Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched the latest episode of Lanterns on HBO or via HBO Max subscription.
Theorizing about Lanterns and refusing to belief in its character deaths has become one of my favorite TV pastimes in recent weeks, and I'm going to be a big ball of misery whenever the first season is done. Thankfully, three action-packed, twist-filled installments are still left in the chamber, and HBO unveiled an extended trailer hinting at some of the big moments yet to come.
Some of the scenes revealed in the new footage have me rethinking a lot of my expectations and theories for where things are headed. For one, I did not fully grasp that Hal would be sent to prison for any amount of time for all the deadly destruction in Rushville, and just kind of assumed his Lantern-hood would get him out of any repurcussions. Which obviously adds context to what went down during the stretch between 2016 and 2026.
That said, I'm still aligned with the idea that the frozen corpse that showed up in Episode 1 isn't actually Hal Jordan, and no matter how many times this video tries to hammer that idea home, I'm not biting. But more on that lower down.
Someone Seems To Be Keeping A Tortured Hal Alive Via Manhunter Tech
The image above shows off that Hal has the same wounding mark on his arm that John got whenever Zoe used her lab tech on him to get rid of the head-to-toe burns covering his skin. And the person sauntering into the lab-esque room during that moment has to be the person (or other entity) responsible. Personally, I think that person will be revealed as Noah, Kerry and Will Jr.'s son who's presumably one of the football players shown in the trailer.
Now, the mystery person is wearing boots and jeans that wouldn't look out of place on Hal himself. So there's a part of my brain that really wants to be convinced that Noah (or whoever) created a cloned version of Hal to serve as the ultimate torturer. Both options are applicable in regards to Hal asking, "What are you?"
Which he probably wouldn't just ask to Noah if Noah is merely a normal human being. Rather, he'd say that to a being that looked like himself, or he'd say it to a Noah that IS NOT merely a human being. Which is to say, I could be convinced that Noah's existence isn't 100% biological, and that Zoe saving Kerry back in 2017 was part of a grander scheme to mesh Manhunter and human DNA together. Otherwise, I have too many other questions about that kid.
Sinestro Gets To Leave His Prison, Even If He Isn't Necessarily "Free"
I was legitimately worried that Sinestro's presence in Season 1 would be limited to just Hal convos in prison, possibly with limited flashbacks digging into their shared history. I didn't actually expect to see the former Lantern getting facetime with John Stewart. Thankfully, my expectations were thwarted by shots of an older and sweatier Sinestro being yoinked around by John in some kind of chair. (Not clear if Sinestro is unable to walk, or if that's just the easiest way to keep the alien subdued.)
That said, I'm not at all sure what those two are doing together, or where they even are, although they appear to be on Earth. John is brandishing the ring during that point, and Sinestro naturally brings up how powerful fear is. So maybe it has something to do with a Yellow Ring?!?
That offshore facility looks like a massive factory of some kind, and is possibly what Hal and John are aiming for when they're in the boat. (I'm guessing showing up without using ring-related powers would be key to not being discovered.) And unless the dialogue is wonky, it seems like John is saying Sinestro is directly connected to it.
But I Still Don't Think Hal Is Actually Dead
This promo might as well have been called "Hal's Dead, Okay, So Just Deal With Hal's Death The Way That Hal's Death Should Be Dealt With." Lanterns obviously isn't a show that beats its audience over the head with clear details, so anytime that does seem to be the case, I'm immediately suspicious.
For one, John and Hal meet up in the diner in 2026, both donning the same clothes they're wearing when John and Kerry are standing at the frozen body in the bleachers. Which would imply that it took place before the body was discovered. However, John told Kerry that he hadn't seen Hal in a while, and gave no indication that he was fibbing. (Plus, John seems like the least dishonest person in the DCU right now.)
Even the dialogue addressing Hal's fate isn't quite right. At the 1:21 mark, two different lines are combined to make it sound like Hal's death is being discussed.
- First Voice: "Hal didn't..."
- Second Voice: "...have to die in vain."
Tsk, tsk, tsk. I don't even think that was Hal's grave that John was visiting earlier in the episode. I can't say for sure who it was, but I'm betting it's one of his parents instead. Anything to make it seem like Kyle Chandler's character is donezo.
I also have questions about what that skull is that John found, about whether Will Jr. specifically set John up to get jumped by town hoodlums, and about what exactly Guy Gardner is going to do, as well as how he and Hal first met.
No clue if we'll see that play out, but I'll be watching as intently as anything when the next episode hits HBO and HBO Max on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET.
