Lanterns Season 1 Episode 4 Review: More Fears, Lies, and Manhunters

Lanterns Season 1 Episode 4 satisfyingly shows the extent of Hal and John’s external influences as they try to figure out the Manhunter’s secret identity. From John’s “Guardian” angel to Sinestro, Lanterns‘ buddy-cop duo can’t catch a break.

Since Lanterns Season 1 premiered, the tension between Hal and John has been exponentially increasing. Although it seemed like this shakiness was played for laughs back on the pilot episode, Episode 3 “OutKast” nailed in why it needs to be taken seriously.

As seen on Episode 4 “The Weenie”, John’s aspiration to live up to his parents’ expectations and Hal’s arrogant reclusiveness constantly clash. Hal and Sinestro’s conversation easily sets the mood fans can expect as Sinestro questions Hal about John’s upbringing, creating a doubtful tone going into the episode.

From here, the episode maintains that consistent doubt by building upon the secrets that they keep from each other. Even though Hal and John both know the truth of their “partnership”, it feels like that break down is coming sooner than later.

This is truly felt when the Guardian admits her doubt of John’s ability, which she believed was real because of his mother. However, the Guardian’s choice to test John’s confidence by having him forcefully take Hal’s ring does show she has some trust in him. Her tone really makes you think she’s manipulating him like Sinestro does to Hal, but with a more hopefulness.

Given how the Guardian and Sinestro interacts with them, you can’t help but think they’re pitting the two against each other. In previous episodes, it only felt like Hal and John pushed each other because of a foundational jealousy. Now, you could almost recognize the deception that’s affecting the two, especially when they finally figure out how to get into the Macons’ compound.

Unlike previous episodes, “The Weenie” keeps John and Hal on the move, making things seem much quicker than they are. Once they’re in the Macons’ compound, there’s a bit of action to be seen between the main duo and the Macons’ men. However, it does feel cut short when they’re finally interrogated by Will, who asks John to draw him while he’s naked.

It’s a bit of a weird situation, but this scene gets us closer to finally figuring out who the Manhunter is. It was definitely one of the Macons, who still lie about their unnamed benefactor, but it seems too obvious to say it was Will. Sure, the whole conundrum around the Manhunter was that it blended in to protect itself, but to also say that it wants a seat of power feels like a copout.

Are we meant to believe that the Manhunter is intentionally solidifying itself by making its disguise public? The theory that Will is the Mannhunter would make the story more straightforward. Fortunately, my prevailing theory that Zoey is actually the Manhunter seems to be what Lanterns Season 1 is going for.

Given how John formed a relationship with Zoey from the start, it felt incredibly clear that Zoey was the Manhunter. Plus, the fact that Zoey mentioned that she tended to Will and how that ties back to Will’s own explanation about being saved by it does make sense. Yet, it still feels weird that John would do all that with a Manhunter, knowing everything that Hal tells him.

So, when Zoey is targeted and her truck explodes, you’re meant to think that she’s not the one they’re looking for. Yet, when John says to Hal that he knows she escaped at the last second, it makes you wonder who Zoey really is. Is she really the Manhunter or is she just much more capable than John thought?

It’s a thought that continues to linger when John and Hal go searching for Will’s benefactor, who turns out to be Hector Hammond. However, it turns out that this Hector was actually not Hammond, but rather being used to trick John with a dead man’s trigger.

This entire climax quickly sews in the thought that Hal is already being written out of the picture since Hector hones in on John. There has been an incredible amount of influencing being done to turn John into a Green Lantern, but this moment is on a different level. While Hector continually dismisses Hal, it makes you think that the real Hector knows more than he lets on.

Of course, because this Hector isn’t the villain Green Lantern fans know, we’re only given a taste of what he can do. That said, the setup of this climax does suggest he’ll return in the future. It’s possible he could be the earthly mastermind trying to break the two up, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Lanterns Season 1 Episode 4 keeps snowballing John and Hal’s doubts in a satisfying manner through the external influences connected to the “heroic” duo. With everything beginning to pile up, Lanterns Season 1 continues to keep viewers hooked to this deeper mystery.

Stray Thoughts:

• I wish that this episode didn’t do the Hector Hammond name-drop fakeout. That said, I do hope that the series will include the real Hector in a future episode.
• I did not expect to see William Macon fully get naked and have John draw for him. That was one of the more absurd moments this episode could have shown.
• Do I think that Zoey Macon is actually the Manhunter? Maybe, but that’s because she’s constantly attracted John’s attention. Do I think that Zoey is still alive after that explosion? Probably not.

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New episodes of Lanterns premiere at 9 PM EST every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.

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