TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner has finally arrived in Lanterns, and the actor says the character's return marks another step in the expanding DC Universe.
According to Variety, after being absent from the first five episodes, Fillion appears in the latest episode as Guy Gardner, who becomes the new Green Lantern after John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, leaves the ring behind.
The character's arrival also connects Lanterns to the wider DC Universe, with Fillion describing Guy as a growing thread across the franchise.
Who Is Guy Gardner in Lanterns?
Guy Gardner appears in the 2026 timeline after John returns to Rushville and reconnects with Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, shortly before Hal is found dead in the bleachers.
Guy visits John in jail after receiving a distress signal from Rushville. Although he initially hesitates to help him escape, John reminds Guy that he owes his position to him.
“Everything you have is because I didn’t take it,” John tells Guy.
The exchange forces Guy to confront something unusual for him: being indebted to another person.
Guy Gardner's Green Lantern Status
Guy is presented as the third choice for Earth's Green Lantern after Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
According to Fillion, wearing the ring and carrying the Green Lantern mantle matters deeply to Guy's sense of identity.
“He’s a very public part,” Fillion told Variety, describing Guy's growing presence in the DC Universe.
Guy's status also feeds his confidence. As the only person in the room wearing the ring, he enjoys the authority and attention that come with being a Green Lantern.
Why Is Guy Gardner So Focused on Fame?
Guy's personality extends beyond his role as a superhero. His public image and financial ambitions are central to Fillion's portrayal.
The first time viewers see Guy's face in the series is not during his encounter with John, but on a cardboard advertisement for Electro Punch in a local grocery store.
Fillion describes Guy as someone who cares about branding, corporate sponsorship and financial security. He wants to open a bar and has retirement plans, while also keeping up with social media trends.
For Guy, becoming a Green Lantern is not enough. He wants to become a famous Green Lantern.
That desire for recognition is closely connected to his ego and his need to prove himself.
How Does Nathan Fillion Approach Guy Gardner?
Fillion said he was surprised when he was asked to bring Guy Gardner into Lanterns, particularly because the series has a more grounded tone than the character traditionally suggests.
His main concern was maintaining consistency in Guy's personality despite the change in tone.
Fillion compared the approach to spending time in different parts of the DC Universe. A person would remain the same while having very different experiences in Metropolis, Gotham or elsewhere.
From Comic Books to the DC Universe
Fillion grew up reading comic books and had already worked with DC characters before taking on Guy Gardner.
He voiced characters in the animated series Justice League Unlimited in the mid-2000s and has also appeared in several Marvel projects, including Deadpool & Wolverine and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Despite his familiarity with comic books, Fillion said he initially did not appreciate Guy Gardner.
He described Guy as a character audiences are almost expected to dislike, which became part of the foundation for his performance.
What Made Guy Gardner a Jerk?
Fillion believes Guy's unpleasant personality needs an explanation.
Because the character's past has not been explored in great detail in the new DC Universe, Fillion said he was able to draw selectively from Guy's comic-book history.
One element that informed his portrayal was Guy's sense of rejection and his difficult relationship with his father. Fillion sees those experiences as contributing to Guy's need to prove himself.
The Bus Accident and Guy's Personality
One of the comic-book events Fillion referenced is an incident in which Guy is hit by a bus and spends time in a coma.
Fillion said the experience represents a turning point for the character and suggested that it contributed to Guy's unpredictable personality.
The actor used those elements of Guy's history to build a character who is deeply flawed but also driven by a strong desire to establish his worth.
How Does Lanterns Connect to the DC Universe?
Lanterns is one part of the expanding DC Universe being developed under co-chairmen James Gunn and Peter Safran.
For Fillion, the series offers a different way of exploring the superhero world. Rather than simply placing familiar superheroes into an otherwise realistic setting, Gunn's DC Universe allows the extraordinary to exist as part of everyday life.
That means giant monsters, robots and other fantastical events can exist alongside ordinary communities.
Lanterns expands that world by moving beyond the familiar setting of Metropolis and exploring Middle America and rural areas.
Fillion said he is particularly interested in eventually seeing how the story reaches Gotham.
What Is Next for Guy Gardner?
Guy Gardner's role will extend beyond Lanterns.
Nathan Fillion is set to appear as Guy in Man of Tomorrow, James Gunn's follow-up to Superman, which is scheduled for release in 2027.
Guy and John Stewart are both expected to appear in the film, giving the characters another opportunity to develop their relationship within the wider DC Universe.
Fillion described the movie as exploring another level of the superhero community, specifically the world surrounding the Green Lanterns.
Guy Gardner will also appear in the animated series Mister Miracle, for which Fillion has already recorded his voice work.
For Fillion, the expanding number of appearances reflects the idea that superheroes are not isolated figures in this DC Universe. They can appear across different parts of society, from billboards and advertisements to major superhero events.
His role as Guy Gardner therefore extends beyond a single series. As the DC Universe continues to expand, Fillion sees the character becoming a recurring thread connecting different stories and corners of the franchise.
Read: Who is Guy Gardner in James Gunn's Superman 2025? Is He Based on the Comic?
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