Krypton
“Ghost in the Fire” (Episode 202)
June 19, 2019
Last week, on Krypton‘s Season 2 premiere, Seg escaped the Phantom Zone but accidentally let Brainiac free as well. The unlikely duo traveled to Colu, to Brainiac’s home planet. After being provoked by Brainiac, it appears that Seg has killed him. Meanwhile, back on Krypton, we were caught up on The Resistance, a rebellion to Zod’s dictatorial rule, and its leaders: Nyssa, Val and Jax, with some help from Adam. Nyssa and Seg’s baby, Cor-Vex, is 6 months old and being held by General Zod as ransom to get Nyssa to end the rebellion. Last, Adam finds Seg on Colu and then Lobo finds the both of them. The episode ends with Lobo knocking them out and dragging them away. Catch up on all of last week’s action with our recap on Episode 1 here.
And now, continue reading below for everything that went down in Episode 2 of Krypton, “Ghost in the Fire” … BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!!
The Cold Open. Tonight opens with two skimmers speeding along, patrolling for something. They detect something in Sector 2 head there to investigate. One of them has something on her radar and then it’s gone as fast as it came. There’s a pounding from the outside of her aircraft as she loses control of the skimmer.
Doomsday is outside her window and he punches right through the glass as we head to …
Opening credits.
Wegthor. Val and Jax enter a cave where The Resistance is gathered. They glad hand the troops, who are filthy and look a little dispirted. Val gives a speech to bolster their spirits.
“That bastard down there has stolen our better tomorrow. We’re stealing it back!”
The amassed army starts to cheer; spirits rallied!
Kandor. Zod enters a chamber and finds Lyta staring forlornly at a hologram of Seg. Zod approaches her and, not ungently, puts a hand on her shoulder. They leave for wherever as Lyta looks like she might burst into tears.
Colu. Seg and Adam are chained together against a tree. Lobo notices that Seg has woken up and monologues a bit about the right sized spiked bat to use on them. Adam is still out and Lobo remarks that he looks like he’s having a happy dream. Lobo is a little bit Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and a little bit King Leonidas from 300.
“Wakey, wakey, hands off snakey.”
Adam now awake, Lobo asks him about the little device he found on Adam. But, before Adam can think up a clever lie, Lobo chucks it into the creek. Lobo walks around to Seg, big spiked club still in hand. He looks equal parts menacing and insane. He asks Seg if he’s ready for some fun and, much like Adam with Jax-Ur last week, Seg feels they need to establish some ground rules and definitions of words, like “fun” before they do anything.
“Uh, and also, my name is Seg-El, not ‘numnuts.'”
When Lobo says he plans to cut out their intestines because, “who needs them?,” Adam strongly urges that he, in fact, needs his intestines. True, Adam. Very true.
Seg interrupts Lobo, saying he doesn’t know who he is. Lobo takes massive offense to this and proceeds to list the names that he goes by:
The Main Man
Assassin to Royalty
Scourge Of The Cosmos
The Last Czarnian
Ultimate Bastich
Machete Man
Mr. Machete
Master Machete
Mr. Fragmaster Frag
Archbishop of the First Celestial Church of the Triple Fish-God
Sadly, none of this is ringing a bell.
Is like he’s Daenerys from Game of Thrones with all the names: Daenerys, Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains … You get the idea.
“The name’s Lobo.” He adds that this means, “he who devours his enemies’ entrails and enjoys it.” Lobo laughs and tells them he actually has no idea what it means because he killed his parents before they could tell him.
Seg tries to tell Lobo he’s got the wrong guys but Lobo realizes this already. Lobo’s Plan B is to crack open Adam’s head and poop inside his skull as to get Seg to tell him where the “Green Gooch” is. Seg catches on that he means Brainiac.
