Superman & Lois
Have you noticed that "Superman & Lois" loves a slow-mo action shot? They can't get enough of it. They don't look bad, but there are so many. It's almost like the lens flares in a J.J. Abrams movie. Well, maybe not that bad. Let's get into it.
"Broken Trust"
Lois Lane: "I happen to know that we have a ton of rocky road in the freezer, and I can't handle it myself."
Jordan Kent: "You think I'm six?"
Lois Lane: "No. But I will say that I have, as recently as this morning, kind of wished that you were."
Tag is on the rampage and he believes that Jordan is the cause of his new powers. Superman intercedes in time to help Jordan, but Tag gets away. It's not a great time for Jordan to start exhibiting super hearing that he doesn't tell Clark about so he can still play in the Smallville/Metropolis game. The combination of Jordan's powers and confronting the bullies who tormented him in Metropolis isn't a great fit. Tag kidnaps Sarah and Lois and Marcus Bridgewater aka Captain Luthor find out what Morgan Edge wants in the Smallville mines.
I know I mentioned it before, but I have to mention it again. I really hate this football subplot. It's mainly because I hate football. And, I just wish there had been a different way for Jordan to come into his own and to explore his powers. Only because in a lot of ways it feels like something that I have seen before.
I will see that I do enjoy watching someone like Jordan try to deal with the powers of Superman in a way that is the complete opposite of Clark Kent. Clark never would have lied to Martha and Jonathan about emerging powers that were causing him to lose control of his other powers. In a lot of ways, Jordan is much more representative of a lot of teenagers than Clark was. It's not a huge shock that Jordan would lie and he would rope Jonathan into covering for him. Jordan for the first time is experiencing what it feels like to be a "normal" teenager. Why would he want to give that up? But, he is still that bullied kid and when he faces those bullies and they aren't impressed with his new football skills and continue to bully him on and off the field, it doesn't take much for Jordan to lose control. On the football field, Clark is there with a steel hand for Jordan to unleash his heat vision into. Sadly, Clark isn't around when Jordan is going to punch the alpha prime bully in the face. Jonathan's palm takes the brunt and gets a broken arm for his trouble.
Superman is lots of times referred to as the Big Blue Boy Scout but for an alien, he is only human. He has a lot more in common with Jordan than you'd initially think and the episode does a good job of showing that when it comes to Superman's and the DOD's reaction to the Tag situation. Sam is treating this kid like an enemy combatant, particularly after Tag attacks his grandson, but Superman sees him as someone not unlike Jordan. He reaches Jordan in Metropolis, who has kidnapped Sarah, and intercepts the Lane's soldiers. We see Superman in control most of the time. He has to be with power like his. But when armed soldiers are shooting at a kid and hitting him with Kryptonite, we see Superman almost lose control. It makes his talk to Jordan hit that much harder.
Lois is still trying to uncover what Morgan Edge wants from the Smallville mines and she is making some strange decisions to get in them. Did Lois honestly think that Lana and Kyle would help get her in? Lana, maybe, but Kyle? I've done a lot of praising of Lois and her intelligence during these recaps but this was kind of a boneheaded move, particularly after Lana had just got a promotion from Edge that Kyle is very jealous of. I was kind of surprised that Kyle didn't run back to Edge and tell him what Lois was trying to do.
Luckily, Marcus Bridgewater, the disguised Captain Luthor. Lois is immediately suspicious of "Marcus," but her desire to take down Edge supersedes her journalistic integrity. While in the mines, the duo make some discoveries. They learn about the X-Kryptonite and that Leslie Larr has powers. Lois learns that her suspicions about "Marcus" are correct and she fills Clark in on everything. Lois lets Lana know most of what has happening and gets a mole in Edge Industries for her trouble. Everything is coming up Lois.
Sidebar: Am I the only one who thought it was super weird that Sarah gets kidnapped right at the start of babysitting Sophie and Sophie doesn't say anything about it. She doesn't think it's weird. Doesn't try to call her folks. Just watches her movie, eats pizza and puts herself to bed. Is Sophie a sociopath?
Grade: B+
"Man of Steel"
Captain Luthor: "Lois Lane."
Lois Lane: "hello, guy who is not Marcus Bridgewater."
Captain Luthor: "How about you come inside and we talk about it?"
