Lanterns' Biggest DCU Villain Theory Just Got A Major Tease

Published Sep 9, 2026, 8:17 PM EDT Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention. Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise. Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Lanterns episode 4 The next episode of Lanterns may be teasing the debut of a major DC supervillain. Across the board, the new Lanterns series has remained fairly grounded, though it's gradually becoming more cosmic with each new episode. Keeping that in mind, I'm very excited about the chance to possibly see one of my favorite Green Lantern villains in the DCU (besides Sinestro). In HBO's new Lanterns series, Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart are shown in 2016 investigating a series of alien murders, with Hal himself discovered dead in 2026, presumably connected to this same case involving a Manhunter hidden on Earth. While we now know who the Manhunter is by the ending of Lanterns episode 4, the recently released teaser for Lanterns episode 5 suggests the stakes are about to massively ramp up now that the cat's out of the bag. Keeping that in mind, here's why we think Lanterns episode 5 could set the stage for the debut of one of the biggest Green Lantern villains in the new DCU. In Lanterns episode 2, the leader of the alien hit squad known as Antaan (Paul Ben-Victor) tells John Stewart that the rogue android Manhunters caused the near-genocide of his people. Now, he and his fellow survivors seek vengeance against those responsible, especially after learning that a Manhunter has been hiding out on Earth (and needing John's help to identify them in 2016). Interestingly, Antaan's history with the Manhunters very much resembles Atrocitus' origins in the comics. Following the Manhunters' massacre of Sector 666 and the planet Ryut, Atrocitus and his fellow survivors sought vengeance upon the Manhunters' creators, the Guardians of the Universe. Eventually, Atrocitus founded the Red Lantern Corps, which wields the corruptive red light of rage. As such, it would be very exciting if Antaan were eventually revealed to be Atrocitus in the DCU's new Lanterns show. Additionally, the other interesting parallel is that Atrocitus was once Abin Sur's prisoner when he broke free and mortally wounded the Green Lantern, resulting in his crash on Earth. However, the DCU has suggested that it was the Manhunter who caused Abin Sur's crash, an interesting flip of the script. Now, it's quite possible that Lanterns episode 5 may tease Antaan's true identity as Atrocitus even further. Is Lanterns Episode 5 Teasing Atrocitus' Blood Rituals? One of the most striking shots in the new Lanterns episode 5 teaser shows a drop of what appears to be blood falling onto John Stewart's eye. The substance then spreads across his eye, suggesting that it will have some sort of influence or corruption over the trainee. Keeping that in mind, it's worth noting that Atrocitus is well known in the comics for performing various blood rituals, and we know his hit squad will be coming to Rushville in search of the Manhunter in Lanterns episode 5. As such, it's possible that Antaan could be trying to unleash an uncontrollable rage within John and turn him into a major obstacle against either Hal Jordan and/or Zoe Macon (who was confirmed to be the Manhunter in Lanterns episode 4). Then again, perhaps the blood could be coming from Zoe herself via a power we've not yet seen from the Manhunters. After all, we know she saved Will Macon's life and that no one in this small town ever gets sick. Even so, the opportunity for an Atrocitus is too interesting to fully ignore, as it's a chance for the DCU to debut one of its most powerful and intimidating cosmic villains while also establishing the origins of the Red Lanterns as well. Time will tell, but my fingers are definitely crossed that at least one more Corps and color on the Emotional Spectrum will be revealed by the end of this first season of Lanterns. New episodes of Lanterns release Sunday nights on HBO Max from DC Studios. Release Date August 16, 2026 Network HBO Showrunner Chris Mundy Cast Aaron Pierre John Stewart Directors Alik Sakharov, James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Patel Writers Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, Tom King, Vanessa Baden Kelly, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson Franchise(s) DC Universe Creator(s) Tom King, Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof