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In the comics, Kara is pursuing payback against a villainous brigand named Krem of the Yellow Hills. She’s doing so for two reasons: he hurt Krypto, and she’s been asked to help a vengeful girl named Ruthye, whose father was killed by Krem. The Old Guard‘s Matthias Schoenaerts has been cast as the DCU’s Krem, a villain who proved to almost be a match for the Girl of Steel. We finally get a proper look at the DCU’s Krem in the new Supergirl trailer – and here’s all you need to know about this dangerous villain.
Krem of the Yellow Hills is a Pirate & Brigand
A pirate and assassin, Krem is something of a mystery; we don’t know his backstory, and the comics even hint that “Krem” may not be his real name. He’s selfish, ruthless, and utterly self-interested, with absolutely no code of honor. Krem sees no shame in taking a kill-shot from a distance, injuring Krypto as well as Supergirl when he attacked them with a bow and arrow. He was able to harm them because this encounter took place on a planet with a red sun, meaning neither Supergirl nor Krypto had powers there.
As seen in the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comics, Krem left his own world in Supergirl’s ship, which he stole because he was still intimidated by her. He formed an alliance with a group known as Barbond’s Brigands, who are basically space pirates; they are described as “a wicked gathering of wicked men that went from place to place earning money off the carnage they wrought.” Working with the Brigands, he participated in several horrific acts of genocide, while developing weapons that he believed could counter Supergirl.
Krem is an Ordinary Being – But Ruthlessly Intelligent
Krem isn’t really a physical threat to Kara (unless they’re under a red sun). He is, however, utterly ruthless and disturbingly competent, figuring out how to use exotic weapons and technology to his advantage in order to threaten Supergirl and shake her off his scent. The quest to bring Krem to justice took Supergirl and Ruthye into some of the darkest situations in the galaxy, literally bringing them face-to-face with horrors such as genocide – atrocities that Krem had happily participated in. He may lack powers, but his lack of morality is what makes Krem such a compelling villain.
We don’t really know much about Barbond’s Brigands (even in the comics), beyond the fact they clearly share Krem’s lack of morality. Whatever the case, it looks as though the Brigands annoy both Supergirl and Jason Momoa’s Lobo – the latter something of a surprise given the Czarnian’s own ethics have often corresponded with those of the Brigands. It looks as though we’re seeing a Czarnian and a Kryptonian team up, and Krem will soon learn Lobo doesn’t even share a weakness for Kryptonite.
Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts looks perfectly cast as the DCU’s Krem of the Yellow Hills, bringing a sinister intensity to the role. Well experienced with fantastical genres due to his time in The Old Guard franchise, viewers may also recognize Schoenaerts for his roles in Red Sparrow, Django, and The Regime. The interesting question is whether he has any agenda beyond survival; the Supergirl trailer teases Kara is working on the clock to save Krypto from poison, so she’s likely to be a lot more intense than the comics.
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