Why does GL fight fair?

[Frank White]

In regards to Starcrossed, I know from a dramatic viewpoint that fight would have been boring if GL won quickly. But from a practical viewpoint why didn't GL just shackle Hro up and bang him unconsious with like a big hammer. If GL had all of his limbs immoble I doubt he would have been strong enough to break free. Why bother fighting with a green axe and a green shield?

[DSRGirl]

I blame the fact that John Stewart isn't all that creative, since he's an army man at heart. So he uses the Ring for more pratical purposes. I mean, he barley makes constructs with it at all. That's not just a problem with "Starcrossed" though. It's a problem with most episodes he's in.

[Squall]

I blame the fact that John Stewart isn't all that creative, since he's an army man at heart. So he uses the Ring for more pratical purposes. I mean, he barley makes constructs with it at all. That's not just a problem with "Starcrossed" though. It's a problem with most episodes he's in.

Yeah, I think that some Green Lanterns are more creative than others. They're all individuals, after all... and remember that, in S:TAS "In Brightest Day", the ring chose Kyle Rayner because he was an artist?

[shogunthethird]

granted John's use of his ring is a lot more utilitarian than either Hal Jordan or Kyle Rayner's but consider how Timm and Co were trying to distance themselves from the stuff in the superfriends cartoon (remember Hal trapping the legion of doom in a giant egg carton?) that and again Stewart is an ex-marine and being on the front lines doesn't give you a lot of time to plan things out , and as for the fair fight I think it also goes back to his military training and the whole "honor in battle thing" it's why he didn't kill any of Despero's followers, and given that and the corps dictums on killing you can see why he fought fair

[Simpler Simon]

Well the whole "This isn't the first time you've taken something that belonged to me" kinda threw John's judgement off. He also has an emotional stake in this fight, which is why he wanted to finish Hro with his fists rather than the energy axe he created.

And Hro swung with enough force to crack GL's shield, not to mention that he took a beating and *still* had enough strength for a full fight with Hawkgirl. Not sure energy shackles and a big hammer woulda done it.

[Knight]

And Hro swung with enough force to crack GL's shield, not to mention that he took a beating and *still* had enough strength for a full fight with Hawkgirl. Not sure energy shackles and a big hammer woulda done it.

Energy shackles would have held him Thanagrians arent that strong. It wasnt the fact that Hro's strength had anything to do with him cracking GLs shield its the fact that the ax's energy is what allowed it to happen. Hawkgirl doesnt smash a lot of things with her mace because of her strength its the maces other properties that enable her to do it.

As for the topic GL could have and should have been able to take out Hro fairly easily. John chose to fight him on more even ground because it was very personal between the two with regards to Hawkgirl. Lots of constructs or not Hro was out powered by John. Hro only gained a advantage when GL thought he was down and out when he wasnt.John taking his attention off Hro is what allowed him to break his ring which greatly tipped the battle in his favor.

[DarkLantern]

Timm and Co were trying to distance themselves from the stuff in the superfriends cartoon (remember Hal trapping the legion of doom in a giant egg carton?)

Sorry, but Apache Chief did that with a device called the "Mental-Matter Ray" -- which I guess is just a really large version of GL's power ring -- in the end of the episode "Doomsday."

Of course, Michael Rye did the voice for Apache Chief and Hal, so I can understand the confusion...

DL

[WonderRaver]

Why Apache Chief was thinking about an egg carton at the time is beyond me. Especially since there were thirteen villains! Last I checked, eggs weren't sold as a baker's dozen!

-Matt

[WonderRaver]

Back on topic...

I kinda think that the writers wanted to power down the "powerful" heroes so that they would work better as a team (whatever that means!) No magic in the golden lasso, no martian vision, no vibrating through solid matter, no real cool ring constructs, etc., etc.

-Matt

[JohnStewart-GL]

In regards to Starcrossed, I know from a dramatic viewpoint that fight would have been boring if GL won quickly. But from a practical viewpoint why didn't GL just shackle Hro up and bang him unconsious with like a big hammer. If GL had all of his limbs immoble I doubt he would have been strong enough to break free. Why bother fighting with a green axe and a green shield?

He coulda done that but then we'd have been cheatd out of one great fight. Plus GLs macho and probly wanted to do it himself insteada jus using the ring to beat on him.

[Mackaybear]

This just pinned down the one problem I've had with John Stewart as GL. If you had that "most powerful weapon" on your finger why would you do so much hand to hand fighting. Yes he's an ex-marine. But he's been trained as a GL to use the ring to max advantage. So why depend on your own physical prowess so much.

The fight in "Starcrossed" I can at least understand since it was about as personal as a protagonist/antagonist fight can get. Wanting to kick Hro's butt "by himself without the ring" I can see. But what about the majority of other fights in Season one and two.

Of course maybe this is due to John's feelings as shown in the Dr. Destiny episode as to whether or not John has issues concerning his "dependence on the ring" to be a hero.

[DarkLantern]

Of course maybe this is due to John's feelings as shown in the Dr. Destiny episode as to whether or not John has issues concerning his "dependence on the ring" to be a hero.

Interesting hypothesis... this was a recurring theme in the Silver-Age GL comics: Hal preferring to use his fighting prowess rather than the ring when combatting a foe (in some cases musing how he "learned it is very dangerous to rely completely on the ring").

And you know how Timm and Co. lo-o-o-ove the Silver Age...

DL

[Fone Bone]

I loved the fight between GL and Hro.

Hro: You took what belonged to ME!

Green Lantern: Anything I took was freely offered. Maybe you should take better care of your stuff!

[Simpler Simon]

If you had that "most powerful weapon" on your finger why would you do so much hand to hand fighting. Yes he's an ex-marine. But he's been trained as a GL to use the ring to max advantage. So why depend on your own physical prowess so much.

I remember something similiar being asked in one of the Star Wars books (I, Jedi maybe) about why Jedi would bother with physical exercise if they had the force. Besides over-dependence on the tool that you're using, it also makes one feel more alive when you're physical. And personally I don't want John to turn into that overweight GL from Kingdom Come.

And John, besides being conscious of running out of juice (War World), has actually run out at least twice (Savage Time and Fallen Hero). Maybe it's taught him to convserve the ring's energy, and only pull out the major constructs for special occasions (the training drone in Secret Society, the pneumatic drill in Starcrossed).

[Frank White]

"Business before pleasure"