HBO's Lanterns makes it clear it isn't afraid at the end of Episode 1, delivering a gut punch that ends one hero's career while teasing another's. Hal Jordan doesn't take the idea of retirement well when John Stewart enters his life. The Guardians want to ensure a succession plan is in place for when Hal is done and believe John has what it takes to take his place.
What the galactic peacekeepers probably didn't foresee was their space cops being at each other's throats all the time. Just when John thinks his training is getting somewhere, Hal drags him to Rushville, Nebraska, a small town he believes has an alien infestation. The duo digs into it and learns there's more going on in Rushville than meets the eye.
By the end of Lanterns Episode 1, Hal confirms an extraterrestrial presence in the town, setting up major developments to come later in the season. But he won't get to the bottom of everything because the show flashes forward before the credits roll on its pilot and reveals that Hal is dead in 2026.
The circumstances surrounding Hal's death are sure to be the focus of much of Lanterns Season 1. However, there's also the DCU as a whole to consider. Hal is one of DC Comics' most important heroes, not just because of his role as a Green Lantern but also because of his role as a friend. Hal and Barry Allen, aka The Flash, are thick as thieves in the source material and often serve on the Justice League together.
With Hal already gone in the DCU, the only way he could have a relationship with Barry in live-action is via flashbacks. While James Gunn and Co. clearly aren't afraid to bounce around the DCU's timeline, keeping all of Hal and Barry's adventures in the past would be a hard pill for fans to swallow.
At this point, the powers that be are better off skipping Barry altogether and putting him in a Hal-like role for his mentee, Wally West. Both Barry and Wally have spent time as DC Comics' primary Flash, giving the latter just as much claim to the big-screen mantle as the former.
Another thing Wally has going for him is that The CW wrapped up a TV show focused on Barry only a few years ago, putting him on the back burner toward the end of the nine-season run. It's another series that might seal the deal for Wally, though, as the DCAU forged a relationship that was just as rich as Hal and Barry's.
Green Lantern & The Flash Made A Great Team In The DCAU
The early 2000s featured plenty of great animated superhero shows, many set in the DCAU continuity. Bruce Timm and his collaborators built a franchise that did right by its characters and introduced an entire generation to many of them. Rather than having Hal be Green Lantern, the DCAU turned to John Stewart, while Wally took Barry's place.
As members of the Justice League, they saved the world on numerous occasions and developed a deep respect for one another, despite their very different approaches to being heroes. The DCU can take a page out of Timm's book by making John and Wally two of the faces of its franchise.
In the first episode of Lanterns, Aaron Pierre proved he knows how to play the straight man. The race is now on to find an actor who can bring a comedic edge to the Scarlet Speedster. Once they're in place, the DCU will have everything it needs to bring an iconic animated duo to life for the first time.
