Kem

**Kem** was a rankless tavern owner and best friend to Seg-El. He is the adoptive son of Mama Zed and the guardian of the late Ona. When Dru-Zod took over Kandor, he had been conscripted into the Sagitari but quickly moved to join Val-El's Resistance. He was eventually killed by Doomsday as he had stayed behind to detonate bombs in an attempt to trap the creature and help buy all the people on Wegthor a chance to escape.

## Biography

### Prelude

At some point during Seg-El's youth, he became friends with Kem. They both met Lyta-Zod together, Kem drunk at the time and being dragged home.

### Season 1

#### "Pilot"

*Main article: Pilot*

When Seg-El was approached by men seeking payment, Kem set up betting. When one of the men pulled a blaster on Seg, Kem pulled a blaster on him, urging Seg to simply pay them. Having lasted as long as he did, a number of people paid Kem. As Seg left, he told the bar that they had free drinks for the next hour, distressing Kem. The following day, Seg returned to tell Kem of how he was to be promoted to the Science Guild. Their conversation was interrupted when Seg stopped a Sagitari from hurting an old man, causing him to be arrested. Some days following that, Kem provided Seg with a skimmer to get out of Kandor City.

#### "House of El"

*Main article: House of El*

Kem later gave proper Kryptonian clothes to Adam Strange, with whom he went to search for Brainiac. After finding a scout, Kem and Adam went to inform Seg, inferring it to mean that Brainiac was already on Krypton.

#### "The Rankless Initiative"

*Main article: The Rankless Initiative*

Three days before Strange and Kem found Brainiac's probe, Kem was with Rhom and her daughter Ona in his bar, giving them a meal for free since Rhom and Ona were poor. In the present, Kem and Seg discussed about further plans to deal with alien technology from Brainiac. In addition, Strange was able to steal from black market dealer the sentry, which was sold by Rhom previously in order to get some money. Seg told Strange to take it to Val in his Fortress. At the same time, the Sagitari unit led by Lyta-Zod went to Rankless District (Sector 19), to search for Black Zero agents and wipe them out. Kem found Rhom and Ona and noticed that Rhom was ill, precisely was infected by Brainiac's sentry. When few Sagitari soldiers captured him and Ona, the infected Rhom killed them. He realised that she was infected and took Ona to safety in his bar.

#### "The Word of Rao"

*Main article: The Word of Rao*

After the incident in Sector 19, Kem still kept Ona in his bar since her infected mother was taken away by Seg to Fortress under Val's care. Kem told Seg that Lyta was arrested for treason and conspiracy with Black Zero, but in reality a set up by Voice of Rao. Kem later took Ona to old Kryptonian woman, Mama Zed, who once raised him in the past despite being not related. Concerned for Ona, Mama Zed encouraged him that Ona doesn't lose hope, prompting him to care for her. He told Ona that her mother was dying, but promised her to keep her from dangers. Ona told him about the religious parade organised by Voice of Rao, in the hopes that she will find the blessing from him and agreed to go with her. In the big crowd, Ona approached to VOR and Kem was concerned that she will be hurt. Kem told to VOR that Ona wanted to give the gift to him, in the form of black statue of Rao as the blessing for her ill mother. Touched by Ona's situation, VOR gave her a blessing and decided that she becomes a new member of Religious Guild. Kem however was unaware that the Voice of Rao was controlled by Brainiac and Ona infected with his sentry.

#### "House of Zod"

*Main article: House of Zod*

Kem was informed by Strange about Seg's disappearance. Although Kem relaxed Strange about that Seg will be fine, Strange was not convinced and told him to be a big asset instead being passive regarding Seg's absence. Both were unaware that he was captured by Black Zero operatives, later escaped from them, found by Cythonnite cult and escaped from the cult in Outlands. Strange later got Seg's message and told Lyta to go for the rescue, later finding them in Zod's lair.

#### "Transformation"

*Main article: Transformation*

Seg-El, Lyta and Dru-Zod came to his bar, using it as a safe hideout. Seg ordered Kem to find a doctor to heal a wounded Zod, which he did. He also told them about the failed coup attempt against VOR/Brainiac, including the disappearance of Jayna-Zod. The martial law in Kandor was declared by VOR and Kem became a member of underground resistance movement.

#### "Savage Night"

*Main article: Savage Night*

While still in resistance movement, Strange came to him to apologise for not telling everything about other details from the future, but was still distrutful to him. Nevertheless, Kem reluctantly considered to call Seg so that Strange can join them. He soon found Ona in Rankless District and tried to tell her about VOR's true nature, but he couldn't as Sagitari soldiers patrolled the streets and Ona decided to stay with VOR. Several hours later, Ona came to him and his resistance HQ, but noticed something odd on her. Adam Strange quickly intervened when following her as Ona was turned as living bomb by Brainiac, activating shield from Zeta Ray device, and shielding Kem and Seg from the explosion. Kem was devastated over Ona's death and to Adam Strange as well.

