Lanterns: Every Question That Still Needs Answering, Now That the Manhunter Arc Is Done

Lanterns Episode 5 was a major turning point for the series, to say the least. All season long, the show has been driven by the mystery of the Manhunter hiding out in Rushville, Nebraska; however, that storyline came to an epic, bloody end as Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) forced a showdown between the Manhunter and the armed militias that were either hunting or protecting her. To the shock of many viewers, the storyline came to a decisive final ending; there are still three more episodes of Lanterns that will air on HBO in the coming weeks, and suddenly some questions and mysteries that were left on the back burner are coming back to the forefront.

Below is a list of about eight different questions that are burning in our heads as Lanterns enters the next stage of a cosmic investigation that is clearly bigger than just one Green Lantern or planet.

8. Who Killed Hal Jordan?

The Manhunter is dead (right?), the 2016 storyline has largely been wrapped up, so now we jump back to 2026, and this is once again the single biggest question we have to answer. Hal Jordan’s apparent death was a huge cliffhanger twist for Episode 1, and the fact that the mystery feels new all over again is a testament to how well the makers of Lanterns are managing this story.

Is there a second Manhunter that Hal uncovers? Is there something related to the Guardians or the Green Lantern Corps that cost Hal his life? Or could Sinestro be free by 2026 and find a new power source that the Guardians should… fear? A lot of Lanterns‘ legacy rests on how the show answers this question, and what purpose Hal’s death serves. So far, we have no reason to believe they can’t stick the landing.

7. Will John Stewart Become Green Lantern?

It’s been hard to pin down Lanterns‘ storyline, as the show keeps adding or revealing layers that complicate our initial impressions. After five episodes of character-building, John Stewart defied all expectations when he rejected the Green Lantern ring and membership in the Corps, despite killing the Manhunter and taking the ring from Hal Jordan.

Now, the 2026 timeline is so much more intriguing. John’s return to Rushville comes with so many additional questions, but the biggest one we want to know is what he did in the decade between leaving the ring behind and returning to investigate Hal’s death. That will help inform where the final arc of the show is headed, which is revealing whether or not John Stewart chooses to become an official Green Lantern.

6. How Does Sinestro Figure Into All This?

Lanterns has walked a tightrope of keeping diehard fans intrigued by new spins on old lore while also drawing mainstream viewers into this fantastical sci-fi corner of the DC Universe in a grounded way. However, one area that both camps have been critical of is the show’s depiction of Thaal Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), Hal’s mentor and former partner in the Green Lantern Corps.

So far, Sinestro has had one scene with Hal Jordan, and the rest has been exposition related to his character and backstory. It’s not enough of the epic villain character fans know and love, and not enough for newcomers to actually get to know Sinestro, or why he’s one of the most compelling characters in Green Lantern lore. We don’t think the makers of Lanterns (Watchmen‘s Damon Lindelof, comic writer Tom King, and Ozark‘s Chris Mundy) are going to drop such a big ball. There are already hints that Sinestro is wrapped up in this “case” more than he lets on; the big question is: how so? DC comic book fans know that answer could potentially lead to a massive DCU event, so how Lanterns plays it will be key.

5. How Does Guy Gardner Become The Green Lantern?

Superman (2025) already revealed that by the year 2025, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) is serving as the Green Lantern for Earth’s sector. However, we also learn that Guy is a servant of a different master, having contracted himself to be a member of industrialist Maxwell Lord’s “Justice Gang” alongside Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific. We know this question will soon be answered: the preview for Lanterns Episode 6 has already teased Guy showing up to confront John Stewart.

The details of how Guy Gardner got the ring are crucial to both Lanterns and the larger continuity of the DCU. The character represents a major wedge between John Stewart and his inheritance of the ring, and with one human Lantern getting assassinated, we can’t help but wonder if John’s path to the ring has to run over not one, but two dead bodies…

4. Are Zoe (& Kerry) Hiding Another Secret?

There has always been something real weird about the Macon family, and we’re not just talking about William Macon’s (Garret Dillahunt) artistic tastes and views on sharing. Even with William and Zoe Macon (The Manhunter) both dead, it doesn’t feel like every secet of the Macon family has been exposed yet.

