Superman & Lois Review: The Eradicator (Season 1 Episode 14)
Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 14, “The Eradicator,” delivers a penultimate episode in which Edge targets Clark’s greatest strength once again: his heart.
Edge continues to underestimate Clark’s heart despite it being the thing that saved him from Edge’s mind control in the first place. This works in favor of our hero, but it makes Edge look incompetent at being evil.
That’s his whole thing, and he can’t even do that right.
It’s extra frustrating when there is such potential in Leslie Larr now that Edge made himself the weapon. This would give the show an opportunity to explore Leslie Larr as an individual instead of only knowing her as Edge’s right hand and pawn.
The desire for Leslie to take up this position as the season’s true Big Bad persists due to the lack of female villains in this genre and in the Arrowverse. Also, Stacey Farber is too good to leave in a corner.
Anything would be better than insinuating we should empathize with Edge without any real proof as to why and then making him a shell of himself within the same hour.
Despite Edge continuously falling short, Superman & Lois knows exactly what it’s doing by centering this show around Clark, Lois, and their family. Often in representations of this character, we see Superman more frequently than we do Clark Kent.
The hero matters, but it’s rare that we get to spend this much time on the man who makes the hero.
It’s that foundation that clues us in as to why Edge is so keen to target Jordan after failing to take over Clark’s physical form via mind control. Jordan and Jonathan are physical representations of Clark’s heart. They are a part of him.
Though foreshadowed earlier in the episode, it is still a punch to our collective gut to watch Clark land in front of Lois and reveal one of the most devastating truths.
He dons the iconic suit and cape, but that is Clark Kent standing in front of his wife, his partner, and the mother of his children. That is Clark Kent telling his person that they are on the verge of losing another child.
The weight of that scene is palpable. Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch really are lightning in a bottle.
Superman & Lois may fumble when it comes to its antagonists, but it soars when it allows us to connect with these out-of-this-world heroes in such a way that makes them feel like real human beings that could exist in our world.
That’s why the show’s dedication to understanding the man who makes the hero is so brilliant because it chips away at the barrier between us and Superman. That is what makes the stakes worthwhile even when the villain isn’t.
Presumably, the Edge/Eradicator arc will reach its conclusion with the season finale next week, but the lasting effects of his presence in this small town will not disappear with him.
Smallville will have to band together once again to rebuild their town and rekindle their interpersonal relationships.
That won’t be easy, and it likely shouldn’t be a linear journey, but it’s one that matters. Those unique personal connections have always been at the heart of Superman & Lois because they’re the driving force behind its titular characters.
That’s why Edge will never win. He thinks that targeting Jordan will make Clark weaker, but it’s his immeasurable love for Jordan that will save him.
Love will win in the end because that’s Superman and Lois’ greatest superpower. The alternative is to believe that Edge is actually capable of outsmarting everyone, and that can’t be.
Stray Observations
- Did Jordan have to tell Sarah he loves her? Was that really necessary?
- That moment would have been better had it been between the brothers.
- How many more broken limbs can Jon take?
- If Clark and Lana are best friends, why did the show wait so long to let them interact on screen again?
- Teagan moved from Central City. Could that mean she’s a meta?
- Clark’s reaction to the look Lois gives him about the article at the start of the episode is so good.
- John Henry being the one to save Lois did tug at my heartstrings.
What did you think of this episode of Superman & Lois? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Shelby Elpers
Shelby is a TV enthusiast and pop culture writer. She's an avid podcast listener, green tea drinker, and soccer fan. Her brand can be summarized in rom-coms, superheroes, teen dramas, and workplace comedies.