[8.0/10] Another Justice League two-parter with a much better finish than its beginning. What I like about it is that it marries an epic battle with something smaller and more rooted in character.
That thing is John Stewart getting the yips. After the initial battle, John suddenly finds that his ring doesn’t work because “something's missing.” He blames it on Despero having taken something away from it. So he tries to regain it through training with Kat, just as he did when he was first becoming a Lantern, but it just doesn't work. His heart isn’t in it, and he can’t maintain his concentration or his will.
What jolts him out of that state, however, is Shayera. I’ll admit, there’s still some not great writing of female characters here. But the show’s heart is in the right place. Sure, I could do without the implied threat of sexual assault from Despero being what puts John over the edge. But I like the idea that what spurs John back to being able to use his power is wanting to protect someone he cares about, achieving the “clarity” about how he feels about Shayera and being moved to protect her. It’s not perfect, but the show’s done enough work developing the two of them together that the moment works.
The epicness of it all works too. The show highlights the parallels between the Green Lantern Battery on Oa and the Flame of Py’tar, and there’s an appropriately massive, two-fronted battle between the sides aided by those power sources. We see it most plainly in John vs. Despero, where the intensity is clear and the energy blasts come furious.
But we also see it in J’onn, Flash, and Killawog racing behind the resistance army to deliver a carbon bomb that will snuff out the flame that’s powering Despero. That would be a pretty satisfying resolution on all on its own, but I like where they go with it even more. The reveal that the Flame is alive, that it’s been perverted by Despero, and that freed with Martian Manhunter’s help, it can restore the planet to a state of paradise, is an unexpectedly redemptive turn.
It gives the already biblically-infused conflict a sense of spiritual rebirth, to where Despero isn’t merely defeated; he “sees the light” as he becomes one with the tree that represents such planetary rejuvenation. Despero’s minions bowing down before the spiritually-infused J’onn makes for some cool imagery, and the bad guy invasion force being turned to trees has some disquieting elements of body horror beyond the honeyed vibe of the flame’s return.
In the end, all is well, for both John and the planet, with the pair’s fates intertwined for the half hour. He chooses Hawkgirl over Kat, embracing the person who sees him clearly as he is now and not just as who he was then. There’s something warm about all of this, as soothing in its way as the duology’s climax is heart pumping. It’s a nice play for Justice League to land.
(As an aside, it’s nice to hear Kyle Rayner’s name mentioned and learn that he’s still around after the events of his episode on Superman: The Animated Series. Some of the details don’t really make much sense, but it’s a nice sop to continuity nerds like yours truly. While John is my #1 Green Lantern, I wouldn't complain if he ends up teaming up with Kyle for an episode down the line.)
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-08-21T21:31:16Z
[8.0/10] Another Justice League two-parter with a much better finish than its beginning. What I like about it is that it marries an epic battle with something smaller and more rooted in character.
That thing is John Stewart getting the yips. After the initial battle, John suddenly finds that his ring doesn’t work because “something's missing.” He blames it on Despero having taken something away from it. So he tries to regain it through training with Kat, just as he did when he was first becoming a Lantern, but it just doesn't work. His heart isn’t in it, and he can’t maintain his concentration or his will.
What jolts him out of that state, however, is Shayera. I’ll admit, there’s still some not great writing of female characters here. But the show’s heart is in the right place. Sure, I could do without the implied threat of sexual assault from Despero being what puts John over the edge. But I like the idea that what spurs John back to being able to use his power is wanting to protect someone he cares about, achieving the “clarity” about how he feels about Shayera and being moved to protect her. It’s not perfect, but the show’s done enough work developing the two of them together that the moment works.
The epicness of it all works too. The show highlights the parallels between the Green Lantern Battery on Oa and the Flame of Py’tar, and there’s an appropriately massive, two-fronted battle between the sides aided by those power sources. We see it most plainly in John vs. Despero, where the intensity is clear and the energy blasts come furious.
But we also see it in J’onn, Flash, and Killawog racing behind the resistance army to deliver a carbon bomb that will snuff out the flame that’s powering Despero. That would be a pretty satisfying resolution on all on its own, but I like where they go with it even more. The reveal that the Flame is alive, that it’s been perverted by Despero, and that freed with Martian Manhunter’s help, it can restore the planet to a state of paradise, is an unexpectedly redemptive turn.
It gives the already biblically-infused conflict a sense of spiritual rebirth, to where Despero isn’t merely defeated; he “sees the light” as he becomes one with the tree that represents such planetary rejuvenation. Despero’s minions bowing down before the spiritually-infused J’onn makes for some cool imagery, and the bad guy invasion force being turned to trees has some disquieting elements of body horror beyond the honeyed vibe of the flame’s return.
In the end, all is well, for both John and the planet, with the pair’s fates intertwined for the half hour. He chooses Hawkgirl over Kat, embracing the person who sees him clearly as he is now and not just as who he was then. There’s something warm about all of this, as soothing in its way as the duology’s climax is heart pumping. It’s a nice play for Justice League to land.
(As an aside, it’s nice to hear Kyle Rayner’s name mentioned and learn that he’s still around after the events of his episode on Superman: The Animated Series. Some of the details don’t really make much sense, but it’s a nice sop to continuity nerds like yours truly. While John is my #1 Green Lantern, I wouldn't complain if he ends up teaming up with Kyle for an episode down the line.)