LANTERNS Theory Says Hal Jordan May Not Be Dead, and Zoe Could Be the Key

What if Hal Jordan isn’t actually the dead Green Lantern we think he is? A fan theory surrounding HBO’s Lanterns has emerged following Episode 4, and it could completely change the way we look at the apparent death teased at the beginning of the series.

The key to the whole thing is Zoe Macon, the increasingly suspicious Rushville resident who Hal Jordan and John Stewart now believe could be the Manhunter they’ve been hunting.

Episode 4 seemingly brought the Manhunter mystery closer to an answer when Hal and John shared their suspicions about Zoe. Fans have been eyeing her as a possible candidate since her introduction in the premiere, especially with all the weirdness surrounding her and her family.

Then Episode 4 made Zoe even harder to ignore when she appeared to fake her own death following a series of strange events.

So, Zoe may very well be the alien. But what if everyone has been wrong about what that actually means? One fan theory argues that Zoe isn't the villain at all. Instead, she may be protecting Rushville and could ultimately sacrifice herself to help Hal and John stop the real threat.

One viewer shared the theory on X: "Well, the theory is that indeed Zoe is the manhunter, but the town protects her because she's really not bad; she helps and heals the town," one viewer wrote.

"The real villain is the Guardian. Zoe takes the form of Hal Jordan and is killed so that Jordan and Stewart can stop the Guardian."

The theory suggests that the body we saw at the end of the Lanterns premiere might not actually belong to Hal. Instead, it could be Zoe disguised as him after taking his form.

Another fan connected this idea to John's emotional reaction to the body. John sheds a tear over what appears to be his former mentor, which stands out considering how strained the relationship between the two Lanterns has become.

If John discovers that the person who died looking like Hal was actually Zoe, his reaction suddenly carries a very different meaning. It would also mean Hal could survive the events we've been watching, despite the premiere making his fate look pretty grim.

The other big piece of the theory is the Guardian. If Zoe really is helping Rushville and protecting its residents, the supposed authority figure could turn out to be the actual villain of the story.

That would be a major turn for Lanterns and could reframe much of what we've seen so far. We're halfway through the series, and Zoe has become one of the biggest pieces of the mystery.

Whether she's a dangerous Manhunter, Rushville's secret protector, or the person who ultimately saves Hal and John remains to be seen.