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No, I don't think Lana counts in the L&C universe. Remember what Clark said in JSN? " But being in a relationship is completely new. If I blow this, I lose everything." I think he dated Lana because that's what everybody else did in high school, and he wanted to look "normal" by having a girlfriend. But he never let her get too close or truly involved in his private life. In other words, he probably never had a real "relationship" with Lana. ...and because Clark forgets to use his head at various points.
Oh, he uses his head alright. The problem is his head malfunctions most of the time when he’s around Lois.  I believe that if he was raised among us, then he is human and has the same kinds of flaws, vices and little quirks that we do.
That's exactly where I think the writers should have done more. They didn't show enough of those "flaws, vices and little quirks" in this character, which makes him appear otherworldly at times. It seems the only flaw they were willing to give Clark is stupidity—in relationships. They could have at least shown some inner struggles, like Clark's compassion battles his dark side, and his goodness finally wins out, leading him to do the right thing. But no, he's that " basic goody two shoes" from beginning to end, which makes him a bit too predictable. Again, it might have something to do with L&C being a PG-rated family show. The writers probably felt they had to simplify the characters.
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Part 3 – The “love you as a friend” stage
Episode 16 – All Shook Up
I'm labeling ASU as Episode 16 because its B-plot connects directly to PML in multiple ways—ASU was clearly meant to air right after PML, regardless of where PML was supposed to fall in the lineup.
The opening scene hands us a solar eclipse caused by "Nightfall"—a bloody asteroid. For a 17-mile-wide asteroid to block the sun, it would have to sit less than 2,000 miles from Earth, closer than many man-made satellites, which means it would slam into Earth within minutes of the eclipse. Did the L&C production team have enough common sense to realize that once an eclipse like that happens, it's instant doom for every Metropolitan? Of course they did—half of them probably had impressive résumés, and Dean himself is a Princeton graduate, for crying out loud—they just didn't care. It always feels to me like none of the L&C crew gave a damn about what happens to the A-plot, as long as that A-plot gets our favorite duo snogging. So we as viewers should adopt the same laid-back, tolerant attitude—which is why, for the rest of this commentary, I'm going to assume "Nightfall" is a chunk of size-shifting magic rock that keeps expanding into a thin disc, frequently blocking the sunlight and triggering a severe spring cold snap in Metropolis. Ludicrous as it sounds, it does explain why the Metropolitans are in their spring clothes at the start of the episode, yet they all put on winter coats mid-episode and stay that way to the end.
At the beginning of Part 2 of this trilogy in "HIM," we witnessed Lois doing something very un-Mad-Dog-like—stepping away from work for a weekend of pure relaxation—which signals her intention to make some changes in her personal life. At the beginning of Part 3, however, we sadly see her retreating back into that safe cocoon called "work" again. As Perry put it in OP, "Things get a little rough in your life, you wrap yourself up in your work like it was gonna save you." Well, it's not exactly surprising, given what happened to her in "The Rival" and "PML." Anyway, "Mad Dog Lane" has made a comeback with a vengeance, openly declaring "war" on her fellow journalists.
The "public kissing" scene outside the EPRAD command center is the first of many clear indications that ASU was supposed to air right after PML, because the original broadcast order has no rhyme or reason—Lois has just done some serious flirting with Clark in "HIM," and now she's making out with Superman in public? (Unsurprisingly, this "scandalous" scene triggered a fresh round of "scarlet woman" tirades from my sister when we watched the show together for the first time.) But if the events in ASU took place right after PML, everything becomes perfectly understandable: thanks to the 25-second kissing session in the previous episode, Lois now realizes that Superman does have feelings for her. Naturally, she begins to hope for a real future together with her idol. For the first time ever, she doesn't swoon in front of Superman. Instead, she behaves more like his equal, a true lover, and even uses "us" to describe their relationship. Although Superman's response—"I'll be back. We'll go flying."—and his signature touch to Lois's cheek inevitably added a few more nails in the coffin of Clark's doomed love life, for once I'll hold my tongue and spare the poor guy another courtship lecture—especially since Lois is acting equally foolish in this particular scene. That passionate kiss in front of a sea of news cameras undoubtedly labeled her "Superman's girl" and a prime target for abduction from then on. But under the circumstances, who can blame this pair of star-crossed lovers? If Superman doesn't return, none of those worries would matter to them anymore.
Fortunately, the Almighty brought Clark back from outer space in one piece, after peeling off his deceptive skin and cracking open his thick mental defenses—all for easier access to his carefully guarded soul. It's interesting that Inspector Henderson called Lois to pick Clark up, instead of following procedure by contacting Clark's family and/or employer. I bet that old hound has a pretty good idea about exactly "how close" this pair is, just like everybody else in their social circle.
It's worth noting that there are two significant changes in Lois's behavior this episode: one is her shift toward Superman from groupie to lover, and the other is the way she acts around Clark. Throughout Clark's ordeals—whether getting "hit" by a car or suffering amnesia—she treats him with nothing but warmth and care, even love. But there's no longer any flirting, and the intensity of their sexual tension has practically dropped to zero. Once again, this drastic change in their dynamic fits perfectly with what happened in PML—the episode that should come right before ASU—but not HIM.
We can tell from the way Lois helps Clark navigate his familiar surroundings that she's already such a "Clarkie expert" that she's almost on par with Martha: she knows not only that Clark always gets a donut when he comes in, but also which type he likes best—the plain "cake things." She also knows exactly where he keeps his spare pair of glasses. (I have to guiltily admit that I spent 18 years under the same roof with my father, yet I still couldn't tell you where my old man keeps his spare glasses.) The fact that Lois notices all these trivial details suggests she has been watching Clark closely all along—contrary to what he's complained about, she's never actually ignored him. She only pretends to sometimes.
The night scene in Clark's apartment marks the second of only three times in Season 1 that Clark opens his heart to Lois (the first comes in "MOSB"). Thanks to the colossal bump on his impossibly thick skull, Clark temporarily forgets his many fears—and what a lunkhead he's supposed to be. For once, his frail heart overrules his dense brain, and he finally lets some of his feelings slip out.
Lois's reaction to Clark's advances is, curiously, one of embarrassment and utter confusion—again, it makes no sense under the canonical viewing order. When I first watched this episode, Lois's confused reaction baffled me so much that I thought she had amnesia too—of course she and Clark were more than friends. Didn't she remember how shamelessly they'd flirted in that honeymoon suite just one episode earlier? But then, on a rewatch, I noticed a July 1993 calendar hanging on the wall in Roarke's office in "HIM," which means "HIM" is supposed to take place much earlier chronologically. So once I removed "HIM" from between PML and ASU, every scene that had felt incoherent in the original broadcast order fell into place nicely.
The takeaways L&C got from the events of PML are complete opposites: After finally receiving Lois's verbal confirmation that she did feel attracted to him, Clark no doubt believed that he and Lois were definitely "more than friends." He might even have thought that they were only one step away from being lovers—as soon as he worked up enough courage to tell her how he felt, they would be well on their way to a happily ever after. Lois, on the other hand, got an unmistakably negative message from Clark: "I'm just not attracted to you, Lois." She therefore came to the conclusion that work partners and platonic friends were all they would ever be. No wonder the poor girl is so utterly confused by Clark's sudden, undisguised affection.
