What other aspects of Kryptonian canon do you find more compelling in terms of potential? Isn't possible they just want to leave some things to explore in future seasons?
They've set the show AFTER most of the interesting stuff in Krypton's history, so that's unlikely. The Clone Wars and the formation of Black Zero, creation of the Eradicator, creation of the Destroyer, Nightwing/Flamebird reborn, the proper Doomsday origin, the end of procreation and the banning of intergalactic travel and all the political strife that surrounded that, - all of these could have provided great themes to explore and would have been far more interesting than this basic, bland Zod story they've given us, imo. Because the thing is - we always get Zod in present day stories. The cool potential about a Krypton prequel is finally getting to see some OTHER part of Kryptonian heritage for a change. But instead they just brought Zod back in time to focus on him yet again. But even if the setting worked and they could still do all that other stuff later, saving the interesting stuff for later seasons is hardly a wise strategy for any TV show that plans to survive. You're supposed to hold people's interest throughout. They're failing to do that for me, and based on other reactions here in this thread, it looks like I'm not alone.
I think the reason the Zod story isn't basic or stale is that while, yes, he has been depicted as tyrannical in the past with authoritarian aims, he rarely is allowed to put those plans into action to this extent and on his home planet while exploring his dynamics with his own family — those elements are far from your run of the mill Zod story. Plus, Zod is a tyrant. Any story that features him should write him in character, and seeing him embody that is just as appealing as it is to see characters like Superman or Lex Luthor in all their familiar glory in various narratives.
I'd argue that the reason he's never been allowed to put his plans into action is because there's nothing particularly interesting about them. This is as generic a tyrant story on a generic sci-fi landscape as they come. It's boring as hell, imo. This version of Zod has less nuance than even the one from the "New Krypton" arc from the comics. At least in
that version, though you disagreed with him, you could see why so many Kryptonians looked up to him and thought him a good guy and a hero. This version might as well be wearing a neon sign that says "I AM A TYRANT, FEED MY EGO!" Should've just given him a proper mustache to twirl to complete the look.
I'm glad. Lobo, to me, is one of the worst characters ever created, and I was in dread of his presence ever since he was announced. He's an outdated and unappealing waste of time, as far as I'm concerned.
Agreed, which is why it sucks how they shoehorned him in and wasted significant screentime on him this season.
Also, if that was Brainiac's "main storyline" last season, then hoo boy was it disappointing. It was all the build-up minus the big finish. If they weren't planning on having him take Kandor, the one big atrocity in Krypton's history that he's famous for...then they shouldn't have bothered, imo.
