Broken Trust
Mid Season Trailer
Debuts May 25th
Mid Season Trailer
Debuts May 25th
TV Discussion: Superman & Lois (CW & HBO MAX) CANCELED! ARROWVERSE IS DONE!
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'Superman & Lois' boss teases David Ramsey's turns as director and John Diggle
David Ramsey is bringing his Arrowverse expertise to 'Superman & Lois' very soon.
Superman & Lois boss teases David Ramsey's turns as director and Arrow's Diggle
By Chancellor Agard
May 14, 2021 at 07:08 PM EDT
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David Ramsey is bringing his Arrowverse expertise to Superman & Lois very soon.
The actor is slated to appear as his Arrow character, John Diggle, and direct several episodes across the CW's shared superhero universe this season. His first stop (or at least the one that's airing first) is the May 25 episode of Superman & Lois, which he helmed but doesn't appear in. Titled "Man of Steel," the hour explores "Luthor's [Wolé Parks] backstory quite a bit," Superman & Lois showrunner Todd Helbing revealed during EW's Around the Table with the freshman drama's cast.
Parks added: "We've been [seeing] little pieces of him here and there, little things about him. And I think episode 7 is where you get a real big dive into him and you understand where he's coming from… I'm excited for the fans to see it just because I was excited when I got to read it."
In a second interview conducted after the roundtable, Helbing discussed why he thought Ramsey was the right choice for that pivotal episode. "The stuff he [directed] on Arrow was fantastic," he said. "Just getting into the Luthor character and the backstory, and really getting into his motivations and why he's doing what he is, I think David, having played John Diggle, could just bring his expertise [from] the Arrowverse on how to tell those stories. So I thought he would be a perfect fit for it."
David Ramsey on 'Arrow' and Tyler Hoechlin on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW; BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
In terms of his appearance as Diggle, that comes later in Superman & Lois' season. The last time we saw Diggle, he was getting ready to move his family to Metropolis when he found a bright green object at the site of meteor crash, which was a nod to the prevailing fan theory he was destined to become Green Lantern John Stewart. As of right now, it's unclear if that will play into Diggle's Superman & Lois visit.
"[Our episode] gets into the mentality of where he is in his life based on everything that happened to him over the last [several] years," Helbing said in that second interview.
As previously reported, Ramsey will reprise the role of Diggle on Supergirl, The Flash, and Batwoman, and he has a mysterious role on DC's Legends of Tomorrow. According to Helbing, Ramsey's onscreen return was initially conceived as a multi-episode arc across the shows. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic squashed those plans.
"There was like a five-episode story," Helbing said. "It was pretty cool. And then because of availability and shutdowns and delays, it was impossible to make it make sense [across the shows]. There's still a through-line, but it's not as A-to-B-to-C [as planned]. Ours is kind of a little bit more of a one-off, but thematically it still plays."
We know that Diggle appears in the 12th episode of Supergirl's final season, which was co-written by star Azie Tesfai (who plays Kelly Olsen) and co-producer J. Holtham. That hour will address racial inequality and mark Kelly's debut as the shield-wielding vigilante Guardian. It remains to be seen how Diggle figures into the other shows.
Superman & Lois returns Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on the CW.
@fonzerrillii
I can't stand his two sons. They're always whinin' nd bitchin' . I understand trying to realistically portray teenagers but that's just too much then angst.
I wouldnt count on seeing GLC appear in the Arrowverse..for all we know that probably was some Kryptonite that Diggle uncovered
I wouldnt count on seeing GLC appear in the Arrowverse..for all we know that probably was some Kryptonite that Diggle uncovered
Yo...
In the right hands?
THAT story isn't bad either..
Captain Luthor's real identity revealed! 'Superman & Lois' star unpacks that twist
'Superman & Lois' just revealed which DC character Wolé Parks is actually playing (no, it's not a Luthor). EW chats with the actor and the writers about this shocking twist.
Captain Luthor's real identity revealed! Superman & Lois star unpacks that twist
Wolé Parks, showrunner Todd Helbing, and writer Jai Jamison break down the shocking revelation and tease what's to come.
By Chancellor Agard
May 25, 2021 at 10:00 PM EDT
Wolé Parks, showrunner Todd Helbing, and writer Jai Jamison break down the shocking revelation and tease what's to come.
By Chancellor Agard
May 25, 2021 at 10:00 PM EDT
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Tuesday's episode of Superman & Lois, "Man of Steel."
It turns out Wolé Parks' Captain Luthor isn't a Luthor after all.
The latest episode of Superman & Lois, "Man of Steel," revealed that Parks is actually playing John Henry Irons, who is known as the hero Steel in the pages of DC comics.
In comics lore, John Henry builds himself a suit of armor and becomes the superhero Steel in the wake of Superman's death, inspired by his sacrifice. (Shaquille O'Neal played a version of the character in a 1997 movie that's better left forgotten.) But that's definitely not the case with Superman & Lois: The show's version of John Henry is determined to kill Tyler Hoechlin's titular hero because on the parallel Earth he hails from, Superman went rogue.
CREDIT: DC COMICS
The hour, which was written by Jai Jamison and directed by Arrow's David Ramsey, flashed back to John Henry's life before he arrived on Earth-Prime. We already knew he was married to Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) on this alternate planet, but this episode also revealed he and Lois had a daughter named Natalie. Unfortunately, that Earth's evil Superman, who conquered the planet with an army superpowered people, murdered Lois when she shared his weakness with the world. In turn, John Henry and Nat started building a battlesuit to fight Superman. (The suit's A.I. was originally set for Lex Luthor, hence the naming mix-up.) John Henry eventually discovered Kal-El's location and took the suit out to kill him.
Unfortunately, that was the last time he saw his daughter before arriving on Earth-Prime.
In the present, Superman came face-to-face with John Henry once again. But this time around, John Henry incapacitated him with red sunlight and beat him with a powerful hammer, a nod to Steel's weapon of choice in the comics. Thankfully, Jordan (Alex Garfin) and Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) showed up in time to save their father's life. John Henry ended the episode behind bars at the DoD.
Ahead of the episode, EW hopped on Zoom with Parks, Jamison, and showrunner Todd Helbing to discuss this incredible twist.
Wolé Parks as the Stranger on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let's start with you, Todd. How early in the development process did you know the Stranger would actually be John Henry Irons?
TODD HELBING: It was a little bit of a problem. We knew from day one that we just didn't want to do a classic villain. We wanted to do something cool with Luthor. And then it was pretty early on where it was pitched by our writers' assistant, Adam Mallinger, that we should make him Steel. I mean, that was really early on. And I can't remember when I called you, Wolé. That was in like June or something, right?
WOLÉ PARKS: Yeah, it was like June or July. Or something like that.
HELBING: But it was just one of those pitches where you're like, "Oh my God, this just takes it to a different level! And then we can do Nat, and we can just expand this family." And it was just one thing after the other. And then the story got so much richer and deeper.
So it sounds like you had the Captain Luthor bit first, and then this came later?
HELBING: Yeah. It was like a redemption story, and we just really wanted everybody, like with all the villains, to understand where they're coming from. Any argument, if you understand both sides, it just makes the argument that much richer. And with a character, if you empathize with them, it makes it so much richer. And that's really what we were going for from the beginning, but we didn't have that special thing, I think, that would make it really pop. And that was it.
Jai, how did you react when this pitch came up in the writers' room?
JAI JAMISON: I remember the first week we got a packet with possible characters to use. And I was flipping through and I was like, "Oh, John Henry. Oh, that's interesting." And I kept moving. When Todd came through and told us about Adam's pitch, I was like, "Yes, that's it." It's one of those ideas that I wish I had thought of.
But, I grew up [with] the Return of Superman run. That was when I was reading Superman. So, being able to put this iconic character into the mythos and lend some thoughts and some ideas to that character was just amazing. And I just got so excited. Todd will tell you, I spent so much time thinking about John Henry's Earth and background. I came in one day and was like, "And then all this happened and then this happened, and then this." And we're not going to see any of it, but…
HELBING: It's funny because Jai came in one day [after] emailing me [with] just a machine gun of ideas. And I was like, "Dude, don't take this the wrong way, just pump the brakes a second. We got to slow down just a second. I haven't had this many ideas thrown…" No, but it was awesome, because you want the staff, everybody, to be that enthusiastic about it. So it was fantastic.
JAMISON: From the beginning, there's this idea that John Henry is the hero of his story. And so approaching it from that angle, coming at this character from a different point of view and a different perspective, was exciting and important.
'Superman & Lois' showrunner Todd Helbing and writer Jai Jamison
| CREDIT: MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAGES; NOAM GALAI/GETTY IMAGES
And Wolé, what was your reaction?
PARKS: It was interesting because when I first auditioned, it was Lex Luthor. [The audition sides had] a fake name, like Mark Smith or something, but you could tell. And that was cool because, like Jai's talking about, I was a big fan back in the day too. I read the Death of Superman. I watched Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited. I watched all that — actually rewatched it even after I got the show. So I was just excited about the idea of playing Lex Luthor. And then Todd calls and was like, "Hey, I want to talk to you about the character." And I told him, "Just tell me what I need to know. I don't want to know stuff. I kind of want to find out as we go along." And he's like, "No, you need to know this."
No B.S., I actually got kind of emotional about it, because I remember when that comic came out. I was about 10 or 11. And I remember seeing that as a kid. And you know how it is: Back then, there wasn't a lot of diverse representation. So for this little Black kid to see this Black guy who was a superhero in his own right, that was amazing. I felt overwhelmed and appreciative. And then immediately after we hung up the phone, I was like, 'Oh s---, how am I going to play this character?' Just because I'd done all this work for Lex. Then it's like, "Oh, that's not going to work. He's not a megalomaniac."
How did you change your performance after finding out?
PARKS: With John, especially when they talk about the fact that he had this past you see [in episodes 2 and 7], this guy comes from a place of trauma, and a lot of pain. So I started doing a lot of research on soldiers, and soldiers with PTSD. Because this is a military guy, he's not a rich guy. Morgan Edge [Adam Rayner] seems to err more on the Lex Luthor kind of vibe. This guy doesn't come from that world.
My perspective on him changed. He got a lot darker, as far as his perspective. I remember Todd [said], "He's on a mission. He's on a mission." I'm like, "This is true. I need to kill Superman." But I understand that, because for him, the way I approached the character was, he's lost everything. He left his daughter. He lost his wife, his friends. The idea of having to fight a bunch of Supermen is crazy, if you really think about it. So for him, the only thing he has driving him is his hatred for Superman. And in a way, if he loses that, what is his identity? That's another journey he has to continue going on as the season progresses.
This show is already filled with and focused on parent-child relationships. Jai and Todd, can you talk about adding another one of those dynamics to the mix?
JAMISON: Bringing that in was the second game changer. You had John Henry, all that, but then giving him a daughter, giving him a family, it makes it so much richer. I'm not a father, but I have a younger sister. So I kind of wrote Nat towards her, actually. It was actually interesting, all the stuff in the bunker? I'm writing that in my apartment that I've been holed up in with my sister for the past year. So it feels a little method. [Laughs]
Through John Henry, we also learn a little bit about Superman, which I love about this concept. Where it's the other world, right? And you look at the variables and you look at what's similar and what's changed, and you can [see] Lois Lane is one of the variables, actually, in that equation. And so it's kind of like the old Walter Murch thing where you learn more about water by studying steam and ice. John Henry is the Superman of his world. And you look at those factors and you look at that family, and you get to explore that and dig into the emotion of what it means for this man — Wolé spoke to it — to go in fighting Superman knowing it's probably a suicide mission. Tying it back into family, which is what our show is all about, was the part of the episode that I most [leaned] into.
Wolé, did you find it helpful to have another actor directing you?
PARKS: Yeah, definitely, because I think the thing about actor-directors, which I appreciate, is that we speak a similar language. My first day was when we did all the bunker stuff, which was kind of crazy. It was honestly a little scary, only because I had just met Taylor, who plays my and Bitsie's daughter. So the first scene is us saying goodbye. So it's like, "Hi, nice to meet you. So listen, we're going to play a scene where we're going to basically say we're never going to see you again, and I love you, and all this craziness." But David gave the space for that to happen, that's the thing which was beautiful about that. Because he understands [and] really helped create an environment to foster that. And I hope it came through. I can't say enough positive things about David.
Wolé Parks and Elizabeth Tulloch on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: THE CW
How did it feel to wield Steel's hammer in that final fight?
PARKS: Let me tell you about this hammer. Believe it or not, it was cool. No, it was super-cool. Rob Hayter, who runs the stunt department, gave me, a couple of weeks prior, he gave me this little… We're going to call it a stick, okay? To practice with. Like, an inch thick in diameter and then maybe two and a half feet long. He showed me some moves and is like, "Go home and practice this, how to wield it." And I get on set —we had a couple of night shoots back-to-back where we do that whole sequence — and [the real hammer is] this huge fricking thing. The thing is like three inches thick, it's got this big-ass top, the head of it. I'm like, "I can't throw this around. Everything we worked on is out the window." So partially it was like, "Whoa, this is really cool." And then the other side was, "How am I supposed to do what I practiced the whole time?" But again, it was super-cool. You can't, I mean, the idea to hold this thing, this iconic weapon? It was ridiculous. It felt absolutely amazing.
HELBING: It's funny, just to add to the hammer part, though: When we were in prep and Slade Young, our prop guy, had four different versions of this thing. And one of them was just ginormous. And it's like, "Well, is that one too small? Is that one too big? We don't want it to look like Thor's hammer. How is this different?" You know what I mean? So there's all these conversations, and it's like an hour and a half talking about a hammer. It's like, "Is this going to be too heavy for Wole? Is it not going to be heavy enough? It has to have enough oomph, so it feels like you're actually holding…" Some of these conversations, you're like, "Man, I'm a 40-year-old man and I'm talking about this. What is going on?"
JAMISON: When writing that sequence, I definitely had a mop in [my] apartment that I was swinging around at like 3 in the morning, trying to figure out how the sequence would go.
You touched on exploring what it looks like when someone like John Henry loses their mission. What do you think it would take for Captain Luthor to change his mind about this Superman?
PARKS: I don't want to really get into heavy spoilers. We will see some of that stuff happen. But I think it's more, just in general, just about, how do we accept the past? And I think to me, that is his journey. Which we're going to see, in the next couple episodes, is just acceptance. And that's something which is really hard for him because obviously, in my mind at least the way I portrayed him, is that he blames himself. "If I would have done this, and maybe this wouldn't have happened. If this would have happened," somehow he could have changed the past. But you can't change the past, because the past is the past. And as long as you let we keep holding on to that, that's just going to keep your rage, that resentment is never going to go away.
Todd, will we see Nat again?
HELBING: Yeah, I think you'll see her. There's some cool stuff coming up. I'll just say what we always go back to is family. So, how does Natalie influence John Henry in the past, and is she able to influence him in the future?
Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
It turns out Wolé Parks' Captain Luthor isn't a Luthor after all.
The latest episode of Superman & Lois, "Man of Steel," revealed that Parks is actually playing John Henry Irons, who is known as the hero Steel in the pages of DC comics.
In comics lore, John Henry builds himself a suit of armor and becomes the superhero Steel in the wake of Superman's death, inspired by his sacrifice. (Shaquille O'Neal played a version of the character in a 1997 movie that's better left forgotten.) But that's definitely not the case with Superman & Lois: The show's version of John Henry is determined to kill Tyler Hoechlin's titular hero because on the parallel Earth he hails from, Superman went rogue.
CREDIT: DC COMICS
The hour, which was written by Jai Jamison and directed by Arrow's David Ramsey, flashed back to John Henry's life before he arrived on Earth-Prime. We already knew he was married to Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) on this alternate planet, but this episode also revealed he and Lois had a daughter named Natalie. Unfortunately, that Earth's evil Superman, who conquered the planet with an army superpowered people, murdered Lois when she shared his weakness with the world. In turn, John Henry and Nat started building a battlesuit to fight Superman. (The suit's A.I. was originally set for Lex Luthor, hence the naming mix-up.) John Henry eventually discovered Kal-El's location and took the suit out to kill him.
Unfortunately, that was the last time he saw his daughter before arriving on Earth-Prime.
In the present, Superman came face-to-face with John Henry once again. But this time around, John Henry incapacitated him with red sunlight and beat him with a powerful hammer, a nod to Steel's weapon of choice in the comics. Thankfully, Jordan (Alex Garfin) and Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) showed up in time to save their father's life. John Henry ended the episode behind bars at the DoD.
Ahead of the episode, EW hopped on Zoom with Parks, Jamison, and showrunner Todd Helbing to discuss this incredible twist.
Wolé Parks as the Stranger on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let's start with you, Todd. How early in the development process did you know the Stranger would actually be John Henry Irons?
TODD HELBING: It was a little bit of a problem. We knew from day one that we just didn't want to do a classic villain. We wanted to do something cool with Luthor. And then it was pretty early on where it was pitched by our writers' assistant, Adam Mallinger, that we should make him Steel. I mean, that was really early on. And I can't remember when I called you, Wolé. That was in like June or something, right?
WOLÉ PARKS: Yeah, it was like June or July. Or something like that.
HELBING: But it was just one of those pitches where you're like, "Oh my God, this just takes it to a different level! And then we can do Nat, and we can just expand this family." And it was just one thing after the other. And then the story got so much richer and deeper.
So it sounds like you had the Captain Luthor bit first, and then this came later?
HELBING: Yeah. It was like a redemption story, and we just really wanted everybody, like with all the villains, to understand where they're coming from. Any argument, if you understand both sides, it just makes the argument that much richer. And with a character, if you empathize with them, it makes it so much richer. And that's really what we were going for from the beginning, but we didn't have that special thing, I think, that would make it really pop. And that was it.
Jai, how did you react when this pitch came up in the writers' room?
JAI JAMISON: I remember the first week we got a packet with possible characters to use. And I was flipping through and I was like, "Oh, John Henry. Oh, that's interesting." And I kept moving. When Todd came through and told us about Adam's pitch, I was like, "Yes, that's it." It's one of those ideas that I wish I had thought of.
But, I grew up [with] the Return of Superman run. That was when I was reading Superman. So, being able to put this iconic character into the mythos and lend some thoughts and some ideas to that character was just amazing. And I just got so excited. Todd will tell you, I spent so much time thinking about John Henry's Earth and background. I came in one day and was like, "And then all this happened and then this happened, and then this." And we're not going to see any of it, but…
HELBING: It's funny because Jai came in one day [after] emailing me [with] just a machine gun of ideas. And I was like, "Dude, don't take this the wrong way, just pump the brakes a second. We got to slow down just a second. I haven't had this many ideas thrown…" No, but it was awesome, because you want the staff, everybody, to be that enthusiastic about it. So it was fantastic.
