It still feels like just yesterday when the first look at the final season of CW’s Superman and Lois was released at SDCC, and it seems unreal that we have already reached the penultimate episode. Despite laboring under a number of stipulations due to budget cuts, this season has been amazing so far, subverting expectations and covering a number of issues ranging from the mortality of Superman, the twins bearing the burdens of superpowers, Clark’s identity reveal, and Lois and Clark’s struggle with protecting their family from Lex’s evil gaze. But even with a lesser number of episodes in this season, the series never lost its momentum, giving every single character their due importance while never lacking in heart and emotions. Mentally, I don’t think any one of us is prepared to say goodbye to this beautiful series, but whether we like it or not, the end is nigh. The latest episode, To Live and Die Again, promises an action-packed, emotionally turbulent finale, as Clark and his sons have to face the dual threat of battlesuit-clad Lex and Doomsday. Yes, the monstrosity who killed Superman the first time is back for a rematch, and by the looks of it, things could go either way!
Spoilers Ahead
Triggering Lex’s Insecurity
In the previous episode, Glorious Godfrey’s interview/debate session, which pitted Lex and Lois against each other, helped Luthor in two major ways. Firstly, Godfrey’s skewed journalism put a dent in Lois and Superman’s reputation by hailing Lex as a ‘victim’ of their enmity, thereby boosting his public image. Secondly, the debate was set up as a distraction that allowed Lex’s techie, Milton, to hijack John Henry Irons’ Steel battlesuit, which was later upgraded and customized by him for Lex. Both these plans were orchestrated by Amanda, Lex’s assistant/romantic interest, whose unwavering support has proven to be crucial for Lex. A major rift pops up in their partnership in the present episode, as Lois and Clark try to get under Lex’s skin as payback for all his past actions. Clark goes to Metropolis to directly meet Lex and manages to trigger Lex’s egotistical self by insinuating it is only due to Amanda’s assistance that he’s been able to gain a temporary upper hand at present—reminding him how badly his attempt to take over Smallville failed otherwise. This prompts Lex to double down on his efforts to take on Superman on his own, shunning Amanda’s strategic approach for his head-on conflict approach by checking on Milton’s progress with the battlesuit.Â
Bruno Mannheim Returns
Lois’ investigation against Lex hits a roadblock after Amanda arrives at Smallville to bring her the lawsuits Lex’s lawyers are filing against her and with the news that Cheryl—Lex’s lackey who honey-trapped Sam Lane and was Lois’s only link to build a case against him—has also been taken care of. Lois takes notice that Amanda believes that Lex considers her as equal and trusts him wholeheartedly. Knowing what kind of monster Lex is, Lois warns her.
Seeing Lois frustrated after losing any option to make a stand against Lex, Clark comforts her and advises her to start from the ground up. This prompts Lois to seek unlikely guidance, as she decides to approach an incarcerated Bruno Mannheim, who was the one responsible for framing Lex the first time—which, like a domino effect, resulted in vengeful Lex seeking revenge against Lois and her family. Bruno holds a grudge against Lois and Clark given the nature of their interactions in the previous season, but at the same time, given the way Lois assisted his deceased wife, Peia, during her final days, Bruno is grateful towards her to some extent as well. Additionally, Lois manages to talk Bruno into helping her by warning that Lex could target Hob’s Bay—Bruno’s territory—to take revenge upon him and even bring harm to his family as well if he isn’t stopped in due time. Even though Lois isn’t able to dig up any dirt on Lex by questioning Bruno, she learns that Cheryl and Lex used to be a thing. Lois realizes that Lex had exploited Cheryl and killed her when she was turning out to be a liability; a similar fate, she is certain, awaits Amanda as well.
Lois warns Amanda about Lex, mentioning that she should be more careful about trusting a person who didn’t even value his relationship with his daughter when his personal vendetta—by extension, his ego—was in question. Amanda, who previously had sensed a bit of coldness from Lex, can’t shake the feeling that Lois might be right.
Clark Trains His Sons
Thanks to John Henry’s Steel suit being at Lex’s disposal, Clark’s diminishing powers have now become public news. The world grows concerned about its protector, which troubles Clark; additionally, he has to keep in mind that Lex could launch an attack on his family at any moment now that he has the battlesuit with him. Clark decides to take the twins to train together for the first time in the Fortress of Solitude but gets disappointed to realize that they are nowhere close to being ready to even match up to his current depowered level. Jonathan and Jordan are able to sense Clark’s concerns, and while Jonathan is all too eager to prove himself, Jordan—still held back by his self-doubt—thinks it’s probably for the better that they don’t engage in the conflict. His Kryptonian mother, Lara Lor-Van’s consciousness, explains that having half human, half Kryptonian physiology implies they will never be able to match up to Clark’s potential, a realization that makes Clark feel the only reason his sons are in this predicament is because he isn’t able to protect them as a father. Lois tries to assuage his doubts and convinces him to take a new approach. Clark decides to change the training regime a bit to not let his sons feel they aren’t quite there yet. The father-son training drill is brief yet super fun.
