r/LanternsTVSeries • u/TimelordCowboyFromOa Earl Jordan • Aug 31 '26
POST-DISCUSSION THREAD [POST-DISCUSSION THREAD] Lanterns 1x03 - OutKast
REACTIONS & REVIEWS FOR EPISODE 1x03 - OUTKAST
- No spoilers for later episodes please.
- No links that lead to piracy.
EPISODE DISCUSSION THREADS:
- 1x01 - Pilot (Live Discussion)
- 1x01 - Pilot (Post-Discussion)
- 1x02 - Trust Fall (Live Discussion)
- 1x02 - Trust Fall (Post-Discussion)
- 1x03 - OutKast (Live Discussion)
- 1x04 - The Weenie (Live Discussion)
- 1x04 - The Weenie (Post-Discussion)
- 1x05 - Lights Out (Live Discussion)
- 1x05 - Lights Out (Post-Discussion)
- 1x06 - Bad Optics (Live Discussion)
- 1x06 - Bad Optics (Post-Discussion)
- 1x07 - The Jordan Boys' Legacy (Live Discussion)
- 1x07 - The Jordan Boys' Legacy (Post-Discussion)
- 1x08 - Dirt and Stars (Live Discussion)
- 1x08 - Dirt and Stars (Post-Discussion)
- Season 1 Megathread
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u/amanwithanumbrella Sep 10 '26
I liked this episode.
I thought the first two were a little flat emotionally, with okay cinematography and really poor sound mixing.
The change of format/chronology in this episode (in a show that already has multiple timelines) was slightly jarring. But it was a lot more emotionally engaging for me personally. And it's the first episode that's made me engage with it's themes, I.e., what fear really is, is fear really is the opposite of willpower, etc. I feel like we all already know that overcoming fear is what willpower/bravery really is though (like John's mother said) which feels like kind of a tired route to take the story thematically.
But this episode has made me a decent bit more interested in the show, so we'll see!
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u/Nkumbza Sep 09 '26
"Stop talking about it" episode 3 did the exact opposite, can't get over it. Now I'm worried the whole show is gonna be like this. It's not necessaryđ¤Śđžââď¸
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u/Pleasant-Cellist-927 28d ago edited 7d ago
The original post content no longer exists here. The author used Redact to remove it, exercising their right to control their data & privacy.
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u/Conscious_Sun4212 Sep 08 '26
I have an issue with someone spending, 9 months, in a bush, with that little beard.
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u/Zalasta5 Sep 06 '26
Would it be wrong to think that the Guardians decided to forgo the ring selection process and picked John because they are looking for someone they can control, given that they obviously cannot force obedience on Hal?
Also, as someone who knows little about the Green Lanterns lore, if the ring is an alien technology, why does it have such a human interface (the whole ring output warnings just feels like a human feature). Or does the ring conform to the wearer to behave in a way that the user is familiar with?
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u/PopeSpenglerTheFirst Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
Well the show itself is not interested in Green Lantern comics or how the comics do things; from the aesthetic on down the show takes a big crap on the comics.
That being said, the rings do conform to the user in the comics.Â
The Green Lantern corps has existed for 3 billion years and there have been lanterns from every different kind of life form. There is a Green Lantern whose head is an exploding volcano with a little face in it. Some Green Lanterns are salt based life forms instead of water based.Â
There is one who is a germ.Â
You may not want to read about any of it to make reveals as the show goes on more interesting to you. But if you do there is this:Â
https://comicpause.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/2018-12-5-the-green-lantern/
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u/PopeSpenglerTheFirst Sep 06 '26
Itâs an ok show but itâs not a Green Lantern show. The guardian being a giant and then a tiny little blonde woman is absolutely horrendous and completely craps all over the source material. The ring, lantern and costume all look like plastic toy garbage.Â
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u/elephantcock0410 Sep 06 '26
So much anti white slop in the writing. Exhausting. Expect better from HBO.
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u/GipsyDangerV1 Sep 06 '26
If that's legitimately how you interpreted episode 3 as "anti white slop" I'm going to highly question your visual media comprehension skills. That or you were just waiting for something to be triggered by in the show because you want to have a reason to be mad at it from the lens of it being anti-white.Â
Get over yourself
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u/Cold-Pool4027 Sep 07 '26
There are anti white undertones. I'm black. I can even recognize it.
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u/GipsyDangerV1 Sep 07 '26
Okay and I'm as white as white can be and I don't pick up on any anti-white undertones. Why did you try to do some call to authority with bringing up your race like that, it's weird.
Like, be specific don't just say there's some amorphous anti-white undertones you can't exactly put your finger on. What specifically in the show makes you think it's anti-white? Do you have lines? scenes? character interactions? what?
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u/Cold-Pool4027 Sep 07 '26
Alright. Episode 2 is toward the end - John and Zoe are discussing Hal and Garrett. The entire basis of their conversation is basically how they're "white men" - "White men have the privilege of being eccentric - white men with money can do whatever they want" - "So you'll put up with some deeply weird white man..." "Hey how's your white man?" There's just zero reason for the fact these characters being white need to constantly be brought up. It does nothing to the story. Take that same tone and have white people referring to blacks that way and it would spark outrage. Episode 3 is similar when John's mom says Lianna just looks like an "unfortunate white woman" - there's just zero reason in both these scenarios that being white needs to be brought up other than creating an undertone of white equals bad.
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u/GipsyDangerV1 Sep 07 '26
Man you are reaching. So because the writing doesn't ignore the fact that in reality there are power dynamics and uncomfortable components to racial dynamics in society that means it's anti-white? Do you think the show is trying to say that Hal Jordan is a bad person? That sheriff kane is a bad person? The implication you're trying to put on these characters by taking these lines out of context without the acting, emotion, and the actual scenes at the time does not fit with the way the characters interact with other white people throughout the show. As well as the way the show presents other white people that aren't bad guys. Also the recent reveal of who the manhunter is really doesn't fit with your concept the show is trying to say white people are bad You're just full tunnel vision looking for things that you can pick out to get mad at and claim the show is anti-white or woke or something which also points out how ignorant you are of the history of Green lantern comic books. Why do you think Jon Stewart was created as a Green lantern in 1971 and what was going on at that time? Lanterns is paying homage to and respecting the motivation and purpose of why Jon Stewart was even created in the first place through the way it does not ignore racial dynamics in reality within its storytelling. Why can't you handle that? why does that make you uncomfortable and have to dismiss it as just anti-white rhetoric?
