Exclusive – Jupiter’s Legacy star reveals final episode was “very different” in original script
One of the biggest reveals almost didn't make the cut. **SPOILERS FOR JUPITER'S LEGACY**
Jupiter's Legacy star Ben Daniels has revealed that the original script for the season finale was "very different" to what eventually made it to our screens.
The new series is based on a comic book by writer Mark Millar and artist Frank Quitely, which explores the growing schism between the world's first superheroes and the new generation.
The action-packed final episode sees an epic confrontation between the Union of Justice and their hulking nemesis Blackstar, as well as a mind-bending psychic battle between Walter Sampson (Daniels) and an unexpected foe.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, the actor reveals that the episode changed "a lot" from when he first joined the project and gives an insight into what almost happened. Read on for details, but beware spoilers follow.
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As fans of the comic books will have expected, the Jupiter's Legacy finale reveals that Ben Daniels' Brainwave is not the hero he makes himself out to be and has, in fact, been plotting against his brother for some time.
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It's a bombshell that sets up dramatic events to come in a potential second season, but surprisingly almost never made it into the script at all.
"The show did change a lot," says Daniels. "When I originally got the script for episode eight, you still had no inkling that it was Walter who was the villain – they were going to save that for season two.
"And then the more it went along, the more they were like, ‘No, we need to do this now, we need to really bring the end of it to a proper climax’. Which is a good thing, I think."
Had the writers chosen to omit this crucial piece of information, the show would have lost a major tease with which to hook viewers into future episodes. And that's not all that differed from the first draft.
Daniels reveals that the big action sequence of the episode – a psychic duel between Brainwave and longtime nemesis Sky Fox (Matt Lanter) – would also have been scrapped in this alternate version for something even more "surreal".
"I think that the final episode was very, very different before," Daniels says. "It was kind of Walter and a whole crazy surreal dream world that went on for a long time.
"But you didn't quite know what was happening and I think you thought The Utopian [played by Josh Duhamel] was the villain. It was such a long time ago, I might be making that up."
Jupiter's Legacy is yet to be officially renewed for a second season, but if the show does return viewers should keep an eye out for any remnants of these ideas being put to use further down the line.
Jupiter's Legacy is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
