SYFY’s Krypton will arrive on the cable network next month, and a new video promoting the series reveals what fans can expect from the primary antagonist, Brainiac. Like Gotham, the new show is meant to tease a world before the birth of one of DC Comics’ iconic heroes, though this time it really is before the birth of Superman. Unlike, say, Smallville, where Clark Kent was learning to cope with his abilities and the discovery of his true origins, Krypton takes place a generation before Kal-El was glimmer in Jor-El’s eye. Instead, the series tells the story of Seg-El, Kal’s grandfather and the unbearably weighty choice that is forced upon him by a strange visitor.

That visitor is, Adam Strange, who tells Seg he needs to ensure the birth of his grandson, but in doing so must also allow his home planet, and all its inhabitants (save a few, obviously) to perish. That sort of premise gives the show a sense there’s something at stake, as it presents the possibility that Kal-El might not one day don a big red S in defense of truth and justice. But making certain the timeline remains unaltered isn’t the only obstacle Seg-El will face, as a new video reveals, he’ll also have to contend with Superman villain Brainiac.

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As the video demonstrates, Krypton aims to keep its green-skinned android as faithful to the comics as possible — at least the most recent iteration of the character. As described by series executive producers David Goyer and Geoff Johns, the goal with Brainiac is to finally bring the villain to life in a way television has never been able to before. Previous incarnations of the character have sought to change him for various reasons, but Goyer and Johns are eager to deliver one that looks as though he’s leapt off the comics page and onto the screen.

As Johns notes, he developed the character as more of an ancient evil, one that is cold and detached, and very much the machine he appears to be. And as the preview shows, Krypton looks to have delivered on that idea. Everything from the green skin, the black eyes, and mechanized voice ring true to the comics, while also delivering a foe capable of menacing an entire planet and giving this new series something else to focus on besides a nonexistent Kal-El.

The series is also aiming for consistency across other Warner Bros. products, as the voice used by Blake Ritson sounds an awful lot like the Jeffrey Combs’ Brainiac from Injustice 2. But that’s not all, as the preview also provides a great look at the character’s skull ship, though this one has been modified to look much more ominous (think Nero’s Romulan mining vessel from the 2009 Star Trek). It all adds up to Brainiac being one of Krypton’s most important characters. After all, if you can’t have one of your company’s most iconic heroes you can at least offer up one of his greatest villains.

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Krypton premieres Wednesday, March 21 on SYFY.

Source: SYFY