I doubt Clark ever noticed it, but every time he opens up to Lois, she responds with tenfold the enthusiasm. The feather-light parting kiss he gave her in MOSB made her wonder whether this poor farm boy had actually come to mean more to her than her flying idol—"First Superman, now Clark. I don't know who I'll miss more." And now these "more than friends" questions he bombards her with will eventually make her choose him over a billionaire—and over her own survival.
There's no doubt the L&C writers conveniently switch off Lois's reporter instincts—and her common sense along with them—whenever they pair her with Lex Luthor. Luthor's arrogance and heartlessness practically seep through the screen in that secret bunker scene, and yet she still ignores all of it. It's as if this crime lord no longer bothers to hide his true nature when the world is coming to an end—while everyone else is out there trying to stop the Nightfall or hold together a collapsing social order, this billionaire philanthropist is busy putting the final touch on his cozy ark: a sex slave for the next three years.
"So...if the world dies, you live?"
Lois (or Teri) delivers the above line with enough sarcasm that both Luthor and the audience can hear it. I take it as Lois Lane's fictional soul protesting with all her might against the writers who forced her to act out of character: "This man is so obviously evil—how could you make me not see it?!"
As I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, I'm a big fan of the L&C prop crew. When I followed Lois into her replica apartment, my attention was immediately drawn to the only item that wasn't in her actual living room: a birdcage. I'm pretty sure the L&C crew—with a strong sense of social responsibility, no doubt—deliberately placed that prop cage there to prevent viewers from mistaking Luthor's perverted maneuver for an "act of love." The metaphor that birdcage delivers is loud and clear—this replica apartment was originally built as Lois's prison cell.
For the umpteenth time, the L&C production team quietly cut a few key lines that showed just how much Clark means to Lois Lane. What the hell were they so afraid of? Those producers were almost as cowardly as Mr. Kent.
LUTHOR (turning around): May I send someone to pack your personal belongings?
LOIS: No. I've got a partner who needs me. I've got friends at the paper that are like family to me. And I'm not giving up on Superman either. I can't stay here.
These deleted lines really should have made the final cut, because they lay out the real reasons she gives up her one chance at surviving the apocalypse. (That "I have to see it for myself" line is just too weak an excuse—totally unconvincing.) What's more, these unfairly cut lines resonate strongly with what she said to Clark in HOL: "You never gave up. On the Planet, on your friends, on me." And Clark's answer: "I couldn't. You've just named probably everything in the world that's precious to me." Obviously, that's the same “everything in the world” that's precious to her, because Lois makes her life-or-death decision in under 15 seconds—Luthor is barely 20 steps away when she calls after him and turns him down.
Right after dumping the billionaire and her guaranteed survival, Lois calls Clark and asks if she can spend the last night of modern civilization with him, only to find out he already has company. I've always wondered what Clark would have done after getting that phone call if he still had his memory. Would he have left Lois all by herself on that freezing dark street, with tears in her eyes, feeling lost, lonely, and afraid?
I refuse to imagine how Lois spent that last night before the apocalypse alone in her apartment. So let's fast-forward to the next morning. Less than 12 hours to impact now, and Lois's thoughts are still on her partner: "Is Clark still at home?" She finally decides to "go see how he is," even though she knows full well she'll be intruding on him and his parents—if that's not love, I don't know what is.
Luckily, Martha and Jonathan send Clark downstairs to meet Lois—via an unusual shortcut—and spare themselves the embarrassment of watching two lovers say goodbye. Luckier still, with Lois's help in restoring his memory, the Superman part quickly comes back to Clark, but the lunkhead part seems to have lagged a few paces behind. It allows him to open up to her one last time and put his feelings into words: "Thank you—For whatever it is that you've done for me that makes me feel so good about you."
What did I tell you? Every time he offers her even a tiny drop of his true feelings, she responds with a wellspring of affection—"I mean I love you."
However, right after declaring her love, she must have remembered that Clark isn't physically attracted to her. Some subconscious self-protective mechanism probably kicked in to keep her heart from being hurt again, and she quickly reinterpreted her undeniable love for Clark as purely platonic—"like a... brother." And that's probably what she kept telling herself from that moment on, until she finally made herself a firm believer in BATP.
The final scene of this episode reassures the audience that Clark's lunkheadedness is, unfortunately, fully restored:
LOIS: "So what's the first thing you remembered?"
CLARK: "Superman."
No, it's not, Lunkhead! The first thing you remembered is Lois, remember?
I have to replay a short scene from two days earlier, in the coffee area of the DP bullpen:
CLARK: "Hey, I'm remembering something. You don't drink real coffee with real milk and real sugar."
LOIS: "I do today."
I wonder if Mr. Kent would have gotten a second chance had he answered Lois's question correctly. A sincere "The first thing I remembered is you," plus those bedroom eyes, would have almost certainly reopened a door in the lady’s heart. And am I the only one who suspects that when Lois asked that question, she was secretly hoping he'd say "It's you"? She does look pretty disappointed at his signature dumb answer...
A trivial detail from that same coffee-area scene: When Lois reminds Clark about how they met, she's using Clark's poker-faced mug to make her coffee—not her own "The best man for the job is a woman" mug. It's unlikely Teri just grabbed the wrong prop mug while shooting this scene, since both Dean and Teri had used their respective mugs a hundred times and must have been pretty familiar with them by then. So I have to conclude Teri picked Clark's mug on purpose. But what message was she trying to send the audience? That L&C's lives are already so intertwined they drink from each other's cups? Or is Lois taking subtle advantage of Clark while he's suffering from amnesia? Any other ideas?
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Remember what Clark said in JSN? "But being in a relationship is completely new. If I blow this, I lose everything."
I’ve always interpreted this part as having a “completely honest relationship” between the lines. He may not have told Lana or any other girlfriends everything about himself, but relationships are real even when they are incomplete in some way, and they always teach us something. Clark never let anyone other than his parents get truly close to him, but I think he was still able to make the most of his experiences with friends and girlfriends, living them as deeply as he was capable of and learning from them. They could have at least shown some inner struggles, like Clark's compassion battles his dark side, and his goodness finally wins out, leading him to do the right thing. But no, he's that "basic goody two shoes" from beginning to end
I completely agree. That’s why I interpret him the way I do. If Clark isn’t this human, flawed character, he becomes less real, and the series (and Superman media in general) loses a lot of its appeal for me. So I want to “judge” him (so to speak, because I can't think of a better verb at the moment) and then understand him precisely because he is human. it does explain why the Metropolitans are in their spring clothes at the start of the episode, yet they all put on winter coats mid-episode and stay that way to the end.
A very interesting detail to notice. Lois now realizes that Superman does have feelings for her. Naturally, she begins to hope for a real future together with her idol. For the first time ever, she doesn't swoon in front of Superman. Instead, she behaves more like his equal, a true lover, and even uses "us" to describe their relationship.
That makes perfect sense. Although Superman's response—"I'll be back. We'll go flying."—and his signature touch to Lois's cheek inevitably added a few more nails in the coffin of Clark's doomed love life,
Yeah, he was so stupid here. since Lois is acting equally foolish in this particular scene. That passionate kiss in front of a sea of news cameras undoubtedly labeled her "Superman's girl" and a prime target for abduction from then on.
