Three characters were recently killed in James Gunn's new DCU, proving that the franchise is not scared to get rid of major characters, especially if it benefits the overarching story. The DCU is still in its infant stage, as it has only existed for a couple of years, and only a handful of projects have been released within it thus far. While it is still trying to find its footing in some ways, the franchise has already made it known that it is trying to tell the strongest stories possible, and that, unlike other brands, it is not going to create fakeout deaths for major characters. Instead, the DCU will actually kill important characters and franchise regulars.
The best example of the DCU's willingness to kill off major characters has come in the franchise's most recent project, Lanterns, which is still airing new episodes on HBO as of writing. Particularly, three characters have met their end in recent weeks after appearing in multiple episodes, and beyond that, other important DCU characters were killed earlier.
For instance, Lanterns Episode 5 featured the death of Poorna Jagannathan's Zoe Macon, a major Lanterns character who had a history with multiple important figures in the show and in the DCU as a whole. Zoe's death came as a bit of a surprise, as she was heavily showcased in four Lanterns episodes and was built up as an important franchise player. Notably, due to Zoe's status in the DCU and the fact that it was making her seem extremely important, it ultimately made her death feel more effective.
Specifically, Zoe Macon was killed in Lanterns Episode 5 (titled "Lights Out") by Aaron Pierre's John Stewart after he discovered that she was the last Manhunter, a race of shapeshifting androids created by the Guardians of the Universe. Most notably, the Manhunters were responsible for multiple genocides, with Zoe herself killing Abin Sur, a Green Lantern whose ring sought out Hal Jordan after Sur's death.
Zoe being a Manhunter was a plot twist in itself, but her death was also rather unexpected, mainly because it came at the hands of John Stewart, a character she had a romantic history with. Although she was revealed to be an antagonist, it was still surprising that she would be killed off so suddenly, since it seemed as though she could continue affecting the story while alive. Some fans even thought that Zoe could potentially have a full redemption arc, as the show was somewhat setting up the fact that she could go beyond her original programming, particularly emotionally. However, the DCU felt it would be best for her to meet her end.
Another franchise regular that was killed off in Lanterns (also in Episode 5) was Will Macon, the husband of Zoe. Will's death didn't have as many implications on the show and the DCU as Zoe's did, as Will always felt more like an expendable person (maybe not to the fans who believed he was going to become Black Hand).
Specifically, Will was killed by Antaan, as Antaan was under the impression that Will was the Manhunter. Antaan thought this because of Hal Jordan, who tricked Antaan into thinking that the Manhunter was Will.
As mentioned, the real Manhunter was Will's wife, Zoe, but that ultimately didn't matter, as Will went along with Hal Jordan's ruse in order to protect Zoe. Antaan went through with killing Will, even going as far as pulling out his heart to see if it would crystallize, testing whether he was truly a human or not.
Speaking of Antaan, he was another character who was shockingly killed in Lanterns, despite being set up as a major character in not only Lanterns, but the DCU as a whole.
Antaan's character arc almost solely revolved around his hatred for the Manhunters and his quest to hunt the last one down. For reference, Antaan was once in love with Zoe (who, as mentioned, was a Manhunter) before she committed genocide on his planet. After that occurred, Antaan essentially devoted himself to exacting revenge on her and the Manhunters.
Episode 5 of Lanterns was quite the spectacle, as it resulted in the deaths of Will and Zoe Macon. However, it was also the episode that gave fans Antaan's death as well. During the installment's climax, Antaan killed Will Macon. Just after that, Antaan attempted to kill Hal Jordan via self-destruction, but Hal sent him flying up into the air. He still exploded, which resulted in his death, but Hal protected himself and everyone else from Antaan's actions.
Antaan played an important role in Lanterns, but he didn't seem like a character who was untouchable. It was clear that his character arc was meant to end in the 2016 timeline, but it is worth mentioning that there were a lot of fan theories that he would eventually become Atrocitus in the DCU.
With many under that impression, or subscribing to that theory, it was likely shocking that Antaan was killed in Lanterns Episode 5. Therefore, he can be added to the list of major character deaths that have happened in Lanterns Episode 5.
While those three characters were more recently killed in the DCU, and are all franchise regulars, they are not the first major names to meet their end in the HBO DCU series.
As shown in the very first episode of Lanterns, Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan was also killed, which was a huge shock to many fans. While there are multiple versions of Green Lantern in DC lore and in the DCU, Hal has historically been the most recognizable, so many did not expect the first episode of Lanterns to end with Hal being dead.
Now, Hal Jordan has still shown up in Lanterns, particularly since the show has two different timelines, one of which Hal Jordan is alive during. However, it still has major implications on the future of the DCU, as no one knows how Lanterns will end and if Hal Jordan will be gone for good.
If the DCU's willingness to kill off major characters says anything about the franchise, it is that fans should not feel comfortable with anyone on their screens and should always be on their toes, even if a character seems like they could be in an important role for years to come.
As shows like Game of Thrones have proved over the years, sometimes killing off major characters can benefit a story and make it more engaging, especially if the deaths feel realistic and as though they are truly pieces of the overarching story the franchise is trying to tell.
Potential Major Character Deaths in Future DCU Projects
Lanterns having the guts to kill major characters sets up an unpredictable future for the DCU. Specifically, it seems as though any character could die at any moment, no matter how important they are or what kind of legacy they have in DC Comics lore.
Two upcoming projects from DC Studios that are going to be continuations of previous titles are Creature Commandos Season 2 and Man of Tomorrow. Obviously, Creature Commandos Season 2 is going to pick up where Season 1 of that same story left off, while Man of Tomorrow is acting as a direct sequel to 2025's Superman.
With the way DC Studios has treated characters in Lanterns, it seems as though anyone could die in Creature Commandos Season 2. It is unclear which characters in that series will go on to have important roles in other DC projects, but being an ensemble, fans can likely expect at least a couple of characters to die in Season 2.
Bride of Frankenstein seems like one of the most likely victims, as she has been described as the leader of the Creature Commandos, meaning that her death would likely be the most impactful.
On the Man of Tomorrow front, once again, it is possible that a few characters could be in danger. On one hand, it wouldn't be a shocker if someone like Lex Luthor were to be killed, especially if Brainiac helps usher in a more formidable class of Superman villains in the DCU.
However, it also seems possible that Man of Tomorrow could feature the death of someone such as Lois Lane. That would obviously be a major blow to Clark Kent, which would be sad to experience, but it could also allow the upcoming film to explore his psyche in a way that fans haven't seen before.
It may seem rather crazy to say, but it is also not out of the question that the Man of Steel himself could die in Man of Tomorrow. Superman is the ultimate hero, and the ultimate symbol of hope, so if he were to be killed in the name of hope, his character arc would be one of the most beloved of all time.