#### "The Phantom Zone"

*Main article: The Phantom Zone*

When Brainiac's ship arrived to take Kandor, he was presumably evacuated by Lyta when going to underground tunnels. One month after Seg and Brainiac were pulled in the Phantom Zone within the Fortress of Solitude, all Rankless citizens, including Kem, were required to become Sagitari as part of new order created by Dru-Zod.

### Season 2

#### "Will To Power"

*Main article: Will To Power*

Brainiac took the form of Kem in Seg-El's mind, happily offering his "friend" a drink. Kem himself however, was with the Sagitari on Wegthor.

#### "Danger Close"

*Main article: Danger Close*

When Dev-Em told Jayna-Zod about the start of the Wegthor rebellion, he explained how he and Kem had been in the same unit and had stumbled upon a settlement. Kem scanned the area but found that it wasn't the rebels but miner families and civilians. However, they received orders for Lyta-Zod to attack the settlement as they could be harboring rebels. Kem watched as Dev had been attacked and knocked out by their squad leader and moved to follow Lyta's order to engage. When Dev came to, he found Kem waiting by his side but didn't need him to tell him what had happened. Kem then went to a contact of his and helped Kem smuggle himself off Wegthor so he could return to Krypton.

When the Resistance attacked Zod's convoy, Kem was revealed to be the sole survivor of the Sagitari unit. Gazing at his dead squad leader, Araame asked Kem if he had been a friend of his. Kem told her that he had in fact hated the guy as he looked down on conscripts like himself. Araame spared him and he was taken back to the Resistance camp as a prisoner of war.

When Adam Strange arrived on Wegthor, he quickly spoted Kem and was delighted to see him. Kem, however, was shocked that Adam had survived the explosion that killed Ona. Adam then apologized for not being able to save her but Kem forgave him. Kem revealed from Adam that Seg was still alive and on Kandor, much to Kem's delight. Adam then told Kem that he would find a way to help him.

Kem offered to help the rebels to take the space elevator, as only a bio-scan from a Sagitari would grant them access and not set off an alarm. He, Adam, Araame, and a handful of others entered the station. When Kem tried to pass the bio-reader, there was glitch that set off the alarm, but was quickly solved by using a disruptor. However, when the assault team outside was killed by poisoned respirators, Araame was given an order by Jax-Ur to use her new weapon. Being a smart weapon, designed to target all Sagitari on Wegthor including Kem, Adam tried to stop her, but although Araame apologized to Kem, she moved to activate it anyway. The weapon however was soon disarmed by both Val-El and Nyssa-Vex, leaving Kem unharmed. Before they coild regroup, a squad of Sagitari led by Lyta arrived and called them to surrender.

#### "A Better Yesterday"

*Main article: A Better Yesterday*

Kem and Adam were taken as prisoners along with the rest of the task force. Adam tried to reason with Lyta-Zod, but to no avail. As Lyta informed them that they were going to Val and Jax with surrender terms, he and Adam were kept to insure their cooperation.

Kem and Adam were kept on check by a Sagitari guard, as other Sagitari were retreating from Wegthor. The guard was under the orders to kill them if the deal failed through and/or the hostage was killed. The guard then began to mess around with Adam's Zeta Beam, only for Kem to watch as the guard was shot dead by Nyssa-Vex. After freeing them, Nyssa told them to get back to the rebels through the tunnels, and that she cannot go back with them as she was now a traitor on both sides. She then departed back to Krypton to get her son.

Kem and Adam started their trek through the tunnels, but discovered that the rebels had moved. Kem brought out his scanner to try and find them but detected a mass group of heat signatures in a mine that he knew had been blown in and everyone that had been there had died. Adam suggested that it could be trapped rebels, but he scaned deeper and discovered that the signatures belong to a large group of Sagitari lying in ambush, not rebels. Kem and Adam went to warn Val.

When the rebels found them, Jax asked them how they got away and Kem told her that Nyssa helped them escape. Kem and Adam gave a scanner to Jax to show her what they had found.

Kem then stood with the rest of the rebels as Jax broadcasted throughout Kandor that Zod was a liar and a deceitful tyrant. He had claimed to pull the Sagitari out of Wegthor but had instead sent rebel prisoners in Sagitari uniforms through the Space Elevator as decoys while his soldiers hid in a mine to ambush them as soon as they released Lyta back to Kandor. Kem then watched as Jax brought Lyta out and slit her throat as punishment for Zod's treachery.

