Lanterns Episode 7’s dark twist is exactly what Tom King is known for

In Lanterns Episode 7, Hal Jordan's troubled family history is presented in a darker way. There is a link between Hal's father's death, Hal's own history of depression, and his lack of fear in becoming a Green Lantern.

This revelation changes the way the audience understands Hal's bravery and aligns the series more closely with the type of storytelling that is typical of co-creator Tom King.

Instead of depicting the painful experiences of a hero as something that makes him stronger, the series shows how Hal's psychological struggles impact all of his life and identity. As explained by SlashFilm, King has explored similar subjects in several of his DC Comics stories.

If we look at it closely, it is particularly in Mister Miracle and Batman, where characters confront grief, depression, and thoughts of s***ide. So, the new development in Lanterns fits into the recurring interest in heroes dealing with all these issues.

More details below!

TRIGGER WARNING: This portion of the piece discusses a sensitive topic. Reader discretion is highly advised.

Lanterns Episode 7’s revelation fits a repeated Tom King pattern

Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan is undeniably a fearless pilot in the Lanterns TV series. His experience as a U.S. Air Force test pilot, where he flies experimental planes, helps explain why he is seen as someone who takes dangerous risks without hesitation.

Not just that, but Hal's courage is also connected to his family. His father, Martin Jordan, was a pilot who died in a plane crash that Hal witnessed as a child. And then Episode 7 of Lanterns gives that family tragedy a much darker meaning.

The episode reveals that John already found Hal’s body and began investigating his death. A Hal-o-gram, which contains a recording of Hal’s consciousness, now reveals an unsettling part of Hal’s past.

According to the recording, Martin intentionally crashed his plane and left a s***ide note. Hal’s grandfather had also died by s***ide, while Hal inherited depression, which has been a pattern in the family.

SlashFilm explains that this dark revelation of the main hero being su****al fits into a theme frequently found in Tom King’s (who also co-wrote this episode) DC works. Back in 2016, King was working on Batman of the Rebirth continuity. One of the dramatic revelations about this version of Batman was that young Bruce Wayne attempted to end his life after his parents’ death, which Antonio P. Cuneo also mentioned in his Medium blog. This version of the Caped Crusader donned the cape and cowl as a d***h wish.

King returned to the theme of a hero contemplating s***ide in his award-winning Mister Miracle run (a storyline the upcoming animated series is set to adapt). The comic opens with Scott Free attempting to take his life. To all those who don’t know, Scott Free/Mister Miracle is Darkseid's adopted son.

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