‘Lanterns’ Finale Explained: Who Killed Hal Jordan?

Note: This story contains spoilers from “Lanterns” Episode 8. The “Lanterns” finale finally got to the show’s biggest question — who killed Hal Jordan? The very first episode of the HBO series ended with the reveal that the Hal Jordan of 2026 had been shot in the head in the bleachers of the Rushville football field. The question of who killed Hal, and if he was really dead at all, loomed large over the entire season. In classic finale fashion, that question was finally answered and Hal’s ultimate fate was revealed. So here’s who killed Hal Jordan, what became of the killer, and where John Stewart goes after solving his mentor’s murder. Who killed Hal? The finale opens with the reveal of what happened to Hal following his fight with John in 2016 and then jumps a decade to Kerry being there when he is released from prison. We then get quick cuts to them back and living in Rushville while dating — secretly and then openly despite the town still hating the former Green Lantern. Before Hal can attend one of Noah’s football games with Kerry, Hal’s home is molotov-ed, and it is implied he dies there. But fear (get it?) not, he reawakens on the floor of the Macon slaughterhouse having been brought back by Noah. The theories were true, Noah is indeed the true last Manhunter. He commissioned Sinestro in secret to build him a lantern for a ring and has been grappling with his own nature/nurture questions. Noah lets him go and tells him just to drop it and Hal confronts Kerry about it. She knew about her son being a Manhunter and Hal pushes her that the two need to run and get out of dodge. She won’t accept that and in her anger turns and shoots Hal between the eyes herself. So whoever had Kerry’s number as Hal’s killer — which includes Hologram Hal — collect your prize. What happens to Kerry? John confronts Kerry after a conversation with Noah before his big football game. The boy was continuing to question whether he had the capacity to live a normal life or if he should set himself up to be in places of power so he could manipulate the country and possibly the world. He even tried to convince John that he killed Hal in a lie to protect his mom. It’s a choice that helps sway John’s eventual choice. John confronts Kerry during the game and tells her he knows she killed Hal. John tells her Noah tried to take the blame to protect her which was love and not any kind of programming. Kerry admits to it and then asks if she can finish watching her son’s game before turning herself in. Thinking that might not be the outcome Hal would have wanted, despite being killed by her, John tells her she shouldn’t turn herself in. What happens to John? John’s time in Rushville ends with him again calling in Green Lantern Guy Gardener for a chat. He tells Guy to give the Guardians a message for him and that the Green Lantern can have the rest of Sector 2814 and he would be in charge of Earth by himself. “You take the stars, I’ll take the dirt,” he tells Guy. He then makes his own Green Lantern oath outside of the one used by the Corps and returns home to his family — setting up his next appearance as the Green Lantern of Earth in next year’s “Man of Tomorrow.” “Lanterns” is now streaming on HBO Max.