Lanterns episode 6 introduces a character with major comic book ties to Hal Jordan — and it's someone we first met in Ryan Reynolds' disastrous 2011 Green Lantern movie

Full spoilers immediately follow for Lanterns episode 6.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p><strong>Full spoilers immediately follow for </strong><em><strong>Lanterns </strong></em><strong>episode 6.</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/what-is-the-release-date-and-launch-time-for-lanterns-episode-6-on-hbo-max"><em>Lanterns</em> episode 6 has made its debut on HBO Max</a> — and while it didn't answer <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/lanterns-episode-6-will-finally-kick-off-the-popular-shows-2026-storyline-these-are-the-5-huge-questions-it-has-to-answer-about-john-stewart-hal-jordan-and-guy-gardner">every big question I had heading into <em>Lanterns</em>' sixth chapter,</a> it does include a cameo from someone who's an incredibly important part of the Green Lantern<a href="https://techradar.com/tag/green-lantern"> </a>mythos.</p><p>Titled 'Bad Optics', this week's chapter sees John Stewart return to Rushville 10 years after the town's near-destruction to investigate the apparent death of Hal Jordan. Before his mentor's funeral, Stewart meets and interacts with a character who has strong ties to Jordan in DC Comics, and whose presence in this DC Universe (<a href="https://techradar.com/tag/dcu">DCU</a>) TV show further cements the wider worldbuilding — or should that be universe-building — of this nascent cinematic franchise.</p><p>So, who is this mystery individual? What's their relationship to Hal Jordan? And could we see their superhuman alter ego at some point in the DCU? Let's take a look at the latest comic book character to be referenced in the hit <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max">HBO Max</a> show.</p><div style="min-height: 250px;"> <div class="kwizly-quiz kwizly-OKBkLW"></div> </div> <script src="https://kwizly.com/embed/OKBkLW.js" async></script><h2 id="who-is-carol-ferris-in-lanterns-hal-jordan-39-s-love-interest-in-dc-comics-explained">Who is Carol Ferris in Lanterns? Hal Jordan's love interest in DC Comics, explained</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1200px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.42%;"><img id="WY58wmFpCHytJTZPTL4X7E" name="carol-ferris-dc-comics" alt="Carol Ferris standing in a doorway in a DC comic book panel" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WY58wmFpCHytJTZPTL4X7E-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1200" height="677" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Carol Ferris has been a part of Green Lantern lore for over 60 years </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: DC Comics)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Carol Ferris is not only Hal Jordan's long-time love interest but was also one of his most noteworthy foes for many years.</p><p>Making her debut in <em>Showcase #22</em> in late 1959, Carol was introduced to readers as the only child of aerospace mogul Carl Ferris and the vice president of her father's company, Ferris Aircraft. After hiring Hal Jordan as a test pilot for said corporation, Carol quickly falls in love with the soon-to-be <a href="https://techradar.com/tag/green-lantern">Green Lantern</a>, but their romantic relationship doesn't last.</p><p>The reason? Carol is abducted, brainwashed, and turned into one of Jordan's arch-nemeses in the form of Star Sapphire by the Zamarons. Formerly part of an alien race called the Maltusians, the female members of this species became the Zamarons after parting ways with the male Maltusians, who then rebranded themselves as the Oans — or, to call them by their more common name, the Guardians of the Universe.</p><p>With the immortal Guardians no longer requiring their female counterparts to procreate, the Zamarons left them to their devices, developed a warrior-like cult, and — to cut a long story short — soon became fierce rivals to the Guardians.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1200px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.17%;"><img id="Hu5SufNPTvE3tceHeecGLF" name="star-sapphire-dc-comics" alt="An image of Carol Ferris/Star Sapphire in front of a collage of DC comic book heroes" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Hu5SufNPTvE3tceHeecGLF-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1200" height="674" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Carol Ferris was the first DC character to assume the Star Sapphire mantle </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: DC Comics)</span></figcaption></figure><p>But back to Carol. Following her kidnapping, she's infused with an incredibly powerful space stone known as a Star Sapphire, which turns her into a superhuman capable of going toe-to-toe with a Green Lantern.</p><p>Abilities-wise, Star Sapphire's powerset includes — but isn't limited to — the ability to fly, create energy blasts, constructs, and force fields, survive in space, alter people's minds, and even heal individuals with the power of... well, love.