‘Lanterns’ Reveals Its Manhunter But Damon Lindelof’s Influence Is Clear

HBO’s ‘Lanterns‘ has kept viewers on edge for weeks with hints of a shapeshifting threat lurking in plain sight, and the moment of revelation is finally here, sort of. Episode four of the DC Universe murder mystery seems to unveil its main antagonist, yet the show’s pedigree suggests fans should remain cautious about this answer.

The series pairs Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan with Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart as they investigate a murder in the heart of America. The entire first season revolves around one pressing question: Who, or what, is the Manhunter terrorizing the small town of Rushville, Nebraska?

By the end of episode four, titled ‘The Weenie,’ Hal and John conclude that Zoe, portrayed by Poorna Jagannathan, is the Manhunter they’ve been pursuing. This revelation is particularly perplexing since the same episode had previously suggested Zoe was dead, adding another layer of complexity to the twist. It’s a daring narrative choice for a show that still has half of its season left to explore.

Fans of ‘Lanterns’ have ample reason to doubt that this is the final answer. Co-creator Damon Lindelof is known for his penchant for misdirection and late-game twists in projects like ‘Lost,’ ‘The Leftovers,’ and ‘Watchmen,’ leading to speculation that the show might be employing a similar tactic here.

This track record is why some viewers are proposing alternative suspects even after the supposed confirmation. Names like William Macon, Billy Macon, Sheriff Kerry Kane, and even one of the alien Guardians have been suggested as characters who might still be disguising their true identities.

Prior to the episode four reveal, a separate analysis of the mystery had already narrowed the suspect list to members of the Macon family, as the show had systematically ruled out other candidates. This meticulous plotting is part of why the Zoe reveal, while dramatic, has not entirely settled the debate among viewers scrutinizing every scene for hints.

Adding to the intrigue, a retrospective examination of the season indicates that ‘Lanterns’ has been subtly hinting at Zoe’s true identity for several episodes. Hal and John reportedly recognized the Manhunter as a shapeshifting synthetic being early on, yet they consistently referred to the hidden figure as male, a detail that diverted audience suspicion away from Zoe. In hindsight, this choice appears to be a deliberate act of misdirection rather than a casual remark.

For those less familiar with Green Lantern comics, it’s important to note that the Manhunters should not be confused with the more renowned solo hero Martian Manhunter. In the source material, the Manhunters are a robotic police force originally created by the Guardians of the Universe to patrol the cosmos, but their programming eventually twisted, leading them to annihilate entire civilizations.

‘Lanterns’ draws heavily from a specific segment of DC history for this storyline. The show appears to be adapting elements from the 1988 ‘Millennium’ comic event, where Manhunters disguised themselves as ordinary humans in positions of power globally, a premise that aligns perfectly with a synthetic villain hiding as someone’s partner in a quiet Nebraska town.

This connection also relates to the season’s other alien faction, the Red Lantern known as Antaan. Antaan’s backstory of witnessing Manhunters devastate an entire sector of space adds real stakes beyond a mere small-town mystery, explaining why an entire alien race would arrive in Rushville demanding answers within 48 hours.

The Manhunter reveal is set against a carefully curated cast assembled well before filming began. Kelly Macdonald was the first significant addition after the leads, taking on the role of Sheriff Kerry, a no-nonsense woman whose commitment to her family and town becomes pivotal as secrets start to unfold.

Garret Dillahunt soon followed as William Macon, a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded cowboy type who conceals ambition behind a calculated charm, while Jason Ritter completes the Macon family as Billy Macon. These character descriptions alone explain why fans continue to return to the family as a source of ongoing suspicion, even after the Zoe reveal.

The broader ensemble includes Nicole Ari Parker as John Stewart’s mother Bernadette, Sherman Augustus as his father, and Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, the classic ‘Green Lantern’ villain whose complex mentorship of Hal Jordan is expected to influence later episodes. Nathan Fillion also makes a cameo as Guy Gardner, connecting the show back to his appearances in ‘Superman.’

Behind the scenes, showrunner Chris Mundy leads a writers’ room that features Lindelof and Tom King, with James Hawes directing the premiere episodes. This combination of comic book expertise and prestige television sensibilities is precisely why the Manhunter twist has resonated so strongly this early in the season.

With four episodes remaining in the eight-episode first season, ‘Lanterns’ has ample opportunity to either complicate or affirm what viewers believe they have just witnessed. The show’s Rushville mystery has always operated on two levels: the human drama of a small town shaken by violence and the cosmic stakes of a rogue alien police force, and the Manhunter reveal sits squarely at the intersection of both.

Whether Zoe is genuinely the villain or just the latest layer of an elaborate con, the reveal has already transformed how fans are rewatching earlier episodes for clues they may have missed. Given Lindelof’s history, it wouldn’t be surprising if the true answer remains several episodes away.

What do you think? Is Zoe really the Manhunter hiding in Rushville, or is ‘Lanterns’ setting up an even bigger twist before the season concludes?