HBO’s Lanterns closes its first season with major revelations about Hal Jordan’s death and John Stewart’s future as a Green Lantern.
HBO’s Lanterns concluded its first season with a finale that wrapped up character arcs while delivering emotional payoffs for its main trio. The series focused on the complicated relationship between space cop Hal Jordan and his Green Lantern trainee John Stewart. Kyle Chandler portrayed Hal Jordan with depth especially in flashback scenes that showed his regrets and gratitude for Kerry Kane.
Aaron Pierre brought out John Stewart’s tough instincts early on particularly during a scene where he waterboards rogue Lantern Sinestro. But as the season progressed John’s moral compass became more apparent in how he handled dilemmas involving his past and present.
The show’s creative team was led by showrunner Chris Mundy and co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King. They crafted a story that emphasized personal growth over spectacle according to TheWrap. One of the most compelling elements was the revelation about teenage Noah who turned out to be a Manhunter hybrid.
Shea Pritchard played Noah with a mix of menace and inner conflict that brought nuance to the character. The finale also revealed that Kerry Kane had killed her lover Hal in order to protect Noah’s secret. This moment was emotionally heavy but perhaps lacked the dramatic weight it deserved.
Despite this the series gave satisfying resolutions to many of its central themes and character dynamics.
John Stewart’s journey from rejecting his Lantern role to accepting it was central to the finale’s emotional core. Pierre’s performance kept viewers engaged with subtle doubt and emotion throughout John’s transformation. Although the finale didn’t fully embrace grandeur or space opera elements it still managed to provide a strong ending to the season.
The show’s approach leaned more toward grounded drama than high-stakes action which suited its tone and themes. Kelly Macdonald’s portrayal of Sheriff Kerry Kane added layers to the story through her moral compromises. The series also featured an appearance by Guy Gardner played by Nathan Fillion.
While some fans may have wanted more from the show’s visual scope the emotional beats were well-handled. The finale gave viewers a sense of closure for John Stewart’s story even if it didn’t fully live up to the epic potential of its source material.
With strong performances from Chandler and Pierre and Macdonald the season left the door open for future stories.
Lanterns is now streaming on HBO Max but has not been officially renewed for a second season. Aaron Pierre is also expected to continue as John Stewart in the 2027 DC film Man of Tomorrow.
IMAGE: “Friday Night Lights” actor Kyle Chandler talks to U.S. servicemembers Nov. 14, 2009, at the Warrior and Family Support Center on Fort Sam Houston, Texas.. Photo: Staff Sgt. Bennie Davis, USAF / Wikimedia, taken 2009-11-14, Public domain