Hey! Remember that “shithead detector” we saw last week going off and didn’t get an explanation on? Yeah, that belonged to Lobo and it’s what brought him here where he found Adam and Seg but no Brainiac. Seagull Seg tells Lobo that he killed Brainiac. Lobo mocks him as incapable
“You, ha ha ha, with your long eyelashes and your beautiful soft skin and that beautiful smell. You smell like a meadow. Nah.”
Adam backs up his friend and Lobo says he wants to see the body. He threatens them that two bodies will be left here if they arrive and there is no Brainiac. Lobo cuts them loose as we head to commercials.
Kandor. Lyta is updating Zod on the latest Doomsday sighting in the Outlands and relates how he destroyed the two skimmers and killed the pilots (as we saw in the cold open). Lyta is upset that the two pilots were killed and even more upset at how blasé Zod is about it. He tells her they knew what they were signing up for, as they were Sagitari. He senses she’s upset by more than just this latest news.
Lyta adds that the nonsense on Wegthor and the casualties they are experiencing are unacceptable. She thinks Zod’s tactic of using the former Rankless as opposed to the Sagitari on Wegthor is wrong. She thinks she is better suited to run the operation and train them up. Zod agrees she would be a great instructor but not on Wegthor. No, he wants her here in Kandor. Lyta’s not happy. Zod tells her it’s not what she thinks, he needs Lyta close because he can’t afford to have anything happen to her. Zod is confident that their plan for the eradication of the Resistance will work.
As he’s discussing their plan, we Nyssa on a transport to Wegthor. On the planet, her chaperone injects her with something “to help her breathe on the surface” (doubtful that’s what it was) and points her towards the rebels. Off she goes, looking very reluctant yet determined.
Colu. Lobo, Seg and Adam are walking through the forest. Lobo is colorfully telling them that Brainiac zapped his entire city and bottled it. He’s really not impressed with Brainiac’s tactics, telling them that he ended up destroying the entire planet.
“Then pisses off in his massive, clearly “overcompensating for something,” ship.”
Adam is confused that Brainiac killed his entire race. Lobo kinda comes clean that they were already dead, truth be told. But he was annoyed more so because he’d just gotten the planet just how we liked it and poof it was gone after he’d gotten back from an assassination vacation. Adam tells him he knows the feeling but Lobo isn’t looking to bond.
Seg pipes up that they’re close, about 7.29 more minutes. Okay, overly specific guy. He mentions to Adam that they’ll head back to Krypton once they part ways with Lobo. Lobo mishears this exchange does a riff on how he thinks Seg said, “Craptown.”
“Craptown sounds like a musical with puppets. Oh, hello, my name’s Seagull, and I’m the mayor of Craptown. Hello, Seagull. I’d watch the shit out of Craptown.”
Clearly, Lobo has been to Earth and is conflating Urinetown and Avenue Q. I am here for it, though. Craptown, coming to Broadway in 2020!
After his fit of laughter, Lobo has a thought. He wants to know what’s so special about Craptown Krypton. Seg responds it’s 19.138 million light-years from here. Again, with the reallllly specific calculations. Lobo agrees muttering that it was, “oddly specific.” Adam asks how he knows that and Seg is at a loss.
The Outlands. Vidar and Jayna are together in the Outlands in the snow (always in the snow it seems), sitting around a camp fire. Vidar asks her about a story their father used to tell, the one about Flamebird, a Raoist creation story. Jayna explains that its the origin story for the gods, but believed to be about the first gods after Rao, Flamebird and her brother, Vohc. Vohc was charged with building the world and Flamebird, burning it all down. It’s a story about the rebirth and replenishment of the world. Vohc, Jayna explains, perfected his creation, cycle after cycle, eventually leading to the Krypton they know today.
Kandor. In an instruction room, Lyta is instructing the a class of Sagitari in combat training. She floors a candidate and explains to the class that the Sagitari are built on practice, regimen, discipline, and training, one session at a time.
She spots a candidate who resembles Seg, a lot, and selects him as the next volunteer or, rather, volun-told. She gives him the option for hand to hand combat or a weapon for the exercise. When Dummy turns to look at the available weapons, she bitch slaps him to the ground.
“Never hesitate. It gives your opponent the advantage. Get up.”
They get into their ready stance. Lyta takes him down but gets distracted when she sees Seg’s face on this recruit. Lyta’s opponent capitalizes on her hesitation but she regains the control of the fight and locks him in a vicious finishing move, demanding he ask for mercy. He hesitates but eventually gives in. Lyta may be significantly smaller than her opponents but she’s strong and skilled; they’re no match for her (as long as she stays focused). That she’s filled with rage probably also really helps.
Commercials.
Colu. The unlikely trio Lobo come upon Brainiac’s remains but Lobo is more than a little annoyed when his shithead detector doesn’t detect any Brainiac in the Brainiac corpse. No, the shithead detector still reads Brainiac as somewhere on Colu.
A confused Lobo makes for an unhappy Lobo. He complains that Seg and Adam didn’t keep up their end of the bargain so now he has to gut one of them while the other one thinks of an answer to his original question … where is Brainiac?
When Lobo whips his chained hook and lets it fly towards the boys, Seg, somehow, manages to redirect it into a tree … much to everyone’s surprise. Lobo’s shithead detector lands in front of Seg and starts beeping. Seems that Brainiac is Seg. Lobo explains this to a stunned Seg, complete with inappropriate hand gestures.
Wegthor. Nyssa’s happy reunion with Val and Jax is brief as she explains she’s there as a spy for Zod. Nyssa explains that Zod has Cor-Vex. Nyssa tells them she would never betray them, adding she has other information that could help them. There will be a solar flare that will disrupt communication for a period of time. Zod plans to use this window of time to move more supplies they could use to their advantage.
Jax asks how she knows this? Nyssa replies a Sagitari still loyal to her father, even after his death relayed it to her. Nyssa tells them she was caught because the jaunt to see her father was a trap, just as Jax predicted. She tells them her father was murdered by Lyta. Jax tells a guard to keep her under watch. Nyssa sees this conversation happen.
Colu. Lobo tells Seg that he needs to “stomp the Green Gooch” out of him. He moves to blast them with another big gun and Seg sends it flying out of Lobo’s hands. Adams asks how’d he do that and Seg’s voice becomes really loud and echoey inside Adam’s head, explaining he think he has telekinetic power. When Adam realizes that Seg’s mouth didn’t move, Seg is delighted.
“Holy shit. I have telepathy, too.”
Lobo takes this moment of hesitation to his advantage and knocks a Seg over. Adam gets sent flying too. Seg re-engages with the Main Man but Lobo gets the upper hand again and threatens to put a world of hurt on Brainiac. Down on one knee, Seg’s eyes go all big and black, like Brainiac’s, just for a moment. Seg begins to fight like he just went through the Matrix ju-jitsu program. He’s completely bewildered by what’s happening, staring at his hands like they’re not his. Lobo eventually gets a chokehold on Seg, telling him, “you’re my little pony now.”
Commercials.
Wegthor. We come back from break as Jax is telling Nyssa that her intel checked out. They plan to divert a group to take out the supply line in the south. Jax is cautiously optimistic it will work. Jax apologizes for the need for the guard. Nyssa has a momentary breakdown, telling Jax everything has gone wrong since she last saw her, with her baby and her father. Jax tells her to stay strong and in a moment of tenderness, asks if she found the answers she was looking for on Bokos. Nyssa tells her no. Jax scoffs.
“That’s Daron. Even in death, he still manages to disappoint.”
Colu. Lobo is beating the snot out of Seg, who appears unhurt by the brutal onslaught. Lobo threatens to cut Seg open “from tip to taint” to get Brainiac out. Just as Lobo is about to carving on Seg, a 12 inch hole explodes in Lobo’s torso. Seems Adam found one of Lobo’s big guns that Seg sent flying earlier. Lobo thuds to the ground with an anti-climatic, “ouch.”
