How did the DOD not see that one coming? I know audiences got the scoop that Bruno Mannheim and his son, Matteo, had a master plan to free Peia, but the DOD cannot be that naive when dealing with the world’s biggest villains, right?

Surely, they’d be on alert for even the slightest of movements. Why couldn’t they hear what Matteo was saying to their mother in there? Why was no one watching them? One of the things that bugs me most about this show is that the DOD is largely responsible for allowing villains to get away with things due to carelessness. 

Eyes should’ve been on Peia at all times, particularly when she had access to someone that they didn’t necessarily trust and who had a motive to set her free. 

Bruno Mannheim is Intergang’s crime boss—there’s nothing he won’t do to get his way, so the expectation should’ve been that he would try something to get his wife back. They know that he has been creating superhumans and that he stole Inverse Superman, so shouldn’t they have expected that he was working on some kind of cure? They surely underestimated Bruno’s capabilities. 

It seems ridiculous that Sam Lane would allow the DOD to get ambushed like that—or that Superman wouldn’t hear it until after Peia destroyed half of the agency and escaped. The math just isn’t mathing. Of course, we’re just supposed to overlook that for the sake of the storyline, so fine. Bruno was successful in “curing” his wife, for now, though I imagine that there will be side effects that will likely kill her in the long run. 

It was also unfortunate that they used Matteo and made him an accomplice as he was innocent up until this point. Parents should want to do better for their children, but in this case, Peia saw no other way out, while Bruno knew that Matteo was their only shot at getting to her. And Matteo, well, he’d do anything to save his mother, so he was an easy target who will likely have to pay the price. There’s no turning back for Matteo as he seemingly made his choice to support his parents, regardless of the consequences. Nat may not want to give up on him or hold this against him, but you can’t deny that Peia has done a lot of harm by trying to buy herself some time.

Lois Lane gave her the honorable way out–by promising to tell her story and giving her an opportunity to come clean so that she could preserve her legacy. In terms of getting the story, I would say Lois tried to coax it out of Peia. Lois wasn’t upfront with Peia about her intentions, so while I’d trust her to do right by my life story, it was an overall betrayal of trust. Lois wanted to write the story because she cared, but she also wanted to set the record straight and right the wrongs of her journalistic mishap, which landed the wrong man behind bars.

Of course, that man is Lex Luthor, so I have to side with Peia on this one. Lex may not have killed Boss Moxie, but he’s a monster who has done plenty of other terrible things and the world is better without him in it. Unleashing Lex onto the world might be the moral thing, but it’s just asking for a new powerful villain that poses a threat to humanity to regain control. Sadly, we know that Superman has always been righteous—and as a journalist, Lois is as well—so they don’t see it the way Peia does; they believe it isn’t their place to pass judgment. And thus, my guess is that by the end of the season, Lex Luthor will emerge as the next big baddy to set his sights on Smallville… if the series scores a renewal.

There were plenty of other issues bubbling to the surface, including Kyle’s persistent search into figuring out the identity of Smallville’s superhero. He believes that they all deserve to know the truth about who is walking amongst them even if this person is simply helping everyone, but the people that he confronts with his theories all know the truth, and they all know just how important it is to keep it a secret. 

First, Beppo is put on the spot, then Sarah, eventually Lana, and finally, Clark himself. 

Kyle’s timing is absolutely terrible when he confronts Clark with his theory that Jon has superpowers. Though, honestly, I’m impressed with how close he got to the truth. He may not have found the golden egg, but he was surprisingly on the money. 

Clark tried to diffuse the situation, but when Kyle wouldn’t let up and Clark need to whoosh off to go save the DOD, he figured it was time to tell Kyle the truth as well. 

It’s always such a blast to see the character’s faces when Superman takes off, and honestly, I don’t think Kyle was expecting for his night to take that kind of a turn. 

And I also don’t know if we can actually trust him with this secret. Kyle made it clear that he thinks the public deserves to know the truth about the superhumans living in their midst, so will he try to expose them? Obviously, Lana and Sarah, and even Chrissy, are devoted to the secret because they are keeping the people that it affects safe—Lana cares for Clark, Sarah cares for Jordan, and Chrissy supports Lois—but what’s keeping Kyle from blabbing? And I’m sure he’ll hold it against everyone who lied to his face the whole time and gaslit him, making it seem as though he was going crazy. 

