“Always My Hero”

Superman & Lois deals with the fallout of Clark’s death and the persistent threat of Lex Luthor and Doomsday.

A major pillar of this show has always been familial dynamics whether that be parents and children, grandparents and children, siblings, found families where those involved dictate how they relate to one another and a variety of others. Much of the storytelling links back to a familial connection in some form and this has only become more prominent in this final season with a reduced cast. The previous episodes were broadly about how a family comes to terms with the loss of one of the parental figures and the complexities of the emotions surrounding that. This episode concentrates on what comes next and how a new normal is found.

It is more complicated than that as this episode confirms that Clark’s death isn’t permanent but, until that point, it seemed possible for a final season to function without Clark being an active presence in the present day. Clark is still a fixture through flashbacks that enhance other characters in some way so it would be possible to end this show by showing how Clark prepared others for a world without him and highlighting how the example he set inspired others to step up in his absence.

The flashbacks are very Sam-centric and represent him at his most emotionally distant. The first season established that he isolated himself from personal relationships and focused entirely on work. His approach created a rift between him and his daughters but Sam softened as the show progressed and got to a point where he could be more open with his family about his feelings and recognise that there is more to life than his work.

His viewpoint is best represented in the second flashback depicting Clark asking for Sam’s blessing before he asks Lois to marry him. Sam flatly doesn’t approve because he doesn’t want Clark putting his daughter in danger. He warns Clark about dangers he doesn’t currently know about and points out that so many things will be looking to challenge him. Sam’s view at that time in his life is that those who have chosen the role of protector should concentrate on that and not put others in danger through association.

This outlook comes from his own abandonment issues. His wife leaving put him in the role of a single father to two daughters and he wasn’t equipped to deal with that. Earlier seasons periodically referenced Lois feeling that she had to step into the mother role and hold the family together because Sam was unable to do so. This created resentment as Lois never felt properly supported but it also encouraged her to be resilient so there was a positive outcome even amid the emotional strife. Sam only became more distant as time went on which brings him to the point in this flashback where he tells Clark he doesn’t approve of his relationship with Lois.

Clark makes it clear he’s asking this question as a courtesy and the lack of a blessing won’t stop him from asking Lois to marry him. He wants Sam to approve because he wants him to be involved in the family they are creating. Sam is being offered love and acceptance, but he’s so set in his isolationist outlook that he’s unable to accept that offer at that time. He sees Clark as Superman the protector and the raw power he wields that poses a danger to Lois rather than Clark the man with feelings and desires of his own. As far as Sam is concerned, Clark needs to forget about the prospect of living a normal life with a wife, kids and anything else he may want for himself because his priority should be the help he can provide as Superman. In a way, he sees a kindred spirit in Clark but his assumption about priorities is wrongheaded so it’s preventing him from understanding what people actually need in life.

This softens in the later flashback when Sam overhears Clark talking to Martha. Clark expresses his sincere love for Lois and his desire to start a family with her. This allows him to see Clark the man rather than Superman the protector and he understands that Clark’s desire to make Lois happy is sincere.

He applies this lesson in the final flashback where he tells Lois that he still doesn’t approve and confirms that he has her best interests at heart by having his doubts. He sees similarities to his relationship with Lois’ mother in Lois’ relationship with Clark and is worried about history repeating itself but Lois insists that both of them are going into this marriage with their eyes open and they are prepared to deal with whatever trials they face together. It isn’t explicitly stated but it’s heavily implied that Sam and his wife weren’t on the same page when they got married which isn’t the case for Lois and Clark. Ultimately, Sam pushes his reservations aside and trusts Lois to understand what she’s entering into. This doesn’t silence his fatherly concern but he’s going to trust his daughter to make her own decisions and pledges to support her.

This brings Sam to the point he was in the first episode of the show. At that point, he had a relationship with Lois, Clark and his grandsons but there was a tension to it as he kept them at arm’s length even though he was a part of their life. He is called out on this repeatedly and connects with all of them on a deeper level as the show progresses. The flashbacks in this episode show how far Sam has come and how positive an influence Clark has been on him in terms of encouraging him to let down his defences and be more emotionally expressive.

His growth allows him to selflessly sacrifice himself to bring Clark back. He does this so that there isn’t a world without Superman but, more importantly, there isn’t a world without Clark Kent. Sam’s sacrifice is about giving her daughter back the man she loves and making sure his grandchildren don’t have to grow up without a father. His decision to give his heart to Clark was making the best of a bad situation as it is stated he was looking for another donor but circumstances left him fatally wounded with very few alternatives. He creates compatibility by injecting Bruno Mannheim’s serum based on Clark’s blood which gives him enough strength to get to his feet and approach Doomsday before it can hurt anyone else.

The callback to the “I’ll always be brave for you pumpkin” line in Sam’s final moments was a strong touch. This combines with his promise to Lex’s daughter to keep her whereabouts a secret from him to solidify him as a true hero. It shows that even though it took a while he got his priorities right and came to understand that his relationship with his family is a strength rather than a weakness. There’s no regret on his face when Doomsday takes his life and it makes for a very powerful moment. There is a missed opportunity to exploit the notion of Lex and Sam both being fathers by analysing their approaches to fatherhood and creating a connection between them.

Sam’s final holo message to Lois summarises how far he has come. He’s grateful that Lois and Clark wanted him in their life and can’t express how much his grandchildren mean to him as well as how proud he is to be her father. One thing he can express without doubt is that Lois made him a better man and he ends his final message by stating that his heart beating in Clark’s chest is how he’s going to protect her and stay with her after he’s gone. It’s a moving and powerful speech that excellently outlines how significant Sam was in the dynamic of the show. A hole now exists where he once was and the episode doesn’t shy away from the tragedy.

