Superman on Television
Krypton: Episode Reviews
Season 1 - Episode 9: "Hope"
Reviewed by: Michael J. Petty
Originally Aired: May 16, 2018WRITTEN BY: Chad Fiveash & James Stoteraux
DIRECTED BY: Lukas Ettlin
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/Voice of Rao
Ian McElhinney as Val-El
Colin Salmon as General Dru-Zod
RECURRING CAST:
Hannah Waddingham as Jax-Ur
Rating - 4 (out of 5): "Krypton, your world is mine." - BrainiacSPOILER WARNING
This week's penultimate episode of Krypton does a wonderful job at setting up next week's finale without just feeling like set-up. With so many stories and so many variables all at once, "Hope" does a good job at not only setting up the finale, but also keeping the audience engaged throughout the entirety of the episode.
We find out this week that General Dru-Zod's father is Seg-El, making Zod the uncle of Kal-El/Superman. This isn't an entirely new idea as Superman: Earth One - Volume 3 made "Zod-El" Jor-El's brother and Superman's uncle (great story by the way, I highly recommend the Superman: Earth One books), but it's the first time in live-action media where this has been the case. Seeing as how Lyta-Zod and Seg-El sleep together at the beginning of this week's episode, we can only assume that was Zod's conception and that Seg & Nyssa-Vex's relationship (along with Lyta siding with her son over Seg) is what drove Lyta and Seg apart in General Zod's timeline, hence why he didn't know the identity of his father until this week. This also makes Dru-Zod the eldest of the Els, which could potentially start some real drama within the House of El in later seasons.
Speaking of Zod, he and Lyta decide the only way to stop Brainiac is to send Doomsday after him. Now, I'm kind of bummed that Doomsday's origin wasn't something this series decided to cover. I think a more interesting way to introduce the character would have been to have Kryptonian scientists create Doomsday after Brainiac had taken Kandor as a security measure to make sure nothing like that could happen again. Unfortunately, that's not the direction the series decided to take. It will be interesting to see if Doomsday is ultimately used against Brainiac or if once the monster escapes he begins to just tear apart Kandor.
An interesting turn of events this week saw Lyta betray her mother, Jayna-Zod, and shoot her to save Dru-Zod, her son. I've been wondering if/when Lyta-Zod would "descend into evil" and truly take the Zod name as her own (after all, someone had to teach her son to be who he is), and now I guess I have my answer.
Finally, Nyssa-Vex has been one of my favorite characters this season because she's honestly the most well-rounded, and this week proves that once again. I really like the development between her and Seg-El and I'm starting to think that their son Cor-Vex may just turn out to be Jor-El after all.
I loved the scene between Val-El and Seg-El about their family sigil. That was awesome. Also, Seg telling Zod that Doomsday was "beyond your reach" was an amazing reference to Man of Steel and I loved it.
A few questions before next week's finale...
Who took Jayna at the end of this week's episode? Her long-lost brother?
What did Jax-Ur do to Daron-Vex and where did he crash?
Is Val-El still alive or is Zod talking about the Fortress? Also, if Val is in the Phantom Zone, are we going to take a trip there?
Where is Adam?
Will Dev-Em get a robotic arm?
Can our heroes actually defeat Brainiac or will the series move to Kryptonopolis for Season 2?
Will there be a Season 2?
Hopefully, all these questions will be answered next week, though I have a feeling we may just have more. Until then!
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