Disclaimer : Rangers not mine, they’re Saban’s. JLA, Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, and all other related heroes not mine, they’re DC’s. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell, and all other things Charmed: Spelling/WB. Special thinks to Christ McIntyre, who wrote the original version of this tale, entitled: The Return of a Hero. This version is located at http/ if you would like to read this before you start this version.
Redemptionsby : C.A. Turner
It had been two months since the entire Aquaman affair. Jason Lee Scott, the Red Ranger, was upset about the event, because he had killed the former Sea King. A week before, he and his girlfriend, Samantha Dean, the Purple Ranger, had called it quits, saying they weren’t meant for each other. Those events combined, sent Jason into a deep depression. Sensing that he needed a change of scene, Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern, invited both him and Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger, to New York City to help Jason.
Trini smiled as she saw the view of NYC from the top of the Empire State Building. Kyle had just finished the artwork for an ad campaign, so he decided to take his fellow JLAers sightseeing. While Trini was higher than a kite, Jason’s spirits were still at an all time low.
Trini spoke up then, “I know this sounds strange, but I’m hungry. Any place around here to get a really good chili dog?”
“Maybe not a chili dog, Trini, but we could get some great lunch at Warriors about now,” Kyle suggested.
Jason asked “Doesn’t Warriors belong to Guy Gardner?”
“Yeah, it does, but Guy’s pretty cool. If he ever was a total asshole, he sure has changed from that. Besides, they make the best double bacon cheeseburgers in the city. Let’s go,” Kyle responded.
Within minutes, they were at Warriors, a super sports bar and restaurant, munching on meganachoes, waiting for lunch, and asking Guy a lot of questions, mainly about Hal Jordan, Kyle’s predecessor as Green Lantern, when a beautiful woman in a sharp business suit came in, asking, “Had anymore bar fights lately, Guy?”
“Nice seeing you too, Carol. Kyle, Trini, Jason, this is Carol Ferris, super sharp businesswoman and Hal’s former lady. Carol, you already know Kyle. The two newcomers are Trini Kwan and Jason Lee Scott. They… help Kyle on occasion.” Guy knew about the Rangers too, but was also sworn to keep their secret. “So, why are you in town, Carol?”
“I’m trying to get a loan to restart Ferris Aircraft. Tom Kalmaku has designed an engine that could cut fuel consumption in half, and we want to produce and manufacture it together on a mass scale,” Carol told them.
“You got here just in time. It’ll get dark soon, and this place will be completely swamped,” Guy told her, pouring a drink.
Jason asked, “Ms. Ferris, what was Hal Jordan really like? Kyle told us of all the times he went up against him, and that he was reminded of all the things he did as a hero, saving the world. That’s al Trini and I know, legendary tales. How could he have changed so radically like that?”
“Truthfully, Jason, I don’t know what happened to him. I talked to Hal after Coast City had been destroyed, and he seemed to have put the whole thing behind him, but then again, Hal was never an easy man to figure out. I just can’t believe… why are you asking this?” Carol asked the teen.
Jason quickly turned away, saying, “Uh, I have my reasons, and I’d really rather not go into them right now.” But soon, he, Trini, and Kyle asked each other the same question: How can only man change so drastically in a matter of minutes?
Trini puzzled, “Carol said that he seemed to have put Coast City behind him. Why put himself through all of that garbage if he did?”
“That’s right. When I met the man, it sure didn’t seem like he was the type of person who would make such an extreme change like that,” Kyle wondered.
But before the three could try to figure out any more of this, their communicators went off, followed by the voice of the Flash, saying, “Green Lantern, Superman needs your help in Metropolis as in YESTERDAY! Get there at once!”
Trini spoke into the communicator, “Jason and I can help, Flash. We’ll go too.”
“OK, Trini, you go with GL. Jason, Zordon wants you to come to the Command Center. He says it’s important.”
At Halliwell manor in San Francisco, Phoebe Halliwell, still getting over being rescued by 2 of the Justice League, was watching the events unfold on tv, when she got a psychic flash. “Prue, Piper, get in here!”
Both sisters rushed in and saw the battle unfolding. “Whoa, that’s intense!” Piper frowned.
“You think they’ll need our help, Pheebs?” Prue asked.
“Nope, but I got another flash-a legendary hero will return because of this-I just can’t see who it is yet.”
Piper’s curiosity was roused. “Any ideas?”
“Well, we know it’s not Aquaman. He was just killed. The original GL?” Prue mused.
“Maybe. I can’t see who. All I know, he’ll be a big help to the League-and us.”
