The circumstances surrounding John Stewart eventually becoming a Green Lantern in the HBO Max series Lanterns still stir debate among fans, even now that Season 1 has run its course. Many have wondered why his ring didn't turn yellow in the season finale, despite being charged from a power battery Sinestro forged with fear. One of the show's architects has now admitted that direction would have been "a really good idea." Aaron Pierre portrayed the character in all eight episodes of the season and is set to reprise the role in James Gunn's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
Speaking on The Brandon Davis Show, Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy addressed the theory of John Stewart's ring glowing yellow when he charged it with Sinestro's power battery and took flight for the very first time in the show's final episode, "Dirt and Stars." Beyond admitting it was a good idea, Mundy conceded that it "never came up" in the course of making the series:
"No, we never did. That's actually a really good idea. That never came up, but we obviously talked about that Lantern and that water and that fear and what does it do and what are the ramifications of it."
The idea of John's ring turning yellow stems from the lore surrounding Sinestro as a character, since he forged the fear-powered battery known as the Dark Lantern. In the comics, Sinestro becomes the leader of the Yellow Lanterns, or Sinestro Corps, after he is expelled by the Guardians of the Universe.
The Sinestro Corps' power rings emit rays of yellow light, so naturally fans expected something similar when John Stewart used the Dark Lantern, even though the Yellow Lanterns haven't been formed yet in the DCU.
Back in 2024, when DC Studios boss James Gunn first discussed the Lanterns creative team, he shared art from Green Lantern: Earth One, a comic that depicts John Stewart as a Yellow Lantern, a detail that also fueled the idea of John's ring glowing yellow.
John's decision to become a Green Lantern on his own terms by using the Dark Lantern also meant erasing the last remnant of his mentor Hal Jordan, leading to a heart-wrenching farewell in the finale. Charging the ring meant wiping out Halogram, the holographic backup consciousness of Hal stored in the power ring. Before doing this, John and Halogram shared a warm hug, with Halogram saying, "I love you, junior," and John responding, "I love you too." Mundy addressed both the emotional farewell and the reasoning behind the dialogue:
"I mean that's a really good question. It's absolutely the end of the season and the end of their relationship and I think that our intent was always just that: to close that off, emotionally. So, that's the best way to say it. I know there's people that love the idea of Hal going forward, but... I would never say never to anything, but it's also like, that closed the book on our story for this season."
Will Lanterns Return for Season 2?
Given the success of the first season, a follow-up seems like a no-brainer, but it's not as straightforward as it may seem. A writers' room has been assembled to develop ideas for Season 2, but a follow-up has yet to be greenlit by DC Studios and Warner Bros. DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran stressed that Season 2 has to be "a worthy successor" if it is to move forward at the studio. Mundy also shared some insight on Season 2 with Brandon Davis, noting that "nothing is official" yet:
"No, there's nothing official. It's like all these things; you talk through what's possible and what's not possible and you sort of plan for the best and be prepared for the worst. But for us, it's really important to all of us in that room that our season ended. That it was that, we promised these people this story about these two characters and it has a beginning and a middle and end and it really feels like substantial on its own."
The showrunner then added that seeds were planted in Season 1 that could be expanded if they're "lucky enough" to get the go-ahead for another season:
"And then at the same time, I think it's our job to posit questions or lay out things that could be interesting, character things, plot things, just emotional lines that could be possible if we do, if we're lucky enough and we get to go forward."
One of the most notable seeds planted in Season 1 was Sinestro claiming he knew of a way to bring Hal Jordan back. Kyle Chandler's presence was a major reason Season 1 was such a success, and Mundy and the writers could be tempted to find a way to bring him back, Green Lantern: Rebirth style.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
