Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Superman & Lois season 4, episode 8.Superman & Loisjust pulled a major fakeout in its latest episode, and I was surprised by theDCseries' Lex Luthor twist.Superman & Loisseason 4 has been spectacular so far, and I believe that a huge part of that is due to Michael Cudlitz’s performance as Lex. While the actor joined the show for two episodes at the end of season 3, he gets to be the main villain inSuperman & Loisseason 4’s cast, pretty much being in charge of all other foes that have popped up in the show’s final season.
Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor presents a threat like no other to Tyler Hoechlin’s Man of Steel. Not only is he as smart and cunning as Luthor is known to be, but this version of the character is also a physical threat to Superman, which I’m convinced has made him one of thebest live-action versions of Lex Luthor.Superman & Loisseason 4 has already seen Clark Kent trade blows with Lex in Smallville, thanks to red sun-powered streetlamps making it a fair fight. While Clark won that encounter, a rematch is on the way, and a fakeout sets it up.
Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 8’s Suit Fakeout Makes Its Ending Even Better
Lex Luthor Gets Himself A “Killer Suit”
Superman & Loisseason 4, episode 8, brings more of the shocking twists that the final season of the DC series has become used to delivering with every episode. This time around, those included what appears to be the debut of the show’s version of Brainiac, the reveal that Superman will lose his powers eventually and likely die before expected, and the major power-up for Lex Luthor. The latter is responsible for the episode’s big fakeout moment. At the start of episode 8,Amanda McCoy’s killer suit line leads to Lex coming out in a regular tailored suit.
I’m Convinced We Just Saw DC’s Newest Live-Action Brainiac For The First Time & I’m So Here For It
Superman & Lois season 4’s latest episode seemingly introduced its version of Brainiac, and it makes Lex Luthor an even bigger threat to Clark Kent.
However, the line would get a whole new meaning later.Nikolai Witschl debuted inSuperman & Loisas Milton — presumably Brainiac. The mysterious character had only been mentioned before, but this time, Milton appeared to help Lex Luthor in a major way. After pretending to have suffered an accident to draw out Steel and Starlight, Milton later hacks their suits, which leads to Starlight’s being destroyed and Steel’s being stolen. By the end of the episode, the Steel suit is repurposed into Lex’s warsuit as he says, “Now that’s akiller suit.” The fakeout sets up a satisfying ending.
Superman & Lois' Lex Suit Fakeout Genuinely Almost Got Me
A Previous Reveal Took Away Some Of The Surprise
I liked the latestSuperman & Loisseason 4 fakeout. However, it would have been more effective if the show had not shown us that Lex Luthor would be getting a power upgrade before it actually happened in the series. What I mean by that is thatMichael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor was shown to get a version of his warsuit inSuperman & Lois' midseason trailer. The DC series' latest episode revealed that Milton is making some modifications to the suit to better serve Lex against Superman, but the trailer gave away that it would be Steel’s repurposed suit.
That said, the Lex Luthor fakeout did partially get me. I was surprised when the episode took a turn for the worse for the heroes and saw Milton hack Steel and Starlight’s suits. Based on howmost of episode 8 revolves around Lex Luthor and Lois Lane’s debate— which had a scene-stealing moderator in the form ofThe Flash’s Tom Cavanagh as Gordon Godfrey — I totally forgot about the “killer suit” comment and its implications. As such, I was somewhat surprised when Milton hacked Steel’s suit and delivered it to Lex. I only wish it had been a complete surprise.
I Can’t Wait To See How Lex Luthor’s Steel Suit Changes Things For Superman & Lois' Ending
Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman Is Headed Towards A Dark Fate
I am excited to see Lex Luthor and Superman now fight in different circumstances, but it is also a major cause of concern.Superman & Loisseason 4, episode 8, revealed that Clark is not only losing his powers, which will fade permanently one day, but his body is also deteriorating becauseGeneral Sam Lane’s human heart is not compatible with his Kryptonian body. As such, I can’t think of a time in the series when Superman was in a more weakened state. That happens to be how he will be heading into a fight with a powered-up Lex Luthor.
Nikolai Witschl
Milton (Presumably Brainiac)
Clark and Lex fought before in season 4, with a red sun-affected Clark still beating Luthor. However, now that Lex has Steel’s suit, and he is angrier after losing his daughter again, things do not look so good for the Man of Steel. John Henry Irons will not be able to fight Lex without his suit, and the same goes for Nat. While they have Superman’s powers,Jonathan and Jordan Kent lack the experience to defeat Lex. However, if Tyler Hoechlin’s Man of Steel manages to beat Lex in these conditions, thenSuperman & Loiswill have an epic ending.
Superman & Lois
Cast
Superman & Lois follows the Man of Steel, Clark Kent, and journalist Lois Lane as they navigate the strains of contemporary parenthood while confronting threats from supervillains and alien invaders, blending personal challenges with heroic responsibilities in this 2021 television series.
