HBO’s Lanterns has reached Episode 3, and the identity of its central antagonist remains deliberately obscured. Early installments have seeded references to the Manhunters and a returning Sinestro, yet neither feels like the ultimate threat. Whispers of fear, yellow energy, and a hidden cosmic parasite point toward something far older and more dangerous.

That entity is Parallax, the living embodiment of fear that has haunted Green Lantern mythology for decades. While the series keeps its cards close, Parallax looms as the most catastrophic villain Hal Jordan and John Stewart could face

Its introduction would reshape the entire narrative trajectory of the show.

Parallax first entered DC Comics not as a standalone being but as the secret force behind Hal Jordan’s fall from grace. The 1994 storyline Emerald Twilight, written by Ron Marz with art by Bill Willingham, Fred Haynes, and Darryl Banks, depicted Hal’s transformation into one of the publisher’s most infamous villains. After the annihilation of his hometown, Coast City, Hal succumbed to grief and attempted to resurrect the dead using his ring.

The Guardians forbade this act, and in his desperation, Hal turned against the Green Lantern Corps. He absorbed the energy of the Central Power Battery on Oa, adopted a new black-and-green costume, and declared himself Parallax. During this era, Parallax was presented as Hal’s new supervillain identity rather than a separate entity. He dismantled the Corps, killed fellow Lanterns such as Kilowog, and even appeared to slay Sinestro, though later stories revealed that version of Sinestro was an illusion created by Parallax itself.

Hal’s descent continued through the mid-1990s, culminating in his death during 1996’s The Final Night, where he sacrificed himself to reignite the sun. It was not until Geoff Johns’ 2004–2005 Green Lantern: Rebirth that Parallax was redefined as an ancient parasitic entity of fear that had been imprisoned within the Central Power Battery, secretly corrupting the Green Lantern rings and influencing Hal’s actions all along. 

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This dark history sets the stage for Parallax’s connection to another fearsome force in the DC Universe.

Parallax is not merely a villain tied to Hal Jordan’s fall. It is the living embodiment of fear itself, and its influence extends far beyond one man’s tragedy. In DC Comics cosmology, Parallax serves as the emotional spectrum entity for yellow light, the same energy that powers the Sinestro Corps. This connection transforms what was once a simple weakness into an organized opposing army. Sinestro, once Hal’s greatest foe, harnessed the yellow spectrum to build his own corps of Lanterns who wield fear as their source of power.

The Guardians of the Universe originally imprisoned Parallax inside the Central Power Battery on Oa, hoping to contain the entity that represented everything the Green Lanterns stood against. Its presence there created the infamous “yellow impurity,” a flaw that made Green Lantern rings ineffective against anything yellow. This was not a technological limitation but a literal infection: fear itself was trapped inside the source of willpower.

When Sinestro later released Parallax, he did more than free a prisoner. He unleashed the avatar of fear upon the universe, allowing it to infect hosts and amplify the power of his Yellow Lantern Corps.Parallax’s role as the yellow entity means it can possess individuals, turning them into conduits of pure terror.

Hal Jordan himself was one such host during the 1990s, though later stories clarified that the entity had been manipulating him from within the battery long before Emerald Twilight. This dual nature, as both a corrupting influence and a standalone cosmic force, makes Parallax uniquely dangerous. It does not simply oppose the Green Lanterns. It undermines the very emotional foundation of their power.

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With this understanding of Parallax’s cosmic role, the question becomes how Lanterns might introduce such a devastating force into its grounded narrative.

Lanterns has already laid groundwork that mirrors Parallax’s comic origins. Episode 1 revealed Hal Jordan’s body, ringless and lifeless, hinting at a death that diverges from the source material yet preserves its emotional weight. The series could follow the Emerald Twilight blueprint by depicting Hal’s grief over Coast City’s destruction as the catalyst for his transformation.

If the show introduces Coast City’s annihilation in later episodes, Hal’s desperation to undo that loss could drive him to absorb forbidden energy, echoing his comic absorption of the Central Power Battery. Sinestro’s return in episode 3 deepens this possibility. In the comics, Sinestro’s Yellow Lantern Corps rose by releasing Parallax from Oa, allowing the entity to infect Hal and others.

The series could adapt this by having Sinestro manipulate Hal’s trauma, positioning fear as the true enemy rather than any single villain. John Stewart’s investigation into the Manhunters and the Guardians’ secrets may uncover evidence that Parallax has been hidden within the Corps’ power structure all along, just as it was in the comics. Hal’s death in episode 1 could then be recontextualized not as an ending but as a transformation, with Parallax emerging as the true antagonist behind his fall.

Such a trajectory would honor the 1994 storyline while fitting the show’s darker tone. Hal’s arc could culminate in a sacrifice reminiscent of The Final Night, where he dies stopping a cosmic threat, or in a redemption where he expels Parallax from himself. Either path keeps Parallax central to the narrative.

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What do you think about Parallax being the true villain of Lanterns? Let us know in the comments.