Spoilers "Superman & Lois" Season 3

[thribs]

Did JJ Abrams direct this episode? There was a lot of lens flares.
A very enjoyable episode. Very impressive visual effects. I especially liked the x ray vision ones.
Is it me or were some of the sounds Onomatopoeia made were very similar to the Terraforming machine in Man of Steel?

 

[Christopher]

A pretty moving episode, but I wish they had the budget to show Superman doing more to save people endangered by the quake. It's odd that they put so much focus on that under-construction M-shaped building, showed some girders falling out of the connecting piece, but then didn't have any payoff for it like having the building collapse or Superman prevent it. I mean, it's good that the focus was more on character than spectacle, but then why call so much attention to that building and then not do anything of note with it?

Also, since when does a powerful sound attack have an effect like an electromagnetic pulse? If Peia's powers had an EM component, it's the first we're hearing about it.

I was hoping that the followup to Kyle's discovery would lean more toward "Wow, it's awesome that I'm friends with Superman!" than the angsty "How could you all lie to me about this?" route. It started out well, but then they ended up doing both, and I didn't care for the artificial conflict of having Kyle get mad at Chrissie for "lying" to him. First off, a guy who kept an affair secret from his family for years has no moral high ground there. Second, he should understand the difference between lying and protecting someone else's confidences. It wasn't her secret to reveal. You don't out another person without their consent.

I know they're doing this out of narrative and budgetary convenience and conservation of characters, but how the hell is the Department of Defense responsible for the arrest and disposition of a domestic criminal like Bruno Mannheim? He's not a foreign national, a terrorist, or an alien invader. He's not a supervillain with powers that civilian agencies can't contain. He's an American citizen who broke the law. His case and Matteo's should be the responsibility of the Metropolis Police Department and District Attorney, or at most the FBI if he's charged with interstate crimes. Okay, let the DoD consult, let them interview him in connection with the supervillain-related crimes, but giving the military authority to decide who gets arrested or prosecuted for civilian criminal matters is disturbing, implying that the US in this show's Earth is under martial law.

 

[Supervisor 194]

I assumed the DoD was involved because Mannheim had stolen DoD weapons/property, as well as having a super-powered enforcer for his organization.

 

[Christopher]

I assumed the DoD was involved because Mannheim had stolen DoD weapons/property, as well as having a super-powered enforcer for his organization.

Okay, and Matteo's criminal act was committed on DoD grounds, so maybe that gives them jurisdiction. Still, why are supervillains the purview of the US military instead of some special division of the FBI, or a civilian government agency like ARGUS? I mean, a version of ARGUS does exist on this Earth. As I said, I can buy the DoD being responsible for defending against an outside invasion from aliens or a parallel universe, but giving them authority over superpowered Americans who break the law, or the non-powered citizens who employ them to do so, seems like a whole other ball of wax.

It's always been weird to me how closely Superman works with the military in this show, considering that Supergirl established that its version of Superman didn't trust the military and preferred to work alone. Yeah, continuity-wise, I attributed it to post-Crisis changes, before the show was retconned as being in a different reality entirely. But it's a weird choice to make it the military instead of something like STAR Labs, which Superman works closely with in the comics. No doubt it was done to justify giving Sam Lane a regular role, but it's always struck me as clumsy.

Particularly since it's weird that they only call it the DoD, which is the executive department of the federal government that oversees all the various armed forces and military intelligence and research agencies. It would make more sense if it were a specific military division like the Army, or something like the Defense Intelligence Agency or National Security Agency, instead of the whole DoD in general. It's like referring to Smallville High School as the Board of Education.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Superman and Lois
Season 3 - Episode 11 - "Complications"

SM/Clark / Lois: At the Hob's Bay clinic, Lois is being prepped for her mastectomy--the surgeon and Clark promising to do everything they can for her.

Lois checks into the hospital, while her family's can only stand by, not knowing what to do with themselves & their nervous energy...

