Brainiac Must Pay For Their Crimes!!
My Adventures With Superman S2 Ep 8 Review
What’s the best way to take down Superman? Besides the obvious answer of kryptonite, there are few things he could be more robust against. Not many beings in fiction can go toe-to-toe with him in a fight, but his mind can be just as vulnerable as anyone else’s. And it’s that vulnerability that Brainiac seeks to exploit. By destroying his mind, the maniacal machine intends to take his body for his own to build a new Kryptonian Empire. And the worst part? Lois, Jimmy, and Kara may be too late to save him as Brainiac descends to new levels of depravity.
How We Got Here
In the last two episodes, Kara, Jimmy, and Lois went through the following:
- Kara bonded with her cousin but brought him to Brainiac and learned that he’d been lying to her about the planets she conquered for the “Empire.” IE, he forced her to destroy them.
- Lois and Jimmy saw Waller turn Metropolis into an anti-alien police state, hire a group of criminals (who broke Jimmy’s bank), and steal a spaceship to rescue Superman. Oh, and Mallah and the Brain helped them.
So, now, the five must work together to rescue Clark from the evil Brainiac. Much to the delight of Jimmy and Kara…and Lois’ dismay.
I Ship Jimmy and Kara SO HARD!!
When this show started, I was okay with shipping Lois and Clark, even if we knew they would inevitably end up together. However, many fans began shipping Jimmy and Kara together after seeing how adorable they are. This episode adds more fuel to that fire, as once the two reunite, they can’t stop blushing and being awkward around each other. What makes them even sweeter is that, despite knowing Kara kidnapped his best friend and probably did all sorts of awful things, Jimmy doesn’t hate her. He sees the best in her and understands that she’s not evil, just misguided. It has nothing to do with the fact that she’s his dream girl!
Lois, on the other hand, is still not happy about working with Kara. She still sees him as the enemy who kidnapped Clark. However, Kara points out that Lois did break up with him over her fears and insecurities. While she doesn’t learn what Kara did under Brainiac in this episode, that would not help. Sadly, this episode doesn’t give the two much to clear the air. Their focus is saving Clark from a horrible fate.
Brainiac’s Insane Plan
I said last week that the MAWS version of Brainiac is among the most evil versions of the character I’ve ever seen. Abusing his “daughter” and wiping her memories is bad enough, but what he does in this episode is a new low. With his own body and station falling apart, Brainiac plans to possess Clark’s body!
For the record, this is far from the first time that I’ve seen this “body-jacking” trope play out. However, that doesn’t make watching what unfolds any easier. Throughout the episode, Brainiac tries to kill Superman inside his mind, forcing him to relive all his memories. Thankfully, the mental projections of his foes remain no-sells. But that’s when Brainiac notices Lois and Jimmy, and the true torment begins.
Brainiac Must Pay!
Brainiac might be a cold AI, but their years of raising Kara have taught them how to emotionally and psychologically manipulate someone’s mind. Thus, Brainiac starts praying on Clark’s fears and insecurities. He shows him all the times Jimmy and Lois weren’t there for him. He tries distorting his memories to make him think Lois always hated him. And the cherry on top? He reminds Clark of how Lois broke up with him.
I honestly feared that Superman would give into his negative thoughts and let Brainiac win, but he doesn’t. Somehow, he manages to regain control of everything and defeat the machine…or so he thinks.
I don’t know how Brainiac trapped Clark inside a fake version of Krypton, but it is absolutely despicable to watch. And it also makes sense. After spending an entire season thinking he had no place on Earth, Brainiac gave him the illusion of a Krypton where he thought he would be accepted. It’s truly despicable of Brainiac, and it ends up giving the AI what they want.
Having arrived too late to stop Brainiac, Kara finally realizes how much of a monster Brainiac is, and breaks free from his control. However, it’s too late. Brainiac now has full control of Superman’s body and wipes the floor with Kara. And the whole time they keep telling Kara how they’re weak and worthelss, and how they’ve always disappointed them. And the true “kick the dog” moment? When Kara visited all those planets he forced her to conquer, she had the same reaction to them that she did to Earth. Brainiac saw them all as trash!
Lois, Go Save Your Boyfriend!
*takes a deep breath*
The Kryptonian Empire needs to go down for good. Brainiac is a lot like The Core from Amphibia. They think they’re the best of their civilization, but in truth, they’re the worst aspects of Krypton personified. And Lois, Jimmy, and Kara can’t do anything when Brainiac ejects them out of Kandor and teleports it away. Mallah and the Brain save the three, but that’s the only good thing.
So, to recap: Superman has been possessed by an insane AI and is probably headed to Earth to conquer it. As satiifying as it would be to see Brainiac prove how worthless Waller’s efforts are, it would come at the expense of the Earth. They have to stop Brainiac. And Lois, being Lois, has an insane plan: she’s going to dive into the virtual mindscape to pull Clark out.
I repeat: Lois, a human, is heading into a virtual landscape built for Kryptonians.
In the time we’ve come to know this version of Lois Lane, she has done many reckless things. However, this might be her most reckless one yet. And the most necessary. It sounds a little cliche, but Lois’ love for Clark could be enough to save him from this horrific fate. That is, if she can remember what she’s supposed to do inside the Black Mercy.
Hoping that she can pull this off before Brainiac makes it to Earth and only fuels Waller’s paranoia. Other than that, though, what a terrific episode! This is why I love this show so much!
I Give “The Death of Clark Kent!” a 4.5/5
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Adult Cartoons, Animation, My Adventures With Superman, TV Shows
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