REVIEW: Superman & Lois – Season 3, Episode 12, “Injustice”

Television Reviews

I saw the title “Injustice” a couple of months back on IMDb and wondered if Superman & Lois’ third season was going to get much, much bigger by the end. It hasn’t, at least not in the way that title would imply. But “Injustice” does feel like it’s upped the ante for the show, as Superman’s arch nemesis is finally introduced in the wake of Bruno Manheim’s downfall. The episode itself is really good, with the shift in villains bringing new challenges for the characters, as well as resurfaced old ones.

Peia Manheim’s confession leads to Lex Luthor’s release from prison, and Lois fears he may want revenge for her role in putting him away. Lois slowly learns to cope with her post-mastectomy life. Jordan starts to love being a superhero a bit too much. Jonathan worries that Kyle is treating him differently now that he knows Clark is Superman. Sarah makes the viewers want to break their TV.

The opening scene is another somber reflection on Lois’ cancer treatments, this time focusing on her mastectomy and recovery. As with some of the others, it’s executed well, and her fears and hurdles are relatable and real. She worries that it will take time for her to feel normal again, not only in terms of her body but in being able to do things for herself again. While she talks, Clark takes care of her, washing her hair and carrying her to bed. It’s an effective, honest moment for Lois, relief at being out of the woods with cancer alongside mourning over her altered body and retained feelings of helplessness. Aside from a couple of quick mentions, this is the only time her cancer comes up in “Injustice,” which presumably means it’s on its way out as a plot point. That’s good; it’s time for this to be done. It also sets up the meaning of the title, which will permeate the episode.

*SPOILERS*

“Injustice” is about just that: injustices both legitimate and perceived. Lois’ cancer and what she had to go through to eliminate it is a real injustice. Lex Luthor’s prison sentence for a crime he didn’t commit is an injustice. On the other hand, Jordan not getting recognized for his superhero actions is a perceived injustice by an immature teenager, as is Jon being treated differently at work because his father is Superman (although I do think he has a point) and Sarah’s insistence that she’s the most important thing about Jordan’s life. It’s a good contrast, and I don’t think it’s an accident that the kids are the ones experiencing the more minor – or non-existent – injustices. Theirs are all about perception, how others see them, whereas Lois and Lex’s are life-altering experiences that they will feel the negative effects of maybe forever.

Also telling is that the real injustices are fixed while the phony ones are left hanging. Lois understands that she’ll only get past her ordeal and feel normal again through self-determination and the help of her family. Luthor got by in prison by using the power he always had to bring everyone else in the building under his rule, even the guards and the warden; now that he’s free, he will use that power again (less successfully, I think we can assume) to get revenge on Lois and Superman. On the other hand, Jon’s situation at work is made worse when Clark intervenes instead of letting Jon deal with it himself, Jordan gets himself banned from being a hero, and Sarah has no one but her mother as a friend. With age and experience comes maturity (ideally), and the kids are ill-equipped to deal with what are ultimately minor inconveniences while the adults can better navigate much larger problems.

One of the more interesting aspects of that theme in “Injustice” is how Jon and Jordan differ in their handling of their problems. Jordan essentially whines, complains, acts like saving lives is about self-aggrandizement rather than… saving lives and defies the people who know better than him. When he joins his father to stop the tornado, he’s got the perfect opportunity to prove he’s not doing this for himself, but he does the opposite, stopping to take pictures with people and smiling at the adoration. And when his parents point out that this is exactly what they were afraid of, that he doesn’t understand how to handle his power responsibly, he responds with more arrogance and selfishness. Jordan has a mean streak in him, and I think it’s because he was an outcast before getting his powers. Now, he’s got a taste for the limelight that was denied to him for so long, and he’s getting out of control. With only one episode left in season 3, I hope they continue this arc next year and explore the dark path Jordan is walking.

Jon, on the other hand, has his ability to solve his problems taken away from him by his overzealous father. Clark means well, of course, but he ends up making things worse for Jon. Now, Kyle doesn’t trust him, and everyone is going to think he runs to his parents whenever something goes wrong for him. What makes this so interesting is that it highlights the differences between the Kent boys. Jon is more mature than Jordan, probably because he went in the opposite direction, from being popular and adored to being hated and cast aside. He let his arrogance and hunger for power destroy his football aspirations, and the rest of the town also got hurt. He’s been humbled in a way Jordan hasn’t because Jordan has risen instead of fallen. Even after these implosions, Jordan defies his parents and complains about being babied, while Jon goes to Lois and Clark only to ask if he can help them. Through it all, though, the brothers can be honest with each other, vent their frustrations, and support each other in a way no one else can. This is still the best part of the show for me.

Well, it’s the best part of the show overall because the best part of “Injustice” is the introduction of Lex Luthor. The flashbacks showing how he took over the prison are great, effectively demonstrating his power, his ruthlessness, and his audacity in knowing he has both. They feel almost like the scenes in Daredevil that show how the Kingpin similarly took over his prison or how Chalky White did the same in Boardwalk Empire; Luthor may be in hell, but he rules it like the Devil himself, just as Peia told Lois he is. And now that he’s out, he wants revenge, and that long walk from the prison to the Kent farm in Smallville shows his determination to get satisfaction. What’s amazing is how “Injustice” establishes that, unlike Bruno Manheim, Lex Luthor is pure evil, but he’s also got a legitimate grievance. He may have lost his daughter forever over something of which he was falsely accused and convicted. At the same time, Luthor is a monster, and the irony of putting him in jail over a crime he didn’t commit is that he has committed so many other crimes that are probably even worse. This is how you take an out-and-out evil villain and paint him and the story in shades of gray. And Michael Cudlitz is excellent in the part, although I hope he shaves the ZZ Top facial hair.

The only really annoying parts of “Injustice” concern Sarah and Lana. How these two made Jordan’s issue all about them is astonishing, and I really hope the cast cuts next year do away with them. I loved Jordan telling Sarah exactly that, though; the best development for him where Sarah is concerned would be him making peace with who she is and getting over her for good. Otherwise, this is a strong episode, and next week’s finale looks like it’ll be Superman vs. Bizzaro, with Lex Luthor waiting in the wings.