How Krypton Season 2 Set The Stage For DC's Future

The most up-to-date Supergirl trailer didn’t reveal a lot new details about the DC Universe’s upcoming movie, but it surely gave followers a greater have a look at a extremely anticipated character: the alien bounty hunter Lobo, as portrayed by former Aquaman star Jason Momoa. Though Supergirl will probably be Lobo’s first time on the huge display screen, it is not going to be his first live-action look. The character performed a outstanding function in the second season of Syfy’s Krypton, which aired in 2019.

This model of Lobo was performed by Irish actor Emmett J. Scanlan, and he was a spotlight of the sequence. Lobo’s presence contributed to the second season’s spectacular 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an enormous leap from the first season’s 60% rating. As the solely time that Lobo has appeared outdoors the realms of comedian books, cartoons and video video games, this forgotten DC sequence affords a glimpse at what followers can anticipate from the character in Supergirl and the remainder of the DCU’s future.

Lobo Was One of Krypton’s Most Memorable Characters

Lobo throwing a chain in a promotional still for Krypton — Lobo throwing a sequence in a promotional nonetheless for Krypton

Krypton was set generations earlier than the beginning of Kal-El, who was destined to sooner or later change into Superman. The sequence as an alternative adopted his grandfather, Seg-El, and a time traveler from modern-day Earth, Adam Strange, as they tried to forestall Brainiac from destroying Krypton. Since Kryptonians lack superpowers when under the red sun of their homeworld, the sequence was extra of a sci-fi political drama than a conventional superhero present.

Krypton primarily targeted on the battle between the planet’s numerous noble homes and the darkish secrets and techniques hidden by its rulers, drawing comparisons to Game of Thrones. Despite this, it additionally featured some of Superman’s classic rogues. Lobo made his Krypton debut in the second season’s premiere episode, titled “Light-Years From Home,” returning for the following two episodes and a quick look in the season finale.

In phrases of look, backstory and persona, the sequence introduced a mostly comic-accurate version of Lobo. He was the final surviving member of the Czarnian species, and he sought vengeance in opposition to Brainiac, who had destroyed his planet. Under totally different circumstances, Lobo might need been an ally to Seg and Adam. Unfortunately, Brainiac had uploaded his consciousness into Seg’s physique after his personal was destroyed, and Lobo was decided to kill the Collector of Worlds even when he wanted to tear Seg aside to take action.

Like his comedian counterpart, Krypton‘s Lobo was brash, egotistical, foul-mouthed, and completely unserious, a persona that took place on account of his incapacity to die. Krypton typically introduced itself as a darkish and comparatively grounded sci-fi drama, so Lobo’s over-the-top persona was a breath of recent air. As amusing as his weird antics had been, he by no means stopped being a genuinely intimidating risk, which allowed the sequence to keep up pressure whilst Lobo cracked jokes.

The present additionally utilized Lobo’s signature healing factor in some fascinating methods. For instance, after his arm was lower off by a pressure subject in the episode “Will to Power,” he purposefully blew himself up in order that his physique would regenerate from his arm on the different aspect. Writer and producer Cameron Welsh apparently loved Lobo, as a result of he deliberate a spin-off starring the character. However, Krypton‘s second season underperformed regardless of constructive critiques, so the third season and Lobo’s spin-off had been canceled.

Krypton’s Depiction of Lobo Laid the Groundwork For the DCU

Though little of Momoa’s performance as Lobo has been revealed up to now, he appears good for the function. He has the proper physicality, amending a criticism typically levied at Krypton‘s Lobo, who was shorter and thinner than his comedian counterpart. He additionally has expertise enjoying each goofballs, like Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison in A Minecraft Movie, and imposing warriors, like Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, so he ought to be capable to successfully seize each side of the character.

Perhaps most significantly, Momoa is genuinely obsessed with the half. He has been a fan of Lobo since lengthy earlier than his casting, and he approached James Gunn about playing the character virtually as quickly as the rebooted DCU was introduced. Still, this determination was considerably dangerous. Momoa is considered one of the most well-known actors of the previous decade, however Lobo is a comparatively obscure character with whom non-comic readers are doubtless unfamiliar.

Popular as he’s with avid DC followers, Lobo merely doesn’t have the identical cultural cache as a core Justice League member like Aquaman. However, Scanlan’s tackle the character mitigated that threat by proving that Lobo can work properly in dwell motion. Between Supergirl‘s presumed higher budget compared to Krypton and Momoa’s star energy, this new Lobo may simply change into the definitive adaptation of the character.

Release Date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writers: Ana Nogueira, Otto Binder, Tom King, Al Plastino, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bilquis Evely