HBO's "Lanterns" debut introduces Green Lantern and trainee amid alien intrigue
The first episode of HBO's series "Lanterns" follows veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan and his trainee John Stewart as they investigate a possible alien threat in a small Nebraska town, setting up a larger mystery for the season.
HBO's new drama "Lanterns" opened with veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan, portrayed by Kyle Chandler, and his trainee John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, confronting a potential alien incursion in Rushville, Nebraska. The episode begins with a 1996 news interview in which a younger Jordan describes the Lanterns as intergalactic peacekeepers and explains the entry test as a question about fear. Two decades later, Stewart, now an adult, is reluctantly recruited by a disheveled Jordan for training.
During a chaotic car ride, Jordan removes his power ring, prompting Stewart to seize it and survive a crash. A holographic backup of Jordan later delivers a cryptic message about "hail in Rushville," leading the pair to the town where a recent mass shooting has drawn police attention. Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) initially resists their involvement, but the duo identifies a suspect they believe to be an alien. After a pursuit, the suspect is detained.
Jordan and Stewart discuss the ring's responsibilities, with Jordan emphasizing its danger and the importance of judgment in its use. The episode shows Jordan deliberately getting arrested to interrogate the suspect in jail, while Stewart engages in a brief romantic encounter at a local bar.
The following day, a local attorney, Billy Macon (Jason Ritter), secures Jordan's release, and the group is invited to a dinner at the Macon family ranch. There, they meet caretaker Will Macon (Garrett Dillahunt), who hints at a larger extraterrestrial agenda and expresses a desire to protect Earth from non-human forces.
Back at the sheriff's department, the suspect claims to be an alien with a built-in explosive device. Jordan neutralizes the threat by containing the explosion with a green energy bubble, confirming the alien hypothesis.
The episode concludes with a jump to 2026, showing an older Stewart driving through a snowy landscape and encountering a grieving Kerry. The scene ends at the football field where Jordan lies dead in the bleachers, setting up a future storyline.
"Are you afraid?" Jordan asks in the 1996 interview, framing the series' central theme of confronting fear.
"He's not fearless," Kerry observes later, suggesting personal doubts about Jordan's motivations.
The premiere establishes the series' tone of sci-fi action blended with personal drama, positioning the Lanterns as guardians facing both human and extraterrestrial challenges.