KRYPTON
Grandad Of SteelW W W.SCI FI N OW.CO.U K |^047
insight into what it is like for them and how
they are treated differently from everyone
else, and that makes her want to change
things. That puts her at odds with a lot of the
other cadets and her mother.”
Like a sci-fi Romeo and Juliet, Seg and
Lyta are star-crossed lovers from different
sides of the tracks. “You defi nitely get that
sense,” Campbell agrees. “But then it gets
quite interesting because with Romeo and
Juliet it is so quick that you don’t get to see if
there ever would be a fall out between them.
You never see what would happen to their
relationship, whereas over the course of this
series you do get to see that between Lyta
and Seg. And while it begins as this kind of
star-crossed lovers’ passion, the storyline
really affects their relationship.”
Part of their relationship troubles will
no doubt stem from a planned arranged
marriage later in Season One. Among
the Guilded, marriages are arranged and
children are born via the Genesis Chamber,
“where an oracle will determine from an
embryo’s DNA makeup what Guild he or she
is most suited to,” explains Welsh.
He then guides us into the set that houses
the Genesis Chamber, a light, honey-hued
space with thousands of little pods lining the
walls: “These are the embryos with a little
robot moving around attending to them,” he
reveals. “That is how life is created, and as
the system charts the life of the child, this
makes the Guild members rather cold. Their
lives are all mapped out for them. Whereas
the rankless tend to band together as a
community and seem warmer and more like
us. Their struggle unites them. They’re the
heart of Krypton in a way.”
Certainly, at the outset Nyssa, the daughter
of Daron-Vex, appears rather cold. “But she
is not quite who she appears to be, especially
at the start,” beams actress Wallis Day, when
she joins us on set. “She is rather naughty;
there’s a reason behind that and she’s got
an interesting and complex arc throughout
the series.” This complexity in character and
narrative is what the producers hope will
drive the show’s success along with its ability
to expand and enhance DC mythology. In the
US, where, at the time of writing, Krypton
has now aired, fans have responded well –
though the critics are more cynical – and it
has gone into a second series.
Certainly, one of highlights for fans
and critics alike has been the character of
Brainiac and the performance from actor
Blake Ritson. “This particular version of
Brainiac is a hyper-advanced alien android
of unfathomable intelligence,” beginsRitson when he wanders onto set. We meet
him without his make-up and prosthetics
which takes up to seven hours to apply. “He
traverses the universe in a giant, skull-
shaped spaceship and he is in the process of
absorbing and processing all of creation.
“He sees planets as vessels of data. He will
rip out whole cities and miniaturize them,
put them in bottles on board his collection
where he will then suck information and
feed off them for his continued evolution.
According to the DC canon, Kandor is one
such city that he’s stolen and it precipitated
the demise of Krypton. I couldn’t comment on
what happens here but, certainly according
to DC lore, it is a well-known fact. I will say
that I am very hopeful this will be the most
terrifying incarnation of Brainiac yet! He is
so frightening I’ve had to stop face-timing
my family. He looks great and I hope he will
invade your dreams for many years to come.”
With that, Ritson disappears into the
make-up trailer for his lengthy preparations.
When we watch the playback of his scene
the following day, it looks like a performance
to savour. As to whether his character will
succeed in taking Krypton, well, we’ll have
to wait and see.Krypton will begin on E4 in August.“Every episode ends with a massive shift
in the status quo which affects the world”
Cameron Cuffe