Warning: Spoilers for Green Lantern #12!

The idea of the Green Lantern Corps may cease to exist in the DC Universe sooner rather than later. Lately, there have been several additions to Green Lantern lore that have not called for the Corps’ involvement. For instance, both Hal Jordan and Sinestro have manifested powers without the need of their Lanterns or the Green Lantern Corps as a whole.

As such, the Green Lantern Corps may slowly start being phased out of the DC Universe, with additional evidence arriving in Green Lantern #12’s backup story “Guy’s Bogus Lobo Adventure Part Three: Places to Be” by Jeremy Adams and Kevin Maguire. In it, the most punchable Green Lantern stumbles upon the mysterious Eye of Krona, which Guy promises will “change everything for the Lanterns.”

All at once, in Green Lantern and Green Lantern: War Journal in particular, numerous Lanterns are receiving upgrades and artifacts that don’t demand a Corps presence to legitimize. All things considered, DC could slowly be shifting the status quo back to how things were pre-Corps for Lanterns.

The Green Lantern Corps Could Be on the Brink of Death

The Lantern Status Quo Has Been Shifting in Green Lantern and Green Lantern: War Journal

The Green Lantern Corps first made their presence known in the DC Universe in 1959’s Showcase #22 by John Broome and Gil Kane. Since then, the Corps has existed to bring balance to the universe as its local space cops. Lately, though, these “cops” have been finding new means to collect power without the need or approval of their Corps. Again, Hal Jordan was able to construct a ring based off of sheer will power alone, while Sinestro gained Red Lantern powers off of the heels of pure rage.

Then there’s Guy discovering the Eye of Krona, whose abilities remain unknown, but are clearly significant to Lantern lore. If the name Krona sounds familiar, that’s the name of the forgotten villain who created the multiverse, which could have some tremendous implications as to how Lantern powers are used and where they come from, with or without the Corps. Add all of that in with the recent destruction of Lantern Batteries around the universe, and readers will notice that all of this new lore has nothing to do with the Corps.

What Does No Green Lantern Corps Mean for the DC Universe?

Panel from Green Lantern: War Journal #5 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Montos, Chris Sotomayor, Adriano Lucas, and Dave Sharpe

It’s easy to look at these latest developments and wonder if there’s even a point to the Green Lantern Corps anymore. One can argue it’s practically useless at this point, but on the contrary, the Corps not only maintains order in the universe, but order among the Green Lanterns as a group. Without the organizing body, the Green Lanterns have unchecked power, especially in a world where anyone could wield a ring based solely on willpower and control. Plus, when offenders like John Stewart abuse their new god-like powers, order is necessary. The DC Universe needs the Green Lantern Corps now more than ever.

Green Lantern #12 is available now from DC Comics.