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5 Times Green Lantern (John Stewart) Popped The Trunk to Prove He’s The Best Sniper In The DC Universe

You can’t tell me Green Lantern, John Stewart, isn’t the coldest member in the Green Lantern Corp. Period. John Stewart got more bodies on him than any C.I.A. plot. You don’t hear me, Green Lantern John Stewart of space sector 2814.2 is really, really with the shits. There are few Green Lanterns that have made harder calls or gotten their hands dirtier. This stems from John Stewart’s background as a sniper for the U.S. Marines.

When Stewart got on the roster for Justice League: The Animated Series cartoon, he was given a military backstory along with his architecture background. This was retconned into his comic books origin as well. Maaaaaan, listen. Under Geoff Johns, Stewart becomes an insanely talented Sniper. I’m talking Call of Duty “who’s that camping out” level talent. “Oh my god, I don’t even hear the shots” level talent. John Stewart out here watching John Wick movies before missions where he gotta bend the block. Leon from The Professional would say, “Jesus Johnny” watching Stewart work. When John Stewart loads the clip, somebody gots to fucking go.

 

Who John Stewart shot ya!

 

I spent a weekend going over John Stewart’s best sniper shots. It’s safe to say, John Stewart is Bret “The Hitman” Hart with the choppa. He shot off fellow corpsman, Isamot Kol’s arm (he’s a lizard-like alien, so it grew back) in order to free him from an enemy. Dude threw hands with a planet full of zombies with Uzi’s, AR’s, and grenades. I mean, who does that? In New 52 universe when Highfather, the ruling New God of New Genesis started wylin’, John Stewart went up to him and made the hardest declaration in the game.

Stewart stepped to a god and told’em he’ll leave his whole block full of lead. My man said, fuck Deathstroke, Deadshot, David Cain, and Lady Shiva. I’m the greatest assassin in the universe. In the universe my g. Again, who the fuck does that?! Let’s run the tape back and watch some of John Stewart’s best 3 pointers with a sniper rifle from behind the arc.


“Tell ’em, if they want it, they can come get that (static)..
See me, they salute me, they ain’t ready for that (static)
Detroit vs. Everybody”

Green Lantern Corps Special #1, Vol. 1

Let’s start with the shits. This was the first reference to John Stewart’s origin utilizing the military retcon from the cartoons. I was going to save this shit for last but nah-nah-nah-nah-nah (no Batman) we here now. When Sinestro built up his corps and waged war on the universe, Oa was under attack by Sinestro Corps member Bedovian. As you can see, he was their sniper. This dude was mowing down Green Lanterns, son was knocking their Christmas lights out (just the green ones), eating Green Lanterns up like fucking skittles (again, just the green ones). Everybody was getting clocked until John Stewart brought out the choppa.

The hardest part about this aside from John flying straight up to find the enemy sniper with no cover fire or shelter is that John Stewart is so meticulous, that when he forms the sniper rifle, you’ll see every single nut and bolt that goes into assembling it. Hal Jordan mentioned in Green Lantern: Rebirth, everything John builds is solid (due to his architect background), no construct is hollow. He builds from the inside out. This guy assembled the choppa, spotted Bedovian and clapped him.

You may be like, okay that’s pretty standard. Here’s the thing, Bedovian was hiding three sectors away. The DC Comics universe is divided into 3,600 sectors (section of space), John spotting dude three sectors over is roughly akin to spotting him hiding three galaxies away. Are you fucking serious? Are you fucking kidding me right now? Cold. Cold as fuck. This is the shot that (to me at least) put John Stewart’s name in the rankings as one of the best marksmen in DC Universe and if we keeping it desert eagle, comics. Period.


“Put it to his head and said, ‘You’re scared, ain’t ya?’
He said, ‘Hustler for death. No heaven for a gangsta'”

Green Lantern #49, vol. 4

Let me dim the lights and set the mood for this one for yall that don’t know John Stewart’s struggle. In DC Comics mini-series Cosmic Odyssey (1988), John Stewart and Martian Manhunter had to stop a bomb designed to destroy the planet Xanshi. John Stewart (written out of character) was arrogant and left Martian Manhunter behind to get to the bomb faster and take care of it. When he arrived, he sees the bomb was painted yellow. At the time the Green Lantern’s rings were powerless against the color.

Yeah, the planet exploded and that mistake has haunted John for years. Years later during the Blackest Night, where the dead were coming back to life across the universe, the planet Xanshi reappears. John is walking on Xanshi when he is warned by (the not really dead, not really alive) Green Lantern Driq that the entire planet of Xanshi is coming for him. My guy, that’s billions of aliens coming to deliver John Stewart’s fade. This shit was looking like The Walking Dead meets I Am Legend.

Driq is telling John he gotta cook up something. So what ya mans and them do? John Stewart Took Driq’s Green Lantern Power Battery (what they use to charge their rings) and used that shit like a propane tank. First of all, I ain’t know you could turn them shits into an atom bomb like that. Secondly, who the fuck thinks of that shit? John Stewart did that shit without an ounce of fear in his heart.

John Stewart, cooler than Bobby Drake with the AC on, told ayebody to step up. When that wasn’t enough and Green Lantern Katma Tui, John’s dead wife joined the fray, we learned how back in his marine days, in a nameless war back on Earth, he murked mad folks saving a dead partner. I’m talking that scene in Tombstone with Wyatt Earp walking into the river shouting “No.” repeatedly on god mode taking ayebody out. This was to reveal his fear of dying alone in a foreign land. Listen, that ain’t phase the gawd. John really sat there and squared up with billions of zombies before realizing the big picture and retreating. Your favorite Green Lantern ain’t fucking with that much gangsta, man.


