The first episode of Lanterns has arrived... and it ends with an absolutely shocking death that none of us could've possibly seen coming.
The new series, created by Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy, Lost creator Damon Lindelof, and comic book writer Tom King, sees Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and Lantern-in-training John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic mystery in Rushville, Nebraska of all places. The fast-paced, gripping pilot episode lays the groundwork for what's sure to be a thrilling season... and immediately kills off a main character (in a rather shocking, daring move for a TV, let alone a superhero TV show, to make).
So... whodunnit? Well, we're only one episode in, so the list of suspects will likely change as the season progresses...but we have our theories. Warning: there are major spoilers for Lanterns episode 1 below! For more, check out the current lineup of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, plus a fuller look at the upcoming DC movies in the works.
Who killed Hal Jordan?
Not everybody is a fan of Hal Jordan. In fact, Lanterns episode 1 taught us that most people can barely stand him. But is Hal hated so much that someone would put a gun to his forehead and end his life? It does seem that way. At the end of the episode, we fast-forward 10 years to 2026, where John appears to be returning to Rushville after some time away. He meets up with Sheriff Kane, who takes him out to the football field where a dead Hal Jordan is sitting upright, frozen, and with a bullet in his head.
So, who did it? Well, the two biggest suspects are the ones who went down to the football field to view his body. That's right: the first episode paints Sheriff Kane and John as the two people who can't stand Hal the most. John has an actual reason to kill Hal, especially after Hal tried to kill him as a test of sorts via a car crash. He doesn't seem too keen on handing over the ring to John, even though that's what he's supposed to do as his mentor and all. It's possible that John later becomes the new Green Lantern, but only after killing his reluctant mentor.
It's also possible that Hal returned to Rushville, and Sheriff Kane, with hatred for Hal still in her heart, pulled the trigger. And as for why she would possibly dispose of the gun and call John to come all the way back and investigate... it could all be part of some bigger, more complex plot, as we learned just in episode 1 that Rushville is full of secrets.
In terms of other suspects, there is also that mysterious woman at the bar that John sleeps with... though we don't know much about her just yet. If we're going by the Lanterns trailer, we do get a mention of former Green Lantern Sinestro, who is in intergalactic space jail for some reason (though in the comics it's because he staged a coup against the Guardians), and the Manhunter, who they mention they're looking for. In the comics, Manhunters are an ancient race of aliens who were once the galaxy's interstellar police force before they turned on their creators (the Guardians) and became evil as all hell. We'll update this space with more theories as the series goes on.
For more, check out our Lanterns review and Lanterns release schedule.