Lois’ elegy that opens and closes the episode works really well. The episode begins in media res with all indications pointing to her eulogising Clark. Revealing that she was talking about Sam gives it extra weight as the audience can associate the words she chooses to honour Sam with how she feels about her husband. It shows that Lois sees her father in the same light and losing him will have the same impact. It also draws a link between Sam and Clark, indicating that Clark’s influence on Sam was profoundly positive. Jonathan and Jordan wearing Sam’s favourite shirt was a great touch as a sign of respect.

It’s appropriate that John and Natalie are present in Sam’s final episode as they had the strongest connection to him outside of the Kent family. There are complex dynamics at play as Sam was John’s father-in-law in his universe and Natalie’s grandfather. John definitely regards him as a close friend and colleague and Natalie has come to see him as her grandfather who remains distinct from the one she lost.

Clark’s death brings up unpleasant memories for John and Natalie as they are reminded of the considerable losses they have experienced. They regret not stepping in when Clark was fighting Doomsday and are inspired to step into the role of protector in his honour. It’s another example of Clark’s positive influence on those around them as well as the massive hole left by his death. Lex Luthor is pulling a lot of strings in the background and Doomsday is still out there so the world needs heroes more than ever and they are prepared to step up to do what they can. The time John and Natalie we on screen was used effectively but it’s also evident that the time is limited as there are instances where their presence would have made sense yet they were nowhere to be found. It’s a consequence of the reduced budget for the season but it doesn’t make the gaps in the storytelling any less evident. It’s unclear if this will be their last appearance though it seems like there is still a conclusion of some sort to come for them.

Another indication of how life goes on without Clark in it is Jonathan’s powers manifesting. It comes after a heightened emotional moment where he yells at Jordan for his recklessness. It’s very much an example of the pressure getting to Jonathan and needing an outlet for his grief. Unfortunately for Jordan, it is all directed at him but fortunately for Jonathan he almost instantly ends up with the full suite of Kryptonian powers. This is a strange decision as it ends the dichotomy between the two brothers founded on Jordan having powers and Jonathan learning to define himself without them. It’s a dynamic that worked for three seasons and was a foundational aspect of their relationship. Jonathan gaining powers changes that and it may not be for the better as Jonathan’s journey to being a hero in his own way by volunteering at the fire station was far from complete.

On the other hand, it does create new possibilities for a different dynamic. Jonathan mastering the use of his powers almost instantly reverts Jonathan and Jordan back to where they were in the first episode. There was an undercurrent of resentment as Jordan envied Jonathan seeming to find everything in life so easy whereas Jordan felt awkward about everything. This changed when Jordan gained powers and had something of his own that Jonathan couldn’t master effortlessly. That resentment has returned as Jonathan took to his powers instantly when Jordan had a very long learning curve. Lois even talks about arranging for his training and giving him the chance to use his powers to help people. It’s a stark contrast to the cautious approach taken with Jordan and it’s something he takes personally.

His reaction is funnelled through his low self-esteem and social anxiety that has been long-established but it’s a perfectly valid way for him to feel, particularly when Lois is too overwhelmed to recognise that Jordan is feeling sidelined by this new development. The situation is more nuanced than Jordan is prepared to accept at this point in time and he isn’t privy to Lois’ admission that she and Clark made mistakes when raising their sons. The specific mistake referenced is not telling them the truth about Clark and their heritage far earlier. Those mistakes can’t be changed but she can make an effort to do better in the future and her commitment to that is expressed through her willingness to allow Jonathan to help people after he sincerely declares that he wants to help. Sam offers to be fully transparent with his training which shows growth in every aspect of handling the emergence of powers.

Jordan being accidentally dismissed makes him an easy target for Lex manipulating him. The choice Lois made in the previous episode when she thought both sons were in danger is revealed and it turns out she chose Jonathan. Jordan sees this as confirmation of Jonathan being the favourite son and he isn’t slow in confronting Lois about this. She attempts to justify it as a calculated decision based on Jordan having powers and being able to defend himself which prompts Jordan to point out Jonathan wasn’t in danger and Jordan was the one under attack. He fails to recognise that Lois didn’t know that at the time and made the decision under extreme pressure. Lex’s psychological game works as intended and destabilises her relationship with Jordan. It’s another step in his plan to remove her support system and leave her vulnerable along with his success in killing Sam. He doesn’t yet know about Jonathan but Lex’s calculated approach to dealing with his enemies remains simple yet effective.

Even with this being Sam’s final episode, this is still a great outing for Lois as she adjusts to life without Clark. Elizabeth Tulloch deserves major recognition for her incredible performance in all three episodes so far. She conveys a wide range of emotions while carrying the entire show on her shoulders. Lois is the central figure and it’s reflected in the writing such as when she expresses that she’s trying to hold everything together. All she can do is continue moving forward because the alternative is being overwhelmed by her emotions. She is trying to begin the healing process by publishing the article announcing Superman’s death. Notably Clark Kent’s death remains publicly unannounced which suggests she isn’t quite ready to accept that or let go quite yet.

It may end up proving fortuitous that Clark Kent’s demise isn’t widely known as the episode ends with the transplant apparently being successful as Clark wakes up. Ending the episode with the heartbeat is striking as it serves as a reminder of what was sacrificed to get to this point. Clark’s resurrection may not be a cause for celebration as the possibility of complications is conveyed by Lara who has concerns about the procedure. It’s a compelling cliffhanger that opens up several questions going into the next episode.

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Verdict

A strong episode that delivers an excellent showcase for Sam and brilliantly summarises his growth over the seasons while starting to look at what a world without Superman and Clark Kent might mean.

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