The Sweet Tooth Scene That Has Fans Looking Twice At Jepperd
Netflix's "Sweet Tooth" is based on a Vertigo comic book series by Jeff Lemire that came out in 2009. However, viewers who aren't too familiar with the source material could be forgiven for assuming the show is a fantastical reaction to recent events in the real world. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world that's been ravaged by a mysterious virus, the story of "Sweet Tooth" revolves around human-animal hybrids who emerge in the wake of the catastrophe. At the center of it all is Gus (Christian Convery), a young boy with deer parts who must navigate the harsh terrain with his fellow hybrids. It remains to be seen if any variations of the coronavirus result in the end of civilization as we know it (or cause children to grow deer antlers), but there are elements of "Sweet Tooth" that hit home hard in the current climate all the same.
Of course, "Sweet Tooth" has more a lot more going on than social commentary, which was probably accidental and down to timing. Jim Mickle's fairy tale adaptation boasts a thrilling story and compelling characters, and these elements have inspired some interesting debates among fans. This brings us to a mystery surrounding none other than "Big Man" Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie), who might not be who he appears to be.
Is Jepperd a hybrid in Sweet Tooth?
In addition to being made up of a combination of human and animal parts, the hybrids in "Sweet Tooth" are unique for having eyes that glow in the dark. Because of this, some fans on Reddit have speculated that Tommy Jepperd could be one of their kind. In the second episode, "Sorry About All the Dead People," the character's eyes can be seen glowing in the dark during the scene in which he comes up behind the Last Men. Throw in his freakish, bear-like strength, and it's entirely plausible that he could be a hybrid, right? As thought-provoking as the observation is, some forum users were quick to dispute it.
One user noted how "only children born in the last 11 years can be hybrids," which automatically rules out Jeppard due to his age. While the Netflix version of "Sweet Tooth" does bring some of its own ideas to the table, the series doesn't change the rules regarding hybrids that were set in stone by the comics. So what's the deal with Jepperd's eyes? The general consensus among critics of the theory is that the glow was due to a lighting mistake, which is a pretty simple and anticlimactic explanation. Still, the debate rages on.