Did Lanterns just introduce supervillain Atrocitus?

In the second episode of Lanterns, the show unveiled its biggest threat yet: a secret Manhunter lurking in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska. This revelation sparked speculation among fans about whether the show had inadvertently introduced another Green Lantern supervillain. The latest episode marked the first on-screen appearance of Antaan, portrayed by Paul Ben-Victor, the leader of a race of aliens who were wiped out in a mysterious incident at the Rushville football game.

Antaan and his cohorts apprehended Green Lantern trainee John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and divulged information about the Manhunter responsible for the massacre. The character description for Ben-Victor's role hinted at a certain resemblance to another notorious Green Lantern villain, Atrocitus. Atrocitus, initially known as Atros, is an alien whose entire sector was obliterated by Manhunters.

Alongside four other survivors, he dedicated himself to avenging his people's fate and overthrowing the Guardians of the Universe, who created the Manhunters to maintain cosmic order. Atrocitus subsequently became the first Red Lantern and head of the Red Lantern Corps, which is fueled by anger as opposed to the Green Lanterns, whose rings are powered by willpower.

While Antaan's backstory shares striking similarities with Atrocitus', the show has yet to confirm or deny the connection, leaving fans to debate the Atrocitus theory until the moment Antaan reveals his true form as a massive red rage monster. Lanterns airs on HBO Max, with new episodes debuting every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.