‘Lanterns’ Finale: Hal Jordan’s Killer and Manhunter Revealed, Sinestro Creates [SPOILER], John Stewart Powers Up for ‘Superman’ Sequel

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for the “Lanterns” finale, now streaming on HBO Max. Have no fear, the “Lanterns” finale is here. The season finale — or possibly the series finale, since HBO hasn’t renewed the show yet — wrapped up the mystery posed by the show’s premiere of who killed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler).

The episode, titled “Dirt and Stars,” also revealed the identity of the second Manhunter, and set up how John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) becomes Earth’s sole Green Lantern in DC Studios’ forthcoming “Superman” sequel, “Man of Tomorrow.” The episode starts back in 2016 Rushville in the aftermath of the town’s destruction from the first Manhunter attack. Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) finds Hal in the wreckage, and then it’s revealed that she picks him up from prison in 2026 after he’s released, waiting with beer and flowers. With their feelings for each other blossoming, the two go out for dinner, which is full of Rushville patrons with lingering hatred for Hal.

Kerry defends him in front of everyone, the two later sleep together and Kerry invites Hal to her son Noah’s (Shea Pritchard) football game. However, Hal’s house is firebombed in the middle of the night, and he doesn’t manage to escape. Hal wakes up on the floor of a strange lab with Noah standing over him, explaining that he replaced Hal’s burnt skin using the same Manhunter technology that had healed John in 2016.

After much speculation online, Noah is the secret second Manhunter! In present day, back on the planet decimated by the Manhunters, John interrogates Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) and learns that Noah freed the villain from prison. Sinestro reveals that he harnessed the fear-inducing gas from the planet to create a new, yellow ring for Noah.

As comics fans know, Sinestro is the creator of the Yellow Lanterns, an evil group opposed to the Green Lanterns who derive their power from fear. Sinestro offers John the chance to charge his depleted ring from the sinister, yellow lantern, but Hal’s hologram stops him, and they leave Sinestro marooned on the planet. Noah ambushes John when he returns to Earth, the two drive back to Rushville together.

Noah reveals that he didn’t burn down Hal’s house, but says he was the one who killed him. He claims he couldn’t let Hal reveal his identity as a Manhunter and the yellow lantern to Kerry. Noah says he’s trying to overcome his violent Manhunter programming, and asks that John kills him to protect everyone from what he might do.