The Green Lantern Corps, widely regarded as bastions of peace across the galaxy and the universe abroad, are quite a rambunctious group of light-wielding protectors. While we may be mostly familiar with the Green Lanterns of Earth, there are plenty of extra terrestrial species, animals and sentient beings that have gained access to the will-powered Green Lantern Rings. But just with Earth's sector alone, there's Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Jessica Cruz, John Stewart and Simon Baz -- not to mention the original (albeit wildly different) Alan Scott. And while the people of the galaxy may have formed their own opinions about the Corps' peacekeeping operations, there's still something to be said about the structure and mindshare of the group.
But not every Green Lantern is cut out for the green light. No, some totally botch any and all attempts at being the heroes the galaxy needs. Others are just so darn good at the job that they end up being driven mad with power or rage or fear and switch over to any number of different Rings on the universal spectrum. Honestly, it's pretty surprising in itself that some of the best Lanterns to ever join the Corps have even stuck around long enough to make a name for themselves. Then of course, there are the ones that sacrifice themselves heroically or live to see themselves become their worst fear. With that in mind, here are the ten best (and ten worst) Green Lanterns ever to put on the glorious, emerald Ring.
20 BEST: JOHN STEWART
For an entire generation, Green Lantern John Stewart is the absolute best a Corps member can be, representing the peak potential of the galactic peacekeepers. Whether that generation was introduced to the character by watching the incredible Justice League and Justice League Unlimited television shows, or in the pages of comics, it didn't take long to realize why John Stewart was so great.
He is a de facto, natural leader, whether with heavy hitters like Superman and Wonder Woman, or among the Corps himself. He holds his allies and himself to a strict standard of justice, but isn't afraid to go off-script to do what needs to be done for the greater good.
19 WORST: ARISIA
Arisia isn't necessarily a bad person, just a seemingly bad fit for the Corps. She comes from a family of Green Lanterns, which in itself seems to cause some issues for a recruit surrounded by those chosen by their immense willpower. Her writers claim DC Comics wanted her written off, so they did just that -- after a brief romance with Hal Jordan, of course.
Her demise is actually fairly brutal as she's ended by Major Force before being used as leverage to send the Corps into a rage. Hal is there to pay his final respects, but with all of the Parallax nonsense, it felt a bit half-baked.
18 BEST: KILOWOG
Kilowog, one of the heaviest hitters of the Green Lantern Corps, has always been a key member of the group. He earned his Green Lantern Ring in the heat of battle from a mentor and was taught to push through any and all weakness. Because of this, his go-to term for recruits is a "poozer," and it becomes a term of endearment for the pink-skinned alien.
He's an integral ally in most of the Corps' major conflict, and has personal friendships with many of Earth's Lanterns. He's an excellent fighter, a skilled detective and brute force when you need it. Sounds like a the perfect Lantern to us.
17 WORST: SORANIK
Soranik Natu is a fierce warrior who is unfortunately best known for being the daughter of the evil Sinestro. But in her own right, she could have been an incredible force for the Green Lantern Corps, unfortunately, between a failed relationship with Green Lantern Kyle Rayner and a need to cleanse her father's legacy with the Sinestro Corps, she ends up leading his army of Yellow Lanterns.
While not the most positive of outcomes, she promises to keep them in line as a force for justice in the universe, but we all know how long that'll last. Nevertheless, her existence as a prominent Lantern under a different banner opens up plenty of possibilities for the future.
16 BEST: SINESTRO
He could have been the best of the best. In fact, he basically was before Hal Jordan joined the Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro was always supposed to be the key to keeping peace in the galaxy, but his fall, full of fear and a lust for power, led him to form his own Sinestro Corps, an army of the most dangerous, fearsome beings in the entire universe.
And sure, he felt a bit slighted by his former mentor, Abin Sur and the sudden rise of Earth's Green Lantern Hal Jordan, but that's no excuse to go completely to the dark side. Still, the tactician was a pretty stellar Green Lantern, up until the end.
15 WORST: PARALLAX
Alright, so including Parallax in this list might feel like a given, but it needs to be said. While he was originally intended to just be the evil incarnate of Hal Jordan, the ghastly Parallax soon took on his own form as an age-old constant of the universe, basically the original representative of fear, much to the chagrin of Sinestro. But Parallax, in a number of ways, has been a member of the Green Lantern Corps, mostly during the times when he took control of Hal Jordan or had an extreme influence on the golden boy of the Green Lanterns.
