Superman and Lois’ sinister betrayal killed the Man of Steel
The following contains spoilers for Superman and Lois, SSeason 2, Episode 13, “All Is Lost,” airs Tuesday, June 7 on The CW.
During Superman and Lois second season, Tyler Hoechlin’s Clark Kent has endured a lot while trying to protect both his family and the Earth. Not only did he struggle with his son Jonathan’s drug addiction, but he was nearly killed by Ally Allston and his legion in the Bizarro World. As he escaped and returned home, Ally continued to torment him in the penultimate episode of the season.
She had previously drained some of Kal-El and Tal-Rho’s essence – confirming that she was indeed the series’ vision on Parasite – before vanishing. Unfortunately, as Superman sought to bounce back and save his homeworld in the heartbreaking final episode, he found himself the victim of a betrayal that killed the Man of Steel…but left Clark to suffer.
When Lois and Sam Lane found her sister Lucy and tried to get her out of Ally’s cult, the reverse method, Lucy stabbed them in the back once more by stealing the Superman Beacon and summoning Kal-El. When he arrived, Ally was there, draining Sam of his life force and she immediately shifted gears to steal more essence from Kal-El instead. Having more power this time after killing Tal-Rho from her world, she was much harder to deal with.
Rather than use the Cosmic Pendant Superman destroyed, Ally could take all of her Kryptonian life force and try to merge Earth with the Bizarro World itself. Steel attempted to intervene before this happened, but she also easily dispatched him, leaving Kal-El pale and seemingly lifeless. The way she rejoiced at his apparent demise proved to a now petrified Lucy how wrong she had been to trust Ally and do her bidding.
Fortunately, Steel’s daughter, Natalie, used her new super-suit to revive Kal’s failing heart. Steel rushed in and sent Kal-El to the Department of Defense for help, but the end of the episode confirmed that Superman was gone and only the human side of Clark Kent was left. Lois told their sons that his genetic structure was so damaged that he might never be the Man of Steel again – which the preview for the next episode confirmed as it showed Clark was barely able to. to go upstairs.
Whereas Superman and Lois didn’t literally kill Superman, it set up a unique storyline for the rest of Season 2. The loss of his powers could put Clark in a mentor role as others take on the heroic role. He has Jordan to practice with, Steel and Natalie have their suits, and Natalie has offered to build a suit for Jonathan. But ultimately, as far as Clark is present, the loss of Superman leaves Earth far more vulnerable as Ally takes her final steps toward universal domination.
Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.