Ever notice how obvious superhero names tend to be? Green Lantern is no exception.

I probably have the least to say about this JL member, simply because he’s not given a whole lot of focus in the show save for a few episodes. Plus, I don’t particularly like him, so hopefully this will be a short post.

However, GL (as his friends call him) is far from being an unimportant character or member of the League. One interesting thing about him was before he became a Green Lantern, he was a soldier. (Or was he a soldier as an undercover Green Lantern? Honestly it’s never fully explained.)

It’s pointed out in the show that this military background shapes his view points and how he handles problems. Sometimes too much.

For example, in the Justice Lords episode (the one where an alternate reality Justice League crosses dimension to help a. k. a. take over our Justice League,) the alternate GL shares how he used to be up nights wondering if some evil was happening somewhere that he couldn’t stop. And since they set up they’re totalitarian rule of the world, he sleeps better at night. Versus Hawk Girl, who normally is not the soft and gentle type but who seems to regret that the people are all afraid of them now instead of feeling reassured by them.

The fact that this GL could find a tyranny a comforting thing shows something about the way his mind works, even if our GL would not carry it that far. He likes order. But he’s very different form his alternate itself in that he has a lot of passion. He and the Flash are best buds, and the Flash looks up to him. He also has a soft spot for Old Yeller, and is so neat that he folds his socks. (My mom does that.)

But GL’s strong point is his sense of Justice. He keeps the League focused. And he wants to make sure they are maximizing their potential. When personal feelings get in the way of doing their job, he wants people to suck it up. Sometimes this is not good. He tends to forget that what makes the League work is that they are not just partners, but friends. Friends who trust each other, fight with each other, and at the end of the day would die for each other. Of course, he would do all those things too, but he tends to miss the motive behind the action. In one episode when he is accused of destroying an entire planet, Hawk Girl, Flash, and someone else (I forget which person it was) stick up for him, even when he thinks he is guilty. At the end of it he says “You believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.” Hawk Girl nonchalantly replies “That’s what friends are for.”

GL also loses his rationality when he is very distraught. Getting ready to attack even when attacking will do no good. But those occasions are rare.

I mostly have the GL from season one (which was labelled season two) in mind. Because sadly enough, he changes a lot after that. You would like him in one, but in two and three he starts doing some things that seem out of character. Presumably because of what happened between him and Hawk Girl.

That’s a long story. And it’s better to save it for the one about Hawk Girl.

GL is the most down to Earth out of all of them because he simply does his duty, even when he doesn’t like it. He tends to be too hard on himself. And Flash and the Joker both say he doesn’t watch enough movies. (An ongoing joke the writers have on themselves.) But he’s dependable.

He is the only African American character in the main League, which never comes up and in my opinion doesn’t matter, it works for him. They are all very different.

And that’s about it, as a side note, it’s said that GL is more powerful than Super Girl, but aside from beating her when under mind control, we never see any other evidence that he’s got more power when he’s under his normal restraints just like she was. I don’t know all the logistics of that.

Until next time–Natasha.