Flight Club

"Flight Club" is the 11th episode of the first season of Green Lantern: The Animated Series. It aired on May 12th, 2012.

Overview
The Green Lanterns travel to a prison asteroid to find a legendary code that holds the key to crossing an impenetrable asteroid barrier called “The Maelstrom” before Atrocitus and his Red Lantern armada can do so. Unfortunately, a Thanagarian prisoner named Byth Rok is the only one that knows the code.

Synopsis
A group of Red Lanterns pilot a battle cruiser to the asteroid barrier and try to open the light-house with the coded signal that they have, a signal that will grant them safe passage through to Guardian space. When the signal fails, Bleez, their commander, warns her crew that Atrocitus won't tolerate failure and the invasion will fail without the code.

Hal is looking for his missing power battery aboard the Interceptor when Appa Ali Apsa contacts them from Oa and tells them that the Red Lantern invasion has begun sooner than anticipated. Thanks to the information downloaded from Shard, the Guardians have confirmed that Atrocitus plans to use the lighthouse system to penetrate the maelstrom of asteroids between the Forgotten Zone and Guardian space. Tahvaarus, a Green Lantern archaeologist, travelled into the Forgotten Zone to find the code necessary to access the lighthouse system, but disappeared without a trace. The Guardians want Hal and Kilowog to destroy the lighthouse before Atrocitus can access it. Once he signs off, Hal points out that it would be easier to destroy the lighthouse from the inside. Aya checks their files and confirms that Tahvaarus was a prisoner at the penitentiary asteroid that they visited a few weeks ago.

When the team arrives, they meet with Goggan, the former prisoner that they appointed as temporary warden. Goggan isn't happy that he hasn't been replaced, but Hal interrupts his complaints to ask him about Tahvaarus. The warden takes them through the ring-neutralizing yellow rocks, and Aya collapses when the rocks interfere with the green energy in her android body. Razer takes her back to the Interceptor while Goggan leads Hal and Kilowog to Tahvaarus' cell. The Green Lantern is long dead but left a message scratched into his restraints. It says to get the lighthouse code from Byth Rrok. Shivering in fear, Goggan explains that Byth Rok is one of their Thanagarian prisoners, and they have an entire sector of the prison to themselves. Any guards who have gone in and never come back out again. Goggan leads Hal and Kilowog to the Thanagarian sector and hides while the Green Lanterns go inside. The Thanagarian hawkmen are fighting among themselves and the Green Lanterns discover that Byth is prisoner of his own kind. He realizes what the Green Lanterns want from him and tells them to keep it a secret so the other prisoners don't want a share. Byth then suggests that Kilowog fight the new Thanagarian leader, Bumpy, for the right to take him out and then he'll give them the code.

Bumpy accepts Kilowog's challenge and they fight. Hal thinks his partner has a chance but Byth warns him that Bumpy uses Nth metal, artificial wings, and armor, and cheats to boot. Using a yellow rock, Bumpy takes out Kilowog and Byth speaks up, suggesting Hal fight Bumpy double or nothing. If he wins, Byth will be restored as leader and the Green Lanterns can leave. Bumpy agrees and Byth advises Hal to take advantage of the fighter's weak right eye and then hit him between the wings. The two men go at it and Hal manages to stay out of sight on Bumpy's right side. He then jumps on top of the Thanagarian, rips off his helmet, and knocks him unconscious. Once he's freed, Byth takes charge and tells the Green Lanterns that he's altering the deal. He wants freed for himself and his men as well as Tauverus' power ring. When Hal points out that it's useless to him, Byth says that he wants it for the craftsmanship. An alarm goes off as the Red Lantern battle cruiser arrives and Bleez demands to see Goggan. Byth promptly abandons his own men and asks Hal to get him out, but Hal says that he has an idea and they're going to find a new warden. When Bleez and her troops come in, they meet with the warden... Bumpy. He agrees to take them to Tauverus and flies off. Once they follow him, Hal tells Byth that they'll free his ring but he won't get the ring. Byth agrees and Hal explains that traditionally two people making a deal shake on it with no helmets. Aya holds Byth's helmet while he shakes with Hal and then tells him the code. Goggan then leads them to the hangar bay but they realize that Byth has slipped away. The Thanagarian goes to the control room and announces over the intercom that he'll sell the code to the Red Lanterns. They agree and capture Hal and the others before they can get to the Interceptor. Bleez then pays Byth for the code, unaware that it's a different one then he gave Hal. Byth takes off in the stolen Interceptor, uses the real code, and opens the lighthouse portal...and realizes that he's been mind controlled by a device Aya put in his helmet. Hal explains that they figured he'd betray them and wanted to make sure that Byth would live up to his end of the deal.

