Summary
- Overdependence on a Power Ring is a Green Lantern’s worst flaw; they need to have faith in their team.
- Teamwork is crucial for Green Lanterns to be effective in stopping threats and protecting the DC Universe.
- The most powerful Green Lantern, John Stewart, learned the value of teamwork and is now the Corps’ most powerful hero.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Green Lantern: War Journal #4!The most powerful Green Lantern has shed light on the most common flaw among his fellow ring-slingers. John Stewart may not be a part of the Green Lantern Corps anymore, but few know Power Rings better than him and other Lanterns may want to take his latest advice to heart.
In Green Lantern: War Journal #4 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Montos, John Stewart and his allies venture into the Lantern’s mind for a ‘soul trek’ to purify John of his recent corruption. However, the heroes don’t travel far in Stewart’s essence before coming across the source of his infection, the Radiant Dead.
The evil army attacks Stewart and his new associate, the Green Lantern Caolán Shepherd. Shepherd skillfully wields his ring to come up with several independent constructs, something that impresses the seasoned Stewart. However, John critiques Shepherd for having the same flaw as most young Lanterns: An overreliance on his Power Ring and not enough faith in his team.
Overdependence on a Power Ring is a Green Lantern’s Worst Flaw
Green Lantern Shepherd came into John Stewart’s life after the young Corps member journeyed to the Prime DC Universe. In Shepherd’s world, he’s one of the last remaining Green Lanterns after the rest of the Corps was extinguished by the Radiant Dead, a powerful, undead army. Shepherd assisted his universe’s version of John Stewart in driving the Radiant Dead out, but they escaped to Earth-0, where they’ve been targeting the Prime Stewart ever since. Shepherd has been teaching John about the Radiant Dead and helping him turn the tide against them. However, his brash behavior has been a bit off-putting to John.
It makes sense that most younger Green Lanterns would heavily depend on their rings. After all, a Power Ring can conjure up anything its user can imagine. But John is right: Boundless creation isn’t a substitute for proper planning and coordination with one’s team members. Fans who remember Cosmic Odyssey know that John is speaking from experience. In the earlier part of his career, John thought he could handle everything with his ring until he encountered a bomb he couldn’t disarm, leading to the destruction of an entire planet. While confidence with a Power Ring can be a good thing, it’s far more useful for a Green Lantern to trust their team.
Teamwork Makes All Green Lanterns Better
While the endless potential of a Green Lantern Power Ring is great, it doesn’t make its user invincible or immune to mistakes. Like any organization, the true strength of the Green Lanterns is their ability to work together to stop the most powerful threats from harming the DC Universe. Shepherd might be a wiz with his ring, but if he wants to be truly great, he needs to learn how to work with others. John learned that lesson a long time ago, and now he’s the most powerful hero the Corps ever produced. Any Green Lanterns that can’t learn the value of teamwork are simply bound to fail.
Green Lantern: War Journal #4 is on sale now from DC Comics.
