Superman and Lois
Season 3 - Episode 9 - "The Dress"
SM/Clark / Lois:
Flashback to 17 years ago, where Clark tries to settle on possible locations for their wedding venue; Lois was not too thrilled with some of his ideas, but she adds that the right spot will be worth waiting for--just as
he is worth waiting for. She learns she's been nominated for the Metropolis Press Club Award based on her piece on Henry Miller, much to her surprise...
Present day Lois--collecting clothes for the drive--finds the dress Clark bought for her outing to the award show; she reminisces about Clark being so loving to her that he sold his prized baseball card collection to pay for the dress (OHH, THE HORROR--NOT THE CARDS!!
). Despite her fond memory about Clark's dedication to her, she tosses the garment on the donation pile...
The present: At the cancer clinic, Lois learns she only has one chemo treatment left, but that's not the end of her journey. She will need a double mastectomy.
Back at the farm, Clark's attempt at intimacy is rebuffed by Lois, who says she's not feeling well. He's also taken aback by Lois wanting to give away
the dress he bought for her 17 years ago, and her reason why.
At the clothing drive, Lana discovers the dress and questions Clark about Lois' upcoming mastectomy, and whether or not he's discussed the personal implications of the procedure. Clark says he feels he cannot as he cannot understand something he will never experience, so Lana offers to speak to Lois. Initially, Lois shuts out Lana about her mood, why she donated the dress--everything. Eventually, Lois slowly opens up, seeing the mastectomy as taking a part of her not only in the physical sense, but
in essence, going on to talk about the importance of breasts to a woman, and how she--despite wanting to be recognized for her mind, the sexual identity she once felt (something she says to Clark in the MPCA flashback) is no longer there for her, hence her resistance to being intimate with Clark.
In the wake of Irons killing Miller--a story exploding on social media--Clark breifly speaks to the twins, unable to assure them how Irons is doing.
Lana / Irons / Natalie: At the local clothing drive, Lana speaks with Irons in private about recent events (Clark informed her about the Manheim / Peia incident); although Peia is contained at the D.O.D., they're frustrated with Manheim's legal armor protecting him from being arrested / charged with attempted murder.
Lana moves closer, telling Irons he can talk to her, and there's a moment exchanged between them, but that is brought to an end by his phone....
Natalie complains to Sarah about the tracking device and a upgraded taser wand her father has ordered her to carry; Sarah empathizes with Natalie over losing Matteo, but also understands Irons' concern.
Irons / Sam / Superman: Sam calls Irons in to the D.O.D., where Manheim and his attorney wait to negotiate for Peia's release; Irons will meet with the criminal, stating the obvious--that the Manheim issue is more his fight than Superman's, a point supported by Sam. Superman does not agree with Irons being the one to meet the criminal in consideration of their previous encounter.
Manheim's attorney asks for Peia to be released, which is rejected by Irons--at least until Manheim returns Bizarro's corpse, Superman's blood and all samples of X-Kryptonite; the attorney performs the usual evasive tactics, but Manheim's had enough, growling about Peia's terminal condition...a reaction met with Irons' cold shrug (SEE NOTES). Manheim promises he will see his wife--one way or another.
Superrman strongly suggests Manheim should be allowed to see his dying wife; Irons reminds SM that the Manheims are murderers and should not be seen as anything else. SM believes he can get through to Manheim, but Irons fires back, suggesting he (SM) would be in a compromised position by allowing his emotions--referring to Lois' condition--to influence his judgement regarding Manheim.
Superman and Manheim: SM files to Manheim's home, trying to empathize with the criminal about Peia--recalling how he realized how much Peia meant to Manheim the moment she collapsed. SM promises Manheim will be able to see his wife again...only if the criminal returns the stolen items. As Manheim appears ready to agree to a deal, SM hears approaching men--who turn out to be Irons leading Sam and a unit of D.O.D. soldiers into Manheim's office....
With Manheim in handcuffs, the D.O.D team scour his devices; Superman argues with Irons, saying they cannot meet threats with threats, but Irons has to constantly remind SM of the mounting threats made against his family (SEE NOTES). Frustrated by Irons' lack of honesty about SM's intended visit, Sam takes him off of the Manheim case (in a leadership position). The glaring between Irons and Manheim is palpable, leading one to feel someone might end up in a state opposite of alive...
That evening (at Manheim's lab), he orders the resuscitation of Henry Miller, and its not long before the villaina finds his target--Irons. Following Manheim's command, Miller attacks Irons, beating him into the Smallville streets--Irons' wrist controller shorting out. Miller mocks Irons, saying he's "nothing" without the suit. Irons is saved by Superman, who is barely able to keep Miller at bay. As Miller sends Superman hurtling several miles away, Irons' wrist device finally functions, and as ordered, the hammer slams into Miller, felling him to the ground. The injured Irons delivers another blow to Miller, ending the threat. Irons tells Superman he had no other choice, while SM replies
"You always have a choice" (SEE NOTES).
Natalie tries to make a rather poor, guilt-tripping parallel between the
how and
why her mother died (and wishing they could have spent Lois' last minutes with her) to the situation with Matteo and Peia. She skips over the fact
Peia tried to kill her father, while Manheim continues his murderous campaign against Irons.
Manheim / Peia / Matteo: Returning from the D.O.D. meeting, Manheim is confronted by Matteo, the teen full of anger, going so far as to blame his father for Peia's situation. Manheim does not take the accusation lightly, but tells his son that everything he's done is for Matteo and Hob's Bay. Matteo is less than flattered by this statement. Manheim promises the boy he will be able to see his mother again...
