The Lantern Corps: A Cinematic Universe Waiting To Happen

Greetings humans. Yes, I have been away a while, but I am back with a new blog post. This is just a quick message to say thank you to everyone whose been supporting me thus far. It means a lot to me.

Right then on with today's topic!

Everyone knows Hal Jordan and how he becomes the Green Lantern. Although I am sorry if this is the one you're thinking about.

Ryan Reynolds in Green Lanturd (2011)

Oof. I still get nightmares sometimes. This do be hard to forget.

All jokes aside, while Ryan Reynolds and every DC fan saw a film that we'd all rather wipe our asses with. But don't let this shambolic portrayal of the Green Lantern turn you off to what I'm about to say.

I believe, that if the DCEU is to truly be revived, that DC must build from the inside. The DC Universe is comprised, like the Marvel Universe of many, many-layered characters who live in fantastical worlds with great supporting characters.

For example,

Marvel had their Avengers arc and have now decided to move onwards into The Eternals Arc while not forgetting the heroes who leave the big screen by giving them shows of their own to keep their characters alive and kicking. In short, Marvel is building one cinematic universe on top of another and allowing them all to share the same space in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. A very layered composition that requires a phenomenal level of planning and structure.

The Eternals

The DCEU on the other hand did something that they should've known better than to do. They tried to replicate that same formula for DC. The "Josstice" League is better off forgotten and Batman vs Superman while interesting didn't leave a great aftertaste. Henry Cavill's Superman is widely criticized as being too far away from Superman's true character. While Wonder Woman did a great job, the sequel was too far away from what fans had come to expect. This story does have a happy ending though, with the fans demands finally reaching the ears of the suits, Zack Snyder's Justice League was brought into the light of day. This isn't to say ZSJL was without its issues, but it's always good for filmmakers when one of our own gets 100% creative control to release his original cut.

Darkseid in ZSJL

Hence why I believe, if done right, the Lantern Corps can become their cinematic universe and one of the building blocks to aid the revival of the DCEU. There are in total, 9 Lantern Corps. Let's go through a quick breakdown, shall we?

All 9 Lantern Corps

Let's begin by talking about the most popular of all the Corps, the Green Lantern Corps.

"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light.” - Green Lantern Oath.

The Green Lantern Corps serve as a peacekeeping corps in the universe, their green colour represents the power of Will. To earn a green lantern ring, one must possess a strong will and be able to inspire the same in others.

Notable members of this corps include:

From Left to Right: Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart & Guy Gardner

Up next, The Yellow Lanterns, or as they're better known, the Sinestro Corps.

"In blackest day, in brightest night, Beware your fears made into light, Let those who try to stop what's right, Burn like his power, Sinestro's might!" - Sinestro Corps Oath.

The polar opposite of the Green Lanterns, the Sinestro Corps also desire to bring order to the universe by subjugating any and all who oppose them through the power of fear. To get a yellow lantern ring, one must be able to inspire great fear in others.

Notable members of this Corps include:

From Left to Right: Sinestro, Hal Jordan, Superman-Prime, Batman

Next up, The Star Sapphires.

“For hearts long lost and full of fright, For those alone in Blackest Night, Accept our ring and join our fight. Love conquest all...With Violet Light!” - Star Sapphire Oath

The Star Sapphires are one of the most volatile and powerful Corps among the nine. Their power comes from love and many of their members have allowed their love to consume them and blind them to good and evil. To become a Star Sapphire, a member of the corps must trap another lantern corps member in a crystal of violet energy and while they are imprisoned, their ring will get infected with violet energy and they become a Star Sapphire.

Notable members of this Corps include:

From Left to Right: Carol Ferris, Fatality, Miri Riam, Wonder Woman

Up next the bastions of hope, the Blue Lantern Corps

"In fearful day, in raging night, with strong hearts full, our souls ignite. When all seems lost in the War of Light, look to the stars -- for hope burns bright!" - Blue Lantern Oath

The Blue Lanterns are amongst the smallest lantern corps in the universe because only the most optimistic-minded and spiritually enlightened people can join. This corps wields the power of Hope and they are allies with the Green Lantern as the corps was created by two former Guardians from OA.

Notable members of this Corps include:

From Left to Right: Saint Walker, Hymn, Warth, & The Flash

Now for the only lanterns that don't use rings, The Indigo Lantern Corps.

"In sorrowful day, in misfortunate night,

We help those, who need our might, With the lantern power of Abin Sur, We rid your misery..., With compassionate might!" - Indigo Lantern Oath

The Indigo Lanterns are the most mysterious out of all the Lantern Corps. They function as a tribe of indigenous people that keep to themselves mostly. They also have a preference for staffs instead of the classic ring. They represent compassion on the emotional spectrum, and strongly believe that there is redemption in everybody.

Notable members include:

From Left to Right: Indigo-1 & Munk

Next up, the personification of rage, the Red Lantern Corps.

"With blood and rage of crimson red, ripped from a corpse so freshly dead, together with our hellish hate, we'll burn you all -- That is your fate!" - Red Lantern Oath

The Red Lanterns harness the power of pure, unbridled rage. Pure and simple. They are definitely one of my favourites. Each member of the corps has suffered a great tragedy and the rage that is born is then personified into a Red Lantern ring. A special ability of these lanterns is that they can spew a destructive substance from their mouths that is like acid.

Among the many notable members they had are:

From Left to Right: Atrocitus, Bleez, Guy Gardner & Supergirl

Next up is one of the most unique corps ever. Unique how? It only has one member at a time.

" What's mine is mine and mine and mine, And mine and mine! Not yours!" - Orange Lantern Oath

The Orange Lanterns - or rather, Lantern is fueled by the power of greed. Its only member carries the power battery with him at all times to not allow anyone else to use the power for themselves. The true embodiment of greed, an Orange Lantern is incapable of trust or sharing of any kind even if it's life or death.

It's only member is:

Larfleeze, the keeper of the Orange Power Battery and the only Orange Lantern.

Now for the last two corps, we begin with the most unsettling one, the Black Lantern Corps.

"The Blackest Night falls from the skies, the darkness grows as all light dies, We crave your heart and your demise, By my black hand, the dead shall rise!"- Black Lantern Oath

The only corps to not be powered by any emotion on the spectrum, but rather the absence of it. Any deceased person in the universe can be revived as a Black Lantern and retain no humanity from their previous lives. They all serve their master, Nekron who wishes to feed on the energy of the other emotions. This makes the Black Lanterns one of the most powerful corps out of them all.

As for members just look at the above picture. There are way, way too many to name. And technically anyone can become a Black Lantern so.... yeah.

Lastly, the polar opposites to the Black Lanterns, the masters of the emotional spectrum, the White Lantern Corps.

"In brightest day, in brightest night let my ring shine the brightest light. When evil comes, I will join the fight. The power of the white lanterns is the strongest might!" - White Lantern Oath.

The White Lanterns are masters of all the emotions in the spectrum. To gain the power of a White Lantern, one must master all emotions in the spectrum. It takes immense sacrifice and work but when they master all emotions, they gain a power that's able to rival an entire corps single-handedly.

As for notable members, well just look above.

Imagine a new Star Wars-type universe created featuring all the Lantern corps. I mean that needs to happen. Minds must be blown and dollars will be made. More importantly, the revival of the DCEU will finally start and that's always a good thing.

Which Lantern Corps intrigued you the most and which one of the Corps do you think you'd join if you had the chance?

Thanks for reading!