‘Lanterns’ Theory: Lianna Is Working For Sinestro

Much discourse has been generated online as to the motives of Lianna, the guardian who has appeared in the series, giving instructions to John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) in his quest to become a fully fledged Green Lantern. As the 2016 mystery seemingly draws to a close in the upcoming fifth episode of the flagship Lanterns season, we must begin predicting the story of the 2026 timeline, including potential answers to some of our biggest questions so far. Luckily, we at Feature First have a theory that, if proven correct, could have big implications on Lanterns as a show.

Lanterns follows John Stewart and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) as they team up on the job to investigate an alien invasion in Nebraska, tackling a mystery that spans decades from 1986 to 2026. Read the synopsis below:

The series follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery with cosmic ties as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Ever since Lianna spoke with John’s mother, Bernadette, in 1986, fans have had many questions regarding her role. We think that during Sinestro’s (Ulrich Thomsen) coup of the Green Lantern Corps, which resulted in the death of a Guardian of the Universe, that Lianna (Laura Linney) was killed. The Guardian we see in the 2016 timeline is an imposter, utilized by the guardians to show strength towards other species in the galaxy. This explains the discrepancy between the head shapes of the two Liannas, with her head and form seeming larger and more round in 1986, while her form lingers in a corporeal state as she disappears after meeting with John in the 2016 timeline. Find the full comparison below:

We theorise that the imposter was either corrupted or planted by Sinestro following the coup, and this is how he knows about John Stewart joining the Corps. It also explains why the Guardians are so eager to usurp Hal from his position as Earth’s Green Lantern and explains them encouraging infighting between Hal and John.

As to who replaced Lianna, well, that answer might already be evident based on the design of the suit of the Guardians of the Universe in the DCU! In the comics, the Weaponers of Qward wear an exact replica of this suit: red garb with a white cross across the chest. They’re tied to the Yellow Lantern Corps, where they manufacture the Yellow Lanterns’ power rings for Sinestro. If this theory proves true, the main mystery of the 2026 plot could be John investigating Sinestro, who has broken out of prison. In the trailer, John visits a planet with yellowish sand, which possibly could be Qward, home of the Weaponers. In the comics, Weaponers also utilise circular portals, which we have also seen in the show being used by William Macon and Lianna.

Weaponers of Qward first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #2 back in 1960, making them one of the longest running Green Lantern characters.

Lianna being an impostor could also see Hal’s death in the episode 1 cliffhanger as a fake-out, where Hal has caught wind of Sinestro’s plan in 2026 and kills a Weaponer posing as him (whether that be the impostor or another one). It would explain why the dead Hal does not have a willpower ring (especially since Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) has his own, and John Stewart does not possess one). If this were the case, the remainder of the season (and future seasons) could see Hal and John tracking down this mystery. If the Yellow Lantern Corps is not formed at this point of the story, its viable that the Weaponers create the power rings later in the season and a cliffhanger or post-credit tease could see Sinestro donning a power ring once again.

Lanterns stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Laura Linney as Lianna, Ulrich Thomsen as Thaal Sinestro, and Garrett Dillahunt as William Macon.

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