Green Lantern placed an entire corner of the DC Universe into an unexpected situation, due to the destruction of the Central Power Battery. As a result, the Green Lanterns have been put through the wringer. However, no one has through worse than John Stewart, who discovered the power within him may be stronger than any other Lantern -- or almost any other hero, for that matter.
Green Lantern #9, by Geoffrey Thorne, Tom Raney, Marco Santucci, Maria Laura Sanapo, Michael Atiyeh, and Rob Leigh, reveals how much more powerful John Stewart really is becoming, and officially sets him up to surpass Superman in terms of raw power.
John Stewart Can Absorb Energy from Across the Universe
Since the destruction of the Central Power Battery, the Green Lantern Corps has been decimated. Only a handful have retained their rings, and most former Lanterns have been de-powered. Simon Baz and others have turned to technology as a replacement for their rings, but another Green Lantern veteran has found a far more potent power source. John Stewart has figured out how to embrace the energies entrusted to him by the Guardians during his time as Mosaic, and achieves a new power level during his journeys across time. He's recently gotten the chance to fully explore the use of these powers alongside the New God Lonar while facing off with Esak.
Esak has been draining the life force from various aliens to create a godlike entity known as the Lightbringer -- drawing the attention, and ire, of Stewart. Despite taking many hits in battle that should have been lethal, John Stewart turns out to be fine. As Lonar explains, it's because John's current form allows him to draw on cosmic energy from across the universe. As time passes, he'll only grow stronger, and more endurant. In effect, Stewart is becoming more powerful by the moment -- potentially absorbing energy from the universe. He compares himself to Superman, but Lonar suggests Stewart might actually have more potential than the Man of Steel.
John Stewart Could Become Stronger Than Superman
Lonar argues that, while Kryptonians only collect solar energy, nearly all cosmic elements can be used to empower "the Ascended," like John Stewart. Ultimately, with this recognition, Stewart is able to draw pure energy into himself, creating a blast powerful enough to destroy the Lightbringer. He is at least operating at the power levels of the New Gods. The idea that his new form can absorb power from almost any source suggests Stewart might be on the path to becoming one of DC's most powerful figures. In theory, he could become just as powerful as Superman -- and escalate that even further due to his adaptable ability to absorb more than only solar energy.
It's an impressive twist for the former Green Lantern, granting him potentially one of the most important abilities in the DC Universe. By fueling himself through the cosmic powers of the universe, John Stewart may have found a way to turn himself into DC's answer to Silver Surfer. He could grow more powerful over time, and his extensive training handling the Green Lantern Ring means he'll likely have a good deal of mastery over his new ability. It's a huge step forward for John Stewart and his importance in the DC Universe. It could result in him taking a much larger role, especially with New God elements like the returned Darkseid threatening the entire universe.