Bumpy leads Bleez and her troops to Tahvaarus' prison cell. While they look around for the code, Bumpy flies off and they give pursuit. He flies by the others and the pursuing Red Lanterns see the Green Lanterns and open fire. The team retreats into the Thanagarian section and Hal tells Byth that he needs his and his fellow Thanagarians' help to stop the invasion. Byth says that he's seen the error of his ways and assures Hal that he'll help, shaking his and Kilowog's hands. However, as soon as Hal and Kilowog use stolen weapons to blast a hole in the ceiling, Byth flies off with his men. A disgusted Kilowog looks on but Hal tells him to wait for it.

The Red Lanterns break into the chamber a few seconds later and see the hole in the ceiling. They go in pursuit of Byth, assuming that Hal and Kilowog are with him. Once they leave, Hal and others emerge from hiding and Hal explains that he knew that Byth would double-cross them. Since the Thanagarian would never willingly provide a distraction, Hal set him up. However, as they head back for the interceptor, Kilowog realizes that Byth stole Tahvaarus' ring from him when they were shaking hands.

Byth and his men fly off through space and Byth looks at the ring in admiration... as the battle cruiser closes in.

Cast
For full credits click here.

Heroes

 * Hal Jordan
 * Kilowog
 * Razer
 * Aya

Villains

 * Red Lantern Corps
 * Bleez
 * Skallox
 * Veon
 * Myglom  (mentioned only)

Other characters

 * Guardians of the Universe
 * Appa Ali Apsa
 * Ganthet  (mentioned only)
 * ​Green Lantern Corps
 * Tahvaarus  (corpse)
 * Goggan
 * Thanagarians  (first appearance)
 * ​Byth Rok  (first appearance)
 * Bumpy  (first appearance)

​Locations

 * Frontier Space
 * Spider Guild Prison

Items

 * Green Lantern Power Ring
 * Red Lantern Power Ring
 * Nth metal armor (first appearance)

​Vehicles

 * Interceptor
 * Battle cruiser

Quotes

 * Hal: (to the Thanagarians) We are looking for a Thanagarian named Byth Rok.


 * Goggan: This way!


 * Bleez: Stop them!


 * Aya: I am receiving an incoming transmission from Oa. Guardian Appa Ali Apsa.
 * Hal Jordan: After what he did to Ganthet, let it go to voice mail or something. I don't feel like talking to that backstabbing blue munchkin pain in the...
 * Kilowog: Ahem, Jordan.
 * Appa Ali Apsa: Yes, communication with you, 2814, is equally unpleasant. However, the Guardians have need of you.


 * Hal Jordan: There's no one to fight. It's a friendly prison now, remember? Trust me.
 * Kilowog: I hate it when you say that.


 * Hal Jordan: Underconfidence has never been my weakness. But my ring doesn't work here, and Bumpy just beat the wall and ceiling with Kilowog, who taught me most of what I know about hand-to-hand.
 * Byth Rok: I got you covered. Bumpy can't see out of his right eye. Approach from that side and grab on to his back, it'll slow him down.
 * Hal Jordan: If you knew his weak spot, then why didn't you take him down?
 * Byth Rok: Well, that's how I ended up here. He saw me coming, my wings are too large and beautiful. You're small and skinny, you have a better chance.
 * Hal Jordan: This had better work!
 * Byth Rok: Trust me.
 * Hal Jordan: Well... strange being on the other side of that saying for a change...


 * Kilowog: Hawkmen? I love Thanagarians. They're real soldiers... organized, disciplined, and very clean.
 * Hal Jordan: Clean? I don't think they're even paper-trained.


 * Kilowog: Jordan, you can't really believe this pirate is going to give us the code.
 * Hal Jordan: Trust me. Hey, it DOES feel better when I say it!

Series continuity

 * The story is continued in the next episode, "Invasion".
 * When Hal Jordan said about Appa Ali Apsa, "After what he did to Ganthet", he was referring to the events of "Regime Change".

Trivia

 * The title of the episode is a reference to the film Fight Club.