- Primary Subject: John Stewart's origin story in Lanterns
- Key Update: Showrunner Chris Mundy explained why John Stewart's backstory was changed in the DCU series.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: August 31, 2026
- Quick Answer: Showrunner Chris Mundy changed John Stewart's origin to create a personal family legacy tied to Hal Jordan, framing his training as a "parented" trolley problem.
Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy recently explained why they changed John Stewart's backstory for the DCU version of the character.
The recently aired third episode of the DCU series focused on John Stewart's origins and how he was chosen by the Guardians as the next Green Lantern, who will follow in the footsteps of Hal Jordan.
To the surprise of comic fans, the series made some changes to the character's backstory as it revealed that his path to becoming a Lantern is more merciless than expected.
Why Did Lanterns Change John Stewart's Backstory?
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In an interview with IGN, Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy explained their decision to change John Stewart's backstory in the DCU series, as revealed in the recent third episode.
We've learned that John Stewart Sr. was originally set to wear the Green Lantern ring before Hal Jordan claimed it. As a result of his regret, John Stewart Jr.'s parents set him on a path to be the next Green Lantern by undergoing intense and merciless training.
"We hit on that pretty early. We didn't hit on the entire framework of the storytelling in Episode 3 [right away], but we did on the thing that John's dad could have been Hal, and how many others there were. We would always just refer to it as he was bubbled – that John Sr. was bubbled," Mundy said.
"And then when the Manhunters came into the story, we talked a lot about how they were these entities that just solved trolley problems all the time, so they were programmed to be a certain way."
The aforementioned "trolley problem" was the key for Mundy and the writers to figure out John Stewart's backstory and how he would become Hal Jordan's protege.
"[The Manhunters] were so good at it that it was too scary to the Guardians, and they were terminated. And then we were like, ‘Well, what's the difference between being programmed and being parented so hard?’ And the conversations just started converging, and it felt really natural," the showrunner explained.
While the backstory was a significant change from the comics, it does pave the way for deeper characterization of John Stewart and shows that his path to being Green Lantern was more personal, with his family background being a huge factor.
What Is Lanterns About?
Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
The cast includes Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Nathan Fillion, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, Paul Ben-Victor, Laura Linney, and Paula Patton.
The pilot is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, who are co-creators for the series. Mundy serves as showrunner. James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta V. Patel, and Alik Sakharov serve as directors.
New episodes premiere every Sunday night on HBO and HBO Max. It consists of eight episodes in total.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to site for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!