Green Lantern’s Worst Story Was Supposed to Be Way Better

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The storyline ‘Emerald Twilight’ continues to stir debates among fans as one of the most contentious Green Lantern tales ever published. Following Coast City’s devastation, Hal Jordan spiraled into madness, slaughtering the remaining Green Lantern Corps and transforming into the antagonist Parallax. This act marked a dark turn in the life of a major DC character that set Kyle Rayner as the sole Green Lantern. This drastic change is often considered the most devastating character deconstruction in DC Comics history, and that’s saying something. Interestingly enough, this grim narrative wasn’t initially planned; the ‘Emerald Twilight’ we read was an unexpected editorial decision. The original, intended ‘Emerald Twilight’ had the potential to be a more favorably received and potentially superior tale.

Hal, A Hero Through and Through

As a movie critic looking back on Green Lantern #47 from 1990, I recall Hal Jordan grappling with the devastation of Coast City and yearning for a fresh start from his past traumas. In the initial plotline for “Emerald Twilight,” this transition was set to take him back to Oa, seeking a deeper connection within the Green Lantern collective, as he felt Earth was no longer his home. Yet, an unexpected twist unfolded upon his arrival on Oa. A shadowy faction emerged, claiming to be the genuine Guardians of the Universe, while the ones we knew were mere impostors. This revelation was bolstered by the Zamarons, the female counterparts of the Guardians, who surprisingly declared they were expecting what they termed as the Cosmic Children. These entities, they claimed, would possess powers far surpassing their parents and could perform feats almost beyond imagination.

In this scenario, the Green Lantern Corps chose to back these fresh Guardians based on the evidence, yet Hal Jordan relied on instinct and believed that the original Guardians were the genuine ones. This discrepancy led to a physical altercation within the Corps as Hal, fully aware he was abandoning his cherished community after already losing so much, fought tooth and nail against them. Despite this, he couldn’t stand idly by when he wholeheartedly believed in the Guardians he knew, leading him to enter the Central Power Battery for extra strength to confront his former allies. However, it wasn’t sufficient, and he was compelled to escape to Earth. The new Guardians selected Sinestro as their leader, who swiftly transformed them into a disciplined military force under his autocratic reign. He dispatched a team after Hal, encountering him on Earth where they destroyed his ring. Just when Hal thought it was all over, he recalled his father’s advice to always stand tall, even in adversity, and found renewed power. It transpired that his dip in the Power Battery instilled him with Green Light, enabling him to wield his powers without his ring.

Hal managed to fend off his attackers, and later enlisted the help of Earth’s heroes to defeat some cosmic fraudsters. Meanwhile, Sinestro’s rule faced internal unrest within the Corps, causing a war among the Lanterns. When Hal arrived with reinforcements, it was disclosed that the new Guardians were actually illusions created by the villain Krona, disguised as Entropy at the time. To turn the situation around, Entropy exposed that the Guardians had killed Hal’s father to unleash his hidden potential and endure hardship. Despite this revelation, Hal remained loyal to the Guardians and fought against Entropy. However, after the conflict ended, Hal decided he couldn’t continue working for the Guardians due to their actions and chose to become a solo hero instead, paving the way for a new Green Lantern from Earth to be chosen.

Super Different, But Surprisingly Similar

In the initial conception of “Emerald Twilight,” the plot deviated significantly from its final form, but it’s intriguing to observe how many elements were preserved in our interpretation. Hal, just like before, engaged in battles with the Corps, entered the Power Battery for a significant power surge, eventually relinquishing his role as a Green Lantern, and setting the stage for a successor. Originally, Sinestro would have eliminated his Yellow Weakness upon assuming leadership of the Corps, a decision that would have had far-reaching implications throughout the DC Universe. If the Cosmic Children had been presented earlier, they likely would have left an indelible mark on DC’s cosmic mythology. Instead of transforming Hal into a character whose villainous turn seemed illogical, this story would have solidified him as one of the most heroic figures in DC, which is incredibly captivating to consider.

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2025-08-28 17:13