After spending an entire episode exploring John Stewart's past, “Lanterns” is likely to return to the present-day investigation in Episode 4, and the timing could not be worse for Hal Jordan. John has finally learned that the Guardians chose him not simply to become another Green Lantern, but because they see him as a potential replacement for Hal.
The biggest question going into the next episode is how Hal will react when he discovers John's true purpose. Hal has already shown that he isn't particularly comfortable with the idea of training someone who could eventually take his place. Now that John has officially been recruited, the threat is no longer theoretical. John isn't simply a rookie learning the ropes anymore. He could be the man the Guardians want standing where Hal currently stands. Recent Episode 4 preview coverage also points toward Hal being pushed into a much darker confrontation involving Sinestro, with the former mentor apparently trying to turn Hal against John.
It makes Sinestro one of the most important pieces of the next chapter. Hal previously went to his disgraced former mentor looking for answers, but Sinestro clearly knows more about John and the Guardians than he is willing to reveal. The next episode could finally explain why Sinestro believes John is dangerous and whether his warnings are genuine or simply part of an attempt to manipulate Hal. Given their complicated history, it would be surprising if Sinestro were suddenly acting out of concern for Hal's best interests.
There is also a strong possibility that Sinestro will begin exploiting Hal's biggest weakness: his fear of losing his place. Hal has spent years being one of the most respected Lanterns, and learning that the Guardians are preparing his replacement could hit him harder than he wants to admit. Sinestro may encourage him to see John as an enemy rather than a partner. The more Hal allows that idea to take hold, the more difficult it will become for him to distinguish between protecting himself and betraying the Corps.
John, meanwhile, is likely to return to the investigation with a completely different understanding of his own abilities. Episode 2 already established that there is something unusual about John, particularly after he created a construct that continued to exist even after Hal took the ring away. The Guardians' decision to recruit him only makes that mystery more important. His artistic ability may also prove useful again, especially if the investigation requires John to visualize or construct something that Hal cannot.
The strange Manhunter mystery should also move back into the foreground. The aliens John encountered previously claimed that one of these synthetic beings was hiding in Rushville, while Hal's investigation has uncovered evidence of a much larger operation involving William Macon and alien-detection technology. The two pieces of the mystery have yet to completely fit together, so Episode 4 could begin connecting them. Rather than treating the Manhunter as an isolated threat, the show may reveal that it is tied directly to the people and events surrounding Rushville.
Kerry Kane is another character who could become increasingly important as the investigation continues. Her position as sheriff has already placed her directly between Hal, John and the strange events happening around her town. At the same time, her connection to the Macon family gives her access to information that the Lanterns may not have. As Hal becomes increasingly distracted by the Guardians and Sinestro, John may have to rely more heavily on Kerry while trying to understand what is really happening in Rushville.
The biggest danger, however, may be the growing divide between Hal and John. Until now, their relationship has been built around an awkward mentor-and-student dynamic, with Hal constantly testing John and John trying to prove that he belongs. Episode 3 changes that completely. John has now earned the thing he has spent his entire life preparing for, but his success comes at Hal's expense.
It could lead to a confrontation that is much more personal than a typical Green Lantern battle. John doesn't want to steal Hal's position, and Hal may eventually understand that. But if Sinestro manages to convince Hal that John is a threat, the two Lanterns could find themselves on opposite sides of the same investigation. The fact that John has already demonstrated abilities that even Hal doesn't fully understand makes that possibility even more dangerous.
I also expect Episode 4 to start playing with the question of whether the Guardians can actually be trusted. John's entire childhood was built around a promise that becoming a Green Lantern was his destiny, while Hal has now discovered that the same Guardians who gave him his purpose are quietly preparing to replace him. Neither man has much reason to accept their decisions without question. If Sinestro knows the real history behind the Corps' plans, he could become the person who exposes the Guardians' hidden agenda.
By the end of the episode, I wouldn't be surprised if the investigation and the Lantern conflict finally collide. The Manhunter mystery is becoming too dangerous to ignore, while Hal's personal crisis is reaching a breaking point. John may enter the episode believing that becoming a Green Lantern means finally proving himself, only to discover that the hardest part is figuring out who he can actually trust.
It could leave Hal with a very difficult choice, he can accept that John is the future the Guardians have chosen, put aside his resentment and train him properly, or allow Sinestro to convince him that protecting his own legacy matters more. If “OutKast” was about explaining why John Stewart became a Green Lantern, the next episode could be about discovering what that decision does to Hal Jordan.
Read more: Lanterns Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: “OutKast”
