James Gunn teased 'the blackest night is yet to come' with three Lanterns episodes left — the comics event where dead heroes rise
Gunn’s post on Threads quoted the Lantern Oath, and fans now expect Sinestro, a bigger Blackest Night saga or Hal Jordan’s return.
Right, we've got another cryptic tease from James Gunn for all the Lanterns obsessives out there. If you've been following the HBO show (or just lurking for updates like the rest of us), you'll know Gunn is a dab hand at sending DC fans into speculation overdrive, and his latest post is no exception. He popped up on Threads, tossed off a loaded line about 'blackest night', and buggered off, which of course means the theories are multiplying as we head for the business end of the series. Let's untangle what he's actually getting at, shall we?
The 'blackest night' is yet to come. Catch up on #Lanterns and stream new episodes Sundays on @hbomax.
This little message is straight from Gunn himself, and for those not up on their Lantern lore, it's a reference deep enough to make any comic diehard perk up. For the uninitiated: 'In brightest day, in blackest night' is the Lantern Oath, but more importantly, Blackest Night is a heavyweight DC Comics event where dead heroes get back up, and cosmic chaos breaks out. Gunn hasn't outright said we're heading for a direct adaptation in the show, but with comments like this, what else are fans supposed to do besides build elaborate theories?
Lanterns Recap: Where We Stand
So, about the show itself, here's where things have gone so far, and why Gunn's tease has thrown petrol on the fire. The series follows the old war dog Hal Jordan and the new recruit John Stewart as they dig into a murder in small-town Nebraska — not quite the usual flash-bang cosmic fare, but that's part of the hook. As they poked around, things ballooned from grim Midwestern crime to cosmic proportions thanks to the Manhunters (who, in comics, are sort of the Guardians' robotic goon squad gone rogue).
We've now hit the midway mark in the eight-episode run, and it's all kicked off. The big mid-season swing? It turned out Zoe Macon was the Manhunter in disguise, leading to a punch-up that ended with John killing her and running off with Hal's ring — then promptly telling the Guardians to stick their job offer. Meanwhile, the timeline (set in 2026, which, yes, is now) is still muddy about Hal's fate. Recent trailers have dangled Sinestro, Guy Gardner, and the bigger space epic vibes looming, just to keep us guessing.
There are three episodes left before the season finale lands on 4 October 2026.
What Is Gunn Hinting At?
Now, Gunn's tease has left the door wide open, and fan theories are coming thick and fast. Here are the big ones floating about right now:
- The series is about to pivot hard into 'Sinestro Corps' territory, with Sinestro eyeing up that yellow ring and the fear-based Lanterns.
- Lanterns is actually laying the first bricks for a bigger Blackest Night saga somewhere down the line, setting up crossovers and the kind of cosmic mayhem DC occasionally gets right.
- Hal Jordan's supposed death might not be quite as final as it looks, and might tie straight into whatever apocalypse Gunn is nodding at.
At the moment, Gunn's just dropped the word and left interpretation up to the mob — classic move, really. Lanterns keeps airing on Sundays via HBO Max, counting down to that big finish in early October.
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