Returning from seeing Natalie, Matteo is flat out defiant to his father, going so far as to question whether or not Manheim (or his henchmen) would kill him, but his anger turns to heartache, as he believes he will never see his mother again. Manheim takes this moment as the opportunity to show his son the secret lab...and Bizarro, telling his son that he's found the way to cure Peia....
Jordan and Jonathan II: A slightly deflated Jordan asks Jonathan to promise not to tell their parents about Jonathan possibly losing his job thanks to Jordan's rescue, or that Kyle is suspicious another super-being is in Smallville. With the burden Clark and Lois are going through, Jonathan agrees to keep a lid on Jordan's problems...
At the diner, Natalie discusses her problems with Sarah and the twins, but Natalie's need for neutral ears spirals into tension when Jonathan suggests she let Matteo go because of his parents; Natalie jumps on that, asking Jonathan about his maintaining a relationship with Candace--a girl with a drug dealing father who stole Jonathan's truck & punched him in the face. Jonathan argues that the Candace situation is not the same, but Natalie--seeing her father approaching--walks off in a huff, leaving Jordan to criticize his brother's tactless approach with a
"good one".
Irons and Natalie leave the diner, but are met by a carload of Manheim's henchmen; using the wand, Irons beats the men back, and calls attention to the scene by breaking their car window. The tactic worked, as several citizens whip out their phones and cover the attack. The henchmen speed away, leaving Irons to call Sam about ending the Manheim situation once and for all.
At the farm, the twins and Sarah try to wrap their heads around all things Manheim; Jonathan--feeling guilty--talks to Natalie, ultimately encouraging her to find some way of seeing Matteo, despite her father's rules. A meeting is arranged, and before long, Natalie and Matteo express their love for each other--but not before Matteo informs Natalie that her father is behind his mother's containment at the D.O.D.
Sarah manages to get the knucklehead Kent brothers to reconcile.
Clark and Lois: Lois stares at the dress, thinking back to the award show, but more importantly, how she felt about herself--how Clark made her feel. The dress meant more than being something tied to her profession. In fact, it had nothing to do with that at all. It has become a symbol of who she used to be: a woman she fears will no longer be within her. She shares her concerns with Clark, who tells her the forthcoming surgery may make her feel very different about herself, including lacking any desire to be intimate. Lois questions Clark about his view on this--if he would still love her the same once her body changes, bears the scars of surgery, etc.; Clark assures her that he will always love and support her, no matter what changes she has to endure. Referring to the dress, Clark says he was attracted to
her--not the dress--the essence of who she is...and then owns up to what he thought of her when wearing that dress.
The couple reenact their night out some 17 years ago--Lois just as beautiful in the dress, as if the 17 years had not passed. Embracing, Clark slowly lifts off with Lois, both affirming their love for each other.
NOTES:
Another fine episode, balancing the sensitivity concerning Lois' depression and forthcoming mastectomy with the blistering tension between Irons, Manheim and Superman.
Lois' behavior--a quiet resignation to all that is happening to her--was not easy to see; as one who knows many cancer survivors (and those who lost their fight), I can say Tulloch's portrayal carried the same kind of
still, lonely weight i've witnessed, and for so many women in that position, there's no amount or combination of caring words that will alter their perspective of the new reality. Lana tried to reach Lois in a way Clark could not, but the blank gaze returned by Lois let the viewers know Lana would need to put some work in to even reach Lois.
Where Irons was concerned, Superman / Clark was presented as being unable to
feel like a human being--to allow himself to open himself to seeing the troubles of another, rather than speaking from his dispassionate perch. While the writers attempted to make SM seem he was taking a "reasonable" approach to dealing with Manheim, the entire matter--from Superman's perspective--came off as astoundingly immature. For anyone who ever had to speak to, or have any kind of interaction with criminals, the single most important lesson one learns is that you do not make soft negotiations, especially during a period where the criminal has not been arrested or charged with a crime, as he's still in a position of control and can--and often will--use said position to his advantage. I must conclude the writers were pushing this kind of mentality in SM just to force a certain plot along, or they are
so lacking in life experience, that they made Superman incredibly immature, because his entire head-butting with Irons had him in the wrong from start to finish.
One can sit on their aforementioned perch and play the dreamy, objective, balance-the-scales game
in his head, but that fails to address or provide a solution to a top-level criminal who has been proven to be an unrelenting threat. Everyone Irons holds dear--not even thinking of himself--has been placed in harm's way. His reactions were realistic and rational--he's seeing Manheim like an
adult should...I just worry the writers will have him admit to a fault that does not exist, all to justify Superman's stand.
Superman saying
"You always have a choice" made him utterly tone deaf to the
fragility of human life--how close Irons and his family are to being murdered. If one does not have an answer to a threat which will not be talked down, or stand down, he will never offer any sensible, reality-based advice.
The Kids: Sheesh. On the one hand, Jonathan comes off as the more level headed of the Kent twins. On the other, he's become irrational with his prodding a vulnerable Natalie to defy her father to see Irons. Did he simply forget Manheim tried to kill
her father--and his own? I felt this scene--no matter how teenager-y / nonsensical--was just a set up to eventually draw the increasingly isolated Irons into a trap set by Manheim.
One can only imagine how Irons will overflow with anger if he discovers yet another Kent was on the wrong side of the Manheim matter. Things are no better at home, with Natalie being so caught up in her teen drama that the fact she witnessed Manheim and Peia's attempts on her father's life go soaring over her head in favor of questioning why Peia is detained.
Now that Matteo has seen the lab and Bizarro, he's no longer a passive bystander. He will soon need to make a choice to stand by his father, or...
Lana and Irons: the series is teasing a romance, but I get the feeling it will be dead-on-arrival before the end of the season.
GRADE: A+.