Kyle and Lana also dealt with Sarah, who got a DUI and would have been involved in a deadly accident if it wasn’t for Jordan. He risked everything to save her and Junior, and sometimes, I wish she was a little more appreciative. They are platonic friends who are denying their true feelings for each other. They always say you can’t be friends with someone you love, so I don’t see how they can continue with this friendship without consistently hurting each other. It’s also keeping them both from moving on as, particularly in Jordan’s case, he’s holding out for hope that they will get back together. 

Jordan also got grounded for drinking half a beer—don’t drink and save people is the rule!—however, Jon was responsible and knew better than to put all that he’s worked for at risk. He may be sidelined at the firehouse but he isn’t going to give Kyle more reasons to let him go. It was such a mature approach for a character who has been largely immature for most of the seasons. And while it sucked to see the boys choose against hanging with their dad, it wasn’t because they thought they were too cool for him. Jon put it in perspective that their dad has been too busy for them so they didn’t sit around waiting—life was happening, and they were living it, so he couldn’t get mad at them for it. They weren’t going to drop everything the moment he finally found some time. I think it was important for Clark to reframe his assessment of the situation so he wasn’t sulking and throwing himself a pity party; his kids will hang out with him any day, but they cannot be an afterthought for so long. That’s some good parenting advice to adopt in general!

Lastly, there was a happy moment at the kickstart of the episode as Lois finally completed chemotherapy treatments and even got to ring the bell, a huge milestone in a chemo journey. 

What do you think Peia and Bruno’s plan is now? Will they try to destroy Clark and John Henry Irons? And how will Nat’s relationship with Matteo—and Lois’ friendship with Peia—fit into all of this? What will Kyle do with his newfound information? 

John Henry Irons may just be this season’s villain after all. 

No, I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t take it that far, but his character has entered a dark phase and he has made things super personal. It’s hard not to when the man you are coming face-to-face with killed you on this Earth and tore apart this Earth’s version of your family, and now, he’s setting his sights on you and your daughter. It absolutely is personal—so I’m not surprised it clouded his judgment when it came to handling Mannheim and his goons. 

And while Superman may be of the mindset that we “don’t fight violence with violence,” and leads with a “do not kill,” John Henry’s defenses kicked in when Mannheim sent Henry Mills, a resurrected man with indestructible powers (likely courtesy of the superman of the Inverse World, Bizarro), to kill him. He believed he had no choice, so he did what he had to do to save himself in that vulnerable moment. We have to remember that John Henry, a different version, has died before at the hands of Mannheim, and this isn’t the first time they’ve planned an attack on him. He very much believes there’s no other choice, even if he knows that Superman would approach it differently.

And thus, John Henry killed a man in the heart of Smallville—this poor town has seen so much in such a short time—and he’s going to have to come to terms with that. Of course, right now, he’s too amped up on getting revenge, but when the dust settles, I think it will definitely impact him a bit.

Mannheim and John Henry’s children were seemingly the voice of reason for their parents, who couldn’t see past their hatred for each other. Matteo introduced a new point of view by suggesting that John Henry wasn’t the all-out good guy Nat believed him to be as he was preventing him and his father from seeing their dying mother. Nat reminded her father that of all people, he should know what that feels like. I see where she’s coming from, however, there’s obviously a reason for John Henry’s decision, and it was the force Mannheim into giving the DOD back all the things they stole—namely Bizarro. It’s a negotiation tactic, and though not many agree, John Henry felt that it would be the most effective. And honestly, I think as someone who has lost his wife, he knows the exact pain point to get someone to do something. 

Of course, Mannheim didn’t respond well to being told that he cannot see Peia, and it turns out that Superman’s approach likely would’ve yielded better results because while John Henry has suffered a loss, Clark can identify with what Mannheim is going through having a wife that’s battling the same kind of cancer. This may be a show about superheroes and villains, but at the core of it, there are very real and very human issues, feelings, and emotions guiding them all. 

Again, I think it’s a little far-fetched to call John Henry a villain because, at the end of the day, it was clear that Mannheim was provoking him by trying to get him and his family killed. He’s just being a protective dad, and I do wish Nat would be grateful for that at least a little bit. I know she’s a teen, but she can very clearly see the dangers surrounding her. 

