Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011)

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
	; "Witness the Color of Will"
Directed By	Christopher Berkeley, Lauren Montgomery, Jay Oliva
Written By	Eddie Berganza, Alan Burnett, Todd Casey, Dave Gibbons, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi
Cast	Nathan Fillion, Jason Isaacs, Elisabeth Moss, Roddy Piper
Produced By	Bruce Timm
Music By	Christopher Drake
Studio	Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Premiere, DC Comics
Distributed By	Warner Home Video
Franchise	Green Lantern Franchise
Language	English
Release Date	June 8, 2011
Runtime	84 Minutes
Rating	PG

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Overview[]

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is a 2011 American superhero animated feature anthology film directed by Christopher Berkeley, Lauren Montgomery, and Jay Oliva with Nathan Fillion, Elisabeth Moss, Jason Isaacs, and Roddy Piper contributing as voice actors. It was a direct-to-video film that is an anthology feature weaving together six separate stories drawn from several decades of the rich comic book history and mythology of the Green Lantern Corps.

Nobody ever said saving the universe would be easy! But for Arisia Rrab? She is convinced that she is in way over her head! She is a rookie Green Lantern who just received her power ring a mere day ago and is now being thrown headlong into a battle of cosmic proportions.

What can a know-nothing-rookie like herself do in such a titanic struggle? As it turns out ... quite a lot.

Because it's not experience or fighting skill that counts as an Emerald Knight of the Green Lantern Corps ... it all comes down to will itself. Through a series of tales as told from her mentor Lantern Hal Jordan; she will learn first hand of the awesome responsibilities and the impressive heroic legacy she has inherited. Of the incredible trials and challenges that other Lanterns have faced and overcome.

To inherit the ring of a Lantern means to put your life on the line for the sake of others. For one day, some day ... they shall stumble and fall. It is inevitable. Life is fleeting, flesh is weak, and spirit fragile.

But Will?

Will is unbreakable.

Plot[]

The Coming Apocalypse[]

Ardakian Trawl, a highly decorated Green Lantern is ambushed by several mysterious creatures and is killed. Upon her death, her ring immediately goes out to seek out a new wielder. The Guardians of the Universe are alarmed when they identify her attackers as Shadow Demons and they immediately mobilize the Green Lantern Corps to prepare them for battle.

Arisia Rrab, a new Green Lantern who was just chosen a few days ago to serve in the Corps finds the experience completely overwhelming as she learns that the Guardians believe that the disgraced Oan Krona is using the sun near the Green Lanterns' home world and base of operations, Oa as a gateway to break free from his anti-matter prison. The Guardians of the Universe fearing the prophecy that he would return and plunge Oa into flames, decide to evacuate the Libraries and artifacts of the Corps to a safer place. These artifacts include the Central Power Battery and all Lanterns are ordered to recharge their rings before it leaves.

Shaken, Arisia wonders why the Green Lantern Ring chose her; a nobody to fight in the biggest battle in the universe aloud to her trainer Hal Jordan while waiting for in a queue to charge up their rings.

The First Lantern[]

With some time on their hands, Jordan proceeds to tell Arisia of a nobody who also received a power ring unexpectedly that he felt he didn't deserve. His name was Avra and he was the very first Green Lantern.

Before the Guardians of the Universe created the Corps, chaos reigned throughout the universe. Seeing the devastation the Guardians created four rings forged from the green light which is the manifestation of the power of will. Afterwards, they call the galaxy's greatest warriors for the rings to choose their new masters. The first three rings' selections go smoothly, picking the three of the potential candidates ... the last however did not.

Instead, the fourth and final ring does the unexpected by choosing Avra, a mere scribe to the Guardians and in no way a warrior. Still once chosen he accepted the task to stop an armada of warring aliens despite his fear and uncertainty.

Though outnumbered the warriors fought valiantly, but are quickly overwhelmed by sheer numbers and one of their number is killed. Hiding away, the survivors give into despair and are ready to retreat. However, Avra decides that to trust in the Guardians and trusting in his will to survive, refuses to flee and instead attacks the armada head on.

