the extensive training he underwent.
To elaborate, on John’s fifth birthday, his parents reveal his destined role as the Green Lantern. They explain how he has been treated differently from his siblings in preparation for this responsibility, and now, his true training commences. This training includes fear-confronting exercises, such as leaving young John in a daunting neighborhood and shooting an apple off his head. Later, John faces the challenge of shooting an apple off his father’s head, which he ultimately refuses, indicating lingering fear.
John’s parents instilled in him the belief that the Guardians were always observing, disguised as birds. This belief explains his fondness for birds, which later manifests through his ring. after John’s reluctance to shoot the apple off his father’s head, his mother confesses that the bird story was a fabrication. Upset by this revelation, John suppresses his fear and successfully shoots an apple off his mother’s head, marking a crucial turning point in his development.
This fearless upbringing leads John to emulate his father’s path into the Marines, where he excels as a sniper. He is assigned to eliminate a notorious gangster, a task deemed nearly impossible. This mission requires John to operate off the grid, waiting for the target to surface. After nine months of wilderness survival, the target finally appears. Just as John is about to take the shot, Hal Jordan intervenes, causing a massive explosion and absconding with the target.
The fallout from this incident forces John to accept a dishonorable discharge from the military to shield those involved. Without hesitation, he takes the blame. Following this, Bernadette enrolls him in art school in an effort to help him find joy amidst his turbulent life. It is here, seemingly out of the blue, that he is approached with an opportunity to reconstruct a watch, a task meant to demonstrate his potential. This event catapults John back into the mall where our episode began.
This extensive backstory enriches both the audience’s and Laura Linney’s understanding of John’s character. He emerges as a fundamentally good person, albeit not necessarily happy or loving. His life has been profoundly affected by Hal Jordan’s choices, which have led to familial strife. Had Hal not become the Green Lantern, John’s relationships with his parents, siblings, and even himself could have been vastly different. Hal’s reckless actions also resulted in John’s military discharge.
John expresses that he harbors no anger or resentment toward Hal, but the Guardians seem to feel otherwise. Linney suggests that John feign the role of Hal’s backup, while secretly plotting to replace him. This revelation indicates a conspiracy against Hal Jordan, with John Stewart positioned as the ideal candidate for the Guardians’ scheme. Compounding the tension is Hal’s complicated feelings for his former mentor, Sinestro, who previously killed a Guardian before Hal apprehended him.
Having finally been presented with the job he has been groomed for his entire life, John eagerly anticipates sharing the news with his parents. Hal Jordan arrives first, embodying his typical brash and charming demeanor. The Stewarts’ unenthusiastic expressions reveal their lack of admiration for Hal’s antics. Hal takes John outside and, while initially cordial, makes it abundantly clear that he has no intention of sharing the ring or welcoming a partner. Training begins Monday.
This episode clarifies that the relationship between John and Hal is far from amicable. John’s role is to replace Hal and ultimately remove him from the Green Lantern position. Although Hal is not fully aware of this, he senses the underlying tension and resents John for it. Last week, Sinestro labeled John as Hal’s greatest threat, symbolizing not only the potential loss of his job but also a broader conflict with the galaxy’s interests.
While this week’s Lanterns may not have advanced the Nebraska storyline, it effectively filled in essential background information. The upcoming episode promises to be intriguing, enriched by the newfound context surrounding the characters.
Key Observations and Insights
- Special recognition goes to the actors portraying the Stewart family. Jayce Eiland delivers a remarkable performance as young John, while Cairo Cash Lee shines as adolescent John, even more so than in the first episode. Jasmine Cephas Jones deserves accolades for her portrayal of John’s mother. Her chemistry with Nicholson as parents making a difficult choice for their child is both poignant and powerful. “He’s gonna hate us.” “So be it.”
- A seemingly random detail: who was the individual accompanying Laura Linney in the office at the beginning? Another Guardian? What role might they play? This remains to be seen.
- Upon multiple viewings, I’ve come to appreciate this episode more, realizing it serves as an excellent follow-up to the previous cliffhanger involving Hal and Sinestro. Although Sinestro is absent, his influence resonates throughout Linney’s questioning of John. The motivations behind the Guardians wanting Hal replaced are intricately linked to Sinestro’s actions and Hal’s responses.
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Daniel Mercer
