Could someone explain how the lanterns work

[zmartin96]

I hear so many different names: Jordan, baz, Stewart, gardner, etc. Can someone explain the status of all these and the per human lanterns. Do they all have their own comics? Are some dead? Do they exist in different universes? Etc

[Harbinger of Apocalypse]

I hear so many different names: Jordan, baz, Stewart, gardner, etc. Can someone explain the status of all these and the per human lanterns. Do they all have their own comics? Are some dead? Do they exist in different universes? Etc

Originally, the first Green Lantern loosely tied to the Corps was Alan Scott. But since the reboot, he has moved to Earth-2 with a different origin.

Hal Jordan was the first Human Green Lantern Corps member when his Power Ring was given to him by Abin Sur. originally, there was only a single Lantern per sector but Hal... Had s number of replacements. These included John Stewart and Guy Gardner. Then Hal may or may not have died but regardless the Corps was seemingly destroyed and the last Guardian called Ganthet gave the ring to Kyle Rayner. After that, the Guardians and Corps were restored with 4 Earth Lanterns. Used to be two stationed on Earth and 2 on Oa. And recently, Hals gone again and his malfunctioning ring went to Simon Baz.

So Hal, John, Guy, Kyle and Baz are all in the same continuity but their current statuses... Vary. Hal is dead or something, Kyle has been declared a rogue by the Guardians, Guy has been stripped of his ring, John has been sent into deep space on a mission and Baz is now seemingly the only Earth Lantern.

[El Sombrero]

Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and Simon Baz are the Green Lanterns of Earth.

Hal is "dead" along with Sinestro (major alien Green Lantern), but they are really just trapped by Black Hand and are surely coming back. Hal was previously the focus of the main Green Lantern title.

Simon Baz is the new focus of the main Green Lantern title. It's still a little unclear exactly how he got his ring -- sort of an amalgamation of Hal and Sinestro's rings after they "died" -- and he may not be recognized as an "official Green Lantern" by the Guardians of the Universe (the authority figures that lead the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe).

John Stewart and Guy Gardner star in Green Lantern Corps.

Kyle Rayner stars in Green Lantern: New Guardians.

There will also be a new Green Lantern, Jediah Caul, who will star in Threshold.

[Yttrium]

And recently, Hals gone again and his malfunctioning ring went to Simon Baz.

Technically, it was Sinestro's ring. Hal was just borrowing an imitation ring from Sinestro, which merged back into Sinestro's ring when it went to Baz.

[Jadenewt]

The concept of the Green Lanterns is they are a Galactic Police force with each having a sector. So the concept leads to many beings with pretty much the same power set all being called Green Lanterns. (though Kyle is able to access many different Lantern colors which sets him apart from the others)

On Earth 2 which is in a separate dimension there is another Green Lantern named Alan Scott. Who's power set is a bit different than the Prime Earth Green Lanterns. Having gained his ring from the Earth Spirit instead of from a Galactic Peace Keeping group. He is not part of a corp but a solitary figure called Green Lantern.

[Toreador]

Simon Baz is the new focus of the main Green Lantern title. It's still a little unclear exactly how he got his ring -- sort of an amalgamation of Hal and Sinestro's rings after they "died" -- and he may not be recognized as an "official Green Lantern" by the Guardians of the Universe (the authority figures that lead the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe)

I would say that the Guardians don't know about Baz due to the malfunctioning ring and they are pre-occupied with their Third Army invasion plan.

[Although it makes you wonder that if the Guardians were really serious with with shutting down the GL Corps why don't they simply turn off the rings or have them return to Oa abandoning the wearers.]

[Ves]

No. Nobody can explain. Not even the writers, judging by the fact Kyle's origin's been given two different origins in the DCNU already.

[Jadenewt]

No. Nobody can explain. Not even the writers, judging by the fact Kyle's origin's been given two different origins in the DCNU already.

Seems to me that the one was how he first got his ring and the other was when he first received his training with it. Not two separate origins at all.

[CagedLeo730]

I would say that the Guardians don't know about Baz due to the malfunctioning ring and they are pre-occupied with their Third Army invasion plan.

[Although it makes you wonder that if the Guardians were really serious with with shutting down the GL Corps why don't they simply turn off the rings or have them return to Oa abandoning the wearers.]

The Guardians have stopped rings from going to new recruits. They can strip rings from current members but have usually done it in person. Don't think they have that power over long distances. The Guardians are aware of Baz now. They've seen him through the eyes of the Third Army members. I also think that the rings (once created) can't be shut down. They can be de-powered (Alpha Lanterns had that ability) or destroyed but not shut down. The Guardians can harness willpower but can't outright control it. They just have millenia of knowledge over their corpsmen.

[glennsim]

Seems to me that the one was how he first got his ring and the other was when he first received his training with it. Not two separate origins at all.

Exactly. I assumed that once the full Corps was restored, Kyle came to Oa for some formal training.

[havok1977]

Technically, it was Sinestro's ring. Hal was just borrowing an imitation ring from Sinestro, which merged back into Sinestro's ring when it went to Baz.

Yeah thats how it was during the first issues of the relaunched book; but didn't the old alien who was revealed to have started the Indigo Tribe along with Abin Sur end up making Hal's mock ring totally independent?

[BrotherUnitNo_4]

Exactly. I assumed that once the full Corps was restored, Kyle came to Oa for some formal training.

So they reworked Kyle's origin that he needed to get training on Oa?

[Harbinger of Apocalypse]

I forgot on whether it was Hal's ring or Sinestro's which Baz holds. Hmmm. Need to check on that but now that its mentioned I think Hal's ring dissipated and Sinestro's past to Simon Baz. Or so I thought.

Anyway, I would assume Kyle went to Oa for FORMAL training to become a Green Lantern. Nobody cares if you are the lone Green Lantern in the universe so you can do whatever you want. But the Corps itself is a formal organization and there is a reason the likes of Kilowog is an instructor. So, I'd imagine that once the Corps was restored the Guardians were all "Thank you Torchbearer but you must go through basic training to continue being a Green Lantern. Its mandatory."

[havok1977]

I forgot on whether it was Hal's ring or Sinestro's which Baz holds. Hmmm. Need to check on that but now that its mentioned I think Hal's ring dissipated and Sinestro's past to Simon Baz. Or so I thought.

I figure the rings merged and the fact that some Indigo magic is embedded will be the escape valve from this whole mess.

[glennsim]

So they reworked Kyle's origin that he needed to get training on Oa?

They didn't go into enough detail to be clear, but it seems a reasonable explanation for the scene we were shown. Even if it's doing a bit of "no-prizing".