Lois Lane: "yeah, that's a hard pass on me entering your creeper-mobile."
Captain Luthor: "That's unfair, and pretty hurtful."
Lois Lane: "meet me at Victoria May's in an hour. And get ready to tell the truth. Otherwise, this little team-up of ours is done."
Jordan is not coping well with his new super hearing. He's wearing headphones and not really trying to do any of the training that Clark is giving him. His relationship with Jonathan isn't in a great place after the broken arm and Sarah believes something is up with the Kents after her time with Tag. Lois and Clark are investigating "Marcus" and before their investigation is up they know who they are dealing with... a multiversally displaced John Henry Irons.
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| This isn't Shaq! |
I think we have to start off at the end with that pretty major reveal. Captain Luthor isn't a Luthor at all. He's a multiversal variant of the classic Superman character, John Henry Irons aka Steel. Irons made his comics debut after Superman died and he was one of four Supermen who appeared to take his place. Irons was a weapons engineer who created a full suit of Superman armor and a hammer to fight crime in the Man of Steel's absence. He's been one of Superman's allies ever since and honestly, until this episode, I didn't have any idea that Captain Luthor was actually John Henry. I had avoided "Superman & Lois" spoilers pretty well apparently. But as soon as I saw Irons and Lois' daughter, Natasha, it clicked. In the main DC universe, Natasha Irons is John Henry's equally brilliant niece. Making her the daughter of an alternate universe John Henry Irons and Lois Lane is a nice twist.
We get a lot of backstory for Irons in this episode and it really drives home why he isn't a big fan of Superman. On Irons' world, Superman donned a black suit and with fellow Kryptonians took to the sky and started destroying things. Then, when Lois went on television and let everyone know how to stop Kryptonians with Kryptonite, Superman killed her on live television. I really have to give it up to the "Superman & Lois" effects team. The sequence of Superman and his kinspeople unleashing their heat vision on the skyscrapers of Metropolis including the Daily Planet was pretty awe inspiring. There is still a lot more we don't know and I'm excited to find out. What pushed the Superman of this world over the edge? What happened to Natasha? I can't imagine anything good.
We get a killer action sequence between Irons and Superman. Irons hits Superman with red rays to power the Man of Steel down and then goes to town on him with his giant hammer. It's one of those fights that you can feel. Each hit of the hammer is bone crunching. You are kind of worried for Superman. The fight becomes a family affair when Jordan and Jonathan hit Irons with the family truck after being guided there by Jordan's super hearing.
Speaking of Jordan, I kind of hate him. I do think that means the show and Alex Garfin, who plays Jordan, are doing the right thing. He's honestly the worst. He's whiny. When he gives up on Clark's lessons so quickly, I loudly disgustedly sighed. After breaking his brother's arm, he then proceeds to spy on him having an innocent conversation with Sarah, a girl he likes but has zero claim on. And the spying and the reaction is super creepy and gross. Plus, the boys flipped out on Clark earlier in the season for using his super hearing to spy on them, so great job on the hypocrisy guy. (Though I am curious if they are setting up a love triangle between Jonathan, Sarah and Jordan.) Here's hoping we see more growth from Jordan aside from the baby steps we've been getting.
Lois is back to being an ace reporter, confronting and cornering "Marcus." With Clark's help, they track the movement of the X-Kryptonite. It's unfortunate that this is a diversion cooked up by Leslie with Edge's approval and they end up getting away with most of it. Lana turns out to be a terrible corporate spy, though who is surprised. She is obviously trying to stop her friend, Emily, for working for Edge which I'm sure he susses out pretty quickly. I do like that Lana isn't immediately great at this, but man, I didn't expect her to be so bad.
At the end of the episode, we learn that the candidates Lana is putting forward for this "leadership project" are actually going to be Edge's new Subjekts. Oh, and it turns out that Leslie is the only person who has survived the procedure. We are about halfway through the premiere season and things are ramping up. I don't think Irons being in DOD custody and being so close to Sam Lane is going to be great for Superman, but I guess we will find out.
Grade: A-
Next up, Lois is reaching her breaking point and Clark puts his reporter hat back on to help Chrissy and Lois in their Edge investigation.
I'm really digging this take on the Man of Steel and Lois Lane. How about y'all? Let me know in the comments.
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