‘Superman And Lois’ Season 4 Episodes 1-2 Recap: Is The Man Of Steel Truly Gone?

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Emotions run high as the final chapter of CW’s best superhero TV series, Superman and Lois premieres with the first two episodes of its fourth season, bringing forth a world where hope is no more. Previously, the third season ended with a vengeful Lex Luthor unleashing Doomsday on Kent farm, and after a grueling battle with the monstrosity in Metropolis, Superman prepared for a final showdown with his strongest enemy on the surface of the Moon. Fans were aware of the fact that the fourth season would adapt the crucial The Death of Superman storyline, but despite that, nothing could have prepared them for the emotional gut punch the final season delivers right from the beginning. 

Due to budget cuts in the fourth season, a number of supporting characters like Kyle Cushing, John and Natalie Irons, and Chrissy Beppo are no longer series regulars – which somewhat affects the experience, if I am being honest. But at the same time, it allows greater focus on the Kent family crisis as Luthor makes it his life’s ambition to torment them by any means necessary. The emphasis on coming to terms with Superman’s demise is the main takeaway from the premiere, which indicates the tone the rest of the series will follow.

Spoilers Ahead


Was Superman Able to Stop Doomsday?

Picking off from the exact moment where the third season finale left off, the first episode showcases the ensuing devastation of the battle between Superman and Doomsday, as a torn cape and blood smeared on lunar rocks act as signifier of the kind of beatdown the Man of Steel is being subjected to. The battle between these two powerhouses reaches Mars, and the brawl intensifies with each passing moment as Superman is ragdolled through space debris, but whereas the Man of Steel is sustaining heavy damage – and getting grievously injured, the behemoth continues to evolve, growing even stronger. Doomsday lunges at a battered Clark, who remembers the planet he calls home for one last time, and gathers all his remaining might to launch a devastating blast of heat vision to put an end to the monster. The battle concludes with a harrowing end, with Superman’s lifeless body floating in space.


Lois and Jordan Save Sam Lane

Days after the battle with Doomsday in Metropolis, Superman remains missing, prompting the world to look to the skies for an answer – only to find an unusual strange silence in return. In Clark’s absence, Lois and their sons – Jonathan and Jordan – are worried sick, and the fact that Lois’ father, General Sam Lane, is unreachable adds further tension. Jordan is concerned about his father, he can no longer feel his father’s heartbeat, but Jonathan, who has always remained the composed, matured elder brother, is adept at handling pressure situations, and believes that their father will overcome the crisis at hand. Lois is anxious, she remembers some of the most cherished moments she had spent with Clark when he brought her to the Kent household for the first time, after revealing his true identity to her and proposing to her. Throughout three seasons, Superman and Lois had elevated the relationship between Clark and Lois to somewhat of a mythical status – by showcasing its highs and lows, the trust, love, and support they have extended to each other, which is why Lois’ reminiscing about these moments at the direst hour of her family hits hard. But still, in her subconscious, Lois, much like Jonathan, believes that her husband will safely return to them eventually. 

Sam’s ELT device is discovered at the barn destroyed by Doomsday, which makes it pretty clear to Lois and her sons that Lex has got a hold of Sam. Jordan tries using his powers to locate Sam, but his skills aren’t on par with his father yet, which is why he is having trouble finding his grandfather. Lex buries Sam alive, taunts him with the news of Superman’s disappearance, leaving the rest of the matter for his two lackeys to handle, and finally from their conversation, Jordan is able to locate Sam. As he swoops in with Lois, the duo easily take care of the lackeys and rescue Sam at the nick of time. As Sam recuperates in hospital, he is shocked to learn about the events which transpired in his absence – while abducted he had no idea about his son-in-law’s predicament. Sam too is somewhat certain that Superman will return, and this remaining vestige of hope is what makes the reality all the more heart-breaking.


The Traumatic Reveal

Lex has decided to set up shop in Smallville, despite his trusted secretary Amanda asking him to focus on Lexcorps’ affairs, which has been operating at a loss ever since Lex has gotten out of prison. However, for Lex, the more pressing matter is to torment Lois the way he has suffered, and to do so he has bought a heritage hotel right in front of the Daily Gazette office to keep a close watch on them and annoy the Kents with his presence. Lex blames Lois for wrongly incriminating him in the Boss Moxie murder case all those years ago, which resulted in his seventeen year imprisonment and estrangement with his daughter, Elizabeth. In Lois’ defence, she was misguided by the concocted evidence Bruno Manheim had deliberately planted to incriminate Lex, and Lex has committed more than his fair share of crimes which could put him in lifetime imprisonment anyway. Still, Lex holds a grudge against Lois and wants to see her suffer, which began with him sending Doomsday to kill Superman, whose absence is felt when Lex continuously terrorizes the Kents by visiting Lois at the Smallville Gazette office, or visiting the twins at the diner. 

Jordan senses Doomsday’s presence as the monster returns to earth, and the Kent family confront it in the town square, the spot where Clark left them last time. Doomsday throws down Clark’s lifeless body in front of his family and takes his leave. It is a ghastly sight, as the monster has ripped Superman’s heart out of his chest- to present it to Lex. The worst possible scenario, which Lois and her sons never really thought was going to happen, has occurred – and the realization hits them like a train wreck. Lois sobs uncontrollably, as memories of her husband floods in her mind. The agony of the family is witnessed by a number of townsfolk, and a kindly person named Chuck, who previously stood up for Jonathan and Jordan when Lex was trying to terrorize them, figures out that Superman is none other than Clark Kent. Mayor Lana, who had arrived at the scene with her daughter, Sarah, tries to divert the suspicion of the townsfolk by reminding them how Lois and Superman shared a strong bond through the years. Lois asks Jordan to take Clark’s body to the Fortress of Solitude, as she hopes the preserved consciousness of Clark’s Kryptonian mother, Lara Lor-Van, might help in some way to resurrect her son. But Lara is helpless, as without a heart there is no way Clark’s body can regenerate. Lara puts Clark’s body in a state of suspended animation to stop further deterioration, while Lex keeps Superman’s heart inside a specialised case created by a certain Milton Fines, a name which comic readers might recognize as Brainiac’s human alias (future tease?). 