JAMISON: From the beginning, there's this idea that John Henry is the hero of his story. And so approaching it from that angle, coming at this character from a different point of view and a different perspective, was exciting and important.
'Superman & Lois' showrunner Todd Helbing and writer Jai Jamison
| CREDIT: MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAGES; NOAM GALAI/GETTY IMAGES
And Wolé, what was your reaction?
PARKS: It was interesting because when I first auditioned, it was Lex Luthor. [The audition sides had] a fake name, like Mark Smith or something, but you could tell. And that was cool because, like Jai's talking about, I was a big fan back in the day too. I read the Death of Superman. I watched Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited. I watched all that — actually rewatched it even after I got the show. So I was just excited about the idea of playing Lex Luthor. And then Todd calls and was like, "Hey, I want to talk to you about the character." And I told him, "Just tell me what I need to know. I don't want to know stuff. I kind of want to find out as we go along." And he's like, "No, you need to know this."
No B.S., I actually got kind of emotional about it, because I remember when that comic came out. I was about 10 or 11. And I remember seeing that as a kid. And you know how it is: Back then, there wasn't a lot of diverse representation. So for this little Black kid to see this Black guy who was a superhero in his own right, that was amazing. I felt overwhelmed and appreciative. And then immediately after we hung up the phone, I was like, 'Oh s---, how am I going to play this character?' Just because I'd done all this work for Lex. Then it's like, "Oh, that's not going to work. He's not a megalomaniac."
How did you change your performance after finding out?
PARKS: With John, especially when they talk about the fact that he had this past you see [in episodes 2 and 7], this guy comes from a place of trauma, and a lot of pain. So I started doing a lot of research on soldiers, and soldiers with PTSD. Because this is a military guy, he's not a rich guy. Morgan Edge [Adam Rayner] seems to err more on the Lex Luthor kind of vibe. This guy doesn't come from that world.
My perspective on him changed. He got a lot darker, as far as his perspective. I remember Todd [said], "He's on a mission. He's on a mission." I'm like, "This is true. I need to kill Superman." But I understand that, because for him, the way I approached the character was, he's lost everything. He left his daughter. He lost his wife, his friends. The idea of having to fight a bunch of Supermen is crazy, if you really think about it. So for him, the only thing he has driving him is his hatred for Superman. And in a way, if he loses that, what is his identity? That's another journey he has to continue going on as the season progresses.
This show is already filled with and focused on parent-child relationships. Jai and Todd, can you talk about adding another one of those dynamics to the mix?
JAMISON: Bringing that in was the second game changer. You had John Henry, all that, but then giving him a daughter, giving him a family, it makes it so much richer. I'm not a father, but I have a younger sister. So I kind of wrote Nat towards her, actually. It was actually interesting, all the stuff in the bunker? I'm writing that in my apartment that I've been holed up in with my sister for the past year. So it feels a little method. [Laughs]
Through John Henry, we also learn a little bit about Superman, which I love about this concept. Where it's the other world, right? And you look at the variables and you look at what's similar and what's changed, and you can [see] Lois Lane is one of the variables, actually, in that equation. And so it's kind of like the old Walter Murch thing where you learn more about water by studying steam and ice. John Henry is the Superman of his world. And you look at those factors and you look at that family, and you get to explore that and dig into the emotion of what it means for this man — Wolé spoke to it — to go in fighting Superman knowing it's probably a suicide mission. Tying it back into family, which is what our show is all about, was the part of the episode that I most [leaned] into.
Wolé, did you find it helpful to have another actor directing you?
PARKS: Yeah, definitely, because I think the thing about actor-directors, which I appreciate, is that we speak a similar language. My first day was when we did all the bunker stuff, which was kind of crazy. It was honestly a little scary, only because I had just met Taylor, who plays my and Bitsie's daughter. So the first scene is us saying goodbye. So it's like, "Hi, nice to meet you. So listen, we're going to play a scene where we're going to basically say we're never going to see you again, and I love you, and all this craziness." But David gave the space for that to happen, that's the thing which was beautiful about that. Because he understands [and] really helped create an environment to foster that. And I hope it came through. I can't say enough positive things about David.
Wolé Parks and Elizabeth Tulloch on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: THE CW
How did it feel to wield Steel's hammer in that final fight?
PARKS: Let me tell you about this hammer. Believe it or not, it was cool. No, it was super-cool. Rob Hayter, who runs the stunt department, gave me, a couple of weeks prior, he gave me this little… We're going to call it a stick, okay? To practice with. Like, an inch thick in diameter and then maybe two and a half feet long. He showed me some moves and is like, "Go home and practice this, how to wield it." And I get on set —we had a couple of night shoots back-to-back where we do that whole sequence — and [the real hammer is] this huge fricking thing. The thing is like three inches thick, it's got this big-ass top, the head of it. I'm like, "I can't throw this around. Everything we worked on is out the window." So partially it was like, "Whoa, this is really cool." And then the other side was, "How am I supposed to do what I practiced the whole time?" But again, it was super-cool. You can't, I mean, the idea to hold this thing, this iconic weapon? It was ridiculous. It felt absolutely amazing.
HELBING: It's funny, just to add to the hammer part, though: When we were in prep and Slade Young, our prop guy, had four different versions of this thing. And one of them was just ginormous. And it's like, "Well, is that one too small? Is that one too big? We don't want it to look like Thor's hammer. How is this different?" You know what I mean? So there's all these conversations, and it's like an hour and a half talking about a hammer. It's like, "Is this going to be too heavy for Wole? Is it not going to be heavy enough? It has to have enough oomph, so it feels like you're actually holding…" Some of these conversations, you're like, "Man, I'm a 40-year-old man and I'm talking about this. What is going on?"
JAMISON: When writing that sequence, I definitely had a mop in [my] apartment that I was swinging around at like 3 in the morning, trying to figure out how the sequence would go.
You touched on exploring what it looks like when someone like John Henry loses their mission. What do you think it would take for Captain Luthor to change his mind about this Superman?
PARKS: I don't want to really get into heavy spoilers. We will see some of that stuff happen. But I think it's more, just in general, just about, how do we accept the past? And I think to me, that is his journey. Which we're going to see, in the next couple episodes, is just acceptance. And that's something which is really hard for him because obviously, in my mind at least the way I portrayed him, is that he blames himself. "If I would have done this, and maybe this wouldn't have happened. If this would have happened," somehow he could have changed the past. But you can't change the past, because the past is the past. And as long as you let we keep holding on to that, that's just going to keep your rage, that resentment is never going to go away.
Todd, will we see Nat again?
HELBING: Yeah, I think you'll see her. There's some cool stuff coming up. I'll just say what we always go back to is family. So, how does Natalie influence John Henry in the past, and is she able to influence him in the future?
Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
Wonder if Shaq watched this episodeCaptain Luthor's real identity revealed! Superman & Lois star unpacks that twist
Wolé Parks, showrunner Todd Helbing, and writer Jai Jamison break down the shocking revelation and tease what's to come.
By Chancellor Agard
May 25, 2021 at 10:00 PM EDT
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Tuesday's episode of Superman & Lois, "Man of Steel."
It turns out Wolé Parks' Captain Luthor isn't a Luthor after all.
The latest episode of Superman & Lois, "Man of Steel," revealed that Parks is actually playing John Henry Irons, who is known as the hero Steel in the pages of DC comics.
In comics lore, John Henry builds himself a suit of armor and becomes the superhero Steel in the wake of Superman's death, inspired by his sacrifice. (Shaquille O'Neal played a version of the character in a 1997 movie that's better left forgotten.) But that's definitely not the case with Superman & Lois: The show's version of John Henry is determined to kill Tyler Hoechlin's titular hero because on the parallel Earth he hails from, Superman went rogue.
CREDIT: DC COMICS
The hour, which was written by Jai Jamison and directed by Arrow's David Ramsey, flashed back to John Henry's life before he arrived on Earth-Prime. We already knew he was married to Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) on this alternate planet, but this episode also revealed he and Lois had a daughter named Natalie. Unfortunately, that Earth's evil Superman, who conquered the planet with an army superpowered people, murdered Lois when she shared his weakness with the world. In turn, John Henry and Nat started building a battlesuit to fight Superman. (The suit's A.I. was originally set for Lex Luthor, hence the naming mix-up.) John Henry eventually discovered Kal-El's location and took the suit out to kill him.
Unfortunately, that was the last time he saw his daughter before arriving on Earth-Prime.
In the present, Superman came face-to-face with John Henry once again. But this time around, John Henry incapacitated him with red sunlight and beat him with a powerful hammer, a nod to Steel's weapon of choice in the comics. Thankfully, Jordan (Alex Garfin) and Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) showed up in time to save their father's life. John Henry ended the episode behind bars at the DoD.
Ahead of the episode, EW hopped on Zoom with Parks, Jamison, and showrunner Todd Helbing to discuss this incredible twist.
Wolé Parks as the Stranger on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let's start with you, Todd. How early in the development process did you know the Stranger would actually be John Henry Irons?
TODD HELBING: It was a little bit of a problem. We knew from day one that we just didn't want to do a classic villain. We wanted to do something cool with Luthor. And then it was pretty early on where it was pitched by our writers' assistant, Adam Mallinger, that we should make him Steel. I mean, that was really early on. And I can't remember when I called you, Wolé. That was in like June or something, right?
WOLÉ PARKS: Yeah, it was like June or July. Or something like that.