Yeah, she was so stupid here. (This is another scene where part of me wants to throw a bucket of ice-cold water on the two of them. And on top of that, it was so cheesy ) But under the circumstances, who can blame this pair of star-crossed lovers? If Superman doesn't return, none of those worries would matter to them anymore.
Yeah  In the end, we have to cut them some slack. Poor guys. The fact that Lois notices all these trivial details suggests she has been watching Clark closely all along—contrary to what he's complained about, she's never actually ignored him. She only pretends to sometimes.
Absolutely  I take it as Lois Lane's fictional soul protesting with all her might against the writers who forced her to act out of character
I support this interpretation The truth always finds a way through the cracks. When I followed Lois into her replica apartment, my attention was immediately drawn to the only item that wasn't in her actual living room: a birdcage.
A very well-thought-out detail. These deleted lines really should have made the final cut, because they lay out the real reasons she gives up her one chance at surviving the apocalypse. (That "I have to see it for myself" line is just too weak an excuse—totally unconvincing.)
I agree, these lines shouldn’t have been deleted. They would have helped the viewer understand Lois’s feelings much better. But I also really like the line that actually made it into the series, because I can relate to that feeling a lot, and I’m not even a journalist. To me, it would be perfect if they combined the two. What did I tell you? Every time he offers her even a tiny drop of his true feelings, she responds with a wellspring of affection—"I mean I love you."
Aww  Indeed, I can see how this applies in practice now. It was always clear to me how willing Lois was to be surprisingly affectionate with Clark, but I’d never thought about it from this particular angle. And am I the only one who suspects that when Lois asked that question, she was secretly hoping he'd say "It's you"? She does look pretty disappointed at his signature dumb answer...
I don’t dare speculate about her reaction, but I was definitely a little disappointed the first time I watched it haha. That L&C's lives are already so intertwined they drink from each other's cups?
That would be very cute. Or is Lois taking subtle advantage of Clark while he's suffering from amnesia?
Oh no, Lois is showing a case of small-power syndrome! She could be marking her territory to show Cat that Clark has already been taken  By the way, what do you think of Cat in this episode? And also of Lois’s reaction to her?
Stories are written by the victors.
(Hmm, come to think of it, that's not the exact quote...)
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Freelance Reporter
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So I want to “judge” him (so to speak, because I can't think of a better verb at the moment) and then understand him precisely because he is human.
Then you might consider agreeing with me that Clark is capable of being a teeny, tiny bit of “cruel,” every once in a great while  . This guy has so little darkness in his heart that I sometimes feel I have to paint it on him. And a character can never be three-dimensional if he casts no shadows at all. This is another scene where part of me wants to throw a bucket of ice-cold water on the two of them.
Actually, I was surprised the writers never did follow-ups on this extremely publicized kiss. The director did deliberately add camera flashes to the kissing scene, which meant that this "Superman's got a girlfriend!" snapshot must have made the front pages all over the world. To me, it would be perfect if they combined the two.
The original script of ASU did combine the two, and it was perfect just as it was. I'd really love to know who that evil producer was—the one who abused their power through censorship and kept deleting critical lines showing Lois's affection for Clark. Season 1 would have been ten times yummier if those lines had been preserved. It was always clear to me how willing Lois was to be surprisingly affectionate with Clark
Absolutely. I think deep down, L&C already loved each other in this episode. The problem is neither of them was brave enough to admit it—or even to confront their own feelings honestly. Their reluctance to express themselves only fed into each other's fears and made them even more afraid to acknowledge those feelings. This negative feedback loop kept building and building, and finally led to that "federal disaster" in BATP. So in a sense, those two were a pair of hopeless cowards who totally deserved each other. I don’t dare speculate about her reaction, but I was definitely a little disappointed the first time I watched it haha.
Ditto. The interesting part is that as soon as Lois heard Clark say "Superman," she must have realized that he had not answered truthfully. Because unless she was suffering from amnesia, too, she would recall that he remembered her cute little habit long before he remembered Superman. She could be marking her territory to show Cat that Clark has already been taken.
Great point. I believe this is by far the most plausible explanation. I always love it when Lois gets territorial. By the way, what do you think of Cat in this episode?
I think Cat in this episode is another character the writers forced to act OOC. I mean, I can understand her repenting for lying to Clark, but whining about not having enough "meaningful" relationships is way out of character for her. Given her talents and assets, I don't see her having any trouble finding a stable life partner if she ever wanted one. The way the scriptwriters made her negate the lifestyle she chose of her own free will is a telling example of how little respect society had for women's autonomy thirty years ago. That confession-booth scene was clearly designed to "intimidate" women of that era: no matter how beautiful, successful, or independent you are, your life will end up miserable if you don't "settle down" like everybody else. And there was a glaring double standard there too: both Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen adopted the same—if not more—"meaningless" lifestyle as Cat Grant, yet no writer felt the urgent need to shove those two guys into a confession booth. But then again, it was the primeval '90s—guess we can't be too judgmental toward people trapped by their time. Of course, none of this means I agree with Ms. Grant's sexual harassment. I think she deserves to be fired for what she did and face a long line of lawsuits. But then again, it was the barbaric '90s—maybe that kind of thing was perfectly legal back then. Or they wouldn't dare show it on national TV, would they? And also of Lois’s reaction to her?
I don't recall Lois having much interaction with Cat in this episode. Are you referring to the part where Cat took advantage of poor amnesiac Clark and Lois decided to step in? I think it's a natural reaction from a loyal friend trying to protect her " good-hearted and a little naive" partner from evil sex predators...
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Freelance Reporter
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My apologies, but I'll have to step away from this little thread for a few days to embark on a "healing trip." That proposal defense I went through three days ago left a permanent emotional scar on my soul — it happens when you get interrogated by an army of professors for a full hour in front of a full house. And I have to admit I haven't even started on "Foundling" yet, nor do I have the foggiest idea how best to narrate this episode. "Foundling" is such a complicated and crucial episode in terms of the B-plot. Definitely need a change of scenery to rekindle my inspiration. Will be back in a week, maybe. 
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Freelance Reporter
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Episode 17 – Foundling
The A-plot of this episode provides us non-Superman fans with a nice, concise introduction to Kal-El's origin. The B-plot, meanwhile, paints a fairly clear picture of how L&C see each other at this point in their relationship, with romance temporarily off the table. And from this episode on, the B-plot begins to take on a distinctly ominous undertone, quietly setting the stage for the grand unveiling of L&C's very first "federal disaster" in the season finale.
Neither Lois nor Clark is having a great morning at the start of this episode. Lois is still in full Mad-Dog mode, with nothing but stories on her mind. Clearly, she hasn't heard from Superman since their very publicized kiss last episode, so she has no choice but to wrap herself in work again. Clark, on the other hand, is already unusually somber after that virtual encounter with his biological father the night before. Even the happy news of landing the first award nomination of his career barely improves his mood. His spirits sink to an all-time low when he gets the phone call telling him his apartment has been robbed.
