“Was it a joke?” That’s a line that both Hal Jordan and I had at the same time, as episode four introduced some unexpected humor during the Lanterns midseason. After last week’s flashback-focused episode, this week’s episode brings things back to the 2016 timeline of events and has Hal and John working together for the first time since the premiere. Does the show move the plot forward, and what’s with the jokes?
The fourth episode of Lanterns opens where I hoped it would. The conversation between Hal and Sinestro that ended abruptly at the end of the second episode. We see more of that episode, with Sinestro confirming Hal’s fears and suspicions that John is not the backup, but the other person. Sinestro, of course, is completely satisfied not only by giving Hal some answers, but also by playing a little with his old protoge, asking him to just kill John to prevent the inevitable. There is certainly a bit of Joy of the Lamb, with the cop coming to the magistrate for an answer; only in this case, it’s a previous student/teacher relationship, rather than a first-timer. I hope we get more scenes with Sinestro who said; The more Hal actually listens to his former teacher, it’s good for the character, who spends most of the show throwing John out and being a real jerk.
When Hal returns to Earth, the two choose to investigate the Macon ranch, as they suspect that the Manhunter is trapped somewhere on the ranch site, meaning the best in terms of location architecture. Iain points out, correctly, that the term came from Walt Disney and that the castles at the theme parks are the buildings that attract the most attention. There is a helicopter at the blind spot in the middle of the ranch that arrives at the same time every day, leading them to suspect a weenie. You can see where a lot of the humor this week is coming from. Of course, the two get caught after Hal sprung a trap, bringing them face to face with Macon and his, ahem, weenie, as he slows down and forces John to sketch him in the nude. No fear of course, but he lets it be that his boss, not a supporter per se, is not only cured, but that he has kept the town safe and sound in exchange for safety, which explains the empty hospital. Luckily for both of them, Sheriff Kane knocks them out.
This eventually leads them to investigate a completely different group after a bullet goes down on Zoe, presumably killing her, after she and John meet up again at the motel. She drives away, and her vehicle is blown to pieces. But was she? Hal is able to take her out by the end of the episode, but it’s pretty much confirmed now that Zoe is the Manhunter. Her character seemed so obvious, so obvious because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, but apparently she disappeared before her vehicle blew up, and the agent who fired the missile from a satellite was a human makeup. John himself was beginning to suspect Zoe too, proving to her that he did not trust her.
So even though the big Manhunter reveal might feel a little rude, where the show did really well this week is the relationship between Hal and John. They haven’t had much time together since episode one, so it was nice to see them back together again. We got a scene between John and the Keeper, which confirmed that John must take the ring from Hal to become the next Green Lantern; which comes as a surprise to him. Hal learns of this plot, of course, confirming that trying to hand over the ring is something he would do himself if given the picture. Hal constantly dismisses John as a goody-two-shoes, always calling him “Jr” and belittling him, but slowly comes around to him in both his investigative skills and his personal well-being. That is, until Hal gets out of the car again, causing John to crash into a power pole before the credits roll. This time, however, John is without the ring, and Hal seems to have fled the scene, leaving John to clean up the mess in Antaan’s squad, on his way to finish off Manhunter.
So the show was a bit predictable in its overall main plan, but strong plot and character made it a fun and engaging watch. It was not as attractive as last week’s episode, and I wonder if they will keep Hal and John separated again next week. Keep an eye out!