Lanterns– The Jordan Boys’ Legacy: Yesterday’s Apology, is Not Today’s Atonement

For about half the season of Lanterns, we’ve seen Hal Jordan treat John Stewart, the replacement, disguised as a backup that was forced upon him by the Guardians, like an utter nuisance. The two had been working together for months. When Hal spoke to Sinestro, his former mentor, who knew what was up, Hal called John too perfect. That he was 31 flavors of boring, all tasting the same. However, proximity is a funny thing. When Antaan took John captive, thinking he was “close” with Hal, John informed him that he and Hal “weren’t even close to being close.” And yet, when John finally made a joke about not being let into Disneyland for fear he would kill the vibe, and then found out John was enrolled in art school, Hal Jordan’s interest in him was piqued. It isn’t until Lanterns’ “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy” after Hal’s passing that we see just how he felt about John Stewart. Which is so very fitting for Hal Jordan’s personality. At Hal’s funeral, Carrol Ferris, a long-time on-again, off-again boss and lover of Hal Jordan, asked John to read Hal’s eulogy. Carol told John she could tell Hal liked him, and that Hal probably never let him know. I feel the same could almost be said to a degree about John Stewart and the way he saw Hal. When John’s mother said Hal wanted to apologize for what happened, he drove from Midway City, Michigan, to Rushville, Nebraska, which is about a 17-hour trek. John dropped everything and made that trip immediately. You don’t do that for anyone without…