'Lanterns' Big Pilot Twist, Explained
Setting the stage for an Earth-based mystery in small-town Nebraska, Lanterns (2026) Episode 1 dropped the biggest plot twist yet when it comes to DC TV series. At the center of this story are recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan. However, this plot twist shakes the very foundation of the series.
But what was the plot twist in Lanterns Episode 1, and who could be responsible for what happened to this Lantern? Also, what do the Manhunters have to do with all of this? Join me as I break down this HBO Max show’s biggest plot twist so far!
What Was The Plot Twist In 'Lanterns' Episode 1?
The plot twist in Episode 1 of Lanterns is that Hal Jordan is dead.
At the end of the pilot episode, John meets up with the sheriff in 2026 in Rushville, Nebraska, 10 years after the events of 2016. After a quick catch-up, they head to the football field spectator stands, and there sits Hal. He’s covered in snow and has what looks like a bullet wound in his head.
John stands there for a second alongside the sheriff, taking in the scene. He then shuffles forward and wipes the snow off of Hal’s hand, revealing that his ring is gone.
Who Killed Hal Jordan In 'Lanterns'?
At this point in Lanterns, we have no idea who killed Hal Jordan. However, fans have theories on how this all went down because Hal wouldn’t return to Rushville without a reason. He jetted off in Episode 1 when John revealed that his past self had sent him a message. So what if he got another message that had him jetting off again to Nebraska? But this time around, his return led to his death by an unknown assailant.
There’s also the staging of Hal’s body. Hal is a fighter and a troublemaker at heart. He does not give up. But when John comes upon him, he is sitting upright on the stands. So maybe whatever occurred before his death either came out of nowhere or Hal knew it was coming and he didn’t fight. The latter option is especially sad because we know that something happened between 1999 and 2016 to make him into that despondent man who barely trained John.
What Do The Manhunters Have To Do With 'Lanterns'?
The Manhunters are the Boogeymen of the Green Lanterns, including Hal.
Before the Green Lantern Corps., the Guardians of the Universe created the interstellar robotic police force known as the Manhunters. They were meant to combat evil across the galaxy. But their fatal flaw, thanks to the Guardians of the Universe, was that they brought order to the universe by any means necessary and with no room for nuance. This led to the manipulation of the Manhunters, a massacre of an entire sector of the galaxy, and the exile of the Manhunters.
In the Lanterns trailer, we see what looks like a human transforming into a Manhunter. So we know that they’ve been able to infiltrate human society. So they could be what destroyed the Macon compound in that 2026 flash forward. The Manhunters could also be here to destroy Earth, a planet in a backwater sector that has absolutely been causing waves in the galaxy. They could have also followed Hal back from whatever mission he was on between 1999 and 2016 that made him into the despondent Lantern we meet in 2016.
Then there’s the aliens in 2016. Waylon said they were there for vengeance. That could mean that these aliens were part of The Five Inversions, the only known survivors of the Massacre of Sector 666 by the Manhunters. And if their leader, Atrocitus, was in Abin Sur’s ship when it crashed on Earth, this could mean that Hal wasn’t chosen like John was by the Guardians of the Universe. Maybe he was a last option in a moment of desperation where Abin was trying to get the ring away from Atrocitus. Imagine how that knowledge could mess with a prideful man like Hal?
Altogether, the Manhunters could be the final straw for Hal. He’s definitely experienced trauma off-world, had his very life’s calling come into question, aliens are trying to get vengeance, and you have the Manhunters on the planet that you’re supposed to protect? That would be too much for anyone, including a superhero. And maybe it was if Hal is dead in 2026.
