Lanterns Episode 3, "OutKast", is a character study of John Stewart, as it fleshes out his backstory. It doesn't feature any character from Rushville or even feature the Nebraskan town. It is hyperfocused on John Stewart, who is interviewed by Lianna, one of the Guardians of the Universe (Laura Linney).We are also given a proper context to the shocking opening scene from the first episode. It seems that the Guardians wanted the Stewarts to raise John to be fearless. Therefore, the scene of Stewart Sr. shooting an apple off John Jr.'s head was something that both parents chose to do.Lanterns Episode 3 recap: View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThis Lanterns episode opens with John falling from the ceiling of a skylight. It belongs to an abandoned building where the interview with Lianna is about to take place in 2016. As that happens, the connection between the Guardians of the Universe and the Stewart family. Turns out John Stewart Sr. was considered to be Green Lantern before Hal Jordan.Stewart Sr., his wife, Bernadette, and baby John are sleeping in the bedroom when one of the other children calls for their mom. Bernadette leaves the room when John Sr. is surrounded by a green bubble, and he is asked if he is afraid. The Stewart patriarch answers yes, and the bubble leaves them. John Stewart Sr. suffers a mental breakdown after this experience, as no one believes him, including his wife.However, Bernadette changes her tune when she is visited by Lianna soon. This interaction is important, as the Guardian suggests that John Stewart Jr. could be a possible candidate for being a Green Lantern. This scene reveals that the Guardians were having regrets about choosing Hal Jordan all the way back in the 1980s.After this interaction, Bernadette goes to John Stewart Sr., and the two decide to raise baby John without fear so that he can join the Green Lanterns. In the second act of this episode, we see young John suggest his father shoot the apples off his head, something Bernadette approves of. This scene takes place before 1996, the year the opening scene of the first episode is set in.Meanwhile, the 2010s portion of the Lanterns episode sees John being assigned a sniper mission. The target is a Russian oligarch who is staying on a ranch. John camouflages himself outside the ranch for nine months. However, right when there's an opening for John to kill the oligarch Hal Jordan intervenes and flies the target off to Guantánamo Bay, because of which John is dishonourably discharged.Bernadette enrolls John Stewart in an art school, recontextualizing his art skills in the first episode. One day, John is given a unique test where the examiner asks him to draw the building. Then, the examiner hands over the Green Lantern ring to John and asks him to recreate his father's old watch from memory. As John does that, the examiner draws a portal to the interview location from the start of the episode.Lianna asks John Stewart if he is comfortable with replacing Hal Jordan, and the young Lantern candidate says yes. The interview ends with Lianna welcoming John Stewart to the Green Lantern Corps. John visits his parents' house to break the good news to them. However, Hal Jordan appears to have arrived first, as he is already waiting for John.Hal is pleasant to the Stewarts, but once he and John are alone outside, the former abandons all pretense and informs the latter that he doesn't need a back-up. Hal then informs his pupil that they will start training from Monday morning, and the episode comes to a close.Lanterns Episode 3 is currently streaming on HBO Max.