The first episode of Lanterns left us with a central mystery for in both 2016 and 2026. Naturally, like any good True Detective-inspired series, the earlier plot informed the later plot. But that meant for the next six episodes, we had knowledge that Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) would die, shot in the head. The penultimate episode found John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) using Hal’s ring (and the Halogram) to visit an alien world in search of the truth.
But the reality of how and why Hal died is a lot more tragic and moderately less cosmic than maybe we first thought. Spoilers abound.
What Led to Hal Jordan’s Death?
Episode seven, “Dirt and Stars,” begins with a flashback to earlier in 2026. Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) picks Hal up as he leaves prison. The two then begin a very cute romance. Even as everyone in Rushville hates and despises Hal, Kerry makes it clear she to everyone in a restaurant that she likes him and appreciates he’s trying to make amends.
But Kerry is very much in the minority. One night, someone (or a group of someones) firebombs Jordan’s house and it seems he’ll die. However, he wakes up in the Macon slaughterhouse, with Kerry’s son Noah (Shea Pritchard) standing over him. He used Manhunter technology to rebuild Hal’s burnt flesh. And he knows how to use it because, as we soon find out, Noah himself is a Manhunter like his grandmother.
Despite agreeing to keep Noah’s secret (Kerry knows, but doesn’t know Noah knows), Hal follows the boy to a storage unit and finds the portal orb which transports him to the planet Ryut. Hal discovers it was Noah who broke Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) out of prison, as a means to forge Noah a lantern of his own that he might kill the Guardians himself. Hal then eats at the diner just as John arrives for the apology that never happened. This is why Hal begs John not to tell anyone he’s seen him. He doesn’t want Noah to know they spoke, lest the young Manhunter believe Hal snitched.
Who Killed Hal Jordan in Lanterns?
Hal knows what Noah is and finds Kerry at the football field to tell her. Kerry is at first worried that Noah will find out his own truth, but Hal tells her Noah is already well aware and making moves. He knows Noah is dangerous and that the Guardians and the entire Lantern Corp will eventually find him. He proposes they all three of them leave, perhaps to another planet, far from the watchful eyes of the green people.
But Kerry is in denial. She doesn’t want to believe Noah capable of going full Manhunter. She tells Hal that, when Zoe cut off her finger to save her from mobsters, she implanted Manhunter DNA into Kerry when making her a new finger. Kerry became pregnant, despite not having a partner. Noah was always more Zoe’s kid than her own, but Kerry grew to love him and want to protect him.
As Hal keeps insisting they need to leave, Kerry spins around and fires her weapon, hitting the former Green Lantern squarely in the forehead. Just as he says he loves her, too. Real bad timing. Kerry never wanted to kill Hal, just stop him from acting against Noah. But it was too late. Cleaning up the crime scene, Kerry then calls John and kicks off all the action of the 2026 storyline.
This turn of events really is the most tragic version. It wasn’t an alien bent on world domination, it wasn’t some larger conspiracy. It truly was love that did Hal Jordan in. Even more tragic is that Noah was prepared to take the full blame, just to protect his mom. As John says, that’s not programming; that’s love.
Could Hal Jordan Ever Return?
Anything is possible in comic book storytelling. Sinestro mentioned to the Halogram that he could bring Hal back to life “for real,” although this could have been merely a tactic to get free from the hell planet. That said, Hal Jordan died in the comics and came back. First as the host body for the Spectre, the literal spirit of vengeance. Then, he later went on a walkabout of sorts in the nether realms and return to proper life. So, never count a Green Lantern out.