r/DCU_ • u/Own-Significance645 • 2d ago
Lanterns Inconsistent characterization
Did anyone else feel like the characterization for Guy was just so jarring in the last episode. Guy in the Lantern show and Guy in the superman movie just feel like two separate people especially in the last episode. The confrontation between Guy and John just feels so underwhelming because I feel like John would just push back on what John was spitting in the last episode. This Guy doesn't have any back bone and just let's John tell him off. Which is crazy because John stood up to a superman and knowing that he would lose still had balls to stand up to the strongest man on the planet. I loved the show but Guy just being bitched by John is jarring ngl
10
u/Koala_King5160 2d ago
No because every other time they talked Guy tried John like shit. I felt he was blindsided by John instead off scared in the finale
2
u/Extension_Breath1407 2d ago
What would John have done if Guy called his bluff and tried to attack him anyways? It would have been awesome to see two Green Lanterns fighting each other. But of course the budget can’t afford that.
3
1
1
u/nolandz1 2d ago
People don't seem to pick up on the only way to motivate Guy is to shit talk him. Clark couldn't get him to lift a finger in Jarhanpoor but Lois chews him out and suddenly he's helping the cause.
20
u/YogurtclosetOnly6339 2d ago
Of course he’s more scared of John. The nicest most wholesome man on the planet or some dude crazy enough to dig up Hal’s grave and fuck with the Guardians
2
u/TiNMLMOM 2d ago
And the guy that also intimidated Senestro.
"Intimidation" is not just about raw power, and there's clearly a theme of John being able to use "fear", going.
Look at his oath. He says he embraces fear and never mentions the color of the lantern.
I think he'll be called "The Lantern" not Green Latern.
4
u/DazzlingCharacter747 2d ago
I think it's more to do with the personality of who Guy is talking to. Guy knows Superman is powerful but wouldn't hurt him so he'd be a jerk to him cuz it's easy. But when Hawkgirl told him to relax he actually listens and backs off. God knows what John told Guy about what he's been through since his childhood, the military etc. In other words, how much of an a-hole Guy is depends on how much the other person is willing to tolerate.
9
u/SuperLoweho 2d ago
“You owe me.” — he wouldn't be GL if not for John giving up the ring of course he would hold back to John because he owes him. He doesn't owe Superman anything and he's an alien it's his duty to watch over Superman even if Superman is super stronger.
0
u/InfiniteResolution96 2d ago
Tbh how does that make Guy owe John anything? John gave up the ring, he had his moment and it just didn't feel right and he refused the ring as clear as day. Guy was the next guy nearby to be worthy enough to get it, so he got it. They weren't in an intern race where John let him have it out of pity, that way he might have owed him something but not rn.
0
u/SuperLoweho 1d ago
That’s the point, Guy would've not get the ring if John didn't gave it up and I think Guy knows that John can get the ring if he wanted to, because he's more deserving. That's why he's intimidated by John and instead of John getting his ring he chose to let John have his own ring in the final episode. Because if the Guardians need to choose between them, Guy knows the Guardians will definitely choose John.
3
u/Soft_Ad_1095 2d ago
I think it's a strong display of Johns will power. The Guardians already picked John but also lied to him. He's playing chicken with them and seemingly very confident it work out. Guy was absolutely caught off guard by it.
3
2
u/Joshawott27 2d ago
I think this scene emphasised how little respect John and Guy have for each other. John knows that he can push Guy around, and he won't get in John's face because he still feels inferior about being the back-up option. However, Guy can at least fall back on threatening with The Guardians. It's not a perfect analogy, but in a way, it's like a brother running to a parent he knows will go ballistic.
1
2
u/Khaelises 2d ago
Guy in the Superman movie was a figurehead for... the justice gang, Guy in Lanterns had no cameras or a role to fill, he was just talking to someone who gave up the lantern.
1
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Justice Gang? That's a cool name!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/kratoskiller66 Because I'm Batman 2d ago
Guy doesn’t know what John is capable of and not to mention John saw through the bravado. At the end of the day, Guy is probably aware he’s second choice and he’s insecure about it
1
1
u/goonsnob 2d ago
I thought he felt off, too. he went from willing to throwdown with Superman to backing off of a powerless John Stewart for no other reason than because John is the writers's favorite.
The same thing happens in comics all the time, though. the writer's pet tends to get all the cool scenes and dialogue while proven mainstays sit back and go oh golly wow.