And hopefully, after seeing his father’s underground lair with the Inverse World’s Superman, Matteo will realize that what his father is doing is wrong. Trying to save your wife is understandable, but there are limits. Mannheim thinks that he’s trying to cure cancer with his experiments, but he’s not seeing the larger picture or the potential harm and damage it’s doing. 

It’s heartbreaking to see Matteo and Nat in the middle of this family feud. While I believe there are times when love trumps all, I don’t see how they can make this work while staying faithful to their families. It was doomed from the beginning. And if Mannheim doesn’t stop, Superman and the DOD—along with John Henry—will be forced to put him behind bars, I can see Matteo being resentful at potentially losing two of his parents, which, well, won’t bode well for his romance with Nat. 

The teens of Smallville are taking on larger responsibilities with each passing episode but on Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 9, they were tasked with protecting Nat. While letting her go see Matteo when it was forbidden may have been a naive move on their part—young love—it was sweet to see the Kent brothers make up after saying some pretty nasty things to each other. And Sarah is almost like the sister they never had. 

Lois’ storyline continues to be heartbreaking, but I’m genuinely grateful for how real and raw it is. I can’t say for certain, but the straightforward conversation about losing her breasts—and the hardships of being a woman with PMS, cramps, cellulite, and stretch marks—definitely seems like a scene written by a female writer(s). And it makes a difference! Representation of all kinds is so important on television, and it’s nice to see strong female leads simply acknowledge the things that make us all superheroes, and yet, somehow, insecure, all in the same breath. Amid a writer’s strike, I just want to say thank you to the writers of this particular scene. 

Seeing the flashbacks to the dress when Lois was at a high, and then watching her navigate those feelings about herself during one of her lows, was visually stunning. Losing your breasts is a big deal, but as Clark pointed out, it doesn’t take away from her beauty and it won’t make him love her any less. 

The flying scene was just the cherry on top, providing a piece of calm and reprieve amid a chaotic day. It’s moments like these that make everything worth it in life. 

And also, Clark is a superhero not just because of his super strength but mostly because of the way he loves his wife and takes care of his family. Being a good man is the real superpower. 

There wasn’t much time for Henry and Lana’s relationship to flourish this week, but she did make the first step—and I am shipping it wholeheartedly. 

What did you think of the episode?

Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 5 was an even mix of the start of Lois’ chemo journey and a glimpse into Intergang’s next move. 

Bruno Mannheim spun up a tale explaining his motivations behind opening the cancer center, noting that it was personal and stemmed from his mother’s illness caused by a chemical waste dump built next to what was known as the Suicide Slums.

He put up a great front, and I have no doubt that he was telling the truth—the bottom line is that he still has a nefarious plan in motion, which we see when Mr. Distefano, Deadline, attacks the DEO, stealing the location of several secret locations and thus, Bizarro’s frozen corpse (or whatever that is!). 

Mannheim strikes me as the kind of guy who thinks he’s doing a good thing and overlooking all the hurt and danger he’s causing in the process. 

We know that he’s been using Superman’s blood to give the lifeless power, and when he sees Bizarro—who looks just like Superman only deader—he seems to want to try out his little life potion on the Man of Steel’s replica. 

Is he hoping Superman’s blood will provide him with a cure for cancer while creating people with superpowers in the process? It’s possible that it’s the reason why he chooses people who are sick and dying. 

But all of these experiments could be very dangerous for the world, especially since Superman seems incapable of fighting against said powers. Deadline was able to keep landing jabs with Kryptonite, but Superman couldn’t get a hit on him no matter how hard he tried. Could this be a fight that Superman simply cannot win?

It seems as though Mannheim’s idea of helping his community and taking matters into his own hands hinges on giving the people back their power—the power and voice stolen from them—but at what cost?

Mannheim is a man who doesn’t have much trust in a government that’s turned its back on him and his community, so he doesn’t seem to care that the DOD is protecting certain assets for the greater good. 

I have some major questions about the security of the DOD if they keep having breaches. First Superman’s blood was stolen and now this? The place isn’t as impenetrable as I thought. 

