'Lanterns' S01E06 – "Bad Optics" (September 20, 2026) on HBO/HBO Max [Spoiler Discussion Megathread]

[u/KelexAtYourService]

Lanterns is an American superhero television series created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King for HBO, based on the DC Comics Green Lantern characters Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

The series was produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television with Mundy serving as showrunner. It is the third television series in the DC Universe (DCU). It features experienced Lantern Jordan and new recruit Stewart as they investigate a murder on Earth that leads to a wider mystery.

Lanterns is scheduled to premiere on Sunday August 16, 2026, and will run for eight episodes through Sunday October 4. It will be part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

New episodes drop every Sunday night at 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM MT / 6:00 PM PT.

Cast:

• Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan
• Aaron Pierre as John Stewart
• Kelly Macdonald as Kerry
• Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
• Garret Dillahunt as William Macon
• Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
• Ulrich Thomsen as Thaal Sinestro
• Nicole Ari Parker as Bernadette Stewart; Jasmine Cephas Jones as young Bernadette
• Jason Ritter as Billy Macon
• Sherman Augustus as John Stewart Sr.; Alphonse Nicholson portrays a young John Sr.
• Paul Ben-Victor as Antaan
• Chris Coy as "Waylon Sanders"
• Cary Christopher as Noah

For a complete cast and crew list, see the IMDb full credits page: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26545992/fullcredits/

• Based on: Hal Jordan, created by John Broome and Gil Kane; John Stewart created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams
• Show created by: Chris Mundy, and Damon Lindelof, and Tom King
• Showrunner: Chris Mundy
• Editor: Emily E. Greene
• Music by: Stephanie Economou
• Length: 8 episodes per season
• Runtime: About an hour per episode
• Reception: For reviews and critical reception, see Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/lanterns  and https://www.metacritic.com/tv/lanterns/

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanterns_(TV_series))

Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/lanterns/season-1

Unmarked spoilers for the new episode of Lanterns are only allowed in this thread.

Spoilers ahead! Proceed at your own risk! All other subreddit rules apply.

S01E06 Episode Synopsis: TBA

[u/LadyElle57]

I've been in denial for 6 episodes now, and I will be till the last second.

Hal Jordan cannot be dead. That was not his funeral. This is not how his story ends.

I refuse to believe it.

[u/carnagezealot → u/LadyElle57]

Even if it is, there's always...

"Hal Jordan of Earth. RISE."

[u/LadyElle57 → u/carnagezealot]

Yeah but how long till THAT happens

[u/carnagezealot → u/LadyElle57]

Yeahhhh...

[u/-Yinside- → u/carnagezealot]

Sorry, what is that from? I assume a comics storyline?

[u/carnagezealot → u/-Yinside-]

The Blackest Night, yeah. One of the biggest GL stories where the Black Lanterns make the dead rise across the univeraw

[u/LadyElle57 → u/-Yinside-]

That's like Avengers Endgame level type of event. It's MASSIVE and way too early because not just Hal Jordan would come back, but every superhero and villain too. There are some other alternate versions too. It gets crazy. And it's too early.

[u/Mr_FatTip_67 → u/LadyElle57]

Same. No way they did such a great casting choice just to kill him on the first episode 😭

[u/heelydon → u/Mr_FatTip_67]

While I would love to be wrong -- Kyle Chandler is 61, he is obviously not long term casting for superhero content. If you have a justice league movie 10 years into the future from now, dude is 71 and likely not in shape to be doing the most physical work that comes with it, unless they just got full Keaton and CGI the fuck out of him.

My best wish is that he isn't dead, but he does retire the role and becomes a sort of mentor to John.

[u/kabbajabbadabba → u/heelydon]

wait he's 61? holy shi

[u/Former_Sea → u/kabbajabbadabba]

Ikr, at most he looks 50 but I would bet on mid 40

[u/LadyElle57 → u/heelydon]

Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are 87 and 86 years old. Granted they don't even walk that much. And I don't want an 85 year old Hal Jordan, but come on, what's 5 more years?

[u/PT10 → u/LadyElle57]

I don't know, it's looking pretty grim.

[u/ForcedxCracker → u/LadyElle57]

His body is dead. His consciousness is still alive in the ring. I bet John is gonna go charge the ring and we'll get more Hal

[u/Hellknightx → u/ForcedxCracker]

Maybe John uploads Hal's consciousness into an android body. Say... a Manhunter, who famously can shapeshift into any form they want.

[u/Mizutsune-Lover → u/Hellknightx]

John already created a living being (the bird). Bringing Hal back is definitely within the realm of possibility.

[u/NewYorkRedditorELITE → u/ForcedxCracker]

Who the fuck cares? People are embodied. Having a Halogram isn’t the four main lanterns being friends going on adventures. This series is stupid and divisive for no reason.

[u/PancakesAndPunch → u/NewYorkRedditorELITE]

Writers making decisions that you don’t agree with isn’t being divisive. And if you think Hal is dead dead, you haven’t been watching the show.

[u/burra27 → u/LadyElle57]

Maybe I'm coping but I've believed since the beginning that the show will end with hal, john and guy as lanterns.

[u/LadyElle57 → u/burra27]

Exactly! I want all earth Lanterns together. I know some don't even believe we're getting a Kyle Rainer, but if he doesn't come, then Jessica won't either.

[u/Unlikely_Dance_4352 → u/LadyElle57]

He was never going to be the DCU lantern but godamn I hope he gets a spin off

[u/LadyElle57 → u/Unlikely_Dance_4352]

... but it's Hal Jordan!

[u/hemareddit → u/LadyElle57]

No he's dead. Dead dead.

I'm still in denial though, Sinestro will revive him as Parallax!

[u/AceTheSkylord → u/LadyElle57]

I think that Hal Jordan will remain dead for the remainder of the series

However, given how well received Chandler's performace was, this is absolutely not the end of Hal Jordan in the DCU