4 'Lanterns' Fan Theories So Convincing They Feel Like Spoilers
The answers to the key questions may be right in front of us.
Lanterns has only reached the halfway point of the season, yet a multitude of mysteries have already piled up, and the creators are in no rush to answer them all. Each new episode raises new questions, and fans are spinning increasingly bold theories.
Who is really pulling the strings behind William Macon? Why isn't Hal in a hurry to pass the ring to John? And did the first episode actually show the death of one of the most famous Green Lanterns?
1. Hal Will Become Parallax
The most popular theory about Hal's future focuses on Parallax, the DC Comics embodiment of fear that possessed Jordan and turned him into an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps. Although the show hasn't confirmed this, it consistently pits Hal against the Guardians.
Hal fears being replaced, loses faith in his superiors, and doubts himself. Meanwhile, Sinestro arrives, wielding the energy of fear: he exploits Hal's weaknesses and tries to create tension between Hal and John. Even the color of Hal's constructs occasionally shifts.
If his vulnerability continues to grow, he could become a vessel for Parallax. This would mean that the Guardians would come to Earth, not for Zoe, but to confront the threat within Hal himself. Sinestro may be aware of this and is trying to goad Jordan into breaking his oath.
The opening sequence of the show also hints at Hal's transformation, taking on an increasingly yellow hue with each episode.
2. William Macon Is a Future Black Hand
The boldest theory centers on Macon, a charismatic cowboy. A benefactor, most likely Zoe, provided him with powerful technology and saved him from a fatal illness, restoring his strength.
Fans speculate that Macon will become Black Hand, an adversary of the Green Lanterns and a harbinger of Blackest Night. In the comics, this villain serves Nekron, the embodiment of death, and helps establish the Black Lantern Corps.
Macon's recovery, the vanishing bodies, and Hal's impending death draw early comparisons to that famous story arc. However, Blackest Night is too massive in scope for a TV series, it may simply lay the groundwork for the future DCU.
3. The Real Hal Didn't Die
The central mystery emerges at the end of the first episode: ten years later, John returns to Rushville and finds Hal dead in the stadium stands from a gunshot wound to the head. Hal is also missing his ring.
Although the creators state that the character has died, a series featuring aliens capable of perfect human mimicry invites skepticism. The second episode reveals that, upon death, disguised aliens don't revert to their original form, and the corpse's finger bears no tan line where the ring once sat.
Furthermore, Manhunters have crystalline elements instead of hearts. If a crystal were found during Hal's autopsy, the scene from the premiere would be revealed to be a plot twist. Nevertheless, the creators insist that this death will impact the DCU. They note that a digital copy of Hal's consciousness, stored in the ring, will allow the hero to remain part of the story.
Perhaps the ultimate deception is that there is no deception: Hal is truly dead, and we are simply being shown the events leading to his demise. However, it is unlikely that fans, who cherish Hal above all other Green Lanterns, would be satisfied with such a finale.
4. Zoe Isn't the Only Manhunter in Rushville
Up until the fourth episode, Zoe was considered the prime candidate for the role of a Manhunter: she was constantly near John whenever the Manhunters were discussed, had ties to Macon and knew far too much.
The finale of the episode confirmed suspicions – John and Hal suspected that she was of extraterrestrial origin, and her death scene appeared to be staged.
In the comics, the Manhunters are an army of machines created by the Guardians of the Universe to maintain order. The Guardians decided to eradicate crime and sentient life, destroying almost the entire 666th Sector in the process. Zoe may be part of a larger operation, with other Manhunters hiding among Rushville's residents.
The most radical theory suggests that the entire town is populated by synthetic duplicates, which would explain the alien threat detectors found everywhere.
