Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner can all be Green Lanterns in the same universe: the explanation is in the DC comics and clarifies one of the new series’ most immediate doubts. Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner are all Green Lanterns, but they are not three versions of the same superhero. Green Lantern is not, in fact, the name of a single person: it refers to the members of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic organization made up of thousands of protectors with rings of power.
This is precisely one of the details that could confuse those who approach Lanterns without knowing DC comics. In the HBO series, we find Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, and the return of Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, already introduced in the DC Universe in Superman. But why can Earth have multiple Green Lanterns at once? And most importantly, what is the difference between Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner?
Why Are There Three Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner Explained?
The explanation is simpler than it might seem.
The Green Lanterns are part of the Green Lantern Corps, a sort of intergalactic police force charged with protecting different sectors of the universe. Green rings allow their bearers to fly, create energy constructs, and use their willpower as a weapon.
According to the official DC page dedicated to the Green Lantern Corps, the organization comprises thousands of members, and Earth has given rise to numerous Green Lanterns, including Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Simon Baz, and Jessica Cruz.
So there is no rule that there can only be one human Green Lantern.
It’s a bit like talking about an organization in which multiple people can hold the same role: Hal, John, and Guy have different stories, personalities, and paths, but they all belong to the same Corps.
And it is precisely this mythology that Lanterns brings to the new DC Universe.
Who is Hal Jordan in Lanterns?
Hal Jordan is the series’ veteran Green Lantern and is portrayed by Kyle Chandler.
In the comics, Hal is one of the most important characters in the entire Green Lantern mythology. He is a test pilot who receives Abin Sur’s ring and becomes one of the most famous human members of the Corps.
DC itself presents him as the first human to join the Green Lantern Corps in its modern mythology and as one of the most legendary Lanterns.
At Lanterns, however, we meet a Hal at a very different stage in his career.
The series does indeed present John Stewart as a recruit Hal is training, but the relationship between the two does not seem like the classic one between a confident master and a young apprentice.
DC anticipated that Hal also sees John as a possible replacement, which creates some tension between the two.
Who is John Stewart and Why is There Another Green Lantern?
John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, is the recruit at the Lanterns center.
This does not mean, however, that he was created to replace Hal Jordan in the television series.
John Stewart has existed in DC Comics since 1971 and is one of the most prominent Earth Green Lanterns. DC describes him as the third human to use a Green Lantern ring. He was originally chosen as Hal Jordan’s replacement when he could not carry out his duties, before becoming a key member of the Corps.
In Lanterns, this relationship between the old and new generation is reinterpreted.
Hal is training John, and the handover between the two seems to be one of the central components of the story, along with the investigation that leads them to investigate a mysterious case on Earth.
So Why is Guy Gardner Still Green Lantern?
Here comes the most interesting detail for those who have seen Superman.
Guy Gardner is neither Hal Jordan nor John Stewart: he is another Earth Green Lantern.
Nathan Fillion previously played the character in the DC Universe and also returns in Lanterns. Guy’s presence thus creates a direct link between the HBO series and other projects in the new DC cinematic universe.
On our site, we had already talked about Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner when the character was announced for James Gunn’s Superman.
In the comics, Guy has an even more peculiar story.
When Abin Sur sought a possible successor, Guy Gardner was a suitable candidate to become Green Lantern, along with Hal. He later joined the Corps himself, developing a personality very different from that of the other members.
Guy Gardner’s official DC profile describes him as an impulsive, unruly Lantern who is often prone to breaking the rules.
It is therefore not surprising that his presence alongside Hal Jordan could generate quite a bit of friction.
Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner: What’s the Difference?
In short:
| Character | Actor | Role in Lanterns |
| Hal Jordan | Kyle Chandler | Veteran Green Lantern and John’s Mentor |
| John Stewart | Aaron Pierre | Recruit trained by Hal |
| Guy Gardner | Nathan Fillion | Another Earth Green Lantern already present in the DCU |
The key point then is that Green Lantern doesn’t work like Superman or Batman.
Clark Kent is Superman, and Bruce Wayne is Batman, barring successions or alternate universes. Green Lantern instead primarily identifies membership in a much larger Corps.
For this reason, Hal, John, and Guy can be Green Lanterns in the same universe and even at the same time.
Is John Stewart Replacing Hal Jordan?
In Lanterns, it seems to be one of the central conflicts of the story, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that Hal Jordan will disappear from the DCU.
Official material released before the debut features John as the recruit trained by Hal and clearly suggests that the veteran perceives the young man as his own possible replacement.
This is where a significant part of the tension between the two arises.
John must prove he deserves the ring, while Hal must grapple with the idea that someone else might take his place.
This also makes Lanterns a story about generational transition, not just an investigative series set in the DC Universe.
Guy Gardner Replacing Hal Jordan?
No.
Guy Gardner is an independent Green Lantern and is not simply Hal Jordan’s film replacement.
The new DCU is choosing instead to show something that has been around in comics for decades: Earth can have multiple members of the Green Lantern Corps.
It’s also why seeing Guy Gardner in Superman isn’t a contradiction to Hal and John’s later presence in Lanterns.
They are three different characters belonging to the same mythology.
Do You Have to See Superman to Understand Lanterns?
No, you shouldn’t need to see Superman before Lanterns.
The series is built primarily around Hal Jordan and John Stewart and their investigation, while Guy Gardner represents one of the connections to the rest of the DC Universe.
Those who have seen Superman will therefore immediately recognize the character played by Nathan Fillion, but Guy’s presence does not make the film an indispensable requirement.
If you want to follow the series from the beginning.
So How Many Green Lanterns Are There?
Many more than three.
Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner are simply the three human Lanterns who become particularly relevant to the new DC Universe at this stage.
There are numerous other Earth members of the Corps in the comics, such as Kyle Rayner, Simon Baz, and Jessica Cruz, not counting the thousands of Lanterns from other worlds in the DC Universe.
And this is precisely the concept that Lanterns can finally make clear to the general public: Green Lantern is not a single superhero, but an entire body of cosmic protectors.
Hal Jordan, John Stewart and Guy Gardner can therefore exist simultaneously without any contradiction.
In fact, the presence of multiple Lanterns could become one of the most important elements for the future expansion of the new DC Universe.