HELBING: But it was just one of those pitches where you're like, "Oh my God, this just takes it to a different level! And then we can do Nat, and we can just expand this family." And it was just one thing after the other. And then the story got so much richer and deeper.
So it sounds like you had the Captain Luthor bit first, and then this came later?
HELBING: Yeah. It was like a redemption story, and we just really wanted everybody, like with all the villains, to understand where they're coming from. Any argument, if you understand both sides, it just makes the argument that much richer. And with a character, if you empathize with them, it makes it so much richer. And that's really what we were going for from the beginning, but we didn't have that special thing, I think, that would make it really pop. And that was it.
Jai, how did you react when this pitch came up in the writers' room?
JAI JAMISON: I remember the first week we got a packet with possible characters to use. And I was flipping through and I was like, "Oh, John Henry. Oh, that's interesting." And I kept moving. When Todd came through and told us about Adam's pitch, I was like, "Yes, that's it." It's one of those ideas that I wish I had thought of.
But, I grew up [with] the Return of Superman run. That was when I was reading Superman. So, being able to put this iconic character into the mythos and lend some thoughts and some ideas to that character was just amazing. And I just got so excited. Todd will tell you, I spent so much time thinking about John Henry's Earth and background. I came in one day and was like, "And then all this happened and then this happened, and then this." And we're not going to see any of it, but…
HELBING: It's funny because Jai came in one day [after] emailing me [with] just a machine gun of ideas. And I was like, "Dude, don't take this the wrong way, just pump the brakes a second. We got to slow down just a second. I haven't had this many ideas thrown…" No, but it was awesome, because you want the staff, everybody, to be that enthusiastic about it. So it was fantastic.
JAMISON: From the beginning, there's this idea that John Henry is the hero of his story. And so approaching it from that angle, coming at this character from a different point of view and a different perspective, was exciting and important.
'Superman & Lois' showrunner Todd Helbing and writer Jai Jamison
| CREDIT: MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAGES; NOAM GALAI/GETTY IMAGES
And Wolé, what was your reaction?
PARKS: It was interesting because when I first auditioned, it was Lex Luthor. [The audition sides had] a fake name, like Mark Smith or something, but you could tell. And that was cool because, like Jai's talking about, I was a big fan back in the day too. I read the Death of Superman. I watched Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited. I watched all that — actually rewatched it even after I got the show. So I was just excited about the idea of playing Lex Luthor. And then Todd calls and was like, "Hey, I want to talk to you about the character." And I told him, "Just tell me what I need to know. I don't want to know stuff. I kind of want to find out as we go along." And he's like, "No, you need to know this."
No B.S., I actually got kind of emotional about it, because I remember when that comic came out. I was about 10 or 11. And I remember seeing that as a kid. And you know how it is: Back then, there wasn't a lot of diverse representation. So for this little Black kid to see this Black guy who was a superhero in his own right, that was amazing. I felt overwhelmed and appreciative. And then immediately after we hung up the phone, I was like, 'Oh s---, how am I going to play this character?' Just because I'd done all this work for Lex. Then it's like, "Oh, that's not going to work. He's not a megalomaniac."
How did you change your performance after finding out?
PARKS: With John, especially when they talk about the fact that he had this past you see [in episodes 2 and 7], this guy comes from a place of trauma, and a lot of pain. So I started doing a lot of research on soldiers, and soldiers with PTSD. Because this is a military guy, he's not a rich guy. Morgan Edge [Adam Rayner] seems to err more on the Lex Luthor kind of vibe. This guy doesn't come from that world.
My perspective on him changed. He got a lot darker, as far as his perspective. I remember Todd [said], "He's on a mission. He's on a mission." I'm like, "This is true. I need to kill Superman." But I understand that, because for him, the way I approached the character was, he's lost everything. He left his daughter. He lost his wife, his friends. The idea of having to fight a bunch of Supermen is crazy, if you really think about it. So for him, the only thing he has driving him is his hatred for Superman. And in a way, if he loses that, what is his identity? That's another journey he has to continue going on as the season progresses.
This show is already filled with and focused on parent-child relationships. Jai and Todd, can you talk about adding another one of those dynamics to the mix?
JAMISON: Bringing that in was the second game changer. You had John Henry, all that, but then giving him a daughter, giving him a family, it makes it so much richer. I'm not a father, but I have a younger sister. So I kind of wrote Nat towards her, actually. It was actually interesting, all the stuff in the bunker? I'm writing that in my apartment that I've been holed up in with my sister for the past year. So it feels a little method. [Laughs]
Through John Henry, we also learn a little bit about Superman, which I love about this concept. Where it's the other world, right? And you look at the variables and you look at what's similar and what's changed, and you can [see] Lois Lane is one of the variables, actually, in that equation. And so it's kind of like the old Walter Murch thing where you learn more about water by studying steam and ice. John Henry is the Superman of his world. And you look at those factors and you look at that family, and you get to explore that and dig into the emotion of what it means for this man — Wolé spoke to it — to go in fighting Superman knowing it's probably a suicide mission. Tying it back into family, which is what our show is all about, was the part of the episode that I most [leaned] into.
Wolé, did you find it helpful to have another actor directing you?
PARKS: Yeah, definitely, because I think the thing about actor-directors, which I appreciate, is that we speak a similar language. My first day was when we did all the bunker stuff, which was kind of crazy. It was honestly a little scary, only because I had just met Taylor, who plays my and Bitsie's daughter. So the first scene is us saying goodbye. So it's like, "Hi, nice to meet you. So listen, we're going to play a scene where we're going to basically say we're never going to see you again, and I love you, and all this craziness." But David gave the space for that to happen, that's the thing which was beautiful about that. Because he understands [and] really helped create an environment to foster that. And I hope it came through. I can't say enough positive things about David.
Wolé Parks and Elizabeth Tulloch on 'Superman & Lois'
| CREDIT: THE CW
How did it feel to wield Steel's hammer in that final fight?
PARKS: Let me tell you about this hammer. Believe it or not, it was cool. No, it was super-cool. Rob Hayter, who runs the stunt department, gave me, a couple of weeks prior, he gave me this little… We're going to call it a stick, okay? To practice with. Like, an inch thick in diameter and then maybe two and a half feet long. He showed me some moves and is like, "Go home and practice this, how to wield it." And I get on set —we had a couple of night shoots back-to-back where we do that whole sequence — and [the real hammer is] this huge fricking thing. The thing is like three inches thick, it's got this big-ass top, the head of it. I'm like, "I can't throw this around. Everything we worked on is out the window." So partially it was like, "Whoa, this is really cool." And then the other side was, "How am I supposed to do what I practiced the whole time?" But again, it was super-cool. You can't, I mean, the idea to hold this thing, this iconic weapon? It was ridiculous. It felt absolutely amazing.
HELBING: It's funny, just to add to the hammer part, though: When we were in prep and Slade Young, our prop guy, had four different versions of this thing. And one of them was just ginormous. And it's like, "Well, is that one too small? Is that one too big? We don't want it to look like Thor's hammer. How is this different?" You know what I mean? So there's all these conversations, and it's like an hour and a half talking about a hammer. It's like, "Is this going to be too heavy for Wole? Is it not going to be heavy enough? It has to have enough oomph, so it feels like you're actually holding…" Some of these conversations, you're like, "Man, I'm a 40-year-old man and I'm talking about this. What is going on?"
JAMISON: When writing that sequence, I definitely had a mop in [my] apartment that I was swinging around at like 3 in the morning, trying to figure out how the sequence would go.
You touched on exploring what it looks like when someone like John Henry loses their mission. What do you think it would take for Captain Luthor to change his mind about this Superman?
PARKS: I don't want to really get into heavy spoilers. We will see some of that stuff happen. But I think it's more, just in general, just about, how do we accept the past? And I think to me, that is his journey. Which we're going to see, in the next couple episodes, is just acceptance. And that's something which is really hard for him because obviously, in my mind at least the way I portrayed him, is that he blames himself. "If I would have done this, and maybe this wouldn't have happened. If this would have happened," somehow he could have changed the past. But you can't change the past, because the past is the past. And as long as you let we keep holding on to that, that's just going to keep your rage, that resentment is never going to go away.
Todd, will we see Nat again?
HELBING: Yeah, I think you'll see her. There's some cool stuff coming up. I'll just say what we always go back to is family. So, how does Natalie influence John Henry in the past, and is she able to influence him in the future?
Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
Watched the last two episodes last night.
And the show has defiantly picked up pace for sure and made a major turn.
Character introduction and story development is basically finished.
The incident with Superman trying to protect the Asian kid with powers was a deep scene along with Superman confronting General Lane about it. It's going to cause some major drama now.
Clark's kids still being themselves. But it's looking like Jordan is starting to get his head clear. The issue with him is his powers have basically kicked in at once and not allowing him to adjust unlike Clark whose powers were generally there once he arrived on Earth and he had time to adjust and learn how to use and control them. The incident with the Asian kid and Clark getting honest with his kids about his history with his powers gave some insight on how we have been seeing him since this series debuted.
And the big reveal was with Luthor. We got more backstory on him on the other Earth with him and Lois that was real interesting and played out well. Along with why he has so much hatred for Superman.
And the big reveal on who he actually is was a big surprise. Don't want to give it away for those who did not see it, but curious if Shaq will make a future cameo. That should give you a hint.
Series is proceeding nicely from it's debut.
And the show has defiantly picked up pace for sure and made a major turn.
Character introduction and story development is basically finished.
The incident with Superman trying to protect the Asian kid with powers was a deep scene along with Superman confronting General Lane about it. It's going to cause some major drama now.
