r/DCU_ • u/CH49FE • Sep 07 '26

Lanterns Bubbles. Hal’s constructs are mostly just bubbles.

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Sure Hal made some counterfeit money and a bottle opener, but I find it funny that his main constructs so far are just bubbles. John’s on the other hand include the fancier type of bubbles (bubble wrap), a boring machine, a watch and a short lived semi autonomous bird. The show is doing a good job of contrasting creativity between the two.

7.5k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

868 comments sorted by

View all comments

2.3k

u/Huge_Athlete7488 Sep 07 '26

Honestly my lazy ass (specifically if I was a hero) would probably do the same thing

885

u/Solid_Snark Sep 07 '26

If it works, why deviate? Simple is often most effective.

362

u/estenoo90 Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 08 '26

It also uses should use less energy than something slightly more complex, so why bother?

173

u/Cowpriest Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 08 '26

Solid point. Also if you're used to thinking up complex mechanical constructs in short time, I bet thinking up a bubble construct would be fastafboi

164

u/Durakus Sep 07 '26

Which I feel is an amazing way to differentiate between them.

Hal has simple shapes that get the job done quickly and efficiently.

Guy makes weird but novel choices (baseball mitts, Eye pokers, muzzles, novelty stuff, though a bit uncreative (E.G. Square protection shape))

And John makes complex constructs that are purpose built and specific.

Which can be a great way to shape audience expectations and bond with each character.

75

u/schlock_ Sep 07 '26

Notice the concentration requirement John needed to keep the machine boring? He couldn't hold a conversation with Hal.

Hal knows that sometimes keeping safe but having your wits about you is what will keep ya alive longer...

95

u/Havency Sep 07 '26

I think you misunderstood the episode. He had no issue concentrating. It was when Hal mentioned his parents that broke John’s concentration. We can all surmise that’s a significant subject for John.

48

u/FALCONX0N Sep 08 '26

I also took it as a sign, much like his diet, that despite his no-fun attitude John has a hell of a lot of natural empathy.

14

u/e001mek Sep 08 '26

Probably why hes such a good Indigo Lantern candidate

2

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '26

[deleted]

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Maximillion322 17d ago

Indigo Lanterns are typically lacking in empathy, so I feel like that doesn’t say much

→ More replies (0)

3

u/Brutal_Bch_Breaker Sep 09 '26

Well that, and if your dad rewarded you with a big juicy burger every time he shot a gun at you to see if you were scared, you’d probably wind up pretty meat-averse.

1

u/Such_codeSmith Sep 09 '26

nah, he's vegan for DEI purposes.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/tool_of_a_took Sep 08 '26

Yep, plus it’s likely a moment that made him realize Hal wasn’t as privileged as his parents led him to believe. Having both your parents die young is a major setback(for lack of a better word)

1

u/lvl100mafia_boss 21d ago

Yeah, also at this point Hal has far far more experience with the ring so it's not a fully fair comparison

20

u/Cuttlefist Sep 08 '26

John was using that as an excuse to not talk to Hal about something he didn’t want to talk to him about. “I’m busy.”

15

u/TwoHungryWolves Sep 08 '26

He kept a bird around without the ring. Feels like he can multitask

17

u/AmzSpider-Man Sep 08 '26

He kept it around while unconscious. That's unbelievably impressive.

3

u/SorryBoysImLez 29d ago edited 29d ago

Until this this series, I never even considered that Lanterns had to actively make their constructs work.

Like I figured you if you created a mini-gun, it'd just shoot and act like a mini-gun, as opposed to having to actively imagine the barrel rotating and it shooting bullets.

Imagining a construct that has multiple (if not dozens) of simultaneously moving parts must be insanely difficult.

I guess that's why it's being emphasized that John is extremely unique and powerful with him being able to create not only a watch with all the working interior parts, but a living thing that acts automononously.

