My Connection With Green Lantern, Hal Jordan | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

My Connection With Green Lantern, Hal Jordan

My opposite personality and my fictional hero.

167
My Connection With Green Lantern, Hal Jordan
DCComics.com

About five years ago, I remember entering the comic book scene and figuring out my interests. I wish I could give my younger self some advice on choice, as I remember attempting to be a hipster and reading oddball titles from Marvel and DC Comics rather than their flagship titles (let it be known that a true hipster would not be reading Marvel or DC in the first place). One of those oddball titles happened to be Green Lantern: New Guardians, a new series after the 2011 DC Comics New 52 reboot took place. The star was Kyle Rayner, a green lantern with great potential and went on to lead members of other lantern corps and master the emotional spectrum, ultimately becoming the legendary white lantern. At all costs, I avoided reading the main flagship title, Green Lantern. It made such little sense that my comic shop owner actually asked me and I could not give a proper explanation- quite embarrassing by the way.

In due time, as my interests expanded and since I already owned a copy of Green Lantern that I accidentally picked off the shelf (I saw lanterns, got confused and bought the wrong series), I decided to go ahead and regularly buy it. I already had my favorite heroes and favorite books set in stone; it would take a lot of effort to sway me from them, but that is exactly what the series did. Geoff Johns’ writing, and later on Robert Venditti’s take on the title, floored me. I was taken on a cosmic adventure like no other, led by the greatest green lantern who ever lived, Hal Jordan.

Hal, like other green lanterns, uses a ring that channels will power from the emotional spectrum to create constructs, fly, and do all the extraordinary things they do. He is different from the rest though. I was able to connect with Kyle Rayner and his rise from nothing to greatness, and to a degree I related to John Stewart, a green lantern with a level-headed attitude and a deep sense of respect, but I was nothing like Hal Jordan. He is a character fueled by adrenaline, always challenging authority when he believes they are wrong, and knows how to lead when needed. In contrast I was too calculated of a person, quiet and always to myself. I wanted to write and learn science, whereas Hal was a test pilot that lived to tear through the skies.

While it took me a long time to understand why Hal Jordan became my favorite, it became quite clear over time. All the challenges that characters I actually connected to faced were lessons I had already learned and mastered; they had nothing left to teach me. Hal, although not always the best role model, was constantly teaching me about how to grow the other half of my personality. He was the one who taught me that we all fear, but it’s the ability to overcome those fears that makes us strong. He helped me learn, little by little, to speak up when I had something to say and to have confidence in opposing things I do not believe in. The greatest green lantern who ever lived taught me that plans are great, but believing in one’s own capabilities are what will take you to the stars and beyond, quite literally for him.

As corny as it may sound, most of my growth as a person has happened after I began reading about the adventures of Hal and the Green Lantern Corp. Of course, it was not the only influence. I graduated from high school, went to college, met an amazing girl, I earned a job, studied harder than I thought I ever could and more. All these events changed me remarkably and I had no choice but to grow and adapt. The notable difference in how I did lies in the lessons I learned from all those books I read prior and the saga I took part in alongside the hero I looked up to. It was the invisible force that pushed me each and every time to get outside my comfort zone and become better. I doubt I’ll ever fully become the best person I could possibly be, and to a great extent that is due to the characteristics I lack or have trouble expressing. For that I will always have my friends, family, girlfriend and even Hal Jordan at my side. He is everything I am not, and perhaps that is just the teacher I needed.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

185376
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

11625
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

455514
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25131
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments