Krypton Season 2 Episode 5 Review: A Better Yesterday

This Krypton review contains spoilers.

Krypton Season 2 Episode 5

Well, that was a shocker. In the fifth episode of this season, “A Better Yesterday,” Krypton has acted like a bunch of raptors and played its audience; just as we’ve been watching General Zod in front of us, the attack came from the side, courtesy Jax-Ur who executed female lead Lyta-Zod. 

She also shot a laser blast out of her eye, but first things first.

The apparent death of Lyta is a huge moment for Krypton. Whether it is undone, or she remain dead-dead, the turn of events will have a significant impact on Seg – and perhaps send our hero down a dark path. It makes me think of Lois Lane’s death in the Injustice: Gods Among Us comics. Superman becomes a tyrant, and spins the entire alternate DC timeline into another direction. I don’t know if that’s where the show will go, but Seg – for all his effort – essentially failed to save his love. And he will certainly have a new purpose, be it on Zod’s side or simply against Jax.

Meanwhile, even though Daron-Vex has perished, Lyta’s death signals that no one is safe on this show. 

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

If Georgina Campbell’s exit is final, I do wish he had seen more of her old self this season. She is an impassioned, empathetic character, but the re-programmed Lyta is cold, and more in line with Dru’s mentality.

Speaking of empathy, I continue to appreciate how Seg’s House of El insight. He calls Zod straight out humorously (“it must be kind of a shitty vision”) and more seriously that Dru took away the best part of Lyta. 

For his part, I am wondering if concern is mounting within Zod about Seg. Like his future/past rival Kal-El, Seg keeps defying the odds. He certainly suspects something is up, even if he doesn’t quite know about an infinitesimally small amount of Brainiac being inside his mind.

I must admit, even though Zod deserves it, I felt a little bad for Dru’s inner child when Seg says, “We’re not a family,” and aptly points out that he can’t turn people into the family he wanted. This is some deep level pathos there, Zod. He needs a hug in the past.

The Brainiac action is compelling because, of course the alien android wants to survive – but it’s also intriguing to watch him communicate with Seg in fairly common terms. Sure, Seg is correct that Zod is a cosmic-sized arsehole, but Brainy has a point that Zod has the upper hand. Although it won’t last, Brainiac as an ally is cool, especially when it allows Seg to have a wicked no-look shoot-out scene like something out of The Matrix.   

The choreography of the episode is on point, between this shoot-out, and the fights between Zod and Seg. Zod is a badass warrior, and it’s good to see Colin Salmon get some action in. Plus, Jayna and Dev get to stretch some of their Sagitari muscles. 

The lesser warrior duo of Adam and Kem are somehow still alive, and the show succeeds anytime it keeps these two imperiled. They are sometimes the Merry and Pippin of Krypton, and I type that in the nicest way. It is enjoyable to see these two throw out zingers (“Yo Space Force”) and quibbling over whether dying as accessory to treason is a worthwhile concern. But the two manage to uncover another piece in Zod’s treachery, and the fact he had forces hiding out while the “retreating Sagitari” were civvies. 

Although Jax-Ur executing Lyta may not be justified, she has a point in her arguments with Val. So far she’s been pretty correct about how far the aspiring conqueror is willing to go, and Seg being alive hasn’t stopped him, or Lyta. And she has a solid point that using Dru’s mother as a sacrificial lamb exposes his weaknesses. Everyone’s weakness seems to be exposed this week, including Val, who is a symbol of hope, but runs the risk of being irrelevant to any rebellion. 

Currently, I am thinking Jax and Nyssa are the most cunning characters on the show not named General Zod. Nyssa, a traitor to both sides, is back to being on her own, and serving her own purposes, and that’s where I like the character. 

And Jax? Well, she has cool surprises up her sleeve (well, in her eye). Out of three great moments in the episode, she gets two, and I am excited about the character again.

Even though we’re only halfway through the season, Krypton upped its game with “A Better Yesterday,” and altered the stakes once again.

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