10 Best Episodes of Green Lantern: The Animated Series

The short-lived Green Lantern: The Animated Series is one of DC’s best TV adaptations, with 10 episodes standing out as particularly noteworthy. Premiering in 2011, Green Lantern: The Animated Series was part of the 2011 Green Lantern film’s marketing campaign, with DC and WB hoping that the live-action film would be as successful as Marvel’s recent MCU installments and initiate a live-action shared universe for DC. Unfortunately, the film was a critical and commercial failure, leading to the cancelation of the animated DC show.

Despite the failure of the 2011 Green Lantern movie, the Green Lantern comics were excellently adapted to the small screen by the Green Lantern animated series. In addition to including some of the best iterations of Hal Jordan and Kilowog, the series also introduced two original characters, the rogue Red Lantern Razer and the sapient AI Aya, who were welcome additions to the Green Lantern mythos. While each episode of Green Lantern: The Animated Series is excellent, the following 10 have particularly strong character development, narratives, and world-building, hopefully helping pave the way for the upcoming DCU Lanterns series.

10

Beware My Power Part 2 (Episode 2)

A Bittersweet But Powerful Beginning

The second half of Green Lantern’s two-part pilot, “Beware My Power Part 2” sees Hal Jordan, Kilowog, and Aya stranded in Frontier Space, which has become a hostile zone, thanks to the presence of the murderous Red Lanterns. One of the Red Lanterns, Razer, takes part in the destruction of Colony 12, the home planet of the Green Lantern Shyir Rev, who himself dies defending the planet.

The end of the pilot sets up the narrative throughline for the first half of the series and begins Razer’s series-long redemption arc. Kilowog manages to save the population of Colony 12 (aside from Shyir Rev) and Hal Jordan captures Razer instead of killing him. The second half of the pilot has character-establishing moments for the four lead characters and Hal Jordan’s brief battle with Atrocitus sets up the latter as one of the Green Lanter Corps’ greatest threats.

9

…In Love and War (Episode 9)

Provides A Fascinating Characterization Of Carol Ferris & The Star Sapphires

Green Lantern introduces the Star Sapphires in the episode “…In Love and War,” adding yet another Lantern Corps and emotional spectrum energy to the series – in this case, Violet Love Energy. The episode also brings Carol Ferris into the narrative, granting her superpowers via a Star Sapphire ring and acknowledging her occasional status as a villain in DC’s comics by having her briefly battle Hal Jordan. The episode also continues to develop Hal and Carol’s romance by having Ferris learn that he is Earth’s Green Lantern, explaining his disappearance from Coast City.

Moreover, just as Hal Jordan is easily one of the Green Lanter Corps’ finest members, Carol Ferris proves to be potentially the greatest Star Sapphire. While most who wear the Star Sapphire Rings succumb to their power and the Zamarons’ possessive definition of love, Ferris manages to willfully give hers up, shocking the Star Sapphire Ghia’ta. Carol’s more selfless definition of love helps initiate a redemption arc for not only Ghia’ta but the rest of the Star Sapphires as well.

8

Blue Hope (Episode 17)

The Perfect Payoff To Saint Walker & Ganthet’s Stories

In the second half of Green Lantern’s only season, the growing threat of the Manhunters brings Hal, Kilowog, and Aya to Odym to re-recruit Razer. The episode sees the return of Saint Walker – the first Blue Lantern – since the mid-season finale. “Blue Hope” not only continues the story of Saint Walker and the redemption arc of Razer, who is training to become a Blue Lantern, but also serves as a payoff to the story of Ganthet, a former Guardian of the Universe.

Earlier in the season, Ganthet had been banished for helping Hal Jordan steal the Interceptor and for potentially revealing the truth that the Guardians were behind the Manhunter massacre in the Forgotten Zone. This, ultimately, worked in Ganthet’s favor, as it allowed him to start his own Lantern Corps – one that would provide invaluable assistance to Green Lanterns like Hal Jordan and Kilowog. Like the two Lantern Corps themselves (and in keeping with DC lore), Blue Hope Energy supercharges the rings of Green Lanterns.

7

Larfleeze (Episode 23)

Introduces One Of Green Lantern’s Strangest Adversaries

In another satisfying instance of world-building, one of the later episodes of Green Lantern includes Larfleeze, the universe’s single Orange Lantern. The episode, also titled “Larfleeze,” also provides some much-needed comic relief during one of the most dramatic points in the series. After the tragic death and villainous rebirth of Aya – supplanting the Anti-Monitor as season 1’s second major villain – Hal, Kilowog, and Razer find themselves going up against a powerful opponent who wields the Orange Energy of avarice.

Unfortunately, Hal Jordan finds himself succumbing to the greed-inducing power as well, briefly turning him against his allies. The episode features references to the infamous Emerald Twilight comic storyline as well as Agent Orange, though the animated series downplays the threat level of Larfleeze for the sake of comedy. Hal demonstrates his unsurpassed willpower by eventually resisting the orange energy, and the episode further develops Kilowog and Razer’s friendship, giving it the right mix of levity and character progression.

6

Flight Club (Episode 11)

Provides A Glimpse At The Larger DC Universe

As Green Lantern builds towards its mid-season finale, the action-packed “Flight Club” sees Hal Jordan and Kilowog matching wits and fisticuffs with a group of Thanagarian rogues. The episode features exciting fight scenes and a hefty amount of double-crosses, as the Thanagarian Byth Rok seeks to con Green and Red Lanterns alike. Fascinatingly, the episode reminds viewers that, up to this point, Green Lantern has exclusively only adapted Hal Jordan’s corner of the DC Comics universe.

