“Krypton” Episode Review – S01E05 “House of Zod”

Superman Homepage writer Michael J. Petty reviews episodes from the “Krypton” TV series, airing on SYFY.

Check out his review of the 5th episode of Season 1 in which Jayna grapples with her torn loyalties as Seg fights for survival within the heart of Black Zero.

Originally Aired: April 18, 2018
WRITTEN BY: Lina Patel
DIRECTED BY: Julius Ramsay

REGULAR CAST:
Cameron Cuffe as Seg-El
Shaun Sipos as Adam Strange
Georgina Campbell as Lyta-Zod
Aaron Pierre as Dev-Em
Wallis Day as Nyssa-Vex
Elliot Cowman as Daron-Vex
Ann Ogbomo as Jayna-Zod
Rasmus Hardiker as Kem
Blake Ritson as Brainiac
Ian McElhinney as Val-El

RECURRING CAST:
Colin Salmon as an unnamed Zod

Rating – 4 (out of 5): “You are a Zod, as such you kneel to no one.” – Jayna-Zod’s father

SPOILER WARNING

This series has done a decent job of furthering the Krypton mythology with each week’s episode, and this episode followed suit.

This week’s addition of the Ice Mother and her group of renegades, underground Kryptonians was an interesting one. I’m not entirely sure why these people were introduced or what their purpose on this series will be, but it’s an interesting concept nevertheless. The most interesting part of all of this is that apparently the House of El are villains to these people, and I’m interested in finding out why. I’ll have more opinions on them as time goes on.

We also learn that Daron-Vex and the Sagitari who testified against Lyta-Zod were in love, or at least in some sort of affair. What’s even worse about this whole thing is that he kills her, or allows her to be sacrificed, to fulfill his agenda to take control of Kandor over from the Voice of Rao (who wasn’t even in this week’s episode, which was disappointing considering last week’s cliffhanger). He makes it very clear to Nyssa-Vex that sometimes people must be sacrificed to achieve their goal, insinuating that he may have to do the same with her.

Lyta kissing Dev-Em was dumb. It made absolutely no sense for her to do so, especially when she’s clearly still in love with Seg-El (as seen at the end). Just dumb.

Jayna-Zod helping secure her daughter’s release is interesting because she clearly hates what she’s done, going so far as to call Lyta her “greatest shame”. The execution scene was intense and edited together extremely well. It’s very clear that Jayna was having a hard time with it, especially regarding her flashbacks throughout most of the episode where we she that she wasn’t always the way she is now.

Finally, the most important cliffhanger so far on Krypton, we find out that the unnamed man who had taken Seg-El captive last week is, apparently, Lyta-Zod’s son from the future. This would potentially be Dru-Zod, or General Zod, the same friend and foe of Jor-El and Superman. While I’m not 100% sure on that, it would make sense if we are two generations removed from Superman, with Jor-El and Dru-Zod supposedly being around the same age.

Evidently, Adam Strange isn’t the only time-traveler in this series, which makes me wonder how Zod traveled back in time. Adam has because of Zeta Beam technology, but we’re completely unsure as to how Lyta’s potential son (who I thought was going to be revealed as Jayna’s brother who she left in the outlands) got to Kandor.

So, what do you think? Is this son of Lyta’s truly the General Zod we all know from Superman lore?

What happened between the Ice people and the House of El?

Will Daron-Vex betray his daughter?

Hopefully, all these questions and more will be answered in the next episode of Krypton!

Check out the “Krypton – Episode Reviews” Contents page.