Warning: This episode contains MAJOR spoilers for the first six episodes of Lanterns.
The DC Universe just released its first stand-alone live-action series in the form of Lanterns, a gripping mystery that truly seemed to reach its climax during the events of episode 5. Rushville, Nebraska, turned from a quiet town where no one even got sick to a devastated battlefield at the center of a war between the Manhunter and Antaan. Blood was spilled, dozens were killed, and the Manhunter was ultimately shot dead by John Stewart.
Many tragedies unfolded in episode 5 of Lanterns, but perhaps one of the most shocking moments came when John took the Green Lantern ring from Hal Jordan's hand. But instead of using it to become one of Earth's most powerful protectors, he simply gave it back to the Guardian, turning what was supposed to be a heartfelt and ceremonious victory into a bitter memory.
In the span of five episodes, the Manhunter mystery seemingly came to an end; John and Hal both lost the ring, and the aliens hidden in Nebraska were all presumably killed. So, where does the show go now? Well, ten years into the future, of course. At long last, we'll circle back to the shocking ending of episode 1, where it was revealed that Hal was shot dead. But is that really the case, or is there more to this mystery than it appears at first glance? Let's find out as we recap the events of "Bad Optics" LIVE as they happen.
An unfriendly reunion
After living 10 years in the past, we finally cut back to the present, where we see John Stewart in a business meeting, trying to persuade Midway City's council to give him the 30 million dollars that the city receives in federal funds—intended to be used to buy guns—and use it to build large, impenetrable panic rooms instead. John argues that events such as the Metropolis attack or the Rushville incident showcase that tragedy can strike at any moment. As such, his company, Stewart Brothers, could build 40 bunkers with sustainable air, water, and food.
Unfortunately, the council can't approve the pitch on their own. A board member confesses that the military controls the cash, so John will have to pitch his idea to Colonel Draycott. While this is a step in the right direction for John, the taste of victory doesn't last for long. Stewart receives a call from his mother, who confesses she has been talking to Hal Jordan ever since the Rushville incident. Hal was locked up after all the tragic events that decimated the city, and he wants to apologize to John now.
Reluctantly, John goes back to Rushville to the iconic coffee shop where everything first started. Hal is waiting there at a table. Earth's first Green Lantern says that he isn't there to apologize, contrary to what his mother said. Jordan argues that he was the one who "took the fall" and had to serve the time for both of their actions, meaning they should be "square." John doesn't agree, but the conversation quickly derails into a discussion about the new Green Lantern, Guy Gardner.
After talking a bit about Gardner's prowess and how he set up a Green Lantern signal in Rushville, Hal asks John why he didn't keep the ring. Before the former trainee could answer, Hal says that maybe it was because he was "scared." John didn't take this comment lightly and punched Hal before storming out of the coffee shop. However, before he stepped out the door, Hal asked him not to tell anyone that the two were ever there.
Moments after John arrives at his home, he receives a call from Sheriff Kerry, who lets him know about Hal's death. The audience then re-watches the final moments of Lanterns episode 1, where John arrives at the football stadium to see Hal's corpse. Since the security cameras are only on for game days, there's no footage of how the Green Lantern's death occurred.
Hal's reason to return to Rushville is finally revealed
Kerry reveals that Hal wrote her letters for a long time after the Rushville incident. The Sheriff never answered except for one time when she asked him to stop writing. After that, Hal moved to the decimated town to try to make "amends." He started knocking on people's doors to ask them if there was anything he could do to help. While he was met with a lot of rejection, he never stopped.
Kerry then gives John the keys to a place Hal rented in town. When the former Marine Corps sniper arrives at the location, he finds it was booby-trapped in case anyone wanted to break in. After all, a lot of people hated Hal after the Rushville incident.
John receives a call from his brother, who asks him to return home and reminds him about the meeting with Colonel Draycott. After the call, John falls asleep at Hal's place, and the next morning, he goes for breakfast at the local coffee shop with Kerry.
Kerry receives a message asking her to come to the morgue to identify Hal's body. John accompanies her, and the two come face-to-face with Hal's corpse. The former Green Lantern was shot in the head with a nine-millimeter. According to the investigation, the body wasn't moved, and Hal must have been looking at the killer due to the trajectory of the bullet.
