RJ Writing Ink

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 10 Review

It’s all come down to this. The Eradicator is a threat to the entire multiverse and Superman’s family and it needs to be stopped! But the only way to stop is for Clark to get his powers back. And while we all knew he would get them back, I can’t help but feel like he had to sacrifice something that’s going to come back to haunt us in the future. That is, if MAWS has a future!

That is what makes Superman strong

When we last left off, the Kryptonian android known as Brainiac was trying to kill Clark in a fit of rage over his refusal to conform to his people’s brutal ways. But then Bizarro stepped in and saved him, and actually managed to put the fear of death into Brainiac. And then, Clark managed to calm his cloned cousin down, stunning Brainiac, who can’t understand why Clark would risk his life like that. But that moment makes him finally see what Clark’s real strength is: the strength of mercy and compassion.

It sounds corny when I write it, I know. But it’s the truth. Superman’s not the greatest hero because he’s the strongest or the smartest. He’s the greatest hero because he’s willing to help anyone, even if they’re his enemies. And while the heel-face turn feels a little rushed, I’m not complaining. Especially since we learn that the Fortress is powered by the living offspring of Rao, Krypton’s sun! It’s Rao Jr. that has the power to restore Clark’s powers, but there’s no guarantee that it will do so if it doesn’t consider him worthy.

To make a long story short, it does. But that’s the thing: we never actually see how Rao restored Clark’s powers, beyond a brief scene of him being covered in its flames. In addition, at the end of the episode, Clark says that he had to give something up to get his powers back. He plays it off like it’s no big deal, but…I can’t help but fear the worst. What if he had to give up a huge chunk of his lifespan or something else? Something that will come back to bite him in the future? Lois and Jimmy would be heartbroken about that.

The House of El Stands

Meanwhile, the House of El and Task Force X’s last stand against the Eradicator is…well, it’s a massacre. The Eradicator tears through them all like it’s nothing. The Kryptonians are barely able to put a dent in him or his clones. And to make matters worse, the monster (voiced by the incomparable Steve Blum) boasts about how he’s done this across multiple timelines. Who knows how many versions of Superman and his family he’s killed by now?!?! And the best reaction that we get out of him is that he’s irritated that someone always gets away.

And the reason why the Eradicator is doing all of this? Why he’s so driven to kill Clark and his family? Because he’s afraid. He’s the living embodiment of Lex’s fear of that which he can’t control. In fact, fear and dealing with it seems to be the main theme of this entire season. Jimmy’s afraid of taking the next step with Kara. Lois is afraid of the future and how that will change her. And Lex? He’s afraid of something he can’t control or trust. But at least Lex tries to redeem himself by stopping his creation. It’s no use, though. No one is strong enough to stop him.

No one, that is, except for Superman.

Well, just like people on Reddit said, if MAWS was fighting it before, they can’t now: the show’s staff took inspiration from Dragon Ball. Because what’s more Dragon Ball-esque than for the heroes to have to wait for Goku? Or in this case, Superman. He shows up clad in this new golden armor, and just starts beating up the Eradicator. It’s glorious. In fact, the fights in this episode are all glorious. Even more glorious, though, is how Clark calls the Eradicator out for having such a lame motivation! It’s just so pathetic! And in the end, the Eradicator chooses to die rather than accept help from the one he fears the most.

So lame.

Darkseid has to be coming.

So, I’m just going to come out and say it: I don’t think that this season finale was as amazing as the one from Season Two. The Eradicator felt less like a foe that needed to be stopped and more like a reason for Clark to want his powers back. The fight against Brainiac was personal because he destroyed Krypton and killed Clark and Kara’s parents, and it made for an epic final battle. This wound up being not as bad as it could have been, at least for this timeline.

But even now, MAWS is sewing the seeds for what comes next. As Lex is put in prison, Waller asks him why he did all of this. The answer: after Kandor’s destruction, he saw something out in space. Something that terrified him. It’s not confirmed, but with all the hints that have been dropped throughout the show, most fans have guessed that he’s talking about Darkseid and his hordes. Considering what Darkseid can do, I don’t blame him for being scared. Sadly, we may not see what happens if MAWS doesn’t get renewed. Or it might not happen anyway and end up being the focus of a future series in the same universe. Come on, DC! Give us the second coming of the DCAU!

OMG, CLARK AND LOIS ARE GETTING MARRIED!

With that, everything goes back to normal. Jon and Lara return to their time to await the future. Oh, and Kara friendzones Jimmy. She decided that as punishment for what he did to her, she’s going to make him work for a relationship. Honestly, I think it’s for the best. Neither of them was ready for a romantic relationship yet. If we get another season, maybe that will be the payoff. But that means we can focus on the real OTP of the series, Clark and Lois.

Having come to accept what the future may or may not hold, Lois isn’t afraid of settling down anymore. And, in a moment that I wasn’t expecting but is totally in character for her, she’s the one who asks Clark to marry her! SQUEE!

To the people in charge of this show at DC, I swear to all that I hold holy, if you do not give us another season with Clark and Lois’ wedding, I WILL RIOT!!!

Seriously, DC. Just give season four. I don’t care when. I need more of the House of El!

I Give “The Return” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 9 Review

Well, this is quite the mess, you guys! Thanks to Lara and Jonathan, the children of tomorrow, and Lex, there is a MENACE to the space-time continuum now loose in the universe. Kara is in a coma, the kids have PTSD, and everything is going to hell. The one good thing is that Clark has returned to the Fortress of Solitude to try and regain his powers. The bad news? He has to go through a trial that will have him go full barbarian warrior to do so. Well, that’s not bad in and of itself, but it’s the lesson he’s supposed to learn.