So what makes him a bad Green Lantern? Well, if it wasn't enough that he was the physical manifestation of fear, he also strictly uses his powers and influence for pure evil, whether it's as his yellow-hued maniacal self or while he's masqueraded as an edgier version of Hal Jordan.
14 BEST: ABIN SUR
In many, many ways, Abin Sur is like the Ben Kenobi of the DC Comics Universe. Well, more specifically the Kenobi to Hal Jordan's Luke Skywalker. Though, Hal Jordan's appointment to his Green Lantern Ring might have come as more of a surprise. Abin Sur, a relative and mentor to Sinestro, "betrayed" the would-be zealout and passed his Ring to the will-powered Hal Jordan in his demise.
While he wasn't around to really physically train Hal the way a Lantern would need to be trained, he did guide him spiritually. He also helped set a precedent for the rest of the Corps that Hal Jordan was the real deal -- the heir apparent to the great Abin Sur.
13 WORST: LIN CANAR
An underwater-dwelling Green Lantern, it often proves difficult for Lin Canar to get much done in the galaxy abroad. Oh, and there's also the fact that Lin accidentally unleashed a deadly sea virus that, being totally underwater, spread quickly through his world and to its inhabitants. Sure, Lin sectioned off the planet in an attempt to find a cure, but as far as being a space cop goes, that kind of throws a wrench in the whole thing.
He's powerful in his own right, able to survive the intense pressures of his home planet and its underwater civilization, but there are clearly plenty of other Corps members in the ranks that could one-up this lower ranking protector. Hey, maybe he'll find that cure eventually...
12 BEST: JESSICA CRUZ
Jessica Cruz, in addition to being one of the highlights of the last ten years of DC Comics, has quickly proven herself to sit with the best of the Green Lantern Corps and its high-ranking members. Her hero status came after overcoming the infectious power of Power Ring during "Forever Evil", and she was eventually accepted into the ranks of the Corps, trained on Mogo and partnered up with one of Earth's other Green Lanterns, Simon Baz.
But Jessica Cruz's other power is how her character handles stigma with regard to mental illness, and her struggles with anxiety illustrating a conversation worth having every day -- even in the medium of comic books.
11 WORST: JACK T. CHANCE
Ah, Jack Chance. This guy definitely doesn't suit the upstanding will of the Green Lantern Corps, despite the fact that he did earn his Ring fair and square. And by fair and square we mean Green Lanterns were regularly sent to his home planet to prevent violence and they all ended up buried. So the last Corps member to visit the planet decided that he'd pick a successor from those living there, which led to Jack scoring a Green Ring of his own. He, of course, followed that gift up with ending the man who took out the aforementioned Green Lantern, despite his Ring's preventative measures.
He was trained and pressed by the Guardians on Oa, but is eventually judged to be unfit of the Ring. He doesn't take this news so well and tries to take revenge on the Guardians, eventually showing up as a Black Lantern during "Blackest Night". Not a good look for the Corps, Chance.
10 BEST: SIMON BAZ
You might not know Simon Baz's name as well as Earth's other Green Lanterns, but you probably should. His origin is one of intense willpower, when he is imprisoned and tortured by his own country for crimes he certainly didn't commit. The Ring finds him in his darkest moment and allows him to be free of this false judgement.
He then becomes a glowing beacon of the Green Lantern Corps, starring solo in the New 52 Green Lantern series and eventually finding a partner in Jessica Cruz. He may have his own stubborn moments, but when you're being compared to the likes of Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner, a little stubbornness won't hurt anybody.
9 WORST: VOLTHOOM
The rise and fall of Volthoom is actually an interesting one, and one that spans the entire history of the Green Lanterns and the Guardians of the Universe. For all intents and purposes, he is known as the first Lantern, the first to ever wield a Power Ring.
Not only has he wielded the spectrum in a twisted way with his Travel Lantern, but he's responsible for creating the evil Power Ring, which eventually (following plenty of evil) gave Jessica Cruz her chance to joint he Green Lantern Corps. But as far as upstanding members of the Green Lantern Corps, or any Lantern Corps for that matter, Volthoom is definitely at the bottom of the barrel.