And maybe that just means that Sam Lane needs to spend a little bit more time running the ship rather than hanging out at the farm. It’s nice that he’s spending time with his family and being a grandad to Nat—they had some genuinely heartwarming moments and heart-to-hearts—but things are falling apart when he’s not around.

He’s seemingly been in Smallville lending a hand due to Lois’ cancer. It’s a parent’s instinct to make sure a child is safe, and he’s on hand to make sure she’s well taken care of and making the best choices that respect their limits, particularly in this new phase of her life. 

Lois hasn’t come to terms with the fact that chemo is going to take its toll and slow her down. She’s an on-the-go gal with a fervor for life and a desire to seek out the truth at every cost. She focused more on breaking into Dr. Hook’s office at Hob’s Bay to get some dirt on Mannheim and less on the chemo process, but she can’t run away from the truth forever. 

For this to work, acceptance is necessary; she has to accept that she’s sick, that she needs to change her lifestyle, and that she needs to lean on her loved ones for help.

She was so determined to make it to the dance because she wanted to prove that she was stronger than the cancer, but it was actually strong of her to admit that she simply couldn’t do it no matter how hard she tried; there was nothing wrong with that. She acknowledged her limit and everyone was grateful that she was putting herself first.

Superman & Lois — “Head On” — Image Number: SML305a_ 0468r — Pictured (L – R): Sofia Hasmik as Chrissy Beppo and Erik Valdez as Kyle Cushing — Photo: Colin Bentley/The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

That same zest for life and desire to come out on the other side will come in handy, according to other cancer patients, when the “pull” starts to set in. It was heartbreaking hearing these tough women and survivors detailing the effects that cancer and chemo have on people, but it was important for a series to highlight it as well. Information is power. 

Essentially, Lois is going to need to channel all that courage and energy into getting better rather than giving up when her body wants nothing more than to shut down. Thankfully, she has an incredible support system, not to mention a case that she needs to see through. That seems like all the motivation she needs. 

I was actually a little concerned that Lois was being treated at Hob’s Bay where the show is run by Mannheim because if they are sworn enemies, it would so easy to have her eliminated. He would have the resources to inject her with something other than the chemo and he doesn’t have to care about bad press as he has enough money to make it go away and never see the light of day. 

It’s a dangerous game Lois is playing because Mannheim has absolutely no good or valid reason to keep her alive unless he personally benefits from her survival, which would be a very interesting plot twist. 

Lois may not have made it to the school dance, but Clark and the boys brought the dance to her—and it was all the more special. 

The dance was your run-of-the-mill high school experience, and I was actually more invested in the adult relationship developments than I was in the teen ones. 

Natalie’s moment with Matteo was cute because it proves he’s a good guy who really likes her (and she got a love life pep talk from this Earth’s version of grandpa), while Jonathan realized that his relationship with Candice would be tested by her move and his new firefighter training gig on weekends. I don’t actually believe young love could weather a long-distance storm, but I am eager to see Jonathan find a new purpose in life. 

Meanwhile, Sarah was a good friend to Junior, providing a shoulder to cry on as he reminisced on his late father. Junior is going through a grieving process, but thankfully, Sarah figured out that it’s what caused him to lash out—and her mom understood exactly why her daughter was being a good friend. It even inspired her to bury all of the drama with Mayor Dean and dedicate a memorial hall in his honor rather than digging up secrets and exposing him. It would be no good to do that to a man who can’t defend himself, plus I don’t think the town would react well to those tactics, even if she is simply being honest. It would only fuel the flames and serve as proof to those that believe she wanted to destroy him and cheat the election—some people just don’t want/deserve the truth. 

Chrissy let out a sigh of relief when she realized Lana’s text was to discuss Mayor Dean and not the fact that she was hooking up with her husband. 

Lana doesn’t seem to know about Kyle and Chrissy just yet, but it’s only a matter of time before people start figuring out that the duo is sneaking around together. Everyone saw them dance, right? The sparks were flying.

Considering Lana’s close relationship with Chrissy, it might feel like a betrayal, but at the same time, Kyle is single so he’s allowed to mingle. 

What did you think of the episode? Do you think there was too much of a focus on Lois’ cancer or do you feel like it’s vital to Mannheim’s storyline?