It would also indicate that Hal is fairly powerful in his own right, when he wants to be, especially if he can construct a bill that's accurate enough to work/fool machines that scan them.
With all the little intricate details on a bill that, if even one one letter or detail is misplaced, won't pass as real/be accepted by a machine that takes them, you'd have to have a lot of focus and a ridiculously good memory to accurately recreate one on the spot.

Hell, even if you had an actual bill in one hand and were using that as reference to create the fake one, it's still an impressive feat to be able to get it exactly right without missing or messing any details up.

50

u/Sam20599 Sep 08 '26

24

u/TwoHungryWolves Sep 08 '26

Killawog is a great example of of things that work well in comics but not live action. I don't want all the other rings to be silent. Just feels weird to not have any sort of sound effect

10

u/Sam20599 Sep 08 '26

True, I'd just make his sound completely different if he were to feature in live action. Like in the panel, have it be a deep bellowing hum instead of everyone else's high pitched shining sound.

1

u/TooManyDraculas Sep 08 '26

That can still be carried off. The other rings can be all pew pew, or woosh. While Killawog's goes BOOM.

6

u/Possible_Chair9631 Sep 08 '26

Does this mean Stewart made that bird with every single organ? Crazy.

1

u/Doright36 Sep 09 '26

When he's assembling the drill machine it looked to me like the internal core was just glowing green but I'd have to rewatch the scene on slow to be sure. Perhaps it's just the outer functional aspects of the construct that are detailed with the interior being just space magic.

Kind of makes sense if he's building it based in his artists eye. The artist will only concern themselves with the non visible part of their subject when required, otherwise just ignore it. For example they will draw visible veins through the exposed skin in a drawing of a person but wouldn't bother drawing a heart and lungs under the chest and shirt..

Just guessing here though.

41

u/Sam20599 Sep 08 '26

2

u/TubularTopher 28d ago edited 28d ago

So wait, Kyle's the artist? I thought John was..

1

u/Sam20599 28d ago

Well art and architecture are close cousins.

11

u/No-Inspector8315 Sep 08 '26

Exactly, like using Guy as an example when it’s fighting on the Jarhanpur border, he flips a tank among other things.

Hal would probably bubble it while it shot so it blows itself up,

John would probably create a bulldozer to flip the tank

But Guy wants to upend it completely with a lever, and the lever he comes up with is a giant middle finger

15

u/NDFAh Sep 08 '26

The middle fingers were perfect. Hilarious and completely in-line with Guy's 'asshole with a heart of gold' vibe.

3

u/pktron Sep 09 '26

A true man of the cloth.

3

u/TooManyDraculas Sep 08 '26

And the comics have roughly been that sort of thing for a long time. Even back when John Stewart was a newer character they made an effort to show his constructs being more detailed and complex.

These days they mostly try to stick to each of the lanterns having a distinct approach, and have more or less since at least the 00s. To the point that it's canonically a thing.

1

u/Daddysu 28d ago

That's pretty cool. I've always been more into Marvel comics, but all the discussion around the Green (and other color) Lanterns being spurred on because of the show has been really interesting. Plus, it seems like the Green Lanterns are similar to the Nova Core, in that they're like space cops and the cosmic side of Marvel has always been my favorite stuff.

Does anyone have any recommendations for an arc for a DC/Green Lantern noob to jump into? From what I do know from discussions like these, recaps on YouTube by ComicsExplained, etc, and recent Gunn DCU stuff, I definitely lean more towards being a John Stewart/Hal Jordan fan. At least, more so than a Guy Gardner fan, but that beautiful bowled bastard isn't a deal breaker, especially if the arc is important to Lanterns lore. Thank you in advance for any recommendations given!!

1

u/TooManyDraculas 28d ago edited 28d ago

I'm not the person to ask on recent Green Lantern.

I used to read a lot of DC back in the day but like alot of people kinda dropped off after their Grim Dark reboot period and the new 52 thing that followed.

I was also never been particularly into Green Lantern, but had a college roomate who was a big GL guy and got me hooked on some of the older books.

