Wait, How Was John Stewart Able to Keep the Green Bird Alive On ‘Lanterns’?

One of the best things about Lanterns, the new super series on HBO, is that it features multiple characters from DC Comics who get to be the Green Lantern with various powers and abilities. Already, the show is messing with some of the classic lore in a way that’s keeping fans on their toes. For example, how is John Stewart able to keep that little bird alive without a Green Lantern ring of his own?Hal Jordan and his trainee John Stewart have to abide by certain rules to use their powers. Or maybe instructions is a better word. They get their powers from a ring that needs to charge daily. Hal lets John Stewart, played on the show by Aaron Pierre, borrow his ring to learn how to hone skills like projecting objects and flying. While attempting the latter, Hal advises John to “think flight” and John uses the ring to magically produce a bird instead. Not exactly what Hal asked, but, sure. Birds do fly.But then John keeps the little green bird by his side for way longer than should be possible, and after returning the ring to Hal. All throughout the second episode, he protects it and insists upon its safety while he’s being held captive and interrogated. When his captors ask how he’s projecting the bird sans ring, he’s evasive.Add Cosmopolitan as a preferred source in your Google search results.Use your Google account to add this to your settings.How was he able to maintain that little magic bird without the ring? Is John some kind of prodigy? Does he have a secret ring of his own, thanks to some kind of time travel paradox shenanigans? (Probably not, but it’s worth considering.) It’s also, as several characters point out, very advanced that John is able to manifest something that behaves like a living thing instead of a hollow facsimile. This is a major mystery!It’s actually two mysteries. When Hal Jordan asks him directly about the emotional significance of the bird, John says “it’s just a bird,” and crushes it in his palm. There’s a look behind his eyes that suggests that he knows more than he’s letting on... but for now, we have to speculate. Why this bird, John? Why now?The takeaway here is that John has been training to be a Green Lantern for most of his life, but he is clearly gifted and a hard worker. He might even be the most gifted in the Green Lantern corps. If this is any indication of what he can do with a ring (and without a ring) he could be the most powerful Green Lantern in the galaxy.