“Lanterns” ends on a mostly sad and bittersweet note rather than a traditionally happy one.
Ending Overview
- Hal Jordan is confirmed dead. In the 2026 timeline, John Stewart visits his grave and faces digital remnants of Hal (the Halogram). Because John wasn’t chosen as a proper Green Lantern, he cannot recharge Hal’s ring. - The finale introduces new, larger threats—Sinestro appears, there are portals to other planets, grim secrets about the Jordan family’s legacy (fear masked as fearlessness), and the suggestion that Hal’s “death” may also have involved him taking his own life. The show leaves many big questions unanswered.
John Stewart’s Journey and Ring
- Earlier, John earns the Green Lantern ring after defeating Zoe (the Manhunter), but then rejects it. He tells Guardian Lianna the ring makes him feel empty, citing the cost of the power and how it broke Hal. John never fully steps into the traditional hero role.
Emotional Tone
- The ending is somber. Hal’s funeral is sparsely attended. His own legacy is deeply flawed. There is grief, loss, moral ambiguity. John doesn’t get the triumph—just more questions. - Despite introducing expansive sci-fi elements and new plot threads, the final emotional core is about inherited pain, regret, and the weight of responsibility rather than victory.
So: sad, yes—but also hopeful in its complexity. The story doesn’t resolve neatly; it sets up more mysteries and character arcs for what comes next, rather than delivering a clean, upbeat ending.
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Lanterns Episode 5 Ending Explained: Why John Stewart Gives Up the Green Lantern Ring
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