20 Strongest Versions of Green Lantern (Ranked)

“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my light. Let those who worship evil beware my power..Green Lantern’s light!” Several characters in the DC Multiverse have had a chance to speak this now-famous vow and become part of the Green Lantern Corps. The Green Lanterns are an intergalactic team of peacekeepers charged with protecting the universe from all manner of evil using their sheer force of will.

Some who have wielded the power of the Green Power Ring are among the most powerful while others are outlandish, created by DC Comics writers for comedic relief. All the same, it’s no secret that they are some of the most memorable characters to ever grace comic book pages.

This article will rank all versions of Green Lantern to determine who else within the multiverse has had the honor of being a servant of the Green Light. I’m certain you can mention some of the top of your head, but why not read on till the end to get the full picture?

20. Tangent Green Lantern

In the Tangent Comics series, Earth-9’s Green Lantern is a powerful necromancer and one of the most dynamic Green Lanterns we’ve ever witnessed.

Debuting in the Blackest Night series, this version of the Green Lantern was less about creating constructs by her sheer force of will. Instead, this Green Lantern had the power to resurrect the dead and control them. She could also become intangible and cross between dimensions. While she could prove a useful ally in battle, she isn’t much of a powerhouse as Green Lantern.

19. Magic Lantern

First appearing in Animal Man #23, Magic Lantern is one of the “grooviest” versions of the Green Lantern. He is the designated protector of Earth-47 and a member of Love Syndicate or that universe’s equivalent of the Justice League. While he was created as a sort of comedic relief for the writers, Magic Lantern proved he was a powerful Lantern as he fought alongside various allies across the multiverse to defeat evil.

We haven’t seen Magic Lantern do much with his powers in the comics. Still, his power shouldn’t be written off. He was once able to broker an understanding when an alien race was attacking Earth thus ensuring the safety of his home planet.

18. Boodikka

Boodikka is an alien originating from the planet Bellatrix and is the protector of Sector 1414. She first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 3 #20 and proved to be one of the most hot-headed versions of the character. She had problems with authority, a fact Hal Jordan was quick to notice. Still, she proved that she was one to be reckoned with and a powerful member of the Corps.

The events of Emerald Twilight would transform her as she couldn’t defeat a villainous Hal Jordan, losing her hand and ring while attempting to quell his rampage. After Hal was redeemed and became his normal heroic self, she rejoined the Corps. She’s definitely a strong Green Lantern as she was able to use her Ring of Power to reform her severed hand.

17. Jessica Cruz

Jessica Cruz is one of the newest versions of Green Lantern we’ve seen alongside Simon Baz. Her origin story is quite different from others on this list. You see while she and her friends were hiking one day, they stumbled across gangbangers burying a body. Her friends were killed but she manages to escape, suffering trauma and crippling fear.

The Ring of Volthoom which feeds off of fear locates her and hounds her into accepting it. The ring tortures her physically and mentally and has plans to use her to destroy the universe. Luckily, Batman is able to train Jessica to face her fears and she eventually overcomes the ring’s powers, becoming its master. The ring is later on destroyed and she’s inducted into the Green Lantern Corps.

She gets a Green Power Ring and she struggles at first due to her anxiety. However, she progressively overcomes her fears to become more powerful. She still occasionally has to contend with her past trauma and fears. However, on her good days she’s so powerful she impresses even Superman.

16. Simon Baz

Simon Baz debuted in 2012’s The Rise of the Third Army and uses a ring that was created from a fusion of Sinestro and Hal Jordan’s rings. For this reason, Baz’s ring can at times be a little faulty which is why in the beginning he used to carry a gun around in case the ring failed. However, Batman advises him to drop the gun as it’s a physical manifestation of his fear, and is hindering his true potential.

While considerably less powerful than others on this list, Baz has occasionally displayed incredible acts of willpower. For instance, he was able to cure a Red Lantern’s rage all on his own. He has additional powers that others don’t possess: An emerald sight that allows him to see the future, healing, phasing, electromagnetic scanning, and empowerment. He, however, rarely uses these powers as they drain him a lot.

15. Bzzd

First appearing in Green Lantern Corps Vol.2 #12, he is one of the most powerful members of the Corps due to his unbreakable will. For an insect Green Lantern, he has incredibly strong willpower and this allows him to create incredibly powerful constructs. He also has a stinger that releases a venom powerful enough to incapacitate opponents far larger than him.