Thanagarians debuted in the comics in 1961, with the new Silver Age versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl being introduced as Thanagarian law enforcers. Hal and Kilowog’s clashes with Byth Rok in “Flight Club” acknowledge not only that there is a larger DC Universe beyond the adventures of the Green Lanterns, but also that the Green Lantern comic mythos are vast and compelling enough for a Green Lantern TV series to work with few to no crossovers. Despite this, a season 4 episode of Young Justice would retroactively establish that the two shows share a universe.

5

Babel (Episode 21)

Creates A Creative Plot For The Heroes

One of Green Lantern’s most inventive episodes is “Babel,” which sees Hal, Kilowog, and Razer stranded on a hostile planet with their respective rings running out of energy. A basic feature of all Lantern rings is universal language translation, allowing easy and fluent communication between species from across the universe. Once the three heroes’ rings fully run out of power, they can no longer understand each other, forcing them to communicate non-verbally.

“Babel” is a great example of Green Lantern: The Animated Series making excellent use of the comic source material and intertwining character work with humor. Hal and Kilowog amusingly ideate similar strategies for survival, despite their inability to understand each other, and the ever-prepared Razer, despite possessing an ultra-powerful Red Lantern ring, is nevertheless armed to the teeth. The end of the episode shows how far the three have come as a team, working together effectively, even without constructs and universal translation.

4

Prisoner of Sinestro (Episode 18)

Hal Jordan’s Greatest Enemy Makes A Chilling Debut

As its title implies, “Prisoner of Sinestro” introduces the Green Lantern who will one day be Hal Jordan’s greatest nemesis. Just as Hal and Sinestro were friends and allies in the comics before the latter’s turn to villainy, the animated version of Hal idolizes the veteran Green Lantern Sinestro, both for his legendary fighting prowess and his tendency to bend (or break) the rules set by the Guardians. “Prisoner of Sinestro” effectively depicts the two future nemeses’ friendship, pitting them against the dangerous criminal Neuroxis, who can take over the bodies of other beings.

In addition to showing Sinestro’s good side, “Prisoner of Sinestro” also foreshadows his dark future. After several instances of Neuroxis taking over the bodies of the Interceptor’s crew, Sinestro opts to simply kill the criminal and frame it as an accident. Sadly, Green Lantern’s cancelation would prevent Sinestro’s journey to villainy from continuing.

3

Love Is a Battlefield (Episode 22)

Hal Jordan & Carol Ferris Team Up Against Atrocitus

With Aya having taken over the Anti-Monitor’s body and now leading the Manhunters, “Love Is a Battlefield” sees the return of Carol Ferris and Atrocitus, with Aya re-arming them with their respective power rings and pitting them against each other. “Love Is a Battlefield” is one of Green Lantern’s most exciting and heartbreaking episodes, with Carol finding herself woefully outmatched against the vicious Red Lantern, leading her to summon Hal Jordan, allowing the two to overpower him.

The excitement of seeing Hal and Carol work together against Atrocitus takes a dark turn, however. The Star Sapphire Ghia’ta sacrifices herself to save Hal Jordan from a killing blow by Atrocitus. Ghia’ta’s sacrifice motivates Carol to continue wearing her Star Sapphire ring, setting her up for future appearances and offscreen heroics on Earth, that were, unfortunately, never followed up on due to Green Lantern’s cancelation.

2

Dark Matter (Episode 26)

A Heartbreaking Ending That Leaves Viewers Hoping For More

The season 1 – and ultimately series – finale of Green Lantern, “Dark Matter,” concludes the show’s second major story arc, with the Green Lantern Corps itself battling Aya’s Manhunters to stop her from reshaping reality. By this point in the series, it is confirmed that Aya is truly a living being, having been created from Ion, the avatar of Green Willpower energy. Moreover, Aya’s inability to follow through with her mass-murdering plot proves that the old Aya is not truly gone.

“Dark Matter” is one of Green Lantern’s most emotional episodes, with Razer’s inability to kill Aya and her own sacrifice to wipe out the Manhunters showing how endearing the show’s two original characters are. The episode ends with the potential for Aya to be reborn and for Razer to finish his redemption arc by becoming a Blue Lantern. While there are, unfortunately, no plans for a Green Lantern: The Animated Series revival, the show did get a brief continuation in the Young Justice episode “Encounter Upon the Razor’s Edge!”

1

Homecoming

The Satisfying, Action-Packed, Mid-Season Finale

Arguably the most satisfying episode of the Green Lantern animated series is its mid-season finale, “Homecoming.” With Oa besieged by Atrocitus, Kilowog making a fearless last stand against the Red Lanter Corps’ armada, and Hal Jordan somehow back on Earth – and with no memory of his Green Lantern identity – the episode has no shortage of tension. “Homecoming” concludes the show’s first major story arc and includes numerous payoffs to character arcs throughout its runtime.

Kilowog survives what would have been a heroic last stand, thanks to the arrival of Saint Walker – now a Blue Lantern – and the sapient planet Mogo, with the trio having enough combined firepower to incapacitate the armada. Hal Jordan regains his memories with Carol Ferris’ help, leading to a final, brutal, beatdown between him and Atrocitus. In a show filled with memorable episodes, “Homecoming” stands out as the best in Green Lantern: The Animated Series.