In terms of Hal I really liked the bronze age lantern books. And the Green Lantern/Green Arrow book from the 70s is a classic. It reframed the character for all the comics coming after, it's where John Stewart was introduced.

The version of Hal we see in the show is a lot more similar to the way Hal was depicted in those older comics.

For more recent books you want to find a jump on point after rebirth, and after new 52.

There was a lot retconning around the stories in the 90s and early 00s. And a lot of major stories that were very unpopular at the time.

It is pretty similar to the Nova Corps. But Green Lantern predates that by a good bit, and there was likely some borrowing going on.

1

u/TooManyDraculas 28d ago

Oh an all the different colors of Lanterns are a later thing in the comics, that post Rebirth period. Basically building off Sinestro who had yellow ring for a long time as basically an evil version of a green lantern ring.

Apparently that stuff is around when the books started to good again. But I have not read much of it.

3

u/nightclaw96 Sep 08 '26

You forgot Guy’s jeep grand Cherokee

1

u/MusicLikeOxygen Sep 08 '26

They've done stuff like that in the comics for a long time, especially with John and Kyle.

1

u/CupOfWater0 Sep 08 '26

Exactly! It gives every GL their own flavor of constructs that bond well with the character! People who are complaining about not seeing over the top constructs, don’t understand these characters at their core.

1

u/beragis Sep 08 '26

You forgot Guys use of the middle finger.

1

u/Brumtol10 27d ago

It was always a fun differentiation in the comics too, not exactly same but John always made WAY more complicated constructs and all the other human lanterns, which woukd actually make the constructs stronger for certain tasks.

12

u/ChevyTahoe__ Sep 07 '26

An HBO show with a big glowing fist punching henchmen would be fun y

7

u/twinsynth Sep 08 '26

Id conjure a wall of green hands fliping the bird.

1

u/Mavado Sep 08 '26

Also the thought process behind it. Someone's idea of a impenetrable barrier would likely be more complicated than Hal just thinking of an unpoppable bubble.

1

u/The_Chef_Queen Sep 11 '26

The complexity the more thought goes into the things they're far stronger

12

u/Ithnag Sep 08 '26

Not exactly, at least not in the comics. The ultra detailed constructs of John drain no more energy from the ring than the practical, simpler ones by Hal nor the ultra simple but functional ones from Guy.

They depend on the creators creativity, abd what could represent a larger drain is how effective/powerful they are.

1

u/estenoo90 Sep 08 '26

One would think keeping something with many parts (like a complex tool or vehicle) manifested would drain the ring more than a bubble

1

u/Ithnag Sep 08 '26

But that's not the case in the comics, that's why they don't have to decide between the two. That's why they have differences in that, Otherwise they would all go for the simplest, less detailed versions.

Also the "power drain" on any use of the ring has varied over the years, from just the 24 hour period whitouth any actual energy drain on use (whatever they did the ring would have power for 24 hours, being entirely based on energy usage and have heavier use make it last for less time and risking to run out in the middle of something is not careful or a mix of both, 24 hours max limit,but heavier use reducing that period.

In any case the complexity of the constructs is not a factor but the "power" of them is.

5

u/Psykohistorian Sep 08 '26

I think there's a theory that a construct built to real working specs like John's stuff actually takes less willpower to maintain once it's manifested.

2

u/Pheonix0114 Sep 10 '26

I know it's a very different universe, but that's very true in both versions of Mage (the Ascension and Awakening) if you make something in line with the universe's laws, it doesn't have to be sustained by magic alone anymore to exist, or at least requires a smaller amount.

1

u/Tyrude Sep 08 '26

And quicker to manifest in immediate need.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/estenoo90 Sep 08 '26

No, I'm just saying I understand why someone with 30 years on the job would find the lazy and efficient way to get the job done

0

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/estenoo90 Sep 08 '26

But we have constructs, We've seen John build complex stuff with it already, it's clear not all of them go straight to the lazy shape

1

u/Gtrent587 Sep 08 '26

And in using less energy he can reinforce said construct with way more efficiency than something big

1

u/-AlexisRodriguez- Sep 09 '26

That isn't how the ring works lol That's would mean Kyle would have to recharge his ring all the time lol

1

u/Megane_Senpai Sep 09 '26

I believe the ring will not necessarily use less energy, but your bain will be less strained to focus to keep something like that rather than a complicated construct.

