Over 15 Major Easter Eggs, Comics References, And DCU Ties in Lanterns Episode 5

Published Sep 14, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT

Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. 

With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.

Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Lanterns episode 5Lanterns episode 5 has just been released on HBO Max, one of the most intense chapters of the new DC series yet. Additionally, it also features an exciting number of Easter eggs, references, and ties to the broader DC Universe.

In Lanterns episode 5, Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart have never been more at odds as they deal with Zoe, a deadly cosmic Manhunter in disguise played by actress Poorna Jagannathan. Beyond Zoe herself and their personal clash over Hal's power ring, Jordan and Stewart also have to contend with Will Macon's militia, which is trying to protect Zoe, and Antaan's vengeful alien hit squad, who want her dead.

Before the ending of Lanterns episode 5 with its major surprise twist that perfectly leads into the show's upcoming time jump from 2016 to the present, the episode features some pretty cool Easter eggs, references, and DCU connections, so here are the biggest ones.

Kerry Kane’s Gotham Origins

At the beginning of the episode, Kerry Kane's origins are revealed, particularly when she first came to Rushville, Nebraska in 2007 and met Zoe. Having revealed previously that she's originally from Gotham City, it's revealed that Kerry was chased out of the city after her criminal father snitched on a major Gotham crime boss. While the Gotham crime boss is never named, a company owned by Black Mask in the comics was teased in earlier episodes. Either way, it's always exciting to learn more about Gotham City as James Gunn's DCU continues to expand.

“Someone Gave Me A Chance”

After helping Kerry with the Gotham thugs who'd been sent to kill her, Zoe reveals that someone once gave her a chance in her past, a reference to Abin Sur, the original Green Lantern of Sector 2814 who was succeeded by Hal Jordan both in the comics and in the new DCU.

Oa

Leaving John Stewart in a wrecked car in 2016, Hal Jordan reveals his intentions to capture Zoe and deliver her to the Guardians on Oa. Oa is the central planet in the DC Universe, the headquarters for the Green Lantern Corps and where the Guardians of the Universe reside, as well as the massive Central Power Battery (every individual Green Lantern's smaller lantern is a conduit to this much larger source of willpower.

Riot Shield Construct

Confronting Kerry in 2016, Hal Jordan has to quickly create a construct of what looks to be a riot shield once the sheriff starts firing on him, feeling as though she has no choice but to clash with the Green Lantern given what she owes to Zoe. It's not the most complex of constructs seen earlier in the show, like John Stewart's autonomous bird or the massive drill used to travel beneath the Macon compound, but it certainly gets the job done.

“They Created You”

While his burns from the car explosion are being healed by Zoe, John Stewart confirms that the Manhunters were created by the Guardians just like in the comics, the original peacekeeping force for the galaxy before they went rogue and the Green Lantern Corps was created.

Hal Jordan's Pansexuality

After Hal claims Will Macon is the Manhunter, Antaan questions if he and Jordan had sex, the Manhunter's primary means of infiltration. Although Hal Jordan's claim that he's attracted to all sorts of alien species across the galaxy is likely part of the lie to Antaan, it's worth noting that some DC writers like Grant Morrison subscribe to the idea that galactic travelers like Hal Jordan would indeed be pansexual.

“I Killed Abin Sur”

Zoe also confirms to John Stewart that even though Abin Sur saved her, she had no choice but to kill him in order to maintain her secrecy on Earth. As a result, this is a pretty big deviation from the comics, as it was Atrocitus who broke free, mortally wounded Abin Sur, and caused him to crash on Earth on the page.

Zoe's Alien Language

As a solid surprise, the alien language spoken by Will and Zoe is revealed to be Antaan's native language, confirming his personal history with Zoe when the Manhunter was on his world before his people had been destroyed by the Guardians' original enforcers gone rogue.

Tornado Construct

Aside from general energy blasts and bubbles, the second major construct created by Hal Jordan is a giant green tornado used to send Antaan up into the air right before he explodes. It's a bummer that an antagonist as interesting as Antaan is already gone when he could have easily been revealed to be someone like the Red Lantern Atrocitus from the comics, it's still a pretty cool movie on Hal's part all the same.

Macon Compound Destroyed

During the final confrontation with Zoe, we can see the remains of the entrance and gate of the Macon compound, looking just like it does at the end of Lanterns episode 1 in 2026 when John Stewart returns to Rushville ten years later.