HBO's new superhero series "Lanterns" began with a dramatic twist in its premiere episode, seemingly killing off its lead character, Hal Jordan, portrayed by Kyle Chandler. The show, a grittier take on DC Comics source material that also inspired the 2011 film "Green Lantern," explores the lives of "space cops" tasked with protecting Earth from intergalactic threats.
The premiere episode establishes Hal Jordan as Earth's sole "space cop," with Aaron Pierre playing his trainee, John Stewart. The narrative unfolds across two timelines, primarily focusing on Hal and John's investigation of a case in Nebraska in 2016. At the close of the episode, a on-screen text indicates the current year is 2026.
In the present-day timeline, John Stewart discovers Hal Jordan's deceased body on bleachers in the same Nebraska town where they investigated a case a decade prior. The cause of Hal's death remains unexplained in the premiere.
The dual timelines raise questions about the true fate of Chandler's character. While Hal is shown alive in the 2016 sequences, his death is depicted in 2026. This structure suggests that Chandler may appear in more than just the premiere episode, with the 2016 storyline potentially continuing.
Furthermore, the comic book history of Hal Jordan offers a precedent for resurrection. The character, first created in 1959, has experienced death and return in the comics, notably in the 1996 crossover event "The Final Night" and its subsequent revival in "Green Lantern: Rebirth" in 2004. This suggests that Hal Jordan's story in the HBO series may not be definitively over, despite his apparent demise.
"Lanterns" airs on HBO on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET and is available for streaming on HBO Max.