DC Confirms a Shock Green Lantern Is a Traitor to the Corps

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Green Lantern #9!An iconic Green Lantern is breaking their oath and betraying the Corps. There’s been a lot of huge changes to the interstellar police force ever since the Guardians of the Universe disappeared. Now one Lantern is betraying their Corps because it may be the only way to save it.

In Green Lantern #9’s backup story “The Trial of Jessica Cruz” by Sam Humphries and Yasmin Flores Montañez, Jessica is called to stand before the United Planets’ leader Lord Premier Thaaros. The Lantern is accused of botching a sanctioned operation to destroy the Orange Lantern Power Battery, though Jessica testifies she was trying to mitigate damage.

An assassin comes to kill Thaaros, but Jessica saves him and is rewarded with a place on Thaaros’ council. However, the Green Lantern reveals this was a ruse to get Jessica close to Thaaros as part of a secret plan.

Jessica Cruz is Working to Subvert the Green Lantern Corps’ Leadership

Without a word to anyone, the Guardians of the Universe disappeared and leadership of the Green Lantern Corps was handed over to the United Planets. Unfortunately for the Earth-based Lanterns, Thaaros had Sector 2814 quarantined and reassigned every Corps member from the area. The changes irked Hal Jordan and his comrades, but things only got worse when the Sinestro Corps Central Power Battery exploded, killing beloved Green Lantern Kilowog. Hal Jordan and John Stewart decided to leave the Corps and returned to Earth. Jessica Cruz, Guy Gardner, Jo Mullein, and Kyle Rayner, however, all stayed with the Corps.

The United Planets are not fit to run the Green Lanterns. Given their order to destroy the Orange Power Battery, they appear to be behind the destruction of the other Corps in the Emotional Spectrum. Jessica and Jo have realized that with Thaaros in charge, the Corps is doing far more harm than good and they need to stop it. But they also know that they can’t take Thaaros down without getting close to him. By creating this scheme to get Jessica on the council, she’s poised to remove Thaaros and ultimately help save the Green Lantern Corps.

Green Lantern Has to Betray the Corps to Save It

Jessica Cruz has battled a lot of fear in her life, but the one thing that truly terrifies her is her beloved Green Lantern Corps being weaponized by a fascist like Thaaros. Though the United Planets are leading the Corps, Cruz knows that Thaaros needs to be removed in order for the Corps to retain its soul. While this requires the Green Lantern to play the part of a double agent, she’s willing to do whatever she must in order to bring normalcy back to the Corps. Hopefully, Jessica’s ‘betrayal’ of the Green Lantern Corps will work and take Thaaros down for good.

Green Lantern #9 is available now from DC Comics.

Green Lantern #9 (2024)
	Writer: Jeremy Adams and Sam Humphries Artist: Xermánico and Yasmin Flores Montañez Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Alex Guimarães Letterer: Dave Sharpe Cover Artist: Steve Beach