‘Lanterns’ Isn’t Aaron Pierre’s First DC TV Show

DC’s Lanterns has recently cast its two leads, with Aaron Pierre playing John Stewart and Kyle Chandler taking on the role of Hal Jordan. It’s a major move for the upcoming Max series, which looks to reignite the Green Lantern franchise and play a pivotal part in James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s plans for the new DC Studios. Lanterns will also take a major departure from what fans have come to expect, as Stewart and Jordan wind up being drawn back to Earth to investigate a murder mystery of cosmic proportions. But John Stewart isn’t the first role Pierre has taken in the DC Universe. Pierre wound up playing a major supporting role in the SYFY series Krypton, which put its own unique spin on the Superman mythos.

What Is ‘Krypton’ About?

Krypton is set on the titular planet 200 years before Kal-El — aka Clark Kent, aka Superman — is born. The House of El has recently suffered a fall from grace, with Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe) eking out a living in Krypton’s lower-class slums after his grandfather Val-El (Ian McElhinney) was sentenced to imprisonment in the Phantom Zone. Seg is visited by a mysterious man named Adam Strange (Shaun Sipos), who tells him that his grandson Kal-El will grow into the greatest hero on Earth, and that forces are working to erase Superman’s existence.

While fighting to keep his grandson alive, Seg learns that Val was sentenced because he learned that there was alien life headed for Krypton, and the corrupt ruling council worked to silence his findings. That alien life is none other than Brainiac (Blake Ritson), the malevolent artificial intelligence who collects information from planets and destroys them in the process; he, too, will become one of Superman’s greatest enemies. On top of that, Seg learns that he is meant to be betrothed to Nyssa-Vex (Wallis Day), the daughter of a high-ranking official on Krypton; however, he is still in love with Lyta (Georgina Campbell), a soldier in Krypton’s military guild.

Aaron Pierre Played a Character With Major Ties to Superman Lore in ‘Krypton’

So, how exactly does Aaron Pierre fit into Krypton‘s narrative? He plays the soldier Dev-Em, who works with Lyta to fight the terrorist organization known as Black Zero. Complicating matters is the fact that Dev and Lyta used to be betrothed to each other, and while he still has feelings for her, she is wrestling with her own feelings for Seg-El. Then matters take a turn for the worse when a mysterious stranger, played by Colin Salmon, appears; the stranger is none other than Dru-Zod, aka General Zod — one of Superman’s worst enemies. Zod reveals that he is the son of Seg and Lyta, further complicating matters between the two and Dev. When Zod becomes the new ruler of Krypton in Season 2, Dev joins a group of resistance fighters led by Lyta’s mother Jayna (Ann Ogbomo).

Dev-Em has a unique backstory in DC Comics lore; he was one of the few Kryptonians who believed Jor-El’s warning that the planet was doomed for destruction and placed himself in suspended animation. When Krypton exploded, he was sent hurtling to Earth where he met a young Clark Kent… and threw him in the Phantom Zone! Dev-Em would later become an ally of the Legion of Superheroes, and helped them during the “Great Darkness Saga” where they battled the New God Darkseid. Other versions usually paint Dev-Em as a criminal who was sentenced to the Phantom Zone, with Man of Steel reimagining him as one of General Zod’s fathers. But Pierre’s take on the character is rather nuanced, and leads to some of Krypton‘s best moments.

Aaron Pierre Got To Show Off His Dramatic Chops During ‘Krypton’s Run

Krypton Season 2 is where Dev-Em truly got his chance to shine. Working with the rebel cells, he finds himself pitted against Lyta, who seems to be willing to carry out any atrocity Zod asks of her (though in true comic book TV fashion, there’s a rather convoluted explanation for this.) Brainiac is also gaining a foothold in his attempts to leech Krypton of its knowledge, possessing various victims while also keeping Seg-El trapped in the Phantom Zone. This leads Dev-Em to make the decision to utilize Doomsday — the monster who will one day kill Superman — as a way to protect Krypton.

Season 2 is a great showcase for Pierre to showcase his dramatic talents, as he paints Dev-Em as a man who will do anything it takes to protect Krypton. He lets Brainiac possess him to spare Lyta from death, and the machine winds up forcing him to try and kill Jayna – which results in Dev losing an arm. Despite Doomsday causing untold damage, Dev saw him as a trump card to keep order on Krypton, showcasing that like Zod he was capable of committing horrible acts to keep his planet alive. Pierre infuses Dev with the same kind of cold, calculating fury he brought to Terry Richmond in Rebel Ridge, making what could have been a minor role so much more.

Krypton was sadly canceled in 2019, meaning that the plot thread of Dev-Em weaponizing Doomsday never came to pass. Still, it’s worth a watch, both for how it utilizes a fresh take on the Superman mythos, and how it proved Aaron Pierre could play a major role in the DC Universe.

Krypton is available to stream on Tubi.

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