Krypton’s sixth installment, “Civil Wars,” begins immediately after the cliffhanger of the previous episode in which Seg-El and Lyta-Zod are confronted with the situation of which time-traveler to believe and the impact that decision has on Krypton’s future. In the meanwhile, Daron-Vex and Jayna-Zod struggle to work together in an effort to overthrow Rao.
This episode might not be action-packed, but it pushes the boundaries of the show to another level in terms of characterization and narrative. Every featured character has to question the reasoning behind their actions and are forced info complicated situations tailor-made to confront those ideas head-on. That speaks to good writing. It also takes the show into an unexpected direction, which keeps the show fresh and interesting – exactly like the tease of a certain DC Comics villain in this episode that is not the one you might expect.
The one character that stands out above the rest is Dev-Em. He is placed into a rough predicament and it allows for a great performance and he succeeds in doing so, which is quite the pleasant surprise for him. Despite the tantalizing situation Seg-El and Lyta-Zod find themselves in, Dev-Em is the pulsing heartbeat of the episode. While Seg-El, Lyta-Zod, Jayna-Zod, Nyssa-Vex, Daron-Vex, and the young child serving Rao all deliver well-executed and memorable moments, none compare to Dev-Em and the consequences those moments will have going forward.
In terms of the technical aspect, the cast and crew are tremendous once again. Every actor brings a strong presence to their scenes, yet also display a vulnerability that truly makes these characters three-dimensional and makes the audience sympathize and care for them and their circumstance.
The score and sound design were excellent in this episode as well. It helps bring more emotion and suspense to the screen, especially in critical moments. In general, it truly does enhance each scene that it is implemented in and always surprises me in a great way.
To say this show has been good thus far would be an understatement. Narratively, Krypton has been nothing short of brilliant with what the writers have done having little impact made by the villain. It is a testament to the show’s quality and that is reflected not only through the writing, but also the cast and crew. The depth this show has unfolded throughout each and every episode has been wonderful and “Civil Wars” is one of the best in that regard. As always, the cliffhanger at the end of this week’s episode is top-notch as well. The next episode should be quite intriguing based on the cliffhanger and its ramifications.
Rating: 9/10
-Daryn Kirscht
