‘Lanterns’ Officially Destroys the Typical Superhero Formula With a Shocking Betrayal | Review
HBO's Lanterns continues its unconventional take on the Green Lantern mythos, using episode five to close out the show's 2016-set mystery involving the Manhunter while jumping between timelines. Rather than following a typical superhero structure, the episode functions as a turning point that deconstructs Hal Jordan and John Stewart's dynamic and sets up a betrayal that upends expectations for the series' remaining three episodes.
The episode intercuts a 2007 flashback, in which Kerry Kane escapes a criminal past and is taken in by Zoe after a violent confrontation, with 2016 events in Rushville, where Hal and John close in on Zoe while Rushville's residents brace for conflict. John becomes trapped in a burning car after a crash, and rather than saving him, Zoe watches him burn alive, while Hal uses a "Halogram" to track down Kerry, who reveals a deeper, unexplained connection to Zoe.
- Lanterns episode 5 resolves its 2016 Manhunter mystery storyline.
- Zoe lets John Stewart burn in a car rather than save him.
- Kerry Kane's backstory and true loyalty to Zoe are revealed.
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Lanterns is HBO's recent reboot of the Green Lantern superhero franchise, built around two ring-wielding officers, Hal Jordan and John Stewart, who investigate strange goings-on in the small town of Rushville. Rather than a straightforward good-versus-evil adventure, the show leans into crime-drama and mystery elements, jumping between different time periods to piece together what happened.
Central to the plot is Zoe, a Rushville resident tied to a mysterious figure called the Manhunter, and Kerry Kane, whose past connects to Zoe in ways the show has been gradually revealing. The series splits its story across two timelines, a 2007 strand showing how Kerry and Zoe's relationship began, and a 2016 strand in which Hal and John close in on the truth, with each timeline shedding light on the other.
The show has drawn attention for departing from typical superhero storytelling, favouring character drama and moral ambiguity over action, and for building toward a major twist involving betrayal between its central figures that changes how viewers understand Hal and John's partnership.