Episode 3 of ‘Lanterns’ season 1 opens with one word: “Jump.”
The flash back from 2016 shows John Stewart falling from a high ceiling inside a dome shaped building. He lands on a preset pile of mattresses and makes his way through an abandoned mall. Simple black arrows on small signage guide him to a final door marked: “manager.”
A blonde woman opens the door, as a man exits. John states he is there for the interview; she tells John to have a seat and says she will be back as she exits the room. The next morning, she finds him still waiting.
Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros. Discovery
In the interview John shares what he knows about the Guardians. He expresses his condolences as there were twelve of them, but one has recently died. John then asks about the new process of interviews. The death of a Guardian is the reason. She expects him to ask, “why me?” However, John knows why he is there.
We flash back further to an infant John. In his parent’s room, he lies awake in his crib, while they sleep. John’s brother Marcus calls out for their mother, Bernadette, and she leaves to attend him. John Sr. awakens to an intense green light and begins to gasp. Infant John’s eyes are our lens as this happens. A voice asks, “Are you afraid?” His father responds, “Yes! Yes!” terrified. We hear a loud thump, and infant John begins to cry. John Sr. is sitting on the floor by the bed, in a panic attack as Bernadette rushes to his side.
John’s father doesn’t care to hear about earth’s new hero: The Green Lantern. So much so, that he shoots their TV when a report on Hal comes on. Bernadette runs in demanding the gun, as John goes on about what happened that night. Now, he knows it was a test, but Bernadette does not believe him. She manages to get him to give her the pistol, but he must leave their home. In the next scene Bernadette is taking out the trash, holding infant John in one arm. The same Guardian giving John his interview in 2016 approaches her looking for John Sr. She offers Bernadette a large diamond as amends for the distress caused. The Guardian shifting to her original blue form and then back to human form makes a skeptical Bernadette a believer . Bernadette is unfazed; her response: “You drink coffee?”
Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros. Discovery
Inside, the Guardian notes that not having a Green Lantern from earth before might have caused an underestimation of the ring selection process. Bernadette is direct and asks the Guardian what she knows about race, and “fear” as a black man. The Guardian has a question many of us might have pondered before: “by black you mean brown skin?” Bernadette scoffs and states that even when it comes to intergalactic matters, black people are not considered.
We learn the ring chose John Sr. because of his genetic makeup. A child of John Sr. and Bernadette will carry their best qualities. Hal won’t live forever; if they could raise infant John to be fearless, he would get a fair shot when the time comes. The tiny John’s destiny has already been written.
Back in John’s 2016 interview, the Guardian then addresses John as Sergeant Major, and he corrects her that it is a former title. The next flashback at an Outback Steakhouse shows John in formal uniform meeting a contact for a mission to take out a target.
We then flash back to the young Bernadette and John Sr., with infant John. She apologizes for not believing John Sr. and shows him the diamond given to her by the Guardian. The truth has made her develop a plan. Infant John, unlike his brothers, does not know fear. Being an educator, Bernadette has done her research. They will condition him so he’s used to fear. They will develop the best qualities of John Sr., in their son and add the qualities Hal is missing. John Sr. is concerned their son will hate them. Bernadette believes it’s a risk worth taking.
The next flash takes us to an adult John about to take on his mission. His last word before he jumps from the plane is “Jump,” echoing the word we hear him fall to at the beginning of the episode. A turbulent landing puts him in a moving body of water. An injured John is bleeding significantly but pulls himself out of the water.
In the 2016 interview, John reveals a dishonorable discharge caused him to lose his title. He makes it clear his discharge was not due to disobedience but to failure to complete a mission. They move on to discussing Sinestro.
Sinestro kills the late Guardian, so Hal defeats and detains Sinestro. The Guardian notes that Sinestro was Hal’s mentor, and she finds Hal’s affection for Sinestro troubling. John lets her know that it is human behavior to love those who raised you, even if they are “crazy.”
We flash back to John’s fifth birthday, with a bird-decorated cake and a number 5 candle outlined in green. John makes a wish and receives his gift: a young Green Lantern suit. He wanted crayons, but his parents tell him his destiny is to become the next Green Lantern. No pressure for a fifth birthday. Bernadette tells John the birds watch over them to report to the Guardians. This is why “Tweety” came to be in episode 2.
John’s training to become fearless will begin that year, and it has caused tension between him and his brother Aaron. His mother’s advice: John cannot worry about his brother’s reaction; John must worry about himself. Back to the 2016 interview, John is unable to say exactly why he became a sniper. However, we do learn John likes to be alone, and he does not get distracted.
