'Krypton' Theory: Is the Voice of Rao a Time Traveler Like Adam Strange?

The third episode of Krypton is mostly about three things: an impending alien invasion, poor people on Krypton getting the shaft, and a low-key love triangle between Seg, Nyssa, and Lyta Zod. But, maybe all of that is just a distraction? The big question looming on Krypton is probably the one hiding in plain sight: who the hell is the Voice of Rao?

Spoilers ahead for the third episode of *Krypton.

Because the continuity of Krypton is separate and apart from any other onscreen DC show or film, literally anything can happen with this version of the Superman timeline. Just before the show’s launch, showrunner Cameron Welsh told Inverse that because Seg-El is determined to prevent the planet Krypton from being destroyed, that it’s possible that anyone’s preconceived ideas about this being a Superman origin story could be quickly dashed. But, Welsh also said that Krypton draws from a variety of sources for inspiration, including the comics.

Which is where the Voice of Rao question comes in. In the latest episode, we see the Voice of Rao outright interfere with matters of state. Basically, he says it’s cool if Seg doesn’t want to were the sigil of House Vex. But, why does the Voice of Rao care? In the comics, the Voice of Roa is basically an avatar of Rao, which is the Kryptonian version of God. (Rao is also the name of their red dwarf star which the planet orbits.) So, who is the Voice of Roa in this story?

It may be a bit of a stretch, but the fact that Brainiac is coming to Krypton and this whole show takes place in the city of Kandor makes it seem like even more time travel could be involved beyond just Adam Strange. In the 2009 “New Krypton” arc, Brainiac did transport the city of Kandor to Earth, and there was a false version of Rao running around, complete with some Lex Luthor time-travel shenanigans.

So, is the Voice of Rao in Krypton a time-traveling Lex Luthor? Probably not. But what if he’s someone from the future; a future in which Kandor gets scooped out of time and sent to Earth, just like in the comics? Because if that’s the case, then the Voice of Rao could be almost anyone from the DC canon. Even Superman himself. - Krypton airs at 10 pm eastern on SyFy on Wednesdays.