Lanterns – The Weenie review S1 E4
The Weenie didn’t suffer from any shrinkage after last week’s incredible episode delivering some major revelations by the season’s halfway point that should certainly impact the final four episodes in a major way.
Hal Jordan and John Stewart’s relationship with each other was at the forefront of The Weenie. Both have reasons to question the other if not outright dislike one another. One underrated aspect of Lanterns that isn’t talked about enough is the strained co-worker dynamic at play. That feeling where you wish you were paired with anyone else on a project but that co-worker you find the most annoying. For John, that’s Hal and vice versa.
It’s enough to drive Hal to seek counsel, however twisted, from Sinestro. This encounter was teased at the end of the second episode, but we get the full conversation in The Weenie. Sinestro is more interested in John than discussing the Manhunters. He advised Hal to reframe their work cordial dynamic into one where Hal lures John into a false sense of security and then kill him. Yep, it definitely feels like Sinestro is in the right place with that kind of advice.
Hal seems rattled with that suggestion before finally telling Sinestro he’s not a killer. Just as disturbing for Hal is the next option Sinestro pitches — giving the Guardians the news of a Manhunter running loose could be enough to Maybe now it’s dawning on Hal how warped his mentor was all this time if that’s his solution in dealing with John?
One very interesting bit about this conversation. Hal does not wear his Green Lantern costume just because. He could flaunt it and open up far more doors in Rushville wearing his official “space cop” attire, but he prefers to blend in despite everyone knowing his identity. In facing Sinestro, Hal puts on the costume. Is it because of some underlying respect for his mentor or a rare need to show his authority in the outfit that Sinestro betrayed?
For a very small tossing of the proverbial Easter Egg bone to comic book fans, Sinestro’s prison outfit is largely color coordinated to his supervillain outfit after he betrayed the Green Lantern Corps. This interaction between Hal and Sinestro was so great — great enough to be disappointed we’re likely not going to get many/any(?) chapters of the Sinestro/Hal Jordan rivalry playing out in Lanterns or the DC Studios Universe in general. Yet another reason why the Green Lantern movie was a disappointment. How was Sinestro not Hal’s first villain?
Back at the hotel, John’s folks are trying to get in touch with him as the Guardians are trying to reach him. In the larger scope of The Weenie, it wasn’t much, but John’s interaction with the gun shop owner and his buddy was funny especially the line about if he wants to get the tomato he’s gotta buy the whole ham sandwich. John takes a lookout spot at the water tower and observes a copter landing at a precise spot within Macon’s compound.
Hal lies to John about his whereabouts as he crashes into his lookout spot. John explains the concept of The Weenie to Hal. Although Lanterns didn’t fully go the architect route for John’s origin, they have shown his potential to be one as John mentions The Weenie being an architect term made up by Walt Disney. This water tower conversation had some fun interaction with Hal and John as they start cracking jokes and slowly start building some friendship chemistry.
John and Hal explain their theory to Sheriff Kerry, who refreshingly doesn’t act like an impediment to their plan to find Macon’s benefactor. Since they’ve got to wait until nightfall, Hal and John split up. John is greeted in his room by the guardian, Lianna. She’s not pleased that Hal spoke with Sinestro and wants John to take up the mantle of Green Lantern the next time Hal hands him the ring. Just say the oath and he’ll be Green Lantern.
John doesn’t seem thrilled with this idea. He’s always been a man of principle and essentially stealing the ring isn’t the same in his mind as rightfully earning it. The Weenie further illustrates exactly how Hal and John have two devils on their shoulders giving them destructive advice if their partnership is going to work. Both Sinestro and Lianna seem to be emotionally manipulating their charges — Sinestro reminding Hal that he’s getting older, but he can retain his power by removing John from the equation while Lianna is leaning on John’s relationship with his parents and their destiny doctrine to get rid of Hal.
One question that still lingers even at the season’s halfway point is why Lianna just doesn’t have a ring for John? If the Green Lanterns are around the universe, is it really that hard for the Guardians to have a spare ring in case a Lantern gets killed and their ring with it?
John suggests going underground to avoid the snipers and Hal gives him his ring to conjure up the excavation device. While they follow the device, John learns that Hal’s mother is also dead. This quick tidbit disrupts his concentration as John tries to ponder life without his parents even if they were harsh taskmasters when he was a child.
They get into the compound and find plenty of evidence that Macon’s benefactor is indeed the Manhunter. There’s a fun Raiders of the Lost Ark reference as Hal steps on a pressure switch. John made a weight exactly to Hal’s estimated weight, which of course wasn’t completely accurate. Macon’s guards have gear that allows them to disrupt the ring’s power, and they quickly bring them to Macon.
In easily the weirdest scene of The Weenie — and the series so far — Macon disrobes in front of them and asks John to draw him. Hal is very uncomfortable watching Macon’s weenie. Macon says his benefactor cured his cancer, which is ironic considering Hal just revealed that his mother died of cancer. Macon also notes that the town has thrived and no one gets sick in Rushville since his benefactor arrived. The benefactor keeps the town safe in exchange for them protecting him. Sheriff Kerry walks in and gets them out.
John gets paid a visit by Zoe for another hookup only this time in bed instead of the backseat of her jeep. She warns John to leave town to avoid getting killed, but he’s determined to see this through. As she drives off, her jeep gets blasted out of the sky by a satellite Hal quickly recovers. Kerry does some investigating and finds it belongs to Hector Hammond (obligatory Easter Egg #2).
They go to his slaughterhouse, and Hammond reveals he’s been monitoring Hal and John and plays the conversation Lianna had with John. Hammond threatens to kill his parents, but Hal’s alien BS detector goes off quickly and he knows “Hammond” has never met Abin Sur and is certainly not the Manhunter. He’s Hector Guiterrez playing a role and is another pawn of the Manhunter.
On the ride back, Hal has John call the aliens and tell them they need to meet. Hal’s BS detector goes off again as he realizes that John knew Zoe was the Manhunter. He wasn’t mad about John’s comments about him being old, but withholding info from his partner? Not cool, Junior.
Oh sure, there’s going to be plenty of “I knew it was her!” way after the fact, but Zoe being the Manhunter is a wild twist. Another interesting aspect of The Weenie reveal is how Hal has been lamenting that John is basically like a robot with his strict adherence to the rules and John is literally hooking up with Ex Machina!
The Weenie kept the momentum of the series on its upward trajectory with major revelations and some worthwhile progression in the Hal and John dynamic.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Photo Credit: HBO
After watching The Weenie, check out Green Lantern: Back in Action on trade paperback at Amazon.
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