The DC Universe is already teeing up a story that makes one major Green Lantern into a villain, making this look like it could well become a future plotline for the franchise going forward. A key aspect of this early stage of the DCU timeline is how much it adapts corners of the world of DC’s comics that would have been borderline unthinkable for other chapters of DC’s movie history, both in terms of its characters and its narratives.
Peacemaker season 2’s narrative about alternate universes of neo-Nazis and delving into the sinister side of the multiverse certainly contrasts with the more staunchly child-friendly eras of DC’s film history, and the appearance of figures like the Creature Commandos and Mr. Terrific also speak to the DCU’s willingness to tread into exciting territory that DC has yet to properly explore when it comes to live-action movies.
Now, as the DC Universe gears up to delve further into the stories of the Green Lanterns Corps mythos with the upcoming release of Lanterns – and with Guy Gardner and Jon Stewart being confirmed to return in the cast of Man of Tomorrow – the stage is perfectly set for the franchise to delve into some Lantern-centric storylines, and one huge comic twist is becoming increasingly possible for the DCU based on its current path.
The DC Universe’s Hal Jordan Setup Makes His Villain Turn All The More Likely Looking
The DCU’s early looks at Lanterns and its two central heroes – that of Green Lantern veteran Hal Jordan, and newcomer John Stewart – have teased several things about the two protagonists, with some of the most interesting implications coming as a result of the repeated displayss of Jordan being something of a devil-may-care risk taker at this point in his career as a member of the group.
Moves like Hal Jordan letting Stewart careen off in an out-of-control car in order to test him or using his ring to make counterfeit money show a certain chaotic energy to the character. This is supported by Entertainment Weekly‘s interview with stars Aaron Pierre (John Stewart) and Kyle Chandler (Hal Jordan), wherein it’s mentioned that “Given all of his rule-breaking antics, the Guardians of the Universe are concerned about what Hal may or may not have inherited from Sinestro.“
With Chandler also stating that, when it came to creating Hal’s bond with his former mentor turned DC villain Sinestro, he “created little things for myself with him that created a relationship that was very intimate and intense” it seems the DCU is certainly set up in a way wherein it would make a lot of sense for Hal Jordan to go down the route of becoming Parallax.
The character first assumed this villain mantle in the Emerald Twilight comic storyline, which saw the Hal go berserk after seeing the destruction of his home city – though this was later revealed to instead be the result of Jordan being possessed by an ancient creature also named Parallax that’s the living embodiment of fear.
Given fear is the emotion the Sinestro Corps use in the way the Green Lanterns use willpower, it would make sense if Hal’s reckless nature and close ties to Sinestro are being built in order to allow a version of this storyline to unfold – especially since Sinestro attempts to have several Green Lanterns be possessed by Parallax throughout DC’s comic history, including this instance with Hal Jordan himself.
Why Using Hal Jordan’s Parallax Storyline Would Make Sense For The Early DC Universe
The theories that Hal will become Parallax have garnered some concerned responses from those who fear this will result in the DCU wasting Hal Jordan, or otherwise introducing a major Green Lantern storyline too soon. However, so long as the DCU handles the matter in a way that’s appropriate for this early leg of its unfurling as a cinematic universe, it does seem this could be a strong overarching narrative for the franchise’s Green Lantern characters.
Since Guy Gardner’s powers showed how strong the Green Lanterns can be – and Lanterns is sure to do this further with its own heroes – displaying the risks these heroes face and underlining that no member of the Green Lantern Corps is without weakness or fault could go a long way to make the characters feel even more three-dimensional and engaging, and would be an exciting way to bring the storyline of Hal Jordan’s prior bond with Sinestro to a climax.
Similarly, Hal Jordan notably wouldn’t need to permanently die to make him being Parallax for some time work, as his passing is also only temporary in the comics.
In the source material, the character is brought back three real-world years after his dramatic sacrifice in The Final Night, though he regains his place in the Green Lanterns later down the line. Following this arc even with a much shorter timeframe would add some real dimension to the initial days of the DC Universe, while ensuring audiences don’t feel the world’s protagonists are unkillable, which could prove massively helpful for the rest of the franchise’s run.
