Supacelltook the world by storm when it first premiered, especially since it showed that there’s still room forgreat stories within the superhero genre. TheRapman-created show is also one of the few Netflix shows to reach100% on Rotten Tomatoes,meaning that its Season 2 renewal isn’t all that surprising. Anyone who’s watchedSupacellcan tell you that its story is a major part of its draw, as five Black residents of South London discover they have superpowers. Time traveler Michael (Tosin Cole), psychic Sabrina (Nadine Mills), super-strong Andre (Eric Kofi-Abrefa), speedster Rodney (Calvin Demba), and invisible gang leader “Tazer” (Josh Tedeku) soon find themselves united against a mysterious organization that’s been hunting others like them, forming the bulk of Season 1’s story. But like any good superhero tale,twists and turns lay the groundwork for a second season.
Supacell is a British superhero drama series that centers on five ordinary Black people from South London who unexpectedly develop superpowers. The only thing they have in common is a connection to sickle cell disease. As these individuals grapple with their newfound abilities, they must navigate personal challenges and societal pressures while being pursued by a mysterious organization with its own agenda.
‘Supacell’ Finds a Unique Source for Its Characters’ Powers
Whenever one ofSupacell’s main characters discovers their powers, their eyes flare gold before the power kicks in. It isn’t until later in the series that the source of the power is revealed, as all theprotagonists have a mutated form of sickle cell disease, referred to as the “supacell.” Prior to this revelation, each character had discussed their own history with sickle cell; Andre tells his son about his family’s history with the disease, while MIchael checks his mother into a sickle cell treatment center early on. Rapman told Netflix that he wanted tofind a common connection between his cast, and given how sickle cell affects Black patients, this adds another layer of realism to the show — making it even more compelling.
‘Supacell’s Protagonists Aren’t the Only Characters With Superpowers
Supacell’s Season 1 finale also reveals a major twist:there are other superpowered beings out there, and some of them are working for the mystery organization. The most dangerous of these “hunters” is Krazy (Ghetts), the leader of a rival gang to Tazer’s. What makes Krazy so dangerous isthat he can replicate others’ superpowers, making him a deadly combatant. As for the organization and its mysterious leader Ray (Eddie Marsan), Rapman says that their major objective is to keep superpowered people from potentially upending the new world order, as he told Tudum:
“I believe them as villains, but they think they’re doing what’s good. They feel like if those [supacell] people get out untrained, they could kill millions. They see that [imprisonment] as a small sacrifice. I think you get really get to see how society thinks.”
The Stakes Are Personal, Rather Than Apocalyptic, in ‘Supacell’
Most superhero movies or TV shows usually focus on the heroes' race to stop the world from complete and utter destruction, butSupacelltakes a different approach by keeping the stakes personal for its protagonists. In the case of Michael, those stakes turn out to be immensely huge. After he proposes to his girlfriend Dionne (Adelayo Adedayo), his powers kick in during an intimate moment and send him forward weeks into the future. Michael meets his future self, who’s gathered the other powered,and learns that Dionne dies at some point in the future. He works to gather the others and keep Dionne safe, but during the fight with Krazy and the other hunters, Dionne is shot, leaving Michael to grieve over her.
Sabrina also ends up having a personal stake in the fight. Krazy used to date her sister Shar (Rayxia Ojo); he even swings by their house, where he makes it clear that he intends to rekindle his relationship with Shar, no matter what. Shar is also apprehended by the hunters, as the Organization mistakenly believes that she is the one with powers instead of Sabrina. By Season 1’s end, Shar is still imprisoned — leading Sabrina to join up with Michael and the others.
‘Supacell’ Ends With the Perfect Setup for Season 2
In the Season 1 finale ofSupacell, Michael gathers the others together and tells themhe plans to travel into the future to learn more about the Organization, so that they can burn it to the ground. “I’m going to the future, getting all the information I can, and when I come back, they’re all gonna f***ing pay," he growls — a far cry from the ordinary delivery driver he was at the beginning of the series. Little does Michael know that the Organization is undergoing new management of sorts, as one of its members, Victoria (Sian Brooke), has Krazy shot for failing to take care of Michael and the others.Supacellalso saves its biggest twist for last with Victoria,as she’s the head of the sickle cell centerwhere Michael’s mother is staying.
Supacell’s unique blend of complex characters, superpowers through the lens of Black Londoners, and keeping things personal and self-contained made it a must-watch series. It’s also set the stage for the upcoming second season to be even more compelling, and while production hasn’t started yet, Rapman and the rest of the cast and crew have laid the groundwork for another great story.
Supacellis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
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