Oh, and Brainiac is back.

How did it Get to this?

In the aftermath of the Eradicator’s escape into the timestream, Amanda Waller has taken charge. I didn’t touch on it before, but we got to acknowledge the fact that Waller is now willing to see the Kryptonians as allies and protectors of Earth. She’s finally learning from her mistakes. However, she’s still Amanda Waller, a no-nonsense soldier. And even though she doesn’t know where Jonathan and Lara come from, she doesn’t hesitate to draft them into her anti-Eradicator plan. Except Lois isn’t happy about that.

Lois has spent this entire season trying to come to terms with her future with Clark. She accepted that she’ll be a mom one day, and now she’s learning that she could become the kind of parent her dad was to her, and it scares her. She also makes things worse when she rightly calls Jonathan and Lara for making Luthor wake up the Eradicator before it was ready. And for Jonathan’s disrespect to her in general. He tried to shame her for not actually fighting. WHAT DOES HE EXPECT?!? Unless there’s some tech lying around that can give Lois Kryptonian powers, or some power armor, she can’t do much!

She at least has better luck with her daughter. Through Lara, Lois learns that her future self does care about her kids enough to give her a pep talk. But it’s ultimately Kara who has to talk some sense into Jonathan.

KARA! YOU’RE OKAY!

Thank heavens, Kara is not dead. She’s left in a coma for several days, and when she wakes up, Jimmy is asleep by her side. He stayed there the entire time because he cares that much. I know that their relationship has been a problem this season, and we only have one episode left. But I hope they become an item in that time. And if we get a fourth season, I would love to see them act like a couple.

So, Kara finds Jonathan moping on the Moon, angsty about how he can’t live up to his dad’s reputation. So Kara tells him the truth: he’s not perfect. Everyone sees him like that because he never gives up. So Jonathan reconciles with his family and agrees to help. But, honestly? I don’t really like this version of Jon that much. I get why he is the way he is, but his personality gets a little grating. Hopefully, when Lois and Clark do have kids, they’ll have a better life.

So, everyone comes together to fight the Eradicator. The Kryptonians, Steel, Slade and the other agents of Task Force X. Even Luthor.

Yeah, when Luthor tries to duck and hide like a coward, Jimmy calls him out on it. He was the one who set Lex on his current path, and he is so disappointed in how he’s turned out. Especially since he’s seen that Lex can be a hero for himself. So he tells him to either shape up and be a hero, or just admit that he’s the bad guy. And it works!

But where does this leave Kal-El the Barbarian?

Kal-El the Barbarian

So, as many of us probably guessed, Brainiac is technically not dead. The version we met in season two is dead, but the version that helped run Krypton remains active in the Fortress of Solitude. And he is unimpressed with how Clark lost his powers and seeks to teach him a lesson on strength. Thus, to get his powers back, Kal-El has to relive Krypton’s ancient history and the start of their Empire. He has to be a barbarian conqueror.

From the second I heard what Brainiac was telling Clark, I saw the red flags. It’s obvious that that ship of invaders was just people who crash-landed. The Kryptonians told themselves that lie to justify their tyranny. And despite Brainiac trying to force him to give in to Krypton’s past, Clark isn’t playing his game. He stays true to himself, choosing to befriend the aliens and help them, because that is what real strength is like.

And Brainiac just loses it as we get the big twist. It turns out, Brainiac was one of those stranded aliens, forced to serve the Kryptonians until the day their empire collapsed while being converted into an AI. And he’s justifying the entire thing like it was right for Clark’s ancestors to do that! This was some insane levels of Stockholm Syndrome at work, and it made me sick to my stomach. How broken do you have to be to justify your terrible lot in life like that?!? Even worse, Brainiac takes Clark’s sympathy for the Coluans fate as an insult! He cannot compute the fact that things could’ve been different, and so tries to kill Clark. Thankfully, Bizarro is able to save him, but…what now?

Oh, no! He’s Voiced by Steve Blum!

The Eradicator returns from the timestream, and now looks like an anime version of General Zod, more dangerous than ever. We only have one episode left of the season, and possibly the series, and we have no clue how Kal-El can get his powers back, let alone stop the Eradicator! Can we please get a happy ending for the final episode? Please!?!

Hopes aside, I liked the barbarian aspect of this episode and I hope that we get more seasons of the show. That, and I think Lois would love the outfit!

I Give “Vae Victis” a 4.5/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman, S3 Ep 8 Review

So, the second we saw what the future looked like in “The Death of Superman,” we knew we were in for more time-travel shenanigans. Cyborg Superman may have been stopped, but that only led to an even worse future where Lex Luthor ruins everything. Granted, Lex Luthor tends to do that a lot, but this future is even more messed up. Not only does another version of Jon come back to the past with a sister, but they were there to basically…pull a Terminator. And…I think it may have cost everyone everything.

There’s two of them now?

Picking up right where we left off, Clark and Lois are stunned, not only by the apparent return of their son, Jon, but the fact that he is not alone. He now has a sister. In most iterations where Clark and Lois marry, they tend to only have the one son, so having a daughter is a big surprise. At any rate, her name is Lara Lane, emphasis on Lane being her and Jonathan’s last name.

The Kids were asked to Re-enact Terminator?