“Jason, this is Ganthet. He is the last of a group of mentors called the Guardians of the Universe. They created the Green Lantern Corps. He needs your help in finding a certain person. You were the one he asked for, because both of you have incredible amounts of guilt, and you both truly believe in the heroic ideal.”
“Who are you looking for?” Jason asked.
“Hal Jordan.”
Jason was in shock.
Trini and Kyle had both transformed into the Yellow Ranger and Green Lantern, and were ready to fly to Metropolis, when they were both stopped by Guy, who was ready for action. “Neither of you are going without me! I want a piece of Extant after what he did to me during Zero Hour. He’s going to get what’s comin’ to him!”
Superman was in serious pain. Extant, who was basically time energy, was able to create Kryptonite chains, wrapping the Man of Steel in them tightly, smirking, “Did you actually think you had any chance of stopping me? ME? Really. Now, I can prolong your agony, or just kill you now. I can…” That was as far as he had gotten when he received a flying kick from the Yellow Ranger. In quick order, he was then attacked by the White, Purple, Blue, and Green Rangers.
“Zordon thought you could use some help, so he got Phil to use the coin again,” Tommy Oliver, the White Ranger, told her.
Trini asked, “Where are Kim and Zack?”
Samantha told her, “They’re helping Wonder Woman on Themyscira. Rita’s trying to capture the island, and no way are they gonna let that happen.”
“We could really use their help. Extant is not just gonna roll over, and… HE’S UP AGAIN, GUYS, BACK TO ACTION!” Trini yelled.
Weapons ready, the Rangers promptly leaped back into battle. Phil had just freed Superman, and together, they tried to attack the fiend from all sides, when Extant let loose a sense-shattering blast of chronal energy, knocking almost all of the heroes unconscious, cheering, “Uhm, uhn, uhn, can’t do thinks like that, gang. Now, let’s end this farce, shall we, hmm?”
Kyle and Guy shouted together, “Yeah, you son of a bitch, let’s!”
In seconds, Guy blasted Extant into the next building, leaped on top of him, and created a scimitar from his Vuldarian arm, shouting angrily, “You know, I never got the chance to repay you for what you did, almost ripping my guts out. don’t worry, that’ll seem tame compared to what I’m going to do to your damn ass!” But as Guy was about to play slice and dice with Extant, a weakened Superman grabbed his arm, saying, “I can’t let you kill him, Guy.” Unfortunately, that gave the villain enough time to blast all three heroes with a stream of energy. “Ah, well, so much for all that.”
Jason was in Silent Springs, Nev., with Ganthet. “I don’t understand. How in the world did he survive the Sun-Eater? And, why me? I mean, why not guy, or one of Hal’s friends. He doesn’t even know me.”
“I have absolutely no idea how he survived that encounter, but as for why you are here, I believe you both can help each other. We are here.”
“A roadside diner? Hal? After all I’ve heard about him, I never would have expected anything like this. Ah, well, we won’t get anywhere standing out here. Let’s go inside.”
As the two walked inside, people pretended not to notice a 19 year old teen and a three-foot tall midget, thinking they were hallucinating. Both walked into the back where Jason asked, “Hal Jordan?”
“Yes. What can I… Oh, no.”
In seconds, they were out back, where Jason told him about what was going on in Metropolis, quickly explaining, “I know who you used to be. You are the League’s last hope.”
Ganthet took over, saying, “Extant is going to finish what you started, first, by destroying the heroes who stopped him.”
“And how does our young friend figure into all of this?” Hal asked.
“Best if I just show you,” Jason said, whipping out his morpher and yelling, “TYRANNOSAURUS,” transforming into the Red Ranger.
Hal asked, “You want me to become a Power Ranger?”
Ganthet said, “No. Time for you to become who you truly are.” Then, in a flash of green, Hal had a power ring on his finger and was in his old uniform. -It feels good to wear this again, it feels right,- Hal thought. “But aren’t you afraid that I’ll try to destroy the universe again?”
Ganthet answered, “No, that was not truly you. Do you remember just before you were exiled into space? A very powerful Quadrian being brought out your evil side with a mere touch. We all thought that the combined will of the Corps had driven the evil out of you. Instead, it drove itself deep down within you. Later, the tragedy of Coast City caused this to reassert itself with a vengeance. When we were merged, I tried to suppress this anger, but it was too strong. Your real self finally started to take control, and when the Sun-Eater finally drained your power, it also drained that evil.”
“But I destroyed the Corps, killed…” Hal started, but Jason took over by saying, “Man, what you did, it wasn’t truly you. You weren’t in control. It wasn’t your fault. Unlike me.”