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">Read my Lanterns coverage</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><p class="fancy-box__body-text">- <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/lanterns-episode-1-ending-explained"><em>Lanterns</em> episode 1 ending explained</a><br>- <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/sinestro-in-lanterns-explained">Sinestro in <em>Lanterns</em> explained</a><br>- <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/manhunters-in-lanterns-explained"><em>Lanterns</em>' Manhunters explained<br></a>- <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/the-guardians-of-the-universe-in-lanterns-explained-who-are-they-what-do-they-want-with-john-stewart-and-who-plays-lianna-in-the-new-hbo-max-show"><em>Lanterns</em>' Guardians of the Universe explained<br></a>- <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/lanterns-episode-4-ending-explained"><em>Lanterns</em> episode 4 ending explained<br></a>-<em> </em><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/lanterns-episode-5-ending-explained"><em>Lanterns</em> episode 5 ending explained</a></p></div></div><p>Anyway, ever since Star Sapphire's first appearance in October 1962's <em>Green Lantern vol. 2 #16</em>, Carol and Hal have battled each other on a regular basis as their superpowered aliases. Whenever Carol isn't possessed by the space gem she's synonymous with, the pair get on pretty well (for the most part) and have been romantically entangled on an on-off basis through the decades.</p><p>More recently, Star Sapphire has taken on the role of a superhero rather than a supervillain. In fact, as of 2007's <em>Green Lantern vol. 4 #20</em>, Carol is the leader of the Star Sapphire Corps, otherwise known as the Violet Lantern Corps. This group has purple power rings, which are charged/powered by the emotion of love, and are now viewed as allies of the Green Lantern Corps.</p><h2 id="who-plays-carol-ferris-in-lanterns">Who plays Carol Ferris in Lanterns?</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1200px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="UQgytzbCtnX33wf7ehHodN" name="pulse-amie-mackenzie" alt="Amie MacKenzie's Aleena in Pulse" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UQgytzbCtnX33wf7ehHodN-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1200" height="675" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Amie MacKenzie, seen her in 2025 Netflix medical drama Pulse, plays Carol in the DCU </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Netflix)</span></figcaption></figure><p>That'll be Amie MacKenzie. Viewers might recognize her from <em>Better Call Saul</em> and <em>The Madison </em>on <a href="https://techradar.com/tag/netflix">Netflix</a>, <em>Dexter: Original Sin</em> and <em>Yellowstone </em>spin-off <em>1923</em> on <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/paramount-plus">Paramount+</a>, <em>Mountainhead</em> on HBO Max, and <em>MacGruber</em> on Peacock.</p><p><a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/lanterns"><em>Lanterns</em></a>' latest chapter doesn't indicate whether we'll see Carol again. While her appearance at Hal's poorly attended funeral suggests they were together at some point prior in the DCU, it seems her inclusion is simply to make diehard DC comic book fans imitate that famous Leonardo DiCaprio meme from <em>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</em>. Don't expect to see MacKenzie as Carol's superpowered alter-ego at any point in the DCU, then.</p><p>Anyway, this isn't the first time Carol has appeared in a live-action project. She was portrayed by Blake Lively in 2011's <em>Green Lantern</em> movie, which starred Ryan Reynolds as the titular hero and was slammed by fans and critics alike upon release. But, hey, Reynolds and Lively fell in love, got married, and had kids after meeting on that film, so something good came out of it for them!</p><h2 id="how-carol-ferris-39-cameo-might-be-hinting-at-the-creation-of-more-lantern-corps">How Carol Ferris' cameo might be hinting at the creation of more Lantern Corps</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1600px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.31%;"><img id="VCjBXGJJaKJQodKqxDCwyW" name="lanterns-episode-8-sinestro" alt="A close-up of Lars Ulrich Thomsen's Sinestro in Lanterns episode 8" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VCjBXGJJaKJQodKqxDCwyW-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1600" height="901" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Has Sinestro founded the Yellow Lantern Corps in the DCU yet? </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: DC Studios/HBO max)</span></figcaption></figure><p>In spite of what I've just written, though, it's possible Carol's appearance could point to the formation of other Lantern Corps in the DCU.</p><p>Okay, that already appears to be a given. Sinestro's brief appearances in the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/dcu-chapter-one">DCU Chapter One</a> show and <em>Lanterns</em>' title card slowly changing from green to yellow imply that it won't be long before Sinestro creates the Yellow Lantern Corps, if he hasn't secretly done so already.</p><p>Regardless, with Carol showing up in the sci-fi crime drama, we've now met individuals with ties to three of the seven Lantern Corps that exist in <a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/dc">DC</a> Comics, all of which harness a specific feeling on the emotional spectrum: Green (willpower), Yellow (fear), and Violet (love). The others are Red (rage), Blue (hope), Indigo (compassion), and Orange (greed). </p><p>Will we see any and/or all of these interstellar organizations in the DCU? It's possible, although <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/the-head-of-hbo-just-dropped-a-big-clue-about-lanterns-season-2-and-his-not-right-now-comments-have-worried-me-about-the-popular-dc-comic-book-shows-future">recent comments made by the head of HBO have me fearing the worst about <em>Lanterns</em> season 2</a>. If another season of this successful TV series isn't greenlit, we'd have to hope that they're part of a Green Lantern movie — maybe an adaptation of the acclaimed 'Sinestro Corps War' comic storyline, perhaps? — on the big screen instead.</p> </article> ]]>