For me, the release of Superman & Lois season 4 was one of the most awaited pop culture events this year. Many fans already consider it one of the best live-action projects about Superman. For the past few years, Tyler Hoechlin’s performance as Clark Kent/Superman showed perfectly the most famous superhero’s superhuman strength and human vulnerability.
Season 4 is the last season of this version of Superman’s adventures. For one final event, fans will see an adaptation of one of the most important events in the superhero comic book history: The Death of Superman. Is Superman’s future set in stone? Will the world survive If Superman isn’t there? What is Lex Luthor’s secret plan? Let’s find out!
[Warning: Spoilers from previous seasons of Superman & Lois and discussion of events in season 4 are below!]
Is Superman & Lois the best Superman live-action story to date?
Superman & Lois is one of the best projects about the Man of Steel. The biggest argument why, is that it wasn’t focusing only on Superman. It focused on Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) & Lois (Bitsie Tulloch), their sons, friends, and other family members from the first episode. By doing so, we’ve got a lot of story arcs that were so emotional, that they made me cry many times. Especially in season 3 during which I cried while watching every single episode.
The show’s decision to set the storyline in Smallville, make it more grounded, and revolve it around Superman’s family was the best decision the creators could make. Another series that did this was Smallville with Tom Welling, where we saw the origin of Superman. Superman & Lois brought back the familiar vibes from past projects while adding a lot of interesting small-town dynamics and drama. Which in the end provided a fresh and interesting look and something different compared to the usual epic, world-threatening battles of Superman we got used to.
The first two seasons focus more on Superman’s two sons and Clark trying to combine his life as a father with being a superhero. He and Lois were fired from the Daily Planet and started living in Smallville after Clark’s mom died. One of Clark’s sons, Jordan (Alex Garfin), found out he has powers and tried to be a superhero, just like his dad. It took him a long time to start controlling them, but in the end, he didn’t disappoint. The show is full of Clark trying to help him get a grip on his powers, but it’s not the most interesting part of the show. The most interesting part, or rather parts, are the emotional moments in the story.
The most emotional and the best part of the series, for me, was the entire Lois Lane arc in season 3. Lois was diagnosed with cancer and the whole season focused on her fighting it, her family’s reaction to the news, and the potential future outcomes. It’s a tragedy that resonated with me a lot personally and was a bold move that paid off in the end, giving us one of the most mature, resonating with fans and emotional story arcs in the life of Superman ever.
The series stands out to many because it doesn’t just rely on action or Superman’s invincibility. Instead, it focuses on his roles as a father and husband, raising two teenage sons while balancing the responsibilities of saving the world. Showing Superman dealing with worldwide threats while trying to be a good dad is something we don’t see often, even in comic books. This mix of superhero stuff and family drama helped Superman & Lois to create a league of its own, making it, at least in my opinion, one of the best, If not the best portrayals of Superman and his story on screen.
The adaptation of The Death of Superman. Can this series get even more emotional?
At the end of season 3, Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) who got out of jail, creates Doomsday to kill Superman. As far as Superman’s story goes, Superman & Lois has consistently succeeded in merging high-stakes superhero action with his family life. Season 4 is no different. From the beginning, we can feel our heroes’ various emotions and the seriousness of the situation. This intense emotion rollercoaster starts by focusing on how Lois Lane and her family deal with the absence of Clark in their life while he’s fighting Doomsday and ends with them experiencing something they never expected to feel. The showrunners have openly discussed how this season aims to focus on grief and resilience, with Lois stepping up as the true superhero to keep her family together while dealing with her problems.
One of the key emotional parts of this season for me is Lois’ battle to protect her children, Jonathan (Michael Bishop) and Jordan. Even though one of them has powers, Lois doesn’t care. She’ll show everyone that you don’t mess with Kents. She proves once again that she is a woman who, even in her most vulnerable moments, finds the strength to face evil.
This version of Lex Luthor is one of the most terrifying to date. Whenever I look at Michael Cudlitz I feel his hate and anger towards Superman. Even though he doesn’t show it, all it takes is one look into his eyes, and you know, he won’t bother to hurt people. His evil presence and manipulations feel more personal, which sets up one of the most intense showdowns in Superman’s TV history.
As for adapting the story of The Death of Superman, I can’t reveal much about how exactly it happens in the show and what’s the outcome through the episodes, but I’m not disappointed. I’m not the biggest fan of the original version of this story from the comic books, but this show is the best adaptation to date. It was the most awaited and talk-about comic book story in the ’90s, so if you wait for another one of those adaptations this one is definitely worth the wait. It’s emotional, breathtaking, epic, and very well-thought-out. The story of this season is worth a wait. You won’t be disappointed. It works so well mainly because we’ve watched this version of Superman for 3 seasons of his show, which is enough to bond with this character.
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Potential for the rest of Superman & Lois season 4
As the season progresses, there’s immense potential for Superman & Lois to push its narrative and emotional boundaries even further. While the show’s producers have confirmed this will be the final season, they also hint at surprises and cameos, ensuring that fans have plenty to look forward to. One of them will be the appearance of Tom Cavanagh who previously played Reverse Flash/Eobard Thawne and multiple versions of Harrison Wells in CW’s The Flash.
Given the show’s success in creating interesting drama, the rest of the episodes are expected to bring all the storylines together satisfyingly and emotionally. While Superman’s fate is the main theme throughout the season, there is still more room for other characters to shine. Jonathan Kent’s arc, in particular, will likely see him step fully into his role as a proud member of Kent’s family.
He was always a problematic one in the family, but over the last seasons, he became a more responsible person. With the absence of his father, he may be forced to take on greater responsibilities, potentially filling Superman’s shoes as the protector of Smallville, but not in that exact way. Filling Superman’s shoes belongs to Jordan, who has powers and will do everything to stop evil while his father is absent. But his immaturity doesn’t help. He is still impulsive and doesn’t hesitate to do something stupid. Yet, his role in season 4 may become even more important.
Lex Luthor, on the other hand, continues to be a serious threat as he wants to destroy Lois Lane and clear his name. His storyline is driven by personal vendetta. He is an evil genius, and that alone promises to give us an intense story throughout the season. Whether it’s through his manipulation of Doomsday or his schemes against Lois and her family, Lex’s presence is a constant source of tension and danger throughout the season.
Ultimately, season 4 of Superman & Lois is looking like a solid contender to become one of the best superhero shows this year and in the last decade. It’s full of emotional moments that mixed with drama doesn’t make it boring at all. The show’s unique mix of grounded family drama and epic superhero storytelling offers a fresh and interesting take on one of comic book history’s most famous stories.
Fans definitely can expect not only iconic moments taken straight from the comic books but also a lot of breathtaking moments. Whether this will be the final chapter in the story of Superman and his family, it’s certain to leave a lasting impact on both fans and the superhero genre.
Superman & Lois season 4 two-hour premiere is set to be released on CW October 7th. Are you excited for it? Do you like this version of Superman? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or in the Discord!
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