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u/Cold-Pool4027 Sep 07 '26
Homie....I'm just watching the show and stating what I observed. I'm not doing all this unpacking of social issues and deep dives. I feel how I feel about it. And to be honest, I think it's hilarious you're trying to tell me how I should feel about it. Sounds like white guilt. Telling me "I can't handle something" when making a simple observation.
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u/Ok-Situation1981 Sep 15 '26
Theres 0 literacy or comprehension or anything to be spoken about. His parents regularly say throughout the episode that hal was picked because he was white. Thats just simply racist. He was picked because he passed the test that senior failed. Not to mention that the guardians, the ring, etc. Are all from off earth. Why the fuck would any of it care about race? I think the mom says something like "they dont care about us down here or up there" like what the fuck are they talking about.
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u/GipsyDangerV1 Sep 08 '26
Of course this would be your reply. I don't even know why I tried to engage with someone like you. Bro it's not that deep and I'm sorry that good writing makes you uncomfortable
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u/Cold-Pool4027 Sep 08 '26
Nothing was uncomfortable about it. I noticed the repeated dumping on white people and said I noticed it. Have a good day
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u/optimisticpsychic Sep 06 '26
Any guesses on the time frame between the end of Episode 3 and the start of Episode 1
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u/Bananas0ul Sep 05 '26
Two small things I really liked about this episode
1.the ring selection process scared multiple people. Which makes sense considering green alien light abducting you, but people are kind of ignoring that in the discussions about race. Ironically this is probably the least biased and most messed up the test could be short of holding a gun to their head and asking them that...
2.I like the little detail of John's mom mentioning that alot of people don't have both parents , something we know for sure about Hal. Shows her immediate judgement of him and in a way ours is flawed because while race is a obvious form of privilege, there's a lot of hidden ones
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u/dknisle1 Sep 06 '26
All this episode was about how black people arenât as sought after as white people. Kind of killed the episode
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u/ImAPandah Sep 14 '26
I bet youâre the type to just want explosions and nice looking cinema shots on your tv. There was definitely a lot you missed while being overly focused on whatever this shit take of yours is trying to say.
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u/GipsyDangerV1 Sep 06 '26
If that's all you got out of the episode I highly question your reading or visual media comprehension skills.
That or you were just looking for something to get annoyed or offended at
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u/Natiel360 Sep 06 '26
Even if we fully humor this, itâs about that explicitly for like two scenes - not any different than the last episode
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u/Ok-Situation1981 Sep 15 '26
Even if we humor it a little... why is it taking place here? Literally why? They've already tossed out the comics and shown that hal will be dead in the modern day dcu. Why not just make John more powerful and ignore any race conversations?
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u/Natiel360 Sep 15 '26
You donât see the dissonance in your point.
They âtossedâ the comics and thatâs a problem for Hal, but tossing the literal comic premise of John Stewart and his relation to race is something you want. Like look at the first appearance of John , or Blackest Night, or War Journal, Green lantern/Green Arrow1
u/Ok-Situation1981 Sep 15 '26
Its not a problem for hal. Its a problem for John. This new story theyre coming up with leaves him very unlikable and disconnected and untrustworthy. The story i know is that the guardians chose him and sent the manhunter to test him. Maybe there is an alternate story for him but starting the character off with secrets and this robot personality when all the lanterns are about emotions is weird af. I mean none of the racism or background feels grounded in the slightest either. It just feels like theyre the racist ones against white people and are projecting that onto aliens since his father failed of his own free will and then used the color of Hals skin as an excuse to hate him.
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u/Natiel360 Sep 15 '26
You just said itâs a problem when talking about Hal being dead. Then youâre just ignoring the actual fact that Johnâs inception/origin deals with race, unabashedly.
Then the rest of the complaints sounds like youâre watching with your eyes closed. John is super reserved, we see exactly in episode 3 why heâs so restrained, but from the jump heâs a trained soldier in contrast to Hal. Heâs making jokes by episode 4 and clearly warming up to Hal, thatâs the whole plot.
Now coming from you, I doubt you see the nuance in Johnâs parents actually almost having a persecution complex over their racial identity but itâs not unsubstantiated, itâs just overdone. So yeah while Johnâs mom comes across as overly vindicated, itâs the whole reason why the guardians want John over Hal. Again, the whole plot of the show.
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u/Ok-Situation1981 Sep 15 '26
Yes I said the problem when talking about hal being dead. Because they are one in the same. The problem is that they chose this story instead of the comics and have given him a villain origin story. He literally has a story to take down the green lantern and steal the power for himself. So if theyre going to kill of hal anyway then why is that story even necessary.
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u/Kingdeadmeme Sep 05 '26
I have decided to come up with a theory about the end of the series. I believe that by the end of the series the guardians will realize that benedicta was kinda right. She may be a abusive lunatic but her point about the flaw in the lantern selection process is kinda right. Assuming we take the rings words at face value when it asks if your fearless there is inherently a problem, that problem being that fear can be justified. I believe that by the end of the series the guardians will rework the selection process to be more aligned with modern comics. Instead of being fearless you just need to be able to overcome great fear.
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u/amanwithanumbrella Sep 10 '26
I was thinking about this when John couldn't shoot the apple off of his dad's head. What distinction do the guardians draw between being afraid and considering possible consequences.
I suppose you could argue that John should have had no fear because he was already so precise at shooting. Still, if there was a 1 in 1000 chance John would miss and kill his father, is that fear or just rationally comparing risk and reward.
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u/Natiel360 Sep 06 '26
Theyâre already acknowledging that there needs to be a change with Johnâs interview
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u/ConradBHart42 Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
Sheriff Lady is the manhunter. It's her town.
edit: Further wild speculation, Earl is somehow involved in creating the decoy Hal corpse found in 2026. Like, he's not sentient but he grows doppelgangers of whatever you feed him in flower-like pods a la Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
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u/Peepee-Papa Sep 08 '26
But the sheriff lady is from Gotham and has Kane as a last name. According to my comic book friend that means she is or is related to Batwoman. So canât be a manhunter.
