‘Lanterns’ Manhunter Mystery Deepens: 5 Suspects Fans Think Could Be HBO’s Shapeshifting Villain

HBO’s ‘Lanterns‘ has fans buzzing over one burning question, and it has nothing to do with power rings. Who exactly is the Manhunter hiding in plain sight in Rushville, Nebraska.

The DC series has turned its central mystery into appointment viewing, with the show blending Green Lantern sci-fi lore with a True Detective style police procedural that has hooked casual viewers and diehard DC fans alike. As the investigation deepens, so does the list of suspects.

The Manhunter Mystery Explained

The Manhunters originate from DC Comics lore as artificial creations by the Guardians of the Universe, first created by Jack Kirby when they debuted in 1975. The synthetic beings were designed as a galactic peacekeeping force before the Green Lantern Corps existed, but the “Justice” they carried out turned into wholesale destruction of organic life, prompting the Guardians to wipe them all out.

Except one apparently survived. In ‘Lanterns’ episode 2, the alien Antaan and his crew abduct John Stewart, revealing that he is hunting a Manhunter hiding somewhere in Rushville, Nebraska. Hal Jordan pieces together that Abin Sur must have been the Lantern who originally arrested this Manhunter before it killed him and escaped, which is what caused the crash landing just outside Rushville that led to Abin Sur handing his ring to Hal in the first place.

Only one Manhunter exists within the show’s current storyline, and its true intentions remain unknown. That single detail has sent fans and critics alike scrambling to build their own suspect boards.

Rushville’s Most Suspicious Residents

William Macon sits at the top of nearly every fan theory list. Actor Garret Dillahunt, who plays the character, has fueled speculation himself, teasing that his role “might be a front for some other kind of character that’s very familiar to you all” and suggesting that “maybe William Macon is just a secret identity that had to be created.”

Some critics argue that makes him too obvious a target. When Antaan described the Manhunter’s destruction of his people, he specifically said it was done “quietly,” and running a militia the way Macon does is about as far from quiet as it gets. There is also a competing theory that William Macon is being set up as the DCU’s version of the classic Green Lantern villain Black Hand, also known as William Hand, rather than the Manhunter itself.

Zoe Macon has quickly emerged as another prime candidate. She is currently considered one of the biggest suspects among viewers, especially since she spent the night with John Stewart during his first evening in Rushville and was visible lurking in the background before that encounter even happened.

Then there is Sheriff Kane, whose backstory has raised eyebrows. When Hal Jordan asks where she is from, she reluctantly reveals she grew up in Gotham before moving to Rushville “on a whim,” and quickly shuts down further questions. Since the Manhunter can take any form regardless of gender, Sheriff Kerry Kane, played by Kelly Macdonald, remains firmly in the running alongside the Macons.

Billy Macon And the Long List of Red Herrings

Billy Macon, William’s son, has not escaped scrutiny either. Billy is described as his father’s dutiful son and errand boy, which on its own is enough to raise questions given how central the Macon family has become to the mystery. Some outlets have ranked him lower on the suspect list, arguing his low key presence makes him an unlikely candidate for such a dramatic reveal, while others suspect that is exactly why he would make a good hiding spot for the Manhunter.

Hal Jordan himself has not been fully ruled out by some viewers either, given his strange hospital experience. Hal wakes up in an eerily empty hospital with no other patients and equipment that appears completely unused, which is a strange detail for critics to gloss over in a town this size. Jordan also suspects there is a piece of alien technology hidden on Macon’s ranch that is far more significant than the alien detection devices scattered around town.

Why the Mystery Keeps Fans Guessing

Part of what makes the guessing game so compelling is how deliberately the show is playing its cards. ‘Lanterns’ writers Damon Lindelof, Tom King, and Chris Mundy have crafted narrative misdirections throughout the series, keeping viewers second guessing every character introduction.

Even the creative team behind the HBO series has avoided broaching the topic of the Manhunter’s identity directly, leaving fans with little more than on screen clues to work from. As the show continues, the pool of candidates could keep growing, since any new character introduced from this point forward is likely to be viewed with suspicion by both the audience and the two lead Lanterns themselves.

That uncertainty has only added fuel to the show’s growing buzz. Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, and John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, arrived in Rushville to investigate a mass shooting that turned out to involve an extraterrestrial in disguise, setting the entire mystery in motion. What started as a single case has spiraled into a town wide conspiracy that seems to implicate nearly everyone.

With the identity of the Manhunter still very much up in the air, ‘Lanterns’ has succeeded in making every Rushville resident feel like a potential threat. Which of these suspects do you think is actually hiding the Manhunter underneath their small town facade?