Why Green Lantern Carried A Gun: Diggle's Unused Arrowverse Suit Explained

Fans have imagined David Ramsey's John Diggle suiting up as Green Lantern in the Arrowverse, and it would have come to fruition if Marc Guggenheim had his way. As revealed in his LegalDispatch newsletter, Diggle had such a costume created for him, and it would have entailed him carrying a gun. The showrunner even shared some concept art for the costume, though it wasn't exactly a new idea.

According to Guggenheim, the costume was inspired by the Simon Baz iteration of the Green Lantern. In the DC Comics lore, Baz packs heat because he doesn't trust his Power Ring, fearing that it will run out of gas and leave him in a difficult spot. Guggenheim confirmed that Diggle's Green Lantern would have had a similar mentality, but the Arrowverse franchise's top overlords rejected the idea and the idea became one of the many unresolved plotlines on "Arrow." 

Furthermore, the proposed costume and storylines that stemmed from it might have been too controversial for The CW, especially if the creators borrowed ideas from Baz's backstory. With that in mind, let's take a look at the character's history and explore why his firearm is a polarizing topic.

While Simon Baz essentially carries a gun to aid him in the event that his Power Ring lets him down, one could also argue that he is influenced by his background. DC's New 52 universe introduces him as a petty crook who steals cars and sells their parts, so he isn't exactly a clear-cut hero. He's also adamant about defending himself no matter what, especially after being wrongfully accused of terrorism due to his Middle Eastern heritage.

Baz's gun-toting era was the subject of some thought-provoking social commentary in the comics. Sam Humphries' "Green Lanterns" #16 sees him and Batman get into a heated gun control debate, as Gotham's protector isn't the biggest fan of superheroes carrying firearms. Baz eventually gives up the gun and learns to trust his ring, but it takes a minute for him to reach this resolution.

Marc Guggenheim didn't mention if John Diggle's iteration of the Green Lantern would have been a catalyst for sociopolitical debates. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that we'll ever find out, as the Arrowverse is officially a thing of the past.

For more information about this superhero, check out the untold truth of Green Lantern.