# Lanterns (the green kind) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, hbomax-wb-dc\ **Created:** [August 17, 2026, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374 "2026-08-17T05:23:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/81 "2026-09-01T22:07:50Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > A bit weird to turn it into a black/white thing instead of a normal person/psycho thing, but that is just her opinion. Wait, who is “her”? And how is it “a bit weird to turn it into a black/white thing” given that the character of John Stewart was explicitly created as an African-American man when first introduced in 1972? In other words, it’s always been a bit about race. And BTW, it reminded me a bit of the previous HBO series Watchmen, which also prominently featured racial issues. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/82 "2026-09-01T22:12:53Z")
The mom, the one who said it was privilege that let Hal not be afraid, when in fact every normal person would be afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/83 "2026-09-01T22:25:07Z")
Just a mention, this is a Lindelof production, and often there’s something special in the 4th episode of (at least the first) season. Leftovers. Lost. Though I did find the third episode gripping, going a completely different way from previous ones. Wondering if the next one is a doozy, but fine if that one was the doozy. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/84 "2026-09-01T23:56:35Z")
Well, we are still waiting to find anything out about the damn first episode cliffhanger, so maybe that. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/85 "2026-09-02T17:19:07Z")
If you watched the creators previous Superhero series Watchmen the analysis of race wouldn’t be a surprise but either way it was 100% appropriate for her to respond that way because it is true. Also the character Jon Stewart in the Comics was often used to analyze race in America over the years. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/86 "2026-09-02T19:04:02Z")
It is true that the reason John was afraid of an alien lifting him up in a green energy bubble was because he was black and Hal wasn’t was because he was white? I’m sorry but that is an utterly ridiculous take. John’s response was the normal default response of any normal reasonable HUMAN BEING of any color, Hal’s was the response of a psycho who doesn’t care about anything. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/87 "2026-09-02T19:09:57Z")
The point is that there is a very good reason it’s much less likely for a Black man to show no fear than a White man. And more than that, that a Black man has good reason to believe that he could be _punished_ for showing no fear. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/88 "2026-09-02T19:23:47Z")
I disagree, the number of people who would not be afraid in that situation would be infinitesimal and not affected by race at all. Even John said “what person wouldn’t be scared in that situation?”, the answer is definitely not “a white person”. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/89 "2026-09-02T19:37:29Z")
John’s mother is just talking about her perspective. At no point did the show say “Black people would be scared and white people wouldn’t.” The Guardian said multiple candidates were tested and failed before Hal. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/90 "2026-09-02T19:41:39Z")
That doesn’t mean race couldn’t have had an impact. Maybe if John’s dad had been White, he would have been one of those tiny group of weirdos who could say “no”. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/91 "2026-09-02T20:19:25Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > not affected by race at all Not entirely sure I buy that. White men have less to fear in our society than anyone else. We don’t get The Talk. We don’t have codes for bartenders, we don’t have special ways to hold our stuff, RULES to follow for our safety. Children who look like me haven’t been beaten to death for talking to the wrong woman while looking like me. It’s also a statement about how the Guardians don’t understand humans or our society. They gave humans a test, handed enormous power to one of us based on the result of that test, and don’t get us at all. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/92 "2026-09-02T20:21:33Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > White men have less to fear in our society than anyone else. While that is absolutely true, none of those things are applicable to this particular situation. You could just as easily argue that black people would be less afraid due to all the trauma they already go through, which would be backed up by the abuse they inflicted on John to make him fearless. If that is what makes you fearless then being black is an advantage. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/93 "2026-09-02T22:12:07Z")
I think she was talking more about their general attitude of treating all humans the same when black humans (often) have a different life experience. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/94 "2026-09-02T23:11:36Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It is true that the reason John was afraid of an alien lifting him up in a green energy bubble was because he was black and Hal wasn’t was because he was white? The show doesn’t say whether it is true or not, only that his wife _thought_ it was true, or at least that it played a part. My opinion? On the one hand, she was crazy. On the other hand, she wasn’t entirely wrong ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/95 "2026-09-03T13:47:36Z")
There appears to be a conversation about what black people would do in the modern day in this worlds US, versus the Lanterns point which would be around 1990s equivalent of LA (is it? I’m never sure about DCs equivalents given Gotham and Metropolis are both New York). Was there a DC 90s version of Rodney King or OJ? Crack Cocaine? I suspect there probably was. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/96 "2026-09-03T14:02:23Z")
I think the timeline is: 1986 - Abin Sur crashes on Earth, Hal takes up the ring. 1996 - Hal does the 60 minute interview 2006 - Hal backs up his consciousness for the last time. 2016 - The Guardians recruit John. 2025 - Guy Gardener has a ring. 2026 - Hal gets shot. John does not have a ring. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/97 "2026-09-03T14:25:43Z")
It’s not clear how much John _needs_ the ring as in the show he’s demonstrated abilities without it. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/98 "2026-09-03T14:31:23Z")
True - I was just listed things that are currently _known_. I should have added: ~1992 - John’s parents begin training him. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/99 "2026-09-03T14:44:54Z")
Any idea what supposed city in the DCU did John grow up in? Given that I’ve never read a GL comic. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/100 "2026-09-03T14:47:38Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > 2026 - Hal gets shot. John does not have a ring. Hal doesn’t have a ring either and John seems a little surprised by that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374.md?page=6)