#### "In Zod We Trust"

*Main article: In Zod We Trust*

After Jax-Ur executed Lyta, Kem was ready to follow her in her pursuit of the Sagitari that were hiding in the mines. However, Val-El stops them and spoke out against what Jax had done. He argued that her act of barbarism went against everything their rebellion stood for. Many of the rebels, including Kem, stood with Val and had Jax, along with Araame, taken into custody.

Val was then contacted by General Zod, demanding for Jax to be turned over to him or he will kill Kryptonian on Wegthor in retaliation. Kem and Adam had mixed thoughts about Zod's demand. They later found out that Jax and Araame had escaped their cell and stole several gravity bombs to lay waste to the Space Elevator base station.

Kem, Adam and Val intercepted Jax and managed to find her. Val killed Araame and captured Jax. Val informed her of Zod's ultimatum and that they were going to turn her over. Jax replied that she had already placed the gravity bombs in key locations of the Space Elevator base station and had them wired to a detonator she was carrying. She handed the detonator to Val, telling him that she was done making the hard decisions for him and if it was to be done, he would have to do it himself. Kem quickly tried to remind Val that the plan was for them to take control of the station, not destroy it, but Jax then pointed out that they wouldn't be able to hold the station for long. The Sagitari that were hiding still hadn't been found and they would eventually try to take it back, so they didn't have the numbers to both hold the station and protect their base of operations. Kem saw Val considering her words and he tried to argue that there were still many people working at the station that did not support Zod, noting that they would die as well if it was destroyed.

Val soon contacted General Zod while Kem and Adam restrained Jax. Zod assumed that Val had agreed to his demand for Jax, and although he told Val that the other rebels wouldn't be spared, he said that Val himself would be working for him at the Science Guild. Val refused his offer, calling Zod a delusional tyrant for thinking that he would ever serve him or his "foul" vision. Val then activated the detonator, igniting the gravity bombs and destroying the bay station to Kem and Adam's shock, as well as Jax's approval.

#### "Zods and Monsters"

*Main article: Zods and Monsters*

Kem was chosen by Val-El to lead a mission to defeat the remaining Sagitari on Wegthor, putting him in position to lead a team. When Adam Strange asked him about his position, Kem humorously explained in graphic detail how a victim of radiation poisoning, which one can get from Stellarium deposits where they were going, once excreted his entire skeleton and still survived.

Kem moved through the mines, efficiently ordering his team about before pressing on alone with Adam. Kem ordered a regroup and reconnaissance, but the soldier insisted on attacking immediately via surprise due to their numerical disadvantage because apparently reconnaissance would "ruin" that for them, yet Kem repeated his order anyway.

Discovering "something", Kem's lieutenant again insisted on attacking forthwith, but Kem decided to do further reconnaissance alone. The lieutenant stormed off, and Adam tried to dissuade Kem, but the latter calmed him down and said he would be fine, and left to find Sagitari.

Kem, using his scanner, noticed that the biosignatures he saw were "dim". Knowing that Stellarium doesn't typically do that, he surmised that the people he saw were malnourished. Discovering them to be Sagitari, quite docile and dying, he brought them back to his soldiers and feeded them. He delivered them to Val-El, and he congratulated Kem on a job well done. Adam apologized, and Kem accepted, the two banterings afterward.

#### "Mercy"

*Main article: Mercy*

In the illusion created by the Black Mercy within Lyta-Zod's mind, Kem was among the wedding guests for the wedding between Seg-El and Lyta-Zod in Kryptonopolis.

#### "Blood Moon"

*Main article: Blood Moon*

When the rebels prepared to fight, Kem and Val saw Seg and Nyssa arriving to their base (with their modified skimmer for travel in space), much to their delight. Seg warned them about Zod's fleet of interplanetary ships arriving on Wegthor. When the ship came with Sagitari and Doomsday, the assault unit began to fire, but Doomsday killed them with ease. Seg and his friends decide to separate in order to slow down Doomsday and to evacuate many rebels and civilians to the ship as possible. Val, Seg and Kem went to the mines and Val ordered to put explosives on them so that Val could detonate them afar. When the power network was destroyed in HQ, Val could not activate it and ordered them to turn it on the surface. While Val and Adam were trapped in HQ, Kem and Seg, with their unit, continued the mission. Doomsday broke the tunnels and killed whole unit, while Kem and Seg escaped. Seg noticed the detonator was missing and wanted to get it, but Kem decided to put a force barrier between them so that he could save Seg's life. Kem found the detonator, but Doomsday grabbed and killed him, but not before detonating the explosives and the tunnels were buried. The explosion caused a wide chain reaction, resulting in the destruction of the moon and killing Doomsday. Other civilians and rebels escaped from it.

