I just realized how sad Superman’s origin story really is after the newest episode of Superman & Lois

Superman and Lois gave a historic twist to the DC Universe hero’s story in its latest episode, and I can’t help but notice how it introduces some truly sad details about Clark Kent and his origins. Superman and Lois Season 4 Episode 7 puts a big focus on the pressure that being Superman has placed on every relationship the Man of Steel has had. Clark finally deciding to go public about being Superman in the episode seems to be the end result of those trials, adding new context to his past and how it led him to this point.

Relative theories Superman and Lois’ finals have been circulating for some time, and I believe many may still be correct. However, what is clear is that the show’s vision and ending are finally starting to come into focus. After a truncated version of the story of Superman’s death, the series took an interesting look at his identity and how much it meant to him. After much of Smallville’s discovery of Clark’s identity, several necessary components of his past are brought to light in a stunning way that I’m surprised to have never thought of before.

Superman’s origin story often avoids many of his tragedies

Superman’s loneliness growing up as a hero has many different layers

Many iterations of Superman’s live-action story have been told in the past, though some tragic parts of that story haven’t been explored as much. Smallville had time to develop the isolation Clark felt, but provided quick counterpoints to it through his successful, if intermittently strained, friendships with characters like Lana and Pete. Man of Steel gave perhaps the best insight into the loneliness Clark would have felt as he explored his relationship with his father. This carried some dark connotations, as he was banned from action in many cases.

However, with many adaptations involving the hero, the focus on Clark’s childhood is often used to center him on learning how to use his powers and to show Jonathan and Martha Kent’s compassion. While this makes sense for the construction of the hero’s grand story, it also makes Clark’s role in the Superman and Lois Season 4, Episode 7 feels even sadder, as its references to desperately trying to hide his powers since he acquired them – when he was four – highlight a tragic part of the character’s life that can easily be somewhat forgotten.

In fact, throughout the episode, looks into the hero’s past are used to explain a complexity that is at the root of the character. This was not done in any of the Christopher Reeve films or the Brandon Routh versionwhich, while providing a complex version of the hero, I would argue didn’t significantly delve into his genuine loneliness and disconnection from others in the same way.

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Superman and Lois Underline How Tragic Clark’s Origin Story Really Is

Clark Kent really did have an isolated and difficult past

Superman and Lois has the time and context necessary to fully explore this topic. By expanding Clark’s supporting cast and being able to take time to also explore his humanity and compassion for those around him, Examining the darkest moments of Clark’s life becomes manageable without making the entire project dark. By looking at Superman’s childhood and past relationships with old friends like Jimmy Olsen – and how Clark has had to distance himself from the people he cares about – audiences get a more complex portrait of the hero.

Clark’s biggest secret has been a huge part of his life, and living with the weight of it has been a challenge for the heroic figure. Although Clark has relied on Lois for support and dependence, he has been limited in what he can share of himself with others. Even his own children weren’t told his secret until they were teenagers, something I find even more heartbreaking now with the context that this decision would have been partially due to a young Clark struggling to keep his secret.

I’m glad Superman & Lois shows the ups and downs of Superman’s childhood

Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman is one of the most complex iterations of the character

Superman and Lois did an excellent job of examining Clark’s entire past, from the hero’s childhood. This is done in flashback sequences and also in conversations that examine the past in discussion with those he loves. Clark’s past was shown with attention to his loneliness, as the show went into detail about his past friendships with the characters, and also the distance he kept from them. His youth led to a formative disconnect after his father’s death, which pushed Clark down the path of self-discovery.

With Clark’s past behind him in Superman and Lois, The creatives behind the series have had the flexibility to examine his past and origins in new and innovative ways that change the character’s legacy. In this way, the program offers a different look at Clark Kent’s youth, even Smallvilleas the latter series focused entirely on that period meant it didn’t always have the same creative freedoms as Superman and Lois had when it comes to looking at this time in the hero’s life.

Superman and LoisThe last season explored some fascinating stories, and I found it a rewarding experience to discover so much about Clark and his past along the way. Seeing the different ways in which adaptations can unfold the hero’s narrative, even decades after his creation, helps emphasize why Superman has remained a cornerstone of the superhero genre for so long, and why he will undoubtedly continue moving forward. Tyler Hoechlin’s version of Clark in Superman and Lois will certainly continue to be part of that on-screen legacy, helping to define the character for years to come.

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