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u/ThaRealSunGod Sep 05 '26
I waited till this episode was released and now I wish I waited till the season was done đ
It's too good
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u/coolest_nath Sep 04 '26
So, the whole premise of the show is that psychopaths make the best green lanterns? Hey, let's abuse a child his entire life that's how he gets to be space cop, such a great idea to put a weapon capable of destroying the planet on his finger. Someone should tell him "blow up the entire planet, or are you afraid?" and he just does it to show he's not like shooting apples on people's heads.. Really, who wrote this slop?Â
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u/Difficult-Ad-6254 18d ago
Ya know I wondered at first why they decided to portray his parents this way, but then I thought about how this show is taking things in a more grounded way. In reality there are hundreds of thousands of parents out there right now who treat their âprodigyâ children this exact way. I personally know of parents of athletes who work their children near day and night so that they can grow up to play in the NFL or NBA or MLB. Hell, just take a look at those beauty pageant documentaries and how the parents literally keep children from a ânormal lifeâ so that the parents can vicariously live through them. Add to the facts that his parents are not just black in the 90âs but military parents on top of that. Poor John never stood a chance hahaÂ
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u/Shiningblueeyes4587 Sep 09 '26
Who said how he was raised was a good thing? The Guardians are portrayed as completely emotionless. Obviously, all they want is for a replacement lantern who will do his job free of emotional attachment. Both the guardians and his parents are viewed through the show as morally Grey at best. There goals and treatment of Jon are not portrayed as particularly good.
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u/gmb360 Sep 04 '26
Really enjoying this show but wow I was so disgusted by Johnâs parents. I am still kinda sad they showed Halâs death in episode 1, I feel like it wouldâve worked better as a surprise. As always though love the relationship between Hal and John.
Very intrigued especially as someone who knows nothing about the comics
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u/acnlEdIV Sep 04 '26
The parents are psychos. We already knew that from the opening scene but damn. I really want to see scenes with his adult brothers being equally successful doing whatever they ended up doing, and John having some sort of "you stole my life from me" reckoning with his parents. I can understand John just accepting it because he's pathologically chill from his conditioning, but still there's gotta be decades of resentment buried deep in there.
I really liked getting some insight into why John created the bird.
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u/North-Point2748 Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 04 '26
We only knew of the father being the psycho in the opening. Which we were led to believe was the primary driver, but that was further from the truth...but yeah, this episode was nuts. And man, with all the constant attention that John was getting for his 'destiny', I can't imagine how the brothers feel with all that also.
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u/danunderscorep Sep 04 '26
My working theory is that the âGuardianâ that appeared to Bernadette was actually the Manhunter, and that it recruited, John because Hal is onto it and it wants a compliant GL on/around/from Earth.
The whole shapeshifting thing. The second half of the âinterviewâ felt awkward because the âGuardianâ didnât understand emotional connection. Pretty weird for a being that exists on and is a steward of a colorized emotional spectrum. The guy in the first half of the âinterviewâ easily couldâve been the same Manhunter because shapeshifting.
This thing manipulated Johnâs parents into trying to turn their baby into a psychopath because while Hal Jordan is many things- a loose cannon, a loud flyboy- heâs definitely a good cop.
1
u/BeholdtheWretch Sep 04 '26
I think this is a decent theory, but there are a few issues:
Hal recognizes the authority of the Guardians, who might or might not be the Manhunter under your theory. If he didn't, Hal would never have shown up to John's family's house. Also, as you say, Hal is a good cop with good instincts and it would be counterintuitive for him to not recognize the Manhunter. Bernadette might be the Manhunter, this just seemingly contradicts Hal's intuition and paranoia. It could be that Hal is being manipulated and he doesn't know it, but still.
The fact that Hal went to Sinestro on a planet (unclear if it's Oa or a simple prison planet), but it means that he is likely in communication with the Guardians. It's unlikely that he would follow the Guardians without some pushback or follow-up.
There is something weird where Hal keeps mentioning John talking to the Guardians, but this episode kind of implies either they are viewing him through birds (r/birdsarentreal). However, John doesn't really seem to have any communication with the Guardians, but Hal thinks they do, so John can "report" to them.
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u/danunderscorep Sep 04 '26
I thought about Bernadette being the Manhunter as well, and it would kind of make sense but I doubt it because Manhunters are supposed to be emotionless and my read of her is that she is absolutely dripping with fear.
I think sheâs so hard on John because sheâs projecting. I think meeting the âGuardianâ or the Manhunter or whoever it actually was terrified her. Up until that moment she could realistically believe that her husband was losing his mind and then, all of a sudden, she learns that heâs perfectly sane and he actually was passed over for the alien cop job. I think her life experience as a black woman was immediately magnified on an intergalactic scale and she felt incredibly minimized, more than ever before, and she raised John as a child soldier because she saw a glimpse of an opportunity for him and was absolutely terrified that if she didnât do this he would never get a fair shake in the world or the universe.
I actually became a parent for the first time pretty recently and my new âDad-eyesâ see a really scared mom thatâs hurting her son first so no one can hurt him worst.
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u/WildBill22 Sep 04 '26
So Hal protects the russian terrorist, blows up the house, and carries him away to Gitmo. I guess the russian had a bunch of bad stuff there, and Hal had to destroy it? Jon takes the fallâŚfor nuking the house and delivering the russian all the way to Cuba? How could Jon have done all that?
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u/MagicHarmony Sep 04 '26
Issue is, Jon needed an extraction and there was no way they could cover it up with him being there while the Russian's would be combing the area after the motherland suffered a hard hit like that. In that moment he prolly hit the button cause the mission was over, the government went "oh shit that man still alive" and they had to extract him otherwise they would have had a lot more issues to deal with if he became a PoW.
