Lanterns Episode 4 has everybody buzzing (once more), because the present’s largest thriller obtained answered – or did it? Since Episode 2, Lanterns has made us consider that the present’s huge unhealthy is the “Manhunter,” a shape-shifting artificial lifeform that was a part of a galactic peacekeeping military, which predated the Inexperienced Lanterns. The final Manhunter has been hiding out on Earth, and the listing of suspects got here all the way down to only one household.
Episode 4, “The Weenie”, lastly confirms what many followers suspected (SPOILERS): Zoe Macon (Poorna Jagannathan) was revealed to be the Manhunter, however solely after we obtained a fake-out loss of life that appeared to take her off the board. Nonetheless, those self same fake-out moments in Lanterns have viewers nonetheless questioning whether or not this Manhunter reveal is all it appears. Different theories go deeper, questioning whether or not the complete premise is what we’ve been led to consider.
Is Zoe Actually The Manhunter?
Zoe Macon has been a conspicuous suspect since Episode 1, earlier than we even knew that the specter of the Manhunter existed in Rushville. Her rendezvous with John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) on the bar appeared too coincidental; after she stored catching him alone, it appeared inconceivable to disregard that there was one thing extra to her than being a rich tycoon’s spouse and a devoted grandma. Nonetheless, there have been instances when Zoe appeared a slave to the whims of her husband, Macon (Garret Dillahunt).
That’s what makes the reveal about Zoe being the Manhunter exhausting for some folks to consider: We nonetheless haven’t seen any actual company or need coming from Zoe (aside from John). So whereas she could also be an alien being, we nonetheless don’t know something about Zoe’s backstory, her ways, or her final purpose. One reply simply led to extra questions. There are additionally narrative gaps that make it attainable that Zoe is a purple herring; as she defined, she was working as a nurse when Macon got here to her with most cancers; Zoe could possibly be the benefactor who healed him, or be a figurehead overlaying for the actual Manhunter. Some folks assume the grandson she dotes on, Noah, could possibly be far more than he appears…
Is The Manhunter Actually the Villain?
The opposite a part of this dialogue is what sort of story Lanterns is even making an attempt to inform, and whether or not the Manhunter is really the villain we’ve been led to consider.
Taking the reveal about Zoe at face worth: from what we’ve seen over 4 episodes, the Manhunter poses no menace to Rushville or its residents. On the contrary: the superior alien know-how in Rushville (plus testimony from numerous characters) paints the image of the Manhunter being a real “benefactor” in deed, not simply in identify. The townspeople are protected, wholesome, and affluent, and it looks like Zoe values her residence and neighbors. Probably the most threatening factor happening is William Macon creating anti-alien know-how and arming his militia with it – which might very properly be a part of the Manhunter’s design. Earth could possibly be a beachhead for the final Manhunter to wage a conflict of survival – however in opposition to whom?
There’s a rising theme of responsibility and repair to sure establishments resulting in disappointment and discardment – and all comes again to the Guardians. If Lanterns follows conventional DC lore, we’ll learn the way the Guardians created (or commanded) the Manhunters, earlier than discarding them in favor of the Inexperienced Lanterns (leaving aliens like Antaan and his gang burning for vengeance). Now, the Guardians have discarded Sinestro for his insubordination and are within the means of discarding Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) for being uncontrollable. In the meantime, John Stewart represents a brand new period of Lanterns the Guardians have tried to engineer from start (human, however totally conditioned). The Guardians could very properly need the final Manhunter eradicated to guard the key of their very own unhealthy decision-making, which might make them flawed sufficient to be the most important antagonists within the present.
Do you consider Zoe is absolutely the Manhunter? And that she’s actually the villain of the present? Tell us your theories!
Lanterns airs on HBO and streams on HBO Max.