‘Lanterns’ Ending Explained: How the Finale Sets Up John Stewart in 'Man of Tomorrow'

Earth has a new protector

The first episode of HBO’s Lanterns set up two big mysteries: What are extraterrestrials doing in Rushville, Nebraska, and who killed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler)? The season finale at long last reveals the truth about Hal’s death — along with more of Rushville’s secrets. “Dirt and Stars” also sets up a new conflict with big implications for the future of the DC Universe. If you still have questions after watching, here’s what’s going on.

Major spoilers follow for Lanterns episode 8.

Who killed Hal Jordan?

There has been plenty of speculation about who murdered Hal since his body was found in the stands of Rushville’s football stadium at the end of episode 1. However, episode 7 introduced the possibility that Hal might have shot himself in the head, following the sad “Jordan boys’ legacy” of his father and grandfather, who both died by suicide. But Hal actually seems very happy at the beginning of “Dirt and Stars,” where he’s hoping to take his relationship with Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) to the next level by accompanying her to watch her son Noah (Shea Pritchard) play his last football game in Rushville.

Then someone sets Hal’s home on fire, and the former Green Lantern is trapped inside while trying to rescue his pet carnivorous plant Earl. Hal succumbs to smoke inhalation, but Noah rescues Hal from the fire and heals him with the same advanced technology Noah’s grandmother Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan) used on John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) in episode 5. Somehow, Earl also survives.

Lanterns previously hinted that Noah might also be a Manhunter when Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan) urged her adoptive grandson to remember what she’d taught him before her final confrontation with the Lanterns, and when Kerry said that Zoe “gave her a miracle.” When Zoe used advanced technology to regrow the pinkie Kerry cut off to satisfy the thugs out to kill her, Kerry also wound up pregnant with Noah. Kerry didn’t think that Noah knew he was a Manhunter until Hal told her what happened.

Hal followed Noah and discovered that Noah broke Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) out of prison and took him to Antaan’s planet using a portal he got from Zoe. In exchange, Sinestro built Noah a new Lantern that could charge a Green Lantern ring, though it’s contaminated by the planet's fear. Noah wanted to use the Lantern to get revenge on the Guardians of the Universe, starting by killing the current Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion). That way, he could take Guy’s ring and then use the Lantern to power it. But because Noah is still part human, his conscience allows him to combat his ruthless Manhunter programming. Sinestro assumes that Noah killed Hal to hide his secret, and Noah confesses to the crime himself when John confronts him about it. Noah even asks the former Marine sniper to kill him the same way John killed Zoe.

But Noah was lying to protect his mother. Kerry shot Hal after he told her that he’d learned the truth about Noah. Hal also tried to persuade Kerry to flee town to protect them all from the Guardians. After killing Hal, Kerry called John to Rushville, knowing he was the only one who could discover what really happened. Kerry felt guilty about killing Hal and was afraid she’d raised a monster like her Gotham City gangster father, whose crimes are what made her flee to Rushville in the first place.

Kerry offers to turn herself in, but John decides that Hal wouldn’t want to see her punished. Maybe he could have gone after the arsonists that would have killed Hal if Noah hadn’t intervened, but they get away with it too. John also decides that Noah isn’t a monster since he was willing to die to protect his mother and give up the power of Sinestro’s Lantern. Noah also opts to play football at the University of Nebraska in an attempt to live a normal life instead of attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he could more easily pursue power.

What’s next for John Stewart?

John leaves Sinestro stranded on Antaan’s planet, and decides to use Sinestro’s Lantern and Hal’s Power Ring for himself to become a Green Lantern who doesn’t directly report to the Guardians of the Universe. Charging the ring for the first time transferred ownership from Hal, erasing the Halogram, though the former Green Lantern and his trainee get to exchange a fond farewell before that happens.

John explains his plans to Guy, declaring that Guy can maintain his role as the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 and deal with threats in space, but that John will be protecting the Earth. Guy thinks that the Guardians will send an army to stop John, but John predicts they’ll leave him alone due to their complicated relationship with his family and the fact that he possesses a Lantern crafted especially to be able to stop them.

That conflict will likely be further developed in James Gunn’s next DCU film Man of Tomorrow, which features a sprawling cast of superheroes and villains including both John and Guy. Brainiac is the movie’s main villain, so Guy will have plenty to do in space while John focuses on terrestrial problems. John also repeatedly mocks Guy’s gold tooth, so maybe Guy will ditch it for the movie.

If Guy is relegated to facing extraterrestrial threats, that would make him a lot less useful to the Justice Gang, the superhero group sponsored by businessman Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). Sean Gunn has confirmed Lord will be appearing in at least two more DCU projects, so it’s possible he’ll be in Man of Tomorrow looking to recruit John as Guy’s replacement