Warning! Spoilers ahead for Green Lantern #11
John Stewart finally returns to Oa in the latest issue of Green Lantern, having completed his ascension where he's now become a willpower-fueled god in DC Comics. Completing a narrative thread from the 1990s, John's power levels have increased where he might have become even stronger than Superman. While Hal Jordan and his unique Green Lantern power ring may be special, he no longer holds a candle to John Stewart who no longer needs a ring at all, being cosmically powered straight from the source.
Following the destruction of Oa's Central Power Battery in previous issues of Green Lantern, the Corps suffered several casualties. Stewart and several hundred Lanterns were on a mission in the region known as the Dark Sectors when nearly every power ring was deactivated (including John's). However, Stewart has always held a special place among the Green Lanterns dating back to 1990's Green Lantern: Mosaic storyline where the Guardians of Oa inducted Stewart into their number as the first human Guardian. However, when Hal Jordan became corrupted by the yellow fear entity Parallax, Stewart gave up his role and power. However, the recent Green Lantern #4 suggested that Stewart's power to ascend as the most powerful Green Lantern was merely hidden from him rather than being fully taken away. As such, the New God Lonar came to John during this dark time to help John finally accept and complete his ascension.
Now, the new Green Lantern #11 from writer Geoffrey Thorne and artists Tom Raney and Marco Santucci sees John Stewart having ascended into full godhood. While he can gain power from any cosmic source, he's naturally chosen to be fueled by the green light of willpower. According to Lonar in prior issues when Stewart was fighting the New God Esak, John can't be hurt in his new ascended form. Combined with his new powers being sourced directly from willpower itself, he's become one of the DC Universe's most powerful beings as a Green Lantern god, returning to Oa to battle the magically-corrupted rogue Guardian who destroyed the Central Power Battery.
All things considered, John Stewart's return to Oa with his long-overdue evolution puts Hal Jordan's return to Oa with the Justice League to shame. Currently, John Stewart's future and what he'll do as a god of willpower is unclear seeing as how there's still a battle to be won between the Green Lanterns and magic which the Guardian Koyos is trying to restore to the universe with their deaths. That being said, the bulk of the surviving Green Lantern Corps won't have working rings even if they do manage to win. As such, it's likely that Stewart will either serve as a living Power Battery for the Corps or will create a new one using his power, potentially restoring the Corps and making it better than it was before.
At the moment, John Stewart is inarguably the most powerful Green Lantern in the DC Universe. Even if the other Lanterns had working rings, he'd still be the most powerful given his newly ascended state. However, will his new role as a god continue into the future, or will he eventually give it up as heroes typically do when they're given insane amounts of power? Fans will just have to read on as Green Lantern continues from DC Comics.
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