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u/MeddlingDragon Sep 04 '26
My take on it is the Russians know hal did the nuking and capturing, but he is space cop so cant touch him. But they also know the us military came in after the fact and extracted one of their own. Who shouldn't have been there.Â
So to save face and prevent international bullshittery, they throw jon under the bus and say he was acting without authorization with hal thus dishonorable discharge. Thats enough to keep Russia from going all act of war or gimme my terrorist back, and they both get to take players out of the game.Â
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u/wild_man899 Sep 04 '26
I think that ANYBODY that was woken up by some god looking voice asking them âAre you afraidâ would actually be definitely afraid 100 percent
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u/Proper-Refrigerator6 Sep 03 '26
Am I wrong? I consider myself pretty left but The Black Victim blaming to an alien is some of the dumbest woke media shit Iâve seen in awhile. Maybe Iâm wrong
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u/John_the_Jester Sep 11 '26
nono, you are 100% right, I was so dumbfounded but that scene that I had to pause to process what I had just heard. Truly one of the stupidest things I have heard in a while.
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u/MagicHarmony Sep 04 '26
People are downvoting this but I can see why they made this the third episode. This honestly feels a bit more like the "pilot" to setup the characters but if they had done it this way then it would not be as interesting as people find it.
The victimhood is way to overblown in this and it does not justify their actions but they are literally using victimhood to justify what they are doing and that's definitely a weird path for the narrative to take.
Also I think it's hard to take victimhood seriously in a household that is able to house 3 kids, in an actual house where they seem to live rather comfortably so the fact they still want to play the victim card is a bit hard. It would be easier to swallow if they actually lived in slums and were still looking to better their lives but they seem well off but still want to play victims which just feels a bit contradicting.
Also the whole shooting the apple on the head thing, for how many times they did it is just way tooo hard to suspend disbelief that nothing would have been done about that because ain't no way people aren't hearing gunshots and then investigating it, seeing apple stains on the wall and realizing abuse is going on in this household.
The whole scenario relies on this family living in a bubble where no one else exist around them and that is just poor writing.
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u/SeanJohnBobbyWTF Sep 04 '26
Comic with black lantern that deals with black issues shouldn't tackle black issues?
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u/Ok-Situation1981 Sep 15 '26
You believe its an accurate representation of black issues in todays world that aliens would pick white people over them for no reason at all? They could've skipped all this shit and had John go to this town and face racism while being a lantern with John and you'd see a much more realistic depiction. Instead they chose a group of aliens who chose a black man first, that man then failed their test and then they chose the white man who, in the actual DC comics, ended up being the strongest lantern. Please give me the literacy im missing.
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u/9for9 26d ago
The parents are projecting their experiences onto the aliens. They experienced racism in life and decide it's everywhere even in space. Their view is myopic and it gives them an excuse to abuse their son.
It's a critique of ideas of black excellence and how some black parents burden their children with overcoming all racism and proving some worthiness. The children grow up really hardworking and often excel but they are stunted from having been forced to take on their parent's battles.
You're simply missing certain experiences. His parents suck, but there are black people who think or thought like this and they make decisions like this based on this thinking all the time.
I knew a young black woman who got offered a study abroad trip in Paris in the 1980s I think. Her parents denied assuming people there would be racist. Now there probably were some racist people in France back then. But of course Paris was also well known for welcoming you black American artist and giving them opportunities for transformative experiences. So she missed out.
Basically it's a real ass thing that happens and it fucking sucks.Â
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u/goddessnoire 13d ago
I know Iâm late to this, but you really missed the point. Iâm a black woman and I grew up in the middle class household with two parents and a dad who is in the military. I had siblings and it was drilled in us that we needed to be better and do better than our white counterparts. No obviously they didnât go as extreme as Johnâs parents, but but black mothers and fathers definitely try to prepare black children to face the ills of the world. Itâs not enough to just be good. Bringing home a B for grades was great, but I was always told to bring home an A. You have to be better and that was the point Johnâs mother really was trying to make. Iâve seen the same thing happen with children of immigrants too.
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u/9for9 12d ago
So I'm a black woman too and holding our children accountable to performing at these levels is playing into a racism system that warps and dehumanizes our children. I fully got the point and that is why John stopped talking to them.
Think about it instead of forcing destiny onto him she could have broken up that diamond into 3 equal portions and set them into college funds for each child. They could have made smart investments and created real generational wealth for their family. Instead they chose to abuse their children to prove something to a bunch of aliens. There's something very wrong with those decisions and I think it's pretty clear we're meant to at least think about that as viewers.Â
Just because white people are racist doesn't mean we need to traumatize our children in the hope of getting them half as much of what they have. That's a very poor bargain for them.
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u/Ok-Situation1981 26d ago
"You're simply missing certain n experiences"
I think if this was said about anything that wasn't minority related then people would just say its shitty writing. People didnt need to be in abusive relationships to love obsession. So why do I need to grow up a certain way to understand that they arent racist?
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u/ohnoitsme7890 Sep 04 '26
If that's all you got from it, try watching again
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u/Proper-Refrigerator6 Sep 04 '26
Itâs literally a fucking show about aliens and intergalactic space. Why are we worried about this
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u/ohnoitsme7890 Sep 04 '26
I'm bot worried about anything, you're the one making up some shit about black victim blaming, literally go watch the episode again but this time pull your head out of your ass first
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u/Proper-Refrigerator6 Sep 04 '26
What else is there to take away from it? A black woman projecting on to an alien?
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u/ohnoitsme7890 Sep 04 '26
Nice touch editing out the "white people bad, black people good" from your comment, can't let your agenda be too obvious lmao
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u/AAnneennAA Sep 04 '26
I feel like the whole deal is more about her carrying strong trauma regarding racial issues and projecting it on weird ways.
 Also probably why she is obsessed over her son becoming a green lantern so he will be a hero and not suffer like she did.
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u/Ok-Situation1981 Sep 15 '26
Except it comes through in such a campy ludicrous way that its not at all real or emotional. The reasoning doesnt make sense. Senior was chosen first and failed. So its not racism. Not to mention that theyre literally aliens or that the ring is an object. So she just comes off as delusional. Not to mention that they are successful people with no visible struggles.
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u/ThaRealSunGod Sep 05 '26
Exactly.
It's so weird that people are pretending that the show wants us to love John's parents. Obviously it's to make us understand his mindset.
As you said the mom carried strong trauma which doesn't leave a person level headed.
Also, seems like a lot of folks don't recognize how common it is for lower class families to see their children or child as their golden ticket. And they literally got to see that the golden ticket was real and being a superhero.
