With the debut of the first full trailer for Inhumans, we finally have a better idea of how Marvel’s collaboration with ABC and IMAX will look. Though most of the footage is probably from the two-part premiere of the show, the trailer still manages to give us a look at the settings, plot, and characters from the upcoming show. We see Attilan, clearly based on Earth’s moon, hear of Maximus’ desire to visit our planet, and see the tranquility of the Inhuman society upended.
The trailer also gives us our first good look at the Inhumans in action. Though a cast photo highlighted several of the core characters, the new trailer shows us a bit more of what they can do. But for those not familiar with the comics, it may be hard to keep track of all the new faces the show will add to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Luckily, we're here to help.
Black Bolt
Even if you have a passing familiarity with the comics, you might not recognize king Black Bolt at first. Almost always pictured in his full costume, the version we see in Inhumans not only lacks the bold, white accents on his suit, but also his standard mask and tuning fork. While that latter bit is probably best left out of the show, The Flash has proven a solid looking mask can be constructed on a TV budget. Add in the IMAX funding the project received, and it’s unclear if Black Bolt will remain in his more toned down look all season or will eventually don his uniform.
Still, his other traits seem to be intact - specifically the fact that he almost never speaks out loud because his voice has the power to shatter mountains. Even a whisper can cause untold devastation, making him one of Marvel’s most powerful and least quippy heroes.
Medusa
While Black Bolt gets to unleash a bit of his powers at the end, no doubt fans across the Internet are livid that we’ve yet to see Medusa’s abilities on display. In the comics, Medusa made her first appearance in 1965’s Fantastic Four #36—a whole nine issues before Black Bolt arrived. As an ancient Inhuman, she’s technically the cousin of Black Bolt. Like any good royalty, however, they eventually marry one another and rule their people for generations.
Unseen in the trailer is her prehensile hair, shown in the comics as a wild and undulating mass that acts like hundreds of tentacles under the control of the queen. So far, the MCU version of Medusa has yet to display this ability, but we’ve been promised that she retains her comic book powers. Why she doesn’t use them on those usurping her rule is unclear, but her brother-in-law certainly has ways of neutralizing his foes.
Maximus
Played by Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones), Maximus appears to be the main character of the series. As one of the few characters to speak in the trailer and easily the most recognizable actor, the series looks to be focusing on his desire to rule and upend the power structures of the Inhuman Royal Family. Luckily, this is pretty much in line with how he acts in the comics.
Where his brother Black Bolt possesses a voice with the power to destroy, Maximus has an intellect that can do the same. A genius in all things, his schemes and inventions make him one of the most dangerous figures in Marvel Comics. The Inhumans are neutral good to begin with, but Maximus firmly leans towards the chaotic end of the spectrum. Like Loki, he can play nice and protect his family, but he can just as easily betray them for his own ends.
Triton
Left out of the first cast photo, Triton is the most physically deviant character in the Royal Family—and from the looks of things, this has carried through to the show.
In the comics, his transformation gives him a fish-like ability to breathe underwater and swim masterfully. Usually, he wears a breathing apparatus on land, but the one shot of him in the trailer seems to indicate that won’t be the case on the show. His abilities, however, mean the show could stage some intriguing underwater scenes, so hopefully Triton gets more of a spotlight in the series than he has in the marketing.
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Gorgon
Despite the comics featuring tons of Inhumans with physical mutations, Triton and Gorgon are two of the few we see in the trailer that look anything more than human. A bullish man, Gorgon's hind quarters are hairy and cloven, giving him a satyr-like appearance. Rather than dancing around with a pan flute, however, Gorgon uses his legs to create powerful seismic waves when he stomps them down.
A cousin to Black Bolt and Medusa, Gorgon usually serves the role of the general for the Royal Family, using his strength and skills in combat to lead his people against outside forces. As such, he’ll likely be an outspoken critic of Maximus and his schemes.
Karnak
Similar to Gorgon, Karnak is a fighter and shares little love for his cousin Maximus. And despite his unusual facial markings, Karnak is one of the few elite Inhumans who haven’t gone through Terrigenesis.
In Attilan, not all who share the Inhuman genetic code go through the Terrigen Mists to transform. The brother to Triton, Karnak’s parents were appalled at what their son became when he went through the Mists. As such, they begged Karnak not to do the same and he acquiesced. Instead, he went to a monastery and studied everything from history to martial arts.
Despite not having any known powers, he still possesses the ability to see the flaw in all things. Not only does this make him a gifted strategist, but it allows him an almost uncanny set of fighting skills and the ability to destroy things by finding their weak point. Though we see him fight a bit in the trailer, there’s no telling how extensive Karnak’s powers will be on the show. Hopefully, the minds behind the series will find some inventive ways to showcase his abilities.
Crystal
Besides her neat hair, Crystal looks relatively normal for an Inhuman. Her powers, however, are some of the strongest among her people. The sister of Medusa and princess of the Royal Family, Crystal has control over the four traditional elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Like Storm or Super-Skrull, this makes her a powerful warrior.
In the comics, Crystal's a fierce fighter and leader, but the show seems to be making her a bit younger in age and skills. The few shots we see of her show her looking worried and out of her depth, nothing like her comic counterpart. Hopefully an explanation is given as Crystal, should be one of the most feared and powerful Inhumans on the series.
Lockjaw
The final member of the Royal Family is both Black Bolt’s pet and transportation. Though the Inhumans have other means of travel, they often rely on the teleporting Lockjaw to get them around. In the show, it looks as if Black Bolt will go off with the dog when he first heads to Earth. There’s even a chance the show could shine a light on Lockjaw’s origins.
Though he’s been around since the Inhumans properly debuted in Fantastic Four #45, there’s no clear answer as to what Lockjaw is. As the Kree experimented on early humans to create the Inhumans, it’s unknown whether Lockjaw is a dog that was altered or a former human who transformed after Terrigenesis. Adding to the mystery is the symbol on his head. On the show, it’s the zig-zag ‘v’ logo that seems to double as the crest of the Royal Family. In the comics, however, Lockjaw has the same tuning fork that Black Bolt has on his mask. Regardless of his backstory, we likely won’t see Lockjaw too much on the show as he’s probably where most of the budget was funneled.
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There’s still a number of other characters that have been cast but don’t appear in the trailer, so expect future marketing to highlight them. When it does, we’ll make sure to explain who everyone is and what purpose they’ll serve on Inhumans.
Inhumans premieres in IMAX on September 1, and on ABC on September 29.