Marvel's Inhumans season 1 Recap

Warning: Spoilers Ahead For Inhumans Season 1

Marvel's Inhumans wrapped up its first season on ABC last week, bringing the story of the Royal Family of Attilan to a close after only eight episodes. The short season had a long journey to the screen, spending years in development as a movie before being bumped to the small screen - and it hasn't been an easy one. Despite attempts to make a splash with an IMAX premiere, Inhumans failed to really take off, and the season finale aired to low ratings and less-than-stellar reviews... although Inhumans did have some fans, of course!

With one season in the can and things not looking too great for a second season, it's time to take a look back over Inhumans season 1. For all its faults, this freshman season did a decent job of introducing the major characters in a clear storyline; and thankfully, one that is fairly self-contained. The Inhumans finale completed the main arc while still leaving possibilities open for future seasons (or appearances elsewhere in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), but before we get to that point, let's take a look all the way back to episode 1...

Maximus's Coup On Attilan

Inhumans began by setting up life as usual on the moon kingdom of Attilan: a gray and dreary place that looks a little like a prison, but is supposed to be a luxurious and technologically advanced civilization. This world runs on a strict caste system, where all Inhumans undergo ritual Terrigenesis, and those with the 'best' abilities live better lives than those with less impressive ones. The worst end up in the mines, a miserable and dangerous life without much hope of happiness. The Royal Family, meanwhile, are living in the lap of gray, angular luxury. Black Bolt (Anson Mount) is the silent King, whose smallest whisper could bring down a building. Ruling at his side is Medusa (Serinda Swan), with psychokinetic control over her ankle-length hair, while their siblings and cousins also enjoy positions of power thanks to their Royal connections.

Medusa's sister, Crystal (Isabelle Cornish) is happy here with her teleporting dog, Lockjaw, but Maximus (Iwan Rheon) is not. When he underwent his Terrigenesis, he did not come out with a stunning ability, but with absolutely no change at all; for all intents and purposes he is human. He also knows that the only reason he is not living the worst kind of life on Attilan is because his brother is the King, and has grown up to be bitter and resentful. So bitter and resentful, in fact, that Inhumans begins with him staging a coup against his own family. Claiming to want to get rid of the caste system and create a more equal Attilan, he is able to overthrow the family. He captures Crystal and attacks their supporters, even managing to hold Medusa and have her hair shaved before she is able to escape. By the third episode, Maximus is installed on the throne, and the rest of the Royals have been separated and are on Earth.

The Royal Family Are Scattered In Hawaii

Maximus quickly goes from promising change to becoming a whole new kind of terrifying dictator; using a teenager's powers for his own gain, slaughtering the genetic council and anyone else who opposes him, and drafting people into his own private guard to send after the Royal Family. He also releases some of the most dangerous Inhumans in order to try and use them to capture (and kill) the Royals before they can come back and boot him off the throne again.

Meanwhile, on Earth, each of the Inhumans meets some natives who help them fend off Maximus's guards and reunite with their family. Gorgon (Eme Ikwuakor) connects with a group of surfers who teach him how to have a little fun, kick back with some beers... and that once they've connected with someone, they'll risk everything to help them. Karnak (Ken Leung) ends up with a trio of drug growers and with damaged powers, thanks to a head wound. While the leader becomes violent and suspicious and attempts to kill him, he falls in love with the third member of the group, a young woman who also teaches him how to live a little, and to accept a little uncertainty in his life. Crystal and Lockjaw don't so much meet a new friend as are hit by him on the road, and after his ex (a vet) tends to the injured Lockjaw, they also head to the beach to learn about the joys of relaxation and swimming in the ocean.

While everyone else learns a valuable lesson about how to relax in Hawaii, Medusa is frantically searching for her husband with the help of a quirky NASA scientist (Louise, played by Ellen Woglom) who is desperate to help her so that she can go to the moon. Finally, Black Bolt ends up arrested, and then broken out of jail by a scientist who is studying Inhumans from Earth. After a few episodes of self-discovery and fighting off Maximus's lackeys, the family finally reunites, and gets together a plan to take Attilan back from Maximus. Sadly, though, before they can manage this, Gorgon is killed in a final battle with Maximus's troops.

A Reunion And A Return To Attilan

With all the gang back together again, it's time for the Royal Family to head back to Attilan, and for a hot minute, it looks like they'll be trying to become better rulers thanks to everything that they have learned on Earth. Lockjaw is ready to do some teleporting, and the Royals use a communicator to get in touch with Maximus and offer a parley. Maximus, who is facing increasing opposition from his new subjects, agrees... and we discover his master plan.

For all his posturing about equality, it turns out the Maximus couldn't really care less about the downtrodden citizens of Attilan. What he really wants is a chance to undergo Terrigenesis for a second time, in the hopes that round two would give him the powers that he craves. It is for this that he murdered the Genetic Council, who would never have let him do it; a second Terrigenesis can drive people mad, it seems. He's been bankrolling the scientist who was studying Inhumans, trying to find out how he can even choose his new powers thanks to the magic of genetics, and agrees to give up the throne in return for the scientist and permission to do it. Black Bolt agrees, but Maximus welches on the deal the instant he gets what he wants, leaving Black Bolt furious and vowing to kill his brother. The Inhumans zip back off to Earth, Maximus keeps his pet scientist on Attilan, and we learn that as a final safety measure against being deposed, Maximus has rigged the dome that protects the city to collapse if he is killed.

...And Finally, Black Bolt

The final showdown is, unsurprisingly, between Black Bolt and Maximus, and it involves the one and only time that Black Bolt actually uses his power in the entire show. First, the Royals teleport into a secret bunker with Lockjaw, and Karnak manages to put Gorgon through a second Terrigenesis with some of Auran's (Sonya Balmores) healing-factor DNA, bringing him back to life but as a brutish, brainless rage-machine. Then Gorgon, Karnak, and a character who pops up only in the opening scenes and the final battle, Triton (Mike Moh), work their way across Attilan in a series of admittedly cool-looking fight scenes.

While they're fighting it out, Maximus and Medusa have a conversation about their past friendship, which ends with Medusa smashing the last Terrigen Crystal in Attilan so that Maximus cannot use it (the rest of the crystals have been squirreled away on Earth). She and her family then begin evacuating the Inhumans to Earth so that they will not be killed when Maximus brings down the dome on top of them. Finally, Black Bolt knocks Maximus out and leaves him in a bunker that pre-dates the city, and can survive the destruction of the dome. He then shuts Maximus alone in the bunker, walks outside, and says "Goodbye Brother"; using his voice to collapse the structure around the bunker and trap Maximus inside forever, where he is the undisputed King. Finally, Black Bolt heads back to Earth, where he and his family turn to face their people and lead them in their new lives.

What's Next For Marvel's Inhumans?

The final moments of Inhumans actually work well as a complete conclusion. The Royals are on Earth with their people, who will have to find a way to make a new Attilan here, or to try and merge into human society. Maximus, who sadly never became a true Maximus the Mad as he is in the comics, is presumably going to live out his days eating dehydrated food in a bunker on the moon. Louise is finally going to be taken seriously at work, and Medusa and her family have learned some valuable lessons about ruling well.

Of course, a second season would always be possible; at least, in terms of story. The integration of the Inhumans into Earth society is bound to have some ups and downs, and if the first season of Inhumans had been a huge success, this would no doubt be where the story goes next. Given the low ratings and poor reviews, however, it is likely that this will be the last that we see of the Inhumans in their own show. Instead of a season two, it's probable that these characters will pop up (or at least get a reference) in Agents of SHIELD, and Marvel will leave it at that.