Clark's lunkhead syndrome must have mutated from cosmic rays into something contagious after his outer-space tour. Why else would Lois suddenly catch it and start showing symptoms in this episode? Out of all the moments she could have picked to exploit Clark professionally—an offense she hasn't repeated since "NB"—she picks the one moment when he's at his absolute lowest. What’s more, while stubbornly tagging along with Clark all the way into his apartment, she completely misses the warning sign when he shows a kind of negativity he's never directed at her before—annoyance.
"Lois, you live here (with Clark)?"
Here Inspection Henderson strikes again. Like I said in my last commentary, that old hound definitely knows what's going on between these two. Did L&C invite the inspector to their wedding? They must have.
Unfortunately, Inspection Henderson will have to wait two more years for that stylish invitation printed on Japanese linen—because the little lunks in L&C's brains are currently taking their hosts on a detour light-years away from matrimony. Right after Clark suffers what's probably the greatest emotional blow of his life—finding out his one and only family heirloom has been stolen—Lois's lunkhead wastes no time adding insult to injury:
"That's not bad."
The look of disbelief Clark shoots her says it all.
Let's step away from this mess in Clark's bedroom and turn to something Lois said to Scardino in “WWW”, Season 2:
"At least Clark trusts me. At least he knows that I would never use someone close to me just to get a story."
Well, Clark obviously doesn't know that, because she does exactly that to him this episode—using his personal loss to get a story. It's a nice little reminder that getting too obsessed with your work is definitely not a healthy habit.
Understandably, Lois's missteps in Clark's apartment exponentially increase his wariness and defensiveness toward her. And it's in this exceptionally guarded state that Clark is dragged off to meet Louie—one of Lois's underworld contacts—for help catching the robber.
I'd like to single out one cute little exchange between Lois and Louie, just to lighten the otherwise grim atmosphere.
LOUIE (to Lois, per Clark): "Straight arrow, huh?"
LOIS: "Tell me about it."
The doting indulgence, and that little hint of pride in Lois's reply call back fondly to Clark's line in JSN, Season 3:
SMILEY: "You’ve got a tiger by the tail there, boy."
CLARK: "Tell me about it."
What an adorable couple. If only they could get their lunkhead syndromes fixed ASAP.
Clark's wariness and defensiveness toward Lois seem to carry over to the next morning, when they huddle at Lois's desk to work on that "strong finishing kick" story for their Meriweather votes. It looks like Lois is following her declaration from last episode—"I love you like a brother"—to the letter. That intimate massage she gives Clark is exactly the kind a big sister would administer to her "poor, sensitive" pouting brother. There's no longer any sexual tension between them, but at least the atmosphere is still loving and cozy—until Lois discovers the photos of the Kryptonian globe, and realizes that Clark has been withholding critical information from her all this time.
Interestingly, Lois's reaction when she finds out Clark lied to her is nearly identical to her reaction in "ABFTB" when she found out Superman had lied to her—pure incredulity and utter shock, as if that perfect little world Clark built for her is suddenly collapsing. It shows that even though she'd called Clark a "rotten, backstabbing piece of slime" and vowed never to be fooled by his innocent exterior again, secretly she's been placing Clark on a moral pedestal as high as Superman's. In her heart, Clark has been such an unearthly noble guy that he's simply incapable of telling real lies—until now.
Lois's little inner world is still in pieces the next day at lunch, and the shards must be doing quite a number on her nerves. When her unusually vicious Mad-Dog snarl scares Clark away, it inevitably draws Perry's attention. The kind-hearted mentor decides to step in as a mender and help her repair the damage—I'm sure the old chief wouldn't have meddled if he'd known the alien source of the problem.
LOIS: "I don't think I can trust Clark anymore."
PERRY: "Would you care to tell me why?"
LOIS: "He lied to me."
PERRY: "Oh, well... urh, don't you... lie to him?"
LOIS: "Of course, I lie to him all the time."
At first glance, this dialogue does sound like Lois has a double-standard problem. But if we look back at all of Lois's lies to Clark, we'll find she's never lied to him about anything important. 99% of the time, she lied because she wanted to do something reckless and feared Clark would stop her if he knew (the only exception was NB, when she stole that Superman story from him—no excuse for that one). But every single time things got serious, she immediately became painfully honest with him. Sadly, we can't say the same about Clark, can we? Which is why I side with Perry here and fully support Lois's right to confront Clark and demand the truth.
That confrontation in the late-night newsroom marks the very first real, seriously big fight between L&C. And the focus of this fight couldn't be any graver—TRUST. Curiously, the dialogue, actions, and emotions of L&C in this scene bear a striking resemblance to another fight that took place one year later in the DP conference room in "ATAI" (take, for example, "Don't you pick up that phone!"). But rather than suspecting plagiarism, I prefer to believe this coincidence is the result of the fictional characters acting of their own accord and steering the writers' hands. After all, Clark's mistake in this episode is essentially the same mistake he made in "ATAI"—he not only refused to enlist Lois's help after his parents were abducted, but also told her a string of lies to cover it up. Looks like his "Superman Complex"—the insistence on handling every crisis all by himself—is quite a stubborn disease that simply won't go away without multiple intensive treatments from Lois.
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Freelance Reporter
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As I mentioned earlier, Lois always gets painfully honest with Clark whenever things get serious, and this time is no exception. From the lines she recklessly fires at him during her huge tantrum, we can get a fairly clear picture of how Lois sees Clark at this stage, when she's only known him for less than a year:
"You're a weird guy, Clark. That's a gift."
This is actually an opinion she's expressed repeatedly throughout Season 1, ever since they first met. For instance:
"You are a strange one, Clark Kent." (Pilot)
"You are so weird. Works for you though." (SV)
"I don't think I have ever, will ever meet anyone quite like you." (THOL)
This is why I disagree with some viewers who say Lois only started noticing Clark's exceptionality midway through Season 2. The truth is, when everyone else regarded Clark as nothing more than a mild-mannered ordinary guy, Lois alone recognized his uniqueness from the very beginning. As the above lines show, Clark had always been a mystery to her. "Ordinary" was never her real impression of him.
"But half the time, I don't know where you are, or where you're coming from."
Again, contrary to the impression many viewers have that Lois neglected Clark's disappearances early in their relationship, the truth is she had noticed his strange absences all along and was already bothered by them in Season 1. She just didn't feel she had any right to question him before he officially asked her out in Season 2.
"You grew up on a farm in Kansas. I grew up in Metropolis."
Here's another line that makes Lois look like she has a double-standard problem. Of course, every viewer can reach their own verdict. But what I think she actually means here is, "I know I'm not a good person, but I thought you were." This reading is well backed up by that "straight arrow" exchange between Lois and Louie earlier in the episode, and by Lois's comment to Linda King in "The Rival"—"Clark's good-hearted... and a little naive." All told, it seems she’d laid that thorny crown of "The Last Honest Man" on Clark well before the episode of “ATAI”. And the emotional blow she suffers after discovering Clark is capable of lying in this episode is as crushing as when she found out he was capable of stealing in "ATAI." (A side note: this also serves as supporting evidence that "The Rival" is supposed to air before "Foundling"—Lois would not have made that "good-hearted and a little naive" comment after realizing that Clark had a capacity for deceit.)
