TV Review | Lanterns Season Finale (Episode 8) HBO Max

“Lanterns delivers a finale centred on facing the truth and choosing your own path. It’s an episode that doesn’t rely on a big fight, but instead focuses on the emotional weight of the characters’ choices. The result is a truly heart-wrenching finale.”

We are at the end of the road, the season finale of Lanterns is finally here! 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. All the episodes are now streaming on HBO Max.

THE WHOLE TRUTH

Last week’s episode explored Hal Jordan’s past, giving the audience a better understanding of the character. The episode offered a possible answer to the question of who killed Hal, but today’s episode finally reveals the whole truth about what happened to him after his release from prison. And undoubtedly, that truth comes with some huge and shocking twists.

The first twist is the reveal that Noah is a Manhunter and that he was the one who freed Sinestro from prison in order to get his revenge. That’s huge, and it leaves the door open for future stories involving the Manhunters. The reveal is handled so cleverly, and what they do with Noah in this episode is incredibly compelling.

This episode is very much about choosing your own path—for Noah, for John, and for Hal in the past. The second twist, however, is the most shocking one. Last week’s episode suggested that Hal might have killed himself. If that had been true, it would have been heartbreaking. But the truth is even more devastating. Kerry, the woman he loved, killed him out of fear and anger, without even realising what she was doing.

Watching this happen, you can’t help but cry. There has never been a superhero death on screen more devastating than this one. Take Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame – it was heartbreaking, but he had a hero’s death. Here, Hal Jordan simply dies miserably, killed by the woman he loved after a miserable life. He didn’t deserve it.

Despite being broken, Hal was a good man who still tried to do good. What happens to him after he is released from prison really shows that.

JOHN STEWART

Unlike other superhero series, this finale isn’t about a big CG fight. No, it’s about facing the truth and choosing your own path. It’s all about the emotional weight of the characters’ choices. It’s about emotions. After all, this series was never your typical superhero series to begin with, so it makes sense that it ends in a different way.

John Stewart makes a bold choice in this finale—one that will have consequences for the future of the DCU. John finally becomes a Lantern, but not in the way the audience expected. There is only one Lantern per sector, and Earth already has the arrogant Guy Gardner. But John decides to change the rules, become his own kind of Lantern, and claim his place as the protector of Earth.

When you look back at everything John has been through throughout the series, this is a surprising yet fitting choice for the character. He is his own man, and he will walk his own path. The future looks bright and exciting for this character.

And no, there is no reveal of his costume. But that was never the point. The point of the ending is John Stewart embracing who he truly is. The choice of song for the final montage is absolutely perfect: “Hero” by Michael Kiwanuka. It captures the mood of the scene beautifully and gives the finale the emotional ending it deserves.

VERDICT

Lanterns delivers a finale centred on facing the truth and choosing your own path. It’s an episode that doesn’t rely on a big fight, but instead focuses on the emotional weight of the characters’ choices. The result is a truly heart-wrenching finale.

Without a doubt, Lanterns is one of the best series of the year and one of the best live-action projects ever to come from DC Comics. It’s a powerful, emotionally devastating conclusion to an outstanding series.