As he gets on his feet, Seg complains he got some Lobo juice in his mouth. Looking down at Lobo, his torso is starting to rapidly heal, a self-healing trait in Lobo’s race. Seg tells Adam they have 3.14 minutes until the Archbishop of the First Celestial Church of the Triple Fish-God will be good to go again. They skedaddle.
The Outlands. Jayna and Vidar are walking in the snow in the Outlands. She’s astonished they’ve adapted to the harsh conditions. She has a moment of regret, telling Vidar she should have gone back for him. They discuss how their father didn’t give them a choice. Jayna says their father trained them to be brutal, vicious warriors, turning against each other to prove themselves worthy. And of course, Lyta did the exact same thing to her. The cycle of violence, indeed.
“The House of Zod builds killers! I won’t do it anymore.”
Kandor. Back in the Sagitari training room. Lyta asks for a word with the Cadet (Toby-Alexander Smith) she engaged with earlier. His name is Lor-Ran and he’s from Sector Six. She’s visibly moved by this revelation and explains she knew someone from there once that meant a lot to her. Lor-Ran takes her hand in his and moves in for a kiss. Lyta stops him saying that “he” wouldn’t do that and “you’re not him.” Lor-Ran looks super confused which is exactly when Lyta beats the ever loving shit out of this cadet.
She finally exhausts her rage and tells his prone unconscious body, “you’re not him.”
Commercials.
Colu. Adam and Seg are walking along. Adam fesses up that he was so scared of Lobo, he peed a little. Adam compliments Seg on opening up “a family-size can of whoop-ass.” Adam asks Seg to explain the Brainiac connection. Seg tells him he doesn’t really know, he’s not sure he understands it. Adam presses him to use the extra brain power from Brainiac to find out why. Seg explodes back that he doesn’t know.
Well, why don’t you use a little bit of that extra brain juice to figure it out? I mean, we have to know how this thing works.
Adam says this looks different than what happened to Rhom and the Voice of Rao, where Brainiac was in control. Adam said it appears Seg is in the drivers seat and then questions that thought. Seg says he’s not sure and he’s not sure if he can hold “him” off for too much longer. He tries to tap into the brain power and announces that he’s got 2.37 hours left before Brainiac takes over.
Adam tells Seg they have to get back to Val. They can go back to the “maniac’s picnic spot and get the Zeta-Beam.” Just then, we hear Lobo’s voice screaming from a far.
“I’m coming for you, you bastiches!”
Kandor. Zod visits Lyta and inquires about her beatdown of the Sagitari Cadet. Zod tells her his jaw is broken, amongst other injuries. Lyta asks if he’ll be alright and Zod is all, “sure, long as she stays away from your crazy ass.” (Paraphrase). Lyta tells Zod that the Cadet reminded her of someone “irreplaceable.” (I Sing: “To the left, to the left …” ). Lyta looks remorseful and so sad.
Sort of changing topics, Lyta remarks at the changes Zod has enacted and the progress in the city; it all serves as a reminder to her of what is no longer there. And that void engulfs her and she’s not sure how to move forward. Zod steps away and presents her with Seg-El’s baby as a way forward. Zod tells Lyta that Seg’s legacy lives on in her, him, and in Cor-Vex. Zod tells his mother that if she want to heal and make Seg’s sacrifice mean something, she needs to let go of the past.
“Embrace the future. Help me build a new one for Seg.”
Lyta looks at the baby and remarks how much he looks like Seg. She smiles.
Commercials.
The Outlands. Jayna and Vidar are a top a snowy mountain. She thanks him for getting her this far. She wishes him farewell and, poof, he’s gone. Jayna walks into a bar in the Outlands. A rough looking man tells her she’s basically not welcome because he knows she’s Jayna-Zod. Jayna tells him he’s got the wrong person, but he’s insistent so she drops his ass to floor. She asks aloud if anyone else things she’s Jayna-Zod? Silence.
