John Stewart finally learns that being a Green Lantern means trusting himself.
The Lanterns finale may divide viewers, but “Dirt and Stars” delivers a satisfying conclusion to John Stewart’s first-season journey. Some of its mythology-heavy revelations feel rushed, yet the episode succeeds by remaining focused on the kind of Green Lantern John wants to become.
The episode finally fills in the gaps surrounding Hal Jordan's death, beginning with a flashback to 2016 that shows the events leading to Hal's imprisonment. When Hal returns to Rushville in 2026, Kerry Kane is still one of the few people willing to stand by him. That makes what happens later even more complicated when Hal is shot, and the mystery surrounding his death finally comes to light.
The reveal that Kerry shot Hal definitely surprised me, especially given the history between the two characters. But I actually thought the motivation behind it worked. Kerry wasn't trying to hurt Hal out of revenge or because she had a secret grudge against him. She was trying to protect her son, Noah, after discovering just how dangerous and powerful he really was. Noah, meanwhile, turns out to be a Manhunter with his own complicated connection to Sinestro and the Guardians.
This is where the finale becomes harder to digest. The revelations involving Noah, the Yellow Lantern battery, Sinestro, and the Guardians introduce a significant amount of lore in a short time. The ideas are intriguing, but the sudden shift may overwhelm viewers who were invested in the season’s grounded murder mystery.
For me, the strongest part of the finale is John.
John spends much of the episode trying to get answers, even if that means pushing Sinestro for information in some pretty extreme ways. But once he finally understands what's really happening with Noah, he has to choose what kind of Green Lantern he wants to be. Instead of simply following orders and treating Noah as an enemy, John trusts his instincts and lets him go.
I also really enjoyed John's confrontation with Guy Gardner. There's something wonderfully entertaining about two men being men and deciding the easiest solution is to split the responsibility. John makes it clear that he wants to stay on Earth and protect the “dirt,” while Guy can handle the “stars.” It's a surprisingly fun way to establish where these two characters stand going forward.
The ending works because John is no longer content to follow the Guardians’ rules without question. By choosing compassion over obedience, he begins defining what being a Green Lantern means to him. Lanterns may not stick the landing for everyone, but it completes John’s first-season arc satisfyingly while opening the door to a much larger story. Overall, I give the finale an 8/10.
What did you think of the season finale of Lanterns? Leave a comment.
You can catch Lanterns on HBO Max.
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