Lanterns Stumbles in Episode 6 as DCU Series Loses Its Momentum

DCU’s Lanterns has returned to its 2026 timeline in Episode 6, shifting gears from the explosive “Lights Out” of the previous installment into a quieter, more somber investigation into the apparent murder of Hal Jordan. The episode, part of the series’ first season, marks a deliberate narrative pivot away from the 2016 storyline that dominated the middle of the run — though early reactions suggest the show has lost some of its momentum in the process.

Episode 5 served as the season’s dramatic high-water mark, delivering a fiery climax in which half of Rushville was destroyed, the Manhunter was revealed, and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) finally had their long-awaited falling-out. Now the series pivots by returning fully to the 2026 timeline first teased in the pilot and digging into the mystery surrounding Hal’s apparent murder. The result, according to critics and viewers alike, is a very different show — and not necessarily for the better.

A Mid-Season Structural Experimentation

Looking at Season 1 as a whole, the pacing has drawn criticism. Lanterns teased a 2026 narrative early on and then waited a full month to return to that plot thread, while Episode 5 functioned as a major storytelling climax smack dab in the middle of the story. Some observers wonder whether the 2016 and 2026 storylines could have been more evenly distributed, with the epic battle in Rushville delayed until later in the season. The challenge, however, is clear: digging deeper into 2026 without overtly spoiling what transpired in 2016 is no easy task for the writers.

Compounding the concern is the revelation that Episode 5 was originally intended to be Episode 7, suggesting there was significant experimentation with the season’s structure. The transition from the spectacle and drama of “Lights Out” to this quieter murder mystery reads like riding a rollercoaster that peaks midway through its run.

Losing the Core Dynamic

The real problem with the decade-long jump forward, critics argue, is that the show loses its biggest selling point. With Hal now dead, viewers are deprived of the crucial dynamic between the two Green Lanterns. Episode 6 features only one scene between them — a diner conversation taking place hours before Hal is mysteriously killed. It is a strong scene, with Chandler delivering some of his best work to date and conveying the decade of emotional and physical hardship Hal has endured since the two last met. Chandler even shows genuine fear at the thought of John revealing they know each other, opening up a host of burning questions. Yet, as it stands, it simply is not enough.

Episode 6 is a fairly disappointing follow-up to the stellar “Lights Out,” but I’m hopeful things will pick up in Episode 7. The series just needs to focus more on the story threads that truly matter.

Lanterns Season 1 Review

The episode attempts to compensate for Hal’s absence by establishing friction between John and various other characters. His relationships with family members have clearly frayed over the course of 10 years, and the show conveys this backstory with relative elegance. There is also the tension of John wading into dangerous waters by returning to Rushville and implicating himself in Hal’s murder — a portrait of a man trying to prevent his carefully constructed, post-superhero life from falling apart.

Looking Ahead

Despite these concerns, Episode 6 does succeed in several areas. The long-promised cameo from Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner helps fill the Hal-shaped hole in the series for a few scenes, quickly establishing a fun dynamic with John that fans hope will be explored more in Man of Tomorrow next year. The episode also addresses some of the big questions regarding Green Lantern successorship and why Guy, rather than Hal or John, was the designated Lantern in 2025’s Superman.

The funeral sequence for Hal works very well, serving as a bleakly amusing tribute and an exploration of how far the character has fallen. Hal assumed his funeral would be attended by dignitaries and celebrities both terrestrial and alien, yet the only people who show up are two old girlfriends and one ex-colleague who hated his guts. A nice treat is Carol Ferris (Amie MacKenzie) stopping by to allude to her own tumultuous history with Hal, though, as with many classic Green Lantern supporting characters, viewers don’t quite get enough of her before she’s gone.

All in all, Lanterns takes a substantial hit in Episode 6 as the series struggles to move forward from the high point of “Lights Out.” The big problem facing the show right now is that Hal’s death means less of the core dynamic, though hopefully that won’t be a problem in Episode 7. With the Halogram back in action, the show can get back to emphasizing the terrific chemistry between Pierre and Chandler — it just needs to focus more on the story threads that truly matter.