‘Lanterns’ Writer Discusses Hal Jordan and John Stewart’s First Meeting Impact

HBO Max’s ‘Lanterns‘ has utilized its initial episodes to establish Hal Jordan and John Stewart as reluctant partners delving into a murder mystery set in the American heartland. However, it’s the show’s exploration of their shared history that has garnered attention this week. Instead of portraying John Stewart merely as Hal’s newer, less experienced counterpart, the series has been subtly building towards a much deeper and more poignant connection between the two Green Lanterns.

This connection came to light in the show’s third episode, “OutKast,” which unveiled John Stewart’s origin story in ways that might surprise longtime comic fans. Rather than adhering to traditional comic book lore, where John’s backstory has often been less developed than Hal’s, the episode dedicates itself almost entirely to tracing John’s journey from infancy to becoming Earth’s second Green Lantern.

This deep exploration sets the stage for what episode 3 writer Vanessa Baden Kelly describes as the emotional heart of the episode: Hal Jordan and John Stewart’s first-ever meeting. In an interview with Screen Rant, Baden Kelly shared that writing Hal required an understanding of a character so self-assured that he remains oblivious to the damage his presence has quietly inflicted on the Stewart family.

Baden Kelly noted that Hal is completely unaware that he wasn’t the first person chosen to receive Abin Sur’s ring, nor does he realize that John’s military career was derailed specifically due to Hal’s recklessness. This imbalance becomes particularly devastating in a moment that should symbolize nearly thirty years of training for John, only for Hal, without even realizing it, to rob him of that moment once again.

Baden Kelly expressed a desire to explore what it would look like if John and the Stewart family finally confronted Hal directly, considering how profoundly Hal’s presence has altered their lives. She framed the challenge as determining what the family would say to him and how they would manage finally facing the person responsible for so much of their suffering.

The episode reveals that John wasn’t merely being trained as Hal’s backup; he was specifically being prepared to replace him entirely. This detail reframes much of the tension simmering beneath the surface of their partnership. Adding another layer to this history, John’s father, John Sr., was the first Stewart family member tested by the ring but was passed over after failing, a rejection that triggered a chain of trauma leading John’s mother, Bernadette, to take control of her son’s training in his father’s stead.

By rooting John Stewart’s origin in generational sacrifice and unresolved resentment rather than simple superhero mythology, ‘Lanterns’ positions the eventual meeting between Hal and John as something far more significant than a typical mentor-recruit dynamic. This choice reframes everything viewers thought they understood about the show’s central partnership up to this point.

With Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart and Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan now bearing the weight of this newly revealed history between them, the remainder of the season has ample emotional territory to cover as their partnership continues to evolve.

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