Lanterns Season 1 Finale Explained: Who Killed Hal Jordan?

How did Sinestro escape from space prison and what is his role?

Mashable reported that when John Stewart and the Halogram find Sinestro on Antaan’s dead planet, he is working in a forge to create a brand-new lantern streaked with yellow from leftover planetary fear.

Ulrich Thomsen appears as Sinestro in Lanterns, credited via John Johnson / HBO Max. Before addressing Hal’s murder, the narrative confronts the presence of Sinestro, whom John and Hal encounter on Antaan’s dead planet among ruins and potent tear gas residue after his previous containment in a high-security space prison.

Why is Noah Macon a secret Manhunter?

Mashable revealed that Noah Macon is Lanterns’ second secret Manhunter, created by Zoe Macon using her technology and a sample of Kerry’s body. Although Zoe was supposed to help Kerry grow back a severed finger, Kerry found herself pregnant and gave birth to Noah.

Shea Pritchard portrays Noah in Lanterns, with credit to John Johnson / HBO Max.

Who killed Hal Jordan and why?

Mashable confirmed that contrary to assumptions that Noah killed Hal Jordan after Hal meddled in his portal, the true killer was actually Sheriff Kerry Kane. The finale also unpacked Hal Jordan’s origin story, with TheWrap reporting that co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King introduced the Jordan Boys Legacy to explain that Hal’s father, Martin Jordan, died by suicide in a planned plane crash rather than a routine test flight accident.

Through a circa 2006 construct and flashbacks to Hal’s youth, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and viewers catch a glimpse into the tragedy that shaped the senior Lantern by 2016. Instead of a routine test accident, Martin—created by Christopher Priest and Mark Bright in 1989’s “Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1”—took his own life by crashing his plane on purpose, as detailed in a note left for Hal about a pain passed down from father to son.

This emotional depth let Chandler know that Lanterns was a different type of superhero story, mirroring John Stewart’s own haunting origin. The finale avoids a skybound CGI light show, instead focusing on John solving Hal’s murder, sharing an earnest goodbye with his Hal-o-gram, and claiming his role as Earth’s new Green Lantern. In an emotional beat scripted for the characters and actors, Hal and John exchange the words I love you, a human factor that moved the performers personally, with Pierre noting that Kyle believes he made me cry on that day.

What is John Stewart’s new oath in the finale?

ScreenRant noted that during the Season 1 finale conference, showrunner Chris Mundy and executive producers Tom King and Damon Lindelof discussed John Stewart creating his own oath as an Emerald Knight. Instead of reciting the traditional Corps words, John uses his own terms, stating, In Brightest Day. In Darkest Night. I’ll embrace my fear. I’ll do what’s right. I choose this ring. I choose this fight. In service to this lantern’s light. Showrunner Chris Mundy stated that the writers’ room decided on the new oath very late in the writing process while breaking the finale.

Lindelof explained that considering John Stewart’s totality of story, he is not in alignment with the Green Lantern Corps and prefers to formulate an oath on his own terms. Writer Justin Britt-Gibson noted that the team was remixing rather than simply rewriting the oath, approaching the concept with nervous excitement under the guiding principle that if they were not afraid of an idea, they probably should not do it.