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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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