Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2 recap: Who is Captain Luthor?

After a solid start that saw the Kent family move back to Clark’s hometown, Smallville, Superman & Lois Season 1, Episode 2 answers some of our questions from the premiere. We also learn more about Krypton and the villains plaguing the Man of Steel.

As we saw in the season premiere, Clark and Lois had kept their sons, Jonathan and Jordan, in the dark about their true heritage. Jordan eventually found out that he had superpowers, and Clark revealed himself to be Superman.

Now, the family has left behind Metropolis, along with their lives and their memories, to begin anew in Smallville. But how will they adjust? There are so many changes that the Kents are facing—being away from everything they know, joining a new school, discovering their latent abilities and dealing with the small-town mindset.

In Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2, amongst the domestic drama, there is a villainous capitalist trying to take over Smallville. Plus, Captain Luthor’s out there hurting people and nursing a vendetta against Superman.

Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2: We can be heroes

Jordan and Jonathan aren’t all that pleased with their new school. Apparently, their classes have been mixed up and Jonathan hasn’t received the football playbook, which he needs to study to become the star quarterback.

Clark and Lois then spring the news that they don’t want Jordan going to school till they’ve investigated his powers. Jordan is excited at this prospect, but it’s obvious that Jonathan is feeling left out. All throughout the premiere, Jonathan was made out to be the perfect child; now, the attention’s completely on Jordan.

At school, Jonathan’s having a rough time. He’s being bullied by Sarah’s boyfriend, Sean (Fritzy-Klevans Destine), the school quarterback. Sean and his friends stole Jonathan’s playbook, and are making it impossible for Jonathan to flaunt his skills on the field.

Meanwhile, Jordan and Clark visit the Fortress of Solitude. Clark introduces Jordan to his namesake, Jor-El (Angus MacFayden)—or rather, Jor-El’s hologram. Jor-El has some unpleasant news for them, though. Jordan’s powers will never match Kal-El’s because he’s too human. He simply can’t reproduce his powers on command.

Jordan is gutted, but the brothers come closer together as they navigate their new lives. Jordan is grateful to Jonathan for sacrificing everything for his twin’s benefit. And Jonathan knows his brother has powers—they wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Jordan—and he’s going help Jordan show that hologram it’s wrong.

Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2: Taking on the Planet

Jonathan’s not the only one who gave up his life—his mother Lois did too. But she seems much more gung-ho about being in Smallville. Most of that has to do with the fact that there’s a story brewing, and the world’s greatest reporter has her eye on it.

Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2 takes its first steps to address the power of the media as well as the fate of current journalism. As Lois digs deep into Smallville investor Morgan Edge, she finds that he’s basically sunk the previous three towns he invested in.

Edge has a capitalist mentality—cheap labor and no scruples. He’s bringing that to Smallville. When Lois calls him out on it during a Town Hall meeting, Edge insinuates that he’s a risk-taker, but he may change his mind if Smallville isn’t ready to accept those risks.

Lois’s questioning has put a target on her back. When she meets Kyle Cushing at his barbeque party, he calls her out for being a trouble-maker. Lois rightly questions why Kyle is rooting for a man who pays below minimum wage. Kyle counters with the fact that, for some, something is better than nothing.

While Kyle makes a good argument, the bottom line is that Edge needs to be held accountable. And there’s no one better to do it than Lois Lane. Except, Edge owns the Daily Planet, which is where Lois works. He re-writes her piece into a fluff piece in favor of Edge. Lois has had it.

She quits the Planet and joins Chrissy Beppo (Sofia Hasmik), the sole employee of the Smallville Gazette. Lois Lane has a platform again.

Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2: Why does Captain Luthor hate Superman?

We all know that the Luthors and the Kryptonians are nemeses (with the exception of Lena Luthor and Kara Danvers on The CW’s Supergirl). Captain Luthor was revealed to be the villain in the Superman & Lois Season 1 premiere, and we learn more about the character in the second episode.

Luthor is hunting the Earth for Kryptonite, but all secret stores are empty. With every appearance of ‘The Stranger’, General Sam Lane calls in Superman for help. Lane is not happy about Lois and Clark being so far away from the action, and he’s even less pleased to hear that the boys know about Superman’s true identity.

But then Sam’s base is attacked by Luthor. Luthor doesn’t hurt Lane, instead of pleading with him to stop Superman from destroying his Earth the way he did Luthor’s home planet. Luthor speaks affectionately with Lane and leaves him with an army tag. The tag has the House of El symbol on the front, and the number 7734 on the back. Turned upside down, the numbers read ‘hell’.

Luthor allows his ship and his suit to be destroyed to hurt Superman—he fails. He has to search for more materials to create a suit, but nothing will stop him. Luthor and his Sam Lane were brothers in arms, and Luthor watched his entire regimen, including Lane, die in front of him.

Who killed them? It was Superman, but he was wearing a black suit!

Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2 takes the show up, up and away

Given the quality of the visuals and the excellent chemistry between star Elizabeth Tulloch and Tyler Hoechlin, it’s no wonder that the show has already been renewed for a second season. But, the show isn’t perfect yet.

I was disappointed when the premiere saw Lois Lane take a backseat to her husband and sons, but I’m glad she’s finding her voice in Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2. Though, we have to wonder why Lois would be an afterthought at all.

The boys’ storyline still doesn’t feel as polished as Lois and Clark’s. Why did we need them as B-plot characters at all? There isn’t much originality to Jordan and Jonathan’s story arcs. I especially don’t understand why Sarah Cushing has been introduced as an unattainable love interest with no personality.

The other problem is that the only two visible Black characters are both villains—there’s Destine’s Sean, the high school bully, and Wole Parks as Luthor. While Parks’ Luthor comes across as sympathetic, Destine’s character is the absolute worst. It’s hard to understand why these tropes would be included in The CWVerse.

The mystery of Luthor’s origins is still waiting to be answered. Was the Superman he fought really John Deegan in disguise? Deegan was granted powers during the ‘Elseworlds’ crossover, and he chose to be evil Superman for a while. It’s possible Luthor’s vendetta is against a dead man.

Alternatively, maybe on another Earth, Kal-El really did turn evil and vanquished the entire planet. In that case, Clark Kent’s going to have a much harder time earning Luthor’s forgiveness.

What do you think of the story of Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 2? Let us know in the comments below.

New episodes of Superman & Lois Season 1 air every Tuesday on The CW.