“Wrong, Jason. I saw that battle when it was broadcast on tv news. Aquaman could have very well killed you. The man had, like me, grown too powerful If he had gotten his way, this world would not exist if you hadn’t stopped him. You did what you had to do to protect the planet. Now, let’s get to Metropolis. We are needed there,” Hal told the young hero.
Ganthet handed Hal a Lantern battery, saying, “Here, you will need this.” As Jason watched proudly, Hal placed the ring to the battery, and said his oath:
IN BRIGHTEST DAY, IN BLACKEST NIGHT,NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT,LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVIL’S MIGHT,BEWARE MY POWER, GREEN LANTERN’S LIGHT!
Metropolis was like a war-torn battlefield. Flash, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Black Canary, Superman, Green Lantern (Kyle), and the Yellow, White, Purple, Blue, and Green Rangers were captured and taunted by Extant, who smiled, “Pity, I truly expected more from the World’s Greatest Superheroes. Enjoy breathing, friends, you won’t be doing it much longer. With all of you out of the way, I’ll just destroy the earth. Too much work to rule. Jordan may have started this, but he was too much of an idiot to see this thing through.”
“Well, who in the hell declared you an Einstein, shithead!” Jason yelled.
“Ah, the elusive Red Ranger. Where are you, you young…” Extant was interrupted by three things: 1. A powerful kick to the jaw by Jason. 2. Jason’s sword slicing his upper arm and lower thigh, causing him extreme pain. and 3. the sight of Hal Jordan… Green Lantern. Extant screamed in terror, “Do you really think that you and this …relic can stop me? I’m more powerful than ever! I’ve caught Superman! No one can stop me, ever!”
Hal smirked, “Extant, stay away from those old ’50’s comic books. They’re rotting what’s left of your brain. Now get this through your skull, I’m back, I don’t live in the past anymore, and I have a responsibility to live up to starting with taking you out, no ifs, ands, or buts. Believe me, it ends here.”
Angrily, Extant tried to blast Hal with an energy stream. Dodging it with ease, Hal put up a shield that blocked a stream of yellow energy. “The new ring must be like Kyle’s,” Hal thought. Shooting off another bolt of ring energy, Hal knocked Extant off his feet. Meanwhile, as the two were fighting, three teleportation beams came in alongside Jason. Kimberly Hart, Zack Taylor, and Wonder Woman arrived, and helped Jason free the other heroes.
Hal sent a ring beam right into Extant’s very being. “Guess what? If you won’t give up your power, I’ll just have to take every bit of it that you have, like it or not!” As the energy drain started, Hal glowed a bright Green, bucking with pain. Jason, Kimberly, Zack, Wonder Woman, Kyle, Hawkman, Trini, and the other heroes rushed over to take some of the load off. Guy revived, and joined the team in their effort. Hal shouted to everyone, “We need to suppress his will. Everyone focus your willpower into one. One mind, one will. Just let your minds go with it. Let it go and relax. Just let it go on instinct.”
In a flash, Extant sat there in the form of an ordinary human, powerless, and they’ve won. Everyone ran up to Hal, asking him questions, most glad he’s back, and a few wondering what he’s up to. Jason smiled happily. He now feels he has atoned for what he has believed to be a fiendish crime. Hal, too, was pretty happy. He had realized that he had gotten a second chance to put his life back together.
“It’s the Original Green Lantern! I KNEW it!” Piper bellowed happily.
“Yeah, right!” Phoebe snorted.
“In any case, I have a feeling we should all be glad he’s back, ’cause I think things are about to get hairier!” Prue told her sisters. “We have to be on guard.
Two weeks later, Jason and Hal were both at the Watchtower. Hal just got a job as a test pilot for a new airline corporation based in Angel Grove. Jason asked him, “So, what are you going to do now, rejoin the League?”
Hal thought about it and chuckled, “Maybe later. Not now. You know, Jason, hopefully we’ve both learned something here. We can’t change what’s happened in our past than we can change who we are. You’ve got to accept the past, and plan for the future, and be who you are.”
Jason looked at him and smiled, the first smile he had since Aquaman. “In other words, you just have to roll with it, right?”
“Exactly. Just be who you were meant to be.”
“That’s exactly what I plan to do. Come back inside. One thing I’ve learned about the Flash and your successor, both are total pizza fiends.”
“You go ahead. I’m gonna take a little space flight. See you later, Red Ranger.”
“Later, Green Lantern.”
In minutes, Hal had taken to the airless void of space. He loved flying like this. He meant everything he told Jason, and he was going to live by that, too. He’s gotten his life back together, now to move into the future.
He’s Hal Jordan.
He’s Green Lantern.
And he’s back.
The End… for now
