This week's Lanterns episode brings a close to the 2016 storyline that has been simmering since the series premiere. Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan) is finally unmasked as the Manhunter, and we learn more about Antaan (Paul Ben-Victor), the alien who was manipulated by the Manhunter into destroying his own race. That tragic backstory drives him to Earth, but while it's a solid foundation for his character, it's hard to ignore that DC Comics already has a villain with nearly the same origin: Atrocitus. If the show had been bolder, Antaan could have been that iconic antagonist from the start.
Antaan Was Set Up to Be Atrocitus
For those unfamiliar with Green Lantern lore, Atrocitus is one of the most memorable foes introduced in recent decades. A warlord from Sector 666, he was imprisoned on Ysmault after seeking revenge against the Guardians of Oa for their past sins, eventually becoming the leader of the Red Lantern Corps. In the comics, he's even responsible for the death of Abin Sur, which sets the stage for Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) to become Earth's Green Lantern. Atrocitus's backstory is almost identical to Antaan's: his planet was wiped out by the Manhunters, fueling an unquenchable desire for vengeance. That rage is so potent it forges a red lantern, driving his every action. Antaan shares that same fury, willing to become a suicide bomber if it means taking out the Manhunter who annihilated his people.
Given these parallels, many viewers speculated that Antaan was simply Atrocitus under a different name, much like the Manhunter hides in Zoe's form. But with Antaan's demise in "Lights Out," that theory is dead. What could have been a shocking reveal—the true face of the alien threat finally emerging—turns into a missed opportunity. The show keeps its extraterrestrial terrorists in human guise, and Antaan's death is so anticlimactic that it's hard to understand why he was given so much focus. His tragic story does establish the Manhunter's menace, but it ultimately amounts to little, making one wonder if it would have been better to leave him out entirely.
While Antaan isn't a direct adaptation of Atrocitus, the similarities are too strong to be coincidental. It's likely that creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King drew inspiration from the Red Lantern leader. For fans craving a more faithful take, Atrocitus is prominently featured in Green Lantern: The Animated Series. That short-lived Cartoon Network show used him as a foundational villain, driving Hal Jordan's intergalactic quest for justice against the Guardians' Manhunter mistakes. It's curious—and a bit disappointing—that the animated series, not the high-profile HBO drama, delivered the proper Atrocitus story.
Lanterns Is Polished but Missing Cosmic Spark
HBO's Lanterns has been both exciting and challenging for fans. On one hand, it's refreshing to see Green Lantern taken seriously after the 2011 film's failure. Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart have been praised as nuanced, compelling versions of their comic counterparts. But while the show takes a grounded approach, it lacks the space-operatic grandeur that defines Green Lantern lore—something the movie, for all its flaws, captured better.
That's why Antaan's death stings so much. He was the character poised to open the door to the cosmic side of the universe, but instead, he's discarded. Whether you call it subversion or a plot device, it feels like a letdown for anyone hoping to see some actual Green Lantern action. (Zack Snyder's DCEU might have been a better fit for this deconstructive take.) With three episodes left, there's still time for more intergalactic surprises, but the show's trajectory suggests it will stay firmly grounded.
For more on the series, check out our interview with the stars about Zoe's reveal. And if you're in the mood for more cosmic sci-fi, James Cameron's Aliens is now streaming.
New episodes of Lanterns air Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.
