Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, HBO’s ‘Lanterns‘ weaves a whole murder mystery around the eponymous, ring-wielding superheroes first introduced in ‘Superman.’ However, it’s not Hal Jordan, the most famous Lantern, or John Stewart, his soon-to-be replacement, that we meet at first. Instead, Superman’s ally turns out to be the brash, hot-headed Guy Gardner. In this superhero drama TV series, though, the story is not set in Metropolis, but in good old Rushville, Nebraska, and follows Hal and John as they solve a murder mystery that may or may not have extraterrestrial origins. Throughout all of this, however, the one character who remains tantalizingly absent is none other than Guy, which has led fans to wonder whether the “other” Green Lantern will ever show up on the show. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Nathan Fillion Returns as Guy Gardner in Lanterns
Guy Gardner is confirmed to be returning in ‘Lanterns’ season 1 with actor Nathan Fillion stepping back into this iconic role. While the character doesn’t make an appearance in the first episode of the show, this can be explained rather easily. Much of the story so far takes place in 2016, with only one scene at the end jumping ahead to 2026. Guy presumably became a Green Lantern somewhere in between these two years, and given that he appears to be a well-established superhero in ‘Superman,’ set in 2025, the time frame is likely in the 2010s. Though we know little about his role in the series going forward, Nathan has given some insight into how Guy’s role is shaping up in the larger DC universe.
In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Nathan revealed that Guy is even more high-strung in ‘Lanterns’ than the version of him we see in ‘Superman.’ However, the actor also confirmed that his character evolves throughout the show. “Guy Gardner is no longer comfortable. He is no longer feeling smug. Then you can see where John’s strength really lies,” Nathan said. Surprisingly, he also revealed that he doesn’t really share the screen with the actor Kyle Chandler, who plays Hal Jordan. This most likely means that Guy’s scenes are placed in the 2026 sections of the show, with him pairing up with John more so than any other character. However, that doesn’t mean that Nathan is limited in his scope in any way.
Guy Gardner’s Presence Helps Bring the Myriad DCU Projects Together
As ‘Lanterns’ is rated for a mature audience, Nathan has had a rather unique opportunity to do something he’s hardly done before on screen. “I’ve dropped more F-bombs in that project than I have in, I think, my entire career put together,” The ‘Firefly’ and ‘Rookie’ star quipped in his interview with Entertainment Weekly, and it lines up with his remarks about Guy Gardner starting out as a relatively unlikeable figure in the show. Assuming that his part of the story begins around 2026, it would mean that the events of ‘Superman’ have already happened, but the events of ‘Man of Tomorrow’ are yet to take place. Given that actor Aaron Pierce is confirmed to be making an appearance in the ‘Superman’ sequel as John Stewart, alongside Nathan, their camaraderie might shape up to be a highlight in ‘Lanterns.’
On a larger scale, Nathan appears to have reconfigured his role in the DC Universe, comparing Guy’s character to a “mile marker.” This is because Guy’s appearance in ‘Superman,’ ‘Lanterns,’ ‘Mister Miracle,’ and a host of other projects can help viewers chart a timeline of sorts. In his own words to Extra TV, “Guy Gardner is becoming a part of the fabric of this universe.” The fact that Guy has a very complicated arc only makes this more challenging, as creators would need to have a good idea of where he stands on his journey at any given point. We see this play out to great effect in ‘Lanterns,’ and depending on how much screen time Nathan has over the next seven episodes, fans can easily expect Guy to emerge as a highlight not just of the show, but of the broader DCU as a whole.
Read More: Where Was Lanterns Filmed? All Shooting Locations
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