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My Adventures With Superman S2 Ep 10 Review

Whenever a new episode of My Adventures With Superman comes out, I don’t just review it. I also make reactions to them, and to help with that, I watch them the morning after for the best reaction. However, my excitement for the season finale proved to be so great that I had to watch it live at midnight last night. And I was not disappointed. With Brainiac poised to destroy the Earth and Task Force X proving useless, not even Superman can handle this alone! Thankfully, he’s not alone, and has never been alone. Not only does he have the people he inspires fighting alongside him, he’s also got his cousin Kara. Thanks to him and his friends, Kara finally finds the strength to stand up to Brainiac, and it is glorious! The legend of Supergirl starts now!!

No OP is Serious Business

Firstly, I have to give props to the episode for eschewing the normal opening. When that thing happens in an anime, that’s a sign that something so big is about to happen that the studio doesn’t want to waste time. And with Brainiac ready to destroy Earth to spite Superman, it’s as big as it could get!

Credit Where its Due, Waller

Secondly, I especially liked how the show reminds us how small and pathetic Amanda Waller and her efforts really are. She thought Task Force X was ready for someone like Brainiac, but she had no clue how in over her head she was. Her minions get thrashed, the Metallo’s turn on her, and Luthor flat-out bails. In all fairness, though, she doesn’t give up and stands her ground. Say what you want, but Waller is willing to put her money where her mouth is.

Thankfully, General Lane shows up with the most unexpected cavalry.

The Cavalry Has Arrived!

The show doesn’t make it clear, but it’s implied that while he was off the grid, Lois’ dad made some real efforts to get ready for the threat that is Brainiac. And unlike Waller, he was willing to overcome his trauma to see that Superman was not their enemy. Thats some good character development! Granted, the episode doesn’t give us the moment when father and daughter reunite, but it’s implied they work things out. Good for them both. But in the more immediate

Moment, General Lane rallies not just Dr. Irons, but Intergang to help Superman fight off Brainac’s army, and that second fact made me smile. I knew that Intergang had some good in them, even if they did it for their own survival.

Brainiac is Just an AI With an Existential Crisis!

As for Brainiac, the finale further cemented how evil, petty, and disgusting Brainiac truly is. First, they flat-out take control of Kara’s mind and order her to kill Superman. Then, just to twist the knife further, they reveal that this unseen enemy that the Kryptonians were fighting weren’t the ones that destroyed them. They were losing so badly that Superman’s father had worked on a cease-fire to save them, but Brainiac wouldn’t have that. Furious at the thought of their purpose as a war AI becoming meaningless, Brainiac destroyed Krypton out of spite. Brainiac’s entire motivation boils down to them having an existential crisis and taking it out on their creators!

I’ve seen other versions of Brainiac destroy Krypton before, but this was just the pettiest thing. In hindsight, Brainiac is an ever worse version of Amanda Waller and General Lane before he had his epiphany. They each were so stuck in their ways that they couldn’t consider the notion that they might be wrong or that there be another path! And while General Lane was tempered by his morality, Waller was willing to sacrifice her own people to defeat this threat, just like Brainiac did with Krypton.

Thankfully, Superman manages to get the ball rolling on stopping Brainiac by getting through to Kara.

I didn’t think I would enjoy Kara’s storyline as much as I have throughout this season, but I am so glad the show took this approach. If you’ve read my reviews for shows like Amphibia and The Owl House, you know how I despise abusive parents on principle! Which is why seeing kids stand up to an abusive parent feels so cathartic. And the moment when Kara, with the support of her family and the good memories she’s formed with Jimmy and Lois, Kara finally stands up to Brainiac. She’s no longer his weapon; she’s Supergirl!

Supergirl, Your Legend Begins Now!!!

I was practically giddy with excitement at the final battle near the surface of the Sun as Superman and Kara, now clad in her famous Supergirl costume, waste Brainiac. And, to make the moment even sweeter, the universe gives Supergirl, the one who suffered the most at Brainiac’s hands, the honor of delivering the final blow. The hateful legacy of Krypton is left to burn to ashes in the fires of the Sun as Kara passes out from kryptonite exposure, listening to the cheers of Earth. She earned this.

