Superman & Lois – Season 4 Episode 4
“A Perfectly Good Wedding”
Superman & Lois deals with the difficulty of finding a new normal as Smallville prepares for a wedding.
The final season of this show must have been a significant creative and logistical challenge. A decision was made to save budget by dropping most of the main cast and having them return for periodic guest spots. I’ve repeatedly mentioned that one of the major strengths of this show is its characters so not having full access to them changes the show significantly and creates a challenge around how to utilise them. Fortunately, they are present in a limited capacity, so it is possible to pick up their individual stories and resolve them in some way.
Kyle and Chrissy return for this episode to further the unexpected pregnancy plot and pick up from Kyle’s proposal. The central focus of this outing is preparing for their wedding and dealing with the emotional minefield that comes with it. In a more general sense, this episode is about most of the characters trying to find a new equilibrium.
The wedding is an appropriately timed event as it provides a natural opportunity to lighten the mood after an intense run of three episodes opening the season. Lois mentions that some joy is sorely needed for a change of pace and a wedding seems like a good way for everyone to experience happiness, however temporary that may be.
The episode contains several wedding tropes commonly found in sitcoms such as a disapproving mother, last-minute jitters and a runaway bride. It’s perhaps to be expected but not especially interesting. Part of the problem is that Chrissy isn’t a well-developed character so it’s a stretch to expect the viewer to be invested in her relationship with her mother (Laara Sadiq) or even her relationship with Kyle. A clear effort was made in the previous season to develop some of the lesser featured characters and Chrissy’s starting point was that she didn’t have much to define her life outside of her job which led to her being drawn to Kyle as another lonely person surrounded by -at least the perception of- happy families.
It was a strong starting point that could have developed more gradually over a longer period. The pregnancy and subsequent proposal were rushed though perhaps deemed necessary by knowledge of the upcoming forced alterations to the show. It’s unclear when that came to light but there was a sense that certain characters were being rapidly pushed towards some sort of conclusion towards the end of the previous season.
To give the writers due credit, they have once again attempted to turn the limitations into a strength where Chrissy is concerned. The fact that all these life events are happening so quickly is a major fixture of the story here and is used as the basis for Chrissy and Kyle’s -though to a lesser extent with Kyle- emotional journey over the episode.
From early on, Chrissy is clearly overwhelmed by the pace of change and struggles to find an equilibrium. Talking to her mother doesn’t help as she is met with disapproval and judgement for the mess -from her mother’s perspective- that she has got herself into. There’s obvious condescension in her mother’s tone as she asks Kyle about how long he has been divorced and probes into their living situation. It adds to Chrissy’s uncertainty and contributes to her eventually running from the wedding.
Her conversation with Lois where she outlines her feelings is really strong. One of her concerns is that history is repeating itself as her mother got married quickly after falling pregnant just as she is about to do. Also going through her mind is her concern that she is incapable of building a marriage as strong and Lois and Clark’s. Lois points out that her marriage is only as strong as it is because they both work at it and don’t shy away from having tough conversations. It’s built on love and mutual respect which helps them be on the same page consistently but none of it comes easy. Lois expresses that she believes Kyle and Chrissy both love and respect each other so there’s no reason they can’t use that as the foundation for an equally strong relationship.
This glances at the idea of how flawed external perception can be. It may seem that Lois and Clark have the perfect relationship from the outside and it’s certainly a strong and loving connection based on mutual trust and respect, but the erroneous perception is that the strength of their connection comes easily to them. As previously mentioned, Chrissy isn’t a well-developed character so it’s unclear what her relationship experience is, but it’s strongly suggested that Kyle is her first serious partner, and they were brought together by unexpected circumstances so it’s easy to see why Chrissy would have her doubts about the viability of their relationship.
Chrissy’s anxiety about her situation is relatable because everyone has experienced looking at the details of someone else’s life from the outside and assuming that their situation is perfect. This may be friendships they have, their job, trips they take or anything else. The reality is that everyone has challenges they face and their own anxieties about aspects of their life so what may seem perfect from the outside often isn’t as idyllic as it appears.