Right off the bat, the show confirms what many of us were afraid of: that by stopping Hank Henshaw and altering the future, Clark and the others overwrote it with an entirely different future. And, depending on whether multiverse theory is in effect for time travel here, that means the Jon Kent we came to know no longer exists. That alone is enough to scare Clark and Lois, but it’s nothing compared to how their kids are. Firstly, this other Jon goes by Jonathan and acts like he’s a 90s anti-hero, abrasive attitude and all. Even worse, though, is why they came back in time in the first place: to kill Lex Luthor. They were ordered by General Lane to go back and pull a Terminator on Lex Luthor. The scariest part, though, is that the “General Lane” in question is future Lois. She sent her own kids back in time to go Terminator on Luthor.

This revelation naturally has Lois shaken. She had just learned that she could turn out like her dad in the last episode. Now, a future version of her did turn out like that. For someone who’s just come to terms with the future, that is a scary prospect. And that’s not including the fact that her future self sent them back in time to kill Luthor.

The reason why Luthor is now marked for death is simple: he didn’t learn his lesson with Cyborg Superman. Instead, he’s decided to double-down on creating a Superman clone by creating an even bigger, badder, and meaner one called the Eradicator. In this bad future, he uses them to conquer the world. However, in an ironic twist, the siblings mission may not have even been necessary. In strolls Amanda Waller, who’s apparently no longer a fugitive and working for the Government again. Except this time, she’s actually learned her lesson about Superman being a good guy. Thus, she tells Luthor she’s shutting his project down, as well as Lexcorp.

Part of me wants to feel sorry for Lex in this scenario. All he wants to do is prove himself to the world, but he keeps being the worst version of himself. He’s the architect of his own undoing, hence why it’s ironic future Lois sent her kids back in time to kill him. All that manages to do is make Lex panic and wake up the first Eradicator before he can establish control over it.

What happens next feels like a nightmare.

Is this DOOMSDAY?!?

In keeping with MAWS Dragon Ball inspiration, this version of the Eradicator feels like an expy of Cell mixed with Doomsday. He’s smart, can regenerate at an alarming rate, and is just plain stronger than the Kryptonians. Lara and Jonathan are barely able to hang on in their fight against it, forcing Kara to step in. But not even she, a full-blooded Kryptonian with years of combat experience, is able to put a dent in the Eradicator. And then we get that moment where she recreates that iconic scene where Piccolo takes a ki blast to protect Gohan!

She doesn’t wake up after that. There is the very real chance that Kara may have just been killed, and that almost left me in tears! She and Jimmy were starting to patch things up, with Kara reiterating how she wanted to be more than friends. I haven’t liked how the show has handled their relationship this season, but now? Now it may never happen since Kara might be dead. And to make matters worse, the Eradicator steal’s Jonathan’s Time-Band thing and escapes into the timestream. In other words, there is a monster capable of causing castrophic damage to history loose in the space-time continuum! All because future Lois wanted her kids to pull a Terminator!

Ultimately, seeing what happens to his family proves to be the last straw. Clark needs to get his powers back to stop this madness! Which means he has to return to the Fortress of Solitude to do so.

No Terminator, You Guys! It Never Works!

This was a very dark episode, you guys. Brainiac invading the Earth was one thing, but now we have someone who could destroy history altogether on the loose. Which means that Clark is going to have to become Superman ASAP to stop this. That, and he needs to make sure his future kids don’t turn out like what they are now. No Terminator!

I Give “It’s Reigning (Super)Men!” a 4.5/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 7 Review

So, where were we? Ah yes: Clark is having an existential crisis now that he’s lost his superpowers. Jimmy is in hot water with Kara for how badly he’s treated her all season. And before they can talk things out, they’re all abducted by Mr. Mxyzptlk for another one of his crazy schemes. And the entire gang is in swimsuits this episode.

This is going to be both fun and annoying!

Mr. Mxy is at it again!

So, after getting kidnapped by Mr. Mxy and changed into beach attire, the gang finds themselves in another dimension. The reason why is because he’s getting divorced from his wife, Glitzy! And according to him, their divorce proceedings are settled by a series of platformer-style games. Clark, Lois, Kara, and Jimmy play for Mxy, while alternate versions of Kara, Lois, Jimmy, and LEX play for Glitzy.

Now, the whole reason Mxy chose them, besides simply trolling, is that he thought Clark still had his powers. But for all his power, he didn’t know that Clark lost his, much to his dismay. And my amusement! All that power and he still doesn’t know that!

I don’t why exactly, but I like impish and chaotic characters like Mxy. Maybe it’s because I have a troublemaking streak of my own, or because they don’t care about the rules of reality, but they’re so entertaining to watch. But that doesn’t blind me to the fact that they are also super sus, and given our past experiences with this version of Mxy, I was on my guard. Especially when we saw what his wife looks like. I prefer personality over looks, but I think the best of both worlds can be ideal if necessary. Plus, Glitzy does seem like plenty of fun.

The Alternate Gang was Cool, I guess

In any event, I wouldn’t call this episode filler. There doesn’t seem to be any filler in this series, with every episode moving the plot forward a little bit. More importantly, seeing our heroes interact with their alternate counterparts is eye-opening at what their lives could look like. Given how the whole theme of this season is what the future can bring, it’s a source of great distress for them.

Firstly, we have Lois and her counterpart, General Lois Lane. It seems that in her timeline, things panned out similarly to what we’ve seen so far, with Clark eventually losing his powers. She, Jimmy, and Kara could handle that. But then, Clark died when Earth was invaded by enemies that, while I didn’t recognize them, I think the fandom should be worried about. Losing her lover led Lois to become just like her father: a cold-hearted soldier who hides their grief by throwing themselves into their job. It goes to show us that Lois always had it in her to be like.

