‘Lanterns’ could be telling a much bigger story than just a murder mystery. Episode 2 introduces the terrifying Manhunters, but their arrival could have an unexpected connection to one of DC’s most important heroes: Martian Manhunter.
DCU Has Already Been Leaving Strange Clues
‘Lanterns’ has already proven that the Manhunters are ancient synthetic peacekeepers, which were created by the Guardians of the Universe long before the Green Lantern Corps. They are able to disguise themselves as humans, making them very dangerous.
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And their link to Mars is what makes the mystery more interesting. In the comics, the Guardians based the Manhunters’ design on an existing Martian police force. That creates a strange bridge between Lanterns and J’onn J’onzz, even if the show has not mentioned the Justice League hero directly.
James Gunn’s DCU has a habit of hiding important details in plain sight, and ‘Superman’ may have already planted one of the strangest clues. Chocos, the cookie brand that appeared around the Superman movie, has an unusual connection to Martian Manhunter.
However, in the comics, J’onn is known to be obsessed with the cookies, and this is what makes the brand a recurring one more interesting in hindsight. Now, ‘Lanterns’ has confirmed that extraterrestrials are already living around Earth.
The series doesn’t treat aliens as a completely unknown phenomenon, which makes the possibility of J’onn secretly living among humans feel less ridiculous. And, let’s face it, that’s the kind of slow-burn the Gunn could use.
The Perfect Time For Brainiac Reveal
If Martian Manhunter really is already on Earth, ‘Man of Tomorrow’ could create the perfect opportunity to bring him into the spotlight. Brainiac is a huge alien menace, and if he were to be introduced during that conflict, it would make sense.
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J’onn may have been able to live a life of hiding for years, observing humanity from the shadows, until a threat becomes too great to be ignored. There is no evidence of this yet, and the Chocos link may just be an Easter egg.
However, ‘Lanterns’ have now provided fans with another reason to rethink those earlier DCU moments. For now, J’onn J’onzz may still be hiding somewhere in plain sight. And if Gunn is slowly building toward his reveal, the clues might have been sitting there all along.
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