In Blackest Night | Episode 4
Aired: November 19, 2001
Heroes: Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, Superman, J'onn Jonzz, Green Lantern Corp (Kilowog, Tomar-Re, Galius Zed, Arkkis Chummuck and Larvox) and the Guardians of the Universe
Supporting: Al and Chris McGee
Villains: The Manhunters and Kanjar-Ro
Objects: Power Ring, Javelin, Nth Metal, and Aerodiscs
Places: Ajuris 5, Detroit, Justice League Watchtower, and Oa
Written By: Stan Berkowitz
Directed By: Butch Lukic
In Blackest Night | Episode 5
Aired: November 26, 2001
Heroes: Hawkgirl, Superman, Flash, J'onn Jonzz, Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps (Galius Zed, Larvox, Tomar-Re, Arkiss Chummuck and Kilowog) and the Guardians of the Universe
Villains: Kanjar-Ro and the Manhunters
Objects: Javelin, Aerodiscs, Nth Metal, Power Ring, Illusitron, and Green Lantern
Places: Ajuris 5 and Oa
Written By: Stan Berkowitz
Directed By: Butch Lukic
Summary
Summary written by VortexInfiniteJohn Stewart walks down the streets of his old neighborhood, reminiscing of times past. He meets with an old teacher of his, Al McGee and his grandson. Together, they discuss simpler times back when John was growing up and was not yet the Green Lantern. Meanwhile, back at the Justice League Watchtower, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, and the Flash notice some very menacing robots hurtling toward Earth. They sound out the alarm, but no one responds. They intervene and are joined by Superman later, but even their combined power cannot stop the force known as the Manhunters. Eventually, Green Lantern arrives and it is revealed that the Manhunters are here for him. They take him away without resistance.
The Justice League is puzzled. J'onn traces GL to Ajuris 5 and the League head there full speed. They encounter some resistance but manage to evade it and literally crash the building where Stewart is being held. They discover that he is being accused of accidentally destroying a sister planet, Ajuris 4, while chasing the treacherous space pirate, Kanjar Ro. The planet was home to three billion people. No one will defend him, not a lawyer, not his fellow Lanterns, not even himself.
As GL's trial commences, the League investigates the destruction of the planet. They discover that the debris and emptiness are nothing but an illusion. The planet is still intact and the very ones who captured John are responsible: the Manhunters. They learn from the Guardians of Oa that the Manhunters were a failed experiment, designed to be an intergalactic peacekeeping force. But their faulty programming forced the Guardians to reduce them to nothing more than common law enforcers. Ever since then, the Manhunters have been trying to find a way to get back at the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps....and they have.
While the Guardians are distracted on Ajuris 5, the Manhunters arrive at their home planet, the source of a Green Lantern's power. The lead Manhunter absorbs all the Great Lantern's energy and begins to grow into an unstoppable force. But John Stewart will not let him. Screaming out the Green Lantern's oath, he recovers the power and returns it to its rightful place. The Manhunters are no more. Together with the only friends who defended him in tough times, he returns home.
Review
Review written by VortexInfiniteWhen watching an action cartoon, you have to suspend a certain amount of logic. You have to allow for a certain amount of extraordinary events. But IBN just takes too many liberties. The episode has so many plot holes they join together and make this episode a giant donut.
What good is a telepath on your team if he can't sense that a major cover-up is going on? Why did the people on Ajuris 5 not notice that the moon was still in orbit? Apparently, their technology sucks because it can't tell that the debris isn't real or receive messages from the people of Ajuris 4. And I also find it hard to believe that single blast from the power ring could destroy an entire planet.
I'm not done yet. The Manhunter absorbs all the energy from the central battery and becomes an Ultra-Manhunter. You would think all that power would be too much for a single being, but apparently not. Then John sucks up the energy back without even breaking a sweat. Maybe I just don't understand the subtleties of a Green Lantern's power.
There was a lot of good in this episode too. It's always nice to see a superhero out of uniform...and John has been the only one we've been able to witness in plainclothes. It made it clear that he doesn't keep his identity secret. Flash provided some of the best lines ever and Hawkgirl kicked major butt, which is just what I like to see. Animation was very well done, but the music could get repetitive, especially in part one.
The premise is actually brilliant and could have been pulled off perfectly with a bit more thought and explanation. It's one of the first steps to understanding the responsible, disciplined character that is John Stewart. It is a Justice League must-see, but be sure to check your logic at the door.