John Stewart in Lanterns could be heading toward a surprising transformation when the HBO Max series reaches its Season 1 finale. Although John has spent the season moving closer to the Green Lantern mythology, several clues suggest that his eventual path may be very different.
James Gunn originally promised that Lanterns would feature a “few” Green Lanterns alongside Hal Jordan and John Stewart. He also described the series as featuring a “terrifying mystery” connected to the wider DCU. With the finale approaching, the series has taken a more grounded direction than some fans expected. However, the original Lanterns announcement may have contained a clue about John’s eventual future.
John Stewart in Lanterns Could Become a Yellow Lantern
When DC Studios first announced Lanterns in 2023, Gunn used artwork from Green Lantern: Earth One. The artwork featured Hal Jordan in a grounded Green Lantern costume that was later adapted for the DCU. It also showed John Stewart as a Yellow Lantern.
At the time, the image may have seemed like simple promotional material. However, the John Stewart in Lanterns storyline has since developed in a way that makes the artwork more intriguing. John has already rejected the Green Lantern Corps’ offer to protect Sector-2814. That decision could potentially set up an unexpected alternative to the traditional Green Lantern path.
John Has Rejected the Green Lantern Corps
John’s relationship with becoming a Green Lantern has been complicated from the beginning. Although he once dreamed of joining the Corps, the series revealed that much of his motivation came from his relationship with his parents. John wanted to make his father proud. His father had apparently lived vicariously through John’s potential to become a Green Lantern after failing to receive that opportunity himself.
Eventually, John realized that the Power Ring did not make him happy. He returned the ring to Guardian of the Universe Lianna and chose a normal life as an architect. Hal Jordan’s apparent murder eventually pulled him back into the Lantern world. However, John still has not fully embraced the traditional Green Lantern role.
Hal Jordan’s Ring Could Be Running Out
Another major development could influence John Stewart in Lanterns. Hal Jordan’s Power Ring appears to be approaching the end of its charge. In the comics, Hal’s original ring was eventually retired, while Guy Gardner received a newly created ring. That history could potentially become relevant if the DCU takes a different approach to John’s future. If John continues rejecting the traditional Green Lantern Corps, another type of Lantern ring could provide an alternative.
Green Lantern: Earth One Could Provide the Blueprint
The Green Lantern: Earth One comics are particularly interesting because their Lantern mythology differs from traditional DC continuity. In that version of the mythology, Green Lantern rings are not powered by willpower in the same way as the traditional comics. The story also features Yellow Lanterns who are very different from the villains typically associated with the color yellow.
Instead of simply representing evil, the Yellow Lanterns in Earth One are closer to freedom fighters who receive powered rings from a rogue Guardian of the Universe. They are also not powered by fear in the traditional sense. That distinction could make the mythology particularly useful for the DCU.
John Stewart Could Have an Unusual Connection to the Rings
The John Stewart in Lanterns storyline has already established that John is different from other Lanterns. One of the most unusual elements of his character is his ability to maintain constructs without actually wearing the Power Ring. That ability could become important if the DCU eventually explores different forms of Lantern power.
If John’s willpower is strong enough, the series could potentially establish that he has an unusual relationship with the energy behind the rings. A Yellow Lantern identity would therefore not necessarily mean John becomes a villain. Instead, it could represent a completely different route toward becoming a powerful Lantern.
Could Lanterns Introduce Fear to the DCU?
The Season 1 finale could potentially introduce another important element of Lantern mythology: fear. So far, Lanterns has focused heavily on its murder mystery and grounded character drama. However, the finale’s promotion could hint at fear becoming an important part of the DCU’s larger Lantern mythology.
If the emotional spectrum begins to play a role, Yellow Lanterns could become increasingly important. That would also create a path for John to develop an identity separate from the traditional Green Lantern Corps. Still, the series has not confirmed that John will become a Yellow Lantern.
Could John Wear Yellow in Man of Tomorrow?
Another possibility is that John’s Yellow Lantern storyline could continue into Man of Tomorrow. The Superman sequel is expected to expand the DCU’s roster of heroes. Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart is already part of the larger DCU landscape. If the Lanterns finale introduces a major change to John’s identity, that development could potentially carry over into the Superman sequel.
John could theoretically appear as a Yellow Lantern before eventually becoming the Green Lantern audiences expect. There is currently no confirmation that this will happen.
Sinestro Could Play a Major Role
Sinestro could also become important to John’s future. If the DCU introduces a larger Yellow Lantern mythology, Sinestro would be an obvious character to connect to it. A future storyline could potentially involve Sinestro and a resurrected Hal Jordan forming or leading a Yellow Lantern Corps.
Hal could even fall under Parallax’s influence in a future season. That possibility would represent a much more cosmic direction for the series than its grounded first season. However, Lanterns has already shown that its mythology can expand beyond its Earth-based mystery.
Could Hal Jordan Return?
Hal’s fate remains another major question for the DCU. If he eventually returns, his relationship with John could become even more complicated. A resurrected Hal influenced by Parallax could provide a bridge between the grounded events of Season 1 and the larger cosmic mythology of the Green Lantern comics.
That could also place John in a difficult position. He could find himself caught between Hal, Sinestro, the Green Lantern Corps, and an entirely different Lantern path.
John Stewart in Lanterns May Have Been Teased From the Start
The John Stewart in Lanterns theory ultimately comes down to several unusual details. The original DC Studios announcement used Green Lantern: Earth One artwork showing John as a Yellow Lantern. Meanwhile, the series has established that John has rejected the traditional Green Lantern path and has a unique relationship with Lantern constructs.
Hal’s ring may also be nearing the end of its usefulness, while the Season 1 finale could introduce fear as a more important part of the DCU’s Lantern mythology. None of this confirms John’s future. However, the pieces create an intriguing possibility that the original artwork was more than a coincidence.
Lanterns Could Completely Change John’s Future
Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and legendary Lantern Hal Jordan as they investigate a murder in the American heartland and uncover a dark mystery connected to the wider DCU. The series stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, alongside Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones.
Seven episodes are currently streaming on HBO Max. With the Season 1 finale approaching, John Stewart in Lanterns could be on the verge of a major transformation. John may ultimately become the Green Lantern fans expect. But if the original Earth One artwork was intentionally chosen, the series may have been teasing a very different future for John Stewart all along.
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Ambily S