Lanterns Review: Unraveling the Cliffhanger Mystery

“Lanterns delivers an amazing second episode. A lot is revealed as the mystery deepens. The series strikes the right balance between the crime drama and exploring Green Lantern lore.”

Lanterns debuted with a fantastic series premiere last week, opening a new chapter for the DCU. It is created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King. It stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Kelly Macdonald, Garrett Dillahunt and Poorna Jagannathan. A new episode is now streaming on HBO Max.

A MANHUNTER

The series premiere ended on a huge cliffhanger that left fans angry. The story takes place in 2016, but that scene jumps forward to 2026, revealing a dead Hal Jordan. But it’s a series that deals with aliens and science fiction elements, so maybe not everything is as it seems. And this week’s episode clearly shows there’s more to the story. Indeed, it reveals the presence of a Manhunter in Rushville. And as it explains, a Manhunter can take the form of anyone. So the person we saw at the end of the first episode may not be the real Hal.

A Manhunter is in Rushville, and that’s a key element we learn in this episode. This means we have already met the character and we just don’t know it yet. Or maybe we do. There are several clues left in this episode. Obviously, some of these clues could be misleading, while others could be genuine, but that’s the whole point—to keep the audience guessing.

THE INVESTIGATION

A whole lot is revealed during this episode, and we’re only in the second part of this eight-episode series. That means what comes next will be even bigger. Several layers of the investigation are peeled back, revealing exciting details while also deepening the mystery. This is what makes it all the more exciting. Revelations come, but they raise more questions. Who can you trust? Most of the characters, if not all of them, are hiding something. But the trick is figuring out which secrets matter to the murders and which ones matter to the characters’ personal journeys. This is a complex story, and setting it in a small town lets the writers have fun with how they play in that sandbox. The crime drama setting is captivating,

Even though the Hal Jordan and John Stewart duo is intriguing, this episode mostly features them on their own, allowing the story to explore them as individual characters. Seeing Hal being cocky, arrogant, and playful is typical Hal Jordan behavior. It honestly feels great to have a real Hal Jordan in live action finally.

GREEN LANTERN LORE

Moreover, this episode also delves into Green Lantern lore. Just showing that the ring needs to be recharged, and that Hal uses the Lantern to do it, adds so much to the worldbuilding in this series. Elements like that or even the pocket dimension may seem like small things, but they mean a lot to the lore of this world. On top of that, right from the second episode, the audience witnesses Hal Jordan in his Green Lantern suit talking to Sinestro in a cell on what is probably Oa, the Green Lanterns’ headquarters. That alone is a huge pinch-me moment. Seeing Hal Jordan suit up and look great is something that fans desperately needed. By the way, the suit fits Kyle Chandler perfectly. He is our Hal Jordan—there is no doubt about it.

The suit’s design fits the world of the DCU. When you look at it, you immediately say, ‘Yes, this is Green Lantern.’ The suit’s practicality also makes it feel more tangible. If they had gone with a CGI suit, it wouldn’t have had nearly the same impact. In just two episodes, the series makes it clear it’s more than a crime drama; it’s not afraid to explore the science fiction elements of Green Lantern. This should tell the audience that a lot more is coming.

VERDICT

Lanterns delivers an amazing second episode. A whole lot is revealed while the mystery also deepens. The series strikes the right balance between the crime drama and exploring Green Lantern lore. Seeing Hal Jordan in the suit is a real pinch-me moment, and Kyle Chandler was perfectly cast.