Superman and Lois 4x3 : Always My Hero review

 

The Death of Superman it's a historic storyline in not just DC Comics but all of comics. This the final season of Superman & Lois has chosen to adapt said storyline and after the beginning last week in what was a two part episode it cotninues here with episode 3 with Lois opening the episode by narration. She talks about losing the people who mean everything to you and how you go on in life. We also see both her and the boys seemingly attending a funeral on the Kent farm but it couldn't be Clark / Superman so who is it?? and what happened?? more on that a bit later. John Henry Irons and Natalie return in this episode and John feels horrible about not helping Superman even though he told him not to do so. He can't help but keep looking over the Doomsday footage while Natalie attempts to coax him out of that mindset. Things seem to be on the up for them when General Lane wants them at the D.O.D on a full time basis which does prevent them from going to Metropolis at least for the time being. 

Back at the Kent home and after Jordan failed to get Superman's heart back last week it still feels like to him that Johnathan and Lois are very much upset and pretty angry with him. Johnathan especially takes out his anger on his brother down in the basement where the pod of Superman is. Johnathan really lays into Jordan and gets very emotional while doing so. He punches the wall bloodying his hand in the process, he begins to cry uncontrollably until finally he awakens and gets the powers of Superman, every single one of them. He can see through his own hands with X-Ray vision, has freeze breath and even has super hearing. He also seemingly opens the pod without even touching it as he flies off with his newfound powers and a newfound sense of purpose. As for Jordan he feels somewhat left out and this feeling is amplified when he learns that Lois chose to save Johnathan over him in last weeks ultimatum she got from Lex over the phone. Jordan confronting his mother was a really emotional scene in an episode that really does pack quite the emotinal punch overall in both present day and flashback scenes. In some of the flashbacks scenes not only do we see when Clark Kent revealed himself as Superman to Sam Lane we also learn that Sam was very much against Clark marrying his daughter Lois. Of course they do get married but Sam's feelings are clear even on the wedding day itself which was interesting. 

The episode draws to a close as Lex Luthor begins the next phase of his plan, get General Lane to give him the location of his daughter Elizbeth or there will be dire consequences for the Lane / Kent family. Sam is adamant and stands his ground but not before he secures the Superman DNA serum first. At the D.O.D an employee confronts Sam about Lex's intentions so much so that he and Sam end up getting into a bit of a brawl where Sam gets shot in the stomach, falling down by his desk he sees the Superman serum beside him without hesitation he injects himself with it. John and Natalie arrive seconds later as outside the entire D.O.D is on high alert as Doomsday approaches. Sam's moment finally arrives when he goes outside and stands infront of everyone, Doomsday arrives and without any form of remorse or waiting time it picks up Sam Lane and kills him by almost popping his head, his lifeless body falls to the ground as Lois has now not only seen Clark Kent be killed by Doomsday but now her father too. It's a brutally emotional gut punch as Lois rushes to be by him as Doomsday flies off. Steel and Starlight arrive as Natalie takes everyone back to the Kent home while John Henry takes Sam's body to the Fortress of Solitude per his request. Upon arrival at the Fortress we learn that Sam wanted Superman to have his heart which is now infused with Superman DNA. He was looking for a proper doner but time had run out so he went and did it himself. Sam is placed into an animated stasis like Superman as the heart transfer process gets underway with no time table of anything really happening. Back at the Kent home and Natalie informs everyone of this while also giving Lois the final recording that her dad made for her moments before he left the D.O.D, it's another emotional gut punch of a scene as Lois's entire world has now come crumbling down around her. The episode ends as Sam is laid to rest by his family and it looks like his death won't be in vain as the final thing we see is back at the Fortress where Superman's eyes open indicating that the heart transfer has been a success and Superman lives! this episode was fantastic from beginning to end. From Johnathan getting his powers to the flashbacks of Clark / Lois and Sam and to ultimately Sam sacrificing himself for the greater good thus proving his loyalty in the end to Superman and Lois. Just brilliant stuff from beginning to end and long may it continue. 

★★★★