Lanterns Writer Teases a ‘Buddy-Cop Drama’ Between John Stewart and Hal Jordan

John Stewart and Hal Jordan‘s relationship will become more complicated in HBO’s Lanterns. The two heroes already had more than enough reasons to distrust each other, but after Episode 3, it’s clear where John’s resentment toward Hal comes from.

In a recent conversation with Collider, Lanterns’ writer and co-executive producer Vanessa Baden Kelly explained that the series is now getting to the point that it’s obvious why the two characters don’t necessarily care for one another and their relationship dynamics. 

“Now, we’re returning to this kind of buddy-cop drama where we have a very deep understanding of why these two guys don’t necessarily care for each other,” Kelly said. “Hal is so vocal that we know why he doesn’t like John, but now we have how deeply ingrained John’s distaste for Hal is, and now we’re thrusting them back into this 48-hour mission where they have to trust each other completely, or basically an entire city will be wiped off the face of the earth.”

“We now have this setup for how intense their distrust is, and we’re going to be asking the question: what do they do to build on it? That’s exactly what the episode is about. How do they fall in love when they actually don’t like each other? It’s very How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” she further added.

With John eventually replacing Hal, the two will have to put their personal issues aside and work together for now. However, the tension is not limited to John becoming Hal’s replacement. His feelings toward the former military test pilot are also tied to years of sacrifice, his family’s expectations, and an incident during his time as a Marine that left him injured and ultimately led to his dishonorable discharge.

Why John Stewart hates Hal Jordan in the HBO show

John’s father, John Stewart Sr., prepared him to succeed where his father could not, as he himself was once considered by the Green Lantern ring but failed the test.

His childhood and upbringing forced John to become well-disciplined from a young age, and his time in the Marine Corps further shaped his personality. During the Gray Wolf mission, Hal became a personal source of resentment. He intervened and left John injured and ultimately facing a dishonorable discharge.

Kelly explained that John’s anger goes beyond Hal, extending to his parents, the Guardians, and the systems that shaped his life as a whole. Now, Lanterns is developing into what Kelly calls a “buddy-cop drama” between the two Green Lanterns. 

Originally reported by Nitish Singh on SuperHeroHype.