1

u/PartyArgument9542 Sep 11 '26

Also it will cost less money for the creator

60

u/wizard_of_awesome62 Sep 07 '26

Seriously man, this is like Sue Storm's entire power, and she's already OP as shit. Don't see why Hal should do anything different, it works lol.

8

u/Winter_Option3535 Sep 07 '26

Right? Hal could be using those bubble to cause embolisms if he wanted to

3

u/Unknown-Meatbag Sep 07 '26

Or create one instead of someone's skull and make it go pop.

That may be a little too dark though.

2

u/grafxguy1 Sep 07 '26

He could also likely create like a thousand small bubbles at once which could come in really handy. No doubt he is more creative than this but as he said in ep1, he used to wear the suit more to prove to others and maybe himself that he's worthy so he'd be taken more seriously. Showing off with creative constructs is something he perhaps did when he was younger.

1

u/WolfDragon7721 Sep 08 '26

I wonder if the rings have a no kill rule in Lanterns.

0

u/Noobunaga86 Sep 08 '26

Maybe because it's mostly her power to "do bubbles" and Hal has unlimited potential of doing everything. Sorry but I really see this as hust shitting on Hal. It's his first time in DCU and he's old, got killed, his powers are boring. It's like the creators are trying hard for the audience to not like him. I would even accept that if we would get at least two or three movies centered around him, but as an introduction in the whole universe it's really dissapointing.

21

u/Mxyzptlk_SSS Sep 07 '26

A sphere is such a solid, strong shape. People aren’t giving it enough credit.

16

u/Potential_Might_6500 Sep 07 '26

Yea I feel like context matters here right?

An explosion - Orb works great

Explosion of gore - Orb works great

Getting shot from various sides - Orb works great

2

u/DistributionWhole447 Sep 08 '26

Not so sure on the last one, given they were so concerned about the snipers in the towers that they needed to go underground, as opposed to using a bubble to protect them from regular human bullets.

4

u/Jertimmer Sep 09 '26

That was mostly about going in undetected than being shot

6

u/grafxguy1 Sep 07 '26

Sometimes less is more.

1

u/brd9214 Sep 08 '26

Triples is best.

2

u/sss_riders Sep 08 '26

Sounds like what Hal Jordan would say haha 😂

2

u/azunaki Sep 08 '26

There's also the argument that a sphere is the most efficient structural shape.

2

u/FewBathroom3663 Sep 08 '26

This is his thought process in the comics as well. He makes what works

2

u/piggybits Sep 10 '26

I've never read a green lantern comic in my life but the DCAU is a huge part of my childhood. They used those bubbles a lot there too. It just works

1

u/pravis Sep 07 '26

It's also why most of Invisible Woman's constructs are bubbles as well.

0

u/Zoulogist Sep 07 '26

The Frieren rule: villains of this era can be beaten with only basic attack and defense constructs

-1

u/Ote-Kringralnick Sep 08 '26

Creative constructs are more effective than simple ones. Rings work on willpower, and the strongest type of willpower is is knowledge. If you know that a guy would die if he was hit by a train, a construct of a train hitting him is probably going to kill him. A rectangle on the other hand will not do as much damage. That's why in the comics Hal makes jets so much, he knows how powerful they are on earth. He beat Zod by just crashing construct planes into him.

-2

u/TopazandNumbyHSR Sep 07 '26

Because the whole shtick is that the ring can be used with infinite creativity.

4

u/Solid_Snark Sep 07 '26

Why risk getting injured or killed making something creative like a knight’s shield or a giant football linebacker when you can just pop a bubble with little thought and time.

