WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Jupiter's Legacy, now streaming on Netflix.
The first season of Netflix's Jupiter's Legacy unfolds in two time periods. In flashback segments, audiences follow the hardships of Sheldon Sampson following the economic crash of 1929, and he's plagued with visions that chip away at his sanity. Meanwhile in the present, a much older Sheldon operates as the Utopian, humanity's greatest superhero, while he, his family and other superheroes work to keep the world safe. These two eras work in parallel, with the past informing the present and vice versa, and this is the same storytelling device that was used by Lost. However, that is only part of the reason why Jupiter's Legacy essentially works as a spiritual successor to the ABC series.
In fact, the premise behind the flashbacks can be compared to that of the ABC series. Following the death of his father, Sheldon experiences visions that lead him to assemble a team of travelers with people he believes are destined to go along with him. By boat, they travel to a specific set of coordinates that leads them to a mysterious island, which appears out of nowhere after a perilous storm.
Sheldon and his companions explore the island, and they find it is almost alive. The island has a will of its own, and it is determined to test them and their resolve at every step. For his utmost dedication to the mission, Sheldon is deemed delusional, but he pushes through, and circumstances lead him and his friends to reach the heart of the island, a shining door that leads them to one of Jupiter's moons. By surviving the island's trials, Sheldon and his friends prove themselves worthy, and they are granted special powers to become humanity's saviors.
This story unfolds over the entire season of Jupiter's Legacy, and it bears similarities with the overall narrative of Lost's six seasons. Throughout the ABC series, viewers learned a group of survivors marooned on a mysterious, uncharted island were actually handpicked by an ancient being known as Jacob. His goal was to find someone who could replace him and become the new protector of the island -- and by extension the entire world. His chosen replacement would be given certain abilities, and while they wouldn't become an actual superhero, they would inherit incredible responsibilities.
One of the main themes of Lost was the constant struggle between free will and fate, and the character of John Locke was placed right at its center. On Lost, Locke was the devout follower, ready to take on any test the island threw at him, believing it was all part of a cosmic plan. Meanwhile, on Jupiter's Legacy, Sheldon is placed in this role. While the two characters are different, Sheldon is the one who travels on faith alone, believing that all the answers will be revealed on the island, and, as it turns out, he was absolutely right.
Now, Lost didn't go on to create a team of superheroes, but it established a thematic foundation that allows Jupiter's Legacy to soar. By following in these footsteps, the Netflix series grounds its story in a human element, all while building to something far bigger.
Netflix's Jupiter's Legacy stars Josh Duhamel as The Utopian, Ben Daniels as Brainwave, Leslie Bibb as Lady Liberty, Elena Kampouris as Chloe Sampson, Andrew Horton as Brandon Sampson, Mike Wade as The Flare, Anna Akana as Raikou and Matt Lanter as Skyfox. Season 1 is available on Netflix now.
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