Episode four picks up exactly where we left off; Hal Jordan has come to his mentor Sinestro for intel.
Sinestro tries to keep the conversation warm, but Hal is not here for it. So, Sinestro gets to the point: if Hal wants to know about Manhunters, Sinestro wants to know about John Stewart. Sinestro describes John as the greatest threat to Hal, greater than a Manhunter. Hal is still upset with Sinestro, but the connection between them is clear. Regardless of being annoyed, Hal cannot help but answer Sinestro’s questions. Here, Hal admits he knows John is his replacement, something Sinestro knew all along.
Back in our one-star motel, John has drawn a beautifully detailed sketch of Zoe Macon on his table. As he reviews other drawings of what appears to be Will Macon’s ranch, John Sr. calls him with a message. The Guardians would like to speak with John. John declines, saying he’s still working with Hal. As John Sr. calls Bernadette to the phone to address their son’s “not acceptable” behavior, John walks to Hal’s room door and hangs up on his parents. Now, this is surprising; John always follows orders. It seems like his parents’ orders are now optional. He can’t find Hal, so John heads off.
Meanwhile in space jail, Sinestro continues to ask Hal questions about John. When he asks if Hal respects John, Hal makes it clear he only came for information on Manhunters. Sinestro’s advice: if Hal can get the Manhunter to the Guardians, John will lose his standing. In a mini Art of War lesson, Sinestro calls out the shortcomings of John’s character, such as his obedience, and gives Hal directions on how to leverage them. John may appear obedient and fearless, but we are starting to see a defiant side of him.
Back in Rushville, John has a tense moment with a couple of the locals at the gun shop. John inquires to buy a scope, but per store policy he must buy a gun as well. The use of profanity during the interaction makes it clear that John and Hal are not wanted in Rushville. John later uses the scope for recon on Will’s ranch, from a tower. Hal joins him and they discuss how to find the Manhunter. It seems like they can get along; John even makes a joke. The two agree that they need to get on the ranch. John suspects a hidden structure on the property, but Sheriff Kerry must be brought on board. While they talk, John picks up that Hal might have a thing for Sheriff Kerry.
Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros. Discovery
Sheriff Kerry, Hal, and John meet at a closed bar owned by Billy Macon, her husband. They get her up to speed on the Manhunter’s possible existence, and the alien hit squad’s mission for John. Sheriff Kerry notes that she doesn’t know who this “guy” (i.e. the Manhunter) could be. According to John, Manhunters are not alien; they are something else. While they are brainstorming how to get onto the ranch, John Sr. calls John’s cell, and John declines the call. This is not like the obedient John we saw grow up in episode three.
Back at the motel, Hal and John plan to visit the ranch that night. In John’s room, he is visited by the female Guardian. She says that his lack of contact has been disappointing. John tells the Guardian that they are still cleaning up the alien self-detonation from episode one. But the Guardian informs John that Hal has not been truthful with his whereabouts. She reveals that Hal went to see Sinestro. Then she tells John how to use his next opportunity to train with the ring to recite the oath and claim the ring. When John hesitates, she adds that Hal’s reports back on John’s progress to the Guardians have been unfavorable. Upset, John states that Hal’s time has passed, the ring has always been John’s. We see that ambition might be part of John, but deception is different.
Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros. Discovery
Later in the evening John goes to Hal’s room to firm up their plan: they will tunnel in from underground. When they arrive near Will’s ranch, Hal gives John the ring to manifest the digger. This is the moment the Guardians tell John to take advantage of; he can claim the ring. Surprisingly, John doesn’t take the opportunity to say the oath and secure the ring, revealing integrity is still core to his identity. In the tunnel, John’s training to become a Lantern continues. This scene is a metaphor for the development of their relationship in this episode. Hal’s attempts to gain John’s trust and John’s willingness to engage with Hal bring connection. They are now beneath the surface literally and figuratively.
Inside the structure, they can see the high-tech weapons and technology; Will’s benefactor appears to be the Manhunter. However, a misstep from Hal sets off a trap. Using a mini-ambush of black smoke, Will’s men capture John and Hal, leaving John powerless, even with the ring.