He is fast, instinctive, and great at improvisation which, combined with his stealthy manner, make him quite formidable. Unlucky are those who underestimate him as they soon discover size doesn’t matter, at least when it comes to a Green Lantern! Unfortunately, Bzzd dies in battle and his ring is passed off to a new owner.

14. Salaak

Salaak is a veteran member of the Corps and first made an appearance in Green Lantern Vol.2 #149. He was from the planet Slyggia and was originally a loner and a pessimist. His distinguishing characteristics is the pinkish tint on his skin and his four arms.

He is one of the most powerful Green Lanterns, with impeccable skill in working the Green Lantern ring. However, what makes him a valuable member of the Corps is his genius intellect which allows him to coordinate and command the Corps as well as create neat constructs. He’s also a great multitasker thanks to his increased cranium size and four arms.

13. Bat Lantern

In Batman: In Darkest Knight, we finally got a chance to see what it would be like if the Caped Crusader wielded one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. On Earth-32, Batman tries his best to fight crime but things don’t go so well for him. Eventually, he obtains the ring of Abin Sur and becomes Bat Lantern or Emerald Knight.

With this newfound power, Batman becomes the protector of Space Sector 2814 in addition to Gotham. He is certainly one of the most powerful versions because even without the ring, Batman possesses an indomitable will. Add Batman’s genius-level intellect and peak human conditioning and you have one strong Green Lantern.

12. Mogo

Mogo is one of the more bizarre additions to this list as he is a sentient planet. It may sound confusing but you read that right. Mogo is a living planet and a member of the Green Lantern Corps. Mogo is responsible for directing all Lantern-less Rings to their new owners across the universe. It’s also capable of purifying people who have been corrupted by rings, such as the Red Lanterns. It can also fire powerful beams of Lantern energy.

After the revival of the Green Lantern Corps, Mogo would become the training ground for new Green Lantern recruits and later on the headquarters of the Corps. However, its biggest contribution would be destroying the Black Lanterns by absorbing them into their core.

11. Len Lewis

The Just Imagine comics brought to the forefront various DC Universe characters with a twist of Stan Lee’s imagination. Stan Lee was allowed to adopt the names of the existing characters but to re-imagine them. This is how a DC Comics and Marvel crossover Green Lantern, Len Lewis, was born.

Instead of becoming a Green Lantern by virtue of the Ring, the tree of life Yggdrasil is what grants Len Lewis his powers. In addition to super strength and invulnerability, Len Lewis has control over the elements, most notably air and earth. This makes him one of the most formidable Green Lanterns on this list.

10. Sodam Yat

Sodam Yat is the Green Lantern responsible for Sector 1760. He’s a Daxamite, which is a race descended from the Kryptonians. This means that he shares some of Superman’s powers and abilities when exposed to the yellow sun. That’s why he ranks so high on this list.

During the Sinestro Corps War, Sodam Yat is a member of a new line of Green Lanterns who have just graduated. He and his fellow Lanterns are called into battle on Mogo and he impresses greatly. After Kyle Rayner, Yat would be chosen as the new host of the Ion Entity, which powers the Green Lantern Battery, showing just how strong he is. We can only wait in bated breath to see how the character evolves.

9. Abin Sur

Abin Sur is the Green Lantern who was designated as the protector of Space Sector 2814. He’s best known as the predecessor to Hal Jordan. Before his untimely death, he was one of the most respected and overpowered Green Lanterns.

He was the one who discovered the imminent threat of the Blackest Night Prophecy but didn’t receive any backing from the Corps to prevent it from coming to pass. This is why he created the Indigo Tribe to protect the universe from impending doom.

Eventually, his ring would pass on to Hal Jordan but we still remember Abin Sur as a powerful Green Lantern who more than anything, practiced restraint.

8. Kilowog

Next up is Kilowog of Bolovax Vik. He is one of the most imposing Green Lanterns in stature and ranks as one of the strongest and toughest. He’s best known for his role as the primary drill sergeant of all new Green Lantern recruits, training them on the basics of commanding the ring and also advanced lessons like harnessing the full potential of their will. As a master of these things, he is one of the greatest users of the ring rivaled only by a few.

Even without the ring, his Bolovaxian physiology grants him superhuman strength, stamina, and durability. So, he is still a formidable being without his Green Lantern powers. He displayed just how powerful he is in the wars against Sinestro Corps and the Black Lanterns.

7. John Stewart

John Stewart was the third human to become the Green Lantern, after Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. He’s more commonly known as the Green Lantern of the DCAU and if you’ve watched the recent animated film Green Lantern: Beware My Power, you’ll realize just why he’s high on this list. John Stewart is a former marine and architect.

