Black Mercy

The Black Mercy, attached to Lyta-Zod

The **Black Mercy** is a parasitic plant that places its host into a hallucinatory coma.

## Appearance

Appearing as a mass of fibrous black tentacles, the Black Mercy attaches itself to its victim's chest and inserts two small tendrils up each nostril, and a third, larger tendril into its victim's mouth. The Black Mercy pulsates in a slow, undulating motion, as if breathing, or perhaps drawing sustenance from its victim.

## Properties

The Black Mercy secretes a toxin that targets and feeds on the pleasure centers in the brains of its hosts, creating blissful alternate realities within their minds where all their hopes and dreams are realized. This places the host into a coma of sorts while hallucinating, allowing the Black Mercy to subsist on the host without struggle or resistance. However, if the plant itself is harmed or weakened, the alternate reality within the host's mind can begin to break down, potentially allowing the host to identify the illusion and rouse themselves from it. Exceptionally strong-willed individuals have also been known to reject the illusory alternate reality on their own, and escape the Black Mercy's embrace.

## History

### Prelude

The Black Mercy was discovered by Val-El during his travels throughout the universe via the Phantom Zone. He brought it back to his Fortress of Solitude, and there it stayed until General Zod stormed the fortress and claimed it for himself following the events of "The Phantom Zone".

It is revealed in "Mercy" that General Zod used it sometime before "The Phantom Zone" and "Light-Years From Home" in order to pacify his rebellious mother, Lyta-Zod, who he cloned and then somatically reconditioned said clone to be loyal. All the while, the original Lyta languished in a secure room, living out a blissful hallucination induced by the Black Mercy.

### Season 2

#### "Mercy"

*Main article: Mercy*

General Zod, requiring a non-Kryptonian psychoactive drug to compel Doomsday, reveals Lyta-Zod and the Black Mercy infecting her to Lis-Ser, commanding her to extract the toxin from it for use on Doomsday. The repeated extraction weakens the illusion within Lyta's mind however, and she eventually breaks free, ripping the Black Mercy out of herself.

#### "The Alpha and the Omega"

*Main article: The Alpha and the Omega*

After Lyta-Zod and Seg-El defeat General Zod, he is put under the influence of the Black Mercy. In his hallucination, he heads to Earth to conquer it, supported by his parents. In the real world, Seg asks Lyta how long they can keep their son under the Black Mercy's influence, to which she responds as long as they need.

## Trivia

* The Black Mercy appears numerous times throughout Season 1 of *Krypton* within a case inside the Fortress of Solitude. It was deliberately placed there to give a sense that "Val had a life", having acquired the Black Mercy in his travels.

## Appearances

### Season 1

* "Pilot" (case)
* "The Rankless Initiative" (case)
* "Transformation" (case)

### Season 2

* "Mercy"
* "Blood Moon" (mentioned)
* "The Alpha and the Omega"

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Aldrin, Katie (writer), Kilner, Clare (director) (July 31, 2019). "Mercy". *Krypton*. Season 2. Episode 8. Syfy.
2. ↑ McCulloch, Scott (writer), Gray, Alexander (director) (May 25, 2018). "Bringing the Home World to Life". *Krypton*. Season 1. Bonus content episode no. 102. Syfy.