Lex Learns Superman’s Identity

Lana is irritated after learning Lex, who is responsible for the misery of the Kents, has settled in Smallville, and mentions she wouldn’t have allowed the property purchase had she known Lex was using shell companies to cover up his involvement. While Lana’s secretary mentions Lex’s arrival in Smallville might actually be beneficial for the small town, which needs investors to survive in the long run, Lana reminds her how industrialist Morgan Edge (first season) had arrived in town with the same promise, and how that turned out eventually. Not to mention, Lexcorp has put numerous local establishments out of business throughout the country. Lana is prepared to push Lex out of the town, but Lois asks her to not incite Lex’s wrath, as he will not hesitate to harm her family if need be. Lois finds herself in a terrible state after realizing that, as a journalist, she has to reveal the news of Superman’s death to the rest of the world. 

Jordan is not prepared to accept the terrible truth about his father’s passing, and learning from Lara that they might be able to bring Superman back if they are able to find his heart, he starts tracking Doomsday in search of it. Jonathan is annoyed after learning of his brother’s terribly risky plan, but he himself mistakenly ends up suggesting that a mindless creature like Doomsday might have given the heart to Lex. Jordan makes an amateur mistake by donning his Superboy costume and threatening Lex to force him into revealing the location of Superman’s heart; Lex is unfazed and intimidates him instead, and now he is able to connect the dots to finally realize Lois Lane is Superman’s wife. Learning about the recent exploits of a teenage Superboy, Lex is able to deduce Jordan is Superman’s son as well – and as Lois pays him a visit with Jonathan, he delightfully shares his recent discoveries with her. Lois is livid with Jordan, and after returning home she harshly scolds him. The reason the Kent family moved to Smallville was to protect Jordan’s secret identity as Superman’s son, and now in his desperation he has given away his identity to the worst threat their family has ever faced. Jordan is dejected by Lois’ remarks, but he is convinced that finding Clark’s heart is their last chance of bringing him back to life. Jonathan continues to warn his brother to not act rashly and put the family in more danger than they are already in.

On the other hand, Sarah is eager to help her friends, Jordan and Jonathan, in this perilous hour, and after learning that Jordan and Jonathan are trying to get the heart from Luthor, she helps them by stalling Luthor, who is visiting at the diner she works in. Jordan once again ventures out on his own after sensing Clark’s heartbeat and reaches a shipyard guarded by Lex’s men, Jonathan goes to the hotel Lex has checked into to search for the same – and Lois learns about all this after returning home, when Lex makes a sick prank on her by calling her from Clark’s number and forcing her to choose to save either of her sons. A desperate Lois makes a call, but it remains unknown which of her sons she had chosen at the end. Lex had set a trap for Jordan, who fell into it headfirst as Lex’s goons incapacitate him using Kryptonite lasers, and instead of Superman’s heart, he finds a superman figurine. Lex’s pettiness and hatred knows no bounds as he destroys Superman’s heart by stomping on it right in front of a helpless Jordan. 


Is The Man of Steel Truly Gone?

Lana, who had realized about Sarah’s foolish plan of allowing Jonathan a window to search in Lex’s hotel, rescues Jonathan in the nick of time, and brings him to Lois. Later on, Lois is relieved to find Jordan safe as she and Jonathan find him in the Gazette office, but after learning from him that their last chance to bring Clark back to life is gone as well – she is appalled once more. This time, Jonathan is traumatized as well, as he too secretly believed that there was no way that Clark would ever meet such a fate. Jordan blames himself for the mishap, and to some extent, Jonathan blames him for it too – but Lois manages to comfort her sons by mentioning that what matters is that their actions were motivated by a desperate sense of hope. On the other hand, Lana discusses with Sarah about her plans to push Lex out of the town, but at the same time she is afraid for her family’s safety. Jordan informs Sarah that Clark is truly gone, as his heart has been destroyed by Lex, and as she reveals the sordid truth to her mother, Lana is aghast. Like Lois and her sons, she held on to a sliver of hope, which has been snuffed out by a vengeful madman. Meanwhile, Lex’s celebration of Superman’s death is cut short after he learns from Amanda that his daughter is unwilling to even recognize him as her father. Serves him right in my opinion. 

As the episode comes to a close, the Kent family goes to the Fortress of Solitude to bid adieu to Clark, and Lara presents them with a pleasant surprise, a holographic projection of Clark’s consciousness, which he had installed for a worst case scenario such as these. Lois is agonized, she never thought she’d have to meet her beloved husband this way, but at least there is some solace in having a chance to interact with Clark, whichever the form might be. As the premiere comes to a painful end, I think viewers are already more eager than ever to learn whether there is a way to bring Superman back to life. Lex might have destroyed a decoy heart, while preserving the original for his vile experimentation – which could offer the Kent family another chance to revive Clark. Or some hidden Kryptonian technology, courtesy of Tal Rho, might be able to resurrect Superman later on. There is a Superman killer lurking about in the form of Doomsday, so there’s that. But what is quite certain is the fact that Lois has to step up big time, even while coping up with the terrible grief, as Lex has his evil gaze on her family, and he won’t stop until his sick, malevolent thoughts have been manifested to reality. 


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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