‘Lanterns’ Episode 6 has brought one of the biggest developments in the show’s history, but it’s also left viewers with lots of questions. If Hal Jordan was killed and John Stewart inherited his Green Lantern ring from his corpse, this should be a big emotional moment.
Instead, some viewers are struggling to understand why the story spent so much time setting up John’s decision to reject the ring, only to bring him back to it almost immediately.
Hal’s Death Creates More Questions Than Answers
The episode appears to confirm that Hal is dead, with John removing the ring from his body. That follows straight from the last episode where John had given up the ring after being warned what it entailed. That makes the transition sound a bit like a circle.
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If John was always going to inherit Hal’s ring after his death, what was the dramatic purpose of making such a major point about him walking away from it? There are also some questions about the circumstances of Hal’s death. He is depicted with his body in an unusual upright position, while being shot at very close range.
In the meantime, John moping over Hal should sell the emotional moment. However, some fans don’t feel the series has done enough to make their relationship land for that reaction. Even the sequel has some loose ends, like why Hal is getting blamed for the actions of the Manhunter.
Are These Mysteries Or Just Writing Problems?
In addition, the episode contains a few smaller details which viewers are asking questions about. The appearance of a huge Green Lantern signal from Metropolis seems to raise an eyebrow at Guy Gardner, while Noah bringing John a suit creates another “wait, how?” moment.
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Then there’s the threat made by the cafe witness from Episode 5, which apparently does not affect John. The same applies to the HAL-OGRAM setup. Episode 5 was very clear that Hal gave up some of his ring to create the hologram, but John somehow conjured it up in another way.
None of these questions are necessarily an indication of the writers’ errors. There may still be explanations given in the upcoming episodes. But that’s the frustration. Lanterns have long invited viewers to seek out deeper answers, and now some are wondering if the mysteries are deliberate or bad writing.
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