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u/Fun_Restaurant Sep 05 '26
What was lower class about that family, exactly?
Even before the diamond money, that family was very clearly not âlower class,â so Iâm curious why you thought they were.
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u/ThaRealSunGod Sep 05 '26
Lower class looks different depending on the neighborhood and where you live.
Lower class in NYC is very different from lower class in Atlanta, for example.
Just the vibe I got
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u/Fun_Restaurant Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
Can you please explain what looked lower class about that household?
Youâre still not explaining it.
They lived in a house with multiple rooms, with two parents who seemed successful, with enough income to own firearms, televisions, and other things that arenât cheap.
Iâm really curious why you find them lower class.
ETA:
Rewatch episode 3. Look at their home before they even got the diamond. Does that REALLY look like a lower class family in the 80s/90s?
They are very clearly middle class, likely even upper middle.
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u/j-beda Sep 07 '26
Not myself being a black person living in America, I cannot speak from experience, but there are lots of reports of people of all social standings experiencing terribly actions that they feel related to their race. And those experiences can be complicated by their position of being "successful". "Even though I am a doctor/lawyer/mayor/senator I get treated as a thief/crook/gang member?!"
So, while I agree that the family does not seem to be struggling, that might not alleviate the feeling of being under constant danger of losing everything.
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u/Fun_Restaurant Sep 07 '26
Right, but theyâre not âLower class.â
Struggling with racial inequality? Sure. Marginalized group? 100%
But nothing about that family was lower class and I worry the other user only thinks that because that family is Black, which is fucked up.
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u/j-beda Sep 07 '26
"I worry the other user only thinks that because that family is Black, which is fucked up. " - Yeah, in re-reading the thread, I can see how that is the impression given.
I suppose I was mostly reacting to other threads where some commenters seemed to feel that only "poor" blacks faced challenges in the USA, which YOU were not actually saying.
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u/GeologistAway6352 Sep 03 '26
Such a great episode. Love how they explored JohĹs background. This show is đĽ.
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u/Nephlim14 Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
I figured from the first scene of episode 1 that John Stewartâs origin would involve topics of racial trauma, generational trauma, and/or the black experience in regards to parenting. What left me surprised is how the show included these topics and how far it went. I wasnt expecting Johnâs mother to be the driving force behind his abuse.
And to any trolls or grifters complaining about the writerâs making the story âwokeâ or how they were being hamfistedâŚâŚHonestly, I dont have the energy to break down your flawed logic. So here are some awesome dudes who did. (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wdPPzxPJlGk & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO4Zp32BH-4). All I will say is that if you dont like it when shows bring up this kind of stuff then tough turkeys for you this Thanksgiving.
One of the things I liked about this episode is that the writers applied these topics way better than other shows like Falcon & The Winter Soldier and She-Hulk. They didnt have to malign other characters, or have them get on a soapbox to say a message. Even better, they seem to break the tradition of many PSA episodes by not making the character who spoke about this ârightâ within the narrative. u/classicmand made a review of this episode that pretty much summed up the logic behind this type of parenting in black households. All of it presents the point that while The Stewartâs motives were understandable, their actions were inexcusable.
Because when you strip away everything down to the core, their âtrainingâ of John was subconsciously about them, their anger at the system and their resentment over their own failures. None of it was genuinely about helping John pursue a life that would be healthy and fulfilling for him. And on top of this, they were completely delusional about this too.
When I mentioned how the show tackled racism, Im referring to the fact that the only people who were persecuting John for being Black is HIS. OWN. PARENTS. Nobody else in this series has been shown treating John badly cuz of his race. Heck, Hal only resents the guy because he knows John is his replacement. They even went out of their way to elaborate that John Srâs race had nothing to do with his rejection. He had a completely normal reaction for a HUMAN BEING who was dealing with an extraterrestrial encounter. The Stewarts were the only ones who made the rejection about race and it seemed more like they were making an excuse to avoid just admitting John Sr didnt have the qualities to be a Lantern.
While it may have been the result of their own trauma and hardships, the Stewarts methods embody the Toxic in Toxic Black Parenting. And if you dont believe me, you can just run down the damage theyve done to John. Heâs psychologically broken to a point where he suppresses his emotions, especially his trauma. Heâs distant from his own brothers. Also, itâs more than likely that all they did was ultimately make John a pawn for the Guardians.
This leads to some theories I have and itâll only be if the show follows the same lore for the Manhunters as the comic. The way theyve set things up has me believe that John could discover that the Guardians made the Manhunters to be intergalactic police, until they wiped out a whole sector because they think emotions were the source of crime in the universe. This could serve as character development for John by making him confront his own habit of suppressing his own emotions and the necessity of confronting oneâs trauma and fears instead of ignoring them.
Another theory I have is that the Guardians connection to the Stewarts wasnt as accidental as it appeared. That they already had reservations toward Hal and knew more about Earth and the Stewartsâ background than they let on. That they wanted a replacement for Hal Jordan and nudged the Stewarts towards grooming their contingency. After all, the Guardians are near immortal aliens with a variety of mental abilities. It wouldnt be too far-fetched for them to play the waiting game. Plus, these are the same beings whose first preference for an army was emotionless machines and think being raised and being programmed are the same thing.
Im also hoping the story goes so that John is the one to realise that being a Lantern should be about âovercoming great fearâ instead of being fearless. Not only would it be a good conclusion to his development, but serve as the final nail against his parentsâ belief that what they did was necessary. It would prove that NEITHER of them understood what it took to be a Green Lantern and wouldnt have been worthy of it themselves. Cuz at the center of their shame and anger was their inability to overcome their fear that their children would end up like them. I hope the final scene of John would be him trying to reconnect with his siblings while his parents grapple with the fact that they may have broken their own family for the sake of avenging their own injustices.
(P.S: Does anyone else think John's origin story is similar to Shoto Todoroki?)
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u/TheNobodyThere Sep 03 '26
What in a shizo is this.
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u/lilahking Sep 03 '26
this comment was very coherent. is there something I can clear up for you?
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u/Resplendent-Sun đŚ Little Green Bird Sep 04 '26
The one disconnect in their comment, to me, is that John's parents are preparing him to be a Lantern. To eventually take on that mantle.