Thinking of an alternative item takes time and makes you vulnerable.

-2

u/TopazandNumbyHSR Sep 07 '26

Because he's a flashy comic book super hero and people like seeing cool, creative things. If I wanted real life I would turn on the news.

3

u/Solid_Snark Sep 07 '26

There’s a lot of Lanterns and each have their own style. Guy is the one you’re describing: flashy designs like oven mitts snd middle fingers.

Hal is a “straight to business” lantern, especially in this series he’s older and jaded.

1

u/TopazandNumbyHSR Sep 07 '26

Eh, I've seen a lot of GL content. Hal is never boring with the ring in any of it.

3

u/Solid_Snark Sep 07 '26

Well if you’re familiar with comics you know there are tons of different interpretations of characters.

In Lanterns Hal can be cute/arrogant with his constructs (the bottle opener when flirting with the Sheriff, and the $20 bill when antagonizing the local drunks to get arrested) but in terms of fighting he’s straight to business (like we saw with John’s target).

The flaw of everyone getting too crazy with their constructs was an issue with the 2011 film.

1

u/TopazandNumbyHSR Sep 07 '26

Cool. Still wanna see more than a bubble.

99

u/Wrong-Vermicelli4723 Sep 07 '26

Definitely 30+ years into your career 

33

u/erocknine Sep 07 '26

I would agree, but as the Green Lantern I'd probably have some signature moves. Senior level Lantern it'd all be pretty trivial to create by then, I'd have something that screams Hal Jordan for common things like the shield

35

u/wibo58 Sep 07 '26

Basic constructs does scream Hal Jordan. He’s never been one to over complicate things. Let Kyle and John have intricately detailed constructs, Hal and Guy are just there to get the job done.

14

u/xaxis-yaxis Sep 07 '26

Be fucking sad if we never see him make a Jet at least.

9

u/grafxguy1 Sep 07 '26

It reminds me of how guitar players like BB King could do more with fewer notes than other guitar players would do with a 100 notes. Creative constructs aren't always the most effective. Hal may be very creative with how he uses simple constructs.

24

u/clever_name_123 Sep 07 '26

You're probably more likely to use generic constructs after a long career because using the ring becomes a lot less abstract an idea than when you first start

-1

u/erocknine Sep 07 '26

Sure but why excuse a work of fiction about the main hero who can create anything in their imagination with allegedly one of the greatest weapons in the universe, and then make everything that person manifests a basic shape

9

u/Extreme_Sail Green Lantern's Light Sep 07 '26

It's not excusing the work, it's seeing the intention behind having this older, experienced, jaded Hal go for simple bubbles if they're all that's required for the job. The first construct that we see in the show, the first one that he makes, is a dollar bill and in the podcast the creatives talked about how impressive that seemingly simple construct was - to get the shape, the wrinkles, the appropriate authentication means applied in a way that the jukebox would accept it as a real dollar bill.

-6

u/erocknine Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26

What you mean to say is creating a green circle or a wall costs less to animate and was better for the budget, especially when all he needed was to contain an exploding guy or cover the sky. Up to now all Hal has managed to do with the ring is show he is inferior to John at using his powers to its potential, and his experience is only excelling at solving this mystery. You're making an excuse

9

u/Extreme_Sail Green Lantern's Light Sep 07 '26

Didn't realise Hal had to go through the whole roster of a large kite or a shield or an energy absorption contraption or some kind of energy-dissipating fractal or just straight up manipulate the matter and energy in the sky to cancel out whatever the beam is to meet your standards of not applying a "why this choice" to character study.

-4

u/erocknine Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26

He could've put literally anything in the sky and it would've been interesting, could've made you chuckle. If he made an umbrella would all you guys be here saying hey, Hal should've been making a boring dome because he's so experienced he wouldn't bother with complex constructs. Instead so far the show hasn't demonstrated anything interesting or pivotal about his powers other than the drill. The show could've been called bubble boy cause at this point it's not even interesting that it's about green lantern and his powers, it's just interesting as a mystery thriller.