Manheim / Peia / Matteo: Peia has caused sonic distractions in several locations, throwing off the D.O.D. and Superman's attempt to locate her. At the Manheim lab, the family and their henchmen pack up the contents of the entire lab (including the body shipping container obviously hosting Bizarro), because the Manheims are moving to an island on the other side of the world. Peia regrets current events separating her son from Natalie, but he's happier to have his mother back--and healthy.

Only a moment after Matteo's comment, Peia coughs, as if she's in distress...

The next day, Manheim is brimming with joy, believing Peia has been cured, until she doubles over in pain, and cries out--the shock of her powers across the city, with every building--including the clinic--losing its power as a result of Peia's reaction.

At the clinic, Sam feels Peia's latest reaction means she's close by, while Lois feels this was not an attack designed to prevent Lois' surgery, since she (Peia) did not attempt to kill Lois when she had every opportunity to do so days ago. Clark suggests postponing the surgery, but Lois--admitting it took everything she had to psych herself up to going through with the surgery--is determined to proceed.

Manheim / Peia / Matteo II: Manheim gives Peia another dose of the cure, but it fails to stop her attacks; Matteo runs off to find help, but Peia sends Manheim's henchman slamming into the subway car so hard, he's reduced to a spray of bloody tissue. Peia cries out to her husband, telling him he went too far--there is no cure. With her sonic attacks out of control, Peia stumbles into the subway tunnel...

Matteo finds the A.I. device, which signals Natalie--the suited-up girl appearing in an instant. Matteo gets her up to speed about the failed cure, but his father--with armed henchmen in tow--storm the office, but all are taken out by Irons' hammer. Irons grabs Manheim as if he would strike him with the hammer; Manheim goads Irons to do it, so--as he puts it--Natalie can see what kind of man her father really is. Matteo intervenes, explaining what's happened to Peia. Irons--knowing what its like to have so few moments left with a wife--asks Manheim to help him find her, instead of fighting him. Manheim runs to the roof with Matteo...

Peia makes her way to the street--her attacks hurting just about everyone in the city, while buildings are being picked apart. During Lois' surgery, the sonic earthquakes cause a momentary power loss, but Jordan--now confidently using his x-ray vision--confirms Lois' safety.

Superman lands in the center of the havoc caused by Peia, who says no one can help her. Knowing what that means, SM says its okay to let go, leading the woman to whisper something in his ear. Expressionless, SM flies her far above the city, where her powers erupt in a massive shock wave for the last time. SM flies Peia's body to the Manheims. SM relates Peia's last words to the Manheims: she will love them forever.

Irons exchanges a knowing look with Manheim, as Natalie hugs Matteo.

At the hospital, Lois is in recovery, wanting to know what happened to Peia, and Clark's explanation provides a conclusion, but no emotional resolution for her.

Kyle & Company: Clark speaks to Kyle, asking him to keep the big secret to himself. Kyle is beside himself in realizing that that same wiry kid he knew in school is the superhero. After Clark speeds away, Chrissy is elated she no longer has to hide all things Clark from him, but Kyle's not climbing on her happy train, letting her know her duplicitous behavior made him feel crazy and stupid. Chrissy's apologies fall on deaf ears as Kyle leaves the office (SEE NOTES).

Lana / Sarah: At the Kent farm, Lana, Sarah, Irons and Natalie join the Kents for a little party (for Lois'---). Lana is Sarah's personal ankle monitor until the latter regains Lana's trust. Sarah would rather be anywhere else thanks to her recent argument with Jordan, while Natalie--claiming to understand what Matteo did was wrong--still longs to see him.

Sarah approaches Jordan, trying the apologetic route again, but Jordan does not buy it, saying she's only sorry out of guilt for her life being saved; Sarah apologizes again, saying each said things they did not mean. When she wonders if they are still friends, Jordan bitterly slaps down that assumption.

