Lanterns Episode 1 redefines Hal Jordan’s past and paves John’s path

Lanterns Episode 1 sets the stage with an intense storyline with a layer of humor. Aaron Pierre takes on the role of John Stewart, getting trained under Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan. The distinct dynamic that the two of them share enhances the overall appeal of the storyline.

In this episode, the two of them navigate through multiple ups and downs, eventually setting a layer of mystery for the upcoming episodes.

Please be prepared for the spoilers ahead.

Hal’s past is unveiled, paving John’s future in Lanterns Episode 1

Lanterns Episode 1 starts in 1996, when a young John Stewart watches a 60-minute exclusive on television about Hal Jordan being the Green Lantern. He is eager to watch the show even though his father’s arrival at the house could create trouble for him.

In the show, Hal Jordan makes himself known to the public as Green Lantern and opens up about his past. He is an Air Force veteran and also a former test pilot. Even though he is Earth’s first Green Lantern, he calls himself just a “regular person,” which intrigues young John Stewart.

In the show that John is watching, it is also revealed that Hal’s father was a decorated test pilot who lost his life when Hal was just eight years old. Before John is able to continue watching the show, his father arrives, causing him to turn the television off. Right after his father enters the house, he understands that his son was watching television. He asks John to come outside with him, and he tells him to stand with an apple on his head.

John’s father points a gun in his direction and shoots the apple after asking if he is afraid, to which John replies that he is not. It can be understood that John’s father had been training him to take on the role of Green Lantern since he was young. Lanterns Episode 1 continues with the passage of a few years. It is now 2016 when John Steward is in training under Hal Jordan to take on the role of Green Lantern after Hal trains him.

However, Hal’s training procedure has been impacting John. It is revealed that Hal often tries to rile John up by being late, disappearing for two weeks, and even showing up hungover. However, John does not take the bait and maintains a calm demeanor, which further agitates Hal, who is not eager to hand over the ring to John. To test John while driving, Hal takes his ring off and jumps out of the car while the car falls down a cliff.

John somehow manages to save himself by wearing the ring. Lanterns Episode 1 continues with John completely disappointed with Hal’s actions. He calls his father to inform him about the situation; however, his father urges him to keep maintaining his calm. Even though Hal has been training John for quite some time, he has not taught him how to fly, causing John to walk a long distance to reach the location where Hal asked him to meet.

On his way, he comes across Hal’s backup consciousness to give a message. When the real Hal Jordan hears the message, “there’s hail in Rushville, Nebraska”, he rushes to the location, while John has to take public transport to reach the location.

When John arrives, he finds that it is a crime scene. Sheriff Kerry Kane arrives to inform them that the incident is terrestrial and hence not under their jurisdiction. However, Hal has a “feeling” that aliens are involved.

The incident took place during Rushville’s game-winning field goal, which caused the home fans to rush into the field. A few visitor fans also wandered onto the field, and as many were carrying guns, it eventually led to the death of four visitors. Things take a turn when they understand that one of the visitors is still at the crime scene. Soon, the visitor begins to run away, causing John to follow him.

John is eventually able to capture the man. Lanterns Episode 1 continues with John and Hal discussing the ring while sitting at a bar. When John questions Hal about how he was able to get the ring, Hal eventually tells him how he found himself floating in a green bubble and heard a voice asking him if he was afraid. He was then taken to Nebraska, where an alien spaceship had crashed. The alien was “pink and bald,” and its name was “Abin Sar”.

The alien then gave Hal the ring through which he was able to understand everything about the alien and that he was chosen as the successor of the ring. Lanterns Episode 1 continues with Hal getting arrested after starting a fight in the bar while John comes across a stranger with whom he spends quality time. Hal’s plan to question the suspect fails as he is locked up in a broom closet instead of the holding cell next to the suspect.

Eventually, after an array of troubles, Hal and John are invited by William Macon to their house for supper. Macon and Kerry are married, and the latter is not eager to have Hal and John in their house. At the Macon house, the sheriff's father-in-law, Will Macon, introduces himself to Hal and John. While Hal speaks to Will, John comes across the stranger he met the previous night. Her name is Zoe Macon, Will’s wife.

At the end of Lanterns Episode 1, Hal finally gets the chance to speak to the suspect whose name is Waylon Sanders. Waylon is a commercial-licensed truck driver. Hal starts to interrogate Waylon as he thinks that he is an alien. Though initially Waylon is able to answer all the questions related to Earth, eventually it is revealed that he is indeed an alien with a biometric neutron device woven into his skeleton, which can be activated with a thought to prevent him from revealing the secrets of his mission.

Right at that moment, Waylon blasts himself while Hal covers him with a bubble to prevent damage. At the very end of this episode, there is another time jump. The time is 2026 when John arrives in Nebraska once again, where he finds Hal frozen after his death, setting the stage for an intriguing mystery that can be expected to be unveiled in the upcoming episodes of the series.

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