Lanterns episode 8 trailer spawns major new fan theory about John Stewart's fate

How will the first part of John Stewart's story in the DC Universe end? (Image credit: DC Studios/HBO Max) The teaser for Lanterns' eighth and final episode has been posted onlineIt's sparked a major new fan theory about John Stewart and SinestroIt appears to have ties to the show's name and title card Full spoilers immediately follow for Lanterns episode 7. Potentially huge spoilers are also discussed for Lanterns episode 8. The trailer for Lanterns' season 1 finale has sparked a major new theory among fans — and it's got nothing to do with the central mystery surrounding Hal Jordan.HBO's Green Lantern TV show has been a hot topic of conversation since it premiered in mid-August. Indeed, ever since Lanterns episode 1 dropped the bombshell that Hal Jordan had been murdered in its 2026 storyline, fans have, among other things, been trying to solve events surrounding this shocking moment.With just one chapter, titled 'Dirt and Stars' remaining, many are hoping that Lanterns will explain all before its end credits roll for the final time. However, viewers are also now wondering about John Stewart's fate in the HBO Max show following the release of the forthcoming finale's teaser — and I'm starting to believe that what they're predicting might come to pass.Is John Stewart going to become the DC Universe's first Yellow Lantern? Some fans are convinced that John Stewart will become the DCU's first Yellow Lantern (Image credit: HBO/DC Studios)I'll preface what follows by saying I haven't seen 'Dirt and Stars'. I watched the first seven episodes for my spoiler-free Lanterns review, but HBO and DC Studios don't want anything from this week's chapter to leak online ahead of time. As such, members of the press won't see it prior to its debut on October 4/5, which means I have no insider information on how the season 1 story will be wrapped up.But, I digress. With Stewart and the Hal-O-Gram — the latter being a digital back-up of Jordan's consciousness, which lives inside Jordan's Green Lantern ring — traveling off-world and crossing paths with Sinestro in episode 7, the stage is set for a dramatic season finale.The debuting of Lanterns episode 8 teaser, which appears after this week's entry and has been shared online via third-party sources, has only further raised our collective excitement levels. More than that, though, it's sparked a new fan theory that, as this article's sub-header acknowledges, Stewart might be getting set up to be the DC Universe's (DCU) first Yellow Lantern. Lanterns 1x08 Promo (HD) Season Finale | DC Universe series - YouTube Watch On I covered the creation of the Yellow Lanterns, otherwise known as the Sinestro Corps., in my Sinestro in Lanterns explained article. Essentially, though, this antagonistic faction wield Lantern rings fueled by fear, rather than willpower, which powers Green Lantern rings.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.With Yellow Lanterns being required to understand and control fear, it's not a leap to suggest that the DCU's Stewart is a prime candidate for this role.After all, he's been trained to be fearless since the age of five, so he'd make for a perfect Yellow Lantern if the manipulative Sinestro can persuade Stewart to join his cause — something Sinestro is clearly trying to do by telling Stewart: "The Guardians [of the Universe] think fear makes you weak. They couldn't be more wrong. Fear can be the most powerful force in the universe."Some fans are convinced that, while Stewart might not fully help to form the Sinestro Corps. in the DCU Chapter One project, he's set to become a Yellow Lantern instead of a Green one, too."Is it just me, or are they setting up John as a Yellow Lantern?" Reddit user MrMojoRising422 mused. "John's gonna be a Lantern.. but Green? not 100% sure," FlashyClaim also pondered, before fmalk wrote: "Maybe he's only meant to be a Lantern in [James Gunn's Superman sequel] Man of Tomorrow? After this episode 7, I wouldn't bet 100% on him been Green.""Yeah, the finale is gonna be about Sinestro tempting John with becoming a Yellow Lantern," Maleficent-Choice254 suggested, while ArcadianBlueRogue asked: "Are....are they gonna have the balls to have John have to pick between the Green and Yellow rings?"There's evidence to suggest this fan theory might not be so wild, either.For one, Lanterns' tagline of "only one can wear the ring" implies that there can only be one Green Lantern on planet Earth. Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner is the current holder of that title so, unless Stewart finds a loophole that allows Earth to have two Green Lanterns, becoming a Yellow Lantern might be the only option available to him.As Redditors Elegant_Positive5768 and M00reC, plus X/Twitter user OlinOnBull, point out, DC Studios co-head James Gunn shared a very specific image of John Stewart when Lanterns was announced as part of the original DCU Chapter One line-up in January 2023. The picture in question? Stewart wielding a Yellow Lantern ring. Hang on, did James Gunn tease John Stewart would become a Yellow Lantern over three years ago?! (Image credit: DC Studios)Another sign that gives legs to this hypothesis is the Hal-O-Gram telling Stewart "you're taking a very big risk" in the episode 8 teaser.Is he warning Stewart that he's taking a major gamble by trusting Sinestro and/or becoming a Yellow Lantern, which would infuriate the Guardians? If so, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Guardians send Guy Gardner, aka Earth's current Green Lantern, to forewarn Stewart about the potential pitfalls of doing this.The season finale's teaser confirms Gardner will show up. Furthermore, at the 1:31 mark of Lanterns' official trailer, we see Gardner telling someone that an army is going to be sent to "put you down". That trailer was edited in a way to make it seem like he was talking to Jordan, but what if it's actually Stewart who he's speaking to?The Lanterns finale has a lot to carry (Kerry?), but based on what’s been established on the show and some of the swings it’s been taking, I don’t see John Stewart becoming Green Lantern by the end. It’ll be controversial as hell, but…I think he gets a yellow ring. #LanternsSeptember 28, 2026As the above X/Twitter user points out, we already know Aaron Pierre will return as John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow, but there's no word on whether he'll be a Green Lantern in one of next year's most exciting new movies.I'll readily admit it'll be a massive — and likely controversial — swing from Lanterns' creators and wider writing team if it ends with Stewart being a Yellow Lantern rather than a Green Lantern. But hey, I'm all for narrative surprises if it's not to the detriment of a character's overarching journey. So, if all roads have been leading Stewart to become a Yellow Lantern (even if it's temporary), I'm all for it.But, what do you think: will Stewart end season 1 as a Green or Yellow Lantern? Let me know in the comments. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot. Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.