After getting rid of Morgan Edge, you’d think that Smallville would catch a breather, but the premiere of Superman & Lois Season 2 proves that where the Kent family goes, trouble is sure to follow.
The small town did get a teeny, tiny three-month break where they capitalized on Superman’s glory and boosted the economy by becoming a tourist pit-stop, however, the silent nights were soon interrupted by an earthquake that seemingly blasted out of nowhere.
And, of course, it was connected to the Shuster Mines. What isn’t in Smallville?
Superman was able to keep the Smallville water reservoir at bay, and he managed to save a few miners, but he stumbled upon something disturbing at the mines — two heroes wearing the Superman crest. His Superman crest.
When he confronted General Anderson, he realized that their relationship was going to be a far cry from the arrangement he previously had with General Lane. (In case you forgot, he retired!)
Anderson isn’t as understanding as Lane because, well, he’s not privy to all the information Lane had.
Anderson thinks Superman’s sole focus should be on being America’s hero, whereas we know that Clark is dedicated to juggling his superhero job with his duties raising two teenage boys while also being a really great husband.
It’s a lot, even for a superhuman.
And there’s also the fact that Superman considers himself a hero of the world. He doesn’t care to get mixed up with geopolitics of it all; when someone needs saving, he’s there to save the day, no questions asked.
His decision to save the North Korean submarine didn’t sit well with Anderson, and he eventually made it clear that if Superman wouldn’t dedicate himself to saving America, his services wouldn’t be needed.
It’s a pretty stark change from how much the DOD relied on Superman in the first season.
Yes, they may have a handful of superhumans that they are willing to train to become an army of soldiers, but it seems premature and naive to completely push Superman aside.
He’s been nothing but helpful. And if there is an army in the shadows, why can’t he pick and choose which battles he wants to take on?
Any plan from a cocky general who is in way over his head is bound to backfire, so it’s only a matter of time before this plan blows up in his face and he’ll be beginning Superman to clean up his mess.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s bubbling underneath the surface at the mines.
In the final shot, we see a hand emerge from deeeep deeep deeeeep beneath the mines.
Superman & Lois — “What Lies Beneath” — Image Number: SML201b_0245r.jpg — Pictured: Tayler Buck as Natalie — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved
It’s unlikely that any regular human could survive being crushed by such a mass amount of rocks, so my guess is that whatever/whoever is under there likely caused the earthquake in the first place.
Wasn’t everyone in town oddly eager to dismiss the origin of the earthquake in the first place? Are earthquakes common in Smallville or has everyone just reached the “I’m over it” threshold?
Could it be Doomsday, Superman’s deadliest foe in the comics?
Time will only tell who the villain of season 2 will be, but if season 1 is any indication, the writing team knows exactly what they’re doing.
There was also the situation with Natalie Irons, Henry Irons’ daughter, who came crashing to Earth in the Superman & Lois Season 1 finale.
It’s been a tough transition for Natalie, who is a stranger in a world that’s all too familiar to her. She sees doppelgangers of her friends and even her mother, but they are a far cry from the people she knew on her now-destroyed planet.
It’s an intense adjustment not only for her but also for Lois, whose been walking around in frustration since Natalie’s arrival.
Clark is clearly struggling with not being able to have an honest conversation with his wife, and eventually, they have an explosive heart-to-heart that reveals she’s struggling with the fact that she felt nothing when she saw Natalie.
The situation finally allowed her to understand why her mother left her children years ago. She wasn’t remorseful because she had no emotional attachment to them.
Clark reminds her that this isn’t the same thing, and even though Lois is aware that she isn’t Natalie’s mother, she still feels terrible about it simply because she knows how Natalie must have felt at that moment wanting nothing more than to hug her mother but seeing her cold eyes instead.
It’s a heartbreaking situation, but thankfully, it’s not a lost cause entirely.
They might not be family by blood, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be there for each other.
Lois eventually arranges a meeting with Henry and Natalie and offers to be a friend to her. While she knows she can’t fill the void of her mother, she wants to get to know her, which is a good first step.
When it comes to “found families,” this one might just have the makings of one of the best in TV history.
There is so much potential here not only for Lois and Natalie, but also for Natalie and Jordan and Jonathan, and even for Clark and Henry.
They are now connected by something deeply personal; It’s a family of superheroes! Smallville doesn’t even understand the kind of protection it has right under its nose.
The Kent family might seem picture-perfect from the outside looking it, but remember, looks can be deceiving.
Lois had to deal with walking in on Jonathan hooking up with his girlfriend Candace. No mother wants to see that.
Clark’s approach to the situation was a bit more lax when it came to “the talk,” but it’s a good moment to remind these boys not to let their hormones get the best of them.
But while things were heating up between Jonathan and Candace, Jordan’s relationship with Sarah, who came home from camp, was on the fritz.
I don’t understand why the series wants to cause a rift between them, especially when they were so cute in the first season. It hasn’t even given them any time to find their footing as a couple.
However, dealing with the difficult issues that they have been handed so early in their relationship was bound to take its toll. They can have strong feelings for each other and still struggle to jump back into the cutesy stuff.
I just hope that Sarah follows her father’s advice and takes the honest road with Jordan, no matter how she’s feeling.
Regardless of how much it hurts, he deserves it.
I couldn’t help but chuckle when Kyle said that she’s the alpha in the relationship because everyone has such a misconstrued image of Jordan. Yes, he’s a sensitive soul, but he’s also superhuman, so it’s ironic.
Elsewhere, Lana was working on the mayoral campaign for Daniel Hart. It seems promising, but the last guy who wanted to run things in Smallville ended up being Superman’s evil brother, so excuse my trust issues.
It’s also abundantly clear that Lana shouldn’t just be the campaign manager, she should be running for office herself. She’s a local who cares about the people and knows what they want and need at any given moment. I can’t think of anyone more qualified, and I truly hope that this is where the narrative is headed.
Lana for Mayor!!! Who’s with me?
What did you think of the premiere of Superman & Lois?
Are you excited by all the possibilities introduced in the season 2 premiere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!