Back to Clark. The way he chooses to handle Lois's emotional crisis is just... I'm at a loss for words to describe it. This lunkhead finally decides to tell her a partial truth, yet he picks the very worst part to tell her—he did indeed take advantage of the B39-warehouse information she discovered and generously shared with him. But instead of returning the favor, he hoarded the crucial artifact he discovered thanks to her tip and never brought it up again. And as if that weren't unfair enough to Lois, he somehow decides to adopt that irritating "this is none of your business" attitude throughout his confrontation with her.
CLARK: "So, this is about Superman?"
LOIS: "No! This is about us!"
I feel obligated to point out that this is the very first time Lois has used "us" to describe their relationship since her “There is no we, not ever” declaration 11 months ago. Yet Clark is so preoccupied with his globe-theft crisis that he doesn't even notice the significance of this moment. Ugh—what a disaster.
So is there any way Clark could have gotten out of this jam unscathed? Sure there is. He could have simply told Lois a white lie: that Superman gave him the globe for safekeeping while crashing at his apartment in "MOSB," and made Clark promise never to tell another living soul, not even Lois. Since he is Superman, this particular lie is technically within the acceptable range. But first of all, Clark is never as good a liar as we earthlings are. And second, it's clear he's never even considered asking for Lois's help—because he's been in that "Lone Rider" mode all his life, firmly believing he can solve every single problem on his own. Just as Lois needed time to accept a work partner in the journalism arena, Clark will need much longer to learn how to rely on his other half in his never-ending battle with the underworld.
Last—and I think this is the most important point here (I hope at least some viewers would agree with me on this)—this globe-robbery incident reveals a rather unsettling truth: Clark does not yet trust Lois 100% at this stage. In fact, his late-night phone call with his parents shows he actually regards Lois knowing his Superman identity as just as much of a threat as criminals finding out his secrets. Was he afraid Lois would treat him as an unlimited source of Superman exclusives from then on? Well, her foolish act of using his misery to get a story surely made that seem like a real possibility. Anyway, it's super clear that in this episode, Clark is still far from ready to let Lois into his life—it could be one of the main reasons he always backs off whenever Lois makes advances to him.
L&C's conversation in the final scene is what I'd call a "non-conciliating reconciliation." They stop fighting and sign a peace treaty, but they both remain cautiously evasive and don't really talk things through. The key issue here isn't what each of them did or didn't do in "Strange Visitor," back when they were still strangers. It's that after everything they've been through together, Clark still keeps the globe's existence from Lois and refuses her help after such an important artifact is stolen. He fails to provide an explanation, and she gives up pursuing it further. So at the end of the day, the problem is still sitting right there between them, quietly eroding their emotional bond.
True, Lois would have taken the globe and hidden it if she'd seen it first in "SV." But she also would have told Clark about the globe once he'd gained her complete trust in "Witness." After all, hiding a mysterious globe seemed rather insignificant next to harboring a convicted murderer in her apartment. The fact that Clark never shared this secret with her only exposes her to the painful realization that he doesn't yet trust her as much as she trusts him. Even Clark, with that dense brain of his, must have realized how bad this whole thing looks to Lois, because he attempts to "bribe" her with a Superman exclusive, hoping this Mad Dog's favorite treat will soothe the snarling beast inside her. However, although Lois does say, "I've decided to forgive you," it's more likely she decided to resign herself to the harsh reality—just because she trusts Clark with her life, doesn't mean he has an obligation to trust her back. "And it hurts me when I feel like that trust isn't returned." Somehow, when I heard Lois deliver this line in "JSN," I had a strong feeling she wasn't referring to recent events.
To be fair, the mistakes L&C make in this episode are both quite forgivable. Lois's decision to use Clark's robbery to get a story is, for sure, not very nice. But she only does it because she has no idea how grave the situation really is for Clark, and all she ever wanted was to secure that Meriweather Award she's going to share with him. Clark, for his part, has every right to keep his biggest secret from Lois, a woman he's known for less than a year. And it's understandable that 11 months isn't long enough to shake off his lifelong habit of operating alone. All in all, this globe robbery is nothing more than a deeply unfortunate event that took place at an especially fraught moment. And in my opinion, this is the very first time Clark's secret identity has caused real, substantial damage to L&C's relationship.
Well, just when you think things couldn't get any worse after what happened in "PML," they do. Lois once again makes her peace with something she simply can't control. Last time it was about attraction, and this time it's about trust. Apparently, even her platonic relationship with Clark isn't as perfect as she'd imagined. Her heart is thus driven still further away from him—this time dangerously close to escaping his gravitational pull altogether.
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I promise this will be the very last super-long review. The rest of the episodes should be pretty straightforward, since there's no longer a scrambled-timeline issue.
By the way, why do casting directors always assume that parents who died young keep aging? Jor-El looks old enough to be baby Kal-El's grandfather. And Kryptonians aren't even supposed to age. I would have much preferred a dashing young actor with jet-black hair playing Lois's father-in-law.
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
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And a character can never be three-dimensional if he casts no shadows at all.
Yes, yes. It's just that I don't like that word, "cruel." When I use it to refer to people, I think of a select group of people who are truly bad. Actually, I was surprised the writers never did follow-ups on this extremely publicized kiss.
When I first watched the series, I was also surprised that we never got to see any major repercussions from that kiss.  So in a sense, those two were a pair of hopeless cowards who totally deserved each other.
 Because unless she was suffering from amnesia, too, she would recall that he remembered her cute little habit long before he remembered Superman.
I think that in this context, they were talking about the thing that definitely made Clark remember everything and who he was. That confession-booth scene was clearly designed to "intimidate" women of that era: no matter how beautiful, successful, or independent you are, your life will end up miserable if you don't "settle down" like everybody else. And there was a glaring double standard there too: both Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen adopted the same—if not more—"meaningless" lifestyle as Cat Grant, yet no writer felt the urgent need to shove those two guys into a confession booth.
I totally agree. I think it's a natural reaction from a loyal friend trying to protect her "good-hearted and a little naive" partner from evil sex predators...
Yes. And I noticed little or no jealousy on Lois's part in that scene, just concern, which supports your theory.
Stories are written by the victors.
(Hmm, come to think of it, that's not the exact quote...)
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Foundling is an episode in which Lois acted quite insensitively. And unlike some other episodes or scenes where I feel she was poorly portrayed by the writers, here I see her being unpleasant in a way that fits her personality perfectly. And as you said, this was the worst possible moment for her to try to get a story out of Clark. She took the saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" a little too seriously. Lois's lunkhead wastes no time adding insult to injury:
"That's not bad."
 What consoles me is that she tries to help him right afterward... But if we look back at all of Lois's lies to Clark, we'll find she's never lied to him about anything important.
Yes. I found it strange when I heard her say "All the time." Especially because I had in mind what you already mentioned, that aside from stealing the story in NB, there wasn't another occasion worth bringing up. I also love this quote: PERRY: Trust shouldn't be abandoned without a fight. Especially between you two.This is why I disagree with some viewers who say Lois only started noticing Clark's exceptionality midway through Season 2.
