One of the greatest unanswered questions behind ‘Lanterns’ is what happened to Hal Jordan before the events of the series. In Episode 6, it was revealed that Hal died years ago, leaving behind only the holographic “Halogram” which now guides John Stewart.
However, a new theory is that Hal’s death may not have been the end of his story at all; it may have been the beginning of his journey to becoming one of DC’s most dangerous villains: Parallax.
The Jordan Family Curse May Explain Hal’s Fate
The concept is intriguing because of its close ties to the Jordan family’s tragic past and the recurring theme of fear in the series. In ‘Lanterns’, Hal explains that his father took his own life because he believed his family would be better off without him. Hal also discovers that his grandfather had a similar fate, giving the impression that there is a painful cycle within the Jordan family.
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Hal admits he struggled with those same feelings, but the series repeatedly suggests that the Hal John knew is not the same man who existed at the end. The Halogram keeps repeating that “old Hal” would never have done the things he’s been accused of doing, implying that something has changed him.
But that mystery is even more fascinating when the show shows that Hal was secretly visiting Antaan, a world that interacted with fear, energy, and strange experiments. Even the Halogram appears confused about why Hal was there.
Fear, Sinestro, And The Birth Of Parallax
This is where the Parallax theory starts to come together. In DC Comics, Parallax isn’t just a villain identity; it’s a corrupting force directly related to fear. Hal might have been aware of the fear energy he had been absorbing on Antaan, and decided it was better to die than to pose a threat to others.
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What if death were not the end, though? Sinestro’s mysterious line, “I know a way,” could hint at resurrection. If the Manhunters and Sinestro are linked by Noah and the greater plot involves Rushville, then it may have been the plan all along to bring Hal back.
And that would be a heart-wrenching twist. Hal Jordan might have lost himself to the dark within him, but it has come back to haunt him.
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