Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 4.
Superhero stories have become a staple of film and TV over the last few decades, but historically, the genre has struggled in one distinct way. Women too rarely play leading roles, and if they don’t, they’re usually sidelined. That’s not to say there are no good examples of female characters in superhero media, but there are few to choose from. While Lanterns star Poorna Jagannathan spoke about the issue in an upcoming interview for Collider Ladies Night, she also emphasized that the DCU’s latest show does something different for the superhero genre.
Lanterns primarily follows Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate suspicious events in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska. Yet, even with two male characters leading the story, the series doesn’t fall into the superhero genre’s most common trap. From Jagannathan’s Zoe to Jasmine Cephas Jones‘s Bernadette Stewart, Lanterns features complex women who play vital roles. In doing so, the DCU series proves the genre’s division between men’s and women’s stories is pointless.
The Superhero Genre Has Historically Struggled With Female Characters
The lack of women in the superhero genre has been discussed many times, but this goes beyond that. Jagannathan described the problem as “binary,” saying that “women’s stories are told in the women’s superhero [stories], and the men’s don’t.” While her explanation is simple, the truth appears throughout both DC and Marvel’s onscreen universes. Often, the women in male-led superhero content are designated as romantic interests or supporting characters. The result is a genre where women never get the narrative spotlight they deserve.
In the former DCEU, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) was set up as a fascinating character in her own film, but her next appearance in Justice League was far less remarkable, despite her being one of DC’s most iconic superheroes. Meanwhile, other women in the franchise, except Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), have limited significance to the stories they appear in. Reserving women’s stories for female-led projects significantly reduces the number of interesting characters in the genre. Worse, it creates a major divide between male-led and female-led projects.
‘Lanterns’ Takes a Different Approach to Its Female Characters
While this shortcoming is traditionally typical for the superhero genre, Lanterns takes a different path. The DCU series may primarily revolve around Hal Jordan and John Stewart, but several women carry significant narrative weight, including Bernadette Stewart, Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald), and Zoe Macon. As Jagannathan puts it, “I feel the female characters are given such weight and importance, and they are allowed to shine, which is very, very different from what I’ve seen in the past.” Although Lanterns hasn’t introduced a female superhero, these characters have a huge influence in the story, especially with Episode 4 all but confirming that Zoe is the Manhunter.
Lanterns’ portrayal of women stands out because they actively contribute to the series through their own choices rather than simply being connected to the male characters. Each of these three women has clear goals: Bernadette focuses on ensuring John’s future, Kerry is determined to protect her town, and Zoe holds on to her power by whatever means necessary. Admittedly, Bernadette’s role largely revolves around being John’s mother, yet her choices actively shape the direction of his story. The series may force viewers to question the morality of each woman’s actions, but they are allowed to be truly complex. This only increases their significance, reflecting the ambiguity the series is trying to explore. Lanterns is better because of the complex women it features, proving the superhero genre doesn’t need to separate stories by gender.
Lanterns is streaming on HBO Max with new episodes on Sundays.
- Release Date
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August 16, 2026
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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Alik Sakharov, James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Patel
- Writers
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Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, Tom King, Vanessa Baden Kelly, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson
