"Specifically with Golden Boy, I worked really hard to come up with a vision," Heston said. "He's got some energy from the core, but he's also mimicking the sun."
Heston said that she worked closely with the visual effects studio DNEG to achieve the flames seen on the show. Golden Boy's fire was made more complex by adding black and white smoke to create a contrast to the yellow and orange tones.
"I think contrast was really key on bringing Golden Boy home," Heston said.
The VFX supervisor felt that it was important to keep the flame effects away from Schwarzenegger's face to preserve his acting and emotions.
"If it had gone that other direction and been fire on the face or hair or something like that, it's just more jarring and that's all you're thinking about," Heston said.
Golden Boy's flames also move differently based on how a scene fits in his character arc. In the stadium scene, which is the first time viewers see his powers in action, the flames move slower. But by the end of the series premiere, as Luke loses control, the movement of the fire is more chaotic and rapid, Heston explained.