{
  "id": 4588475,
  "title": "The Guardians of the Universe in Lanterns explained: who are they, what do they want with John Stewart, and who plays Lianna in the new HBO Max show?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/the-guardians-of-the-universe-in-lanterns-explained-who-are-they-what",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-31T07:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/the-guardians-of-the-universe-in-lanterns-explained-who-are-they-what-do-they-want-with-john-stewart-and-who-plays-lianna-in-the-new-hbo-max-show"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Guardians of the Universe are a mysterious alien race featured in the HBO Max series Lanterns. These beings hail from the planet Maltus and were initially called the Guardians of the Universe after relocating to Oa following a failed experiment. They now oversee the Green Lantern Corps, an interstellar police force dedicated to maintaining peace throughout the universe.\n\nIn the show, the Guardians' role is crucial, as they interview John Stewart (played by Adrian Martinez) for the position of Earth's next Green Lantern, replacing Hal Jordan. The Guardians are powerful beings with a range of abilities, including flight, time travel, telepathy, astral projection, invulnerability, energy manipulation, reality warping, size manipulation, omniscience, and force field projection. They are known to be formidable adversaries, as evidenced by the events that led to the creation of the Manhunters and the eventual massacre of Sector-666.\n\nThe series delves into the backstory of the Guardians and their relationship with John Stewart's family. His father, John Stewart Sr., was initially considered for the role of Earth's first Green Lantern but failed the Guardians' test, leading to his banishment from the family home. His mother, Bernadette, tried to protect her family but was eventually shown a message from the Guardians, revealing that John Jr. has the potential to become a Green Lantern. This decision led to John Jr. being raised with the belief that he was destined to become a Green Lantern, undergoing extensive brainwashing and training by his parents.",
  "summary": "Lanterns episode 3 pulls back the curtain on the Guardians of the Universe — here's what you need to know about them.",
  "key_points": [
    "Guardians of the Universe are alien race from Maltus",
    "Interview John Stewart for Earth's Green Lantern role",
    "Lianna's character and backstory explored in series"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Guardians of the Universe's crucial role in Lanterns reveals their significant influence on John Stewart's life and the Green Lantern Corps, showcasing their power and complicated family dynamics.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}