Green Lantern's new costume proves his updated codename is here to stay
John Stewart has proven to be the most powerful Green Lantern in the entire Legion, and now he has a new costume and code name to match.
This article contains SPOILERS for John Stewart: The Emerald Knight #1
Finally, the Mightiest Green Lantern John Stewart has a new codename and costume to reflect his powers and his unique role as the protector of the universe. John has been the subject of many comics lately, and has been given multiple exciting new opportunities to show off his abilities. One of his greatest endeavors is leading his team of heroes in protecting the multiverse and time itself from the New Gods.
In John Stewart: John Stewart: The Emerald Knight #1 with Geoffrey Thorne, Marco Santucci, Michael Attia and Rob Leigh, he gets a chance to prove he is an Emerald Leader of the Guard and protector of the universe. John's new costume is a nod to his new code name, "The Emerald Knight," while still referencing his old role in Green Lantern. The costume has elements of armor, and he wears an emerald helmet and gloves. He wasn't the only one getting new outfits, as his team of Emerald Guardians also each received unique emerald robe and armor outfits to reflect their personalities.
John Stewart's New Role is Well Deserved
John became an Emerald Knight after completing what the New Gods called "Ascension", meaning he opened his heart, Spirit to the universe, grow stronger. He's instantly no longer just a Green Lantern, but a whole new hero who needs a costume and codename to match. One of his first tasks is to defeat the evil god named Esak, and he quickly realizes that if he is going to do so, he needs more protection.
One of the most famous Green Lanterns, John has a long history of fighting bad guys with the Legion and has shown his powers on several occasions. His role as Green Lantern holds him back at times, though, as the Legion tends to turn to his colleague Hal Jordan for help. However, with the release of John Stewart: Emerald Knight #1, he showed that while Hal is respected, John should now be the focus. He's been separated from the Legion to give himself room to grow, and now that he's donned a new costume and a new team, he can fully explore what it means to be an Emerald Knight.
So far he's done a good job, peacefully defeating the new god just by confining him by talking to him and tricking Esak His power and status declined. This new character isn't just about fighting, but also about his abilities as a leader. His Emerald Guard, unlike the Green Lantern Corps, faithfully followed him into battle because of his leadership abilities. Their attire reflects their status, the Emerald Guardians' attire is similar to them, with distinctive small horns, and John's attire stands out among them. He certainly earned the position, and even when he made a mistake, he corrected it and even admitted that he made a mistake instead of making excuses. This new focus on his character and his supporting cast is a real opportunity to explore John more without being threatened by another character to overshadow his accomplishments.
The future looks bright for John Stewart and his new team, and they are expected to stick around for the long haul. John deserves the new costume and codename that makes him stand out among the Corps. This is just the beginning for the former Green Lantern, and hopefully John Stewart will have enough time to really showcase his abilities and leadership skills.