I wouldn’t put it past Brainiac to somehow return, but I honestly don’t think that the writers should do that. Their time may have been brief, but the MAWS Brainiac served their purpose. Also, I wanted to point out that if Brainiac was so brilliant, why did they try to kill Superman and Supergirl by throwing them into the Sun? When Kryptonians soak up solar energy that close, they become gods in all but name.

All is Right With the World, Thanks to Superman and Supergirl

The episode ends a few weeks later. After Kara awakens from her slumber, she finds herself at the Kent farm, Jimmy and Lois waiting for her and Clark and his parents ready to welcome her to their family. Seeing the two cousins play catch together is simple, but so heartwarming. For the first time ever, Kara finally has a home. And even though the show doesn’t make it clear if she and Jimmy are dating, I still hope to see it happen! They are perfect for each other!

As for the rest of Earth, life goes on. General Lane likely got his name cleared, giving him the chance to make things right with Lois. As for Waller, all her heinous and illegal actions have caught up to her, as she’s now a criminal and a fugitive. And I don’t feel too bad for her; she brought this on herself with her stubbornness and self-righteousness.

Too bad Lex and Deathstroke have dodged the law by making Lexcorp its own entity. Thus, it looks like Luthor is poised to take his place as Superman’s greatest enemy.

On one final note, Clark and Lois manage to talk things out like they should have from the start. They will no doubt go through some more rough patches, but there’s no denying that they’re meant to be together. And while I’m happy to see Clark support Lois if she wanted to move to Gotham, I was even happier seeing her turn it down. And all is right with the world.

This Would’ve Been a Perfect Finale

Honestly, this finale felt a lot like a series finale with how it wrapped things up. And in a way, it is. It’s wrapping up the storyline that’s been told since the series premiere, but it also leaves the door open for new stories to be told. Thankfully, we know that the show is getting another season, so we’ll see more of MAWS. Until then, though, I will continue to wait and appreciate this version of the characters. Welcome to Earth, Supergirl!

I Give “My Adventures With Supergirl” a 5/5

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My Adventures With Superman S2 Ep 9 Review

This is for all the marbles. With Brainiac taking control of Superman’s mind, the entire universe is at risk, starting with Earth. And Lois, being Lois, decided to dive into the Black Mercy simulation where her boyfriend’s mind is trapped. One would think that an average human woman would have no chance of breaking Brainiac’s mental prison. But anyone who knows Lois Lane knows that she’s no normal woman. She is a force of nature, and Brainiac will regret underestimating her.

At least, that’s what I hope before the end of the season.

Lois Enters the Matrix

As the preview for the episode indicated, Lois made it inside the Black Mercy but lost her memories in the process. Brainiac’s twisted facsimiles of Clark’s birth parents are bent on making sure the two do not meet.

It is funnier when that exact thing happens within moments of Lois being captured.

This episode really demonstrates how ignorant Brainiac is about how people work or why he shouldn’t underestimate Lois Lane. When the simulation tries to delete her, Lois is reset back to the moment she entered the Black Mercy, and once that happens, Hurricane Lois is unleashed!                               

Lois Lane Will Not Rest Until She Saves her Boyfriend!

Not only does this episode demonstrate why Lois’ willpower makes her own force of nature, but it also reminds viewers why she and Clark fell in love. Despite their last meeting ending poorly thanks to her insecurities, I couldn’t help but tear up seeing how much Lois loves Clark. And eventually, that love breaks through to him in this cool scene.

This moment encapsulates why Clark loves Lois so much. How many women do you know that can keep Clark on his toes like this? Superman may be a veritable god, but Lois is the strongest person he’s ever met.

This next scene is only made cooler because Clark thinks so highly of Lois that, in his mind, she has superpowers of her own!

Their kids are going to be awesome.

Hey, Waller and Brainiac? ‘Nah!’

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Jimmy, Kara, Maala, and the Brain make it back to Earth. But then Waller, being her paranoid, ignorant self, arrests them (Maala and the Brain escape). Waller remains convinced that she’s still the good guy and that Task Force X can handle an alien invasion. However, all it takes is five seconds for Brainiac to show her just how small she is.

Waller is small and has nothing to do with her being a normal human woman. Lois is a regular human, but she can do so many things that Waller and Lex cannot do. She’s small because she’s small-minded, unable to tell friend from foe, and completely out of her depth. If it weren’t for the fact that Brainiac threatens to destroy the planet, I’d laugh at her misfortune.

Thankfully, Lois’ efforts end up freeing Superman, and somehow give him a badass new suit. However, he’s not alone in the fight. After Vicki, Perry, and Steve Lombard manage to free them, the latter and Jimmy manage to give Kara the pep talk she needs. In spite of everything Brainiac made her do, she’s still a good person. More importantly, just because she couldn’t beat Brainiac initially doesn’t mean she’s not a hero or warrior. Superman gets beat up all the time, and he keeps fighting.

Sadly, anyone hoping for the episode to end positively will be disappointed. Back in their original body, Brainiac is mad, immune to Kryptonite, and ready to destroy the Earth. The silver lining is that this means the finale next week will be super epic! And, hopefully, once it’s over, any power Waller has will be gone. Also, I do like Superman’s new costume.

I Give “Pierce the Heavens, Superman” a 4/5

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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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My Adventures With Superman S2 Ep 7 Review

At the end of the last episode of My Adventures With Superman, Kara was left grappling with the fact her entire life was a lie. Then Jimmy and Lois showed up in a starship! But how did they manage to get there in the first place? That is the question that the follow-up episode seeks to answer as Lois and Jimmy try to find a solution without Superman there to help them. In doing so, not only do they find some surprising allies, but they also start to address Lois is issues while stealing a spaceship from S.T.A.R. Labs.

Amanda Waller, Why Are You So Dumb?

Of all the versions of Amanda Waller throughout the multiverse, I think the MAWS version might be among the dumbest. In the aftermath of Kara’s rampage/abduction of Superman, Waller says this proves that Superman’s an alien invader sent to conquer Earth. So she has her men march into Metropolis and declares martial law, turning the city into a police state.

If the writers behind this series were looking to make a version of Waller that we would hate with a passion, then they’re succeeding. This woman is no longer refusing to believe that Superman’s a good guy; she’s rejecting that reality entirely. Even when a TV show host points out the blatant footage of Superman fighting Kara to protect Metropolis, she refuses to acknowledge it! The woman is just so ignorant and doesn’t even realize it! And Lois and Jimmy aren’t having any of it.

Mallah and the Brain are Back!

Rather than wait for Superman to get home, Lois, spiraling from the fact that their last conversation involved her breaking up with him, comes up with an insane plan. They will break into S.T.A.R. Labs, steal their spaceship, and rescue Clark! This also means hiring Livewire to help them (and finally breaking Jimmy’s bank), Mallah, and the Brain.

Yes, Mallah and the Brain are back. And as it turns out, they are indeed an anamoly in the multiverse. Every other version they’ve met has been evil! So it’s nice to see them return, and for the show to lampshade how unique they are.

Lois is Spiralling Out of Control

This plan is reckless, even by Lois’ standards, but makes sense given her mental state. She’s heartbroken that Superman might be gone. She’s ashamed of herself for letting her insecurities lead her to break up with him. And she’s bent on making Kara suffer for taking him away from her. You want to know the irony? In most iterations, it’s Lois who helps keep Superman grounded. Here, it’s Clark that keeps her grounded, and without him, she’s spiraling and close to crossing a dangerous line.

Thank heavens Jimmy is there to talk some sense into her.

Jimmy Has Emotional Intelligence

This episode does a good job of making Lois and Jimmy foils to each other regarding Kara. Having only seen her at her worst, Lois assumes the worst, unintentionally mirroring the mistakes of her Dad. Conversely, having gotten to know Kara as a person (and gotten the hots for her), Jimmy realizes she’s not evil; just misguided. And it’s thanks to that that Jimmy insists on talking things out and solving things diplomatically. And it works. Thanks to his quick thinking, Jimmy manages to get the crew into the lab. More importantly, though, he makes Lois see that she’s close to being like her father, something she desperately wants to avoid.

And between them, they win over Livewire and Heat Wave, who arrive just in time to save them from Luthor’s newest toys.

I didn’t pay as much attention to it, but it seems that Lex and Slade are competing against each other for Waller’s approval. And depsite Lex’s new toys, drones known as Metallo, failing to stop the heist, Waller is still impressed. They were operating at 10% of their power, and they came close to winning! Meanwhile, Slade was made to look foolish. Thus, Waller gives Lex’s project top priority. The Metallo’s are going to be a big problem shortly.

Lois, Play Nice With Your Boyfriend’s Cousin

In the end, though, Lois and her merry band of accomplices manage to steal the ship, and Brain and Mallah modify it for interstellar flight. And that’s how they wound where Kara is.

