One major villain from the Sweet Tooth comics may not be as easy to adapt into the whimsical Netflix series as other characters have been.
Netflix’s adaptation of the comic book series Sweet Tooth has taken an innocent, whimsical tone throughout its first season, but one particular villain from the comics may not be as easy to lighten up. Sweet Tooth began as a series of comics written by Jeff Lemire and developed into a television series in 2021. Although the source material had intense themes and plenty of violence, the on-screen adaptation has taken a different route, opting for a more fantastical story that will attract younger audiences. The series does delve into dark moments at times as the characters cope with a pandemic paralleling COVID-19, isolation, and prejudice.
However, these small moments can not compare with the more traumatic scenes in the original comics. Already a dark and violent story, the original Sweet Tooth villain, Glebhelm, has a particularly disturbing origin story. Though the series has removed Glebhelm as the leader of the Animal Army, replaced by the much kinder Bear, there is still a chance for him to appear in the series with a backstory that’s in serious need of alteration.
Sweet Tooth’s Glebhelm Can’t Be As Brutal A Villain As In The Comics
If Glebhelm appears in the Sweet Tooth television series, he cannot be the same villain as he is in the comics because of the show’s lighter tone. Jeff Lemire wrote Glebhelm as the leader of a bloodthirsty pack of hybrid enthusiasts, the Animal Army, and a man who faces a severely dark past. Glebhelm once had a wife who gave birth to a pack of wolf hybrids, whom he let eat their mother for sustenance. He then honed his children into a powerful weapon, making him one of Sweet Tooth’s most dangerous villains.
This version of Glebhelm would not work for Sweet Tooth’s television adaptation because the series has already made changes to his character and more importantly, established an optimistic tone. Glebhelm’s role as the leader of Sweet Tooth‘s Animal Army has been replaced by season 1’s Bear and additionally, Glebhelm’s disturbing story is too dark for the atmosphere the creators have built. Therefore, if Glebhelm appears in Sweet Tooth, his character would need alterations, though this could present problems in staying true to his overall character.
Sweet Tooth’s Show Changes Could Make Another Glebhelm Scene
Despite being a much darker fit for Sweet Tooth’s whimsical nature, the series could still adapt Glebhelm to the story. In the past, Sweet Tooth has implied disturbing content without graphically depicting it. An example of this occurs in episode 3 when a party of adults sets fire to a house with a man inside because he has caught the Sick. Similarly, the series writers could introduce Glebhelm and his trauma through subtle hints or alterations, without actually showing it. His past can even be lightened up, and a redemption arc can be added to make him a more hopeful and dynamic villain.
Although Sweet Tooth has become less like the comics and found success in its fantastical demeanor, problems may still arise when it comes to continuing the adaptation from comic to television series. Characters like Glebhelm make for important plot points but will have to face serious changes before hitting the screen. However, leaning into a more positive light could potentially improve the character and even better, bring him to a wider audience.
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