Will’s men bring John and Hal to Will’s study. While he looks comfortable in his robe, he is not happy to see them. Will drops his robe and asks John to sketch him naked. Of all people, Zoe brings John the sketch pad and charcoal to do the sketch. When Zoe tries to leave, Will asks her to stay. As John sketches a nude Will, Hal finds out why Will protects the Manhunter. The Manhunter cured Will of cancer. Now we know the town protects the Manhunter because of how they have benefited from his presence. Will states killing John would send a message to the Lanterns. Fortunately, Sheriff Kerry arrives in time to get John, Hal, and the ring out of there.
Back at the motel, Sheriff Kerry lets Hal and John know Zoe called her to help them at the ranch. John and Hal are not to leave the motel until she returns with what she can find on Will’s benefactor. Sheriff Kerry gives John a gun for protection from Will’s men. In his room, John calls his mom, and she tells him to take the ring. She’s concerned that John fell for Hal, but he might have fallen for someone else. Like clockwork, that someone shows up at his door: Zoe.
It doesn’t take long before they physically relive their moment in her truck. Zoe asks John to leave town, but he lets her know the level of distrust is real, and he cannot leave. She clarifies that she does not owe Will anything, but she saved Will’s life and she’s trying to save John’s. Zoe also notes that when she tells John what she knows, everything will change.
Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros. Discovery
John sees her out of his motel room, and as she drives away, a powerful laser beam blows up her car. Hal flies out and finds the satellite that took the kill shot. Later that evening, Sheriff Kerry joins the team at the motel and sees some jewelry that tells the story of John and Zoe’s relationship. As she tries to make sense of how to explain this to Zoe’s grandson, she and Hal share a moment.
Hal notices John is distant but chalks it up to Zoe being blown up. Sheriff Kerry provides intel that points Hal and John to a slaughterhouse owned by Hector Hammond; here they might find the Manhunter. On the way, Hal attempts to reach John through conversation about how he is feeling since Zoe’s death. Hal shares that not having any emotional connections is helpful in this role, for the safety of others.
John and Hal arrive at the slaughterhouse. Two words describe it best: creepy and high-tech. The employees seem to move around oblivious to Hal and John’s presence. Hal and John even get a front-row demonstration of how they kill and dissect a cow in a few seconds. They finally come to the main office of the building, where they find a man behind a computer: Hector Hammond.
Hammond gives them a choice: abandon their assignment from the aliens or watch John’s family home get blown up. However, Hal’s gut tells him something isn’t adding up. Hammond even goes as far as to play a recording of John and the Guardians discussing how John really feels about Hal. Still, Hal presses beyond the threat to John’s family, causing John to lash out. Hal doesn’t let up, and they find out the man they are talking to is indeed a decoy and not the Manhunter.
Instead, Hammond claims that Will Macon is the Manhunter. As they drive back, John admits that taking the ring crossed his mind at Macon’s ranch, but he wouldn’t do it. Hal admits much of what John said to the Guardians is true. As they talk, Hal tells John to call the alien hit squad from episode two, to tell them they have found the Manhunter and they should meet at the motel. Once John hangs up from the call, Hal says he had forgiven John; he thought John would be honest.
John seems confused, until Hal asks him how long he knew Zoe was the Manhunter. John’s lack of grief at her death but clear distress at the thought of his family being blown up was a dead giveaway. He tries to explain but it doesn’t seem like Hal has time to hear it. Hal apologizes for “the rental,” turns the car off the road and jumps out, sending John and the car into a pole. Looks like John will be patient number two in the town hospital.
My favorite pirate once said dishonest people can always be trusted to be dishonest. But you never know when an honest person might flip the script. Shout out to Captain Jack Sparrow. This episode leaves a lot of questions, specifically regarding the Guardians. Hal draws a lot of parallels between the Guardians and the Manhunters for John, but it doesn’t seem like John is taking the hint. Did Hal try to put John in a hospital, so he would not get caught up with the aliens when they come for the Manhunter? Was this just getting John out of the way or protecting him?
Also, Sheriff Kerry is now a suspect as well. How is it possible that the whole town is protecting the Manhunter, and she does not know? Lastly, the Guardians seem to thrive on using John’s dislike for Hal. This is the second episode where we see them leverage Hal’s actions to influence John’s emotions. There are a lot of questions we have; for now, we will have to wait for episode five.
