The second episode of Netflix’s Supacell, “Tazer,” explores the stress and anxiety some of the superheroes experience as they discover their powers and test their limits. While some superhero narratives follow characters who experience their powers in secret, Supacell shows what happens when the discovery takes place around loved ones, friends, foes, and observing strangers.
This is akin to how the Marvel Cinematic Universe films opened up during and after The Avengers. The stories became more interesting when we started to learn about how superheroes also affect everyday people, a crucial factor in creator Rapman’s Supacell. I appreciate that Supacell went in this direction. It feels more realistic and grounded in the actual world.
Supacell and the internal narrative
This focus on the wider world contrasts with the internal feelings, secrets, and activities multiple characters feel, such as when Michael (Tosin Cole) keeps the secret of Dionne (Adelayo Adedayo)’s future death from her, though he shares with her the names he learned when visiting the future.
The theme of internal instinct versus external impact is also prominent in this episode. As Michael explores his powers, knowing they could save his fiancee, he has to decide whether he believes the truth about what he experienced and what Dionne saw, or his friend’s doubts about whether it was possible—and therefore, whether those in the hood are coming after him.
Rodney (Calvin Demba) also faces doubt from his friend, who of course doesn’t believe Rodney’s run from London to Scotland and back. As he gains control of his abilities, however, his self-confidence remains undeterred (even though women aren’t exactly interested in his rude catcalling, an action which makes him a bit difficult to like or empathize with).
Superpower as self-Defense and retribution
For Tazer (Josh Tedeku), who has already been injured and traumatized, his superpower of invisibility has become his self-defense. Not only can he move unseen to avoid recognition, he makes a power move that stops his enemies. He characterizes his goals as “money, power, respect.” His friends start calling him “The Ghost.” He gets cocky quickly.
Sabrina (Nadine Mills) displays a reaction of fear and bewilderment after she uses her own powers. Speaking with her sister, she asks to be comforted while they’re doing hair. Here, Sabrina talks about her oldest sibling role, which could be part of why her ability manifests as a force to physically defend herself and others. As that power increases, she needs to find comfort for balance.
Michael, like Sabrina, experiences some shock and a period of denial, also doing his best to convince Dionne that he doesn’t have powers because he couldn’t use them on demand. Understandably, he does not trust the police and doesn’t want to go to them with this information.
“These powers are upon me”
Michael says this to Dionne when he describes the condition of having superpowers—but she’s convinced they have something to do with whatever happens when he’s around Tazer. He’s also describing the weight of the responsibility he feels for preventing her murder. These layered statements appear more and more as the episode moves on. It’s masterful writing to make the more cerebral Michael the first primary character introduced, because he brings layers to the mysterious connections the superheroes share.
Initially, I wasn’t sure why each episode bears one character’s name as its title when the episodes, in some instances, give equal time to each main character. However, it becomes evident at the close of episode 2: Michael’s experience connects him to Tazer first, and Tazer’s the one making big moves that shake and move the narrative.
Again, the episode somewhat sidelined the stories of its women, which often center around what the male characters are doing. We see women cleaning up physical and emotional messes that men make, but we have yet to see a strong narrative for the women in this story. Hopefully Sabrina’s episode will reveal something more complex and empowering for the sole main female character out of the four.