Krypton Season 2 Finale Explained

Remember when it seemed bold for Krypton, the show we expected to be a Superman prequel series, introduced the time-traveling Adam Strange, General Zod, as well as Brainiac and Doomsday? Well, hold onto your red trunks because – after the second season went further with Lobo, Brainiac’s homeworld of Colu, Doomsday in action, and the Black Mercy – the Krypton season 2 finale tees up a Krypton Season 3 that should further expands this corner (and alternate timeline) of the DC Universe.

But the finale also opens up a lot of questions that will have fans speculating until Krypton Season 3 premieres (although its renewal still has to be announced). Let’s break down the big ones from tonight’s season finale.

Will Kem-El return as Kem-L?

To honor Kem, Val tells Seg that his best friend from the Rankless District will be honored with the “El” surname, officially making them brothers. Although Kem lost his head in a battle with Doomsday and didn’t look like he was in any shape to come back from that, the name Kem-El officially places him within Kryptonian lore. Created by Dan Jurgens in 1989, Kem-L/Kem-El was a xenophobic scientist in Krypton’s past who developed Eradicator, which was (at least initially) an alien device altered to preserve Kryptonian culture, and prevent anyone from leaving the planet.

Though the Kem we knew and loved doesn’t seem much like an intolerant scientist (and the original Kem-El existed long before Seg in Kryptonian history), death can do weird things to people. Might the show decide to bring Kem back as a villain? Names have meaning, and stranger things have happened. And actor Rasmus Hardiker could pull off evil.

When is Brainiac taking Jor-El

First off, how sweet is it that Brainiac has become such a softie as to adopt (kidnap) Jor-El to raise as his son? OK, not sweet at all. Plus, one might psychoanalyze Braniac’s obsession with Seg, with whom he was bonded, and how Jor is essentially a surrogate for that messed up relationship.

But I digress.

The point is that Brainiac plans to raise Jor-El as his own son, and that he is taking the infant to a planet where he’ll be a “god amongst men.” Then we zoom to Earth, the likely destination. Creating a child who will rule as a god doesn’t quite mesh with Brainiac’s collector mindset (although he does have a son in the comics, known as Vril Dox, aka Brainiac 2).

Beyond why he wants to take Jor-El to Earth, and how it fits with his aims, there is the question of “when” in Earth’s timeline he’s taking the child. Is it the Earth timeline coinciding with Krypton’s present (which, by my count, is still 185 years before Kal-El, which really doesn’t quite make sense at this point)? Or is Brainy taking Jor to the Superman timeline — before Adam Strange’s Earth is conquered by Zod, and bottled by Brainiac? And keep in mind, just because Zod seems defeated, Adam’s timeline isn’t restored since Jor is not on Krypton to have Kal-El

There is a lot of wibbly wobbley timey wimey stuff here! And here’s where it gets weirder: What if Brainiac is taking Jor-El to Earth to become an eventual foe of Superman?

In the comics, an adult Jor-El is rescued from the imploding Krypton at the last moment, after rocketing his son towards Earth. He likewise lands on the planet, and becomes a villain eventually known as Mister Oz. Krypton could be setting up its version of this character.

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

If that’s the case, then it really sucks for Seg. After all, he just defeated one future version of his son. If Jor returns to Krypton to stir it up, it really bodes badly for Seg’s parenting track record.

What does Nyssa encounter on Rann?

After Nyssa steals Adam’s Zeta-Beam device and bounces to Rann, to look for Sardath, her stroll on some lovely beaches brings her to a pile of charred bodies – and one survivor pointing to the sky. Then she encounters a bloody Omega symbol, and looks up to see an army of winged figures in the sky above.

This is a huge one, and I cannot decide which of two scenarios Krypton is setting up.

Scenario One: Rann-Thanagar War, and Omega Men

Back in 2005, in the limited comic book series Rann-Thanagar War, two planets went to war after Superboy-Prime (aka evil Superman from a parallel Earth) forced them to collide. Rannians look a lot like humans/Kryptonians. But Thanagarians are winged hawk-like warriors. The war eventually involves the Omega Men, a group of extraterrestrial heroes of different races.

This scenario intrigues me because Krypton’s producers initially planned on including a Thanagarian Hawkgirl as a character. So it seems plausible that it’s time to bring her in.

Also, and this is a wide swing, if Krypton goes there with the Rann-Thanagar War, they could also loop in the intergalactic cops, the Green Lantern Corps. If we get the Omega Men, it would be a highly creative choice for Krypton (and effects challenge considering the team involves a variety of multicolored aliens) because the team is quite interesting, and lesser known.

But this show has done justice to Lobo (who is also getting his own TV series), so the team has earned my trust. Oh, and by the way, Lobo’s first appearance? Omega Men #3 (1983). This would make a lot of sense, wouldn’t it?

Scenario Two: Darkseid Is … about to be on Krypton. 

Darkseid is one of Superman’s (and the Justice League’s) greatest foes, who is intent on ruling the universe. The ruler of Apokolips is of course known for his Omega Effect. His main minions just so happen to be the armored Parademons, who fly via mechanized wings. And was that a mechanical whirring Nyssa heard in the air?

If Krypton introduces Darkseid, Parademons, Apokolips, and (gasp!) the New Gods, it would be a significant move – especially since there is also a New Gods movie in development, co-written by Ava DuVernay and Tom King. However, the movie would not necessarily preclude Darkseid from appearing on television since Warner Bros./DC have shown flexibility with multiple versions of characters bouncing about in recent years.

But Darkseid certainly brings a lot of power (more than even Brainiac) to Krypton when there isn’t a true “super” flying around. Although one creature that could give him a run for his money is Doomsday – who just so happens to be back on the planet’s surface, frozen, and answers to the control of another incapacitated character: Dru-Zod. For what it’s worth, I think even Zod would fall in line to stop the likes of Darkseid.

Whichever scenario plays out, I am betting on one thing: Adam Strange is going to have to return to Rann to face the music with Sardath, whom he’s not on speaking terms (and that might mean we will meet his Rannian love, and Sardath’s daughter, Alanna).

Read and download the Den of Geek SDCC 2019 Special Edition Magazine right here!