“I have no problem killing like sent assassins
They temper’s bad when my temper’s graphic”

Futures End: Green Lantern Corps #1

We’re in my zone ight now. This story takes place in a possible future where John Stewart is Stone Cold Steve Austin with the compassion. Compassion is a bullet as far as John knows. He’s older, grizzled, and takes on suicide missions for the Green Lantern Corps. My man is a myth in this future, they know’em as John “Wick” Stewart. When there’s a rescue mission that needs to happen, John reluctantly takes it. This is in order to save some teammates and take down a teammate that he trained who betrayed the Corps.

I fuck with this so heavy as it’s rooted in John’s sniper background and his lore as a sniper is fleshed out even more before us. Snipers usually work with a spotter to help them with the variables when lining up the shot for their targets such as range, wind speed, weather, etc. This is the first time we see John work with one.

Listen, this dude rained down lead on these cats. I’m talking a shower of emerald bullets. Straight Man Green Lantern on Fire. The enemies didn’t even have time to react to the shots. What the fuck are we even really talking about? Future hardcore “Come fuck with your boy” John Stewart is a fucking animal man. The coldest shit is the callback to all that compassion that John used to have when the mark wants mercy, and John is like, “Nah, wrong number.” Stories like this are why a slight retcon can lead to so much good material. This is one of the few moments where we see just how good of an assassin John Stewart is. My man is the Green Lantern Corps’ silent death.


“I asked him if it’s easy to kill, he said hardly
Killed a n**** in the club, took the life out the party, huh?”

Green Lantern Corps #60, Vol 2.

When The Mad Guardian, Krona, returned he contaminated The Green Lantern Corps. The worst of this deeds was infecting The Green Lantern Mogo. Mogo is a sentient planet when a corps member dies, Mogo is the one that designates their ring to find a replacement from the same section (sector) of the universe as their predecessor. Krona infected Mogo and made it so that all the new recruits turned into murderers upon receiving a ring. John Stewart wielding the Indigo lantern (able to tap into all emotional spectrums for power) and Kyle Rayner wielding a Blue Lantern (powered by hope) tried to save Mogo but every second was costing them thousands of lives all across the universe. After exasperating every option, there was only one left. Mogo had to be taken out.

This caused a big rift between Kyle and John. This was the Idealist vs the realist, Kyle kept wanting to find another way but John knew this is what had to be done. The longer they hoped for a solution the more people were being corrupted and killed across the universe. John channeled the power of a Black Lantern and this guy created a fucking Gundam level sniper rifle to send Mogo off.

Now John Stewart had to kill a Green Lantern before when his team was captured and tortured, the rookie was about to give up intel on their headquarters, OA. Information that could be used to compromise the Corps. John apologized then snapped dude’s neck. So, yeah, John use to making the toughest fucking calls in the field. Kyle Rayner ain’t about that life, John does what needs to be done because he can handle it and he is willing to make the sacrifice.

Mogo is the friendliest Lantern and the one everyone goes to when they need advice or to overcome an obstacle. This was a heart-wrenching scene and John’s most reluctant kill to date. I saw this shit go down and was like damn, and also — this dude killed a fucking planet with a sniper rifle construct… who the fuck does that?! Also no worries Mogo was able to form himself back together better, stronger, and good as new a few issues later with John Stewart and Yrra’s help.

“My homie’s a magician with the Tec
Make your chain disappear and reappear on his neck”

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #28

This shot right here is the reason I even wrote this entire article. Why I went back through years of John’s sniper constructs. The scene takes place in the Rebirth era of DC comics. The New Gods are being hunted by these giant metal golems that won’t stop attacking until they’ve eliminated their targets. Highfather enlists the aide of the Green Lanterns, John Stewart discovers that Yuga Khan is at the heart of this attack and the golems are trying to free him from the source wall. John brought the fight to the source and Hal Jordan appears with Highfather and inadvertently discovers the weak spot in the golems.

One Golem adjusts his weak spot causing Highfather to charge in to create an opening, possibly sacrificing himself. Where John and Guy took out the previous golems in a big fashion, the tear in the armor Highfather creates is so small and precise, that you know it’s a game-winning shot only John can make. Listen, don’t talk to me about finesse unless we’re speaking about John Stewart getting in his zone for the buzzer beater. You already know when he starts talking about space eliminating all the factors that hinder a sniper, it’s game over. Look at ya man, look at ya mans and dem. One shot through a hole barely bigger than a fucking bullet. Are you serious? That golem exploded and John was shouting, “Kobe” like he just hit a three.


You’re not going to get it any cooler than that right there. John Stewart is the Green Lantern that hits the crucial three-pointer. John Stewart lives behind the arc. Don’t talk to me about cooler than the other side of an ice cream sandwich unless you’re talking about John Stewart cocking the canon. If you’re speaking on Green Lanterns then you must be talking about the truth, John Stewart, coming through in the clutch (no Michael Kors).

Let it be know, that first and foremost, we’re not discussing the best sniper’s in the game unless it’s John Stewart giving you the Sam Champion weather man run down on it being a perfect day in space to get ride the lead zeppelin. I’m not hearing it. When y’all mention marksmen in comics, you better put John Stewart at the top of the list. He’s done playing around with yall. I ain’t telling you no lies, I put that on everything cause I got nothing but respect for my Green Lantern Corps leader.

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