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Summary
- Hal Jordan’s transformation into Parallax was not his fault, as he was possessed by an alien entity.
- The Justice League harshly judged Hal for his villainous acts, treating him as a traitor.
- Hal’s funeral turnout contradicts his claim of not being remembered as a hero; Batman and Green Arrow played key roles in these events.
It’s not unusual for heroes to sometimes fall into villainy — like when Green Lantern Hal Jordan became the monster Parallax. This heel turn was originally a tragic fall that Hal really had no control over, as he was possessed by Parallax. This fact is made even all the more tragic when Hal points out that his former friends in the Justice League desecrated his grave.
The heartbreaking treatment of Hal Jordan was shown in Blackest Night #0 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. At this moment, as Hal Jordan stands over Batman’s grave, he reflects on his history with Batman and how differently the Justice League viewed their deaths. He even talks about how after the Flash’s death, everyone came out to pay their respects.
The same isn’t true for Hal Jordan. After Hal Jordan’s death at the end of The Final Night, he wasn’t remembered as a hero. Despite sacrificing himself to save Earth, the Justice League only remembered him for his cruel, unhinged actions during the Zero Hour crisis. No one came out for Hal, and it seems members of the Justice League even desecrated his grave after, though the comic does not show what this entails.
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The Justice League Never Forgave Hal Jordan’s Turn to Villainy
Blackest Night #0 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert, Rob Hunter, Alex Sinclair, and Nick J. Napolitano
The cruelest part of Hal Jordan’s treatment at the hands of the Justice League is that his Parallax turn was not actually his fault. While Hal originally decided to take on the name of Parallax himself and become a villain, DC later retconned this, asserting that Hal wasn’t making decisions of sound mind. Instead, he was possessed by a being known as Parallax and forced to do horrific things. The Justice League, not knowing this to be the case, believed that Hal had simply turned into a villain and treated him accordingly. Batman was especially vocal about his dislike of Jordan, and Hal was long remembered as a traitor and villain.
Despite Hal’s claim of no one coming to his funeral, he actually received quite the turn-out, as seen in
Green Lantern
#81!
One of the biggest critics of Hal Jordan after the events of Emerald Twilight was Batman. Batman seemingly believed that Hal was always prone to villainy because of his personality. Other characters, such as Green Arrow, were heartbroken over Hal’s fall. Green Arrow and Hal Jordan were long time friends, and Green Arrow was one of the characters who confronted Hal during the finale of Zero Hour. With Justice League members like Batman outright admonishing Hal’s legacy, and other characters like Ollie preferring not to think about him, it’s no surprise that Hal’s funeral wasn’t well received.
Green Lantern Hal Jordan Isn’t the Villain People Remember Him As
The Justice League Took a Long Time to Forgive Him
Comics rarely look at the aftermath of a hero becoming a villain and then returning as a hero. Hal Jordan tried to reset time itself and remake the universe in his image. That’s not something that his coworkers and friends would just let go — not to mention that he killed the entire Green Lantern Corps. The other heroes had every right to disavow Hal Jordan as a friend and a teammate, but that the Justice League went so far as to desecrate his grave is especially heartbreaking when it wasn’t even Green Lantern’s fault.
Blackest Night #0 is available now from DC Comics!
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name given to multiple enforcers of intergalactic justice in the DC Universe. Green Lanterns can harness the cosmic energy of willpower, and create unique spectral objects to face off against their enemies. Though some Green Lanterns have assisted with the Justice League, they primarily belong to the Green Lantern Corps.
- Created By
- Martin Nodell , Bill Finger , John Broome , Gil Kane , Dennis O’Neil , Neal Adams
- First Appearance
- All-American Comics
- Alias
- Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Simon Baz, Jessica Cruz, Sojourner Mullein
- Alliance
- Justice League, Justice Society of America, Green Lantern Corps
- Comic Books
- Green Lantern #1
Summary
Several individuals have taken up the name, powers, and duties of the Green Lantern since the character was created for DC comics in the 1940s. But no matter who takes on the name, members of the Green Lanterns, an intergalactic force for protection and justice, seek to eliminate evil and keep Earth (and other planets) safe.
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