Green Lantern Faces the Sublime “Source Lantern,” DC’s Most Powerful Lantern Battery Ever

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Green Lantern #10!The Green Lanterns’ mythology just got a lot more complicated with the debut of the Source Lantern. The Green Lantern Corps’ new rulers, the United Planets, have made a lot of changes since it took over and they’re doing whatever they can to enshrine their power.

Across the Emotional Spectrum, various hues have begun to fall. Sinestro’s army, the Red Lanterns, and even the peaceful Blue Lanterns have all suffered devastating attacks. The United Planets finally reveal what they’ve been planning as Hal Jordan discovers the mightiest Central Power Battery he’s ever seen in his life.

The Source Lantern is the United Planets’ Greatest Energy Source

In Green Lantern #10 by Jeremy Adams, Xermánico, Amancay Nahuelpan, and Romulo Fajardo Jr., Hal Jordan has made it to the Green Lanterns’ base on Oa and reunited with Sojourner ‘Jo’ Mullein. However, Jo is insistent that the two not use their Power Rings, otherwise they’ll be discovered by the Ring Hunters, the United Planets elite guard. Instead, the two Lanterns travel by foot through various ducts and shafts until they make it to the secluded Resistance Corps base deep underneath Oa’s surface.

Hal reunites with his old comrades Two-Six, Salaak, and Kyle Rayner and the Resistance Corps brings Hal up to speed on what the United Planets have been doing. Jo reveals that Corps veterans have been slowly replaced by the United Planets Lanterns, ring-wielders who can channel other parts of the Emotional Spectrum. The debut of the United Planets Lanterns coincided with the United Planets’ leader, Lord Premier Thaaros’ ordering the destruction of the Emotional Spectrum’s Central Power Batteries. Jo takes Hal to another part of Oa to see what Thaaros is attempting to do.

Jo shows Hal the Source Lantern, the United Planets Lanterns’ Central Power Battery, and they witness Thaaros is attempting to unlock its power. With the Orange Lantern Central Power Battery destroyed, Thaaros convinces a volunteer to channel the Orange Lantern power and storm the Source Lantern. Unfortunately, this only results in the Lantern vaporizing himself. Thaaros expresses disappointment that the United Planet’s recently acquired Orange powers didn’t unlock the Source Lantern power, but resolves to continue the experiment the next day with a stronger candidate.

How the United Planets Took Control of the Emotional Spectrum

Sometime after the dust settled after Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Guardians of the Universe disappeared, temporarily leaving the Green Lantern Corps without leadership. However, control of the Corps was left to the United Planets, who immediately began enacting some bold and controversial choices. Citing the numerous dangers Earth presented, Lord Premier Thaaros placed Sector 2814 under strict quarantine and reassigned every Green Lantern from Earth to a new duty. Unfortunately for the Green Lanterns, this change began one of the most tumultuous chapters in Green Lantern history.

Shortly after the United Planets took over, the Central Power Batteries of various Emotional Spectrum Corps came under attack. The Sinestro Corps, the Red Lanterns, and even the peaceful Blue Lantern Corps were all decimated and their various members were scattered all over. Unbeknownst to Hal, the perpetrator behind this attack was Lord Premier Thaaros and his secret council. The United Planes’ leader was secretly ordering his new and improved United Planets Lanterns to blow up the other Central Power Batteries one by one.

The destruction of the other Central Power Batteries had a benefit for the United Planets Lanterns. For every Corps they destroyed, they became able to channel other lights in the Emotional Spectrum. Instead of just the Green Light of Willpower, they could use the destructive Red Lantern energy or the healing Blue Lantern Light. Hal Jordan had no clue how the United Planets had gotten so strong and after he got himself a Power Ring independent of the Green Lanterns, he traveled to Oa to get some answers.

What the United Planets Can Do with the Source Lantern

The Source Lantern was created by John Stewart who, after ascending to godhood after absorbing a phenomenon known as a Godstorm, made it to revive the Green Lantern Corps. The Source Lantern was created directly with John’s Source energy, making it far more powerful than any Green Lantern Central Power Battery that has ever existed. But rather than use the Source Lantern to simply empower his Lanterns, Lord Premier Thaaros is more keen on accessing the Source Power for himself.

The Source is a power that far exceeds what the Green Lanterns are capable of. Even though Thaaros has a Lantern that draws Source energy, Thaaros wants more than the filtered version that gives the United Planets Lanterns their power. Thaaros is under the impression that the destabilization of the Emotional Spectrum will give him what he desires, i.e. limitless access to the Source. But whether Thaaros is correct or not, he’s endangering the entire DC Universe in his mad quest for power.

Assuming that Thaaros is correct and that the destruction of the Emotional Spectrum’s Central Power Batteries will open up the Source Lantern, then he’s closer than ever to accessing its full power. With the Source at his fingertips, Thaaros could bring the entire DC Universe under his heel and potentially even reshape reality. Of course, Thaaros could be wrong and his sacrifice of the Corps’ batteries has all been in vain. But if that’s the case, Thaaros runs the risk of doing damage to the Emotional Spectrum it may not be able to overcome.

Is the Emotional Spectrum’s Days Nearly Over?

Thaaros has already gotten rid of most Corps’ batteries, save for the Indigo Tribe and the Star Sapphires’. He could be on the precipice of accessing one of the greatest powers in the DC Universe. Or his theory is wrong and he’s about to destroy the last Central Power Batteries in the universe, permanently throwing the Emotional Spectrum out of whack. The Source Lantern and Thaaros’ quest to uncover its power is putting everything at risk and if the Green Lanterns aren’t careful, the Lord Premier could destroy the Emotional Spectrum for good.

Green Lantern #10 is available now from DC Comics.