Lanterns has been praised but also debated by fans, particularly for a controversial decision concerning one of the most important characters in the TV series. The decision has recently been addressed and defended by James Gunn. Warning: what follows will reference what is currently happening in Lanterns, so if you’re not up to date with the TV series you should come back to this article at a later time.
Lanterns, fans criticize a controversial choice and James Gunn weighs in: “Sorry if you don’t like it”
From the very first episode, Lanterns has stirred anxiety among fans due to a controversial narrative decision that impacts one of DC’s main comic book characters. It all begins with John Stewart, a recruit of the Green Lantern Corps portrayed by Aaron Pierre who teams up with Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) to solve a mystery on Earth. The first episode ends with a twist quickly debated by fans: Hal Jordan appears to have died in the 2026 timeline, a choice that provoked a number of questions among fans and subsequent backlash addressed later by James Gunn as well.
As co-president of DC Studios, Gunn stepped in as usual via Threads defending this narrative choice after a fan again expressed discontent with Lanterns and this turn of events. According to SlashFilm, here is the fan’s critique: “Perhaps you should at least try to respect the characters who made the comics popular. Killing Hal right after waiting 15 years to see him onscreen was the worst thing you could have done.”
At that juncture the writer-director of Superman intervened: “Hal is the star of the TV series and is present in every episode released so far. He has more live-action screen time than he has ever had in total throughout his history. Kyle is outstanding in the role. We deeply respect him. We love him, despite his flaws. The fact that we know the moment of his death – assuming that is exactly what happens – does not by any means equal killing him off right away. Hal is one of the main reasons the series is so popular both among fans and non-fans; I’m sorry if you don’t like it.” The co-president of DC Studios did not want to apologize for the narrative setup, defending the work. Hal Jordan, after all, is a character that many associate with Green Lantern, so the death suggested in the first episode of Lanterns was certainly a bold stance; moreover, it is increasingly evident that the DCU is betting heavily on John Stewart, whom we will also see in Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel. In any case, the first season of Lanterns is not over yet: the final episode is expected to stream on HBO Max on October 5, 2026.
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