Lois sits with Clark, Lana and Irons, feeling their get-together is perfect, yet the dread of surgery cannot be entirely hidden on her face.

The next morning, Lana tries to comfort her heartbroken daughter, who believes she has nothing left to live for (SEE NOTES), since Jordan hates her, she destroyed her car, and her D.U.I. stays on her record for 5 years--which will prevent her from going to college. Lana suggests Sarah talk to a psychiatrist, but Sarah feels nothing will correct the disasters she's responsible for setting into motion. Lana enlists the aid of Kyle, fearing Sarah is back to the same state of mind during her suicide attempt...

Kyle and Lana try to reach their daughter, who feels as if she has not hit rock bottom...yet. Kyle recalls being in a similar position when he was a teenager, using alcohol to ease his pain, adding that it only led to the worst decisions of his life. Kyle suggests she let go of anything that's keeping her down, instead, finding something that gives her a sense of purpose...starting with getting a job at the diner (SEE NOTES). Small steps.

On the advice of Lana, Kyle returns to Chrissy, apologizing for overreacting. She accepts the apology, and the couple reconcile.

Irons / Natalie: The suited-up Natalie is in the Manheim mansion office, studying a picture of the family; Irons--who has a tracker in her suit--finds her, trying to convince her that Matteo made his choice--the results being widespread panic caused by Peia's attacks. Natalie feels she cannot just give up Matteo, but her father uses himself as a cautionary tale, warning Natalie to avoid holding on to a ghost. Natalie gives the impression that she understands, but you just know what's really going on in her mind. Behind the Manheim family photo, Natalie planted one of her A.I. devices...

Jordan and Jonathan: At the clinic, the family meets the entire surgical team; when Sam asks a few concerning questions, Jordan has a major panic attack, curling up in the hallway. Jonathan works with his brother, using breathing exercises to calm him down, but before that works, the stress to Jordan's system triggers the development of his x-ray vision (SEE NOTES). Clark seems impressed with the maturity of Johnathan, as he continues to work with his brother, until Jordan's panic attack subsides.

The Manheims: At the D.O.D., Manheim makes a deal with Sam: he will divulge all of his secrets (SEE NOTES) if the charges against Matteo are dropped and Irons promises to take care of the boy. Irons agrees, letting Manheim knows what kind of man Irons is.

In the subway tunnel, Bizarro breaks free of his container, getting his bearings before his eyes glow blue, with the creature letting out an angry screech...

NOTES:
So ends Peia's story. The showrunners did not take the easy way out, so in the end, there was no superhero and/or product of super-science that was going to save Peia. Meanwhile, Lois was on shaky, Sarek-from-"Journey-to-Babel"-esque danger herself, apparently aware of the tremors caused by Peia while she was unconscious. Now that Lois has come through the surgery, I expect the anguish caused by all that the procedure represented to be a plot for the rest of the season, since the writers were thoughtful enough not to rush through the first part of her journey.

How Irons intends to care for Matteo is anyone's guess. It would be foolish to move his daughter's boyfriend in with him...

"Bazoombas" restaurant. Yes, yes, its a stand-in for Hooters.

Sarah has to get a job? A teenager made to take on a responsibility outside of their own interests? Unbelievable!

Sarah feeling as if she has nothing left to live for is a callback to her suicidal behavior, now threatening to creep into her mind again. One would hope her very sensitive emotions will not be used only as a plot device for Sarah to eventually give up the fight, make another attempt to end her life, then that turns into a vengeful Kyle plot sprouting out of that, with his already raw feelings of betrayal (by everyone who knew the secret) and mistrust of super-beings.

Jordan now has x-ray vision. He seems to have no cap on developing new powers, so one wonders if he will eventually rival his father's abilities.

Bizarro is on the loose, and unless Manheim has some sort of control over him, do not be too shocked if a soon-to-be released inmate comes into contact with the creature, possibly offering him a job....

