If asked to name the problem with Marvel's Inhumans, some might point to the quality of the show's costumes, effects and acting, questionable musical score, or the by-the-numbers script. However, the biggest flaw may be in the drama's depiction of the revolutionary Maximus as the primary antagonist when he's clearly the hero of the story -- at least, he is so far.
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In the two-hour ABC premiere, Maximus is depicted as an outsider, even in a society of outsiders. The younger brother of king Black Bolt, he emerged from Terrigenesis -- the process that unlocks the extraordinary abilities encoded within the Inhumans' genes -- with no special powers. If he weren't a member of the royal family, he'd be consigned to a life working in the mines beneath the lunar city of Attilan, like all the others who lack "gifts." Maximus never forgets that, in no small part because he's not permitted to. His cousin Gorgon only somewhat-jokingly suggests he's "one of them," the humans of Earth, triggering the expected flash of anger; and a commoner confronts him from a crowd, shouting, "You should be digging in the tunnels with the rest of us!"
Instead of lashing out against the man, Maximus acknowledges he has a point, saying their society's caste system is unfair, an unfortunate byproduct of their "finite kingdom." "If we were on Earth," he counters to the murmuring crowd, "we would have an entire glorious planet to live on -- thrive on! Each one of us, imagine that."
It's a stirring speech that strikes a chord with the citizens of Attilan, penned into a city of unwelcoming Brutalist architecture where those with extraordinary abilities are celebrated, while the others are shunned and forced to perform labor for the upper levels of society -- all the while fearing when (not if) humans will discover their existence. It's a setting ripe for revolution, and the charismatic Maximus, played by Iwan Rheon of Game of Thrones, is just the one to lead it.
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Sure, he's scheming, envious of his brother's authority and desirous of Queen Medusa, but Maximus is also frustrated by the status quo, which Black Bolt is determined to preserve. That's an easy position to take when you're dining in the royal palace, surrounded by an adoring family. Never mind that those in Attilan without any powers -- people just like Maximus -- are suffering, in part because the Inhumans are forced to cower, hidden from humanity.
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When footage of Gorgon's enormous hoof crushing a lunar rover that strayed too close to Attilan makes it way to Earth, Maximus urges Black Bolt to strike first against the humans. "Sooner or later, the humans are going to find us up here," he says. "And when they do, because they are humans, their first course of action will be to try to destroy us."
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He has a point: The discovery of a city on the moon wouldn't be greeted by the nations of Earth with wonder, but rather with force, and the Inhumans would likely quickly learn whether Black Bolt's destructive voice is a match for a volley of nuclear missiles. For the sake of Attilan, they should strike first, as Maximus recommends. But the king insists they wait. "That's your strategy for everything," his younger brother replies in frustration.
However, it's not an errant lunar rover that poses the greatest existential threat to their existence, but rather the mysterious contamination of Earth's water supply by Terrigen, which has begun to trigger Terrigenesis among the descendants of those Inhumans left behind on Earth when the others relocated to the moon, sometime in the distant past. Presumably, the mystery of contamination will be revealed over the course of the next six episodes, but Black Bolt's immediate solution is to secretly dispatch royal family member Triton to Earth to bring these Inhumans ("NuHumans" in Marvel Comics parlance) home to Attilan.
It's a noble idea, but one fraught with dangers, both short-term and long. The former is in the potential discovery of Triton who, with his green skin, scales and fins, won't exactly blend in during his mission (let's just ignore that he's apparently killed, not by humans but by Maximus' operatives). The latter is that Attilan can hardly withstand a spike in population, something Maximus is quick to point out. The obvious aswere is for the Inhumans to return to Earth, which a member of the Genetic Council acknowledges is sound but, alas, treasonous ... just before Maximus has him murdered.
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So, yes, we can argue with his actions, and even find fault in some of his underlying motives. But when it comes to the welfare of his people, Maximus is right. And while he longs for Medusa's love and seeks revenge for a lifetime of perceived slights by Black Bolt, Maximus clearly cares about the Inhumans. Why else would he show compassion toward the young man who emerged from Terrigenesis with no immediately apparent powers? (His fixation on the boy's prophetic visions, all seemingly involving him, comes later.)
When they left Earth for the moon( presumably, as in the comic books, to avoid discovery by humans), the Inhumans sentenced themselves to a dwindling existence within an enclave that offers relative safety but little else. A rigid caste system in which those with powers are rewarded with a place in the top tiers of society is only the beginning of the Inhumans' problems. A rise in population would undoubtedly lead to civil unrest, rationing and then starvation, drastic measures to curb population, and, ultimately, a complete upending of social order (which wouldn't be a bad thing, at least for those on the lower rungs). The status quo, as championed by Black Bolt, is doomed; it's only a matter of time.
Trusted adviser Karnak warns Black Bolt that "right or wrong," Maximus is dangerous. As is so often the case with Karnak, who can detect the flaws in any person or situation, he's right too. Maximus is dangerous, because he represents change to a society so entrenched in its ways that the ruling class will happily bear witness to the subjugation of the have-nots -- for the betterment of the whole, of course -- and to its own downfall.
"Trust your king," Black Bolt says through his interpreter Medusa, as if that's worked out well so far. For the non-royal, non-powered Inhumans toiling in the tunnels beneath Attilan, their faith may be better placed elsewhere. Like in their new king, Maximus.
Airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, Marvel's Inhumans stars Anson Mount as Black Bolt, Iwan Rheon as Maximus the Mad, Serinda Swan as Queen Medusa, Ken Leung as Karnak, Isabelle Cornish as Crystal, Eme Ikwuakor as Gorgon, Mike Moh as Triton and Sonya Balmores as Auran.