In the 2016 interview, the Guardian and John discuss family, life and death. A flashback shows the origin of the apple shot test. Young John asks John Sr. to shoot the apple off his head, like William Tell. John Sr. hesitates, but Bernadette encourages it and says, “Fear is contagious.”
John’s answer to “Are you afraid?” is a direct “No, sir.” The shot destroys the apple, and John is unfazed. His proud father offers to get him a cheeseburger. As they walk away, we see relief and concern in Bernadette’s eyes. Can they survive this as a family?
The next scene shows a slightly older John in the car with his family. Aaron and Marcus tease him for talking like a “white boy.” The car comes to a sudden stop; Bernadette instructs John to get out. The parents shut down Marcus and Aaron when the brothers try to defend John. Young John must find his way home alone from a dangerous neighborhood. In the interview, the Guardian notes that John’s training must have been lonely. Humans need social connection, and the isolation of John’s training opposes this “programming.” John states that humans are not programmed; they are raised, and there is a difference.
A young John has made it home. His brothers play in their room, while their mother waits for John in his. With no emotion she tells John a saved pork chop is waiting for him in the microwave. She leaves the room, never touching her son. John collapses on the bed, crying into his comforter to absorb the sound. Bernadette fights her own wave of emotions in the hallway. In the 2016 interview, the Guardian asks if John will miss his family. His answer is he grew up missing them.
Next scene shows a young John finding his frustrated mother trying to communicate with the Guardians with a device. Not knowing if this is all worth it is starting to take a toll on her. He asks why they are not responding; she uses his questions to lure him into another test of fear.
The regular test goes well. But Bernadette asks John to shoot the apple of his father’s head. John is unable to complete the task. Later that evening, Bernadette comes to John’s room where she tells him some things are natural, like drawing and loving his father. John admits that he was scared and thinks the birds are right: he is not good enough. His mother then admits that she made up the role of the birds. However, the training is still urgent because when John will be called is unknown.
Bernadette states that sometimes a black man must raise his own hand, or risk being overlooked. John has a choice: he can stop because he was lied to, or he can continue. He wants to continue, but this time he wants to shoot the apple off Bernadette’s head. Bernadette is put to her own test. If she wants John to achieve his destiny, she must be fearless. Her eyes carry concern and her breath trembles as John takes his shot and hits the mark. She knows he could do it. Apparently, John hates cheeseburgers, and they agree he doesn’t have to eat them anymore.
In the 2016 interview, we learn John fails the mission, because Hal intervened. Hal acquires the target but leaves damage in Russia. John is the scapegoat for the outcome.
At home, John and Bernadette discuss how Hal has once again impacted their lives. She encourages John to attend art school in the meantime. “Courage is fear that’s said it’s prayers, son,” Bernadette tells her son. It’s clear, John’s happiness has always been a part of her concern.
In art school, for the first time we see a genuine smile on John’s face. He attends an interview for a special project. First task: sketch the building they are in. Next, the interviewer gives him a Green Lantern ring; John must manifest his father’s watch. John knows what time it is; this is the interview he’s been waiting for. He creates a perfect watch and returns the ring. The interviewer creates a portal in the floor and says “Jump.” We see John fall as he did in the first scene.
Our timeline has caught up. In the interview, John learns that Hal was not following orders when he compromised John’s mission.
The job is to replace Hal Jordan, and John has got it. He comes home to tell his parents. Surprisingly, Hal is at the dining room table with Bernadette and John Sr. sharing the news. Hal is the worst kind of guest, calling John “Junior” after being told that’s not his name, and calling the couple the Midwest Huxtables. Bernadette’s face says everything she is thinking.
Hal and John step outside to discuss training schedules. Here, the truth of Hal’s feelings come out: he does not care what John hopes for. John will only get the ring when Hal is dead.
Training begins on Monday. An annoyed Hal flies off. As Hal leaves, John turns to the blue bird on his family’s mailbox and says, “I think he likes me.”
Hal has not presented as the model mentor. But who can blame him? Hal knows John is his replacement. Maybe it’s the issue of mortality that is troubling Hal, and not necessarily John.
Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros. Discovery
We know John respects Hal, but there are many reasons why he might not like or trust him. But most importantly we understand John’s foundation. In some ways it makes sense why he leans into Zoe. This might be the first time in his life he’s had someone like this to confide in. Let’s hope he made the right choice in choosing her.