Totally. The days when she thought he was just a "hack from Nowheresville" were pretty short-lived, and it didn't take long for her to decide he was different and to start seeing him as a standard of integrity, too, as you mentioned a few lines above. Again, contrary to the impression many viewers have that Lois neglected Clark's disappearances early in their relationship, the truth is she had noticed his strange absences all along and was already bothered by them in Season 1. She just didn't feel she had any right to question him before he officially asked her out in Season 2.
Exactly. This also shows that, although she's a workaholic journalist who's obsessed with finding the truth and sometimes goes too far (as in this episode), she's not so clueless or intrusive that she thinks she's entitled to know absolutely everything about a friend's life. But what I think she actually means here is, "I know I'm not a good person, but I thought you were."
Hm, I'd never thought of it that way. I interpreted it as her using a silly argument because she'd run out of ideas. But it makes sense... it's an interesting possibility. Lois would not have made that "good-hearted and a little naive" comment after realizing that Clark had a capacity for deceit.
I also remember finding that line strange when I first watched the series, precisely because of Foundling. Yet Clark is so preoccupied with his globe-theft crisis that he doesn't even notice the significance of this moment.
And I also remember noticing that and feeling frustrated. Ugh. Anyway, it's super clear that in this episode, Clark is still far from ready to let Lois into his life—it could be one of the main reasons he always backs off whenever Lois makes advances to him.
That makes perfect sense. And connecting this to another sentence you wrote in your analysis, "Clark had always been a mystery to her," I think we should keep in mind that Lois isn't the only one whose heart is protected by walls in this relationship. She was someone he considered, in part, an intriguing mystery he really wanted to get to know, and she felt the same way about him. Clark had a different way of hiding, but he was also afraid and seemed to be sabotaging his relationship with Lois to avoid having to make a choice. In other words, these two really do deserve each other! I'd also like to highlight that I like this part: CLARK: Lois, I admit I haven't been truthful, okay? But I can't talk about that right now. Please, as my partner and my friend, leave it there. Will you? This one time?
LOIS: (after a beat) Okay. This one time.the painful realization that he doesn't yet trust her as much as she trusts him.
This is another thing that has always seemed obvious to me, and I wish it had been explored more in the episodes or in fanfics, because it's really interesting. However, although Lois does say, "I've decided to forgive you," it's more likely she decided to resign herself to the harsh reality—just because she trusts Clark with her life, doesn't mean he has an obligation to trust her back.
And besides that, I interpret it as a lighthearted joke meant to restore normalcy between them. Like you, I wish they had both opened their hearts in this scene, but it also makes sense that they were afraid to face the truth and preferred to sweep things under the rug. To be fair, the mistakes L&C make in this episode are both quite forgivable.
Yes. After all, just because Lois acted insensitively here doesn't mean she's going to make the same mistake - or even be condescending - in every situation. And Clark really did have every right, and even an obligation, considering his parents, to keep his secret well hidden.
Last edited by peixinho; 10/10/26 09:53 AM.
Stories are written by the victors.
(Hmm, come to think of it, that's not the exact quote...)
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Freelance Reporter
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I think that in this context, they were talking about the thing that definitely made Clark remember everything and who he was.
As a matter of fact, Lois had no idea that Clark had a major revelation in that alley before she asked that question. I think she was just plain curious about the very first memory that came back to him. (Could it have been Rachel Harris and the prom?) However, after he said "Superman" and referred to their conversation in that alley, she must have realized right away that it was the wrong answer, because he had remembered her coffee preference way earlier than that. But who knows—maybe he remembered Rachel even earlier, and he lied to her just to cover that up.  And even if Clark misinterpreted Lois's question as the "key memory" that led to his total recovery, that still doesn't mean he was being entirely honest. Because what he actually remembered was the time he spent with her when he was in the cape. So the correct answer should've still been "It's you." But of course, we all know he was such a hopeless coward that he would never have the courage to admit it. She took the saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"a little too seriously.
Couldn’t agree more. Poor Lois. I found it strange when I heard her say "All the time."
Yes, this line just shows how low Lois's self-esteem actually was. Deep down, she must have thought she was such a bad-tempered, deceitful, high-maintenance person that precious few men in the world could put up with her—which is partly why she accepted Luthor's proposal. I also love this quote:
PERRY: Trust shouldn't be abandoned without a fight. Especially between you two.
Me, too. Except the evil producers struck this line and cut it. It never made it into the episode.  Why did they do that? Was it because Lois still abandoned some of her trust in Clark, even after she had fought for it? She's not so clueless or intrusive that she thinks she's entitled to know absolutely everything about a friend's life.
Exactly. If she had really decided to "investigate" Clark, he wouldn't have stood a chance. In fact, she did eventually decide to investigate him in "ATAI," and I think his one big secret lasted less than 24 hours... I also remember finding that line strange when I first watched the series, precisely because of Foundling.
I think this scrambled timeline ruined everything. By airing "The Rival" right after "Foundling," they made it look like L&C's fight in "Foundling" was no big deal, because L&C were back to flirting like crazy in "The Rival." But how could that fight not be serious? It wasn't just L&C’s very first real fight—it was the only fight that ended up making things ten times worse instead of fixing anything. but he was also afraid and seemed to be sabotaging his relationship with Lois to avoid having to make a choice.
Exactly. I'd also like to highlight that I like this part:
CLARK: Lois, I admit I haven't been truthful, okay? But I can't talk about that right now. Please, as my partner and my friend, leave it there. Will you? This one time?
LOIS: (after a beat) Okay. This one time.
I like this part, too. Unfortunately, the evil producers struck again and cut Lois's big-hearted reply. In the final cut, Clark storms off before Lois can even respond, leaving her standing there in silence—deeply hurt, alone in the deserted newsroom.  As much as I hate this scene, I have to grudgingly admit the crew made the right call here. They needed to create some major disasters to push Lois toward Lex Luthor. And it wouldn't have worked if she'd shown any leniency midway through her big fight with Clark. This is another thing that has always seemed obvious to me, and I wish it had been explored more in the episodes or in fanfics, because it's really interesting.
It really is. In a way, it actually evens out: he loved her more, but she trusted him more.
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Hack from Nowheresville
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As a matter of fact, Lois had no idea that Clark had a major revelation in that alley before she asked that question.
I think there's room for ambiguity here. Because right before Lois asks, she sees Clark push Cat away and say quite firmly: “There were no old times.” The way he said that might have been the clue she needed to realize that he had definitely regained his memory. Of course, that's the impression I remember having when I watched the episode before. When I rewatch it, I might end up agreeing with you. (Could it have been Rachel Harris and the prom?)
 Well, why not, right? She seems pretty nice. that still doesn't mean he was being entirely honest. Because what he actually remembered was the time he spent with her when he was in the cape. So the correct answer should've still been "It's you."
Oh, that's for sure. I didn't feel much like saying the same thing at many points in this episode, but there were a few moments when I did, so I understand what you mean. this line just shows how low Lois's self-esteem actually was. Deep down, she must have thought she was such a bad-tempered, deceitful, high-maintenance person
That's also an interesting perspective. At times, she has a pretty high opinion of herself (usually when it comes to her professional life), while at other times, the opposite seems to be true. Me, too. Except the evil producers struck this line and cut it. It never made it into the episode.
