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| Green Lantern |
I've long been a big Green Lantern fan. I've worn a Green
Lantern costume for Halloween three different years, as well as to the premier
of the Green Lantern movie a couple of years ago. And I've collected every
issue of Green Lantern since the return of Hal Jordan in Green Lantern: Rebirth
almost ten years ago.
I had a very active imagination as a child (and I'll admit
that I still do today), and the idea of having a ring that could create
anything I imagined had a lot of appeal to me. If I could will it, I could
create it.
But as much as I love all things Green Lantern, I found
myself even more intrigued when DC expanded the concept of the emotional
spectrum and introduced the Blue Lanterns. While a Green Lantern's power is
based on willpower, a Blue Lantern's power is based on hope. I've also been
impressed with how closely Blue Lantern powers follow the gospel concepts of
hope and faith.
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| Blue Power Ring |
The scriptures tell us that “faith is things which are hoped
for and not seen” (Ether 12:6). As hope is a necessary element for faith, for
the purposes of this post, I will use them interchangeably, though I will note
that in reality faith is more than just hope. And as will is a necessary part
of taking action, I will also use will, action and works interchangeably.
The scriptures also tell us that “faith, if it hath not
works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17). Pres. Thomas S. Monson has also been
quoted as saying, “Work without vision is drudgery; vision without work is
dreaming; work coupled with vision is destiny.” If “hope” is substituted for
“vision,” this quote very much follows the relationship between will and hope.
Going back to the comic books, shortly after the first Blue
Lantern was introduced, it was shown that proximity to a Blue Lantern more than
doubled the power of a Green Lantern's ring, just as in life, hope can
encourage, motivate and even strengthen action.
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A Blue Lantern supercharging
Green Lantern's ring |
It was also soon shown that unless they were in close
proximity to a Green Lantern, a Blue Lantern's ring had very limited abilities
(limited to flight and a protective aura). But when near a Green Lantern, a
Blue Lantern has all the abilities of a Green Lantern, as well as many more.
When near a Green Lantern, Blue Lanterns have been seen to have healing
abilities, the ability to reveal others' hopes, and in one case is shown to
channel the hope of the natives of an orbiting planet to turn back the clock on
a dying star by several billion years.
This is a good analogy of life, in which case vision, hope
or faith without willpower or action will accomplish next to nothing. But when
action and vision (or will and hope) are combined, there is almost no limit to
the potential that can be accomplished.
Blue Lanterns have also been shown to have abilities related
to several of the other types of Lanterns. Blue Lanterns have the ability to
drain the power from the rings of members of the Sinestro Corps (the Yellow
Lanterns empowered by fear). And Blue Lanterns are also able to cure Red
Lanterns (who are powered by anger or rage) who would otherwise die when their
rings are removed. And finally are able to decrease the hunger or appetite of
the Orange Lantern (who is powered by greed or avarice).
This is also true in life. Hope overcomes fear. It can
counter anger and resentment, and fend off greed. Indeed, of all the emotional
spectrum embodied by the different Lantern Corps, hope is easily the most
powerful, but only when coupled with willpower.
In addition to its analogy to how some of the principles of
the gospel and life work, the Blue Lanterns also have a special meaning to me.
I've usually been a pretty optimistic guy, tending to look
at the positive or try to find the positive in negative situations. But there
have been some circumstances and events in my life during the past few years
that have left me feeling very discouraged. At times, I have been in despair,
not being able to see how things could get better. During some of those times,
I have found hope in the Blue Lantern motto, “All will be well.”
To me this means that even though things may not be going
well right now, and in fact things might be really bad, there is hope. And as
long as I hold on to that hope, and use that hope to motivate me to action,
things will get better. And I've found on a number of occasions as I worked
those principles, my life did improve.
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| Me wearing my Blue Lantern shirt |
A few years ago, a good friend gave me a t-shirt with the
Blue Lantern emblem on it, and written in bold across it the word “HOPE”. I
wear this shirt often because it inspires me, just as the members of the Blue
Lanterns have and continue to do.
I'll close with the Blue Lantern Corp oath (which is also my
favorite of all the corps' oaths):
In fearful day, in raging night,
With strong hearts full, our souls ignite,
When all seems lost in the War of Light,
Look to the stars-- For Hope burns bright!