Is it abusive? Or is it making sure it won't crush him when the time comes? When that creature contacts their son.
Look how maladjusted Hal is. In contrast, John seems quite well adjusted â though admittedly at a cost. Anyhow, I don't have an issue with extra layers of social and familial trauma. But also, this is sci fi.
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u/lilahking Sep 04 '26
john's parents can be toxic and effective at preparing him to be a lantern, bad ideas can still work if you commit hard enough (which makes sense for a show about willpower)
also while hal is acting out, i think he's putting on a bit of an act. from the ring hologram and the interviews with past hal, we see that he's much more what we expect of a traditional hero in the past. maybe being a lantern is what makes him maladjusted, maybe he's trying to be underestimated by everyone because he's paranoid as hell, maybe he's acting out because being told to train your replacement sucks, or maybe he's just emulating his own mentor like sinestro
there's also no correct formula for how to raise a child to be a lantern. they're lucky jr  didnt take the route of a lot of other kids raised in the same circumstances who burnt out and became bums after leaving the house for college or the military or work
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u/TheNobodyThere Sep 03 '26
I think the main issue of this episode is that we have completely moved away from the main plot. Instead, we got 40+ minutes of back story of a character that I do not care about yet.
I think this should have been 6th or 7th episode. And even then it should be way shorter.
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u/ABoringAlt Sep 03 '26
The backstory was a hook and a look into John.
Backstory is normal af. If we'd gotten hals backstory instead would you have the same complaint
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u/MagicHarmony Sep 04 '26
They were doing an ok job dripfeeding backstory though I think dedicating a whole episode to this which could have just been an e-mail is what is lame about it. Because it halts a narrative with a show that appears to have an 8 episode count. So first 2 move the plot and then the 3rd halts it to further emphasize what's going on that just comes down to, John Stewart had a fucked up upbringing but we already knew that, why did it need to be emphasized further, the sniping situation, how his mother acted, his father being "tested" these are all small scenes that could have been put into other episodes, this episode just turns out feeling filler.
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u/TheNobodyThere Sep 03 '26
But I don't care about any of the characters yet. I want to see the main story advance and then I might be interested to learn more about them.
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u/FordMaleEscort Sep 03 '26
Is it easier to shoot an apple off someone's head than I think?
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u/SlimReaper85 Sep 03 '26
Super easy at that distance. Kinda hard to miss :) Still stupid tho and I donât recommend it lol.
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u/FordMaleEscort Sep 03 '26
Thanks; I haven't fired a gun since I was a kid, but I do remember basic safety being priority #1 at all times.
This whole apple thing doesn't display bravery to me, but incredibly poor judgement--a real lack of frontal lobe activity on the part of both parents and the kid.
...but, I do need to remind myself it's a comic book show about magic space rings and such.
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u/Cruel_Odysseus Sep 04 '26
The entire episode is about abuse and and generational trauma. It's extremely poor judgement, that's kind of the point they are trying to make. This wasn't an episode condoning them as parents, it was a condemnation.
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u/FordMaleEscort Sep 04 '26
I don't think they were stupid enough to point a loaded weapon at their child's head because of generational trauma. Nor do I think the writers/director of the episode were trying to make that case. I think a more likely explanation is that it's a silly comic book show (see the other replies from slim reaper) and they need a dramatic depiction of "fearlessness".
Obviously, the episode does not condone the actions of the parents (this isn't an argument I made), but in a more grounded and "realistic" television show (or real life) it's still pretty insane for marginalized, abusive parents to shoot at their kids in the backyard in order to get a leg-up in life.
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u/Cruel_Odysseus Sep 04 '26
itâs absolutely insane. And yet parents do shit like this in real life; kids dying of exposure at âboot campsâ designed to âharden themâ or court cases were parents shot âtowardsâ children to discipline them.
shooting an apple of the head is extreme, but this stuff happens ask the time.
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u/SlimReaper85 Sep 03 '26
You think thatâs crazy imagine what Bruce Wayne is putting Dick Grayson through at that same time lol
Probably throwing him off the side of a skyscraperâŚ.2
u/FordMaleEscort Sep 03 '26
Right, fair point.
I think because the show is a Damon Lindelof thing and so tonally "grounded" I keep forgetting what I'm actually watching.
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u/Leather_Muffin_728 Sep 03 '26
Am I the only person becoming more and more concerned that there has yet to be a single mention of the word WILLPOWER. They just keep talking about fearlessness like that is how Green Lanterns work.
I am only concerned because as much as I like James Gunn he has a real habit of truly missing the essence of the characters he portrays. You can get mad at me all you want but his rebellious nature leads him to make really weird decisions and change things for seemingly no reason other than to change it. I am concerned because I won't be shocked if he read Lantern stories and took away that their fearlessness is what makes them strong because it sounds cooler.
There is still a chance I am being inpatient but Gunns attachment to this really makes me worried. I will admit, as you can prolly tell, I am being sick of James Gunn so my opinion/fear might be unfair.
I am juts wondering for those of use who know a thing or two about the Lantern Corp, if you guys noticed this too. I absolutely love everything else so far. This show is great. Juts concerned.
I wanted to post this on the main thread but the gate keepers think that memes and shit are more worthy of being allowed to comment. Reddit is funny sometimes.
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u/lilahking Sep 03 '26
I think that's the point.
I know Damon Lindelof sucks as a writer but I trust Tom King to at least not fuck up one of the basic parts of GL, so I believe willpower vs "fearlessness" is going to tie into the theming of the show, especially since we've gotten at least 2 different monologues about how being human is intrinsically intertwined with some form of fear
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u/Leather_Muffin_728 Sep 03 '26
Yeah I am still banking on them to have a "no kid its not about not being scared its about over coming that fear" moment from John and Hal at some point haha. I juts get nervous because of my souring on Gunn.
I was more curious if I am the only one to notice.
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u/souporman64 Sep 03 '26
The more I think about it, this episode felt like it was an episode of The Boys. The âtrainingâ Johnâs parents put him through felt like something Vought would do to a kid they were trying to make into a Supe. It reminds me of how they would put Homelander in an oven as a kid in order to test how durable his skin was.
