- Primary Subject: Lanterns’ Manhunter
- Key Update: Episode 4 introduces major twists surrounding the identity of the Manhunter in Rushville.
- Status: Speculation
- Last Verified: September 8, 2026
- Quick Answer: Lanterns Episode 4 deepens the mystery around the shape-shifting Manhunter as Hal and John investigate local suspects in town.
Lanterns Episode 4, “The Weenie,” may have finally revealed who the Manhunter really is–or does it?
Since the series began, it has presented the Manhunter as the main antagonist following a mysterious shooting in Rushville, Nebraska.
As Hal (Kyle Chandler) and John (Aaron Pierre) investigate the case, it appears they may have known the shape-shifting enemy all along, though the mystery has yet to be solved.
WARNING: MAJOR LANTERNS EPISODE 4 AHEAD.
Who Is the Manhunter in Lanterns?
Just when everyone thought William Macon (Garret Dillahunt) was the Manhunter, Lanterns Episode 4 seemed to confirm that it was actually his wife, Zoe Macon (Poorna Jagannathan).
During his nude drawing session, Macon admitted that the Manhunter was his “savior,” curing him of the cancer that had put him in the Manhunter’s debt.
Later, Zoe went to see John in his hotel room, and the two slept together once again. Afterward, they had a meaningful conversation, with Zoe trying to convince John to leave town following her husband’s threat.
When John refused, Zoe revealed, “When I tell you what I know, everything changes… I can’t do that.”
Zoe added that she didn’t owe Macon anything. In fact, Macon was the one who owed her for saving his life when she found him dying.
“Now I’m trying to save yours,” she continued.
With Macon revealing that the Manhunter was his “savior,” it appeared he was referring to his wife, Zoe.
But as Zoe left John’s hotel room and got into her car, a laser beam blew up her vehicle, seemingly killing her in the process.
Is Zoe Really the Manhunter in Lanterns?
The revelation that Zoe is probably the Manhunter in Lanterns is actually confusing. After her apparent death, Hal and John went to a slaughterhouse bearing the name Atlas Inc., which was also the brand of the laser beam that apparently killed Zoe.
There, a man posing as the DC villain Hector Hammond was revealed to actually be Hector Gutierrez, who worked for the Manhunter. He then revealed that the Manhunter was William Macon.
The clues were then continuously switched around, with Hal revealing to John what Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) told him: Manhunters assimilate into communities by attaching themselves to weak spots, finding a path to power, and manipulating threats into believing whatever they want.
“Sound like anyone we know?” Hal asked.
As John remained silent, Hal noticed that he wasn’t sad about Zoe’s death despite their connection. As Hal put it, John knew Zoe wasn’t really dead, and the only way she could have escaped the laser was if she were a Manhunter.
John then admitted that he already “had a feeling” about it.
But despite the clues pointing to Zoe being the Manhunter, her fear of her husband also seemed to hint that she wasn’t the enemy.
Her backstory, plans, and goals have also yet to be revealed. While she might have helped cure William’s cancer, it was previously revealed that she was a nurse, so she could simply have been the one who healed him. She might even be working for the real Manhunter.
This then raises the possibility that Noah, the young and gifted small-town boy whom Zoe dotes on, could be much more than he appears to be.
But fans should take this with a grain of salt. With only four episodes left, more could be revealed about the Manhunter in Lanterns.
Lanterns Episodes 1 to 4 are now available to stream on HBO Max, with new episodes dropping every Sunday.
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