Lanterns “Lights Out” Review

Season 1 Episode 5 – As the Macon family’s history unravels, Rushville mobilises in the face of the escalating threat. As John is placed in an impossible position, Hal risks everything in a final attempt to take down the Manhunter.

Please note that our reviews are based on likes and dislikes. These contain significant spoilers. If you haven’t already watched the episode, we recommend that you click off the article and come back once you have watched the episode. Enjoy!

Highlights

1. We see a brief scene showing how Kerry came to Rushville. Her father was a snitch and was killed for it, which apparently makes Kerry a snitch by association, at least according to the criminals hunting her. Kerry is eventually tracked down by two gang members and given time to finish her coffee before she’s killed. Zoe heroically steps in to save her life, killing one of the men and threatening the other. This was a fantastic opening and immediately set the tone for the episode.

2. I’m a little surprised that Hal was genuinely willing to let John die. He literally couldn’t have cared less. I’ve put this down as a highlight purely because of the shock value behind it. Zoe, alive and well, also watches on as the car explodes with John still inside. After last week’s cliffhanger, I expected there to be more to Hal’s actions, but nope. He really was prepared to let John die.

3. Kerry and Hal have a standoff. She tells him to leave after firing two pistol clips into the shield he projects. It’s an intense moment as she explains that everything that comes next will be on him and asks whether he’s willing to accept the consequences. Hal seems more than up for the fight. You can really feel the show beginning to move in the right direction now.

4. As John lies in hospital with severe burns and covered in bandages, Zoe makes him an offer. She can heal him and, in turn, he can have the ring, provided he tells the Guardians that Hal died bravely while saving Rushville. It’s a clever move from Zoe, especially given everything that’s happened between Hal and John. After the car situation, I’d personally be taking that deal without much hesitation.

5. The action heats up. Finally! Antaan makes a deal with Hal to go after Macon, and they do exactly that. They begin by using a suicide bomber to throw the ranch’s guards off course before Antaan and his team begin sweeping in. All hell breaks loose from this point onwards, and this is exactly what we’ve been waiting for!

6. We then get a scene I wasn’t expecting that was ridiculously gory. Antaan goes after William but sees straight through his disguise. He stabs him in the chest, draws the blade down and then proceeds to pull out his heart. That was absolutely brutal and certainly not something I expected to see from this series.

7. John goes off on one as he makes his way back to Rushville. He storms into a gun shop while on the phone to his mom, loads up a sniper rifle and explains that he will absolutely be taking the ring off Hal’s finger. This genuinely made me laugh. What a moment from John! He finally feels like a badass.

8. Hal isn’t holding back either. He immediately goes after Zoe before a tower being demolished causes them to become surrounded by the dark mist. Antaan doesn’t stand a chance and gets destroyed without so much as a word from Hal. However, even without the Lantern’s power, Hal does remarkably well. In the middle of the mist, he takes out multiple gunmen on his way to Zoe. This was another fantastic sequence of events and showed that Hal Jordan is still incredibly dangerous without relying entirely on the ring.

9. After Hal and John take the orbital strike, Zoe heads into the motel and basically has Hal dead to rights. That’s until John uses the sniper rifle he picked up earlier and shoots Zoe in the head. I genuinely don’t know whose side I’m supposed to be on anymore. This episode has me so conflicted, but it’s moments like these that make it so damn great.

10. John takes Zoe’s heart. He takes the ring. He takes the Lantern. He has everything he was promised and everything he’s been fighting for. And then, standing in front of the Guardian, he rejects it all. Honestly, it makes complete sense. John has practically been abused and manipulated throughout his entire journey towards getting this ring. After everything he’s been put through, it makes sense that when the moment finally arrives, he doesn’t feel victorious. He just feels empty.

What Didn’t Work

Nothing. I genuinely have no complaints this week. This episode delivered everything I’ve been waiting for from Lanterns.

Standout Character

This is the toughest standout I’ve had to give in a long time. It’s a toss-up between Hal and John, but I do think John just edges it for me. He got the better of Hal Jordan in a one-on-one fight, stopped the Manhunter, and ultimately ended the war that has been catastrophic for Rushville. To then finally get everything he’s been fighting for, only to reject it all, made his story even better. John absolutely smashed it this week.

Favourite Moment

We keep hearing throughout the episode that the ring’s charge is almost depleted, eventually forcing Hal back to the motel to recharge it. In the middle of his “blackest night” speech, John intercepts him. The two finally fight, and John actually manages to get the upper hand until the orbital strike’s laser begins forming above them. Hal immediately shields the pair before the explosion hits. This was the moment we’ve been waiting for.