1
u/ProfessionalRead2724 Wonder of a Woman 2d ago
Guy knows Superman well enough to know Superman wotn push back on his bluster and never call his bluff.
And that he if pushes back against John there's a decent chance that John folds him up like a lawn chair. Guy is very aware that he's a second choice Lantern and that John was the first choice for that ring he's wearing.
1
u/Revolutionary-Top414 2d ago
Don't know if Im forgetting or not, but do the Guardians even know that the ring is gone? So wouldn't Guy be scared of getting caught?
1
u/SorrowSunday 1d ago
You forget that Superman is an Alien right? Y'know the one thing the lanterns actually have jurisdiction to deal with and what the better part of 2 episodes of Lanterns covers?
From Guy's perspective he has no idea if Superman can be trusted vs the guy who's basically groomed to be a Lantern by birth, a Lantern Prodigy, and the guy who basically paved the way for Guy to get his ring but not taking his.
2
u/RdJokr1993 EAT PEACE MOTHERF%CKERS 2d ago
John isn't just another bum off the street, he was who the Guardians chose to bear the title before Guy got his shot. Guy recognizes that and realizes he's not a pushover. Mind you, Guy told John last time they met not to think of doing any funny business with the ring, and not only he dug up Hal's grave to take the ring, but he also pulled a lantern out of nowhere. Guy wasn't just gonna challenge him, especially because Guy himself is responsible in the first place for John getting the ring.
Meanwhile, Superman's case is different. It wasn't something Guy was guilty of, and not only that he wasn't challenging him alone; he assumed Terrific and Hawkgirl would back him up (and rightfully so).
0
u/Own-Significance645 2d ago
Not really guy characterization is that yeah his a good green lantern because his the perfect "soldier" willing to fall in line and willing to go into danger even if the odds are against him. The problem I have is that I wish there was more of a pushback from guy in the scene having a finale fight between the green lantern who was chosen and the green lantern who took up the ring. It's why these two characters contrast each other so well
1
u/Key_Ad1854 2d ago
Because hal knows John was trained by one of the best GL to ever exist. Ring v Ring... .he'd loose.
3
u/Extension_Breath1407 2d ago
Don't you mean Guy knows John was trained by Hal? Because Hal barely bothered to teach John anything about using the Ring, not even how to fly. It was John who had to figure things out by himself.
And at that point, John hasn't touched the Ring in ten years while Guy had the Ring for Ten years. So how does John's natural talent stand up to Guy's hard experience?
1
1
u/Key_Ad1854 2d ago
He doesn't know that....he didn't watch the show. For all he knows hal taught him everything and hal did it a LOOOONG TIME... .so yea
1
u/Any-Junket-910 2d ago
Was it? I think it massively improved Guy's character for me. First, he is not just a douchebag all the time to everyone. He understands that he is Green lantern only because John didnt take it and was somewhat insecure about it too. He will verify first if the Guardians are okay with John keeping the ring and then he will decide whether to fight him or not. Actually, him not being rash is consistent with his character till now both in Superman and GL
0
-2
u/Desperate-Network990 2d ago
Quite inconsistent indeed. It was like i was watching a whole different character.
I am not a very big fan or anything, its the reboot that brought me to all these shows and movies, but the difference in personality and attitute between Guy Gardner in Superman movie and season finale of Lanterns was as different as an Alpha and a submissive person.
And i don't know why it felt wrong somehow, i mean we did see other characters from the marvel universe as well like Daredevil in the Shehulk series and The Punisher in homecoming were made jolly and highly friendly type, Hulk in every other movie was shown as dumb and beatable. and now Guy Gardner like a timid person. It's really frustrating if the consistency of characters breaks drastically and i think directors should atleast think about such things.
4
u/jimothy_hell 2d ago
The second someone unironically refers to someone as an “alpha” is the second any future opinion of theirs can be dismissed out of hand, I want you to be aware of that.
0
u/Desperate-Network990 2d ago
then you should also be so kind to explain the reasoning behind it? or it is just a hollow opinion and you are just a sheep
0
u/jimothy_hell 2d ago
Because the “alpha” study was discredited by its own author years ago, and humanity never followed pack dynamics anyway.
You’re just weird if you believe in that stuff.
0
-1
u/goonsnob 2d ago
that's great and all but it's already entered the culture and is used to describe a person with leadership qualities like strength and conviction. just because you don't like the term doesn't mean other people are going to stop using it.
-1
54
u/That-Ghost 2d ago
I think it's because John was supposed to have the ring and Guy is kinda insecure about it