Spoiler warning: This article discusses major plot points from 'Lanterns' Episode 7.
Kyle Chandler: Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre are explaining the twist that changes how viewers see Hal Jordan.
The HBO series delivered the moment in its second-to-last episode. The two stars spoke about it in an interview with Deadline.
The episode reveals that Hal's father, a test pilot, died by suicide. He left a note saying Hal would be better off without him.
The revelation recasts Hal's story and puts new weight on his relationship with John Stewart.
The hour opens in 1975. A young Hal refuses to pass the ball to his baseball teammates.
The story then jumps to the present. John digs up Hal's grave and takes his retired power ring.
The ring activates the Halogram. It helps John open a lockbox that holds a dark matter manhole.
The Halogram then describes a cycle that repeats through the Jordan men. It calls this their legacy.
"I'm not fearless because I'm brave. I'm fearless because I'm broken," it tells John.
Chandler said the scene was planned from the start.
In his view, the backstory was written to draw viewers deeper into the story and stir their emotions. It was not a throwaway detail.
Other moments set up the shift. Earlier in the episode, Kerry tells John that Hal once compared his trainee to someone's favorite football team.
Later, the Halogram rescues John from a gas. That same gas drove Anton's people to kill themselves.
Pierre said John's view of Hal changes as the series moves along. He described it as an evolving understanding.
The episode closes with Hal and John confronting Sinestro. The villain has been hiding on Anton's planet.
Pierre also previewed the partners' bond going into the finale. By the end, he said, Hal and John trust each other with their lives.
He added that such trust does not require love. He said the series explores that idea.
"Lanterns" wraps up next Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
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