This likely plays in his favor as he becomes one of the greatest construct makers in the Green Lantern Corps thanks to his incredible sheer will. Come to think about it, in Green Lantern Vol.4 #26, he even tried to rebuild an entire planet and would have succeeded too were it not for the power ring being incapable of doing so. If this doesn’t make him a strong contender, I don’t know what else will.

6. Kyle Rayner

Kyle Rayner was the fourth human to become a Green Lantern. However, his origin story as a Green Lantern is quite different from others. Instead of being found by a ring, one Guardian by the name of Ganthet found him and presented him with a power ring. This was after Hal Jordan had been struck by grief and decimated the entire Green Lantern Corps as the villain Parallax.

For a time, he was the only Green Lantern actively protecting the universe which is why he’s often called The Torchbearer for standing against evil in the darkest of nights. He’s widely considered the most creative Green Lantern, creating incredible constructs that are the envy of all.

Kyle Rayner would host the Ion Entity making him almost god-like. He used this power to recharge the Central Battery and begin a new era of the Green Lantern Corps. He also gained control over the entire emotional spectrum to become a White Lantern. Without a doubt, he’s one of the strongest versions we’ve ever seen.

5. Guy Gardner

Guy Gardner is one of the most polarizing Green Lanterns ever thanks to his arrogant and douchey demeanor. Still, this doesn’t limit him from being one of the strongest Green Lanterns. His overconfident attitude serves to make his willpower even stronger which makes him quite a formidable opponent.

He’s one of the few Green Lanterns to ever wield multiple power rings at a go. For instance, he was able to wield Sinestro’s original Yellow Power Ring for a time. He was also able to wield the Red Power Ring in addition to his own Green one. This definitely earns him a place high on the list.

4. Sinestro

Ah, Sinestro! One of the most powerful members of the Green Lantern Corps before his not-so-great fall from grace.

Still, Sinestro’s power is unquestionable. He created the Sinestro Corps and was even able to wield the Yellow Power Ring which is powered by fear. Only a powerful being could do so. Even as a Green Lantern he showed just how strong he was. For instance, he replicated his power ring and gave it to Hal Jordan.

Few in the Green Lantern Corps have as much mastery of the Power Rings as Sinestro.

3. Dawnbreaker

So, what would happen if the Caped Crusader was to wield a Green Power Ring? Answer: we get one of the most awesome incarnations of both the Bat and Green Lantern, Dawnbreaker. Dawnbreaker hails from Earth-32 and instead of being the stout defender of truth and justice we all know and love, this version lacks empathy and mercy.

Earth-32’s Bruce Wayne has the same origin story as the original Batman. However, after witnessing the death of his parents he acquires the Green Lantern Ring. He wants nothing more than to use it to kill his parents’ murder but soon discovers it doesn’t work that way. Demonstrating just how strong he is, Bruce uses nothing but his willpower to override the ring’s power. He corrupts the ring with his desire to cause evil and fuses it with his fear of bats, thus becoming Dawnbreaker. This version ends up being one of the evilest and most powerful incarnations of both Batman and Green Lantern.

2. Alan Scott

Alan Scott is the original Green Lantern and existed before the Green Lantern Corps was created. Instead of getting his powers from the Green Power Ring, the ring he bears draws energy from a sentient being known as Starheart which was captured and held by the Guardians of the Universe.

He wears the Starheart as a ring and this also altered his physiology, making him strong even without the ring. His children Jade and Obsidian would inherit the power of the Starheart becoming strong as well. However, while wielding this power makes him arguably one of the strongest Lanterns, it has one downside. Alan Scott is vulnerable to weapons fashioned from wood. He would have been first on this list but since a lumberjack could arguably defeat the mighty Alan Scott, 2nd will have to do.

1. Hal Jordan

Hal Jordan was the first human to become a Green Lantern. If you disregard his time as the villainous Parallax, he is arguably the greatest Green Lantern that ever was. He’s gone through various phases in his comic book history including dying and coming back as a god. He also went insane after his hometown is destroyed and tries to reverse this which eventually pushes him off the edge and he becomes a malevolent entity, slaying the entire Green Lantern Corps.

His willpower makes him the strongest Green Lantern there ever was and after his redemption, he becomes the measuring standard for all other Green Lanterns to emerge. He was so strong he even knocked out Superman with a single blow. He can also manipulate time and space which shows just how powerful he actually is.

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