Kara seems to be no better. Losing her cousin seems to have made her slide back into who she was serving under Brainiac, making our Kara fear the worst for herself. And alternate Jimmy? He became a tokukatsu-style superhero called Flamebird and is acting like everything is fine, but it’s isn’t. He’s just in denial about losing his best friend and, while he doesn’t say it, he never fully mended things with Kara.

The most interesting interaction, though, was between Clark and Alternate Luthor. Like in Jon Kent’s future, Superman’s death made him realize how pointless his hatred for him was. This is pretty telling, by the way. That makes it two times now that we’ve seen a Lex become capable of being a good person. It shows that it is possible for Lex to change, which only makes seeing our Lex fall down the rabbit hole of villainy all the more disappointing.

There is no One True Path

Ultimately, the contest comes down to the groups being forced to find their “one, true path” to the future. Lois and Clark stumble, and so do Jimmy and Kara. But then Jimmy, bless his heart, has a moment of emotional intelligence and apologizes to Kara for being an ass and promising to change. And then, it all clicks for her. The future is always changing and never set in stone. It is within their power to decide who they want to be! And that helps all of them stop worrying about who they are or what they might become.

For a moment, a part of me thought that this was all part of one big lesson that Mxy had for our heroes, but that would require him actually caring. He doesn’t, and neither does his wife.

In a twist that, I’ll be honest, part of me expected since it’s Mxy, the imps weren’t getting divorced. This was just them role playing for date night. And they were just using everyone to get access to the Cosmic Anvil, said to be capable of rewriting reality. They try to bribe everyone with the promise of changing their universes to whatever they want, but Clark is smart enough to not play their game. Instead, he lets the clock run out, meaning that no one wins.

Also, it led us to get this scene where Lex finally figures out that Clark Kent is Superman. The self-proclaimed smartest man ever, and he couldn’t figure that out. At least he had enough humility to take it with grace.

Keep Moving Forward

I know that this episode is going to feel a little like filler to some people, but in a show this tight-knit, filler isn’t really a thing. The whole point of the episode is having the gang get over their problems. Clark finally realizes that his powers don’t define him; Kara realizes that she can choose not to be what Brainiac wanted her to be; Lois learned to not fear the future as much. And Jimmy realized how much of a bonehead he’d been to Kara. But he’s going to have a lot of work to do if he wants to make things right.

Of course, the episode ends with us getting another curveball, as either Jon or another version of Jon appears before them. And there’s a girl with him that I’m pretty sure is his sister.

The future is still not safe!

I Give “The Ex-Games” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 6 Review

What happens when you place your identity into one aspect of yourself and then lose it? You tend to have a serious identity crisis, that’s what. And right now, Clark Kent is having the biggest identity crisis of his life as he’s forced to contend with not having any superpowers. His powers and identity as Superman have been a part of him for so long that he has no idea who he is without them. And to make matters worse, his support group of his girlfriend, best friend, and cousin is too busy dealing with their own problems to give him the help that he needs. Especially Jimmy and Kara, whose own relationship problems threaten to sink the ship beyond repair. Good going, JIMMY!

Clark Hates Feeling so Useless

A month has passed since the defeat of Cyborg Superman, and Clark’s powers remain gone. Having had those powers since he was a kid, it’s understandable that he would tie a lot of his self-worth to his ability to help people. And without that ability, he is seriously depressed and doesn’t know what to do with himself. To add insult to injury, Lois and Clark are getting nominated for an award at a fancy gala, while Clark isn’t. Well, Superman was co-nominated alongside Kara, but he can’t show up as Superman.

I felt so bad watching Clark in this episode. I understand why he is so upset about losing his powers. All he’s ever wanted to do is help people; it’s his whole thing! And this entire episode, he’s basically trying to do his best to help others just to prove that he still can. And while he does end up helping, it’s not to the extent that he’s used to, so it doesn’t even register to him. And Kara and Jimmy are no help, either.

For the last month or so, Kara has been forced to fly solo as Supergirl to make up for her cousin’s absence. She doesn’t say it, but it’s heavily implied that the stress was starting to get to her. I don’t think she even had time to actually go on any dates as part of her plan to make Jimmy jealous!

It gets worse, though. Jimmy, as part of his contract with W.O.R.M.S., has to go on one last date. The upside is that this one is a princess from another country who’s attending the gala. The downside? She’s attending the gala that is meant to honor Kara.

Apparently, Kara’s previous claims of not being able to get jealous of Jimmy were inaccurate. The second she finds out that Jimmy brought a date, I could hear her mentally declaring nuclear war! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kara this mad!

There’s a second downside, by the way. Jimmy’s date is a supervillain called Dr. Poison, who’s planning on turning everyone in Metropolis into animals as part of some ecoterrorist plan. I don’t know how that’s supposed to work or save the environment. The bottom line is that everyone gets caught up in it!

The most shocking moment of the episode, though, has to be this.

Clark Got Shot!

When the preview for this episode first dropped, I was genuinely scared that Clark had gotten himself seriously hurt. He could’ve died! Thank heavens I was watching this the morning after on Hulu, because I would have been freaking out during the commercial break!

Now, we as the audience know that what Clark did is truly heroic. Despite not having any powers, his first instinct had been to protect Flip and the other kids from harm. Not many adults would be willing to face down a gunman and do that! But from Clark’s perspective, he barely did anything. It’s sad, really. He’s still a hero with or without his powers, but he doesn’t recognize that.