Lanterns Episode 5 made sure to pepper in some careful clues and reminders: Weapons star Cary Christopher made another appearance as Noah Macon, Zoe’s grandson, whom we learn she has mentored closely. Both Noah and William’s son, Billy Macon (Jason Ritter), were forcibly prevented from joining the battle, and were sequestered away – why? Some fans also believe that John didn’t get the drop on Zoe like he thinks; that the Manhunter sacrificed itself to end any investigation into it, or what it was doing on Earth.

Despite the backstory intro to Episode 5, fans believe that Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) means something deeper than a new start and new identity when she tells Hal Jordan she “owes” Zoe. Knowing how Manhunter technology can fix the human body in virtually every way our science cannot, and some big references to a Manhunter breeding agenda in Episode 5, there are big questions about the Macon bloodline and Zoe’s influence over it. Is Noah (a star athlete in 2026) something more than human? And what mother (or grandmother) wouldn’t cover for him? Is the next big twist Lanterns has in store for us?

3. Is There Another Alien Threat Hiding On Earth?

This is a broad question that can be applied in multiple ways to the current subplots and characters of Lanterns. There are other questions that feed into it, such as why the Manhunter chose Earth, or what what used to kill Hal Jordan. But if the Manhunter was really the only alien threat hiding out on Earth, then this story would’ve ended with its death.

Zoe had a long time, and made extensive preparaations during her time in Rushville. Based on Hal’s demise, it’s highly possible she was growing a weapon (biological or otherwise) that could destroy the Guardians and the Green Lanterns. Or, given the nature of what a Manhunter is, Zoe could’ve come to Earth knowing there was something (or someone) on the planet that could help protect her and/or get revenge. The threat is obviously bigger than what we’ve seen so far, that’s all we know.

2. Where Are the Rest of the Guardians & Green Lanterns?

We understand that Lanterns has been carefully doling out its Green Lanterns lore, trying to keep the series grounded in a True Detective-style mystery procedural mainstream viewers relate to. However, this is one of those cases where budgetary or narritive constraints may be creating a bigger sense of mystery than there should be. Because right now, it’s looking more and more conspicuous that the Green Lantern issues being worked on Earth are totally disconnected from the Guardians’ homeworld of Oa, and the rest of the Corps.

The lack of Guardians and Lanterns also makes Lianna’s (Laura Linney) presence and story hard to take at face value, and Johns role as candidate into question. Sinestro knows more than he should from a prison cell, Hal is seemingly estranged from the Guaridans, and his death doesn’t seem to be setting off the kind of Green Lantern Corps alarm bells it should. That’s a lot of circumstantial evidence that there is a big twist with what’s really happening offworld with the Guardians and the Corps. A trip to Oa is quickly becoming very necessary.

1. How Does Superman & Man of Steel Factor Into All This?

If you’ve been invested in the larger DCU franchise, it’s getting hard not to notice that Superman, Supergirl, and the Kryptonian agenda (as defined by James Gunn’s imperial version of Jor-El) flies in the face of an Earth sector Green Lantern’s policing duties. So how did Superman and his cousin Supergirl get a pass? And is their Earth-pass still good after Jor-El’s message of conquest was played for the entire world?

James Gunn’s Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, will bring Brainiac to Earth. Lanterns star Aaron Pierre is confirmed for that film, so the question of what John’s status will be, and if/how the entire Green Lantern Corps responds, already makes the connection between DCU movie and TV properties as exciting and relevant as fans hoped.

Lanterns airs on HBO and streams on HBO Max.

New Lanterns Clip Brings John Stewart and Guy Gardner Together for the First Time in the DCU, And We Have Questions