It hurts to realize that the final season of Superman and Lois has reached the halfway point; after five more episodes, this soulful piece of superhero media will complete its journey. Viewers who have enjoyed the series since the beginning are well aware of how the makers often present nuanced narrative parallels through story arcs when it comes to highlighting the contrast between Clark and his antagonists each season. In the ongoing season, Lex and Bizarro Superman-turned-Doomsday have been given the role of dual adversaries to the Man of Steel, and the latest episode, “Break the Cycle,” offers a new perspective by humanizing both of them. Lex’s daughter, Elizabeth, has distanced herself from her father ever since Lex was put into prison after the Boss Moxie murder investigation, and Lex blamed Lois for the broken relationship and became obsessed with tormenting her, which resulted in the deaths of Superman and Sam Lane at the hands of Doomsday. With Superman’s return becoming public news in the previous episode, Lex will stop at nothing to end what he started, which means Lois and Clark need to chalk up a plan to stop him before it’s too late. Lex’s paternal connection with Elizabeth becomes the prime narrative focus in the fifth episode, which is all about family, broken relationships, and new possibilities.
Spoilers Ahead
Lex as a Father
The episode begins with a flashback to seventeen years ago, as Lex Luthor receives divorce papers from his wife, Erica. Lex had a rough childhood; as he was growing up, he was subjected to vicious abuse at the hands of his mother, who vented out her frustration at Lex’s father abandoning their family on her son. As a result, Lex grew up to be a cold, emotionally distant individual who couldn’t be bothered to share either attention or affection towards his wife. Erica fears Lex will do the same with their daughter Elizabeth, as despite his claims of Elizabeth being the apple of his eye, Lex can barely afford time for her. A young Elizabeth became terrified of Lex after witnessing his heated argument with Erica and hid inside the closet.
Back then, Lex comforted her daughter by being honest about his inability to mend his relationship with Erica and conveying how Elizabeth was the best part of his life—for whom Lex is willing to do anything as a father. After his divorce, Elizabeth chose to be with her father, much to Erica’s dismay, who seemed quite sure that in the future, their daughter would recognize Lex for what he truly is. At present, it is somewhat tragic, even for a person like Lex, that his daughter, the only person with whom Lex was able to establish a loving relationship, has decided to move away from him.
A Different Approach
At present, as soon as the news about Superman’s return spread across the world, Lois and Clark became doubly concerned for the safety of their family, as the possibility of Lex returning with Doomsday to wreak havoc upon the Kent family became really strong. If Doomsday returns, there will be no stopping him, as Superman at his best wasn’t able to beat him, and now in his weakened state, Clark is really in no shape to battle the monster. Relying on others, like the Kent twins or Steel and Starlight, isn’t an option either, as they are no match for the behemoth. While Lois implores Clark to approach the hologram of his Kryptonian mother, Lara Lor-Van, for assistance in this matter, Clark suggests taking a different approach, which is so typically Superman of him. Clark suggests speaking with Lex directly and appealing to his humanity to convince him to stop attacking their family. While Clark’s naivety and optimism are delightful, Lois isn’t sure whether that approach can work, which is why she is preparing for plan B, which is to directly approach Elizabeth and ask for her help. Lois is aware that her father, the late DOD chief Sam Lane, had promised Elizabeth to keep her whereabouts a complete secret from Lex, but in the direst situation for her family, Lois’ hand is forced.
Lex returns to Smallville after learning about Superman’s return and meets his archenemy face-to-face as Clark arrives to talk sense to him. However, an egomaniac like Lex was never going to be convinced by Clark’s wisdom anyway as Lex rebuffs his offer of making peace and Clark flies off to the Fortress of Solitude to cook up a plan to stop Doomsday instead. However, as Lara decides to replay the memories of Clark’s battle with the monster, which resulted in his death, Clark appears to still be reeling from the trauma of facing death head-on. Without getting a solution to the Doomsday problem, Clark goes to warn Lois about Lex’s return.
Lois, on the other hand, finds Elizabeth in France by going through Sam’s DOD files, and she is revealed to be pregnant with her first child. Initially, Elizabeth is unwilling to involve herself and her family with Lex at any cost, but as Lois shares her family’s plight with her, she agrees to accompany her to Smallville. Learning about Lois trying to approach Elizabeth, Lex storms into the Smallville Gazette office to confront Lois and reunites with his daughter instead. The Kent family is hoping that reconciliation between father and daughter will result in Lex cultivating some sense in his hate-filled mind and stopping his vengeful quest.
Did Lois Get Rid Of Doomsday?
As Elizabeth and Lex catch up on their lives, the resentment, pain, and desperation in Elizabeth’s voice is pretty noticeable, as Lex pleads with his daughter to give him a second chance to be a part of her life. Lex doesn’t acknowledge the simple fact that the terrible choices he made in his life resulted in his separation from Elizabeth and continues to blame Lois for his misery. Elizabeth proceeds to leave her father when Clark and Lois, who were watching the duo with hopes their conversation might result in something good, become panicked. Clark goes to convince Elizabeth to give her father a second chance, while Lois decides to take a riskier, more dangerous option to stop the impending doom.
On the other hand, Jon’s girlfriend Candice, who became a part of the Kent family in the third season after Lois and Clark ensured her addict, abuser of a father, never returns to her life ever again, arrives at Smallville during the Independence Day celebration. Jon and Jordan, who are waiting to receive her, learn that one of their friends, Denise, who had seen Doomsday bring Superman’s body to the Kent family, knows the true identity of their father. Denise promises not to reveal anything, but the twins realize that too many of the Smallville populace are now aware of Superman’s secret identity. Their own secret identity as the Superboys creates a problem for Jon when Candice arrives at town, as he has errands to run for Lois and entrusts Jordan to somehow come up with an excuse for his absence for Candice. However, Candice becomes concerned after Jon’s excuses don’t really stick, but Jordan eventually decides to share the whole truth with her, which makes the situation a lot more agreeable between Jon and his girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Clark’s suggestion to Elizabeth prompts her to return to Lex once again, and this time, Lex shares his childhood trauma with his daughter, which allows her to connect with him once again. But when the topic turns to Lex’s vendetta against Lois, Lex chooses his revenge over having a chance to make amends with his daughter—much to Elizabeth’s dismay. Clark watches with concern, and Elizabeth leaves Lex—for good this time—and Lois, going to a secluded spot, summons Doomsday by using Sam’s ELT tracker, which Lex had used in the third season finale to call the monster to Kent Farm.
Jon rushes off to respond to the tracker and finds his mother facing Doomsday, and as he becomes totally dumbfounded, Lois asks him to stay put. Lois tries to appeal to Doomsday’s humanity; as unbelievable as it might sound, this actually works because underneath the mutated monster, the consciousness of Bizarro Superman is still present. We need to remember that Bizarro Superman/Clark had his own Lois and their own family back in the inverse world, which was taken away from him by Ally Allston. Seeing a version of Lois pleading mercy for her family in front of him moves something very humane inside the monster, and he decides to presumably leave the planet for good. This is a totally unexpected turn of events for Lex, as the episode ends with him finding out that his greatest weapon to challenge Superman has left him. As the Kent family enjoys the new year fireworks in Smallville, it seems for now they are in a safe situation with Lex having not many options at his disposal. Ironically, the episode highlights how the monster chose to act humane, while Lex chose to embrace the monster inside himself.