Hal had a broken nose at the moment of death (which was the result of John's hit). As part of the investigation, a sample of Hal's nose blood was sent to the FBI in an attempt to determine if there was DNA from whoever punched him in the first place. Luckily for John, the results will take four months to come back.
The morgue technician won't notify anyone of Hal's death because when the death certificate is created, reporters from all around the world will arrive in Rushville in a heartbeat. Instead, she gives Kerry and John the rest of the weekend to investigate what truly happened there, and she also hands them all the belongings Hal had with him, which include a mysterious key to a storage room.
What was Hal Jordan hiding?
Inside the storage room is only one thing: Hal's lockbox, which houses a pocket dimension. Hal's voice is needed in order to activate it, so Kerry plays a voice message the former Green Lantern sent her when he was still alive. Since Kerry and Hal were in a relationship after the former got divorced, the message was a bit... corny, to say the least.
The vault detects that the audio playing was simply a recording and gives Kerry and John a "one and only" warning to step away. After giving up on the search, Kerry invites John to dinner, which he accepts. Before the two part ways, they make an agreement to bury Hal's body.
John goes to buy beer before dinner when he receives a call from the retirement home where his father is living. John Stewart Sr. is making a bit of a scandal because he wants to talk to his son, but Stewart Jr. refuses completely. Earlier in the episode, we also learn that he isn't talking to his mother either, so it's clear something happened between them.
On his way to dinner, John stops by the Green Lantern signal and turns it on. In a heartbeat, multiple angry residents from Rushville, including Kerry's ex-husband, Billy Macon, appear and demand that John turn the light off. Of course, he declines, and a fight ensues. Fortunately, the former Marine Corps sniper comes out victorious without breaking a sweat.
At dinner, we meet with Noah Macon, who is grown up now. The three, along with Kerry and John, share a quick moment before the Sheriff receives a call letting her know about Stewart's fight. Very quickly, John is arrested, and he uses his one call to talk to his brother, Marcus, asking for bail money.
Guy Gardner makes his grand entrance
While sleeping in his cell, John is visited by Guy Gardner, who answered the Green Lantern signal. After introducing themselves, John lets the Green Lantern know that Hal is dead, to which the hero replies that he can't help solve the murder because it is "bad optics." John then replies that he doesn't want help solving the case, but instead wants Hal's Green Lantern uniform and ring so that he can be buried with them.
The show then reveals one of the biggest questions fans had: Why is Guy's ring different from Hal's? Well, turns out Hal's ring was simply decommissioned and locked away on Oa. Furthermore, the Guardians forged a new one for the current protector of Earth. Guy says he'll think about the request and reveals that there was a major intergalactic incident: someone busted Sinestro out of the space prison he was locked in.
As soon as Guy leaves, John's bail is paid, and he leaves the prison. While in his car, John reviews his voice messages, and one of them is from the retirement home, revealing that John Stewart Sr. used a shotgun in his room and was (understandably) kicked out as a result. At that moment, John Stewart Jr. called his brother, Aaron, and asked him to go pick up their father.
John gets the Green Lantern ring back
We then cut to Hal's funeral, which is basically empty, with only a few people showing up to pay their respects. Among them is Guy Gardner, who fulfilled John's request and buried Hal in his former Green Lantern uniform and ring. Of course, the Green Lantern's visit is short-lived, as he then flees the scene.
Hal wrote his own eulogy, which John then read for the two people present at the scene, Kerry and Carol Ferris. The show then cuts from this very emotional moment to a shocking scene. At night, John goes back to the cemetery and digs Hal up for one very specific reason: to get the Green Lantern ring back. However, there's one key detail that John seemingly doesn't notice: Hal's body doesn't have a bullet wound in his forehead anymore. Could this be an indication that something else happened to him?
Staying longer in Rushville meant John couldn't attend his meeting with Colonel Draycott. But on the bright side, he can now summon Hal's ring copy, meaning the two can truly uncover what happened to the real Hal Jordan.
Lanterns releases new episodes on HBO and HBO Max each and every Sunday.
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