Jupiter’s Legacy – Netflix’s Overwhelming and Depthless Superhero Universe Attempt
A superhero has to do some simple stuff like fighting evil forces and preventing them from destroying the world, the usual stuff. But what will happen when the superheroes start losing their grip on reality and subconsciously blurring the limits between obnoxious self-righteousness and nobility? also, add generational clashes into that and you will get Netflix’s new superhero TV series “Jupiter’s Legacy”.
In the flashback time, we see that kids of Utopian, the superhero AKA Sheldon Sampson (Josh Duhamel) start to sense their inherited powers from a very young age especially his daughter Chloe. So he tells them about ‘The Code’, which basically is to not use their powers to hurt someone or in anger, only use it to save others.
Cut to the present time, Sheldon and his wife Grace AKA Lady Liberty (Leslie Bibb) are the most respected and powerful superheroes in the world, but they are getting old. When their son Brandon AKA the Paragon must be bailed out by his father due to response to a robbery, Utopian starts to get concerned about whether Brandon and the rest of the generation will be ever prepared to take the torch from him and The Union. Chloe (Elena Kampouris) uses her powers only for the benefit and is salty about her upbringing as per ‘The Code’.
Meanwhile, Walter AKA Brainwave and Sheldon’s older brother, one day takes him to the hall where the Union used to meet also it’s been years since they all met especially after George Hutchence AKA Skyfox (Matt Lanter), one of their trusted members turned on the Union. They all argue about The Code and how even after 90 years of protecting the world it is getting even worse and worse. Walter thinks that The Code is of no use anymore as the enemies they are fighting against nowadays aren’t as black and white.
When the supervillain Blackstar (Tyler Mane) escapes and lashes out on the Union both young and the old members, Brandon ends the bloodshed by hitting the villain in the head and killing him which also helps him to save his father. Sheldon on the other hand is unhappy that Brandon had to kill someone to win but is the Blackstar really dead?
Jupiter’s Legacy surely feels like a reproduction of Supergirl or The Flash with a mixture of family drama like Everwood. Daniels and Bibb are excellent in their respective roles but there are so many characters dying on the screen while fighting with Blackstar that we do not even get the time to know.
Jupiter’s Legacy is adapted from a comic series by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, but Steven DeKnight does not seem to have grasped its expansive world. The story continuously travels between the various flashbacks and the present time but with this, there is also a backstory that needs to be told to viewers so that they can understand what is going on in the show.
Even if it is good to try a new superhero series, Jupiter’s Legacy couldn’t build the extensive world of mythology to showcase a cohesive and coherent show.