Green Lantern Permanently Transforms the Corps' Powers With a Quiet Change to DC Comics Lore

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Green Lantern #18!The latest threat to the Green Lantern Corps is finally extinguished, but the resolution comes with a huge change to the entire DC Universe. In an effort to control the Emotional Spectrum, the Green Lanterns' newest foe just changed what it means to be a Lantern in the DCU.

In Green Lantern #18 by Jeremy Adams and Xermánico, the Green Lanterns are spread thin, trying to fight off Lord Premier Thaaros, who is channeling the power of Olgrun, and the godlike Star Shroud. Thankfully, the Lanterns work together and ultimately vanquish both of their enemies.

Hal Jordan reflects on the fight and reveals that Thaaros has done extensive damage to the Emotional Spectrum. Not only are new emotions with new powers now possible, anyone in the DC Universe that feels them strongly enough can become what Kyle Rayner has started to call a Fractal Lantern.

The Emotional Spectrum Can Now Create Fractal Lanterns

Green Lantern's Villain Sorrow was Just the Beginning

In his bid to control the entire DC Universe, Lord Premier Thaaros destroyed every Central Power Battery in the Emotional Spectrum so that he could access the mysteries of the Source Lantern. The changes to the Emotional Spectrum had a ripple effect throughout the universe, but no one felt it harder than Star Sapphire's ex, Nathan Broome, who was still wallowing in sadness after being left at the altar by Carol. His misery was so powerful, it resonated with the malfunctioning Emotional Spectrum and turned Nathan into Sorrow, the first Lantern to ever channel sadness as a power.

It looked like what happened with Nathan was a fluke. But as it turns out, Sorrow was just the first symptom of a deeper problem. The Spectrum's old playbook is gone and now anyone who feels an emotion intensely could become a new Lantern. There are plenty of emotions that didn't have an associated light, such as joy or disgust, that could easily show up now. But as Hal rightfully points out, that could make things chaotic fast. Emotions can be a hard thing to control, and now any overreaction could create an uncontrollable new Lantern in the DC Universe.

Can the Green Lanterns Stop These Emotional New Lanterns?

Or is This the New Status Quo for the Corps?

The extent of Thaaros' damage can not be understated. Up until now, no one's launched such a devastating attack on the Spectrum, nor has the Spectrum ever reacted by producing new Lanterns. Tackling this is obviously going to be the Green Lantern Corps' priority, but Thaaros winnowed their numbers considerably. And even if they had a full roster of Lanterns, it's hard to imagine how they could repair something as ancient or unknowable as the Emotional Spectrum. Like it or not, the new Fractal Lanterns may be here to stay.

But that means the Green Lanterns are going to have to be on high alert and find a way of determining how a Fractal Lantern emerges. Sorrow took everyone by surprise, but if the world suddenly starts producing anxiety-powered Lanterns, things are going to get dark quickly. Hopefully, the Green Lantern Corps will find some way to deal with this change before the entire DC Universe lets its emotions run wild.