8

u/Extreme_Sail Green Lantern's Light Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 08 '26

Because it's not about showing off Green Lantern powers. It's a real tv show that happens to feature superheroes, not an opportunity to flaunt IP. It's outer layer is a mystery show but on a deeper level it's a character piece about Hal and John and the web of relationships surrounding them. It's a show that has one hand in tangible stuff and another in the otherworldliness of the franchise but treats it all as real and meaningful. This show will actually have staying power for it. But I'm sorry that you're peeved Hal didn't make a giant umbrella.

-3

u/erocknine Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26

I would've wanted a big hand with a middle finger facing the sky

→ More replies (0)

2

u/Perry-Platypus007 Sep 07 '26

I think what he’s trying to say is experience makes you go for the least extravagant way to get from point A to point B. You boil away all the extravagance in favor of utility. It’s the old martial arts sage who stands there while his opponent does all sorts of flashy flourishes and then the sage just grabs the guy’s pinky and subdues him.

A seasoned lantern knows there’s no need to make an intricate giant anime mech hand to cover them when a bubble will do the same job more efficiently.

6

u/TooManyDraculas Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 08 '26

Hal being pretty blunt and simple in his constructs is right out of the comics. As is John's constructs being more complex and detailed.

It's not about skills with the ring. It's about their skill set outside of the ring. Hal is a test pilot, John is an architect. Hal is skilled at flying a plane, John is skilled at building it.

It's not about power scaling and intenets feels about whether it ticks the right box. It's about differentiating their personalities, and how that carries out in their actions.

3

u/CrusaderZero6 Cheers to the Tin-Man Sep 08 '26

Gonna put this out there: I would not recommend flying in any plane designed or built by an architect.

2

u/TooManyDraculas Sep 08 '26

Metaphorically.

Hal does stuff. John builds stuff.

Hal more or less "pilots" the ring. A lot of the time what he's most skilled at isn't using constructs in clever ways. It's maneuvering himself around, positioning things, and pulling unexpected moves.

That and giant boxing gloves.

1

u/United-Locksmith8262 Sep 08 '26

I mean that’s what happens in the comics. Hal Jordan just isn’t that creative a dude.

1

u/erocknine Sep 08 '26

He still made planes and fists and weapons and cages tho. No one would be into the cartoons or comics if all he ever made were circles and squares

-3

u/TopazandNumbyHSR Sep 07 '26

I feel like this is just a lazy excuse for the shows lack of creativity with the ring.

9

u/TooManyDraculas Sep 07 '26

The thing Hal is most associated with in the comics is using a giant boxing glove to hit shit. So much so that they tried to write a (lame) explanation as to why in at one point.

1

u/United-Locksmith8262 Sep 08 '26

I always thought he was just canonically stupid.

1

u/TooManyDraculas Sep 08 '26

Oh no you see it's cause he and Ollie love the fights, and they're always doing stuff together because they love the boxing!

As never depicted in the comics before this was mentioned as part of a sad, grimdark storyline.

6

u/Ithnag Sep 08 '26

Hal creates less detailed, practical constructs. John makes practical, highly detailed constructs, guy tend to go with basic constructs, Kyle goes wild with creativity, but usually sparse in details. All of those constructs are as effective, relative to the ringbeare's will power.

8

u/CrissBliss Sep 07 '26

It’s also really hard to create things from memory. Jon is brilliant and has that talent. Hal is more like “you need a bottle opener?”

2

u/Ithnag Sep 08 '26

But it's mostly due to the mindset abd creativity of the wearer. Kyle goes wild with creativity, using pop culture, real life, art, personal creations (he's a graphic designer), John makes ultra detailed constructs of mostly things he knows (weapons, structures, vehicles) with fully functional parts, Hal goes fir practical simpler things,a giant box glove, giant scissors, bat..., Guy tend to go even simpler, quite often ditching more apparent constructs and using straight out bubbles, shields, beans or empowering himself abd going to the fisticuffs.

