2024 has been a stellar year for Green Lantern thanks to War Journal and the main series, but things are only getting better with two new additions to the franchise, and one just hit stores. That would be the new Elseworlds series Green Lantern Dark, which spins a new tale on a post apocalyptic world that is in dire need of a Green Lantern’s light. Thankfully there is someone answering that call, but they are probably not at all what you’re expecting, and that’s far from a bad thing. We’re here to break down who this new Lantern is, what she can do, and the dangerous world she finds herself in the midst of.
Readers meet the new Lantern courtesy of a young girl named Lunette, who believes with all her heart and soul in the legend of the Green Lantern. Some regard the Lantern as real, while others feel she is nothing more than a common myth passed on to help people feel less hopeless, but despite the doubt that surrounds her, Lunette is not swayed in the least.
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Hope isn’t easy to come by these days in general, as the world has been plunged into long stretches of darkness. The issue starts with the story of how that came to be, with the world’s heroes fighting against the sudden and overwhelming darkness that threatened to consume the world. Though they fought valiantly, the heroes all fell…except for one. The Green Lantern illuminated the night with her piercing light, and was the lone opponent of the monsters that rose from the earth to feast on the living, including one of the most powerful incantations Grundy to date.
Who Is Rina Mori?
The first meeting between Lunette and the mysterious Lantern goes…well, rather badly, with the Lantern telling them all to run now that Grundy knows their location in order to have a chance at seeing another day. Lunette follows her and that’s when we learn that this mysterious person actually converses with her Lantern, as you see her responding to it after it accuses her of being scared.
Lunette confronts her about what she said and about possibly being depressed, which then leads to the revelation that the legend Lunette’s believed all this time isn’t exactly true. The Lantern reveals that where she goes, evil follows, as they are drawn to her flame. Lunette counters this by explaining she’s not a beacon for evil, but a lighthouse for those looking for safety.
This is where we finally learn the Lantern’s name is Rina Mori, as she explains she didn’t choose the mantle she now holds or the Lantern itself. She’s not a god to be prayed to or worshipped as the legends indicate, and she was just a child when all this was put on her shoulders. She’s just as lost as everyone else, but also too stubborn to die.
The Flame
Lunette’s words get to Rina later though, as she returns to help the village against the dark army that threatens to overtake it. Rina’s power is immense, as she lights up the battlefield and takes out a host of Grundy’s army from the sky. After a new wave of Grundy’s army moves in, Rina creates a massive shield that protects the entire village, and the twist on willpower here is more like magic, as she creates spells that are her wishes being willed into existence.
One last twist remains though for our new Lantern, as she reveals that all of the stories she told about the Lantern are what helped light her Lantern all this time. Lunette then stands beside a tired Rina as her shield evaporates from the strain, and soon we see both Lunette and Rina powered by the green light. Lunette’s lantern is now glowing green as well, but Rina reveals isn’t not the Lantern, but the fire inside, which accepted Lunette’s help in Rina’s moment of need.
That’s just the start of this journey, and we are sure to learn even more about what happened, what led to Rina’s role as Green Lantern, and what the future holds for both Lunette and Rina. In the meantime, let me know what you thought of Green Lantern Dark on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!