Kyle’s conversation with Clark after Chrissy runs from the wedding highlights that he has been prompted to slow down and think about what’s happening. He talks about wanting a family again because he misses that feeling and acknowledges that the opportunity to start one with Chrissy may have resulted in him not taking stock of the situation. Clark’s perspective is that Kyle should be patient as things are likely to work out if he waits for everything to happen in its own time. It’s something he himself is trying in terms of figuring out his new normal and believes it’s something Kyle should consider also.
Talking to Lois pivots Chrissy’s approach to everything that has happened in her life, and she opts not to make decisions based on perceived expectations. Just because her mother got married quickly after falling pregnant doesn’t mean she has to and she shouldn’t compare her relationship with Kyle to Lois and Clark’s. Her decision is that she and Kyle can take their time getting to know each other and revisit the marriage idea when they’re both ready to take that step. The wedding becomes a party that acts as a celebration for its own stake and accomplishes the need for joy that prompted Lois’ offer to throw it in the first place. It’s a wholesome moment that allows the characters much-needed levity.
The notion of flawed perception also extends to Jordan who is struggling to resolve his belief that Lois favours Jonathan over him after hearing the choice Lois made during Lex Luthor’s sadistic game. This belief doesn’t come from nowhere as Jordan has always been envious of how easily his brother seems to learn things and adapt to different situations when everything is such a struggle for him.
Lois takes ownership of this problem and clears the air with Jordan by acknowledging how he’s feeling and giving him the opportunity to talk things through with her. Jordan admits that he’s jealous of how easily Jonathan and Lois relate to one another as he feels there’s far less natural common ground between them. He believes that he always makes a mess of things and is constantly letting her down. Specifically, he blames himself for Sam and Clark’s deaths and believes that his failure to save them contributes to Lois favouring Jonathan. She apologises for making him feel that she values Jonathan over him and promises to do better but tells him that he must give her the chance to make it right otherwise it will be impossible to move forward. Jordan agrees and a new equilibrium is struck.
This is quickly resolved but it makes sense when considering Jordan’s mental health issues as well as the strain recent events have placed on everyone involved. Jordan’s reaction to Lois’ choice was an irrational and emotional one but perfectly understandable considering the circumstances. He can understand that he is not competing with Jonathan for the love of their parents. It’s unconditional and absolute though Jordan has a unique relationship with both of his parents just as Jonathan does.
The resolution to this is that Jordan decides to give his costume to Jonathan as he needs to take time to figure things out before getting back in the field. He gives Jonathan his blessing to take his place. This proves that Jordan has taken what Lois said to him to heart as he stops competing with his brother and instead supports him in his growth as a hero.
Jonathan has his first training session with Clark. As expected, the training dynamic Clark has with Jonathan is different to his dynamic with Jordan. The previous episode indicated that Jonathan has taken to his powers more naturally than Jordan, so his initial learning curve isn’t as steep. This is likely a decision made for the sake of efficiency as this final season has a reduced episode count so there is less time to let things develop gradually. Fortunately, Jonathan’s personality lends itself to quickly adapting to his powers and continually pushing himself to master them.
The training sequence works well for a couple of reasons. One notable strength is that it’s a rare opportunity for Clark and Jonathan to spend time together and develop their relationship. The show has been guilty of not giving time to their dynamic because a lot of Clark’s time was spent with Jordan while Jonathan was more aligned with Lois as the parent he could more easily relate to. It made sense from a narrative perspective as Clark was better placed to teach Jordan how to use his powers and Lois was better placed to help Jonathan deal with not having powers but being surrounded by them.
This has obviously shifted now that Jonathan has powers and Clark can fully share that part of his life with him. There’s a sense that they have more in common as evidenced by Jonathan understanding the Star Wars reference. Jonathan also has greater confidence in his abilities than Jordan did which accelerates them to the point where they can have fun while training. Hopefully, time will be taken to explore how different yet equally valid Clark’s relationship with each of his powered sons is in the coming episodes.
The training sequence also serves a narrative purpose as it facilitates Clark experiencing a blip in his powers and falling out of the sky. Holo-Lara expressed concerns about putting a Human heart inside Clark as she couldn’t predict how this would affect him. Clark falling out of the sky when training Jonathan is the first indication of complications and it’s clear that these consequences will be a significant fixture in the coming episodes.
