The Guardians of the Universe in Lanterns explained: who are they, what do they want with John Stewart, and who plays Lianna in the new HBO Max show?myappsplusAugust 31, 2026 Lanterns episode 3 has been released on HBO Max — and, after two weeks of teasing, it finally pulls back the veil on the mysterious extraterrestrials known as the Guardians of the Universe.