8 BEST: GUY GARDNER
He's stubborn, arrogant and full of himself, but we'd be lying if we said he wasn't one of the best operatives the Green Lantern Corps has to offer. Introduced as a status quo change to the likes of Alan Scott or Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner quickly divided fans with everything from his appearance to his way of doing things.
He's come to blows with prominent members of the Corps like Hal and Kilowog, but when the going gets tough, Guy Gardner is one of the first into the fray, defending the universe with all he has. The universe could do with a few more Guy Gardners (ok, maybe not exactly more of him).
7 WORST: THE CORPSE
We're not sure if including The Corpse here is exactly cheating, but we think they fit the bill for this sort of breakdown. As a member of the secretive, lethal Green Lantern Corps black ops squad, The Corpse took on missions that usually involved ending someone or some thing for the greater good. As far as being an upstanding member goes, that is a big red flag.
The tricky part is that this squad doesn't actually wield Green Lantern Rings, instead opting for an ingested supplement that gives them the abilities of a Green Lantern. Nice loophole there, The Corpse, but it won't stop you from not looking great to the more nonlethal member of the Corps.
6 BEST: ALAN SCOTT
There's nothing like the original, huh? For many, Hal Jordan may be the original version of the more modern incarnation of the Green Lantern Corps, but Alan Scott deserves his own spotlight. While his abilities and powers may be different, focusing on the mystical and magical more so than the tangible light, Scott found his own among the Justice Society of America.
And as the JSA continues to get teased in the DC Comics continuity post-DC Universe Rebirth, we await the return of one of the superhero world's greats. We just hope he's, you know, still alive after Doomsday Clock.
5 WORST: KRONA
Krona is a bit of a special case, what with the fact that he's taken control of Green Lanterns in the past to use their power for his own gain, but also because he is a former Guardian of the Universe. He's come to blows with some of the best of the best, even attempting to syphon power from the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott.
In his demise, he was still honored for his service as part of the Guardians, but still represented an enormous threat if a sliver of him still existed somewhere. Last we heard, he had been stamped out for good. Until next time, Krona.
4 BEST: KYLE RAYNER
Kyle Rayner might be the only member of the Green Lantern Corps to outgrow the Green Ring in a positive way. While he began his career as a member of the Corps, he eventually ascended to become the White Lantern, and then joined with the Omega Men to defend the galaxy against some insane monarchs and zealots. Recently, though, he's returned to where it all began as a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
He's funny, though cheeky at times, and is humble in a way that Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan are not. For his triumphs, he's easily ranked among the best of the Green Lantern Corps.
3 WORST: CH'P
While he's got a fairly deep and emotional backstory, the squirrel Green Lantern Ch'p has mostly just been the butt of a joke, even up until his untimely demise. So how did he pass away? Well, he was run over by a construct of a truck on a highway, by a member of the Sinestro Corps, no less. Yes, that's right, the squirrel hero became galactic roadkill.
That is, until he returned in a craze in "Blackest Night", and took out a Green Lantern and was eventually put down for good. It's a shame too, because he could have strived for greatness (albeit evil greatness) like the Red Lantern Dex-Starr.
2 BEST: HAL JORDAN
Love him or hate him, when he's good, he's really good. Hal Jordan, one of Earth's many Green Lanterns, embodies everything a "traditional" hero entails, and that can make him insufferable. But his trauma, history and the trials he's overcome over his long comic book history help to elevate the character into a beacon of hope for the entire galaxy.
He may not have the ultimate leadership skill of a John Stewart or the potential for power of a Kyle Rayner, but he's surely earned his keep among the Green Lantern Corps. Well, except for that whole Parallax taking him over thing...
1 WORST: MOGO
Mogo may be incredibly important to the maintenance of the Green Lantern Corps, but that doesn't mean they're a great member in his own right. In many ways, they're totally defenseless against an outside attack, seen in the twisted continuity of Injustice: Gods Among Us. It goes to show that just because you're integral to the survival of an entire peacekeeping force, it doesn't mean you're the best of them.
Though, it is important to note that the planet is the one responsible for assigning rings to new recruits when previous possessors pass away. Who knows? Maybe Mogo will get another chance to shine in the future.