The fourth episode of Superman & Lois aired, and I continue to love the balance they put behind all the characters. Each carries a part of the overall story, and each is relevant to the greater story. Honestly, the only other franchise I can think of doing this good a job is Cobra Kai. In this episode, everyone seems to be finding their place, but then some event happens for each of them that derails everything. Then we have the other thing this show excels at – that cliffhanging, WTF!, moment that seems to end every episode. Episode four keeps it going.
Finding Their Place – Even Superman Can’t Be Omnipresent
Clark continue to wrestle with his recommitted role as father and husband. He puts everything he has into being there for his family, but when your alter ego is Superman, that gets kinda hard. This episode pulls on that struggle even more. Clark wants to help Lois at the council meeting, but Big Blue must help catch a criminal. He knows something wrong is happening with Jon and Tag. He manages to investigate, but not deep enough as he gets called away again. Then Lois dumps her frustration on him post council meeting. She knows who Clark must be, but his lack of appearance at the council meeting rubbed against her will to win, which she doesn’t. Finally, he’s getting his ears blasted out by Killgrave, but then hears the alarm from Jonathan.
Every parent knows the feeling of being pulled in too many places at once. We need to work. We need to be at a kids activity, or need to spend time taking care of home things. Parents often wish to be cloned so they can be everywhere they need to be at once. Welcome to parenthood Clark. Lois and the kids, frustrated they may be, still understand the enormous responsibilities Clark faces, yet is the average parent’s struggles any less?
His ending scene with Lois though, was a nice touch. He tries to have a special date in the barn with candles and lights, but of course life gets in the way again. This time Lois handles it in stride and tells Clark she will be waiting.
Finding Their Place – Lois Faces her Foes
Lois continues to go after Morgan Edge, but his hold on power proves more difficult than she thought. Her latest piece taking on Edge’s attempt to take over Smallville hits a legal wall when Edge’s assistant, Leslie drops legal documents by the Smallville Gazette. If it publishes Lois’ story, it will break legal contract laws that will allow Edge to shut it down for good.
This may place her article in check, but Lois Lane never backs down without a fight. She confronts Edge at his soon-to-be mine and shows she knows how to paly legal games as well. It may be mostly bravado, but it’s enough to show Edge he needs to tread carefully.
Then something cool happens. Two people find a friend where they needed it most. Lana and Lois share drinks and both seem to blow off enough steam together to reset themselves. Lois accepts what she already knew about Clark always being gone, and Lana seems to make some sort of inner peace with her husband. I love the kids’ reaction at the end. Sarah covers her sister’s eyes when mom and dad start kissing while she stares on.
Finding Their Place – A Shift in Paradigms
Jonathan and Jordan seem to settle into some sort of groove. Jordan makes the big play during the football game, so his popularity begins to grow. Jonathan shows his own powers as well, but I’ll come back to that. The big paradigm shift comes with Tag.
Tag was the big receiver for the team until Jordan’s ‘ocular discharge’ hit the campfire and wounded him. We get hints of what will follow and it mirrors what The Flash did on their show. We now have a rogue element in play that will grant other people super powers, so we won’t need a big name villain every episode. Instead, look for a kid-of-the-week who manifests new powers. Tag’s hand begins to vibrate, which somehow lets him heal immediately.
The problem is Tag can’t control it and his vibrations nearly kill the Kent kids. Jordan tries to use his powers to help, but he turns out not to be strong enough. It takes Superman flying him into the higher elevations to knock him out. Of course then we find out about the special school Tag gets shipped off to. My first thought was Charles Xavier has a school in this universe?!
Finding Their Place – Jonathan Reveals His Powers
When Superman and Lois first launched, Clark and Lois having two sons seriously changed the dynamic of the show. In comics only Jonathan exists and he grow up to take the mantle of Superman from his father. Showrunners gave Jordan limited powers and Jonathan none. This makes for a nice character paradigm shift. The Metropolis hot-jock now has to take a back seat to his emo brother. We see it wearing on him, but at the same time Jonathan reveals he may be the true heir to Superman.
Jordan may exhibit signs of power, but in many ways he misses one of Superman’s biggest powers – his heart. Superman has always been known as the Big Boy Scout. He tries to see the best in everyone and every situation. This creates the fun dynamic between him and Batman. Superman’s super-heart has begun showing itself in Jonathan.
As crappy as his world may be right now, he sticks by his family, brother and tries desperately to help Tag when he sees Tag manifesting super powers. Jordan may have the physical power, but Jonathan looks to have the heart of Superman. Although, I am not entirely convinced Jonathan won’t manifest powers down the road.
Finding Their Place – Another Big Reveal
Our ‘oh shit’ moment at the end of the show ties back to Tag as well. At long last we see why Morgan edge wants Smallville so bad. Apparently Smallville hides the world’s only concentration of X-Kryptonite (?). This appears to be the source of the metahuman abilities we are seeing. With Edge now in control of Smallville we will see The Flash type villains popping up. Edge all but threatens to turn people against their will. Look for the Cushings to be a prime target.
The other big reveal is more of a beginning. In a lot of ways Sam Lane feels like an Anakin Skywalker to me. What starts out as a fairly good man with some parenting issues, will turn into a man who falls to the dark side and becomes an enemy. We know Luthor talked with him and gave him the service tag. Luthor warned him of an evil Superman that destroyed his Earth and killed his Lane. After overstepping his bounds and being driven from the Kent home for interfering with the children, Sam Lane may be on the verge of becoming one of Superman’s enemies. I am very curious to see where this goes. He appears to be setting up an anti-Superman task force, Project 7734.
