What They Say:
Steam Lantern
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
After a long and unexpected break in the series, Green Lantern: The Animated Series returns after giving us a significant episode involving the Anti-Monitor and a whole lot more once it put Hal Jordan back out in space. But as the fight in the previous episode went, Hal finds himself thrust into some other strange world, one that gives us a steampunk version of Earth history with Green Lantern involved in all of it. While Hal is his normal self here, and thoroughly confused, there’s also another Green Lantern of some sort here, one that Hal helps out at the start which leads to a lot of other questions and answers.
What we’re introduced to here is a man named Gil Broome (brilliant naming) who was inspired by a caped Green Lantern that helped the planet at one point in recent memory. Along with Lady Catherine, who funds the project and provides the smarts to it all, the two work together to push back against Duke Nigel, who are leading a rebellion against him as he works to darken the world, remove the stars from the sky and in general is a despot. What’s really fascinating is that we learn here that the Steam Lantern defeated his big best weapon, a space dragoon, which turns out to be the Anti-Monitor (in some form) that was knocked clear into another universe, leaving a tear in the sky. There’s so much covered so quickly that it’s thoroughly engaging in seeing how it’s all presented and the kind of world created. A world that really leaves you wanting more.
While there’s a relatively easy way home overall since the rift in the sky is still there and some communication with Kilowog is possible, there has to be a challenge or two along the way as well. Mostly in the form of Nigel having a real problem with Gil over who defeated the Anti-Monitor previously that leads Nigel to trying to take down Gil and Catherine. The story between the three of them is pretty nicely done for short form storytelling like this and though it’s all predictable, it’s very enjoyable. Nigel’s story is just as interesting as it goes on as it shows his lack of connection to what his devices have done over all this time and it leads to a great moment of realization that shows him as one of the best kinds of villains – the kind that never views himself as one.
In Summary:
What a fantastic episode. While it plays with familiar tropes to be sure, the steampunk side of it really does a great job of just having fun with it but also giving us a solid and engaging story. This is one of those times where it creates a world that you really want to see a lot more of, one that ties into the main storyline of the ongoing series as well. It doesn’t feel like a real waste or filler, but a creative angle used to bring the Anti-Monitor to Hal’s universe. There’s enough corny material at times but it all fits appropriately and ends in a huge way that, while going way beyond the bounds of reality, is pure classic superheroes at its best. I’m not a huge steampunk fan overall but I like it and I really loved seeing the approach used here.
Grade: B+
