Jupiter’s Legacy: All we know about Netflix’s superhero show

Superhero fans seem to be having a field day! Or a field year, really - MCU’s Black Widow, Invincible and season three of The Boys are all lined up to fuel the inner superhero maniac in all of us. If that’s not enough, Millarworld fans will finally see their superheroes get their due with Jupiter’s Legacy releasing on Netflix on May 7.

Netflix’s first rendezvous with the Millarworld Universe, Jupiter’s Legacy is based on the comic book of the same name by Mark Millar. The comic book writer is nothing short of a legend - he’s given audiences Kingsman, Civil War and Kick-Ass. The upcoming Netflix Original superhero drama series has the potential to be the next big thing.

Here’s all that you need to know about Jupiter’s Legacy before you grab your popcorn this Friday.

What is the premise of Jupiter’s Legacy?

The eight episodes of the first season of Jupiter’s Legacy will follow the children of superheroes who are trying to live up to the formidably high standards set by their parents. If this sounds like Sky High to you, sit tight. It’s about to get a whole lot better. Jupiter’s Legacy stars Josh Duhamel, Ben Daniels, Lesli Bibb, Mike Wade and Matt Lanter as The Union - a group of super-power humans who fall out 90 years after they were first formed. The next generation of The Union is what the series will focus on.

The first five issues of Millar and Frank Quitley’s Jupiter's Legacy saga will be featured in the series, with a few snippets of the prequel titled Jupiter’s Circle. The basic plot follows two brothers whose ideals of what superheroes should do clash. This conflict stretches for years, ultimately involving their children who are not considering taking after their parents as superheroes. The first of many Millarworld adaptations to be released, Jupiter’s Legacy is a tale of overachieving boomers versus laid-back gen Y-ers.

What timeline is Jupiter’s Legacy based in?

The series will span across two different timelines, the first of which is in the late 1920s. With the advent of the Great Depression, Sheldon Sampson and his brother Walter chase a recurrent dream that the former has. On inspection, it turns out that the island he dreams of is real and might be the key to rescuing America. Sheldon lucks out with his discovery, and the island-search party which also included the siblings’ friends acquire unbeatable superhero powers in 1933, when they return to the mainland.

The second timeline is set in the present-day where Sheldon (now known as the superhero Utopian) is leading a group of superheroes called The Union. They protect the Earth as a unit till one day, Sheldon and Walter fall out over a disagreement based on how they should utilise their powers. This pervades down to their children, who have their own struggles of being unable to match the legacy of their parents.

What are the underlying themes of Jupiter’s Legacy?

First published in 2013, the comic books place the readers right in the middle of President Obama’s second term. You’ll find a bunch of pop culture references which will make one comparison stark- the Golden Age era of comics is long gone and America has moved on.

Though the comic books (and subsequently the series) will revolve around family dramas fuelled by ego and distrust in relationships, they are placed within the larger framework of a failed government that is trying to apply the methods of the Great Depression to the Great Recession in order to save their necks. Though politics does not overshadow the crux of the series, it does decide what choices the characters make on multiple occasions.

The series will also delve into the warring mindsets of two different generations - the America that was once filled with hope and faith is now replaced by a lot of cynics who barely resemble the ideals of their ancestors.

Will Jupiter’s Legacy be violent?

There are two types of people - those who want to keep their superheroes family friendly and those who can't get enough of bloodshed and violence. If you fall into the category of the latter, Jupiter’s Legacy might be the show for you. This is mere speculation, of course. But keeping in mind the comics and the TV MA rating the show has, we’re hopeful.