How Powerful Is The DCU's Hal Jordan Compared To Superman? Lanterns Has The Answer

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Lanterns episode 1.Lanterns has aired its first episode on HBO, and the new DC Universe has just introduced one of its most powerful heroes, Hal Jordan, which instantly begs the question of whether he could win a fight against Superman. While the first release in the DCU Chapter One was the animated Creature Commandos, James Gunn’s Superman was its first movie and major project.

The film showed the world how David Corenswet is one of the best live-action Superman actors, with many putting him at the very top of the list already. In Superman, the Man of Steel’s feats of strength were quite impressive. Prior to Lanterns‘ release, there was no doubt that Corenswet’s Superman was the most powerful hero in the DCU, and for good reason.

In Superman, Corenswet’s Clark Kent managed to come out of an antiproton river unscathed, use his super breath to save himself, Krypto, and others from the pull of a black hole, defeat a clone who was his equal in power, and more. Corenswet’s Superman is incredibly powerful. That said, at some point, he should meet a hero who could give him a run for his money.

One of those possible characters has just debuted in Lanterns. The new live-action DC show stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. While both are powerful heroes in the comics, John is still training in the DCU, whereas Hal is already a Green Lantern Corps legend, and he might rival Superman’s might in the franchise.

Lanterns Episode 1 Makes Hal Jordan’s Power Level Clear

Hal is not in his prime in the 2016 timeline that most of the Lanterns episode 1 focuses on. That said, he is still quite powerful there, being able to shield John, Sheriff Kerry, and himself from an alien explosion that could have taken out a sizable portion of Rushville. He was also shown to create a sonic boom when he flies, making him extremely fast despite being past his prime. In addition to those feats, Hal Jordan is extremely intelligent and creative, always working an angle to get exactly what he wants. In a fight with Superman, that would be needed.

That said, 2016 is not the only year explored in Lanterns episode 1. The HBO series reveals that Chandler’s Hal Jordan started out as a Green Lantern in 1986, when he stopped a meteor from taking out Victoria Falls. As such, by 2026, in present-day in the DCU, when Hal is shown to have died at the end of the Lanterns season 1, the Green Lantern had been active for 40 years. That is a lot of experience, with Hal having been trained by Sinestro, one of the most powerful Green Lanterns ever, before he turned evil.

Is Lanterns’ Hal Jordan More Powerful Than David Corenswet’s Superman?

In terms of raw strength, no, Chandler’s Hal Jordan is just a regular human without the Green Lantern ring. As shown by his death at the end of Lanterns episode 1, he is more susceptible to damage than the Man of Steel. That said, Gunn’s Superman movie also showed that someone powerful and prepared, like Ultraman with Lex Luthor coaching him, could defeat Superman in a fight. Famously called the most powerful weapon in the universe in DC Comics, the Green Lantern ring gives Hal a chance against Superman, and he has 40 years of experience to pull a Lex Luthor.

Additionally, Superman revealed that Corenswet’s Clark Kent had only been Superman for three years, granted he never lost a fight in that time, before the events of the film. Hal is a Green Lantern legend, while Superman is a little more than a rookie. With kryptonite added to the equation, which led to Superman being captured, imprisoned, and nearly killed by Lex in his DCU debut, Hal Jordan could easily take him down. Lanterns‘ version of Hal is also one that does not seem like he would have a problem with using kryptonite to fight Superman.

Finally, speaking to Howard Stern in September 2025, Gunn claimed that Green Lantern could defeat Superman, saying, “Absolutely, he’s pretty powerful.” While Gunn did not specify which Green Lantern, with 40 years of experience in the DCU, Hal Jordan leads the charge. As such, based on what the DCU’s creative chief has said and what Lanterns and 2025’s Superman have shown, Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan could defeat David Corenswet’s Superman under the right conditions.