By Cat Wyatt

Things have been really building up for the Green Lantern Corps lately, and issue #50 is no exception. Here we have the start of the Last Charge plot, where we’ll presumably see an end to the conflict between the Lanterns and the Darkstars. This should be good.

This issue starts off with an internal monologue…from the black backdrop and white font it doesn’t take much to assume we’re hearing from one of the Darkstars, and there’s only one of those we know all that well.

Tomar-Tu. He’s talking of the story his father used to always tell him; how the Green Lanterns formed. Tomar-Tu believes his father would always stop the tale there because it was a happy ending. He believes that the reality is anything but. We always know that he believes the law isn’t final enough to deal with certain criminals; his actions have made that exceptionally clear. Now we just know a bit more about his thought process.

It’s how the monologue ends that’s the real attention grabber. Tomar-Tu is leading the Darkstars in a fight against the Green Lanterns, with Kilowog at the lead. Even this single image makes it painfully clear that the Darkstars vastly outnumber the Green Lanterns. One can only hope that the missing four Lanterns have something up their sleeves.

While all of that is happening our missing four Lanterns, Hal, John, Guy, and Kyle, have assembled along with the backup they’ve managed to recruit. They now have Arkillo, Zod, Orion, and Hammond at their backs. It isn’t much, all things considered, but it’s better than nothing.

It’s hard to imagine that adding four people would be enough to sway the odds, even when we consider their selections. Still, John is one of the best military tacticians out there; Kyle is brilliant with seeing new perspectives on things; Hal is clever and stubborn as a mule; and Guy is incredibly driven and self-motivated. If anybody can come up with a plan to stop the Darkstars, it’s these guys.

There are a few things we know about the Darkstars. The first is obvious; they outnumber the Green Lanterns by at least ten to one. The second? That the Darkstars will not be willing to talk. Guy’s experience as one was enough to learn that much, at least. He knows from personal experience that any emotion or thought that agrees with the Darkstars policies will be used.

Additionally John has issued a no-kill order. That means that the Green Lanterns will not be allowed to use lethal force against the Darkstars. This will not only hamper the Green Lanterns, as it will require them to pull their blows, but put them at increased risk, since we know that the Darkstars will shooting to kill.

As per usual, John has the bigger picture in mind. This is more than a battle for the existence of the Green Lantern Corps. It’s a battle for the hearts and minds of the rest of the universe. Their actions now will decide the loyalty of the people. That is where the Green Lanterns can win the war. They just have to survive the battle first.

Back on Mogo the fight is going okay, all things considered. The Darkstars managed to get into the prison, but thankfully the prisoners were relocated before this battle ever took place. A pretty smart move on the Lanterns part, all things considered. They always knew that the prison would be the primary target, and therefore the weakest link. It only makes sense to have that location moved, especially since Tomar-Tu is well acquainted with the prison and how it operated.

Kilowog is one of those characters that are easily underestimated, and frankly that’s a fatal mistake. The Green Lanterns may not have numbers on their sides, but they have will. They also have a leader that knows how to use timing to his advantage. Say taking the Darkstars confusion for an opportunity to rally the troops for another assault. Brilliant.

Meanwhile the other team has begun their own assault. It’s almost comical, in a way. Guy is driving a giant monster truck construct…which is oddly fitting, while Kyle has a giant warrior/samurai construct. Zod, Orion, and Arkillo are flanking them. You’ll notice that this doesn’t include everyone.

It must have been so incredibly satisfying for Guy to get to drive over Darkstars with that monster truck. Not sure how much damage they actually took from it, but it sure looked amazing. They’re doing a pretty decent job of holding up against this force of Darkstars, but again we don’t know what their real goal or target it. Not yet, at least.

The fight on Mogo is not going too well anymore, at least not for the Green Lanterns. The Darkstars have a sort of hive mind, and they all seem aware of the other attack being held. Perhaps that will end up distracting them enough to give Kilowog and his men another chance? Regardless, things aren’t looking good, so naturally that’s when backup arrived.

The backup that arrived was most unexpected; in fact it’s almost unprecedented. The Guardians are no longer sitting in the background bickering. They’ve actually stepped up and are doing something. It’s a sight for sore eyes, to say the least.

The other fight is starting to run into its own problems, and unfortunately it looks like these guys don’t have backup. One by one you can see Guy, Kyle, Zod, and Orion get overwhelmed and overpowered. They’re still in the fight, but it’s only a matter of time.

So naturally that makes now the best time to reveal what the plan has been this whole time. These guys have merely been a distraction, allowing Hal and Hammond to sneak into the Darkstar base. This explains a lot actually. Such as why Guy and Kyle were going with such massive constructs. They weren’t just going to damage here – they were going for showy constructs that would pull the enemy to them. It’s actually quite brilliant.

There’s still the question of where John has been this whole time. If you look closely during both battles you can clearly see that he isn’t present. One can only assume he’s working on something else, but what? Presumably he’s also acting on the advantage of the Darkstars being distracted, but that’s about all the information we have to go off of right now.

The steady buildup for this plot has been really impressive. The Darkstars threat has been consistently raised each issue, without bringing them into a realm of disbelief. They’re also a perfect mirror for the darker side of the Lanterns, which was likely the intent. They’re really the perfect antagonists for the Green Lanterns, so hopefully we see them again even after this conflict has been resolved.

Score: 4/5

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #48
DC Comics