GRADE: A+ .

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Did JJ Abrams direct this episode?

J.J. Abrams is a director?

 

[Skipper]

I really liked it, but there are a couple of points that really annoyed me:

1) There was a blackout that paralyzed the city, who knows what else could happen, and they haven't rescheduled the surgery??? It's just absurd. I understand they did it for the love of the drama, but it was just too much.

2) Your daughter is showing problems that could be symptoms of even more serious issues and what is your solution? "Get a job!". Wow! Can I see your qualifications as a mental health expert? Because I think you just revolutionized the field of adolescent psychoanalysis and put a lot of people out of work.

 

[David cgc]

Also, since when does a powerful sound attack have an effect like an electromagnetic pulse? If Peia's powers had an EM component, it's the first we're hearing about it.

Maybe she was damaging the wiring? With... resonances? It's harder to explain since it affected the hospital's emergency generators, too, but not all of them.

Particularly since it's weird that they only call it the DoD, which is the executive department of the federal government that oversees all the various armed forces and military intelligence and research agencies. It would make more sense if it were a specific military division like the Army, or something like the Defense Intelligence Agency or National Security Agency, instead of the whole DoD in general. It's like referring to Smallville High School as the Board of Education.

I'm not sure the DoD actually is the Department of Defense. I can't remember if they've actually spelled out the words at any point, but I've gotten the impression that it's smaller than the entire U.S. military administration. Of course, if that is the case, it'd be better if they picked some letters that weren't already a thing, like Stargate's NID (invented because their Air Force consultants requested they not slander any real-world entities for their government conspiracy plotlines).

1) There was a blackout that paralyzed the city, who knows what else could happen, and they haven't rescheduled the surgery??? It's just absurd. I understand they did it for the love of the drama, but it was just too much.

It's not quite the same thing, because in that case, the operation had already started, and also there was no actual damage or danger, but I remember while my dad was having a surgery, the hospital had a bomb threat called in. They started by just not letting anyone who left come back in, as I found out when I went downstairs looking for a bathroom (well, they started with a "code black" call on the PA, which I looked up on my phone, and thought couldn't actually be a bomb threat because no one was reacting), but they eventually ushered out anyone who was nonessential. The operation continued regardless and everything was fine. The local news helicopter even grabbed some b-roll of everyone standing around the parking lot, but I don't think it even got a paragraph write-up.

 

[Jayson1]

Okay, and Matteo's criminal act was committed on DoD grounds, so maybe that gives them jurisdiction. Still, why are supervillains the purview of the US military instead of some special division of the FBI, or a civilian government agency like ARGUS? I mean, a version of ARGUS does exist on this Earth. As I said, I can buy the DoD being responsible for defending against an outside invasion from aliens or a parallel universe, but giving them authority over superpowered Americans who break the law, or the non-powered citizens who employ them to do so, seems like a whole other ball of wax.

It's always been weird to me how closely Superman works with the military in this show, considering that Supergirl established that its version of Superman didn't trust the military and preferred to work alone. Yeah, continuity-wise, I attributed it to post-Crisis changes, before the show was retconned as being in a different reality entirely. But it's a weird choice to make it the military instead of something like STAR Labs, which Superman works closely with in the comics. No doubt it was done to justify giving Sam Lane a regular role, but it's always struck me as clumsy.

Particularly since it's weird that they only call it the DoD, which is the executive department of the federal government that oversees all the various armed forces and military intelligence and research agencies. It would make more sense if it were a specific military division like the Army, or something like the Defense Intelligence Agency or National Security Agency, instead of the whole DoD in general. It's like referring to Smallville High School as the Board of Education.

There is also the part about how he has Bizaro Superman locked up in order to find the cure and the cure(though it didn't work) came from alien DNA. At that point I think it's safe to say he represents a National Threat and is more than just a crooked businessman. To me it would be along the lines if a a rich citizen was able to get hold of the nuclear codes.