Ultimately, Jimmy is able to rizz up Dr. Poison and foil her plans while Kara stops the rest (and Bizarro.) But while Lois wins the award over Vicki, no one is really happy. Clark still feels bad about himself and blows up at Lois despite her trying to compliment him. I was more focused on Jimmy and Kara, though.

Jimmy, get down on your knees and beg for Kara’s forgiveness!

We all knew that Jimmy was making a big mistake; there’s no argument about that. And we all knew that it was going to blow up in his face. However, it was still painful to see it play out as Kara confronted him about his jealousy. He may think he was doing this for her sake, but really, this was about his own insecurities. He’s been in love with Kara from day one, and she loves him. Some people just know they’ve found the one without any searching, and if I were Jimmy, I wouldn’t have blown things. But now, it might be too late.

Or it might not. Guess who’s back? Mr. Myx.

Uh-oh.

I Give “Party Animals” a 3/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 5 Review

The Death of Superman has to be one of the most famous comics of all time. And why shouldn’t it be? After all, the idea of Superman, the OG superhero, dying in battle? It sounded unbelievable…which is why it worked so well. So when we have an episode whose title is “The Death of Superman,” that’s going to make me worry. And while the worst-case scenario didn’t end up happening, I think that the title remains appropriate.

Cyborg Superman Must Die

At the end of the last episode, the man formerly known as Hank Henshaw crashed out, broke free of Lex’s leash, and threatened to destroy Metropolis. Superman and Supergirl have flown in to stop him before anyone can get hurt, but they might be flying to their deaths. Because, as Jon belatedly reveals, Cyborg Superman kills his dad in this fight. After that, he turns his wrath on the rest of the world, killing everyone we know and love. Jon was sent back in time to stop this from happening, but he was so caught in seeing the parents he never knew that he put it off. It was reckless, irresponsible…and perfectly understandable.

Don’t get me wrong: Jon almost screwed up big time. But when you consider how he never knew his parents, you understand why he wanted to milk this. Especially since we’re not exactly sure if the multiverse theory is in effect for time travel in this story, since that means he would be going back to a future still ruined. But if the Future Trunks parallels weren’t already blatant, they get even more so when we learn what happened to Kara.

Kara Became Future Gohan?!?

I didn’t address it last episode, but it was apparent that Jon was actively avoiding Kara, despite how badly she wanted to bond with him. I saw the red flags going up and immediately thought, “Oh no, Kara is dead in the future, isn’t she?” Tragically, that was indeed the case. And for bonus points, it’s revealed that after Clark and Lois died, Kara raised Jon as her own. She was like the Future Gohan of this story, complete with the tragic and undignified death! Jon couldn’t bear to look at her because of this.

And that was when I knew that Cyborg Superman had to die. I know that not every hero will kill his villains, but the monster once known as Hank wasn’t going to stop until he destroyed the world that had rejected him. Even when Lois tried to talk her former friend down, he was ready to kill her. Thankfully, the series didn’t disappoint with how absolutely brutal this fight was. But even with three Kryptonian warriors fighting the monster, he was still able to get the upper hand thanks to his Kryptonite reactor!

And this is when we get the moment that can be called the death of Superman.

The Death of Superman

Depsite being on the brink of death thanks to Kryptonite poisoning, Clark manages to see his son being choked out by Cyborg Superman. Thus, his papa bear instincts kick in, and through sheer willpower, he forces himself to fight off the Kryptonite to save Jon. But Hank then threatens to self-destruct and take the entire city with him…until he learns that Jon is Superman’s future son. And for some reason, this makes him regret everything that he did. I think that it was because he realized that if Kryptonians and Humans can have kids, then that means that there’s a future where all of humanity will have superpowers and be safe. I don’t know. I’m just glad that Hank let himself die before he killed everyone else.

So, with the apocalypse prevented, Jon returns to his time with the hope that it will be a far better future than the one he knew. However, that’s the only good thing to come of this episode. In order to save his son, Superman pushed his powers so hard, he’s seemingly burned them out. He’s…powerless now. And without his powers, Clark Kent is just Clark Kent, meaning that Superman is technically dead. And the time couldn’t be worse, as while one bad future was prevented, another might be on the horizon. This time, though, it’s at the hands of Lex Luthor!

Okay, I have mixed feelings about this episode. On the one hand, I like how they managed to thread the needle regarding the death of Superman. On the other hand, part of me kind of wishes we could have gotten to see Clark temporarily die and then come back, but I guess we’ll have to wait for Doomsday, if he ever shows up. Plus, I know that Clark is going to get his powers back, eventually. This is just going to be a means for Clark to learn who he is without his powers. In the meantime, Supergirl will have to pick up the slack. The bad news is that the preview for the next episode shows that the drama between her and Jimmy is about to get even worse.

I give “The Death of Superman” a 3/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 4 Review

So, the last episode established that the prospect of being a mom is something that freaks Lois out to no end. She knows that her and Clark are meant to be and does want a future with him. At the same time, though, she’s at that point in her life where she doesn’t want to give up the chance to have fun and be free! It’s a legitimately scary prospect for someone like her! So imagine when a boy who looks a lot like the two of them comes out of nowhere and starts calling them mom and dad. I could practically hear Lois’ brain go into meltdown, and I was enjoying every minute of it!

Surprise! Your Son’s Here to Visit!

So, Clark and Lois are happy on a little date to get away from the chaos (Kara and Jimmy’s dating attempts). Just when they’re at Lois’ favorite restaurant, this happens!