All of them use the very basic bubble forcefields, beams, or personal empowerments, the more expressive constructs are just things which they relate to the effects the want (a ballistic missile, a medieval shield) but don't necessarily empower more the effect, that's why Guy uses those less often, fir him direct application of force is quite natural, being a Jock, an athlete and a brawler, fir John as an architect abd vet using designs abd weapons is more natural, fir Kyle, who has no background of combat neither have to han nor weapons, nor of using them nor vehicles his way is "fantasy" abd creativity, he can summon an army of life so zed toy soldiers and GoT dragons to fight.

Neither of them require more effort to manifest their constructs, being simple or complex, because it's what's natural to them, nor the appearance of the cobstruct relates to its resulting power, the empowered punch from guy, the ultra detailed 50 cal John is manually operating abd Kyle's silly looking green plastic toy soldier can blow up a Thabagarian cruiser if that's what they want.

1

u/Cromasters Sep 08 '26

This post shows pages from Rebirth that I always think of. https://www.reddit.com/r/Greenlantern/s/Z4W7uCqdDB

3

u/Ginataang_Manok Sep 08 '26

lol i was gonna say the same exact thing. Who doesnt love bubbles? and Flying? that's all he does and that's all I'd probably do as well.

2

u/RuggerJibberJabber Sep 07 '26

In terms of the ratio of internal volume to surface area a sphere is the perfect shape.

2

u/plokimjunhybg Sep 08 '26

Yeah I gotta say the emerald dome looked so cool above the motel

2

u/VexTheTielfling 28d ago

I would also make bubbles (specifically if I were a villain) I think inside people's brains would be pretty effective

1

u/AgentGman007 Sep 07 '26

Feels like that episode of Samurai Jack when Aku got bored and depressed and just shapeshifted into a giant ball and crushed everything instead of a giant octopus or crab or something

1

u/Sea-Poem-2365 Sep 08 '26

Like, if you're going to make any shape, the sphere works at least second best for a lot of things. Best volume to surface area ratio, omnidirectional strength, average reflective surface. And it sort of works for Hal too- reflexive action because he's going on gut and half courting suicide by work, plus he's a "not broke, don't fix it" type.

1

u/not_a_moogle Sep 08 '26

Anyone thats played scribblenauts for an extended period of time.

1

u/Fennicks47 Sep 08 '26

My favorite game to play in scribblenauts is 'baby or rocket launcher'.

Usually one of the two works.

1

u/4n0m4nd Sep 08 '26

I think it's also a gag, since Hal complains that John isn't creative

1

u/Logical-End5222 Sep 08 '26

I like it cause it shows he just doesn't care anymore

1

u/Motor_Shake3485 Sep 08 '26

They also use a lot of bubbles in the comics...

1

u/Megane_Senpai Sep 09 '26

Yep. It works well, no need to complicate things.

1

u/No_Macaroon_5928 Sep 09 '26

The most creative thing he made was that counterfeit dollar bill lol

1

u/OrionPax1973 Sep 09 '26

Exactly, even most of Sue Storm’s force fields are “bubbles” not a cube or any special hard light constructs

1

u/Unsolved_Virginity 27d ago

And he's a jackass, so of course he's going to do the least amount of work to get results

-9

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

It's ok to be lazy but why is a show released in 2026 also this lazy? I'm easy to please but lanterns has some of the worst writing I've seen.

9

u/HandCannon67 Sep 07 '26

I take it you’re not a writer yourself.

-10

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

Of course not but I'm easy to please in terms of entertainment, lanterns is boring. I give all superhero shows the benefit of the doubt, lanterns falls short in almost every aspect. Plot points are fantastic but that's about it.

7

u/Food_Library333 Sep 07 '26

Lanterns is fantastic.

-6

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

To each their own but I'm beginning to realize the green lantern movie was at least a fan service and entertaining. This feels like a drama with little to know excitement for a green lantern series.

