HBO's new DC series "Lanterns" made an unforgettable entrance on Sunday night, delivering a premiere episode that ended with a shocking death and a time jump that has fans buzzing.[reference:0]
The show stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, the legendary Green Lantern assigned to protect Earth's sector of the galaxy, and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, his trainee and backup.[reference:1] The premiere establishes their mentor-mentee dynamic in classic buddy-cop fashion, with the grizzled veteran Jordan reluctantly showing the ropes to the disciplined former military man Stewart.
A Mystery in Small-Town America
The episode takes an unexpected turn when Jordan and Stewart are drawn to the small town of Rushville, Nebraska, to investigate what initially appears to be a mass shooting. Local Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) is suspicious of the outsiders, but when Jordan suspects the shooter is an alien, the investigation takes a supernatural turn.[reference:2]
What follows is a classic whodunit wrapped in sci-fi trappings, as Jordan and Stewart track down an alien suspect who is part of a larger conspiracy. The interrogation scene reveals that there are 14 alien species capable of passing for human, even under testing, and the suspect eventually detonates a biometric explosive device inside himself while mocking Jordan's Green Lantern oath.
The Twist That Changes Everything
Just when viewers thought they had the episode figured out, the show delivered its gut-punch. Following a time jump to 2026 (ten years after the main events), a now-goateed John Stewart drives through a snowstorm to a high school football field, where he finds the frozen corpse of his former mentor Hal Jordan sitting in the bleachers.[reference:3][reference:4] Jordan's ring is gone. The mystery of how he died without his power ring is now the central question of the series.[reference:5]
The premiere effectively establishes "Lanterns" as a gritty, grounded take on the DC Universe, more akin to a prestige crime drama than a traditional superhero show. With a cast that includes Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, and Jason Ritter, the series has assembled the kind of ensemble that signals HBO's commitment to quality storytelling.
What's Next for the Series?
With Hal Jordan seemingly dead and John Stewart now the sole Green Lantern on Earth, the series has set up a compelling mystery. The question of how Jordan died, who or what killed him, and whether his death is permanent will likely drive the season's narrative.
Kyle Chandler himself has weighed in on the twist, noting that it sets the "whole mystery" of the series in motion.[reference:6] Whether the show will find a way to bring Jordan back or keep him dead remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: "Lanterns" has announced itself as a must-watch show for DC fans and newcomers alike.[reference:7]