This is our official introduction to Jon Kent, AKA Superboy, after the brief teaser we got at the end of the last episode. And he is…not what I was expecting at first. I mean, I knew from the teaser for the season that he was going to be energetic, but that was underselling it. He’s a full-blown male keet, constantly flying around everywhere, asking everyone a billion questions at once, and behaving like someone half his age probably would. And it is absolutely precious!! Though, given what we saw of the future, the way he’s acting is perfectly understandable.

It isn’t until the end of the episode where Jon drops the energetic act and gets serious, but we didn’t to wait until the end to know why he’s acting like this. In his time, his parents are dead, most likely before he even got the chance to know them. Now that he’s been sent back to stop the apocalypse, he wants to get to know his mom and dad. It’s understandable that he would want to spend the whole day hanging out with them! And, if I’m being honest, it’s really wholesome to see how he’s the best of both of his parents. He’s got his dad’s desire to do good and help and protect people, and he’s got his mom’s mischievous streak. In other words, he’s perfect! And not even Lois is immune to his charms.

Lois, Jon is your Son!

So, Lois was already freaking out about her future and how it might be set out for her. But she spends most of the episode in complete meltdown. Because the fact that her future son is here means that it might actually be set in stone! For someone as free-spirited as her, it’s a total nightmare! Thus, Lois spends the entire episode trying to come to terms with the likelihood that she’s going to be a mom in the near future. But, as the day goes on, and she sees how much like his parents Jon is, Lois stops worrying so much about the future. She thinks that Jon being from it means that it’s going to be great.

And that’s the real tragedy of the episode. Because Jon spent so much time trying to live the family life he never had, he might be too late to change the future.

Hank Henshaw is Gone. There is only Cyborg Superman

It’s crazy to think that it’s already happening, but Hank Henshaw is now the big bad of the season. After getting rejected by everyone, from the citizens of Metropolis, to his former friend Lois, to even Lex, Cyborg Superman crashes out. He’s no longer trying to be a hero. Instead, he’s embraced his inner Homelander, and after breaking free of Luthor’s control, he wants to make the entire world burn. And having taken control of the Kryptonian Drones Luthor has, he can pull it off! And the fact that the show made Henshaw’s rebellion the B-plot and Jon’s time with his family the A-plot can only mean one thing: something bad is about to happen.

It’s happened in every season of the show. The fourth episode of the season sets us up for some big wham moment. Then the fifth episode upends the status quo and leaves us brokenhearted and worried about what comes next. Also, it should be noted that the title for next week’s episode, “The Death of Superman,” is a dead giveaway. The future that Jon tried to prevent may already be set in motion, and I am genuinely afraid for Superman and Supergirl as they go to fight Henshaw. Even moreso when you consider how this is only the halfway point of the season. If this is the halfway point, then what more could they have to throw at us!

This next week could be agonizing for me since I don’t know what will happen next, and I hate that! Thank heavens I have plenty of other shows to watch!

I Give “Guess Who’s Slammin’ to Dinner?” a 4.5/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 3 Review

Jimmy Olsen, my brother in nerdom, why must you disappoint me like this?

So, if you saw the last episode of MAWS, then you know that Jimmy managed to have a fumble of near-biblical proportions. Kara straight-up asked him to date her, and he turns her down. He says that she needs to expand her horizons and experience more before finding that special someone. And then he gets jealous when every man, woman, and child is lining up to date her! And it only gets worse in this episode as Jimmy shows he’s jealous by trying not to look jealous by going to a matchmaking company. Meanwhile, Lois is having a panic about the future, and it looks like Hank Henshaw is set on his path to becoming the show’s version of Homelander.

Really, Dating Apps?

So, after Jimmy dropped the ball with Kara by convincing her to date everyone that isn’t him (half of Metropolis), he’s not taking it well. He’s determined to make Kara just as jealous as he feels by going to this new, scientifically backed matchmaking service, W.O.R.M.S., that just started. And Lois just spoke for me with how disappointed she was in him! And frustrated!

This is one of the goofier episodes of the series, no doubt about it. Which, knowing what this series is like, can only mean one thing: something bad is coming. I’m not just being paranoid, either. The first season had Lois figure out that Clark was Superman at the end of episode 4. Last season had Kara arrive on Earth in episode 5. I’m telling you, there is going to be some kind of drama or threat that’s going to take place in the next episode or two. And the ending of the episode only seems to make that more obvious, but more on that. We first need to talk about Lois and Kara’s day out.

So, after telling Kara about what Jimmy is doing, Lois learns firsthand that his attempts to make Kara jealous are doomed to failure. Kara openly shows her self-confidence by calling herself “as strong as she is beautiful.” I have to respect that level of self-esteem! But Lois manages to find an opening when Kara sees it as a competition and decides to “win” and make Jimmy her boyfriend. Which also means that Kara was only taking Jimmy’s advice because she still wants him.

I dont know if I should take this seriously or not, but I like seeing this kind of romantic drama unfold for the laughs! This show really knows how to lean into the absurd comedy, and I thank it for wearing its anime influences on its sleeves like it is.

Lois Would be a Great Mom

So, Lois spends the day helping Kara set up a dating profile by going out into the city, and it somehow leads to them having a musical duet about their thoughts on the future. Admittedly, I skipped it, but I got the gist: Kara is excited about the promise of the future now that she can decide it. But Lois? She has spent the last three episodes listening to Clark come up with plans for their future. He even has a model of the farm he wants to buy for the two of them, with a baby crib to boot! And Lois is freaking out about it!

