Warning! Spoilers ahead for Green Lantern: War Journal #12!John Stewart may be the most powerful Green Lantern Whoever it was, he was sure that one novice hero was going to reach heights that Stewart never could. As Stewart's latest adventure comes to a close, he shares his thoughts on one of the most powerful allies he's ever had.
The past year has seen the DC Universe invaded by the Radiant Dead, terrifying extensions of the old god Olgrun's will. But John has ventured to the far reaches of space to put an end to Olgrun's mad work and at his side is someone Stewart believes has the potential to be the strongest Green Lantern that ever existed.
Green Lantern's apprentice Kaolan Shepherd could surpass John Stewart
in Green Lantern: War Journal #12 By Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Montos, Adriano Lucas and Dave Sharpe, John Stewart has just been joined by Guy Gardner and newbie lantern Caolán Shepherd. John has just rebuilt the Necropolis that once stood several millennia ago and is preparing to return the Dark Star Ring to its rightful place and cut Olgun off from the rest of the DC Universe. Unfortunately, Ajna, the revenant queen, Will not let Green Lantern seal Olgrun away and unleash the full power of the Radiant Host to stop him.
Guy comments on Caolán's lack of experience in the field, but John defends the rookie...
John, Guy and Caolan, along with the rest of the survivors who have been marooned in the orbit of the Dark Star of the Fen, fight back against the haunting constructs of the Revenant Queen. The radiant host works tirelessly to destroy the crypt and kill the old god Bila to stop the gravity storm that has been keeping what is left of Olgrun in his dimension. While all hell is breaking loose in the necropolis, Green Lantern successfully commands his team as he prepares to return the Dark Star Ring And end the nightmare.
The Radiant Host breaks through the building and a giant Elchurch monster comes for the lanterns. Green Lantern Shepherd confronts the construct, only to be rescued by Gardner and Stewart. Guy comments on Caolán's lack of experience in the field, but John defends the rookie, Saying that the young Green Lantern can do things John couldn't at his age. Bachelor agrees to cut Caolán some slack and the Lanterns continue in their mission to return the Ring and stop Olgrun.
Who is Green Lantern Shepherd and what makes him so powerful?
Unlike John and Guy, Caolán comes from another world in the DC Multiverse. His home was one of the first ones attacked by the Revenant Queen and the Radiant Dead. Shepherd was one of the last surviving Green Lanterns in his universe, along with a god-like John Stewart. The two stopped the Revenant Queen from extinguishing the green light, but not before she escaped into the multiverse. Shepherd was tasked with following her to whatever land she traveled to and teaming up with his John Stewart to finish her off for good.
Caolán Shepherd makes his debut in the backup story of Green Lantern #1 (2023)!
Shepherd traveled to the Prime Earth and began hunting down the Radiant Dead, using unique constructs such as close-quarters combat weapons and fantasy creatures. Shepherd eventually found the Prime John, only after he was infected by the Radiant Dead. Thankfully, Caolán was able to save John's life by pulling them in The Space Between Moments, a liminal void outside of time created by Shepherd's Green Lantern power ring. Despite worshiping John as a hero in the world of shepherds, Caolan was disappointed that his idol was nowhere near the legend he recalled.
However, Shepherd and Stewart quickly became allies. Shepherd even showed John how he could cure his Radiant Dead infection by performing a 'soul trek' and using his power ring to venture into Green Lantern's own mind. John was equally impressed that Caolán figured out how to give each of his Green Lantern constructs individual feelLater inspiring the older Green Lantern to create one of his own. The two pursued the Radiant Dead together and made some real headway until Stewart was kidnapped by the Revenant Queen to turn John into a vessel for Olgrun.
Could Shepherd be the strongest Green Lantern one day?
It takes a lot to impress someone like John Stewart. Not only is the man one of the most seasoned Green Lantern vets in the DC Universe, but he also has more power than ever thanks to absorbing a powerful phenomenon known as a Godstorm. Throughout Green Lantern: War Journal, John has fought armies single-handedly, stayed away from being converted to the Radiant Dead and gone toe to toe with the remains of an ancient and powerful old god. yet Green Lantern is still impressed by what he saw in Caolán Shepherd.
If Shepherd never made the trek to the prime DC Universe, John Stewart would surely be dead.
To be fair, John is absolutely right. Shepherd has done things that fans have never seen from other Lanterns. Creating the Space Between Moments saved John from being turned into one of the Radiant Dead and the Soul Trek was crucial to John conquering his infection. If Shepherd never made the trek to the prime DC Universe, John Stewart would surely be dead. Fortunately, Caolán came and in doing so, The elder Green Lantern discovers someone he can potentially mold into the DC Universe's next great hero..
Shepherd is really strong, but he is also young and can be a bit brash (not unlike Guy Gardner). John knows that Green Lanterns like him need someone to guide them in order to truly be one of the greats. Shepherd has already shown considerable growth since he first came to the DC Universe. If John took the rookie under his wing and became his mentor in an official capacity, it is No telling how powerful Green Lantern Kaolan Shepherd could become one day.
John Stewart can bring out the best of Green Lantern Shepherd
Despite the rockiness when they first met, Shepherd respects John. Stewart, in turn, greatly values Caolán and knows that he has the potential to be one of the most powerful Green Lanterns. John has a lot on his plate, but he'd be doing the entire DC Universe a serious boon by continuing to lead Shepherd. Obviously, the world is good with the godly John Stewart around. But it would not hurt for John to mentor Caolán and maximize the potential the senior Green Lantern see
Green Lantern: War Journal #12 is available now from DC Comics.
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