Oh, well, lucky me! My two favorite parts when rereading the script were changed in the show. What are the odds... Was it because Lois still abandoned some of her trust in Clark, even after she had fought for it?
Hmm, maybe... If she had really decided to "investigate" Clark, he wouldn't have stood a chance.
Most likely. This reminded me of a fanfic from another Superman media in which Clark explicitly asked Lois not to try to discover his secret, and that ended up straining their (non-romantic) relationship because it was so counterintuitive and difficult for her. It was something like this, I don't remember exactly because I read it a while ago. By airing "The Rival" right after "Foundling," they made it look like L&C's fight in "Foundling" was no big deal, because L&C were back to flirting like crazy in "The Rival."
Where they had another disagreement that was swept under the rug too And it wouldn't have worked if she'd shown any leniency midway through her big fight with Clark.
I think it still could have worked. Sometimes people are lenient precisely because they are disappointed, and so they give up fighting. In a way, it actually evens out: he loved her more, but she trusted him more.
Exactly. That's it.
Stories are written by the victors.
(Hmm, come to think of it, that's not the exact quote...)
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Freelance Reporter
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When I rewatch it, I might end up agreeing with you.
Oh yes, you will  . Because the celebration scene at the very end happened nearly 24 hours after L&C’s conversation in the alley: Lois went to Clark’s apartment in the morning, roughly 12 hours ahead of impact. Superman intercepted the asteroid 13 minutes before impact, when it was already nighttime in Metropolis. But when Clark showed up at the party (I bet he had a good night's sleep at home after his space tour), it was daylight again. That means the Planeteers stayed overnight at the DP building to celebrate, without bothering to go home and change. And one full day is more than enough time for Clark to gradually regain his memory—no big revelation necessary. Am I too obsessed or what? I think I need a L&C detox center... This reminded me of a fanfic from another Superman media in which Clark explicitly asked Lois not to try to discover his secret, and that ended up straining their (non-romantic) relationship because it was so counterintuitive and difficult for her.
What? And she just obeyed his order? I’m so glad that’s not our Lois.  Sometimes people are lenient precisely because they are disappointed.
Okay, I agree. That's even scarier. Another reason they edited the scene might be that it made Clark look even more stupid when he stormed off before Lois could respond. Poor Clark—sometimes the evil producers were too harsh on him.
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Freelance Reporter
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Episode 18 — Vatman
March must be family-reunion month in Kryptonian culture, because Clark has never seen so many blood relatives in his entire life. Barely having recovered from the emotional blast of finally meeting his birth parents in the alien virtual world, he’s hit with yet another shock: the possibility that he might have a close cousin roaming around Earth all this time. His once nonexistent Kryptonian social circle suddenly becomes a lot more eventful.
“It’s crazy, really, that I have the gall to think that Superman was mine... The fact remains: I have no hold on him at all.”
Lois ruefully delivers this sad little revelation after seeing “Superman” happily touring the globe instead of getting in touch with her. Apparently, it’s been weeks since their public kiss in “ASU,” and she still hasn’t heard anything affirmative from Superman. The promise he made before heading into space—“I’ll be back. We’ll go flying”—feels emptier and emptier as the days go by. And to make matters worse, Superman refused to tell her what the globe really was last episode. Just like Clark, it seems Superman doesn’t really trust her as much as she thought he did.
Clark makes a feeble attempt to lift her spirits by telling her how much she actually means to him, but fails dismally. That timid little statement—“You... Metropolis has a lot stronger hold on Superman than you may think”—is completely worthless once he signs the wrong name under it. What would Luthor or Scardino say in this situation? “You might have no hold on Superman, but you sure have every hold on me.” Come on, Clark, open up and give her something positive! Time is running out! If you don’t do it soon, your rivals certainly will.
And so they do. Superman #2 must have learned his swift, decisive moves from Lex Luthor, because he asks Lois out on a dinner date within hours of meeting her for the very first time. This is crucial evidence that Clark’s super-sluggish courtship style is an acquired disorder rather than a genetic deficiency.
We can only imagine Lois’s excitement when she reads “Superman’s” handwritten note. After weeks of waiting in despair, her hero finally responds enthusiastically to her public display of affection in “ASU.” And it’s not hard to imagine Clark’s dismay when he remote-reads the same note off Lois’s hand. Instead of responding kindly to Clark’s plea—“I am not your enemy. I want to be your friend”—Superman #2 is set on doing the exact opposite: stealing both his identity and his girl.
Needless to say, Clark once again pulled a well-meaning stalker and stationed himself outside Lois’s apartment building that night, eavesdropping on every word exchanged between Lois and Superman #2. Fortunately for Clark, this time he didn’t have to stand guard for long before things went completely out of hand.
The scene where Clark barges in on Lois’s very first super-date is, in my opinion, one of those rare occasions when Mr. Kent thinks with his lower half instead of his brain. He must have realized he’d have to physically fight Superman #2 to stop the impostor’s attack on Lois. But he still shows up in his Earthling clothes when he could have spun into Superman before knocking on the door. So why does he suddenly decide to risk exposing his secret identity to Lois once and for all? My guess is that he simply didn’t expect Superman #2 to be depraved enough to sexually assault Lois—he was so shocked and enraged by the impostor’s offense that he didn’t even bother to change.
Clark’s testosterone-poisoned state is even more obvious in that arm-wrestling match with Superman #2—the Kryptonian version of mating contest. For once, Clark throws caution to the wind and unleashes his full power right in front of Lois, completely unconcerned with the dire consequences that could have followed. Ah, if only we could get a few more moments like this in the series. (I know, I know. Lois should have figured out right here that he’s the real Superman. We just have to assume that the tiny paper cut and the bruises Clark got back in “GGGoH” worked their magic again.) Fortunately—or rather, unfortunately—Superman #2 immediately realizes he’s no match for Clark’s strength and gives up before the fight goes far enough to blow Clark's cover for good.
As the textbooks say, the winner of a mating contest tends to get a second testosterone boost right after the fight, and it takes a long time to wear off without...you know. That’s probably why even after the impostor retreats, Clark is still caught up in the aftermath of the fight, squared up and seething like an alpha male who’s just driven off a rogue young bachelor harassing his mate. The quiet fury rolling off him is so overwhelming that Lois must have picked up on it.
“And you! You actually faced him. You challenged him! (beat) You must be out of your mind.”
Well, the conclusion any woman with a properly functioning brain would make here is “You must be in love with me,” because the guy could very well have gotten his arm yanked off by challenging a merciless god. The only explanation for Lois's totally off-mark conclusion is that her lunkhead syndrome, acquired from “Foundling,” has progressed into phase II, with symptoms of self-deception and denial already setting in—she doesn’t even want to consider the possibility that Clark has feelings for her anymore. Because every time she did, reality brought her nothing but disappointment, hurt, even humiliation.
We learn soon enough why Superman #2 loses the mating battle so quickly—he’s a defective prototype fast approaching its expiration date. With that information, Luthor immediately decides to squeeze the last use out of this prototype by ordering him to kill Superman and using Lois as a hostage to improve the odds. It’s worth pointing out here that Luthor involves Lois in his scheme knowing full well that Superman #2 is immoral and unpredictable. Yet the possibility that Lois could be caught in the crossfire and killed for good doesn’t seem to bother Luthor at all. It backs up my earlier claim that Luthor’s “love” for Lois Lane is essentially a desire for exclusive ownership and absolute domination, nothing more.