Lois agreed to discuss things with Kara, but I’m still worried. They didn’t start on the right foot, and I don’t want to see Jimmy choose between his friend and his crush. Plus, they will all need to work together to save Clark. The title for the next episode “The Death of Clark Kent!” does not bode well, and the preview for next week’s episode makes me even more worried.

If Brainiac got control of Superman’s body and invaded Earth, then that would destroy his good name and only make Waller even more reckless and stupid! Or it could humiliate and embarass her. I’m hoping it’s the latter.

I Give “Olsen’s Eleven” a 4/5

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My Adventures With Superman S2 Ep 6 Review

When I think My Adventures With Superman has hit rock bottom, the show goes deeper. Having been kidnapped by his cousin, Kara, Superman wakes up to find himself in the middle of deep space. Worse still, Kara takes him before the self-proclaimed leader of the New Kryptonian Empire, Brainiac. Brainiac is always bad news no matter what version it is across the multiverse. However, as the episode reveals just how abusive he’s been to Kara, the MAWS Brainiac might be one of the most evil versions I’ve ever seen.

If this episode had come out just a week ago, I would’ve put this Brainiac on my list of worst dads in animated history. That’s how bad he is!

Kara is So Lonely!

After coming to Kara’s starship, Superman is understandably mad at his cousin. Especially when Kara insists and keeps insisting that she did him a favor, she thinks Earth being such a nice place to live has corrupted Clark’s brain and wants to show him what it means to be a true Kryptonian. First by showing him holographic images of their home and then by trying to bond with him over their powers. In her defense, Clark enjoys himself. However, he also realizes that she’s in denial over how unhappy she is with her life.

Case in point: she keeps mementos from the planets she’s visited and helped annex into the Empire, including her photos with Jimmy, something that Clark can’t help but tease her over. It’s sweet…but it also hides a very disturbing truth. One that becomes apparent when she shows Clark first-hand Thanagar, one of the world’s annexed into the Empire. Instead of the beautiful civilization she remembers, though, Kara and Clark discover a dead planet. And the reason for the inconsistencies becomes apparent by the end of the episode: Brainiac.

Brainiac is AN EVEN BIGGER MENACE!!!

Taking a page from the DCAU, I see that this version of Brainiac is also an AI that helped run Krypton. Unlike DCAU Brainiac, though, MAWS Brainiac looks straight out of Evangelion, making him look far more sinister. In addition, Brainiac’s idea of an empire consists of wiping out all life on planets he has Kara conquer. The reason she doesn’t remember this is because he keeps erasing her memories and controlling her like a puppet. And on top of this, we see how Brainiac hurls verbal abuse at Kara whenever she steps out of line, no matter how little it may be! And now he wants to do the same thing to Superman!

Oh, and if we need any more proof of how evil Brainiac is, He’s saving the memories of those that he’s slain as AI programs, and they remember all of the pain and horror that Brainiac made Kara inflict on them! That’s one of the most messed up things I’ve ever heard!

If you’ve read my reviews of The Owl House, then you know how much I loathe abusive parents. Even calling Brainiac a parent is an insult to parents everywhere! This version of Brainiac might be among the most vile I have ever seen in all of fiction! And thankfully, Kara begins to realize this for herself. Despite erasing her memories again, the mementos she got from Earth bring her memories straight back. Once that happens, she realizes that everything Brainiac has told her is a lie. He’s been using her to destroy planet after planet, a weapon in the name of his sick concept of an empire! And just as Kara realizes how badly she has messed up, another ship appears, carrying the Brain, Mallah, Lois and Jimmy.

And that’s where the episode ends.

Waller is Gonna Make Things Worse

We have yet to learn how Lois and Jimmy managed to travel to space, but I’m guessing that this will be the main focus of the next episode. And from what the previews have shown us, things are getting worse in Metropolis. Waller, being the paranoid fool she is, is looking to seize control of Metropolis and turn Superman into the enemy of humanity. And I’m just shaking my head at how ignorant Waller is. She may be right about Brainiac planning to invade Earth using Superman as his weapon, but she’s still wrong about Superman. Jimmy and Lois can help Kara save Clark before that can happen. I don’t know if that’s possible, but I’m praying that it is.

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I Give “The Machine Who Would Be Empire” a 4/5

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