I totally understand why Lois is reacting this way. She’s still a young adult in her twenties, she’s finally feeling successful in her life. She doesn’t want this stage of her life with the adventures to end. And she’s worried that settling down and having a family will change that. That, and while it doesn’t say it, I think she’s worried that she might be a good parent or wife since she didn’t have a stable life growing up.

I wholeheartedly disagree. I’ve seen many variants of Lois, and even after getting married, she is still every bit as badass as ever. If anything, she’d be the super cool mom that every kid would want to have. I just really hope that she sees that for herself by the end of the season, because I don’t want to wait.

Jimmy, Why do you think like this?

Meanwhile, Jimmy’s time at W.O.R.M.S. is a disaster. It turns out that his date is the supervillainess Giganta. And she’s been using this chemical perfume to transform people in a quest to find love, and kidnaps Jimmy. So Superman has to save him with help of the girls who run the company. It’s all incredibly silly and it ends on an equally silly note as Superman doesn’t want anything to do with the dating app. Jimmy, on the other hand, doesn’t learn his lesson.

It looks like it will be a while before Jimmy finally sees sense and accepts that he’s good enough for Kara. The problem is that this might end up interfering with a new threat on the horizon.

Cyborg Superman is Really Channeling Homelander

So, amidst everything that’s happening, Hank Henshaw is trying to show he can be a superhero like Superman. However, I think the showwriters must have asked Jack Quaid about his time on The Boys, because Henshaw was really channeling Homelander this episode. Firstly, when he stops a thief from stealing a purse, he slams them into a metal pole, and from the looks of things, he might have broken their spine. For stealing a purse. It’s enough to make people afraid of him, which is the opposite of what Lex wants.

It gets worse. When Intergang robs Lexcorp, Hank zeroes in on Siobhan and starts brutalizing her trying to get what she stole back. And keep in mind that the Intergang in this series is pretty harmless in terms of being supervillains. Heck, Superman is on a first-name basis with Silver Banshee and gets her to return everything like a parent scolding a kid. But Hank? He tries to kill her because she knocked off part of his outer shell, revealing the cyborg he really is underneath. It takes Deathstroke intervening to get him to stand down.

If Cyborg Superman wasn’t already channeling Homelander at this point, then the next scene cements it when Lex reveals he has the man’s cybernetics under his control. And if The Boys taught me anything, it’s that you can’t keep someone like Hank Henshaw under control forever. He’s going to break free and likely become the monster we see in the comics. Actually, he might even be worse if the final moments of the episode reveal anything.

Superboy is Basically Trunks here!

So, let us make sure that we got this correct: the future is in ruins. Superboy is getting sent back into the past to stop this future from happebing. And we also saw Jimmy and Lex Luthor die as this happens. This is pretty much the story of Future Trunks from Dragon Ball, and I absolutely love it. At the same time, though, my mind is already trying to come up with an idea about how this could happen. My current theory is that Brainiac and Cyborg Superman either team up or one gains control over the other, and it leads to this apocalyptic figure. And now Superboy has to stop that from happening.

On the plus side, this version of Superboy is Lois and Clark’s son. Which means that, like it or not, Lois will be forced to come to terms with her potential motherhood.

I Give “All’s Fair in Love and W.O.R.M.S.” a 3/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 2 Review

I’m sorry that I didn’t post my review for last week’s episode of MAWS sooner, but I got distracted by other things. The good news is that this means that I am able to get the new reviews out back-to-back. The bad news? There are a few moments in this episode (and the next) that just feel so cringe! And it’s all thanks to Jimmy Olsen, who might have just fumbled the easiest romantic W I have ever seen! And I am so disappointed in him!!

I love Conventions!

It all starts when the gang heads to a fan convention for the day. Lois is going because Cat got her assigned the gig because she knew something crazy would happen around her, and Clark is supporting her. Jimmy is going as a guest because he turned his adventures into a comic book series that has made him a millionaire once again. And Kara? She’s going as the guest of honor, and wants to be close to Jimmy.

Jimmy, Why you Fumble the Ball?

This episode is really just three plots running concurrently with each other, but the one I was most invested in was the one with Kara and Jimmy. The two have such incredible chemistry together, and it’s obvious that the show wants us to ship them. But it’s insisting that the two go through the same relationship hurdles that Clark and Lois did in the first two seasons! In this case, Jimmy is the one who is insecure at the idea of dating a superpower alien. And it frustrated me to no end throughout this episode.

On the one hand, I wanted to feel proud of Jimmy for having the maturity to turn down Kara when she straight-up asks him to be her boyfriend. He doesn’t want to take advantage of her or ruin things if it goes wrong and that she should expand her horizons first. But as someone who’s never been able to get a girlfriend or have a romantic relationship, I’m super mad at him!!

JIMMY, DUDE! YOU ARE BEING GIVEN THE CHANCE TO DATE A BEAUTIFUL, SUPERPOWERED ALIEN GIRL WHO IS TOTALLY INTO YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE IN THIS DAY AND AGE?!?!? HOW CAN YOU BE FUMBLING THE BALL SO BADLY?!?

I know that the showwriters are only doing this for the sake of drama, but still, it frustrates me to have to see history repeat itself with our beta couple. I was practically foaming at the mouth when I saw Kara use the convention to announce she was looking for a date. Because despite what Jimmy js afraid of, there are plenty of guys and girls out there that could take advantage of Kara. In fact, I’m going to bet that that will end up happening before the season is out and Jimmy is going to regret doing that to her.

