This is a full episode recap, so if you don’t want SPOILERS please watch the show, before reading this.
Red Lantern Bleez is angered when she uses an access code to open a portal but fails. She and her troops must access this portal if their planned invasion is to work.
Meanwhile, Hal has misplaced his lantern. Appa contacts them and tells them that they must go to the Lighthouse, an ancient teleportation station used to bypass an asteroid belt separating the Forgotten Zone and Guardian Space. Appa tells them that Atrocitus plans on using it for his invading fleet, so Hal and company must destroy it. A Green Lantern named Tauverus had hoped to unlock the secrets of the Lighthouse but vanished without a trace, but Aya says a prisoner named Tauverus was being held on the Prison Asteroid.
The yellow stones on the Prison Asteroid almost immediately disable Aya. Razer takes her to safety while Hal and Kilowog seek out Tauverus. Unfortunately, Taverous is a skeleton when they locate him, killed by a mind altering torture device. But Kilowog spies a message etched on the restraint he was chained to, indicating that if they want to know the code, to free “Byth Rok.” The squid-like warden of the Prison Asteroid Goggan “inks” himself. He says that Byth Rok is a dangerous Thanagarian prisoner. The Thanagarians are all kept in “The Birdcage” a savage arena where they pass their time battling one another.
They find Byth Rok clamped to a rock. He realizes why they are there. He says he shared a cell with Tauverus and that he was trusted with the code because he is a “tough nut to crack.” He tells them the only way out for them is for Kilowog to fight Bumpy, who has usurped command of the Thanagarians. (Side note: I was very impressed with the designs of the Thanagarians. Their armor looks very cool and several of them sport tribal tattoos that are unique and look great.)
Byth says that Kilowog won’t beat Bumpy. Not only is Bumpy huge, he wears Nth Metal armor and cheats. Indeed, Bumpy knocks Kilowog out in minutes. Byth then says they will go double or nothing; if Hal can beat Bumpy, he regains control of the Thanagarians and they are allowed to leave. If Hal loses, they forfeit their lives. Byth tells Hal that Bumpy can’t see out of his right eye and that his weak spot is between his wings. Hal, he says, is so scrawny that Bumpy won’t see him coming. Remarkably, Hal knocks Bumpy out in just a few moves!
Once out of his cell, however, Byth changes his tune. He tells the Green Lanterns that in exchange for the code, he wants freedom for himself, his men and Tauverus’ ring. Hal tells him that the ring lost all of its energy a long time ago and that even charged, Byth wouldn’t be able to use it, but he’s willing to take his chances.
They are interrupted by the arrival of Bleez’s ship. Hal hatches a plot and fires Goggan on the spot. “We’ll just have to hire a new warden.” That warden is Bumpy! He greets Bleez and her troops and she demands to see Tauverus.
Byth gives Hal the code: “Stretch the hunter’s bow and aim true” in Gau 7 Numeric, but when they rush to escape, Byth slips away from them. Suddenly he broadcasts over the loud speaker that he’s offering the code for a price. He seemingly betrays the Green Lanterns who are captured. He then gives the Red Lanterns a different code, takes a treasure chest and steals the Interceptor. He approaches the asteroid field, where he broadcasts the real code, “Red dwarf born of Gauman Nebula” in Galactic 6 Numeric.
Then… surprise! He’s been under mind control (the same device they found on Tauverus’ corpse). Now that the Green Lanterns have the real code, they still agree to hold up their end of the bargain.
Bumpy shows the Red Lanterns Tauverus’ body. When Veon asks to see Byth Rok, he smirks and flies away. The Red Lanterns chase after him. Kilowog takes out two Red Lantern drones, but Bumpy flies over their heads and they are spotted by Bleez and the Red Lanterns. They wind up in The Birdcage and Hal gives a rousing speech, rallying the Thanagarians to stand with them against the Red Lanterns. Byth has seemingly seen the error of his ways and pledges to help them. Then they fire upon the roof, opening an escape passage. Byth then addresses his army… and double crosses the Green Lanterns again! He tells the Thanagarians that “This isn’t our war” and tells them to follow him to freedom. But Hal has something up his sleeve.
The Red Lanterns blast through, into the Birdcage, but it appears empty. Bleez orders everyone back to the ship. They still need the code. Hal and the others step out from behind a rock. He knew they couldn’t win against the small army of Red Lanterns, so he set it up so that they would leave to pursue Byth, who stole Tauverus’ ring. Not that it will do any good once the Red Lanterns find him.
Byth is voiced by Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants), who does a delightful job. His voice just oozes sleaziness and deceit! Overall, this was fun excursion. It was nice to see Thanagarians appear on this show. I doubt Hawkman will show up, but this was still a fun reference to the comics. The ending felt too abrupt though. We never see the Green Lanterns use the code or destroy the Lighthouse, nor does Hal ever find his Power Battery. The way the episode ended was well done, but there were still loose ends.
How did you enjoy the Green Lanterns’ return to the Prison Asteroid? Comment below.
If you missed the previous episode be sure to read our ‘Green Lantern – The Animated Series: Regime Change’ recap to catch up.