Spoilers for Episode 6 of Lanterns follow.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Lanterns has spent the first half of its season making one thing very clear: don’t trust what you think you know about Hal Jordan. The HBO series introduced Kyle Chandler’s veteran Green Lantern as a complicated mentor, then seemingly killed him off. Episode 6, “Bad Optics,” doesn’t exactly undo that. But it does leave behind a pretty massive clue that Hal’s story might not be over.
The Brightest Day Is More Than a Eulogy
Episode 6 jumps into the show’s 2026 timeline. Ten years after the events of the earlier episodes, John Stewart is no longer a Green Lantern. Hal, meanwhile, is dead, and Sheriff Kerry Kane is investigating his murder. Then we get Hal’s funeral. And the title of his eulogy? “The Brightest Day.”
Sure, that’s part of the Green Lantern oath. So on the surface, it makes perfect sense. It’s exactly the kind of phrase you’d expect to hear at a Green Lantern’s funeral. But comic fans know those words have another meaning. Brightest Day was also a major DC Comics storyline that followed Blackest Night and revolved around a number of dead characters returning to life. Suddenly, putting those words over Hal Jordan’s funeral feels a little less innocent. Not to mention, Batman has already been name-dropped in Lanterns.
Does Lanterns Episode 6 Hint That Hal Is Coming Back?
That’s the big question. Lanterns has gone out of its way to make Hal’s death feel real. John believes he’s dead, the investigation treats it as a murder, and the funeral is very much presented as a final goodbye. But then there’s the Halogram. John eventually returns to Hal’s grave, takes his ring, and uses its remaining charge to summon the stored version of Hal. The Halogram looks directly into the coffin, and his reaction is simple.That’s a terrific cliffhanger. More importantly, it gives the audience another reason to question whether Hal Jordan’s story is really finished. A major villain has already been confirmed in earlier Lanterns episodes.
Carol Ferris Appears in Lanterns
As if that wasn’t enough, Episode 6 also gives longtime fans another little treat: Carol Ferris is at Hal’s funeral. Carol is one of the most important characters in Hal’s comic-book history. She’s his longtime love interest and, eventually, becomes StarSapphire, one of Green Lantern’s most recognizable villains and allies.
The episode doesn’t confirm that Carol will become Star Sapphire. There’s no violet ring or transformation. For now, she’s simply Carol Ferris. But that’s what makes it such a fun Easter egg. Maybe “The Brightest Day” is just an oath reference. Maybe it’s a wink toward Hal’s possible return. And maybe Carol’s appearance is simply there for the die-hards. We have already seenclues to 5 other Lanterns. Or maybe Lanterns is quietly telling us that some very important pieces of Green Lantern history are about to come back to life.
For now, Hal Jordan remains six feet under. But Lanterns may have left the door cracked open, and the light is still getting through. Between a “Brightest Day,” a Halogram, and Carol Ferris waiting in the wings, death suddenly feels less final than advertised. Maybe Hal’s story is over. Or maybe, in true Green Lantern fashion, it’s only just beginning.
If You Love Lanterns, You’ll Love This Hal Jordan Run From Two of Comics’ Greatest Creators
More TV Shows
-
TV Shows
9 hours agoJames Gunn’s Lanterns Comments Suggest a Major Fan Theory Is True (& That’s Great News)
-
TV Shows
9 hours agoFor 47 Years, Cartoon Fans Have Unfairly Roasted This Character But He Actually Saved the Franchise
-
TV Shows
11 hours agoLanterns Officially Confirms One Superhero Team Isn’t in the DCU, At Least Not Where Fans Expect Them
-
TV Shows
12 hours ago5 Years Later, Star Wars Revealed the Best Way to Keep the Franchise Alive (And It’s Working)
-
TV Shows
14 hours ago40 Years Ago, An Iconic Sci-Fi Sitcom Premiered & Was Hell for the Cast (& It Starred a Puppet)
-
TV Shows
14 hours agoStephen Amell Video Tease Has Arrow Fans Hyped But What’s It Really About?
-
TV Shows
23 hours ago27 Years Ago, Buffy Aired an Episode Out of Order Due to Real Life Tragedy (And After the Season Ended)
-
DC Studios – HBO TV Shows
1 day agoLanterns Just Revealed How the DCU Is Responding to Superman (And Another James Gunn Movie)
