I Think Lanterns’ Title Could Have a Hidden Meaning With Huge Consequences for the DCU

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When James Gunn revealed the initial slate for his revamped DC Universe, fans zeroed in on the new series Lanterns, and for good reason. A solo Green Lantern project has been long overdue since the spectacular failure of the 2011 film and the cancellation of the accompanying TV show after only one season. But there’s something off about this show’s title that could mean a lot more than it seems at first glance—it’s missing the word “Green.”

This may seem like a minor creative decision, and many joked that the show would take a gritty, colorless approach to the Green Lantern franchise to further separate the show from the film. However, the lack of “Green” in Lanterns might be a clue, the biggest fans have gotten yet, about the show’s true scope. Lanterns may not just be a show about two members of the Green Lantern Corps; it might be opening the door to something much bigger: the full breadth of the Emotional Spectrum and all the other Lantern Corps that come with it. If such a thing is true, the DCU might be gearing up to adapt some of the most ambitious, galaxy-spanning stories in comic book history, from Hal Jordan’s fall to Parallax to the cosmic event Blackest Night.

Little has been revealed of the Tom King and Damon Lindelof-led MAX drama

Back in early 2023, Gunn and DC Studios co-head Peter Safran unveiled the first projects for the slate of their new interconnected universe, all under the label of “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters” with more to (maybe) come, depending on the success of the upcoming Superman film.

Presented in the slate were the films The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing, and then the shows Creature Commandos, Waller, Paradise Lost, Booster Gold, and of course, a Green Lanterns program—but instead of calling it “Green Lantern Corps” or “Green Lanterns”, it was simply labeled as Lanterns. The brief description provided at the time was already intriguing.

The show was described as a cross between typical superhero adventures and the hit show True Detective—a grounded, serious investigation story with two of Earth’s most famous Lanterns uncovering a dark secret that had major implications for the entire DCU.

The involvement of other Lanterns like Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner was teased, as well as the casting of Ulrich Thomsen as iconic villain Sinestro, though many of these announcements were in between the reveals of original human characters created just for the show, a choice fans question.

What Could Lanterns’ Title Be Hinting At?

Perhaps the vague title could be referencing something greater than just Hal and John

The title Lanterns is, ultimately, a broad term. The name for the show sticks out, and the all-too-subtle choice could have very deliberate intent behind it, especially if one is familiar with the deeper mythology of the DC universe, in particular, Geoff Johns’ era-defining run on Green Lantern and how he expanded the lore beyond the Green Lantern Corps.

If the upcoming show were just about Hal Jordan and John Stewart working as Green Lanterns, there’d be no real reason to drop the “Green.” But the absence of that word might be fans’ first sign that the show isn’t just focusing on one Corps; instead, it could be opening the door to all of them.

The concept exploded in popularity during the mid-2000s after Geoff Johns introduced it to readers, reshaping Green Lantern lore forever. Up until that point, the Green Lanterns were the only real Corps active in the galaxy, as Star Sapphire and Sinestro previously had little to no relation to any of them. Their powers came from handmade power rings that had originated from third-party sources. But because of Johns, it was retconned that there was a whole spectrum of Lanterns spanning the galaxy.

As a refresher to what each Lantern Corps or group on the emotional spectrum represent: the Green Lantern Corps represents will, the Yellow Lantern Corps represents fear, the Red Lantern Corps represents rage, the Blue Lantern Corps represents hope, the Indigo Tribe represents compassion, the Star Sapphires represents love, the Orange Lantern Corps (boiling down to just Larfleeze) represents greed, the Black Lantern Corps represents death, and the White Lantern Corps represents life. Recently introduced are the Sorrow, Ultraviolet, and Gold Lantern Corps, but for the past twenty or so years, the aforementioned Corps or groups were what the emotional spectrum encompassed.

The Emotional Spectrum Could Shape the Entire DCU

With how expansive the various Lantern Corps are, they could have an impact on the DCU

With this in mind, it’s hard not to read the title Lanterns as a deliberate nod to a bigger picture—a wider spectrum of characters, emotions, and Corps that extend far beyond just the green rings of willpower. If Lanterns is meant to introduce or tease this cosmic system after its grounded setup, then the DCU could be heading straight into its grandest territory yet. Many of the greatest cosmic sagas or Lantern-adjacent comic series include members of the Corps separated from the Green Lanterns.

An easy intro for one of the Corps could be none other than Guy Gardner himself. Officially confirmed for the DCU as of Nathan Fillion’s casting in the upcoming movie Superman, Guy’s presence has also been teased for the Lanterns show. Presently, he seems to be a member of the Green Lantern Corps, sporting the group’s trademark color, but it could also be interesting to see him act as a gateway character for the Red Lantern Corps.

If Lanterns is setting up more than just willpower and fear, introducing rage through Guy—and maybe even characters like Atrocitus—would be the perfect move. Not only does it expand the emotional spectrum, but it also allows for major character tension between John, Hal, and Guy.

Another iconic faction that could lead to greater stories down the line is the Black Lanterns, responsible for one of DC’s more ambitious crossover events: Blackest Night and Brightest Day. This storyline had the former C-list villain Black Hand work as an agent of Nekron to become a major threat as he led the Black Lanterns, raising every dead character of the DCU to consume the living. Every member of every Corps across the spectrum was forced to come together alongside the rest of DC’s characters as an ultimate culmination of everything the Emotional Spectrum represented.

Bringing Blackest Night to the screen would be a massive undertaking, likely a concluding event to wrap up the Gods and Monsters saga of the DCU in the same way Endgame wrapped up the MCU’s Infinity Saga. But the seeds could start right in Lanterns. A detective-style investigation that slowly reveals something ancient and terrible like Nekron, the lord of death, would be phenomenal.

The greatest opportunity that Lanterns has to show off the other Lantern Corps is the Parallax storyline. Many have noticed that, with the show’s casting, John Stewart is a younger man—likely a rookie—paired alongside an older Hal Jordan, likely a grizzled veteran who has been working alongside the Green Lanterns for years.

In the comics, the latter is the quintessential Green Lantern—fearless, driven, heroic, but he’s also a poster child for how the Emotional Spectrum can corrupt even the best. In the storyline Emerald Twilight, Hal’s home of Coast City is destroyed, and he spirals into grief and desperation. This leads to him absorbing the entire power of the Green Lantern Central Battery, destroying the Corps, and becoming the villain Parallax.

Later retcons revealed that Parallax wasn’t just a new name—it was an ancient, fear-based entity that had infected Hal, using his trauma as a foothold. Many have speculated that, due to Hal’s age and John’s status as his new partner, the Parallax arc could be approached by the show sometime down the line as a sort of epic tragedy. Considering Sinestro is part of the show, it’s likely the Yellow Lanterns will be brought up at some point, and maybe with Parallax, the avatar of fear, alongside them.

“}]] The absence of the usually iconic color from the title of Lanterns could tease that the story might move way beyond Hal Jordan and John Stewart.  Read More