Krypton Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Ghost in the Fire

This Krypton review contains spoilers.

Krypton Season 2 Episode 2

The main man is the main attraction this week on Krypton, as the second episode of the season features a whole lot of the alien bounty hunter, and leaves the audience wanting more.

Emmett J. Scanlan is a thrill to watch in “Ghost in the Fire,” and I say this as someone who is not a particularly big Lobo fan, and did not have a heckuva lot of enthusiasm to see him in live action. Now, I am all in for the recently announced spinoff series (although Syfy should have announced it following the airing of this excellent character showcase).

Whether he’s threatening (and flirting with) Seg and Adam, or goofing on the names Seg-El (Siegel, anyone? As in Jerry Siegel) and “Craptown” (definitely the name of a musical with puppets), this son of a bastich injects an already-improved sophomore season with more humor, and a lot of extra energy. 

read more – Krypton Season 2: Who is Lobo?

As I said last week in my review, the dynamic between Adam and Seg is also better this season, and we see it here as they try to avoid Lobo, and manage to succeed as somewhat capable, often hapless brosefs. For a series about a previously doomed planet, a few rebellions, and a megalomaniacal baddie like General Zod, the humor of, “I think I just got some Lobo in my mouth” post-blaster is incredibly welcome. Also, the Brainiac-infused powers and fighting style of Seg provided an exciting, and fun, scene as her opened an El family-sized can of whoop-ass on the Czarnian (who still has his healing factor, it turns out).

I don’t know if all this would work on Krypton, but I am digging everything about our time on Colu with this trio (or quartet, if you count Brainy).

Speaking of Brainiac, kudos to Cameron Cuffe for his slow, oddly specific reveal of the green gooch in Seg’s head. But as good as the stuff on Colu was, it seemed to drag a bit on Kandor, Wegthor, and the Outlands.

read more – Krypton Season 2: What’s Next for Brainiac?

Val-El and Jax-Ur are leading the rebellion against Zod to take back their better tomorrow, but I am not feeling the action. I enjoy Ian McElhinney as Val, but he doesn’t appear to be much of a leader beyond being a cool-looking older chap. And of course Nyssa is going to double (or is it triple) cross Jax-Ur to save her baby Cor from Zod. But the delivery is not incredibly thrilling, and lacks the bite the old Nyssa had. 

It is interesting to see the growing tension between Lyta and her grown son, and how easily he shuts her down with “This is me saying no” when she suggests traveling to Wegthor to better train the conscripted Sagitari. But maybe it’s a good thing Lyta doesn’t go since she’s seeing Seg everywhere, and might be cracking up in addition to cracking the skulls of soldiers who look like her lost love. 

I thought her story this season was going to take an interesting turn as she told Zod, “Where you see progress, I see what isn’t there anymore” as she looks out over Kandor. These words may come back to haunt Zod, but for the moment he re-establishes his grip over her. 

With a baby.

I don’t know if this is the most or least Zod thing to do, but it’s definitely such a clueless dude thing to give a woman a baby, and assume that will make all her cares go away – because now she can focus on the future. Oh, my Zod indeed.

read more: Every Superman and DC Comics Easter Egg in Krypton Season 2

Apparently visions of lost loved ones is a Zod family trait since Jayna is surviving in the Outlands, thanks very much, and aided by the brother she left to die when both are younger. As it happens, he is either a ghost or a cold-induced hallucination. However, it could also be her own Jiminy Cricket because Jayna gets a new conscience in the Outlands, and determines to break the Zod family cycle of building killers. 

Most of the time with Jayna feels a bit flat in the episode (and not good enough for the very good Ann Ogbomo), but the moment she arrives at the Outlands cantina, things pick up. The lone samurai that is Jayna could be an compelling, as she is a force to be reckoned with and has some unfinished business with her grandson. And I am pleased to see the return of Dev (Aaron Pierre).

Oh yeah, and Doomsday is out there. He ain’t doing much yet, just taking out skimmers, but he’s living his best life. More to come on that front, no doubt.

As a showcase for Lobo, and the buddy cop dynamic of Seg/Adam, this was a great episode. But it does feel weighed down by the heavier gravity on Krypton. 

Keep up with all our Krypton season 2 news and reviews right here!