DC’s Lanterns Fans Are Saying the Same Thing About That Hal Jordan Twist

DC’s Lanterns just pulled off the boldest move in DCU history with its very first episode. Fans are flooding social media with the same stunned reaction to the pilot’s jaw-dropping final moments involving Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan.

DC’s Lanterns fans can’t believe Hal Jordan’s shocking twist in Episode 1

HBO’s Lanterns premiered on August 16, 2026, and the pilot episode delivered a major twist involving Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan.

The episode’s final scene jumps forward to 2026, where John Stewart returns to Rushville and discovers Hal Jordan’s frozen corpse with his power ring missing. Fans on social media reacted with shock, as the series appeared to kill off its co-lead in the very first episode.

The pilot unfolds primarily in 2016, following Jordan and Stewart as they investigate a murder in Rushville, Nebraska. Jordan exposes the suspect, Waylon Sanders, as an alien during an interrogation. Sanders then attempts a suicide bombing, but Jordan uses his ring to contain the blast.

The final moments shift everything forward ten years. Stewart meets with Sheriff Kerry Kane, who leads him to Jordan’s apparent corpse. The missing ring adds another layer of mystery to the already complex dual-timeline narrative.

Fans flooded social media with reactions after the episode aired. One user wrote, “What the f–k happened to Hal Jordan? The death of your favorite character in the first episode of a series is how you know it’s going to be peak as hell. WHAT A TWIST!!!” Another posted, “Such a bold way to end the 1st episode, his backup consciousness will probably play a role in the current tl. Also, where’s the ring?”

Several viewers speculated that Jordan’s death might not be permanent. One fan noted, “I don’t think he’s gone. That might be a manhunter being Hal.” Another pointed out that co-creators Tom King and Damon Lindelof “have a track record of fakeout deaths.”

The series currently holds a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 42 reviews. Lanterns will air weekly on HBO through October 4 for a total of eight episodes.