 

[thribs]

J.J. Abrams is a director?

Well he has directed a few things.

 

[Skipper]

It's not quite the same thing, because in that case, the operation had already started, and also there was no actual damage or danger, but I remember while my dad was having a surgery, the hospital had a bomb threat called in. They started by just not letting anyone who left come back in, as I found out when I went downstairs looking for a bathroom (well, they started with a "code black" call on the PA, which I looked up on my phone, and thought couldn't actually be a bomb threat because no one was reacting), but they eventually ushered out anyone who was nonessential. The operation continued regardless and everything was fine. The local news helicopter even grabbed some b-roll of everyone standing around the parking lot, but I don't think it even got a paragraph write-up.

The blackout actually started before the operation and they were running on generators. They didn't know what caused it and for all they knew it could have been an alien attack (since that's something perfectly plausible in this universe). Couldn't they just move the surgery up a few hours? I'm sure that in such a situation in reality (total energy and communications blackout) only the most urgent and non-postponeable interventions would be carried out.

 

[Christopher]

2) Your daughter is showing problems that could be symptoms of even more serious issues and what is your solution? "Get a job!". Wow! Can I see your qualifications as a mental health expert? Because I think you just revolutionized the field of adolescent psychoanalysis and put a lot of people out of work.

Lana did advise Sarah to talk to her therapist earlier, so I think Kyle's suggestion is just part of the overall strategy. Remember that Sarah attempted suicide before the start of the series and has been in therapy on and off ever since.

Maybe she was damaging the wiring? With... resonances? It's harder to explain since it affected the hospital's emergency generators, too, but not all of them.

I'd think it was just that the quakes knocked out the wiring, but that's not how it was portrayed, with even the backups being hit.

I'm not sure the DoD actually is the Department of Defense. I can't remember if they've actually spelled out the words at any point, but I've gotten the impression that it's smaller than the entire U.S. military administration.

Okay... I found a screencap of the headquarters, and the sign outside says "Department of Defense: Threat Reduction Agency." So apparently it is a single specific agency of the DoD, but for some reason they just call it the DoD, when it would make more sense to call it the TRA.

The blackout actually started before the operation and they were running on generators. They didn't know what caused it and for all they knew it could have been an alien attack (since that's something perfectly plausible in this universe). Couldn't they just move the surgery up a few hours? I'm sure that in such a situation in reality (total energy and communications blackout) only the most urgent and non-postponeable interventions would be carried out.

Good point. They wouldn't have left it up to Lois. It might've been hard to psych herself up again, but she would've had to find a way.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

1) There was a blackout that paralyzed the city, who knows what else could happen, and they haven't rescheduled the surgery??? It's just absurd. I understand they did it for the love of the drama, but it was just too much.

No one knows how soon the surgery could be rescheduled and with cancer of the nature suffered by Lois, she did not need to wait for another date to open up.

2) Your daughter is showing problems that could be symptoms of even more serious issues and what is your solution? "Get a job!". Wow! Can I see your qualifications as a mental health expert? Because I think you just revolutionized the field of adolescent psychoanalysis and put a lot of people out of work.

Kyle's advice was rooted in Sarah having an investment (control) in something of her own as a stabilizing point in her life, rather than continuing to feel as if she's lost everything and was powerless to do anything about it. As he pointed out, the job is a small step, not some all-encompassing solution for his emotionally fragile daughter.

 

[Skipper]

No one knows how soon the surgery could be rescheduled and with cancer of the nature suffered by Lois, she did not need to wait for another date to open up.

The doctor made clear that they could postpone the surgery. I googled the subject and I found that you can safely postpone a mastectomy 4-6 weeks without problems and some cases even a full year

Factors Associated With Breast Cancer Surgery Delay Within a Coordinated Multihospital Community Health System: When Does Surgical Delay Impact Outcome?


