Lanterns Season Ending, Explained: Who Killed Hal Jordan and Will There be a Season 2?

After eight weeks of superhero antics paired with a compelling murder mystery, Lanterns, which forms part of the DCU’s ‘God and Monsters’ era, is finally over.

While Guy Gardner was the first Green Lantern to be introduced in this cinematic universe, Lanterns focused on two other famous wearers of the ring: John Stewart and Hal Jordan. After being chosen by the Guardians to succeed (and replace) Hal, John is very reluctantly trained by him. The pair’s relationship throughout the show is rocky, to say the least, but it is one of the core elements of this fascinating superhero series.

There were two main stories running through Lanterns: the Manhunter hunt in Rushville in 2016, and the search for Hal’s killer in 2026. In the series finale, these two complementing storylines collide in a huge way, paving the way for quite an epic conclusion.

Up ahead, there are a lot of SPOILERS, so if you haven’t seen Lanterns Episode 8 yet, beware.

Are There Any More Manhunters?

It was thought that Zoe Macon was the final Manhunter, but early in Episode 1, it is revealed that Noah, Kerry’s son, is actually a budding Manhunter himself. He reveals his identity after saving Hal from his firebombed home, not long before his death. In the local slaughterhouse, he heals Hal of his injuries, not unlike how Zoe cured John a few episodes earlier. But Hal just couldn’t let it go, and this is what ultimately leads to his demise.

Towards the end of the episode, Kerry mentions how she experienced some kind of immaculate conception after Zoe healed her finger. Presumably, during this process, she impregnated Kerry with her Manhunter offspring.

Who Killed Hal Jordan?

While Noah initially ‘confessed’ to killing Hal, John didn’t buy it for a second. He approached Kerry, who was watching Noah at his final football game, and told her that he knows she did it after Hal found out Noah was essentially a Manhunter junior. 

When Hal approached Kerry about the discovery on the football field, she impulsively shot him in the head. Immediately, it seemed like she regretted what she did, but as John mentioned, she did it out of fear and love for her son. She says she will turn herself in, but John doesn’t want her to. 

Does Hal Come Back To Life?

Unfortunately, he does not. While Sinestro mentions that this is technically possible under certain conditions, there are no fake-outs, clones, or last-minute revelations. Hal Jordan really is dead. 

For most of the episode, John resists charging the ring on the Lantern forged by Sinestro, arguably because, in part, doing so would mean that he would lose the Halogram. But, in the end, he does charge the ring, and the pair share a surprisingly emotional goodbye. 

How Does Lanterns Season 1 End?

While Noah asks John to kill him out of mercy, John doesn’t do it. He tells Kerry that he believes that Noah can fight his instincts and grow up to be a good person, with the right guidance. 

After this, he uses the Temu Bat-Signal to summon Guy Gardner. After telling him that he solved Hal’s murder and that he “died a hero,” John, armed with Hal’s ring and Sinestro’s lantern, tells Guy that, while he can still be the Green Lantern of Sector 2814, he will be looking after Earth now as an “independent contractor.” This is very much a case of John telling him rather than asking him, and after a tense conversation, a disgruntled Guy accepts this and flies away.

As mentioned before, John and the Halogram then have their final goodbye before John decides to charge up his ring. As he flies away (yes, he finally learns to fly), he rights some wrongs: namely, still giving the money to the young girl who blackmailed him after being impacted by the Rushville massacre, and reconciling with his family, including his mother.

Proving that he’s playing by his own rules, John makes up his own oath, which is all about embracing his fear and the fact that he chooses this ring rather than the ring choosing him. 

Does Lanterns Set Up A Second Season?

For the most part, Lanterns Season 1 comes to a satisfying conclusion. However, it was kept open enough to provide fodder for a potential sophomore season. First of all, Noah is still alive. While it’s implied that his conscience will stop him from becoming a fully-fledged Manhunter, John himself notes that there is always the chance that he could turn evil in the future. While Noah is alive, the Manhunter threat continues, even if it is essentially dormant right now.

As for Kerry, while John doesn’t turn her in for her killing of Hal, she’s clearly struggling in the aftermath. There’s always the possibility that she could end up turning herself in. There’s also John. As Earth’s freelance Green Lantern, a second season could focus on his new role, how the Guardians take it, and his humorous dynamic with Guy Gardner. In terms of character development, John’s journey was one the show’s best, and there’s no doubt that a subsequent season would make things even richer.

It should also be noted that, although Sinestro was abandoned on the other side of the poisoned lake on Antaan’s wrecked planet, he wasn’t killed. I doubt the major comic book villain is particularly happy with John, so if he manages to get off the planet, a bit of revenge might be on the menu.

The biggest indication of a potential Season 2 comes from the lantern he forged. It is being argued online that he deliberately infected the lantern with fear, and that now John is using it, Parallax, a dangerous villain and the literal embodiment of fear (the yellow light), could be unleashed.

One way or another, I've a feeling this won't be the last time we see John Stewart in James Gunn's DCU.