Lanterns Episode 1 confirmed John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as a vegan, and this revelation completely reshapes what fans know about him from DC canon. DC Studios' new Green Lantern series introduced fans to the DCU versions of Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart, meaning that they have new origin stories that fit within James Gunn's rebooted universe. Marketing established that Hal Jordan is Earth's first Green Lantern and that John Stewart is a trainee in the 2016 timeline.
Lanterns, which premiered on HBO on August 16, already introduced fresh takes on the lore behind the DCU's versions of Hal and John, such as Hal's public debut stopping a meteor in the 1980s, John's childhood shaped by his authoritarian Marine father, and the confirmation that John is the first Green Lantern recruited by the Guardians of the Universe rather than chosen by a ring. Amid these DCU-centric changes to Hal and John, one noticeable character detail about John Stewart became a major topic of conversation among fans online.
Is John Stewart, The Green Lantern, Actually A Vegan? Lanterns Line Explained
Lanterns Episode 1 confirmed that John Stewart is a vegan. After Billy Macon (Jason Ritter) invited Hal Jordan and John to a family barbecue, Hal pointed out that John is a "vegan," pointing out, "He doesn't believe in anything that causes enjoyment." Before the dinner, William Macon (Garrett Dillahunt's DC character who may or may not be Black Hand) adhered to John's vegan revelation, noting that he ordered "tofu steaks" for him to accommodate his diet.
John Stewart, a character created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams and first appearing in Green Lantern Vol. 2 in 1971, was never established as a vegan in his long history in the comics.
However, the DCU's John Stewart follows a strictly plant-based diet, which fans saw as a major change to the DC hero's backstory in canon. In one excerpt from Justice League #9, John was eating a burger, serving as the first clue that he is not a vegan in the DC canon.
Despite the change, it's worth noting that his diet has never been framed as a personal marker for the character. The absence of any prior vegan portrayal in the comics means Lanterns is abandoning DC canon, adding a new layer to the character that makes it unique to the DCU version.
As a grounded, True Detective-style series, having John be a vegan fits the version of the character the DCU built. Aaron Pierre's John is disciplined and well-mannered, and he carries quiet personal codes that set him apart from his mentor. This is crucial because it also allows Lanterns to reshape John Stewart for a new continuity.
Why John Stewart's Vegan Revelation Truly Means for the DCU's Version
John Stewart being a vegan in the DCU is deeper than fans think, mainly because it allows the character to stand out and be different from both his comic-book predecessors and his on-screen mentor.
Lanterns Episode 1 establishes Aaron Pierre's John as a man of deliberate control and discipline. The show embraces his focus and almost rigid self-discipline, and a plant-based diet fits that profile seamlessly. This is a kind of personal code that does not require a Green Lantern ring to enforce. It's just him.
The fact that a younger (and future) Green Lantern refuses to simply go along with the norm gives a hint of what to expect with his dynamic, not just with Hal, but with the rest of the Justice League heroes he will meet in Man of Tomorrow.
All in all, portraying John as a vegan suggests that the DCU is willing to add subtle details to established characters to make it unique to this rebooted universe.