Clark confides in Lois about feeling different. He feels less strong, his hearing is impaired, and he feels the intoxicating effects of alcohol for the first time in his life. Lois simplifies his account by summarising it as feeling unable to trust his own body. She quickly reaches that conclusion because she feels the same way following her cancer treatment and understands what it means to feel betrayed by your own body.
Lois turns Clark’s advice back on him in order to help him; she says, “Whatever scars I have are a symbol I survived”. Clark has a scar that won’t heal which serves as a permanent physical indication of what he has experienced and what has changed. Lois expresses that the important thing is he’s alive and the family are together again. Whatever comes up can be dealt with, but they can’t lose sight of how lucky they are to all be together after everything that has happened.
Their conversation highlights that another strong connection has been forged between them. Clark was able to support Lois through her battle with cancer, but he was never able to fully understand how she felt. That’s still the case but he has a more personal grasp of the mortality angle and the fear that comes with life ending prematurely. He also has a better idea of what it means to be forever changed by a life-altering experience. It’s especially impactful for Clark because he has never experienced feeling weakness to that extent. He may be permanently changed and, like everyone else, he will have to adapt to changes and find a new equilibrium. It humanises Clark in ways that have never been expressed before and it makes for an interestingly fresh angle on the character.
Clark’s recent experience has made him aware of his mortality in a way he never has before. His voiceover early in the episode refers to the fragility of life and not taking anything for granted. He also expresses sincere gratitude for the sacrifice that allowed him to come back. The voiceover sets up that this will weigh on his mind until he finds his new equilibrium.
This episode is largely low-key in terms of the super elements, but they do still exist. The threat of Lex and Doomsday looms large over everything though seems slightly distant at this point. Clark’s resurrection isn’t widely known for weeks after it happens which keeps him safe from Lex but it’s evident that he will send Doomsday to finish the job once he becomes aware of Clark’s return.
Lex doesn’t appear but his influence is certainly present through Cheryl -formerly Gretchen-. She is a loose end that needs to be tied up and Lex never forgets about them. Lois tracks her down and offers her the chance to be protected by testifying against Lex so that he gets sent to prison therefore securing her safety. It isn’t mentioned that Lex likely has reach that extends beyond prison but it’s certainly a tempting offer as being in Lex Luthor’s crosshairs is not a safe place to be.
His method for getting rid of her is to stage a fire to claim her life so that her death can’t be traced back to him. Jonathan’s first heroic act since gaining his powers is to attempt to fight the fire which amusingly matches his training in the previous season. The situation proves overwhelming to him because of a flamethrower-wielding villain which shows that Jonathan still has a lot to learn about applying his powers and managing unpredictable situations.
Clark’s intervention in the fight leads to the return of Superman being widely reported which ends the honeymoon period following Clark’s resurrection and immediately heightens the threat represented by Lex Luthor. Notifications of the news articles announcing the good news ends the episode on a sinister note as it’s clear that Clark’s recovery time is now at an end because Lex will likely waste no time in finishing what he started.
Verdict
A good episode that neatly threads the theme of finding a new equilibrium through several characters while taking a natural opportunity to provide some much-needed levity after a heavy start to the season.
Overall
-
7.5/10
Summary
Kneel Before…
- the wedding being appropriately timed to add much-needed levity after a heavy start to the season
- neatly threading the theme of finding a new equilibrium through several characters
- attempting to turn the limitations created by Chrissy’s lack of significant development into storytelling strengths
- Chrissy’s conversation with Lois where she outlines her concerns about her future
- the idea of flawed external perception and how that feeds into Chrissy’s jitters
- the wholesome party being born out of an intended wedding
- the notion of flawed perception extending to Jordan and how he feels about his brother
- Lois taking ownership of the problem and clearing the air with Jordan
- Lois making it clear that she promises to do better but Jordan has to give her the opportunity to do so
- Jordan giving his costume to Jonathan signifying that he will stop competing with his brother and instead support him
- Jonathan and Clark’s training dynamic
- Clark’s resurrection making him consider his mortality and understanding what it means to be forever changed by a life-altering experience
- the threat of Lex and Doomsday looming over the episode and the indication that the honeymoon period is over in the final moments
Rise Against…
- the drama associated with Kyle and Chrissy’s pending nuptials not being overly interesting due to Chrissy being under-developed
- a lot of sitcom tropes associated with the wedding drama
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