“Didn’t think so.”
Kandor. Nyssa appears as a hologram on Zod’s desk. He’s annoyed that her check in is hours late. She tells him they’ve got her guarded and they are still suspicious of her. Zod’s adamant that Nyssa locate the Codex. Perhaps she should start by regaining Val and Jax’s trust.
The Outlands. A Sagitari walks into the same Outland bar Jayna walked into. He announces that he’s looking for a traitor amongst “the drunks and the derelicts.” May even be some credits in it for someone willing to drop a dime. No need really as the Sagitari spots Jayna and fight fight fight. She takes down one but another gets the drop on Jayna and is about to shoot her. That’s when a masked man shoots him first (like Han Solo). This helpful stranger removes his mask and Jayna recognizes him, calling him Dev (Aaron Pierre).
“Hello, Jayna. Long time.”
Colu. Adam locates the Zeta Beam Device in a creek. He wants them to get back to Krypton and away from Lobo. He looks over to Seg and is startled by how black his eyes are. Seg tells Adam he can’t go back to Krypton, not like this, with Brainiac along for the ride. Seg can’t bring Brainiac back to Krypton. Seg tells Adam he’ll have to kill him if it comes to it. Adam is all, “Hell to the nope on the killing thing.”
“Adam, Adam, this is bigger than me. This is bigger than me. I need you to promise.”
End scene.
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Thoughts.
When I was in college, cleaners would come around to pick up the trash and vacuum in the dorms. The lady assigned to my floor was a delightful woman full of wit and snark, so we got along really well. She’d announce her presence outside a closed door, mostly of the guys on the floor, saying, “wakey wakey hands off snakey!” To hear Lobo say it made me laugh out loud. He’s such a colorful character in both his appearance and his use of language. He’s part scary and part hilarity. I mentioned above that he’s a mix of Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and part King Leonidas from 300. This completely holds up.
Things are coming together for the characters and unraveling at the same time.
Seg and Brainiac being conjoined is an interesting development. You knew he wasn’t going down that easily. Especially with all his, “I need you to live so I can live” talk from last week. The duality within Seg at the moment is both quite serious and comical as he discovers the telekinesis, telepathy, increased brain capacity, and Brainiac-level strength. The next episode will be interesting because that will be the end game for Seg’s countdown clock.
This has to be so odd for Lyta. Reporting to her adult son – not technically born yet, the father of whom she believes dead and who she was never really free to really be with. Lyta also feels she has to prove herself to Zod, while unsure of his decisions. She feels like she has to put herself out there, delicately, to help with the operation to crush the Resistance on Wegthor. She’s also mourning a man she loves in a very complicated-kinda Deliverance kind of way if you start to really dissect it.
Nyssa. Girl, you on a slippery slope. I don’t believe you’re on anyone’s side right now except the side that’s going to make sense for you to get your baby back. I think Jax has your number though. I think she sees through your ruse. Giving the solar flare information that will interrupt the communication lines seems a little too convenient, girlfriend.
Jayna’s jaunt with her phantom brother. That’ll be interesting to see where she ends up. She’s conflicted about what happened between her and Lyta. But noow she’s found an ally in Dev.
A note on the production of Krypton. The costumes and sets are really well done, I have to say. General Zod’s uniform conveys power and strength. When him and Lyta are talking about a way forward and they’re looking out over Zod’s Krypton, it’s pretty stunning and feels like the advanced society Krypton is. The different feel Wegthor has shows the ramp up in production values this season. Just a nod that we, the viewers, notice and appreciate the effort!
Krypton airs on Wednesday nights at 10pm (ET/PT) on Syfy. We can often be found Live Tweeting the episodes!!
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