Clark's kids still being themselves. But it's looking like Jordan is starting to get his head clear. The issue with him is his powers have basically kicked in at once and not allowing him to adjust unlike Clark whose powers were generally there once he arrived on Earth and he had time to adjust and learn how to use and control them. The incident with the Asian kid and Clark getting honest with his kids about his history with his powers gave some insight on how we have been seeing him since this series debuted.
And the big reveal was with Luthor. We got more backstory on him on the other Earth with him and Lois that was real interesting and played out well. Along with why he has so much hatred for Superman.
And the big reveal on who he actually is was a big surprise. Don't want to give it away for those who did not see it, but curious if Shaq will make a future cameo. That should give you a hint.
Series is proceeding nicely from it's debut.
His son with the powers frustrates me so much. Just take that lil muthafucka to The Fortress Of Solitude and put him in that chamber that took away his powers in the old movie and be done with it gottdammit!!!!
I suspect Lana Lang's daughter might be Clark's. In the pilot episode you could see their was some sexual tension between them.
If she starts to show powers being she is going thru puberty right now, it will bring in a shit load of drama between Clark, Lois and Lana.
I was talking about John Irons daughter with Lois. It would wild if they met!!!
I don't think Lana's daughter is Clark's! The show runners can't have Superman have a bastard kid!
They can't show the big blue boy scout has outside kids!!!
Shit they did a whole ass movie where he abandoned his kid for years!!
Well damn you right
But that was kinda different.
CW WB ain't giving clark Kent a baby mama
starts off like a typical cw show, white kids acting like entitled brats, cursing out the parents, etc. but the story gets much better.
They can explain it the same way though can't they? The Steel twist was dope, I kinda don't mind this version of Superman. That final "Stand Down!" was raw as fuck too!!
Edge's assistant with the powers,Leslie..thought she looked familiar..
Thats Ellie from Degrassi- @playahaitian
Thats Ellie from Degrassi- @playahaitian
Edge's assistant with the powers,Leslie..thought she looked familiar..
Thats Ellie from Degrassi- @playahaitian
WTF?!?!?
I LOVE IT!!!!!
Would be funny if they have Spinner turn up as Guy Gardner
WTF?!?!?
I LOVE IT!!!!!
Would be funny if they have Spinner turn up as Guy Gardner
you messed around and just dropped the PERFECT casting choice bro.
I watched this week’s episode this afternoon.
Lois and Clark both found out John Henry’s real identity. There looks to be some tension now between Lois and John but they agreed mutually to go their separate ways.
Johnathan is looking now to get closer to General Lane with his incident in the RV. Dude got a hard-on when he opened that weapons locker.
More tension is going on with General Lane and Clark with the reveal of Sector 5 in his facility.
Might let a few episodes stack up this month.
Lois and Clark both found out John Henry’s real identity. There looks to be some tension now between Lois and John but they agreed mutually to go their separate ways.
Johnathan is looking now to get closer to General Lane with his incident in the RV. Dude got a hard-on when he opened that weapons locker.
More tension is going on with General Lane and Clark with the reveal of Sector 5 in his facility.
Might let a few episodes stack up this month.
Superman & Lois: Erik Valdez Breaks Down Kyle Cushing's Big Twist
Superman & Lois star Erik Valdez broke down what this twist means for Kyle Cushing, how it changes his approach to portraying the character and more.
www.cbr.com
I really don't like Lois! She's mad at her dad for coming up with a contingency plan if Superman goes rogue.
It's like the writers wanted to create drama just for drama's sake. '
My biggest problem is why are Clark & Lois sending Jordan to school? He could kill everyone there by accident! That's MAD selfish of them!
It's like the writers wanted to create drama just for drama's sake. '
My biggest problem is why are Clark & Lois sending Jordan to school? He could kill everyone there by accident! That's MAD selfish of them!
For a second i thought Morgan was going to tell Superman "Now...KNEEL..before ZOD!" at the end of last night's episode
Superman & Lois: The Super Sons Keep Making Stupid, DEADLY Mistakes
In Season 1 of The CW's Superman & Lois, the Kents are having a tough time with their rebellious Super Sons.
www.cbr.com
Anybody annoyed with Jonathan and Jordan.
This story might change your opinion of them and the whole show.
My wife had remembered Crisis and asked me and I looked it up.
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Who Are Superman's Sons?
At the end of the Arrowverse crossover, "Crisis on Infinite Earths," Lois Lane revealed she and Superman now has two sons, but who are they?
BY IAN CARDONA
PUBLISHED JAN 15, 2020
www.cbr.com
The conclusion of "Crisis on Infinite Earths" delivered plenty of status quo-changing developments for most of the Arrowverse series: Supergirl and Black Lightning's Earths are now part of Earth-Prime; Lex Luthor is the principal backer of the D.E.O.; and the superheroes of the world have formed the Justice League. However, amid all these gigantic, universe-shattering twists, there was another, smaller one that may have flown under the radar.
Near the end of "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pt. 5," during the president's televised speech memorializing Oliver Queen, a mid-flight Superman receives a call from Lois Lane. "Clark, I need you to get to Metropolis now. It's the boys."
"The boys?" a startled Clark answers. "Yeah, honey, your sons?" Lois replies, missing her husband's surprise. Without learning more, Superman quickly turns around to head back to Metropolis. Now, as far as we know, Lois and Clark only have one son. So what happened, and who are Superman's sons?
We first learned that Lois Lane was pregnant in 2018's Arrowverse crossover, "Elseworlds." After that event, Clark and Lois left Earth to live on Argo City, where they planned on having their baby. We finally saw the happy couple and their newborn child there at the start of "Crisis on Infinite Earths." However, their son, Jon, was then rocketed to Earth after the Anti-Monitor's anti-matter wave threatened Argo City. Later, in Part 3 of "Crisis," Lois, Superman and their baby were wiped out by the Anti-Monitor.
However, thanks to Oliver Queen's Spectre and the seven paragons, the universe was rebooted and saved -- with some changes, big and small. For instance, we saw that John Diggle and Lyla Michaels now had two children, John Jr. and Sara. As fans might remember, Sara was erased from the timeline and replaced by John Jr. following the events of Flashpoint. Instead of having only one child, the couple now has two.
The case is similar with Superman and Lois. Before "Crisis on Infinite Earths," they had one son, but now, they have two boys. Who are they? Chances are that Jon is still one of them -- but then, who is the other one? In this new reality, did Clark and Lois have twins? It's possible... but it doesn't seem likely.
For the time being, the answer to that seems most likely is that Lois and Clark adopted Damian Wayne. After all, it's already been rumored that The CW's upcoming Superman and Lois (which recently received a straight-to-series order) will feature the Super Sons duo, Jon Kent and Damian Wayne, aka Superboy and Robin. It's possible that Lois' mention of "sons" is a nod to the two kids' superhero team-up name.
But what reason could Superman and Lois have for adopting Damian? Well, for that, we turn to another CW superhero series: Batwoman. On the show, Kate Kane operates as Gotham City's protector following the mysterious disappearance of Bruce Wayne. Now that Superman has become part of this world's history, it's possible he previously teamed with Batman. And if Bruce is gone and unable to raise Damian, Clark could have taken in the young Boy Wonder.
Having Clark and Lois take care of two burgeoning superheroes, one more difficult than the other, would certainly deliver a unique series. The way Lois beckoned Superman to come home seemed to indicate "the boys" had gotten into trouble. And if there's a pair of characters who can get into trouble, it's pre-teen superheroes Jon Kent and Damian Wayne.
This story might change your opinion of them and the whole show.
My wife had remembered Crisis and asked me and I looked it up.
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Who Are Superman's Sons?
At the end of the Arrowverse crossover, "Crisis on Infinite Earths," Lois Lane revealed she and Superman now has two sons, but who are they?
BY IAN CARDONA
PUBLISHED JAN 15, 2020
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Who Are Superman's [SPOILER]?
At the end of the Arrowverse crossover, "Crisis on Infinite Earths," Lois Lane revealed she and Superman now has two sons, but who are they?
www.cbr.com
The conclusion of "Crisis on Infinite Earths" delivered plenty of status quo-changing developments for most of the Arrowverse series: Supergirl and Black Lightning's Earths are now part of Earth-Prime; Lex Luthor is the principal backer of the D.E.O.; and the superheroes of the world have formed the Justice League. However, amid all these gigantic, universe-shattering twists, there was another, smaller one that may have flown under the radar.
Near the end of "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pt. 5," during the president's televised speech memorializing Oliver Queen, a mid-flight Superman receives a call from Lois Lane. "Clark, I need you to get to Metropolis now. It's the boys."
"The boys?" a startled Clark answers. "Yeah, honey, your sons?" Lois replies, missing her husband's surprise. Without learning more, Superman quickly turns around to head back to Metropolis. Now, as far as we know, Lois and Clark only have one son. So what happened, and who are Superman's sons?
We first learned that Lois Lane was pregnant in 2018's Arrowverse crossover, "Elseworlds." After that event, Clark and Lois left Earth to live on Argo City, where they planned on having their baby. We finally saw the happy couple and their newborn child there at the start of "Crisis on Infinite Earths." However, their son, Jon, was then rocketed to Earth after the Anti-Monitor's anti-matter wave threatened Argo City. Later, in Part 3 of "Crisis," Lois, Superman and their baby were wiped out by the Anti-Monitor.