Through sheer force of will, he begins to destroy the invaders. During the battle Avra becomes the first Green Lantern by making the first will construct, a glowing sword of light to cut the armada to pieces. Reinvigorated at the sight of the scribe's success, the surviving warriors quickly copy his tactics and make will constructs of their own to defeat the armada.

Emboldened by the success of their Green Lanterns, the Guardians of the Universe forge a hundred more Rings and then thousands ... and each of the new Lanterns would be trained in Avra's method and taught to create constructs forged out of their will.

And so too, each ring would go on to choose their own wielder when their previous wielder would fall. For thousands and thousands of years, choosing the successors that would wield them, even Avra would one day fall with his ring being passed down from various Lanterns including Abin Sur and eventually to Hal Jordan.

Kilowog[]

*Don't Worry About the End of the Universe, Worry about Boot Camp Poozer!*

Arisia then has a run-in with a grumpy Kilowog, the Corps' Drill Instructor who warns her that this coming battle with Krona being easier than his boot camp. Arisia relates that she has heard rumors over Kilowog's insane training methods and that he even killed his recruits. This leads to Hal telling her that Kilowog is a pussy cat compared to his predecessor, Sgt. Deegan.

Deegan was responsible for the training of a rookie Kilowog, Tomar-Re, and other recruits. Part of the training involves relinquishing their rings and being thrown into various dangerous situations from erupting volcanoes to sandstorms. All very dangerous situations which forces the recruits to work together just to survive.

Later that night after being told the frost planet was next; Kilowog snaps at Deegan for his perceived recklessness in training the recruits and that he would be a murderer if one of them dies. Angered at the lack of respect, Deegan proceeds to remove his power ring and then beats Kilowog without the use of his ring. A bloody Kilowog is then lectured by Deegan who proclaims that he doesn't give a damn what Kilowog thinks, not any of them. He warns them that the life of a Green Lantern is difficult and not for the faint of heart and that growing old in the Corps is a privilege. His reprimand however is interrupted by a distress call to save a city from an attack by invaders.

Deegan takes the brunt of the battle himself while having the recruits create force fields to protect the civilians. Finally overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and their raw firepower, Deegan is mortally wounded and surrounded by the attacking foes. Kilowog arrives in time to save his teacher and takes out the remaining forces single handily.

Dying, Deegan confesses that he would never have allowed his trainees to be hurt but that his brutal training is necessary, because serving as a Lantern often requires them to go above and beyond as he proceeds to wipe his own blood on Kilowog's uniform. And that not every recruit has what it takes.

Absently, Deegan remarks that Kilowog does as he finishes creating a crude Green Lantern emblem on Kilowog's blank insignia, signifying him as having graduated from Deegan's training and having earned his position as a member of the Green Lantern Corps.

Laira[]

While observing the Oan sun for additional Shadow Demons incursion on a monitoring platform, Arisia encounters Laira, a relatively new Green Lantern but is considered to be among its most skilled warriors of the Corps. Hal relates that not too long ago, Laira returned home to her planet of Jayd on her first solo mission.

Hailing from the ruling family of Jayd, she is investigating why her home world has been attacking neighboring planets unprovoked. After dealing with her stepmother and brother, she finds her father in her room reminiscing about happier times. He freely admits to attacking the planets; believing that such actions would ultimately prove that he was indeed strong enough to wield a Green Lantern Ring as he felt that he was dishonored when it had instead chosen his daughter instead of him when Laira's predecessor had been killed in battle against Jayd's enemies.

When Laira rebukes him, he demands that she join him and help him overthrow the Guardians of the Universe and when she refuses, he attacks her in an attempt to take her ring by force. Battling throughout the palace he eventually succeeds at taking the ring from his daughter.

Upon putting it on, he finds his will is no match for Laira's which strips him of his armor. Realizing the error of his ways, he commits suicide in hopes of finally regaining his honor and dying in his beloved daughters arms. With his death Liara is left as the Ruler and Protector of Jayd.

Why Mogo Doesn't Socialize[]

After hearing of Laira's struggle, Arisia suddenly realizes that the observation platforms are quickly filling up and learns that the Guardians have called in every single Lantern from their Sectors except for Mogo. When asking about Mogo, the other Lanterns laugh when one of them jokes how "Mogo doesn't socialize."