Lex and Supes Find Doomsday
Milton is able to unlock a stash of confidential DOD files in the Steel battlesuit, to do with Project Doomsday, to be precise, which reveals Bizarro Superman to be the person within the monster. Lex was aware of the fact that he had experimented on an alternate version of Superman to create Doomsday but didn’t know that he belonged to the Inverse world—access to which was located by Ally Alston in the Shuster mines of Smallville. After Doomsday bailed on Lex by responding to Lois’ heartfelt plea, he was desperate to find him once again—and this time, he rightly assumes that the creature is trying to get back to his own world by accessing the mines.
Lex rushes back to Smallville, and Amanda gets surprised after learning about recent developments, as she is trying to wrap her head around the fact that Lex had kept her in the dark about his change of plans. She follows Lex and confronts him, realizing that Lex, in his self-destructive pursuit, wants to unleash the monster on Smallville to get even for the community’s prior rejection of him. Amanda questions Lex’s judgment, which prompts Lex to outright lash out at her, as he promptly reminds Amanda of her place. As Lex departs using his newly modified, kryptonite-laced battlesuit, Amanda tries to warn him—to no avail.
Clark and his sons sense Doomsday’s presence and ask the twins to secure the town— Clark flies off to find Lex has already fired specialized projectile weapons to kill Doomsday once again. After all, killing and resurrecting Bizarro Superman time and time again, Lex had created this monstrosity, and he follows a similar approach to kill the monster once again—so it is reborn stronger. It’s a pity, because Doomsday had finally decided to mind his own business and find a way back to his homeworld. Even though the creature was responsible for Clark’s death the first time they fought, Clark still tries to save him, but fails as the explosion wrecks the monster.
Doomsday now emerges stronger, with more evolved physiology, totally mimicking his comics counterpart with all the bony protrusions being prominent—and he takes flight to appear right in the town square in the middle of the day—right in front of Lois and the Kent twins. By the looks of the design, this version of Doomsday appears to be the second most accurate-looking one, followed by the version that appeared in the Krypton series. This time, Doomsday doesn’t seem to have any humanity left in him as he no longer adheres to Lois’ desperate pleas and attacks her straight up. Jordan and Jonathan quickly take her to safety, and Clark once again engages in a battle with the monster. Lex enjoys the fun spectacle (for him at least) while hovering in his battlesuit.
Will Doomsday Kill The Man of Steel Once Again?
With their father busy taking on the monstrosity, Jonathan and Jordan engage in the most vital part of the superhero-ing gig, rescuing people. Lois assists as much as she can as well. There is a brilliant sequence of Jordan doing his best to calm down Vicky May, the elderly diner owner who was having a panic attack from the sudden mayhem, and it is surely going to leave quite an impression among the fans.
The fight with an empowered Doomsday takes a toll on Clark’s body, who was already having a hard time with his diminished strength. A battered Clark appears in front of his family for one last time (in the episode), and seeing Lois all teary-eyed and restless, viewers can already sense she is fearing the worst may happen yet again. Clark asks his sons not to engage Doomsday and conveys his love for his family for the final time—which, by extension, is the makers’ way of bidding the fans adieu, by my assumption. Doomsday grabs him by the head the next second, and as the episode comes to an end, flies off with Clark, leaving his fate in question. The final minute of this episode is a real tearjerker for fans who have followed the journey Lois and Clark had embarked upon through four seasons.
This final season began with Doomsday’s battle with Clark, and in a way it is fitting that we are back to square one, but this time the odds are even more heavily stacked against the Man of Steel. His powers aren’t at the level they used to be, while Doomsday is at his level best. Additionally, John Henry and his daughter can not help with none of their battle suits being at their disposal, and the only option Clark has for survival is if his sons, who clearly aren’t ready to challenge Doomsday, join the fray as well. Even if Clark somehow survives the onslaught of Doomsday, he will have to face a Kryptonite-powered Lex in his battlesuit, and it is going to need a miracle of massive proportions to happen for Clark and co. to turn the tide to their favor. But then again, we know how epic Superman and Lois season finales generally turn out to be, and this is the series finale we are talking about. By my guess, Doomsday will turn on Lex at the end, make a redeeming sacrificial act, and possibly his heart will give Clark a chance to return to his empowered state. I don’t think the makers will leave us with a world without Superman; instead, hope will shine through, inspiring us for one last time before Superman and Lois soar off into the sunset.