However, thanks to Oliver Queen's Spectre and the seven paragons, the universe was rebooted and saved -- with some changes, big and small. For instance, we saw that John Diggle and Lyla Michaels now had two children, John Jr. and Sara. As fans might remember, Sara was erased from the timeline and replaced by John Jr. following the events of Flashpoint. Instead of having only one child, the couple now has two.
The case is similar with Superman and Lois. Before "Crisis on Infinite Earths," they had one son, but now, they have two boys. Who are they? Chances are that Jon is still one of them -- but then, who is the other one? In this new reality, did Clark and Lois have twins? It's possible... but it doesn't seem likely.
For the time being, the answer to that seems most likely is that Lois and Clark adopted Damian Wayne. After all, it's already been rumored that The CW's upcoming Superman and Lois (which recently received a straight-to-series order) will feature the Super Sons duo, Jon Kent and Damian Wayne, aka Superboy and Robin. It's possible that Lois' mention of "sons" is a nod to the two kids' superhero team-up name.
But what reason could Superman and Lois have for adopting Damian? Well, for that, we turn to another CW superhero series: Batwoman. On the show, Kate Kane operates as Gotham City's protector following the mysterious disappearance of Bruce Wayne. Now that Superman has become part of this world's history, it's possible he previously teamed with Batman. And if Bruce is gone and unable to raise Damian, Clark could have taken in the young Boy Wonder.
Having Clark and Lois take care of two burgeoning superheroes, one more difficult than the other, would certainly deliver a unique series. The way Lois beckoned Superman to come home seemed to indicate "the boys" had gotten into trouble. And if there's a pair of characters who can get into trouble, it's pre-teen superheroes Jon Kent and Damian Wayne.
Clark Kent’s Most Super-Dad Moments on Superman & Lois
By Maggie Fremont
The edge of the child’s bed is among the top three locations for a parental heart-to-heart. Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW
Can the world’s most famous super-powered alien truly have it all? That seems to be the question the CW’s latest superhero series, Superman & Lois, grapples with. There’s still lots of stuff for comic book fans — evil Kryptonian armies and a great, let’s call it steel-y character reveal, among other things — but what sets this show apart from your typical comic-to-TV fare is that it is very much also an emotional small town family drama. In the pilot, Clark Kent and Lois Lane move their teenage twin sons, Jonathan and Jordan, out of bustling Metropolis and into the late Martha Kent’s Smallville farm as a way to reprioritize what their family needs after Clark loses his job at the Daily Planet; they discover that Jordan has latent Kryptonian abilities that are beginning to reveal themselves (just in time for high school!); and they decide to let their sons in on the whole “hey, your dad is Superman” thing. The Kents have a lot to deal with!
What this means is that as Superman & Lois has proceeded with its first season, we’ve gotten to watch Superman do just so many Dad things. Yes, he’s holding up bridges and stopping nuclear reactors from melting down, but he’s also going to football practices and packing school lunches. There’s a lot of Dad content to be found throughout the first season — Superman is, not surprisingly, a sort of dorky, sensitive Hot Dad — but what is the best Dad content? The most typical wholesome Dad things we get to see Clark Kent take on? Find out below as we list the best Superman & Lois dad content from least dad thing to most dad thing. Dads!
Note, spoilers below for the first nine episodes of Superman & Lois.
When he uses the phrase “hey, hey, language!”
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
I mean, the boys are simply expressing that their old classmates and now football rivals at Metropolis High are grade-A dicks, but their dad is gonna dad.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Honestly, this feels more boy scout Superman than simply “dad.” Maybe some dads!
When he takes a bullet for his son. Literally!
Episode 8, “Holding the Wrench”
You know how dads are always like, “I’d take a bullet for you!” to express how much they love their kids? Well, Clark Kent puts his money where his … uhh, bulletproof body is and takes not one but, like, at least 50 bullets for Jonathan. It’s during this whole thing where Jonathan goes snooping around in the creepy van that belongs to this guy from the multiverse who wants to kill Superman because on his Earth his Superman went bad and killed this guy’s wife who happens to be that earth’s version of Lois Lane and the van detects an intruder and tries to stop that intruder with lots and lots of bullets. It’s all very complex! But Superman swoops in to cover his son just as the bullets rain down.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: The sentiment is super dad. The actual execution in this instance is Super Dad, you know what I mean?
When he uses the phrase “maybe when you’re older.”
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
Honestly if your dad has super-hearing and refuses to tell you the most embarrassing thing he’s ever overheard and/or if that thing included nudity, what even is the point?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: A real dad would wait until the other parent left the room and totally tell his kids!!!
When he gives a “with power comes responsibility” speech.
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
Fine, Clark is giving this speech to Jordan after Jordan lets his powers get out of control and he accidentally — sort of — breaks his brother’s arm, ruining Jonathan’s chances at playing football ever again. But this conversation could also apply to dads in general, say, about someone getting a driver’s license or something?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: It could be very Dad in certain circumstances! Also, very Spider-Man.
When he uses his ice-breath power to get his son’s attention.
Episode 7, “Man of Steel”
Some dads have a specific whistle, some flick something at their kid, Superman sprays his ice breath on his son to get him to pay attention.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: All dads have their way!
When he has a catch with his sons.
Episode 4, “Haywire”
The man just wants to toss the pigskin around with his sons, who are both on the football team now, okay?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Okay, so in this catch, Superman throws the football but then also uses his super speed to go and catch the football before his sons can, so, like, not your regular kind of father/child catch.
When he reveals outdated music references.
Episode 1, “Pilot”; Episode 5, “The Best of Smallville”
Clark hates when his “Soul Asylum days” are mentioned and immediately regrets mentioning to his heartbroken son that he used to listen to REO Speedwagon post-breakups.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Points deducted for not singing a couple bars of some REO Speedwagon. Give us the goods, Clark!
When he packs absurdly large lunch bags for his sons.
Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts”
Props to the Kents for using reusable lunch bags, but why are they so big? I feel like these sacks were a Clark purchase.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: I mean did you see those things? Pretty Dad.
When he feels guilty for putting his own baggage on his kids.
Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts”
Of course in this instance the “baggage” is “superhuman powers that thus far have only caused his son pain both physically and emotionally” and Clark expresses that guilt by crying in the Fortress of Solitude instead of in the shower like a normal person, but still, this is dad content.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Regardless of the super-circumstances, guilt for passing hardships onto your children feels like a very common emotion for parents to deal with.
When he celebrates because his son can punch a tree trunk.
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
Sure, this sounds hyperspecific to Superman & Lois, but a dad getting hyped that his son is both skilled and strong feels universal, doesn’t it?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Dads love watching their sons punch trees, it’s science.
When he has a heart-to-heart with his son on their front stoop.
Episode 1, “Pilot”
Jordan is reeling from learning that his once-latent abilities are appearing and he has no control over them. Also that thing where he almost laser-blasted his classmates with his eyeballs has really shaken him up, naturally. Clark goes out to talk to his son, who he now knows is more like him than he ever imagined, and gives him that patented, “I may not know what I’m doing, but I promise to always be there for you” type of talk. He’s reprioritizing his life, he’s making changes, and he wants his son to know that this family is the most important thing to him. He says all of this while sitting side-by-side on their front stoop.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: The most typical parent/child heart-to-heart location is obviously the car (there’s no escape!), followed by the edge of the child’s bed (see above), but after that, any front stoop/porch type of situation is right up there.
When he can’t help but be proud of his son for kissing someone, even in the middle of a family argument.
Episode 2, “Heritage”
Clark and Lois step in to break up a fight between the twinkies — this whole “one of them having powers and one not” thing is tough to process even if they don’t know that’s why they’re fighting — and while the parents are trying to lay down the law, Jonathan blurts out something about how Jordan kissed Sarah, and for as serious as Clark is trying to be, he can’t stop a smile from spreading across his face. Jordan! Kissed! Sarah! You know he wants to give his shy son an attaboy, but Lois would probably punch him in the gut or something, so he restrains himself. It seems difficult for him.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: What an infuriating Dad thing!!
When he yells “my job is I’m their dad!”
Episode 4, “Haywire”
Clark only specifically yells that in one episode, but the idea that he wants to be better at putting his family first, above any responsibility he has as Superman, is one of his major throughlines throughout the season. Yes, Superman needs to figure out who is uploading Kryptonian consciousnesses into Smallville citizens and how to stop this evil Kryptonian army from destroying Earth, but he also wants to be there for his young sons. He’s all about that work/life balance these days!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Don’t dads just love yelling shit like this? It’s very moving!
When he forces his sons to “help” him fix things around the house but won’t actually let them do anything.
Episode 2, “Heritage; Episode 8, “Holding the Wrench”
Gosh Dad, do I even need to be here? Do you really need me to hold this toolbox while you fly back and forth from the roof? I can just put it on the ground, Dad! I wanna hang out with my friends, why am I standing here like an idiot holding this freaking wrench when you can just punch out that dent in the car with your bare hands, come on, Dad! DAAAAAAD.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: A classic Dad power move.
When he pokes his head into his son’s bedroom to say he’s proud of him.
Episode 1, “Pilot”
Clark had already congratulated Jonathan for being named starting quarterback as a freshman and lingered a bit too long as Jon’s girlfriend watched in cringey horror from the computer screen, but even though he took the hint to leave the room, he couldn’t help himself but to pop back in for a parting, “proud of you!” He’s just so excited!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: What a sweet nerd dad Superman has turned out to be!
When he wants everyone to be as pumped about his hometown’s harvest festival as he is.