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u/lord_victorinox Sep 03 '26
Loved the scene where they show the bullet holes on the shed, showing Johnâs growing height. Like other families pencil a doorway, the Stewarts do⌠that lol
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u/degenthrowaway2347 Sep 03 '26
Utter woke nonsense. Canât believe this shit is still being peddled in 2026 and of course Reddit loves it
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u/shableh Sep 03 '26
Your woke derangement syndrome is showing. How dare black people exist in the year of our Lord 2026 right?
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u/souporman64 Sep 03 '26
I love when people make up something a person didnât say in order to make them sound bad.
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u/shableh Sep 03 '26
That's the great thing about using buzzwords appropriated by hateful people, you can a whole lot without saying much.
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u/Vegetable_Bad_3187 Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
Your tribal stupidity towards whiter skin makes you incapable of understanding anything beyond surface level.
John Stuarts mom said all that to her prepubescent child and a powerful alien. They shoot at apples above each others heads. She talks to a radio to nowhere despite no clue about how the Guardians communicates. Thats frustration, irrationality and obsession.
She resorts to racial topics. To an alien that is advanced and above all that. Yet you feel somehow insulted because your tribalist mind can't read beyond that.
You are the type to only want racial topics done in a way where white people are the saviour, so your feelings don't get hurt, like Green Book or The Blind Side.
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u/TastyChocoWaffle Sep 03 '26
The OG lantern from the JL cartoon is black, what are u talking about
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u/sexyladyboobs Sep 03 '26
He probably didnât like the one line about the guardians not knowing black humans might be afraid so the question âare you afraid?â lacked subtlety for humans. Clever writing in my opinion. So, this guy thinks itâs âwoke nonsenseâ. Whatâs funny is the phrase âwokeâ arose via black activists encouraging black communities to âwake upâ or âstay wokeâ. The writer of this show is the guy that wrote the TV show Watchmen for crying out loud.
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u/TastyChocoWaffle Sep 03 '26
Well even then - the phrase woke goes even further back amongst hippie communities to just open your eyes and be aware of the more important things in life⌠hate how they made a spiritual phrase political
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u/sexyladyboobs Sep 03 '26
Predates hippy culture by some distance. It became a slang for black political awareness in the 1920s and 30s from the articles Iâve read on it.
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u/souporman64 Sep 03 '26
Literally no one knew that it was unfair to ask black people if they were afraid. Thatâs never been a thing until this show made it up.
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u/lilahking Sep 03 '26
aside from any and all minorities especially during the early 90s at the time of Rodney King and the LA riots?
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u/souporman64 Sep 03 '26
Okay. Find me a single example of anyone ever discussing it being considered offensive to ask black people if theyâre afraid of anything prior to last Sundayâs episode airing. Iâll wait.
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u/lilahking Sep 03 '26
unfair and offensive are 2 different things. i interpreted your comment as it being strange to think of black people as afraid.
this article i found with just a google search if black people and fear shows that yes the position is out there to say it is unreasonable to think that black people do not have fear in their lives
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u/souporman64 Sep 03 '26
That article is someone saying that âblack fearâ should be taught in US history. Where is the article saying that itâs âunfairâ to ask a black person if theyâre afraid of something?
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u/lilahking Sep 03 '26
well, maybe i interpreted your comment incorrectly. What do you mean by the statement "It is unfair to ask a black person if they are afraid"? Like I sincerely want to know what you mean, because clearly I am responding accurately to your words.
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u/souporman64 Sep 03 '26
In the show, Johnâs mother said that it was unfair of the ring to ask a black man if he was afraid. Iâm saying that this has never been a thing before. It was just made up in this show.
My friend owns a roofing business. When he interviews people for a job, he asks them if theyâre afraid of heights, because you have to be willing to climb on high roofs in order to do the job. Is it unfair of him to ask black people this question?
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u/GG_ez Sep 03 '26
Nah just look into it for 5 minutes stinky, instead of arguing in obvious bad-faith
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u/Hartigan_7 Sep 02 '26
Iâm glad to see the Acolyte writers are still getting hired. Worked out well for that show.
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Sep 02 '26
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u/LanternsTVSeries-ModTeam Sep 02 '26
Your post was removed under the "Stay classy and be civil" rule. Your post or comment may have had personal attacks, trolling, baiting, racism, religion, political, sexist or homophobic comments remarks in them so it was removed.
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u/Hartigan_7 Sep 02 '26
Imagine being this hateful toward another person for their opinion on a show. What a sad life youâve created for yourself.
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u/WatercressCertain616 Sep 02 '26
I am posting this at the half hour mark of this particular episode. Not sure if it occurred to me before but the Stewart family is just shooting in the back of the driveway in a residential neighborhood? And if/when the cops come do they just say "ah just shooting at John here. Making him fearless!"
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u/cavegoatlove Sep 02 '26
How is the wall not completely covered in bullet holes? Also love how the holes rise as he aged
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u/bswalsh Sep 03 '26
"How is the wall not completely covered in bullet holes"
Because he always stands in the same spot? As evidenced by the holes visibly rising with his age?
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u/Ecstatic_Secretary21 Sep 02 '26
One of the craziest episode i have seen for superhero stuff
Damn the scene where John holding the gun against mom is king scary my dude.
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u/ThaRealSunGod Sep 05 '26
Honestly I thought he was gonna kill her and that would be the reason he's so distant from his brothers and why he is always so serious
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u/bswalsh Sep 02 '26
I don't understand what the Guardian turned into when she showed her true form. Aren't Guardians short and blue?
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u/Cowboywizzard Sep 02 '26
I think it could be actually the Manhunter, not a guardian. It had a white X on itâs back and in the comics Manhunters often have a big X on their costume. And guardians are usually short blue dudes like Ganthet.
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u/DataDude00 Sep 03 '26
I donât think that works unless there are several manhunters. Â
The guy at the art school was clearly with her and had a lantern ring to test JohnÂ
I do agree I wasnât expecting that visual form for the Guardian thoughÂ
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u/Cowboywizzard Sep 03 '26
I see your point. Why didnât they just show us a frontal view of the guardian though? Is it really cheaper to do the CGI from behind? Why make it so mysterious?
