The fourth season of “Superman & Lois” premiered Oct. 7, ending The CW’s run of superhero shows. As symbolic as it is for the CW superhero saga to start and end with Superman, I can’t say I’m too surprised that the show is ending.
Seasons one and two had inconsistent episode releases because of the pandemic. In season three, Jon was recast. Season four snags aside from the seven-season plan, reducing its episode count from 13 to 10 and cutting the screen time of most secondary characters.
These decisions aimed to eliminate the filler content that slowed down the progression of the plot in earlier seasons.
Still, “Superman & Lois” stands as the best Arrowverse show, with top-notch acting, high-quality VFX and well-rounded storylines. I am truly sad to see it go, as I’ve grown up with the Arrowverse and fell in love with it when it first came out. But I am grateful that the show had the opportunity to end on its terms.
Season four handled the delicacy of Superman, Lois and the show’s legacy. Outdoing its preceding seasons, it embodies the heart of popular characters by giving the fans classic comic interactions and tropes without reusing boring, repetitive cliches. Once again, the acting is superb and complements the nuanced plot while encapsulating the heartwarming family dynamics that are the breath and soul of the show. Its production rivals big-budget action and superhero films and blows other renditions of Superman out of the water.
This season, Clark and Co. face Lex Luthor, Doomsday and the ultimate consequence of the Superman-Clark Kent dual identity. They gracefully mature from the young, inexperienced family that they were in season one.
Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch return as the titular characters. Alex Garfin plays Jordan Kent, and Michael Bishop returns as Jordan’s twin, Jonathan. Michael Cudlitz plays the classic antagonist Lex Luthor rather viciously.
Season four picks up where season three ends, tackling many other subplots. The storyline adaptation of “The Death of Superman” was certainly a bold choice for the premiere episode, and Superman’s consequent exposed identity was an even bolder creative decision.
For all his life, Clark Kent has struggled to maintain his identity, costing him his relationships with his friends and family, particularly his sons. It has been something that has eaten him alive throughout the show as he navigates through the struggles of fatherhood to twin teens, all while having superpowers and super responsibilities thrown in the mix. When his sons discover their dad’s identity, it is only then that Clark can be a proper father to them.
For Lois and his children, their grief is well-justified when his heart is torn from his body and thrown onto the street like trash. The way the people of Smallville start putting it together is vicious, cruel even, but serves the plotline and creates a realistic way that Clark’s identity leaks — especially as Clark Kent is one of the best identity secret-keepers in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and comics.
I’ve always loved that this show hardly has any filler. Every scene is purposeful and illustrates overarching themes of family, friendship, hope and doing what’s right while remaining faithful to the comic.
The characters have progressed so much from their first appearance, and it’s been a delight to watch them over the past four years.
One way this show has succeeded is through its iconic action sequences. The season starts and ends full circle — with Superman fighting Doomsday.
Within the first episode, Superman is killed on screen in a banger fight. The VFX that showcases him and Doomsday’s brawl is chilling. Heat vision lasers flying across the screen in slow-motion and speed show impact effects and time, all the while planets, infrastructure and Clark put up a good fight that the viewers know will inevitably kill him. This one fight scene eclipses the entirety of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016).
Not only were the plotlines invigorating, but they were fresh for a Superman tale. General Lane (Superman’s father-in-law) sacrifices himself to protect Lex Luthor’s daughter and gives his heart to revive Superman. Jon finally gets powers and the consequences of a superhero dying are authentically brought on screen. In other words, we watch Superman die, come back to life and publicly expose himself. We find out that while Lane’s heart saved him, the human heart is incompatible with his Kryptonian body and that he is slowly losing his powers and will become fully human one day.
All within ten episodes.
I have to give kudos to Hoechlin and Tulloch for taking on the legacy and life of these characters. From starting as guest stars on “Supergirl” (2015-2021), they have come far in their portrayal and brought these characters to life and not only hold the weight of their show, but that of the entire Arrowverse (2012-2024).
Hoechlin’s Superman will always be memorable and my favorite rendition of this character, because he perfected Clark Kent’s kindness, compassion and strength — creating a Superman that is powerful, not overpowered or underpowered when it counts, but so undeniably human at the same time. This vulnerability creates a strong, solid Superman character that is also a dorky, sweet Clark Kent.
This embodiment of Superman’s classic mantra of hope and love pertains to the character’s heroics and has allowed him to be the better father he has always wanted to be since the show’s premiere. Despite all the hardships thrown their way, he carries hope and loves his family, owns up to his mistakes and always believes in the betterment of the people around him. If that’s not Superman, then nothing else is.
Hoechlin’s Superman has always been raw and imperfect, but he uses these imperfections to further pursue truth, justice and a better tomorrow. It is a testament to his acting chops and devotion to the character.
This season, he finds out Sam’s heart transplant is weakening his Kryptonian body and he will lose his powers. As if that wasn’t enough, Sam’s heart is decaying and Clark will one day die.
