So, basically, instead of the oath, he could have just hummed the theme to Jeopardy, and gotten the same result?
IIRC, we already know he could’ve swapped in something else:
“In loudest din or hush profound,
my ears catch evil’s slightest sound.
Let those who toll out evil’s knell,
beware my power: The F-Sharp Bell!”
I don’t read Green Lantern and it’s probably one of those things that depends on the writer, but sure.
The Green Lantern oath doesn’t bug me at all: First of all, the Green Lanterns are specifically chosen for their devotion to the ideals of the Corps. Reciting an oath isn’t all that much different than, say, the Pledge of Allegiance. And second, they’re somewhat on the mystical/magical end of things, and the concept of “magic words” is hardly unique.
And for the matter, Alan Scott, who became a Green Lantern without even knowing about the Corps, made up his own oath. Doesn’t matter; the sentiment’s the same.
Theoretically, everyone in the Corps has a different oath - albeit ones which generally hit the same beats. Most of the ones who came after Hal, and even a few who’ve been members longer than him copy his, though.
Some of the examples of variant oaths:
(Arisia Rrab - one of 3 she’s used.)
(Barin.)
(Tomar-Re…and Alan Scott.)
(Eddore - one of 2 he used.)
(Flodo Span.)
(Medphyll.)
Most of the major Lanterns whose oaths are known use Hal’s.
The one quoted upthread belongs to Rot Lop Fan a blind being from a world without light. Katma Tui came up with the musical analogy to explain the idea to him, since the idea of a ‘green lantern’ was complete gibberish to him.
It used to be justified in Power rangers, as shouting the phrase was necessary to activate the device. But now they still do that stuff, even when it’s clear that all they have to do is flick a switch or type in a code.
“Why would Supergirl need a flight ring?”, he wondered out loud.
Sheldon: The original Gren Lantern’s ring was ineffective against wood. The second Green Lantern’s ring was ineffective against anything yellow.
Leonard: So you’re telling me they could both be defeated by a #2 pencil?
(jparaphrased)
The same reason Superboy, Mon-El/Valor, Ultra Boy, Laurel Gand, Wildfire, Dawnstar, Earthman, and anyone else capable of flying under their own power* - it does more than allow them to fly. It’s also the symbol of their membership in the Legion, a communicator, a tracking device (and, for the Earth-Prime Legion, a jammer of tracking devices), and in later iterations, a life support system, replacing transsuits.
In Ultra Boy’s case, it also allows him to continue flying while using other powers (typically invulnerability or strength), but none of the others have to switch off their other powers to fly.
- Quite a few members have powers that lend themselves to creating flight…the Durlans are the only ones other than the above who do so, and they have a limit.
OK, it makes sense to name a Green Lantern “Arisia”, in an inside-joke sort of way, but “Eddore”? Isn’t that kind of exactly the wrong way around?
And, in Smallville, they specifically removed the flight power from Clark’s ring so he’d have to learn to fly by himself.
Wouldn’t read too much into the references in the names. There are also GLs named Torquemada and Xenofobe - neither of whom lives up to his name.
I fly that way-- started doing it as an homage to Christopher Reeve (who was there at my initiation, but that’s a story for another evening).
But the third time I tried an extended solo flight BAM!!! A pigeon ran into my fist!
I honestly only saw it at the last nano-second–don’t know why I didn’t see it earlier-- and if I hadn’t had my hand out in front, I would’ve been eating feathers.
Hmm, the whole X-ray vision thing is a bit wonky. I mean an X-ray machine makes photos by having a source on one side and film/photodetectors on the other. But Superman’s eyes seem to both emit the X-ray light and recieve it…