Curious, Arisia is then told the story about Mogo and Bolphunga the Unrelenting. Many years ago, the intergalactic warrior Bolphunga is obsessed with seeking out and defeating the most powerful warriors in the universe. He then learns of one warrior who has never known defeat, the Green Lantern known as Mogo.

Eager to claim victory, Bolphunga seeks him out and acquires a set of coordinates that lead him to a beautiful green forested planet and seeks to hunt down Mogo to no avail.

After months of fruitless searching, Bolphunga's patience is exhausted and he decides to flush out his quarry. He has his drones emplace thousands of mines that explode to finally draw out the mighty Lantern. When they do explode, all of the destruction is instantly repaired in a wave of emerald energy that forms a glowing Green Lantern emblem encompassing the entire planet.

Bolphunga then realizes that Mogo is not a person but, rather an entire planet that is sentient. Shaken, he tries to flee but is casually defeated by Mogo.

Abin Sur[]

Shortly afterwards on patrol, Arisia is attacked by several of Krona's Shadow Demons and is rescued by Hal and another Lantern, Sinestro but is knocked unconscious. After waking up, she finds that Sinestro has been tending to her and that he has been pondering the Guardians' prophecy and takes this time to tell Arisia about his great friend and warrior, Abin Sur who had an interesting view on destiny himself.

Sur was attacked by a powerful red alien known as Atrocitus, who speaks of Sur's impending death. This battle is made harder by the fact that Sur's ring is near 1% charge. Even without his ring, Sur is able to battle Atrocitus in hand to hand combat. Aid eventually comes in the form of Sinestro who helps disarm the alien but not before Atrocitus damages Sur's power battery making it nearly explode.

Fearing for the safety of the planet's populace, Sur races to space to recharge and contain the explosion. Sur then easily captures Atrocitus before leaving to the prison on Yasmult.

Sinestro informs Sur that Atrocitus escaped a week ago and already killed three Lanterns. Atrocitus claims he was able to see the Lanterns' futures which allowed him to kill them. Sinestro is unimpressed, taking a more logical and pragmatic point of view while Sur believes the opposite though and that everything is part of one destiny and there are no coincidences.

Upon reaching Yasmult, Sur is compelled by Atrocitus predict farther into the future past Sur's own death. He foretells of the rise of the Sinestro Corps, a corps based on the yellow light of fear used by the most fearsome creatures in the galaxy and led by Sinestro that will bring about the complete destruction of the Green Lantern Corps.

Abin Sur however refuses to believe his claims, leaving Atrocitus before he is able to finish believing him to be a false prophet and only someone wanting to weaken the trust within the Corps.

Oa in Flames[]

Krona finally makes his move coming out of a vortex in the sun as a titan standing thousands of meters tall. Although stunned, the Lanterns quickly rally and launch a furious assault upon the giant being. Krona counters through his Shadow Demons and begin to slowly whittle the Corps down as well as shield himself, slaying dozens of Lanterns.

Retreating to come up with a plan, Arisia realizes that Krona is formed out of pure antimatter and that the only way to defeat him is by hitting him with a piece of matter that is equal to his size causing the two to self-annihilate. She quickly suggests that the only thing with sufficient mass to use as a weapon is Oa itself.

The surviving Lanterns form behind Oa and use their rings to push the planet at Krona but find themselves under siege by Krona's Shadow Demons and begin losing as the surviving Lanterns are being forced to concentrate on their defenses rather than pushing Oa towards their enemy. Backup arrives in the form of Mogo who lends the faltering Corps the extra power needed to blast the Shadow Demons to pieces and then their combined power beam pushes Oa into Krona and into the solar system's sun itself, destroying him. A relieved Arisia remarks that Mogo might not socialize much, "but he sure knows how to make an entrance."

With Oa destroyed, the Guardians use Mogo as a temporary home while they reconstruct a new Oa. Sinestro comments that Arisia's plan ended with Oa in flames like the Book had foretold. In honor of her ingenuity, Arisia finds out that she has been given her own entry in the Book of Oa and her own story in the annals of the Green Lantern Corps. Absently, she wonders if this means that she doesn't have to go through basic training under Kilowog anymore...