While this choice surely has to be the result of the show’s final season, it is a welcomed and interesting choice nonetheless. Rarely does such an invincible hero face losing their powers with no chance of them returning. This, along with Clark’s struggle with having a dual identity since day one, adds to the character’s complexity and forces him to have what he never thought he could have: a normal life. As a father, he no longer has to worry about his secret putting his sons in harm’s way.
Hoechlin embodies Clark’s heart beautifully throughout the show, and with the condensed screen time he shines all the more. Viewers can feel his love for the character in the fight scenes and the scenes he spends with his family. He captures Clark’s frustration and mourning for his Superman identity all the while holding his battle with the fear of what else Lex Luthor has in store.
Clark Kent’s major flaw throughout the show is his prioritization of protecting his identity as Superman, which held him back from friendships and a closer relationship with his sons. However, his family’s grief following his death and Lex Luthor’s blackmail forces him to grapple with his fear of being exposed and embracing Superman.
His secret has cost his kids in ways similar to his, and Clark breaks the cycle he started by acknowledging that he is doing his best to be a father and hero despite how blurry those lines can be. He finally becomes the father he wanted to be but couldn’t because of the need to keep his identity secret. The decision to do what’s right despite any personal consequence makes this Clark Kent Superman and his Superman, well, Superman.
Clark Kent and Hoechlin’s success is partly due to Tulloch’s portrayal of Lois. Their chemistry is undeniable. In season three, Clark and the boys struggle to adequately support Lois after her breast cancer diagnosis, and this time, she and the boys help him navigate Superman’s retirement.
Lois is a character I love and hate. There are times when she’s too much, acts harshly and makes common sense mistakes which are difficult to rationalize. This season, she owns up to her flaws from the previous seasons and grows. She accepts her mistakes and takes action letting people make smart choices for themselves.
Jordan finally becomes independent and comes into a self-actualization that’s enjoyable. Long gone is the unstable, hyper-emotional and Sarah-dependent boy who couldn’t even cry, but here now is an independent hero. Jon getting superpowers after being sidelined since day one was a great choice because fans could finally see the twins together rather than being pitted against each other.
The secondary character arcs were also tied up nicely. Sarah finally leaves Smallville and pursues her own life. Lana and John get married, and General Lane sacrifices himself to revitalize Clark. That was left-field but in line with the character, since he always preached civic duty first and family, well, never.
Classically, everything that stands against Superman usually links to Lex Luthor. As much of an age-old trend as this is, the show truly creates a villain out of Lex Luthor, one of the few Arrowverse antagonists that earn their villain rank.
For the first time, Lex Luthor doesn’t hate Superman because he hates him. Rather, he is a truly vicious man burning for revenge.
He has Superman killed to get back at Lois for writing an article that caused his imprisonment. He tortures Bizarro and turns him into Doomsday to kidnap Superman, kidnaps Lois’s father, attempts to bury him alive and connotes a scheme to make Lois choose which twin will live — all within the first two episodes.
And the rest of the season? He manipulates and forces Lois to choose between her sons in an attempt to make Jordan turn on her and has Doomsday kill General Lane (Lois’s father) when he will not share the whereabouts of Elizabeth (Luthor’s daughter). When Superman comes back to life, Luthor tells him to his face that he’s going to spend the rest of his days fighting to kill him and his family. Oh, and did I mention that I can count on my fingers the times he’s tried to kill children?
Superman may have been without a heart for some time, but the truly heartless man is Lex Luthor — one of the most ruthless characters in the Arrowverse.
It’s what I love about the show. The characters face real problems and avoid the CW cliché of being saved or overcoming emotional hurdles with a simple speech.
I hope future portrayals of these characters look back to this show as valuable source material.
They underwent significant growth, concluding on a bittersweet note. While it was unexpected, I appreciated the closure the producers gave to the fans and the cast.
The fight against Doomsday and Luthor is quick and natural. In a stunning sequence of colors, flashes and slow-motion moments, both are defeated and Smallville moves on. There is no exaggeration or unnecessary dramatization, which allows the intensity of the blows Superman deals to be all the more impactful, proving why he’s the hero that he is.
In the present, the show ends with Clark reevaluating his legacy, enlisting his sons to wear their family emblem, and join him. Clark and Lois start a nonprofit to help all people — not just those in life-threatening situations — and spread hope and positivity.
In brief snapshots of the epilogue that Hoechlin emotionally narrates, viewers are navigated through just how human and delicate these characters have always been. Clark and Lois grow old together, Jon and Jordan get married and have kids and in time, Lois’s cancer returns and she passes. Clark and the boy’s grief pulls at the viewer’s heartstrings because Clark had nothing, and then Lois gave him everything. In his mourning, he gets Krypto, only the time they enjoy together is short-lived as for the third time in live-action history, Clark Kent and Superman pass away to a melancholy yet uplifting rendition of his character’s theme.
The goodbye that Hoechlin delivers as Clark, paying tribute to all the characters central to the show’s legacy, is a testament to its superb writing and potential.
This show will be missed for years to come but has earned its place in comic book history. Tyler Hoechlin will forever be immortalized as Superman, and “Superman and Lois” is wholeheartedly the Arrowverse’s final flight.
