When I was 11 or 12, I took a lot of flak from a gym teacher for drawing a Green Lantern ring on my finger. (I also got in serious trouble for using that same finger for a rude gesture, but that’s another matter.) Ever since that time, up until DC editorial made Hal Jordan into such a putz, I enjoyed the concept of the Green Lantern ring, even wondering who would wear it best. Certain Saturn Girl would make one hell of a Lantern, as would Stephen Strange… Heck, part of me thinks that the idea of Green Lantern Tyrion Lannister would be a hoot, except for that whole “honest” thing, which leads us to today’s sight-escaping query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) thinks that the idea of The Sixth Doctor in possession of a Green Lantern ring to be somewhat terrifying, asking: What fictional character (of any origin) would be the most formidable Green Lantern of all?
19 Comments
My inner 13 year old wants to say Tommy Oliver, but I’m not sure present day me would agree. He could certainly handle the powers, but I don’know if a hard light Dragonzord is the best use of the power ring, cool as it may be.
I think Peter Parker would be a great Lantern. He is not only intelligent and creative, he also understands the responsibility of wielding great power.
Since (to my understanding) the ring utilises the bearer’s willpower to make their imagination come to life, you need someone strong in will and imagination, but ‘lacking’ in strength and skills to need a ring in the first place. So someone like The Batman (remember, it’s always ‘THE Batman’, not just ‘Batman’), while a great choice at first glance, doesn’t really need a ring. It would just be another weapon to him, and therefore in the way.
So I’d go with either –
Reed Richards, who in the early days was always begging the team to buy him time until he can finish his latest invention in battle. Now that time is cut down considerably. (I would have said Tony Stark, but I remember Iron Lantern too well.)
or
Frank Castle.
(As an aside, I wouldn’t call him ‘formidable’, but it would be fun to see George the Prince Regent with a power ring, just to see his servants
Mr. E. Blackadder and Baldrick deal with the repercussions!)
The thought of Prince George with a Green Lantern ring is a truly terrifying one fortunately I doubt he’d be considered worthy.
Blackadder himself would probably make a good yellow lantern and I can picture the eternally optimistic Baldrik as a blue larntern.
Professor Charles Xavier.
With his ability to read minds he could easily see what would be the most frightening and devastating thing to construct. If you were afraid of spiders he would know it and make a construct of the thing at the end of the It movie. No one would stand a chance.
Plus he could make all sorts of cool modes of transport for himself.
Ooh. I really like the idea of a psychic Lantern.
Abdul Ghaffar Khan would be an awesome Green Lantern, if he were not a real person.
Quasar and Ken Connel (Starbrand) would be obvious choices, of course. So would some interactions of Wonder Woman.
Hmm… Doc Savage, Iron Fist, Colossus…
Make it Iron Fist. With a proper writer it is an awesome run waiting to happen.
Walter Mitty. All that will and imagination finally given an outlet.
Black Bolt, leader of the Inhumans, this is a guy who has to keep himself from *talking* or destroy pretty much everything around him.
That takes a ton of will power and since he’s already ridiculously powerful he would be pretty OP.
Jabber jaw….because nyuck nyuck HAMMERFINS!
The Man with the Yellow Hat (from Curious George) Color irony!
Kermit the frog. Now it’s deadly to be green.
Vril Dox II, leader of L.E.G.I.O.N. He has a 12th level intellect and few scruples.
DOOM!
That is all that needs to be said.
This is true, regardless of context.
Atticus Finch.
I feel, with absolute certainty, that there could be no greater Green Lantern than Steve Rogers himself.
First – Batman would’ve been my first choice, but we’ve seen him with a ring. Like Ollie when HE used the ring, there’s too much cynicism and distrust in Batman to be able to channel into it the belief and willpower into the ring necessary to really fuel it. He’d always be asking, “But what if it stops working?” and the very asking of that question would weaken anything he’d try to do with it.
Steve Rogers, however – has, firstly, proved to be one of the paragons of willpower. And of focus, and discipline, which one needs while trying not to let your gigantic green hammer turn into the pizza you’re kinda craving.
He’s shown more trust and faith in abstract concepts than Batman ever will – I’m certain he could put his faith into a ring.
And thirdly- Kyle Rayner’s had me convinced, the best Lanterns are artist Lanterns. Steve Rogers is an artist, it’s always been an aspect of him I’ve wanted to see explored more. So yes. Let the next Marvel/DC crossover give Steve a green ring. And Wonder Woman a Mjolnir.
They’ll need all the help they can get when a red ring finds the Hulk.
Close the thread, we have a winner! You’re absolutely right, Armaan: Steve Rogers is the absolutely perfect candidate, for all of the reasons you just said. He has all of the willpower, imagination, and determination it would take to make one of the greatest Lanterns of all time.
(I really want to read this comic now!)
The only exception to your Batman issue that springs to my mind is the version from “Batman: In Darkest Knight” where Abin Sur’s ring found Bruce rather than Hal, and I believe he had yet to become Batman at that point. He did well enough with the ring that when he defied a direct order from a Guardian, they recruited Flash, Wonder Woman and Superman and gave them power rings to stop him. But this isn’t quite the same as Batman getting a power ring any other time when he had already been Batman for a while, so I do otherwise agree with your reasoning.
Dagny Taggart, hands down, greatest Strength of Will of all
Or otherwise some version of Kal-El
One candidate springs to mind, a fearless and cunning warrior whose indomitable will is tempered by compassion loyalty and a sense of justice. Someone who takes strange visitors from exotic cultures in his stride and always uses his power to help others.
I am of course talking about Asterix the Gaul, a truly worthy hero by Toutatis!