The Lanterns TV show is making waves. It’s one of the first major TV shows in the DC Universe, and it brings to life two of the biggest heroes in DC as they battle for the only title up for grabs. Instead of a bombastic sci-fi epic, this series is a grounded murder mystery, with its focus split between the ongoing threat of a Manhunter posing as a civilian and the looming, building tension between Johan Stewart and Hal Jordan as they clash over which of them should be Green Lantern by the end of this. This series is a wonderful show that explores the personalities that drive each of its main cast.
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John Stewart is the central character, having been chosen by the Guardians as Hal’s backup and, in reality, replacement. He’s a man who is constantly being controlled by someone and who can never truly be honest, but one moment that showed who he really is came when he donned the ring and created a bird construct. This bird is massively important to his character, becoming one of the most emotional twists in the series thus far, but what we’re here to talk about is how it could set up the greatest joke of all with Hawkgirl in Man of Tomorrow.
The Meaning of Birds
In Lanterns, John’s connection to birds stems from his childhood. He was trained to become the next Green Lantern since he was five years old, and to keep him in line, his parents told him that the Guardians were watching him through the eyes of birds. John grew up thinking of birds as proof that he was being watched, that the Guardians were following his progress. However, when he walked in on his mother failing to make contact with the Guardians, she admitted that she made this up to make him feel like the Guardians were there. Even though he learned the truth, he never stopped noticing birds or seeing them as signs of his progress.
This twist was truly emotional and gave us great insight into John as a character, but it also has the potential to be absolutely hilarious. See, John’s last starring role in a TV show was in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons, where he had a romance with Hawkgirl. Their relationship defined both of their characters, even when it was revealed that Hawkgirl was an undercover agent for an alien invasion. Their love for each other saved the world and stopped a war. In the cartoon, it was beautiful, but if it happened on the big screen, it would be really, really funny.
Love, Wings, and a Future Tomorrow
Man of Tomorrow is the perfect place for this hilarious love to blossom, given that both John and Hawkgirl are slated to appear in some capacity. They could easily develop or have already developed a rapport and relationship off-screen. It’s just too perfect, given that John has such a storied connection to birds. He’s spent his entire life looking at birds as signs that he was advancing, that he was proving he deserved to be a Green Lantern. If he got with Hawkgirl, then it would take on a whole new meaning as he would quite literally love a bird. It’s not quite the same, of course, but it is definitely something he’d have to wonder about, and something Guy would definitely call out if he knew.
Of course, the DCU’s Hawkgirl and the DC Animated Universe’s Hawkgirl are different characters in more ways than one. In the DCU, Hawkgirl is the most popular version, featuring Kendra Saunders, who is the human reincarnation of the ancient spirit of Hawkgirl. The DCAU’s Hawkgirl is actually Shayera Thal, who is a winged alien known as a Thanagarian. She’s also a reincarnation of the same spirit, but she served as a loyal soldier to her people and is, ironically, with Hawkman, traditionally. Still, at the end of the day, audiences remember Green Lantern and Hawkgirl together, and they have the setup for one hilarious way to make it happen.
As of right now, it’s too early to say whether John Stewart and Hawkgirl would be together, but if they were, I can’t help but think we’d all get a good laugh out of it. What do you think of this potential relationship? Let us know in the comments below!