Episode 5, “The Best of Smallville”
Clark Kent has seen the world — I mean, as Superman he literally flies around it on the regular — yet still, what gets him going the most is Smallville’s little old annual Harvest Festival where he used to go with late parents. He tells his family all about it with a huge smile across his face: The town camaraderie, the spirit of giving associated with it, and the chocolate-covered bacon. Oh, the bacon! The kids are not into it at all, but you know what? That’s their loss.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Forcing old family traditions on their children and food available on sticks? Dads live for this shit.
When he won’t be guilted into raising his kids’ allowances
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
This dad doesn’t care that you’re mad at him for using his super-hearing abilities to spy on you (it saved you from a fight at school, duh!). This dad apologized and promised to never do it again from this point forward. This dad will NOT be giving you more money just because he feels bad right now and needs to earn your trust back. But this dad is proud that you gave it a shot, BEGRUDGINGLY.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Yes, Dad! Stand your ground, Dad!
When he becomes an assistant coach on his sons’ football team
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
Clark’s reasoning is two-fold: Jordan wants to use his new-found strength to play on the team (yes, we all know it’s technically cheating) and Clark wants to remain close in case there are any incidents, AND Clark wants to be more involved in his sons’ lives.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: The first reason is very Superman, the second is so Dad. Plus, the fact that Clark seems most excited about sporting some Smallville High swag (Tyler Hoechlin’s “I bought a hat!” is perfect) makes it even more Dad than it already was.
When he gets excited that his son might want to open up to him, only to be coldy rejected.
Episode 1, “Pilot”
Raising teens is hard, even when you’re Superman. At the start of the series, Clark’s son Jordan, who suffers from anxiety, is pretty closed-off toward his father (he doesn’t know his dad is Superman at this point). The first interaction we see between the two is Clark coming to apologize for missing Jordan’s therapy session and trying to make small talk about the first day of school. Jordan wants none of this. Clark, getting nowhere, decides to leave the room only for Jordan to call out for him. Oh boy, his face. He is so excited! Could Jordan want to chat about how he’s coping with first-day-of-school jitters? Or something else emotionally poignant? No, he just needs Clark to turn his music back up. Yikes, that’s rough. And that’s saying something, since this dad has supervillains trying to murder him every other day.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: To know a teen’s harsh rejection is to be a parent.
When he’ll do anything to take on his children’s pain.
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”; Episode 7, “Man of Steel”; Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts”
Any parent would know this feeling, but Superman actually has ways to do it: When Jordan is about to spray his heat vision all over the football field, Clark holds his son’s face so he can point those laser beams directly into his hands; when Jordan is overcome with his new super-hearing powers, Clark whisks him off to the Fortress to figure out how to help him (noise-cancelling headphones, duh!); and when Jordan starts to get sick from Kryptonite gas poisoning and his lungs are going to freeze because of it, Clark holds his screaming son and has him squeeze as hard as he needs to as they burn the kryptonite out of his body.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: It’s so Dad I’m tearing up just thinking about it.
When he makes a very cool thing so awkward.
Episode 2, “Heritage”
One of Jordan’s first Kryptonian abilities to develop is heat vision. As in, the kid has laser beams shooting out of his eyeballs!! Other than the fact that Jordan experiences his heat vision for the first time while at a high school party and it puts a lot of people in danger (everyone is mostly okay, it’s fine), it sounds pretty cool right? Well, it sounds cool until Clark sits down at the dinner table and describes it as Jordan having “an ocular release of energy.” Ugh, Dad!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Whether on purpose or because it is simply their nature, dads love embarrassing their teens this way. This is so Dad it hurts.
When he gets screamed at by angsty, dramatic teens.
Episode 1, “Pilot”; Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”; Episode 5, “The Best of Smallville”; Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
Wow, Superman really takes a lot of flack in the Kent house (don’t worry, the boys save some angst for Lois Lane, too), and to his credit, really remains pretty even-keeled about it most of the time — does he have to go outside and crush giant steel pipes from time to time? Sure, but who among us, you know? Whether it’s Jordan yelling at his father because he has powers and they only make him more isolated from his peers, or Jonathan yelling at his father because he doesn’t have powers and feels helpless, it’s no wonder Clark feels like he doesn’t have any clue what his kids need from him. Plus, those twins get very dramatic! The prize almost goes to Jordan for telling his dad that every choice he’s made is a mistake and he should go back to just ignoring his kids, but Jonathan squeaks out a win by telling Clark that he wants to leave Smallville and move back to Metropolis because “this town is like [his] kryptonite!” That one is personal on several levels!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Oh, you can’t win for trying? Webster’s Dictionary defines parenthood as…
When he squeezes his sons’ shoulders with both his hands and says something heartfelt.
Honestly, almost every episode
The double-shoulder squeeze is Clark Kent’s go-to move when he needs to have a moment with his twins. Whether it’s an “everything is going to be fine” moment, or a “that’s so cool you have a date with the girl you like” moment, or an “I’m sorry we just had to burn kryptonite out of your body to stop your lungs from turning to ice” moment, Superman loves to face his sons, put a hand on each shoulder, and give them a reassuring squeeze.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: They teach this move in Dad 101, baby.
When he shows his son his old baseball mitt while down on one knee.
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
Honestly, what is more Dad than opening a trunk to show off his old baseball mitt and talking about how his dad wouldn’t let him play baseball because he was scared for him and he’s not going to do that to his own son, so sure, he can play football BUT BE CAREFUL, and also it all takes place while he’s on bended knee? Who else would do that but a dad?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: HONESTLY!!
By Maggie Fremont
The edge of the child’s bed is among the top three locations for a parental heart-to-heart. Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW
Can the world’s most famous super-powered alien truly have it all? That seems to be the question the CW’s latest superhero series, Superman & Lois, grapples with. There’s still lots of stuff for comic book fans — evil Kryptonian armies and a great, let’s call it steel-y character reveal, among other things — but what sets this show apart from your typical comic-to-TV fare is that it is very much also an emotional small town family drama. In the pilot, Clark Kent and Lois Lane move their teenage twin sons, Jonathan and Jordan, out of bustling Metropolis and into the late Martha Kent’s Smallville farm as a way to reprioritize what their family needs after Clark loses his job at the Daily Planet; they discover that Jordan has latent Kryptonian abilities that are beginning to reveal themselves (just in time for high school!); and they decide to let their sons in on the whole “hey, your dad is Superman” thing. The Kents have a lot to deal with!
What this means is that as Superman & Lois has proceeded with its first season, we’ve gotten to watch Superman do just so many Dad things. Yes, he’s holding up bridges and stopping nuclear reactors from melting down, but he’s also going to football practices and packing school lunches. There’s a lot of Dad content to be found throughout the first season — Superman is, not surprisingly, a sort of dorky, sensitive Hot Dad — but what is the best Dad content? The most typical wholesome Dad things we get to see Clark Kent take on? Find out below as we list the best Superman & Lois dad content from least dad thing to most dad thing. Dads!
Note, spoilers below for the first nine episodes of Superman & Lois.
When he uses the phrase “hey, hey, language!”
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
I mean, the boys are simply expressing that their old classmates and now football rivals at Metropolis High are grade-A dicks, but their dad is gonna dad.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Honestly, this feels more boy scout Superman than simply “dad.” Maybe some dads!
When he takes a bullet for his son. Literally!
Episode 8, “Holding the Wrench”
You know how dads are always like, “I’d take a bullet for you!” to express how much they love their kids? Well, Clark Kent puts his money where his … uhh, bulletproof body is and takes not one but, like, at least 50 bullets for Jonathan. It’s during this whole thing where Jonathan goes snooping around in the creepy van that belongs to this guy from the multiverse who wants to kill Superman because on his Earth his Superman went bad and killed this guy’s wife who happens to be that earth’s version of Lois Lane and the van detects an intruder and tries to stop that intruder with lots and lots of bullets. It’s all very complex! But Superman swoops in to cover his son just as the bullets rain down.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: The sentiment is super dad. The actual execution in this instance is Super Dad, you know what I mean?
When he uses the phrase “maybe when you’re older.”
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
Honestly if your dad has super-hearing and refuses to tell you the most embarrassing thing he’s ever overheard and/or if that thing included nudity, what even is the point?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: A real dad would wait until the other parent left the room and totally tell his kids!!!
When he gives a “with power comes responsibility” speech.
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
Fine, Clark is giving this speech to Jordan after Jordan lets his powers get out of control and he accidentally — sort of — breaks his brother’s arm, ruining Jonathan’s chances at playing football ever again. But this conversation could also apply to dads in general, say, about someone getting a driver’s license or something?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: It could be very Dad in certain circumstances! Also, very Spider-Man.
When he uses his ice-breath power to get his son’s attention.
Episode 7, “Man of Steel”
Some dads have a specific whistle, some flick something at their kid, Superman sprays his ice breath on his son to get him to pay attention.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: All dads have their way!
When he has a catch with his sons.
Episode 4, “Haywire”
The man just wants to toss the pigskin around with his sons, who are both on the football team now, okay?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Okay, so in this catch, Superman throws the football but then also uses his super speed to go and catch the football before his sons can, so, like, not your regular kind of father/child catch.
When he reveals outdated music references.
Episode 1, “Pilot”; Episode 5, “The Best of Smallville”
Clark hates when his “Soul Asylum days” are mentioned and immediately regrets mentioning to his heartbroken son that he used to listen to REO Speedwagon post-breakups.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Points deducted for not singing a couple bars of some REO Speedwagon. Give us the goods, Clark!
