‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 Review - The Jordan Boys Legacy Finds Emotion in Hal Jordan's Past

I am generally not a big fan of the "dead person revived" trick that superhero stories deploy, but I liked how Lanterns makes use of this device to bring Hal back to life. One of the early episodes had already established that Hal's consciousness can be activated through the ring, so it only seems natural that John would call upon him for help in order to solve the murder of the real Hal. A projection of Hal teaming up with John to untangle the mysteries surrounding the human Hal's case? Sounds amusing as hell, considering what kind of character this ex-Green Lantern is (or was). I mean, look at how the hologram Hal changes his theory about the murder three times here. First, he suspects John of killing him, then accuses Kerry, and, finally, Hal and John both wonder whether the real Hal ended up committing suicide. The Jordan Boys Legacy also discloses that Hal's family has a history of depression. His father was depressed (and killed himself), his grandfather was depressed, and Hal, too, was depressed.

It's only apt that this penultimate episode, which opens a door into a character's mental dimension, should itself consist of some nice, touching moments. The Jordan Boys Legacy opens with a young Hal in trouble for refusing to let go of a baseball—a defiant act for which he is backed by Martin, his dad. But it's the conversation that takes place after this scene, when Martin tells his son to throw the ball because it's exhausting to hold on to it forever, that is the definite highlight of Episode 7. Jake B. Miller's melancholic voice and reflective face have an almost hypnotic effect on your senses. Something inside you gets gently affected, though you are not sure what or where. Your emotions are stirred once again when Kerry meets the hologram Hal. I am out of words to describe the magnificent Kelly Macdonald (that's what I have mostly done in my other reviews of Lanterns), but I did stop breathing for a few seconds when Kerry heard Hal's voice and, in utter shock and disbelief, froze in her place.

What doesn't work in The Jordan Boys Legacy is the ticking-time element. The ring has only 2% charge left, which means Hal's consciousness can disappear at any second, but that's not how the episode feels. There is no sense of urgency here. What's more, when Hal and John, through a portal, enter another planet and John briefly experiences a hallucination due to traces of a fear-inducing gas, the images he sees are quite plain and literal-minded. This has been the major issue with Lanterns: its spectacle-like scenes are spectacle lite. They are devoid of a sense of awe and wonder. They aren't terrifying either. If the actors weren't so talented, I don't think we would be moved even by the show's emotional substance. The moments are like dots in the screenplay, intensified and enlarged by the performances. On their own, they are pretty insubstantial.

Now what remains to be seen is whether the whole mystery surrounding Hal's death turns out to have any real weight. What one can enthusiastically declare is that, no matter the final outcome, the cast will deliver their best anyway. To be honest, that's the sole thing that made me look forward to every episode of Lanterns. I will watch the finale—but mainly for the superb actors.

Final Score - [5.5/10]