Spoilers below for the latest episode of Lanterns for anyone who hasn’t yet watched it on HBO or via HBO Max subscription, so be warned!So here we are, just a week away from Lanterns’ big Season 1 finale, where we’ll hopefully find out who killed Hal Jordan. So many theories are out there, and though I’d be lying if I said I’m not still holding onto the hope that Hal’s corpse wasn’t actually Hal’s corpse, especially since James Gunn’s defense was worded in a way that left that door open. Regardless, I’m now at least willing to humor the idea that it’s legitimate. I like the Halogram’s suspicions about Kerry having done it, especially considering how much of her character’s story is built upon her keeping secrets and lying to others. But I don’t think she would have gotten romantically involved with him if her long-con goal was just to kill him. In the same vein, I don’t automatically buy into the idea that Noah killed him, even if I do think he’s still got something from Zoe’s Manhunter to shock audiences with. I think there's a larger-looming suspect that hasn't really been put in the spotlight very much, however, even though the character has been invested in nearly everything that's played out thus far. (Image credit: HBO Max)Was Bernadette Stewart Responsible For Hal's Murder?Given how much this show has played up Jasmine Cephas Jones' Bernadette with desires for John to become Green Lantern, and without many other major character motivations to contend with, I think she may have reached the point where she'd try anything to make it happen. We know she's got the gumption and the confidence, and I think that desperation may have entered the picture by the 2026 timeline, perhaps due to struggles with John Sr.'s situation, or perhaps due to other concerns. As not to get extremely bogged down with any one particular idea, I'd like to just run through a list of potential clues that point to Bernadette having something to do with Hal's death, whether or not she was the one with metaphorical blood on her hands. (I'm also pretty suspicious of John's older brother Aaron, who's my second-tier suspect here.)She lied to get John in Rushville the night of Hal's murder, and Hal never outright confirmed that he and Bernadette were in communication while he was in jail and after he was released. Marcus is also in disbelief that he's there.Hal was shot with a handgun, and to my recollection, John and his parents are the only characters who have used them on other human characters in the show thus far. Though Will Macon's militia used rifles, that was mostly only against Anaan's army in the super-deadly fifth episode, without any casualties. It's also bonkers that none of the townies who threatened John over the beacon pulled guns while getting whooped onGiven how much John has to communicate with others over the phone in Rushville, we technically have no idea where Bernadette is at any given moment.Hannah Christine Shetler's diner waitress Maggie seemed like she was primed for John to show up, and has been overly confident about her blackmailing scheme, as if someone has clued her in that John would pay her off rather than handle matters another way.Bernadette may have still blamed Hal in some way for her and John's relationship falling apart after the Rushville debacle in 2016, just biding her time until he was free and she could figure out how to get to him.While it has nothing to do with the plot, I also have trouble believing Lanterns would cast the Grammy- and Emmy-winning Jasmine Cephas Jones for this particular kind of recurring role without any sort of big moment to build up to. She's been A+ for her on-screen scenes thus far, don't get me wrong, but I have to think there's something more at play. Of course, the same kind of goes for Aaron, in that he hasn't had a presence in the 2026 timeline, but is supposed to in the finale, as portrayed by Romeo Brown. Is it possible Aaron could have killed Hal thinking that he'd be able to take Hal's ring, not realizing that it had already been decomissioned? At this point, I'm not against suspecting that everybody in John's family sabotaged him. I'm also fine with suspecting that they may have been working with Kerry and Noah to either set John up with a murder charge or to take Hal out for a different reason. Just once I'd like for my hyperbolic "They're all in on it!" suspicions to come true. All will hopefully be revealed in the finale when it hits HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 4, though I have my doubts.