Lanterns is proving to be a serious success for the DC Universe franchise. The present takes a number of the most fantastical DC lore and grounds it in a procedural thriller that retains each informal viewers and hardcore followers guessing. That makes each episode of the present a must-watch occasion, as viewers attempt to spot new clues to formulate new theories about what is definitely happening on this cosmic sport of cat-and-mouse taking part in in America’s heartland. Episode 2 was no exception; you have been incorrect in the event you thought the dying of Inexperienced Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) was going to be the most important level of intrigue.
“Belief Fall” as an alternative focuses on two different components: the introduction of a fundamental antagonist (the final “Manhunter”), and a few lore that quietly establishes John Stewart as a “chosen one” with an unprecedented stage of willpower to create Inexperienced Lantern ring constructs. Each story components converge when John is kidnapped by a mysterious group. They declare to be allies, however one main Lanterns concept claims they’re really only a completely different DC villain menace, in disguise.
THEORY: Lanterns Simply Launched the Pink Lanterns In Episode 2
The storyline of “Belief Fall” focuses again on Hal Jordan and John Stewart in 2016. Hal sends John to retrieve his Inexperienced Lantern Energy Battery again in Coast Metropolis, whereas Hal makes use of some unorthodox strategies of investigation to show that Rushville is stocked with extremely superior alien detection expertise. John is ambushed in Coast Metropolis and kidnapped by the identical group of aliens that Episode 1’s bomber, Sanders, belongs to. Their chief is performed by The Wire actor Paul Ben-Victor, whose character is known as “Antaan.” Most followers haven’t believed that casting sheet, and that Antaan is definitely “Atrocitus,” creator and chief of the Pink Lantern Corps.
It’s a concept that’s been pitched since Paul Ben-Victor was forged in Lanterns; Episode 2 makes the items seemingly slot in place. Within the comics, Atrocitus was from house sector 666, the supernatural world of Ysmault, which was eradicated by the Manhunters. Atrocitus and 4 others have been the only real survivors and shaped a terrorist group referred to as the 5 Inversions, tasked with getting revenge on the Manhunters’ masters, the Guardians. They finally shaped a bond with one Inexperienced Lantern, Abin Sur, till Atrocitus betrayed and killed Sur throughout an investigation on Earth (resulting in Hal Jordan being chosen to inherit Abin Sur’s ring). Atrocitus rampaged on Earth (and created the villain Black Hand) till he was defeated and imprisoned by the Inexperienced Lanterns Hal Jordan and Sinestro. He finally returned to Ysmault, the place he cast a Pink Energy Battery and created Pink Energy Rings. Pink Lanterns have their very blood changed by a fiery rage that offers them immense energy, usually at the price of their lives as soon as the rings come off.
What we’re seeing in Lanterns nonetheless suits that DC origin story, simply in a barely completely different method. “Antaan” continues to be the chief of a vengeful survivors group that would simply be revealed because the 5 Inversions; The Manhunter being Antaan’s goal suits the backstory of Ysmault’s destruction, and items of story lore like Abin Sur’s dying, or how a personality like “William Macon” might find yourself changing into the villain Black Hand utilizing 5 Inversion expertise, are all nonetheless very a lot in play. The backstory of Atrocitus and the 5 Inversions was additionally a part of the bigger prophecy of DC’s “Blackest Night time”, an occasion that some suppose the DCU is already constructing as much as via Lanterns.
We’ll see the way it all pans out as Lanterns airs new episodes on HBO.