Cast[]

Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan
Elisabeth Moss as Arisia Rrab
Jason Isaacs as Sinestro
Kelly Hu as Laira
Roddy Piper as Bolphunga
Arnold Vosloo as Abin Sur
Tony Amendola as Kentor, Appa Ali Apsa
Steven Blum as Kloba Vud, Palaqua, Ranakar, G'Hu, Additional Voices
Grey DeLisle as Ree'Yu, Ardakian Trawl, Boodikka
Michael Jackson as Ganthet
Peter Jessop as Salaak
David Kaufman as Rubyn
Sunil Malhotra as Bolphunga's Ship
Henry Rollins as Kilowog
Andrea Romano as Abin Sur's Ring, Deegan's Ring
Jane Singer as Wachet
James Arnold Taylor as Tomar-Re
Bruce Thomas as Atrocitus
Bruce Timm as Galius Zed
Mitchell Whitfield as Avra
Wade Williams as Deegan
Gwendoline Yeo as Blu

Production[]

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights was the eleventh feature film of the DC Animated Original Universe which consists of more adult based films based on DC Comics properties with more profane language, violence, and more mature themes. The DC Animated Original Universe is unlike the more recent animated cartoons series and films which were usually tied into an shared universe and continuity of the DC Animated Universe created by Bruce Timm known as the DCAU Franchise. Like the other films, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights has more realistic human proportions; is considered a standalone film project that is not tied to the other films with its own independent continuity and chronology; and is an adaptation of the more popular comics and graphic novels of DC Comics.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights was chosen to promote the upcoming live action Green Lantern film also released in 2011. It is however a standalone movie and does not share continuity with either the live action film nor the previously released Green Lantern: First Flight film in 2009.

Reception[]

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights was released on June 7, 2011 on DVD and an extended special 2-disc release as well as Blu-ray. It earned $3,468,925 from domestic home video DVD sales and $2,228,971 from domestic Blu-ray sales, bringing its total domestic home video earnings to $5,697,896

Overall, Emerald Knights received generally positive reviews. It received a 71% audience approval rating from the Rotten Tomatoes website.

Alan Kistler from Newsarama said "That’s exactly what these kinds of projects should be. Something that entertains fans both new and old". He was impressed by the movie's ability to explain both Green Lantern history as well as explain what the power rings and smaller things mean in preparation for the live action movie.

James Rich from DVDtalk enjoyed the pacing of the film; saying that the "stories are strung together nicely, avoiding too many overly obvious jokes in the interstitial scenes, finding natural ways to go from one to the next while building toward Emerald Knights' climactic action sequence."

Joseph Szadkowski from the Washington Times thought the film had "one of the best animated hand-to-hand and traditional-weapon combat scenes I have ever witnessed," referring to the dramatic battle between Laira and her father.

Joey Esposito writing for IGN however did not like the film calling it "an emotionally barren but visually engaging Green Lantern adventure," and criticizing its thin plot and characterization, asserting that this film was best watched by Green Lantern fans or those familiar with the characters and setting although he did praise its voice acting, visuals, and action sequences as being superior quality.

Trivia[]

Despite reusing many of the same character models from Green Lantern: First Flight, this animated feature film is not a sequel or even in the same continuity of that film. It is considered a stand alone film even though Nathan Fillon would reprise his role as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in several other animated feature films, most are also not considered to be part of the same universe either. Many of the Green Lantern alien character designs would also be subsequently reused in the TV series Young Justice as well.

Two of the story segments, "Why Mogo Doesn't Socialize" and "Abin Sur" are based on two stories written by legendary comic book scribe Alan Moore but is deliberately not mentioned in the credits. This is due to the fact that Moore refuses to be credited for adaptations to his work as he has been unhappy with previous adaptations. As a result, only the illustrators received mention in the adaptations in these particular stories.

Associated Pages[]

Objects[]

Green Lantern Central Power Battery
Green Lantern Power Battery
Green Lantern Power Ring

Teams & Groups[]

Green Lantern Corps

Locations[]

Jayd
Oa

External Links[]

IMDb