Lanterns Episode 6 Confirms Hal Jordan's Death, Shifts to 2026 Timeline

The sixth episode of HBO's "Lanterns" has confirmed the death of Green Lantern Hal Jordan and shifted the series into its 2026 timeline, revealing that Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner has become Earth's corporate-sponsored protector. The episode, titled "Bad Optics," resolves a central mystery from the season's opening while introducing a key character from DC Comics lore. The story picks up a decade after the events of the 2016 timeline, where John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) defeated Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), stripped him of his ring, and refused to become his successor. The Guardians of the Universe subsequently chose Guy Gardner as the new Green Lantern for Earth. In the 2026 timeline, Stewart returns to Rushville, Nebraska, to investigate Jordan's death, which is now confirmed as a real event within the series. A flashback in the episode reveals that Stewart broke Jordan's nose during a tense meeting at a local diner, a detail that had been a point of speculation among viewers.