We’re only three episodes in, but Superman & Lois Season 3 is hands down the best one yet.
Truthfully, I was skeptical about Lois’ cancer storyline at first, but the creative forces have tackled it with such grace, and it has added life to the narrative, deepened my love for these characters, and grounded the series. The superhero aspects of the show are still fun, but there’s just something about seeing these people who have dealt with near-apocalypses and bad guys who mean them harm facing the worst villain yet—an aggressive diagnosis.
That very sentiment was portrayed so beautifully on-screen with Clark’s recurring night terrors.
His fear and helplessness upon not being able to save Lois, no matter how hard he tried, manifested in the nightmares.
And it’s a very valid feeling considering he’s Superman after all. If anyone can save her, it should be him, and yet, stage 3 breast cancer is something that no one can do anything about except for maybe the doctors and the chemo, which Lois seemed to avoid at all costs.
That very fear and helplessness that Clark felt spread through all of Lois’ loved ones as they found out what was going on, and then eventually, Lois owned up to those feelings as well.
As she pursued every lead and angle in the Bruno Mannheim story, she was using it as an excuse and distraction so that she wouldn’t have to admit that she was sick. I love that the series emphasized a very real reaction from people who have dealt with similar situations. Even the strongest and bravest people in the world struggle to come to terms with a potentially incurable disease that will steal their time and energy.
Much like Clark Kent, Lois has tracked down, pursued, and faced some of the world’s most dangerous criminals, but this is her greatest battle.
Thankfully, she has a very good support system, not only in Clark, but in her children, their friends, and the extended family.
Natalie’s decision to give Lois her mother’s watch was beautiful as it somehow brought things full circle. Nat couldn’t be there for her mother in her final moments, but she can be a beacon of strength and light for Lois. In a way, it kind of gave Nat the closure she always needed. While Henry Lyons wasn’t on board with Nat’s idea initially, when he saw how moved Lois was upon receiving the watch, he knew that his daughter made the right call and admitted that the only reason that he was so against it was because of his fear of losing Lois… again. She may not be his wife, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less—it was just an excuse to stop the hurt from settling in.
Lois gave everyone quite a scare with the cancer announcement, and she doubled down by putting herself in even more danger by following a lead to a medical facility where she and Chrissy got locked up in a freezer filled with blood. The place was lined with kryptonite so it blocked her distress signal, so it seemed like they were going to be trapped forever.
Eventually, when the foot soldiers came to clear the unit out, Lois devised a sneaky plan that allowed her to ping Superman for assistance in the knick of time.
The biggest reveal from that situation—other than the irony of Lois putting herself in a near-death situation to avoid chemo—was that the blood inside the facility belonged to Clark Kent. Is Mannheim trying to create an army of Superman-like beings? He’s definitely trying to give the terminally ill patient’s he’s spared some superpowers, but what’s his endgame?
Clark can’t really stay mad at Lois when she uncovered such a vital piece of information that allows them to build a better case against Mannheim.
Superman & Lois — “In Cold Blood” — Image Number: SML303fg_0022r — Pictured: Tyler Hoechlin as Superman — Photo: The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
And if there’s one thing she’s going to see through, it’s bringing down Mannheim once and for all. I don’t agree with Lois’ decision to keep rescheduling chemo, but I do understand wanting to get there on your own terms, just as much as I understand the desire to still prioritize a job that’s meant everything to you for most of your life and that remains the one and only thing still keeping you sane and feeling like yourself.
Everyone copes in different ways, and Lois’ way just happens to be throwing herself into work… it’s not exactly shocking. She’s this season’s superhero!
It’s also nice to see the Kent boys and Nat get into a little action of their own. The family is dealing with a lot now, but this is a superhero series after all, so it would be a shame not to utilize that, especially when there are super teens in the mix. So far, Nat has helped save the world on a few occasions, but Jordan has been sidelined to complete his training, never really breaking free to do his own thing without his dad’s assistance.
But when Jonathan’s truck gets stolen and they realize that the culprit is his girlfriend Candice’s father, they decide to take matters into their own hands and get it back without involving the police.
There was a lot to love about this storyline, including Jonathan’s desire not to get Candice’s dad arrested because he knew that would just make things worse for her. I also love that they didn’t leave Jonathan out of it despite not having any powers. Instead, Jordan and Nat both supported and protected him while he made a beeline for his truck. I hope that eventually, Nat creates a suit for Jonathan that will allow him to fight alongside his loved ones.
As for Candice, she apologized for insinuating that Jonathan lied about her father being a thief, while Jonathan seemingly came clean about kissing his ex, Eliza, at a party. A lot is working against them, but it seems like he loves her and wants to make things work, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they figure it out. There was a time Jonathan was selfish and self-centered, but he’s come into his own this season.
And then there’s the unfortunate fallout between Sarah and Lana. Lana has had a lot on her plate recently, and taking on the Mayor gig just added to her stress and workload. Sarah is also trying to establish her independence, and she feels stifled by her mom, who hasn’t been prioritizing her or taking into account her feelings. And it all culminated in the fight where Sarah called her mom selfish and made a snarky cheating comment that triggered Lana, who responded by slapping her daughter. They were both in the wrong, but Lana’s behavior crossed a line. We later see her apologizing for the slap, and she notes that she feels especially bad because she grew up with an abusive mom, but sadly, the damage has been done as Sarah snuck out to go meet with her dad.
This seems like a turning point in the mother-daughter relationship, and I can see Sarah’s next step being a request to move in with Kyle instead.
While I can see the teenager’s perspective on this, I do also feel for Lana as she’s painted as the villain by her child, who doesn’t truly understand what her mom has taken on or is going through. In addition to the divorce, Lana was the target of a freaky attack. She never really processed it or accepted it, and then Kyle lit the fuse by questioning her about a security system, which stemmed from a jealous place versus a genuine one. It made Lana feel insecure and as though her privacy was invaded because she thought her ex was snooping around and trying to dig up information.
It’s heartbreaking to see how quickly this family fell apart, and how they are continuing to lose their way without each other. However, I am rooting for a Lana and Henry romance, and Kyle and Chrissy are also pretty cute. They both need someone to lean on and confide in now that they don’t have that relationship with each other anymore.
What did you think about the episode?
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