‘Krypton’ Recap With Spoilers: “Pilot”

Krypton’s pilot begins with a narration by Kal-El’s grandfather. He’s explaining that the show is a story about the House of El — claiming the family’s story is one of triumph, taking down tyrannical leaders.

Sometime previously, we see Kandor City, and a young Seg-El is at his grandfather’s trial — Val-El is being tried for crimes against the government. Val-El is found guilty of sedition and is sentenced to death.

Prior to his execution, Val-El reminds Seg that brighter days are ahead, and he encourages his grandson to keep fighting the good fight.

Present day, Seg’s in a fight at a drinking establishment. The fight ends, which Seg wins, and we see that it was one in which the establishment’s guests had bet on.

A mysterious man — Daron-Vex — is seen wandering the streets before entering the same establishment where Seg and Kem are chatting.

Seg returns home to his parents, and they’re upset Sesg has stayed out all night earning garbage money during fights.

The next day, Alura Zod is instructing a group of cadets at the Military Guild. She calls her daughter, Lyta Zod, down to fight. Lyta eventually yields, and an upset Alura stabs her daughter through the hand to prove a point to the rest of the cadets.

Seg goes to see his dad where he now works under Daron-Vex after Val-El’s death. There, Seg saves the group from an intruder that has a bomb. Daron then offers Seg a rank in his House.

Outside, Seg and Kem are talking when Seg gets into a fight with one of Krypton‘s police officers, and he’s rescued by Lyta Zod, and we see that the two are an item.

Seg returns to Kem’s watering hole and he’s stopped by the mysterious stranger we saw earlier — it’s Adam Strange. He’s traveled through time and space to warn Seg that somebody from the future is coming to destroy Krypton. Adam Strange starts doubling over in pain, and he warns Seg that he has to find the Fortress — he has to save Superman.

Strange gives Seg a crystal bearing the House of El emblem, and then he disappears. Seg returns home with the vial and shows both of his parents.

Seg takes the crystal and leaves, and his parents discuss telling Seg a family secret. Seg’s dad states he doesn’t think Seg is ready to know whatever secret they’re holding back.

Seg reports to his new position within the Genesis Chamber with Nyssa-Vex, where we see Kryptonians being born in pods.

Seg returns home to Lyta, and the two talk about Seg’s new role. Seg leaves Lyta’s place when he’s stopped by the same armed forces we saw earlier. They begin searching him and find the crystal Adam Strange gave him. They ask what it is, and Seg takes it back and starts running away.

Seg’s approached by a spaceship piloted by his mother, and she orders him to get in the vessel, and the two fly away. Seg asks his mother what’s going on, and she tells him that it’s time that he knows the truth.

Charys-El takes her son to Val-El’s Fortress of Solitude, a close-kept family secret. The two walk up to the gates of the Fortress, and Seg enters the crystal into a lock, after which the gates open.

Charys reveals that when the Council canceled his research, Val built the Fortress in an effort to continue his studies of life outside of Krypton. Charys reveals that Val must have found some form of life, and that’s the real reason why he was executed.

An alarm starts going off in the Fortress, and Charys reveals Kryptonian military has tracked their spaceship to the Fortress. Charys orders her son to take the Sun Stone to safety and stores him in a secret cubby inside the wall.

The forces — led by Dev-Em — storm the Fortress and take Charys into custody. Sometime later, Seg visits his imprisoned mother. While they’re talking, Alura Zod interrupts their conversation. Alura orders Seg to be removed, and she begins talking to Charys about the relationship between their two children.

Alura reminds Charys that the Council can order her to be killed at any time.

Charys appears before Daron-Vex for her trial, and while being sentenced, she has a sudden outburst, telling the people of Kandor that they’re not alone.

Trying to protect his son and wife, Seg’s father steps forward, trying to shoot Daron-Vex. Alura then shoots both of Seg’s parents, killing them both.

Later that night, Lyta goes to comfort Seg, but he storms off. Seg goes to Kem’s watering hole, where he asks Kem for help: he needs a spacecraft. Seg takes the spacecraft to the Fortress of Solitude, where Adam Strange meets him.

Strange shows Seg his grandson’s cape. The cape is slowly withering away, and Strange says that once the cape is completely gone, they’re out of time.

Strange warns Seg about the Collector of Worlds — also known as Brainiac — who’s been slowly destroying worlds across the universe.