Lanterns writers preach patience over that shock episode 1 death

When the curtain falls on HBO's Lanterns premiere, viewers are left reeling from the sudden death of Hal Jordan, played But was this move necessary, or did the show's creators take a risk that will pay off in the long run?

In an exclusive interview with Collider, co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King opened up about their decision to kill off Hal, and what it means for the rest of the series.

According to Lindelof, the idea of killing off Hal was initially met with hesitation, but eventually became a crucial part of the story. 'We gradually started coming around to it,' he said. 'And I think because we were so reluctant to do it and because we're fans, and at the same time, we get our turn to run with the baton of these amazing characters...'

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King added that the decision was made in order to infuse the story with emotionality, especially if the audience understands that John and Hal were not in a good place at the time of his death. 'The love and the loss are both part of this story,' he said.

But what does this mean for the rest of the series? Will fans be able to forgive the show's creators for killing off their beloved character? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Lanterns has just gotten a whole lot more interesting.