‘Superman And Lois’ Season 4 Episode 4 Recap & Ending Explained: Does Luthor Know About Superman’s Return?

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Long time viewers of Superman and Lois will surely agree with the fact that one thing the series manages to do quite successfully, as seen in each of its seasons, is to subvert expectations. Without resorting to extreme twists or surprise reveals, the series simply chooses to redefine its narrative progression in a way that you can’t simply adhere to guessing. After the cliffhanger of an ending to the third episode of the ongoing fourth season of the series, where Sam Lane’s super-serum-infused heart brought Superman back to life, fans were left in disbelief. They weren’t expecting the final season, which is an adaptation of The Death of Superman storyline, to bring back the Man of Steel so soon. But as the fourth episode reveals, Superman is indeed back from the dead, and although he’s been facing other problems since revival, the return isn’t an illusion. If you had expected for the series to spend most of its shortened runtime in grieving, you are surely in for a surprise, and in my opinion, it’s a wise decision as well on the makers’ part, because this allows for a unique humane perspective on Superman’s plight. 

Spoilers Ahead


The Return of Superman: Facing Mortality

The episode begins with the Kent family mourning Sam Lane’s demise; as shown in the previous episode, the brave general sacrificed his life by facing Doomsday, and by providing his serum infused heart assured Clark has a chance of returning to life. Sam’s sacrifice didn’t go in vain, as Clark has been resurrected, and as he returns to his family, Lois and the twins are overwhelmed with a feeling of disbelief and boundless joy. However, as Clark’s own narration reveals, this new life he has been given feels quite different to him than how he used to feel before. The scar of his heart transplant surprisingly hasn’t healed yet, and Lois is unwilling to let Clark go to attend to his Superman duties just yet as Lex, who has remained strangely absent from Smallville after Sam’s death, will pounce on them with Doomsday soon as he learns about Superman’s return. Also, Lois fears that Sam’s old heart will not allow Clark to go back to his former self at present; after all, it’s not a Kryptonian heart, an assessment that proves to be soon enough when Clark goes to train Jonathan, whose powers have recently emerged, and ends up taking a spill. It is also revealed that Clark’s powers aren’t at their optimum potential, and he can even get drunk now, which was previously impossible due to his Kryptonian physiology.

This isn’t the kind of life Clark is used to; aside from occasional pangs of kryptonite and magic, the Man of Steel knows no weakness. For Clark, this is an experience akin to what mortals like us go through after surviving an accident or having major surgery. This aspect was poignantly showcased through Lois’ own plight dealing with post-mastectomy psychological troubles, and she can very well relate with what her husband is going through. Lois reassures Clark by sharing the same piece of advice Clark gave her in his effort to assuage her burdens, that the physical and mental scars are a testament to their survival. Clark finds much solace in Lois’ words and conveys how grateful he is towards Sam for giving him another chance at life. 


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Chrissy and Kyle’s Wedding

In the previous season, Chrissy Beppo became pregnant with Kyle’s child, and Kyle finally moved on with his life by proposing to Chrissy. In this episode, their marriage takes center stage, as Lois invites Chrissy to organize the wedding at Kent Farm after the courthouse turns out to be unavailable on the scheduled date. However, Chrissy has a different problem to deal with, as her mother, with whom she shares a complicated relationship, comes to Smallville and is overly concerned about her daughter. Chrissy’s mother had a troublesome marriage because she felt pressured to marry after becoming pregnant with Chrissy, and she feels that her daughter is making the same mistake as well. It turns out her assumptions aren’t totally misplaced, as Chrissy starts getting cold feet right before the wedding ceremony and inexplicably goes missing. As Lois finds her out in the town square, Chrissy confides with her about feeling unsure about committing to marriage, and Lois provides her much needed assurance and comfort. After learning about this, Kyle acts supportive and understanding, and even though the wedding ceremony is cancelled, the town celebrates at Kent Farm anyway. 


Jordan Hangs Up His Suit

It has been an especially tough time for Jordan; even after his father’s return, he hasn’t been able to reach his best mental state ever since Lex gave him the audio recording of Lois choosing Jonathan over him at a time of crisis. Even though Lex’s intention to manipulate Jordan was pretty apparent, given how Jordan has started to blame himself for the destruction of Clark’s heart and Sam’s death, the poor kid isn’t in a state to listen to reason at the moment. Jordan refuses to accompany Clark and Jonathan in their training and avoids Lois on multiple occasions—and even with Jonathan’s advice, he isn’t willing to open up. Jordan simply cannot shake off the feeling that he has been failing his family, and his sensitive nature and self-doubt prove to be the biggest impediment. After Jonathan’s powers emerged and developed much faster compared to his own, Jordan is feeling even more like an imposter. Sarah meets with Jordan, and after learning about his tribulations, she advises him to focus on what he wants to do instead of what he’s supposed to do. Ultimately, it takes a heartfelt chat with Lois outside the Kent farm for Jordan to make amends with his mother. Lois made the decision out of concerns for Jonathan back then, who didn’t have powers during that time—and deliberately taking her statement out of context, Lex was able to put a nasty spin on it. 

Jonathan’s powers have emerged recently; no wonder he isn’t able to focus his super hearing like Jordan, who pinpoints Gretchen, Sam’s abductor/Lex’s lackey in Metropolis, and asks Jonathan to apprehend her without going there himself. Jonathan takes Lois, who confronts Gretchen, and warns her by mentioning that Lex will turn on her the moment he feels she could be a liability. Later on, Lex sends his henchman wielding pyro-gauntlets to kill Gretchen and remove the loose end, and once again, Jordan sends his elder brother to tackle the situation instead of going himself. Despite having more developed powers, Jonathan is still an amateur and gets himself in danger while taking on the henchman, and now Clark has to jump into action to save his son. Donning his iconic cape and costume, Superman swiftly takes care of the situation, and nabbing Lex’s henchman, he sends him to DOD for interrogation—in order to find intel about Lex. As Jonathan and Clark return home, Jordan formally hands over his suit and mask, which were given to him by Sam, to his elder brother Jonathan. He isn’t mentally prepared to don the suit right now, and it will take some time for him to regain the confidence he has lost. 


Does Luthor Know About Superman’s Return?

As the episode ends with Clark and Lois sharing a romantic moment at their bedroom, focus shifts to a series of notifications popping up on Lois’s phone—Superman’s return has become public news as even media houses in Gotham have published reports about it, as it seems Clark’s recent adventure in Metropolis had eyewitnesses. Lois would have shared the news with the world eventually, but now that the cat is out of the bag, this poses a problem for the Kent family. Lex will inevitably rush back to Smallville from whatever hole he has hidden himself in, and Doomsday will inevitably accompany him, which means Clark might have to take on the monster that killed him for a rematch. None of his boys are strong or skilled enough to match up with the creature; Natalie and John Henry don’t stand a chance either, and Clark, at his strongest self, couldn’t defeat him, let alone squaring off with him in his present weakened state. Sam’s heart needs to be supplemented with something powerful enough to allow Clark to reach his full potential; perhaps, like the second season finale, a dip inside the sun can help. Or might Clark seek help from his half-brother, Tal Rho, at this critical juncture? Every single episode of the fourth season of Superman and Lois turns out to be more exciting than the previous one, and I am already lamenting the fact that there are only six episodes remaining for the series to end. 


Siddhartha Das
Siddhartha Das
An avid fan and voracious reader of comic book literature, Siddhartha thinks the ideals accentuated in the superhero genre should be taken as lessons in real life also. A sucker for everything horror and different art styles, Siddhartha likes to spend his time reading subjects. He's always eager to learn more about world fauna, history, geography, crime fiction, sports, and cultures. He also wishes to abolish human egocentrism, which can make the world a better place.


 

 

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