MY HEART CAN'T HANDLE THIS MANY FEELS, DAMMIT! First, BATMAN & ROBIN #18 obliterated my emotions on Wednesday, and today, Green Lantern: The Animated Series hit me with a superbly heartfelt finale. Seriously, producer Giancarlo Volpe wasn't lying when he said this finale would have "lots of feels."
It's not all tears, though. When it's not tugging at your heartstrings, it's blowing you away with some of the most visually stunning and exciting action sequences in the series. This is science fiction action at its finest and most joyous, folks. Virtually every character here had a chance to shine and make you cheer during the ginormous battle. Larvox slashing away with six swords filled me with bliss, Ch'p saving Guy was adorable, Razer's blade was brutal and who doesn't love seeing Kilowog devastate with some massive firepower? All of this is going on as the vast space is littered with various other members of the Green Lantern Corps engaging Aya's army. It's a real treat for our eyeballs and the gigantic space battle was nothing short of spectacular.
Before diving into the heavy feels, the show offered quite a few laughs as Guy Gardner continued his snarky attitude. He's an arrogant jerk, but they've managed to make him a lovable one. He even has the brass to hilariously interrupt a fantastic and touching moment between Kilowog and Razer ("YAWN!").
The opening speech by a Guardian was a lovely parting note for the show, too. They know they're facing impossible odds, but that won't deter their spirits and they'll fight to preserve the great thing they have going. It's clear we're no longer talking about organic life vs. Anti-Aya... we're talking about the show's creators vs. CN's terrible decision not to renew the program. It's nice to see them get a well deserved jab in before departing and certainly something long-term fans of the show will appreciate.
Razer and Aya... man, this dynamic has been handled masterfully. I was super skeptical at first, but this blossomed into a shockingly powerful and gripping love story. I won't dive into details -- not even vague ones -- but it yet again delivers plenty of genuinely heartbreaking moments. It's a beautiful conclusion to a fantastic tale, that's all I'll say.
This finale had a firm grip on my emotions and didn't falter for even a second. If I wasn't shocked or saddened by the events taking place, I was cheering and ecstatic over the insanely fun action and beautifully impressive visuals. Brilliant job, Green Lantern: The Animated Series. It's horrible to know the show is no more, but 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, right? I salute you and truly hope there will be a blu-ray release of the complete series.
Oh, and way to tease us with that ending! That was every bit as powerful and exciting as any post-credits sequence in a Marvel Studios film.
Gregg Katzman is a freelance writer for Comic Vine and IGN Entertainment. He wants to live in an alternate universe where GL:TAS action figures were made and the show was renewed for a second season.