As superhero “teams” go, the Green Lanterns are a bit unique. It’s not simply a matter of having powers and being a hero that gets you on the roster. You have to be chosen. While there have been a few varying paths to being a Green Lantern in comics over the years, the biggest one is that the power ring chooses you, determining you to essentially be worthy by having the traits of willpower and the ability to overcome fear. And, over the years, there have been quite a few characters who have been chosen but this week, a surprising character was selected by the ring and what they do with it is equally as surprising.
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Warning: Spoilers for Wonder Woman #34 beyond this point.
In the most recent issue of Tom King’s Wonder Woman, there are a few things that happen of significance in regard to the Green Lantern Ring. The current Wonder Woman big bad, The Matriarch is a future villain, one who defeated and killed the Justice League and it’s already been revealed that she is the one who kills Wonder Woman. She also has a Green Lantern ring and a flashback in the issue, we find out how she gets it. She beats Green Lantern John Stewart to death off panel and takes his ring. Given that The Matriarch is a figure of incredible will, it isn’t a total surprise but what is interesting is that she isn’t necessarily chosen by it. The ring is constantly rejecting her and she has to fight to keep it.
Wonder Woman Has Been Chosen For a Long Time
That’s where the next part of the story gets interesting. During her fight with The Matriarch, Wonder Woman is able to swipe the ring and, more than that, use it to defeat the villain with just one punch. Wonder Woman doesn’t have to fight with the ring. It’s a natural fit, though she doesn’t even have to use a construct to whoop Matriarch with it. Just one seriously powerful punch does it. So, for a brief moment, Wonder Woman is, more or less, a Green Lantern. What is especially worth noting here is how Wonder Woman gets the ring, though. She captures The Matriarch’s hand and explains how the ring has actually called out to her many, many times and each time, she refused said call because she didn’t need it. Her own weapons and power was enough. It’s only now that she sees the Matriarch with it she thinks she’ll answer the call now and since the ring isn’t actually bonded with The Matriarch as she is not worthy, it freely goes to its real chosen one: Diana.
While Wonder Woman claims the ring during her fight with The Matriarch in which she defeats her, that isn’t necessarily a sign that Wonder Woman is set to be the next Green Lantern. The issue ends with Wonder Woman seemingly about to end her own life. This development calls into question just about everything we thought we knew about where this story was going so now, we have almost more questions than answers. What happens next with the Green Lantern ring? What is Wonder Woman up to? And maybe most importantly, just how powerful is Wonder Woman really if she doesn’t even need a construct in conjunction with the ring to take out The Matriarch? July 15th and Wonder Woman #35 cannot get here fast enough.
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