REVIEW: Superman & Lois Season 4, Episode 1 (The End & The Beginning)

Following the return of Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) and, subsequently, the arrival of the notorious Doomsday—a hulked-out version of Bizarro Superman—things are not looking good for Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) right off of the bat in Superman & Lois Season 4, Episode 1. Clark is in space fighting a villain who cannot die, while Lois is facing down Lex without Superman or her father Sam (Dylan Walsh) to back her up (given that the latter has been kidnapped by Lex and his mysterious date). But nothing can prepare you for this intense, emotionally heavy episode.

Lois vs. Lex

When it was first announced that Superman & Lois would be bringing in Lex Luthor, I was not thrilled. I’ve enjoyed that this adaptation has focused on Superman as a well-established hero, rather than at the beginning of his journey as most do, and has consistently introduced lesser-known villains (or villains that just haven’t gotten their due outside of the comics). That said, the way his story has unfolded thus far has been really enjoyable.

In particular, that his vendetta against Lois is the focus of his arc, instead of falling back on Lex and Superman’s overdone (and, frankly, boring) rivalry. Plus, these writers have actually given Lex some ground to stand on to justify his vendetta, as it’s not difficult to understand why he would have such a deep hatred of Lois after she played a role in imprisoning him for nearly two decades over the one murder in Metropolis he didn’t have a hand in.

Of course, he still has that egomaniacal drive behind his actions, like his clear belief that he’s truly done nothing to deserve to have spent said time in prison. It’s the Lex Luthor we all know and hate, but he has an edge to him that has never been done in live-action before. Cudlitz’s performance is truly incredible (and a bit frightening).

Nonetheless, Lois holds her own in her interactions with Lex, even without Clark or Sam there to back her up. The confrontation at the Smallville Gazette is utterly delectable, as these actors are giving their all during every single moment. I admire Lois’ resolve and dedication to her craft, not even considering retiring amidst Lex’s threats.

Even if she had (or does in upcoming episodes), it’s hard to believe Lex would really back down. His hatred of Lois burns too deep, especially due to the estrangement this entire fiasco has created between him and his daughter. In short, the way these characters, this story, and these relationships have been so thoughtfully crafted is incredible, and I simply cannot wait to see more (and then mourn when this final season comes to an end).

Clark and Lois

Speaking of relationships, Superman & Lois will forever be recognized for its absolutely beautiful tribute to the titular romance. This aspect of the series is one thing that it has always gotten right, showcasing Clark and Lois as equals and how helplessly devoted they are to each other, and the scenes in this episode are no different. The flashbacks to their early years hit just the right note, delivering the lighthearted joy of their relationship while also triggering darker emotions for both Lois and the audience given that we know Clark’s death is coming.

I’m happy we saw the aftermath of Lois learning the news about Clark being Superman and how, after absorbing it for a moment, she loved him more. The small detail about Clark having never slept with someone before that moment is so heartbreakingly beautiful, too. Being intimate for the first time after revealing his entire self to the love of his life — god, how did this show get canceled?

Anyway, of course then we have the closing sequence. After Clark puts up one hell of a fight with his adversary, Doomsday returns his body to Smallville, dropping it in front of Lois, Jon (Michael Bishop), and Jordan (Alexander Garfin). Then, Doomsday brings what we are supposed to believe is Clark’s heart to Lex, as he was tasked to do.

Tulloch, Bishop, and Garfin give utterly heart-wrenching performances as the characters realize that Clark is dead. Their loss is profound and their pain is almost palpable. Lois’ shock upon flipping Clark’s body over is a moment that, as a viewer, will stay with me when I think of this series in the future. Nobody can discount this show or how talented this cast is.

But now that Clark’s dead, Sam is safe, and with only nine more episodes until the final curtain, what’s next? I have no idea how this season could possibly progress. Let’s just hope Clark isn’t dead for too long, as it would suck to have him gone for too much of the final season.

Final Thoughts

The scene that stood out to me in this episode is Lex’s confrontation with Jon and Jordan at Vicky May’s. How unbelievably wrong is it for Lex to try to turn Lois’ sons against her with his warped version of the facts? But, what impressed me was that it was Jon, not Jordan, who spoke back to Lex. He didn’t cower to this intimidating man; in fact, Jon actively pissed him off, almost taunting him.

But the goal wasn’t to show Jon as an unruly teen unable to decipher a dangerous situation; he fully understood what was going on and yet he projected pure strength to not let this grown man bully them or their mother. It’s a beautiful example of how, even without powers, Jon is so much like his parents — a hero, in his own right. In comparison, even the grown man who asked if everything was fine after one of Lex’s outbursts was shot down with a single glance from Lex. Absolutely everything about that scene was so well done, and it will go down as one of my favorites from the entire series. (Also, I cannot get over how good Michael Bishop is as Jon. It’s truly a shame we didn’t have him in the role from the very beginning.)

Additionally, while cutting the series regulars after Season 3 came as an unnecessary shock, I think it probably really benefitted this episode. We needed to just focus on this immediate family, including Sam, and the threat that Lex poses to them. The reactions from their extended Smallville family can come later, as we’re seeing now, but that wouldn’t have been the case without said cuts.

Lastly, it has been teased that something will happen in the series finale that, in the history of Superman live-action adaptations, has never been done before. Is it possibly tied to the fact that multiple people in Smallville saw Lois and the boys grieving over Superman’s body? It wouldn’t be hard to put two and two together to realize that reaction would only come from grieving a husband and father. Could Clark reveal his identity to the world at the end (or maybe just to Smallville, like Miley did in the Hannah Montana movie? (I’m not sure if this has been done before, truthfully, but that’s what the ending leads me to believe.)

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