I repeat, it's really ridiculous that the doctor said that there weren't any problems because the generators were on. Generators are a backup if the main energy grid is offline. Not an alternative. What would have happened if the generators had also stopped working for some reason?

Without knowing what had caused the blackout, it was simply irresponsible of the doctors to go ahead with an operation that could easily be postponed. What if operating rooms were needed for really urgent surgeries for victims of whatever caused the blackout? Or victims of the blackout itself (who knows how many road accidents due to the traffic lights off).

Again, it was a choice made just for drama for drama's sake, with no logical or valid reason behind it.

Kyle's advice was rooted in Sarah having an investment (control) in something of her own as a stabilizing point in her life, rather than continuing to feel as if she's lost everything and was powerless to do anything about it. As he pointed out, the job is a small step, not some all-encompassing solution for his emotionally fragile daughter.

I'm sorry, but they just seem like psychobabble to me without any foundation. And I'm not sure that a job where you are literally under everyone's orders means having "control" of something, except in the sense that one can quit.

If they had shown that it was part of a larger therapeutic context after discussion with an expert it might have made sense. But so it just sounded like a boomer going "Umph! Back in my day when I was a kid I didn't have time for "mental problems" because after school I had to walk 10 miles in the snow to work in the mine! The devil makes work for idle hands! That's why you young people have all these "issues", too much free time!!!"

Obviously the "solution" will work because the writers will say it will work, but it seemed to me a way of trivializing an important topic which is that of adolescent mental health

 

[Christopher]

I'm sorry, but they just seem like psychobabble to me without any foundation. And I'm not sure that a job where you are literally under everyone's orders means having "control" of something, except in the sense that one can quit.

It wasn't about control, though. The way Kyle expressed it, it was about finding a sense of responsibility, a way to feel her life had a purpose through what she could do for others. I don't know about psychology, but the idea that you can find your purpose by helping others is a fitting message for a Superman show.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I'm sorry, but they just seem like psychobabble to me without any foundation. And I'm not sure that a job where you are literally under everyone's orders means having "control" of something, except in the sense that one can quit.

It means control in that she will be responsible for her own livelihood by doing what the job demands. That's all on her, and will teach some responsibility--which she did not when driving drunk to avoid being busted by the police. As Kyle said, its small steps, not some final answer for Sarah's issues.

If they had shown that it was part of a larger therapeutic context after discussion with an expert it might have made sense

A series is not going to carve out a sub-plot for Sarah to talk to some sort of therapist. One, Sarah did not want to talk to a therapist, saying talking to one would be due to Lana wanting her to, than feeling he would get anything out of it. Two, a key point of the Sarah plot was to show her parents have previous experience helping Sarah with her psychological issues, have some idea how to help her--and that the parents--despite being divorced are still a source of support for her. Lastly, all psychological problems are not dealt with in the same manner, and all have unique sets of motivators, reactions and solutions, which the parents employed as a first step.

 

[The Realist]

Don't think this image is really a spoiler, but coding it just in case.

Spoiler

Could the woman be Mercy?

 

[thribs]

Which one is Otis?

 

[Christopher]

Don't think this image is really a spoiler, but coding it just in case.

Spoiler

Could the woman be Mercy?

Spoiler

I wouldn't be surprised if the woman were Eve Teschmacher and the big guy were Otis, but I hope not. I never liked the Reeve movies' version of Luthor and his gang, and we've had enough Eves and Otises onscreen already.

Although I'm not sure there are any well-established Luthor allies/accomplices in the comics other than Mercy Graves, and she originated in Superman: The Animated Series.

 

[The Realist]

Spoiler

I wouldn't be surprised if the woman were Eve Teschmacher and the big guy were Otis, but I hope not. I never liked the Reeve movies' version of Luthor and his gang, and we've had enough Eves and Otises onscreen already.

Disagree on all counts, but each to his own. Personally, I'd love it if these were new versions of those characters.