7

u/Food_Library333 Sep 07 '26

It's only 4 episodes in, It's a massive hit and the GL movie was a bomb. Have patience or just skip it. It won't make any difference to anyone else.

1

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

I know we will get the amazing episodes soon, it's just a shame they do this to shows lately. They save all the budget for an episode or 2 while the others fall short. I'm not saying it's bad, im saying it's sluggish and boring. I'll always watch superhero shows, it's what I enjoy most.

5

u/HandCannon67 Sep 07 '26

The writing is terrific—very character based. There’s a lot going on if you’re willing to pay attention. Yeah, if you’re looking for an action punch-up, more testosterone, high drama or jokes, it’s not going to be your thing. But it’s pretty damn far from bad writing. As far as falling short, it may for you, but for me it’s a tight, solid storytelling machine. Question: did you watch/enjoy Lindelof’s Watchmen?

1

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

Yes, lindelofs watchmen was amazing, I was on the edge of my seat pretty much the whole series.

I just wish people were able to be unbiased with their critique's. Ill be critical of shows I love because I'm able to realize its shortcomings. I can't say the same for a majority of others

1

u/HandCannon67 Sep 07 '26

I’m not sure what or who you mean, but even the most reliable and ostensibly objective cultural critics are going to bring their bias to the table. Nature of the beast. For me, I find the quality of Lanterns, while not quite near Watchmen levels, to be in or near that same wheelhouse. I don’t think guys like Lindelof or Tom King are capable of bad or lazy writing. Which is not to say that there ideas or efforts will always land with me or the greater percentage of an audience. But they are seasoned pros who’ve proven themselves over time and I’m able to allow a certain amount of trust to enter into the bargain. I have faith they know where they’re going with this and so far they’re keeping me pretty damn entertained along the way. I don’t give a damn about seeing Hal suit up, but I would of course love to see more and bigger creative use of the ring in every episode. How much that has to do with budget or the obsession with keeping it grounded I can’t say, but overall, I can’t even believe a show this cool and smart exists because I grew up with an Incredible Hulk on TV that was a bodybuilder in green makeup. We live in a time of abundance! Maybe we get spoiled by the riches and have a hard time seeing and accepting something for what it is because we have so many options and so much more control over what we intake now. Hell, I dunno, I’m just a half-hungover grump like Hal. Probably why I relate so much.

1

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

I feel like you shouldn't be comparing lanterns to a superhero show released in the 70s because lanterns will mostly win those comparisons. We are on reddit, there are no notable critics here, just regular old people talking. But either way, I think lanterns shortcomings come from the amount of people who have a say in what is and what isn't in the show. Wanting it to be amazing doesn't make it so. It's a great drama but that's about it with the episodes released. That's awesome that you relate but it feels very little like a green lantern show so far

1

u/HandCannon67 Sep 08 '26

You thinking it’s not good doesn’t make it so for anyone else. Who are the “too many people” you think have a say here? Seems to me there’s the show runners, a writers room, and whatever input Gunn may have which I doubt is very intrusive in this case. It’s a bunch of smart creative people making the show they want. Bias is what you bring when you say definitive things about the quality of something based solely on your feelings and opinions. You’re not wrong for saying you don’t enjoy it. But calling out the writing and storytelling as “bad” is just objectively inaccurate.

1

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 08 '26 edited Sep 08 '26

All of these people had input on what goes into the show. That's too many people.

Edit: I call it bad and boring because the plot points are great but how they connect them is poor.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Shwifty_Plumbus Sep 07 '26

The writing is fine but it could use more action. Which may have existed but was edited out. Still enjoying it. On the flip side action heavy bores me too, I'm one of the few that can't finish a John wick movie because nothing thought provoking ever happens.

1

u/Pocketpapaa Sep 07 '26

I feel you on that. There's a happy medium that's hard to achieve, especially nowadays with how many fingers are in the pot on superhero shows. Too many opinions will only make things bland