Not Interested in the other Stuff

The other main plots of the episode are not as interesting, sadly. Superman spends it fighting this woman with Kryptonite whips that is way too into him. Meanwhile, Lois sees the Toyman selling toys at the convention, and becomes convinced that he’s up to no good. All she manages to do at first is just make her out to be the bad guy that Jimmy initially makes her be in his comics. But it turns out she was right! Toyman managed to turn his entire booth into a mecha from Gundam, complete with the pose as he used it!

I know that should be a bad thing, but my nerdy half has to respect Toyman for doing that. Thank heavens it’s more acceptable for adults to play with toys now. Superman doesn’t even need to stop him, though, because another beats him to the punch. However, it’s who does it that is most concerning.

Hank Henshaw is gone. There is only Cyborg Superman. And if you know what he did in the comics, then you know to be afraid. Very afraid!

This is going to be a crazy season and I’m already enjoying where this will go. Though I have lost a lot of respect for Jimmy for that UNBELIEVABLE FUMBLE, and will only regain it when he steps up and gets the girl of his dreams!

I Give “Mobile Suit Toyman” a 2.5/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Adventures with Superman Season 3, Ep 1 Review

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since we last saw My Adventures With Superman, but I’m happy to say that the show is back! And better than ever, I might add! The show is going to have a tough act to follow, considering how season two wrapped things up in a way that could count as an ending for the show. But we all know that there are more stories worth telling about Superman, Lois, Jimmy, and now Kara. And with this season set to adapt the famous “Reign of the Supermen” arc from the comics, things are going to get bizarre. Though I think Bizarro might be the most appropriate term for this episode as we look as the new world after Brainiac.

I love Jimmy and Kara so Much!

It’s been some time since Kara and Kal-El defeated Brainiac, and their lives are slowly changing. The old fortress that Clark, Lois, and Jimmy found in season two has transformed into the Fortress of Solitude, and this might be the most opulent version of the iconic structure to date. Unfortunately, its appearance is somewhat marred by the reveal that Brainiac is still alive, albeit reduced to a state where he can’t do any harm…physically. As Kara leaves him to rot, he’s still trying to gaslight her into thinking she’s not a good person. Even worse, it’s implied that he has some influence over the robot caretakers of the Fortress. In other words, he’s going to remain a problem!

In the meantime, though, it’s Halloween, and the gang is happily celebrating at the Kent farm before heading back to Metropolis. Seeing Clark and Lois do a couple’s costume is just so adorable, but the real highlight has to be Jimmy and Kara doing the same thing! Indeed, this entire episode continues to push the Jimmy and Kara ship, with both clearly being into each other. Much like Lois before him, though, Jimmy is hesitant to take the next step since he thinks he’s not good enough for Kara, and it’s incredibly frustrating to look at.

To be honest, I had to pause my reaction video of this episode so I could go on a tangent about why Jimmy is more than worthy of Kara. He shouldn’t let the fact that she’s got superpowers stop him from shooting his shot! If anything, I think dating a beautiful, superpowered alien would be a big boost to my self-worth! I just pray that Jimmy takes Lois’ advice and doesn’t wait a whole season.

Not that Lois is one to talk, though. Now that she’s got her life working out for her, she’s nervous when Clark wants to take the next step and start thinking about the future. Moving in together, starting a family, that sort of thing. But Lois is so nervous about it because she doesn’t know if she can raise a family thanks to her own childhood. It’s sad, really. She would be an awesome mom!

Bizarro Cometh!

The main plot of the episode, though, centers around the gang investigating an abandoned military project, Caliban. Built concurrently with Project Cadmus, Caliban was focused on genetics research related to the Kryptonians. In other words, they were trying to clone them! At the moment, it’s unclear if Superboy, who is due to debut this season, is related to Caliban, but the group does find at least one clue that succeeded: Bizarro.

Now, in the comics, we know Bizarro as the mutated clone of Superman. He’s often a villain, but he’s not really evil, just misguided and having a thought process that doesn’t make sense to most people. The MAWS version of Bizarro, though, might be the most human variant to date, though. In terms of appearance, he looks like Superman, but buffer and with longer hair. In terms of personality, he’s incredibly kind, thanks to the late director of the project teaching him that rather than raise him as a weapon.

While Superman spends the second half of the episode fighting, and then protecting, Bizarro, the emotional crux is Kara seeing the videos the late director left to teach the clone about the world. Despite initially calling him an abomination, after seeing how he was raised, Kara sees a kindred spirit in him. She knows that Bizarro could have turned into a weapon, but instead, his father chose to raise him to be…human. And ultimately, that decision pays off, as when the base’s self-destruct goes off and they have to flee, Bizarro saves Superman’s life.

Uh oh

The episode ends on a very wholesome note for the heroes as Clark wears his Superman outfit to give out candy, much to a kid’s enjoyment. Bizarro goes out into the world, and hopefully, the lessons he learned will inspire him to do good in the world. Yet the bad guys are not resting, because it’s revealed that the drone that attacked Caliban was sent by Lex Luthor, trying to find something useful. Worse, the episode sets up that Luthor plans to turn the still-alive Hank Henshaw into a clone of Superman. And if you know what Henshaw was like in the comics, then you know that’s bad news for everyone!

The reign of the Superman arc has begun, and it’s off to a good start, in my opinion. Let’s hope the show can keep the momentum going, as with DC back in theaters and a spinoff getting greenlit, this could be the start of a new animated universe. Maybe even the second coming of the DCAU?

I Give “The New World” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.