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u/DataDude00 Sep 03 '26
I would assume to save on CGI and VFX costsÂ
Same reason we have seen very little actual GL constructs so far / we have plot points about no charge on the ringÂ
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u/Skodami Sep 02 '26
Yeah but how could the Manhunter notify Hal Jordan that John is his new trainee so he can rob the moment from him ? The parents and John wouldn't have recognized the Manhunter, but Hal wouldn't be fooled by a fake Guardian.
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u/Glittering_Cod_7716 Sep 02 '26
How would that work if John does become a green lantern trainee because of his interaction with that lady specifically?
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u/Vicboy129 Sep 02 '26
There are tall variants (see the founders of the indigo lanterns) but the guardian may have just been floating
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u/moosemuffin12 Sep 02 '26
Are the Guardians scared of Hal? Why canât they just fire him straight up?
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u/Skodami Sep 02 '26
Several reason :
- He's been chosen so that might feel weird to other lanterns if the Guardian could just fire you.
- Especially if they fire their fearless hero because they, themselves, are afraid.
- Hal being pretty popular amongst lanterns.
- Avoiding the situation where Hal, the guy know for being reckless and not following orders, decide to go renegade or just generally fuck shit up if he's fired.
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u/ABC_Dildos_Inc Sep 03 '26
I'm assuming that we'll eventually find out that Hal's story of how he acquired the ring is not accurate.
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u/Skodami Sep 03 '26
I'm not sure. Maybe the "fearless" part, but i don't think he cheated to get the ring. It's just that the Guardians aren't keen on keeping a wild card soldier who had a strong bond with Sinestro.
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u/lilahking Sep 03 '26
given how often the guardians fuck everyone over, i wouldn't be surprised if the ring and/or Abin Sur specifically chose Hal because he freaked out the guardians
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u/DrZonino2022 Sep 02 '26
Enjoying the show but why the hell was Nathan Fillion on the HBO Max menu thingy if he wasnât going to be in this episode?
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u/Sinestro_Was_Right Sep 02 '26
U guys saw the Black Lantern symbol in the preview for episode 4? When the cow is in the white room?
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u/sarcasticbatkid Sep 02 '26
I canât imagine what itâs like to be a neighbor to the stewarts. Property prices might be cheap af with all the unknown gunshot sounds
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u/Superboi-Prime Sep 02 '26
Some of the writing felt really weird here. Iâve thought the writing was very strong thus far in their series but some of the parentâs and young Johnâs dialogue felt very unnatural.
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Sep 02 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/Superboi-Prime Sep 02 '26
What?
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u/Future_Tie_3382 Sep 02 '26
Read your original post and agree. Pretty confused with the response as well, no idea what they meant.
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u/Superboi-Prime Sep 02 '26
Thanks, still think the show is great I just thought there was some weaker dialogue this time around.
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u/DarkHorseReborn Sep 02 '26
This version of John Stewart may be one of the most tragic characters I've seen on television
Childhood? Ruined/stolen
Family? Pretty terrible
Military career? Ended
His teacher? Huge asshole
It just sucks
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u/thesockswhowearsfox Sep 03 '26
My theory is that at first Hal is genuinely Being A Dick, but after he spends more time with John he realizes the guy has been completely Deadened Emotionally.
Heâs trying to get a rise out of John to make John realize heâs still feeling all of his feelings underneath that traumatized layer.
I mean. Iâd like to hope Hal isnât just a callous heartless dickhead
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u/Cowboywizzard Sep 02 '26
And after all that you know he is still going to do the right thing and probably save Halâs ass at some point đ
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u/Hartigan_7 Sep 02 '26
Well the show WAS good⌠for 2 episodes.
Episode 3 was just unbelievably stupid. Are there only 10 people on the planet? Weâre supposed to believe the ring was going to choose the douche known as John Stewartâs dad over the Hal Jordan? Wow, what insanely stupid writing. And then his son grows up to become a Green Lantern⌠not because of his dad, who was almost chosen⌠but because of his mom? Donât forget the Guardians came to apologize for not picking Johnâs dad. LMAO. WHAT?!
Maybe it would be helpful if the writers actually spoke this crap out loud before making a whole show around it.
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u/DarkHorseReborn Sep 02 '26
John's father, from what we saw, was a totally normal dude and a good dad before all the ring shit happened. Hal isn't the only human on earth. There could've been countless other people more worthy than him. Relax
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u/Hartigan_7 Sep 02 '26
So the ring doesnât really choose anybody then. It just flies around aimlessly asking anybody if they are afraid. Hopefully it doesnât find someone high on cocaine!
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u/TheBoyHarambe Sep 03 '26
They kinda explain this. the guardians were never supposed to be anywhere near earth. they do not understand humans or what makes them more/less worthy. itâs definitely just kind of a sloppy process on the guardians part
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u/Hartigan_7 Sep 03 '26
Or bad writing
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Sep 03 '26
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u/LanternsTVSeries-ModTeam Sep 03 '26
Your post was removed under the "Stay classy and be civil" rule. Your post or comment may have had personal attacks, trolling, baiting, racism, religion, political, sexist or homophobic comments remarks in them so it was removed.
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u/Sargento_Porciuncula Sep 02 '26
Hello. I am not from the USA.
can someone explain to me what the "huxtable" meant?
wikipedia pointed to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Huxtable. there, it is said that
Although he is depicted as a devoted father and husband, a recurring joke in the series involves his unsuccessful efforts to encourage his adult children to move out of the family home.
i thought that was a joke about John living with his parents, but it seems like there is a racial context to it. can someone explain it to me?
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u/ABoringAlt Sep 03 '26
I think no one put this into context yet.
America didn't have black people on TV for a long time, then, when we finally got some shows it was always lower class, working folks, blue-collar situations.
The huxtables were the first upper class black folks on tv. Dads a doc, mom does real estate, NICE house, nice neighborhood.
Him calling them the Midwest huxtables was a double edged comment. On the surface it means they are nice and upper crust. But it's also quite dismissive, let's lump these folks into a group, then forget about them.
THEN we found out the dad actor was a real scumbag rapist.
The time frame is set about 2 years after the news about Cosby broke, and despite it used as a "compliment", there is a dark side of saying this at all.
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u/BudgetBuster7 18d ago
Convos about politics on Reddit are as useful as a lawnmower is on a sailboat.