Over 12 Major Easter Eggs, Comics References, And DCU Ties In Lanterns' Season Finale

Published Oct 5, 2026, 9:15 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 8 Lanterns spent its first season expanding the lore of Earth's Green Lanterns in the DCU, centered on Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. By the series' finale, a whole new status quo has been created, with key ramifications for the DCU going forward. Additionally, the finale features some great references to dive into as well. As seen in Lanterns episode 8, John Stewart finally learns who killed Hal Jordan in 2026, the direct result of their investigation and subsequent massacre that occurred in Rushville, Nebraska, ten years prior. Having rejected the mantle of Green Lantern back in 2016, John Stewart finally accepts the responsibility of Hal's power ring on his own terms, kicking off a very exciting future for the brand-new DCU superhero (one that will hopefully involve a second season). Keeping that in mind, here are all the biggest and best Easter eggs, references, DCU ties, and key parallels we found while watching Lanterns' season finale on HBO Max. ​​​​​​ Your Skin’s New Revealing more of the context behind Hal's life after he was released from prison in 2026 (but before he was killed), Lanterns episode 8 reveals more of Hal's relationship with Sheriff Kerry Kane, as well as his discovery that her son Noah was in fact a second secret Manhunter, just like his grandfather Zoe Macon (whom John killed in 2016). Having moved to Rushville to spend time with Kerry while trying to make up for all the damage caused in 2016, Hal found himself trapped when his home was set on fire by an angry neighbor...only to be saved by Noah. Using his grandmother's alien technology to give Hal new skin (just like Zoe gave John), Noah's true nature was revealed to Hal, who demands that Jordan keep Noah's activities to himself. Shown with an injection just like John received, it's confirmed that Hal and John went through nearly the same experience a decade apart: being saved by a Manhunter and receiving brand-new skin following severe burns. Cracks In The Lantern Having forged a Lantern for Noah after the young Manhunter broke Sinestro out of prison, it's revealed that the lantern features several golden cracks along its surface, with John confirming it's the result of the fear compound in the water and air on the planet where Sinestro was marooned by Noah. While it remains to be seen what kind of effects the embedded fear might have on the lantern now that it's being used by John, it does feel like a nice nod to the original "yellow impurity" that was once found in all power rings in the comics continuity (the result of the fear entity Parallax that was once held within Oa's Central Power Battery). The Most Powerful Force In The Universe Sinestro tells John in Lanterns episode 8 that "fear, when harnessed correctly, can be the most powerful force in the universe." If that's not the perfect allusion to the future and the potential rise of his Sinestro Corps wielding yellow power rings, I don't know what is. With any luck, Sinestro and his corps will play a large role in Lanterns season 2 (assuming a second series is greenlit). Resurrecting Hal - Rebirth Despite promising that he could resurrect Hal, Sinestro is still left stranded on his island prison by John and the Halogram. That said, this does seem like an interesting thread to potentially be picked up on in the future of Lanterns. After all, Hal Jordan has been brought back to life in the comics before, the most famous example being at the start of Geoff John's beloved Green Lantern run, where Hal's soul was finally removed from the influence of Parallax and the Spectre and was allowed to return to his preserved body. Programming John's final confrontation with Noah includes an emotionally charged conversation about overcoming programming, connecting back to John's interview in Lanterns episode 3, where the Guardian Lianna (Laura Linney) struggles to distinguish the difference between "programming" and "upbringing." Now, the conversation is much more literal in Lanterns episode 8, with Noah expressing fear and concern that the upbringing by his parents would not be enough to overcome his inherent Manhunter programming, only for John to help instill the confidence and will to do just that based on his own experience. "When The Saints Go Marching In" As Noah and John joke about the struggles of Rushville's small-town high school marching band, the band in question is playing the classic church hymn turned New Orleans jazz standard "When The Saints Go Marching In." "Get Into Politics" Talking about his Manhunter programming as thoughts that aren't even his, Noah talks about using a football career to enter the world of politics to gain as much power and control as possible. This ties back to Kerry's comments about Noah in earlier episodes of Lanterns about her son's long-held interest in politics and how he's going to become president one day. Power Ring On The Dash Wanting to play his last game for his teammates, Noah takes off the power ring he took from John before asking Stewart to kill him after the game ends. As such, Noah placing the ring on the dashboard of the car mirrors the very first episode of Lanterns, where Hal similarly placed the ring on the dash before jumping out of the vehicle, wanting to test his new trainee. Now, John is being offered the responsibility of the ring ten years after he originally turned it down. "A Monster in Gotham" Sheriff Kerry Kane mentions the "monster in Gotham" she escaped once more in Lanterns episode 8. However, the entire season ends without ever specifying which monster in particular she was running from. Seeing as how they send men after Kerry after her father snitched, it follows that the villain after Kerry was probably a leader behind one of Gotham's various factions within organized crime. Good guesses might include The Penguin, Rupert Thorne (who was featured in Creature Commandos), or even Black Mask. After all, Black Mask's company, Janus Cosmetics, was featured in the background of Lanterns season 3 at the abandoned mall where John had his interview with Lianna. The Power Of Love Speaking with Sheriff Kane about Noah and his true nature, John speaks to her about the powerful force of love and fear in Lanterns episode 8, and how they motivate all kinds of actions...like Kerry killing Hal to protect Noah. While this is of course true, it's worth noting that love is indeed one of the colors on the Emotional Spectrum, a powerful violet light wielded by the Star Sapphires in the comics. Perhaps one day we'll be able to see them in action alongside members of the Sinestro Corps.