When he packs absurdly large lunch bags for his sons.
Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts”
Props to the Kents for using reusable lunch bags, but why are they so big? I feel like these sacks were a Clark purchase.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: I mean did you see those things? Pretty Dad.
When he feels guilty for putting his own baggage on his kids.
Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts”
Of course in this instance the “baggage” is “superhuman powers that thus far have only caused his son pain both physically and emotionally” and Clark expresses that guilt by crying in the Fortress of Solitude instead of in the shower like a normal person, but still, this is dad content.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Regardless of the super-circumstances, guilt for passing hardships onto your children feels like a very common emotion for parents to deal with.
When he celebrates because his son can punch a tree trunk.
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
Sure, this sounds hyperspecific to Superman & Lois, but a dad getting hyped that his son is both skilled and strong feels universal, doesn’t it?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Dads love watching their sons punch trees, it’s science.
When he has a heart-to-heart with his son on their front stoop.
Episode 1, “Pilot”
Jordan is reeling from learning that his once-latent abilities are appearing and he has no control over them. Also that thing where he almost laser-blasted his classmates with his eyeballs has really shaken him up, naturally. Clark goes out to talk to his son, who he now knows is more like him than he ever imagined, and gives him that patented, “I may not know what I’m doing, but I promise to always be there for you” type of talk. He’s reprioritizing his life, he’s making changes, and he wants his son to know that this family is the most important thing to him. He says all of this while sitting side-by-side on their front stoop.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: The most typical parent/child heart-to-heart location is obviously the car (there’s no escape!), followed by the edge of the child’s bed (see above), but after that, any front stoop/porch type of situation is right up there.
When he can’t help but be proud of his son for kissing someone, even in the middle of a family argument.
Episode 2, “Heritage”
Clark and Lois step in to break up a fight between the twinkies — this whole “one of them having powers and one not” thing is tough to process even if they don’t know that’s why they’re fighting — and while the parents are trying to lay down the law, Jonathan blurts out something about how Jordan kissed Sarah, and for as serious as Clark is trying to be, he can’t stop a smile from spreading across his face. Jordan! Kissed! Sarah! You know he wants to give his shy son an attaboy, but Lois would probably punch him in the gut or something, so he restrains himself. It seems difficult for him.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: What an infuriating Dad thing!!
When he yells “my job is I’m their dad!”
Episode 4, “Haywire”
Clark only specifically yells that in one episode, but the idea that he wants to be better at putting his family first, above any responsibility he has as Superman, is one of his major throughlines throughout the season. Yes, Superman needs to figure out who is uploading Kryptonian consciousnesses into Smallville citizens and how to stop this evil Kryptonian army from destroying Earth, but he also wants to be there for his young sons. He’s all about that work/life balance these days!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Don’t dads just love yelling shit like this? It’s very moving!
When he forces his sons to “help” him fix things around the house but won’t actually let them do anything.
Episode 2, “Heritage; Episode 8, “Holding the Wrench”
Gosh Dad, do I even need to be here? Do you really need me to hold this toolbox while you fly back and forth from the roof? I can just put it on the ground, Dad! I wanna hang out with my friends, why am I standing here like an idiot holding this freaking wrench when you can just punch out that dent in the car with your bare hands, come on, Dad! DAAAAAAD.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: A classic Dad power move.
When he pokes his head into his son’s bedroom to say he’s proud of him.
Episode 1, “Pilot”
Clark had already congratulated Jonathan for being named starting quarterback as a freshman and lingered a bit too long as Jon’s girlfriend watched in cringey horror from the computer screen, but even though he took the hint to leave the room, he couldn’t help himself but to pop back in for a parting, “proud of you!” He’s just so excited!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: What a sweet nerd dad Superman has turned out to be!
When he wants everyone to be as pumped about his hometown’s harvest festival as he is.
Episode 5, “The Best of Smallville”
Clark Kent has seen the world — I mean, as Superman he literally flies around it on the regular — yet still, what gets him going the most is Smallville’s little old annual Harvest Festival where he used to go with late parents. He tells his family all about it with a huge smile across his face: The town camaraderie, the spirit of giving associated with it, and the chocolate-covered bacon. Oh, the bacon! The kids are not into it at all, but you know what? That’s their loss.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Forcing old family traditions on their children and food available on sticks? Dads live for this shit.
When he won’t be guilted into raising his kids’ allowances
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
This dad doesn’t care that you’re mad at him for using his super-hearing abilities to spy on you (it saved you from a fight at school, duh!). This dad apologized and promised to never do it again from this point forward. This dad will NOT be giving you more money just because he feels bad right now and needs to earn your trust back. But this dad is proud that you gave it a shot, BEGRUDGINGLY.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Yes, Dad! Stand your ground, Dad!
When he becomes an assistant coach on his sons’ football team
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
Clark’s reasoning is two-fold: Jordan wants to use his new-found strength to play on the team (yes, we all know it’s technically cheating) and Clark wants to remain close in case there are any incidents, AND Clark wants to be more involved in his sons’ lives.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: The first reason is very Superman, the second is so Dad. Plus, the fact that Clark seems most excited about sporting some Smallville High swag (Tyler Hoechlin’s “I bought a hat!” is perfect) makes it even more Dad than it already was.
When he gets excited that his son might want to open up to him, only to be coldy rejected.
Episode 1, “Pilot”
Raising teens is hard, even when you’re Superman. At the start of the series, Clark’s son Jordan, who suffers from anxiety, is pretty closed-off toward his father (he doesn’t know his dad is Superman at this point). The first interaction we see between the two is Clark coming to apologize for missing Jordan’s therapy session and trying to make small talk about the first day of school. Jordan wants none of this. Clark, getting nowhere, decides to leave the room only for Jordan to call out for him. Oh boy, his face. He is so excited! Could Jordan want to chat about how he’s coping with first-day-of-school jitters? Or something else emotionally poignant? No, he just needs Clark to turn his music back up. Yikes, that’s rough. And that’s saying something, since this dad has supervillains trying to murder him every other day.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: To know a teen’s harsh rejection is to be a parent.
When he’ll do anything to take on his children’s pain.
Episode 6, “Broken Trust”; Episode 7, “Man of Steel”; Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts”
Any parent would know this feeling, but Superman actually has ways to do it: When Jordan is about to spray his heat vision all over the football field, Clark holds his son’s face so he can point those laser beams directly into his hands; when Jordan is overcome with his new super-hearing powers, Clark whisks him off to the Fortress to figure out how to help him (noise-cancelling headphones, duh!); and when Jordan starts to get sick from Kryptonite gas poisoning and his lungs are going to freeze because of it, Clark holds his screaming son and has him squeeze as hard as he needs to as they burn the kryptonite out of his body.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: It’s so Dad I’m tearing up just thinking about it.
When he makes a very cool thing so awkward.
Episode 2, “Heritage”
One of Jordan’s first Kryptonian abilities to develop is heat vision. As in, the kid has laser beams shooting out of his eyeballs!! Other than the fact that Jordan experiences his heat vision for the first time while at a high school party and it puts a lot of people in danger (everyone is mostly okay, it’s fine), it sounds pretty cool right? Well, it sounds cool until Clark sits down at the dinner table and describes it as Jordan having “an ocular release of energy.” Ugh, Dad!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Whether on purpose or because it is simply their nature, dads love embarrassing their teens this way. This is so Dad it hurts.
When he gets screamed at by angsty, dramatic teens.
Episode 1, “Pilot”; Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”; Episode 5, “The Best of Smallville”; Episode 6, “Broken Trust”
Wow, Superman really takes a lot of flack in the Kent house (don’t worry, the boys save some angst for Lois Lane, too), and to his credit, really remains pretty even-keeled about it most of the time — does he have to go outside and crush giant steel pipes from time to time? Sure, but who among us, you know? Whether it’s Jordan yelling at his father because he has powers and they only make him more isolated from his peers, or Jonathan yelling at his father because he doesn’t have powers and feels helpless, it’s no wonder Clark feels like he doesn’t have any clue what his kids need from him. Plus, those twins get very dramatic! The prize almost goes to Jordan for telling his dad that every choice he’s made is a mistake and he should go back to just ignoring his kids, but Jonathan squeaks out a win by telling Clark that he wants to leave Smallville and move back to Metropolis because “this town is like [his] kryptonite!” That one is personal on several levels!
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: Oh, you can’t win for trying? Webster’s Dictionary defines parenthood as…
When he squeezes his sons’ shoulders with both his hands and says something heartfelt.
Honestly, almost every episode
The double-shoulder squeeze is Clark Kent’s go-to move when he needs to have a moment with his twins. Whether it’s an “everything is going to be fine” moment, or a “that’s so cool you have a date with the girl you like” moment, or an “I’m sorry we just had to burn kryptonite out of your body to stop your lungs from turning to ice” moment, Superman loves to face his sons, put a hand on each shoulder, and give them a reassuring squeeze.
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: They teach this move in Dad 101, baby.
When he shows his son his old baseball mitt while down on one knee.
Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower”
Honestly, what is more Dad than opening a trunk to show off his old baseball mitt and talking about how his dad wouldn’t let him play baseball because he was scared for him and he’s not going to do that to his own son, so sure, he can play football BUT BE CAREFUL, and also it all takes place while he’s on bended knee? Who else would do that but a dad?
How Dad Is This Dad Thing?: HONESTLY!!
Only way i see this happening is once they reveal which one of them is really Damian,the episode ends with him saying something like"Then...my REAL dad is still out there...."