# Lanterns (the green kind) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, hbomax-wb-dc\ **Created:** [August 17, 2026, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374 "2026-08-17T05:23:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/241 "2026-09-21T02:48:16Z")
Another excellent episode. A bit taken aback by the universal hatred of Hal though. Yes, he was an abrasive blowhard jerk, but he was attempting to do the big picture right thing. The town itself hating him, sure, I buy. What about the rest of the country, they wouldn’t have anything against him, right? What crime was he locked up for? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/242 "2026-09-21T03:35:15Z")
The rest of the country (and galaxy) doesn’t know that he’s dead yet. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/243 "2026-09-21T03:54:29Z")
Sure, but the vibe is that he’s a pariah. If the rest of the country thought he was a hero and that his incarceration was necessary from a rule of law perspective but not actually just, that didn’t come across. Outside the scope of the episode I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/244 "2026-09-21T13:57:35Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > What crime was he locked up for? I would assume the murders of Mason and Zoe. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/245 "2026-09-21T14:07:04Z")
Also, abandoning John Stewart to his fate in the crashed car. And he might have been blamed and prosecuted just for the death and destruction to the town. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/246 "2026-09-21T14:24:34Z")
That should be the biggest one, since he didn’t murder Mason or Zoe. He did crash that car purposely and abandon John inside it. Probably the most fucked up thing he did. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/247 "2026-09-21T14:40:37Z")
I really don’t see John pressing charges for that. Hal apparently thinks he’s a fall guy and John disagrees so it seems like there’s some sort of cover-up? By why, space cops are public knowledge and it seems like regular space cop stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/248 "2026-09-21T14:47:49Z")
I am wondering if the show goes back to 2016 to provide more details or are we just supposed to infer from the chaos we already saw? Also the blond extortionist was the little girl in the motel parking lot right? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/249 "2026-09-21T15:12:22Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I don’t expect the show to even return to Rushville, Nebraska, as the storyline there concluded. Okay, I was completely wrong about this. It looks like the remaining episodes will remain in Rushville. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/250 "2026-09-21T15:56:53Z")
Did anyone else notice that Sherrif Kerry was talking about people who owed her favours? Favours were the currency that Zoe traded in. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/251 "2026-09-21T16:30:59Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And he might have been blamed and prosecuted just for the death and destruction to the town. Guy said Hal was sent to Federal prison, so yeah, I think he was blamed for everything. > [@Quimby](#): > > Also the blond extortionist was the little girl in the motel parking lot right? Correct. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/252 "2026-09-21T16:49:27Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Probably the most fucked up thing he did Sending the Grand National off the cliff was pretty fucked up. The show made me dislike Hal right from the start. Plenty of shit 80s cars he could’ve crashed and it would have been funny, but he picked the wrong one. The writers know what they were doing. Hal does not deserve our sympathy. He’s just a series of bad decisions, with no one to blame but himself. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/253 "2026-09-21T18:26:16Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Guy said Hal was sent to Federal prison, so yeah, I think he was blamed for everything. I mean, his plan was literally to send the other aliens to attack the town as a distraction. He did try to protect the people, but like John said he didn’t take the fall he just fell. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/254 "2026-09-21T22:58:07Z")
I don’t know if I just don’t know enough about Lantern lore, but I don’t get the whole Space Cop thing. At least not how it’s presented in the DCU. Ok, I get that there’s a Lantern Corps that acts as some sort of “space cops”. But what is their mandate and/or jurisdiction? Under whose authority or government do they operate and under which set of laws? Earth has a Lantern responsible for our corner of the universe. But is his job to “protect Earth” or just act as a sort of Space Martial if some interplanetary fugitive finds their way to Earth? Obviously between Superman and the events of Peacemaker, Earth is aware we are not alone in the universe. Like is there some sort of MIB (a Marvel property) that operates independently of the Lantern Corp whose focus is protecting Earth? And as selective and rigorous John Stewart’s lifelong training appears to have been, why did the ring select two dipshits like Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/255 "2026-09-21T23:00:14Z")
I’m pretty sure a not so subtle subtext of the show is that the Guardians are actually corrupt and/or incompetent. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/256 "2026-09-22T00:06:38Z")
Well they are laying it on pretty thick. I’m just not sure what their angle is yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/257 "2026-09-22T00:32:45Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I’m pretty sure a not so subtle subtext of the show is that the Guardians are actually corrupt and/or incompetent There’s the question of who broke Sinestro out of Space Azkaban. One recap suggested Lianna was responsible. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/258 "2026-09-22T00:51:29Z")
I’m curious to see how the Halogram figures into the next few episodes. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/259 "2026-09-22T01:16:45Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > But what is their mandate The Guardian’s Mandate > [@](#): > > Under whose authority or government do they operate The Guardian’s Authority > [@](#): > > and under which set of laws? The Guardian’s Law Hope that makes it clear ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374/260 "2026-09-22T12:41:31Z")
Sounds like a lot of trying to add depth and gravitas to a guy in a green suit punching bad guys with a giant green cartoon fist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lanterns-the-green-kind/1032374.md?page=14)