## Personality

As Seg's best friend, Kem is seen to have a similar sense of humor as his best mate. He loves Seg like only a brother could and is his voice of reason whenever Seg gets himself into a situation that could create trouble. He also tries to make Seg's newfound guilded status more cheerful by joking that he suspected that Seg would get a guild and a wife [Nyssa] before lunch.

Kem is also seen to have a paternal streak when it comes to his honorary niece and later ward, Ona. Additionally, he loves Mama Zed as an adoptive son despite not being related.

Unlike Seg, Kem is easily annoyed by Adam Strange who he dubs the oddest person he's ever met. He doesn't understand Strange's Earth humor or the mannerisms that accompany it. Yet, over time, he and Adam begin to develop a profound respect and trust in each other. While Adam does still annoy Kem at times, he seems to have grown as fond and close to him as Seg has.

Kem is a good friend to Seg's grandpa Val-El and Lyta-Zod, and later to Nyssa, Jayna and Dev-Em.

When he joined to Sagitari, he became initially inexperienced fighter, but over the time he learned some of the skills. Those skills were needed when he joined to rebels. Because of his experience, he felt that he done something good for Krypton, and that he would make a noble sacrifice due to his love to his planet and friends, which ultimately led to his decision to save Seg's life to complete the mission before he died.

## Trivia

* Kem appears to be similar to Kem-L, a distance relative of Seyg-El in the comics. Despite some similarities, Kem in the show is considered to be an original character.
* In "Will To Power", it's heavily implied that Kem is gay as he tells his battle partner to stop flirting with him.

## Appearances

### Season 1

* "Pilot"
* "House of El"
* "The Rankless Initiative"
* "The Word of Rao
* "House of Zod"
* "Transformation"
* "Savage Night"
* "The Phantom Zone"

### Season 2

* "Will To Power"
* "Danger Close"
* "A Better Yesterday"
* "In Zod We Trust"
* "Zods and Monsters"
* "Mercy" (illusion)
* "Blood Moon"
* "The Alpha and the Omega" (mentioned)

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kalteux, Luke (writer), Ramsay, Julius (director) (July 3, 2019). "Danger Close". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 4. Syfy.
2. ↑ Goldberg, Ian, Goyer, David S. (writers), Donnelly, Ciaran & McCarthy, Colm (directors) (March 21, 2018). "Pilot". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 1. Syfy.
3. ↑ Welsh, Cameron (writer) & Donnelly, Ciaran (director) (March 28, 2018). "House of El". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 2. Syfy.
4. ↑ Tucker, Nadria (writer), Shill, Steve (director) (April 4, 2018). "The Rankless Initiative". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 3. Syfy.
5. ↑ Kalteux, Luke (writer), Boak, Keith (director) (April 11, 2018). "The Word of Rao". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 4. Syfy.
6. ↑ Patel, Lina (writer), Ramsay, Julius (director) (April 18, 2018). "House of Zod". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 5. Syfy.
7. ↑ Francis, David Paul (writer), Hüseyin, Metin (director) (May 2, 2018). "Transformation". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 7. Syfy.
8. ↑ Kob, David (writer), Roskin, Marc (director) (May 9, 2018). "Savage Night". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 8. Syfy.
9. ↑ Fiveash, Chad & Stoteraux, James & Welsh, Cameron (writers), Donnelly, Ciaran (director) (May 23, 2018). "The Phantom Zone". *Krypton*. Season 1. Episode 10. Syfy.
10. ↑ Patel, Lina (writer), Ramsay, Julius (director) (June 26, 2019). "Will To Power". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 3. Syfy.
11. ↑ David Kob (writer), Hüseyin, Metin (director) (July 10, 2019). "A Better Yesterday". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 5. Syfy.
12. ↑ Tucker, Nadria (writer), Hüseyin, Metin (director) (July 17, 2019). "In Zod We Trust". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 6. Syfy.
13. ↑ Thompson, Joel Anderson (writer), Watson, Erica (director) (July 24, 2019). "Zods and Monsters". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 7. Syfy.
14. ↑ Aldrin, Katie (writer), Kilner, Clare (director) (July 31, 2019). "Mercy". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 8. Syfy.
15. ↑ Francis, David Paul (writer), Welsh, Cameron (director) (August 7, 2019). "Blood Moon". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 9. Syfy.