Lanterns episode two dropped last night on HBO, and it was another excellent hour of television. Much like the first episode, the internet is ablaze with theories. The second episode really threw the audience into the mystery, setting up major and minor conflicts as everyone looks to solve the central mystery, which doesn’t even mention the decade-later death of Hal Jordan.
The 2016 mystery, though, centers on Manhunters, an android race created by the Guardians that can essentially blend in completely. They can look like a human and never be detected as anything but. Essentially, it’s up to John Stewart and Hal Jordan to find the alleged last Manhunter responsible for wiping out an alien civilization (allegedly). So, who’s the Manhunter in Lanterns?
Who is the Manhunter in Lanterns on HBO?
Manhunters are an awesome part of DC Comics lore, and it’s rather intriguing that this is the setup for the prestige Green Lantern show. Lanterns positions itself after Sinestro, one of the most notable Green Lantern villains, has been caught, and it seems to be before other notable villains, like Atrocitus (who might already be in the show) and Parallax, have arrived.
So, the Manhunters make sense here, but we have no clue who the Manhunter is. It could quite literally be any character, though it remains highly unlikely that either Hal Jordan or John Stewart is a Manhunter. Antaan, who may or may not be Atrocitus, is improbable, too, since he tasked John with finding the Manhunter before they blow up Rushville, Nebraska.
Sinestro, given the fact that he’s being held in secure intergalactic jail, is virtually impossible. Theoretically, though, every other character is a possible answer to Lanterns‘ central mystery. And in actuality, it is technically possible that all the above characters are, though it, again, is improbable.
Many have theorized that Sheriff Kerry Kane is the Manhunter, and it would make sense that she wants to keep track of aliens and wants to remain in control of the investigation despite it going beyond her earthly jurisdiction. But she’s from Gotham and moved to Rushville, and a Manhunter would likely want to stay put to avoid any introductions.
William Macon is another popular candidate. His obsession with aliens and his mysterious benefactor (who could be Lex Luthor or another iconic DC character hiding in the shadows) might be because the aliens are seeking him, or the Manhunter, out. He’s not terribly willing to engage with Hal Jordan, either. However, Macon is more likely to be working with the Manhunter than to be it.
His son, Billy Macon, is another option. Essentially, at this point, Hal Jordan no longer needs an attorney, so his involvement in the show is curious. Why is he still around? He’s married to Kerry Kane, but his presence in the plot is currently questionable. On the other hand, he seems like a meaningless side character, so it wouldn’t be as fun a twist for him to be the mysterious Lanterns Manhunter.
Zoe Macon is painfully obvious, which might make her a red herring. However, her conversation with John Stewart could be very revealing, and there’s obviously a lot about her that we don’t know. She’s got to be candidate number one right now, but that might make her less plausible.
There’s also some chatter about Noah Macon, the son of Kerry Kane and Billy Macon, being the Manhunter, but the Manhunter has been around for a lot longer than a young boy’s life, and how could a Manhunter possibly pretend to be a child when the parent would likely know? Especially since the literal sheriff would’ve given birth to him?
There’s a theory floating around that John Sr. is the Manhunter. Why he would push his son into the Lantern Corps is a mystery, and we can’t fully address his candidacy until next week, when we see more of John Jr.’s origin story. But John Sr. is certainly a possibility. For now, everyone’s a major suspect in Lanterns, making it one of the best and most must-watch TV shows out right now.