Luthor must have taught Superman #2 exactly what to say in order to lure Lois into his trap, because the lines Superman #2 delivers in the newsroom have a level of cunning and maturity that this infant clone could never pull off. Especially the last one:
“Then come, fly with me.”
It’s ironic that the promise Superman made to Lois but failed to keep is “fulfilled” instead by his impostor. Could Luthor have somehow heard about the romantic promise Superman made in "ASU"—“I’ll be back. We’ll go flying”? Most likely. Some sharp-eared reporter could have overheard the conversation between Lois and Superman outside the EPRAD command center, then written a colorful article about it. This juicy story could have been circulating in the tabloids for quite some time now. Inevitably, Lois would have had to endure endless ridicule and teasing from her colleagues while waiting miserably for Superman’s invitation that never came. But the wait seems more than worth it when this “god in a cape” literally sweeps her off her feet and into the sky, amid the envious gazes of a roomful of Planeteers.
Sadly, Lois soon suffers her second huge disappointment in two days when she realizes that her long-overdue dream flight with her hero will never happen, because she somehow finds herself tied down to Earth by the impostor instead. Fortunately, the real Superman finally comes to her rescue just as she’s about to be grilled alive.
The scene in Metropolis Studios marks the first and only time Lois actually gets to talk to the real Superman since their farewell in “ASU” weeks ago. She must have hoped he would say something warm and gentle to her, but instead, she gets the exact opposite. There is no warmth or gentleness in Superman’s attitude toward her: he repeatedly orders her to “Stay here!” as if she were a naughty house pet. And after defeating the impostor and sending him off to confront Luthor, Superman wastes no time whisking Lois back to the Planet and dumping her there at super speed. The confrontation between Superman #2 and Luthor lasts less than two minutes in total. However, by the time Superman #2 returns to Metropolis Studios, Superman is already back from the Planet and appears to have been waiting there for quite some time. Conclusion? It took Superman all of thirty seconds to dump Lois into the DP pit and then fly away—he didn’t give her a single chance to talk to him during their one and only brief encounter in this episode. All in all, it seems as if he has been deliberately avoiding any private moments with Lois ever since their highly publicized kiss in “ASU.”
*In fact, the above claim holds true even within the canon order: “Witness” (production #455310) was actually shot two episodes before “ASU” (production #455312) but was later delayed for airing. That means the only interaction Lois had with Superman between “ASU” and “Vatman” under the original production order was their very brief encounter in “IOG,” when they were mostly under hypnosis. Was it a coincidence, or a deliberate choice by the writers?*
So what is this all about? Did the media crisis triggered by their public kiss in “ASU” make Clark worried that getting Lois involved with Superman would bring her trouble and danger? Or did he finally grow smart enough to realize that it’s not wise to encourage Lois’s feelings as Superman? Under other circumstances, I would have praised Clark wildly for his huge improvement in intellect and tactics in the courtship arena. But not now, when Luthor has already singled Lois out as the ultimate prize to be won. By turning a cold shoulder to Lois at this especially tense moment, Superman inadvertently gave her the final push and sent her all the way into Luthor’s waiting trap.
After being coldly ignored and then rudely dumped by Superman back at the Daily Planet, Lois must have once again done some serious soul-searching and carefully weighed her options: On one side of the scale, there are Superman and Clark Kent, the two men she cared about most in this world. But neither seems to be taking her very seriously. (That’s because it’s the same lunkhead operating behind those two personas, lady.) On the other side, there is Lex Luthor—charming, chivalrous, utterly devoted, lavishing her with attention, and never hesitating to voice his affection. Best of all, she feels no love whatsoever for this billionaire, which would guarantee that her heart would stay totally safe and at peace. It must be a welcome change compared to the emotional roller coasters she had to endure whenever she was with Superman or Mr. Kent.
The final scene of this episode is yet another Season 1 ending that appears lighthearted on the surface, but has a rather sad and ominous tone running underneath. Clark finally gets the blood family he’s yearned for his whole life, yet he has to send his “brother” to incineration as soon as they establish the bond; Lois finally gets the “Super date” she’s dreamed of ever since “ILTY,” yet she has to watch her dream shatter into pieces as soon as it comes true. In the end, they are both back to their miserably lonely selves, wistfully telling each other how much they long for companionship. The solution to their misery is sitting right next to them. But in that moment, neither dares to see it.
We leave this scene with two soulmates sitting close enough to touch, talking and laughing, yet their hearts are light-years apart.
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Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 201 Likes: 44
Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 201 Likes: 44 |
And one full day is more than enough time for Clark to gradually regain his memory—no big revelation necessary.
Actually, that doesn't make much difference to the possibility I'm talking about in the end. Lois could indeed have thought that his memory had returned gradually. There's nothing to prove that she realized what we and Clark know, that there was a definitive trigger in the alley. But I believe she noticed that he seemed more like himself when he returned to the Daily Planet, so regardless of how it happened, she knew he had regained his memory. Therefore, Lois's question could have been about the first thing he remembered since the last time they saw each other, when he still seemed so lost. That's what I meant earlier, not that she necessarily thought there had been a big revelation. Or, of course, she could have been asking about the very first thing Clark remembered overall, hoping he would admit that it was a little habit of hers, but that wasn't the impression I got when I watched ASU. What I do agree with is that, regardless of what she was asking, she probably wanted the answer to be her - even if she wasn't aware of that desire herself. And then Clark lies, or rather, tells less than half the truth, and unfortunately, we don't get to see a sweet moment. I think I need a L&C detox center...
If you find one, please let me know And she just obeyed his order? I’m so glad that’s not our Lois.
Oh, I can imagine a scenario or two in which she would do that. Poor Clark—sometimes the evil producers were too harsh on him.
Indeed, indeed. The beginning of this episode feels a little strange to me. Why does everyone, including Jonathan and Martha, seem so impressed by Superman in Paris? The way they talk, you'd think he'd never left Metropolis to make a rescue before, which doesn't make sense unless this was right at the beginning of Superman's career... Or is everyone so excited because it's specifically his first time in Paris and they're thrilled to see Superman in action in a city he hasn't visited before? The first meeting between Clark and his clone was pretty anticlimactic. I mean, I liked their conversation itself, but the way they met was a bit dull. And it was funny to see Lex Luthor being a father and scolding his son for getting home after ten. What was that version of Little Red Riding Hood? Wow. And we can't forget the scene where he carries the clone - because how much does Superman weigh? Are Kryptonian molecules denser, meaning Clark weighs more than an ordinary man in the L&C canon? I don't know, but either way, it seems Luthor doesn't skip his workouts. Speaking of which, about this line: LUTHOR: You will be the instrument of our victory, then _you_ will be the one, the only Superman. _My_ Superman. Maybe Lex was in love with both Lois and Superman at the same time, which is why he caused so much trouble for them. I wonder why the clone was also attracted to Lois. Was she the only woman who had approached him in those last few days? Impossible. This was the time to see Superman flirting with a blonde named Tiffani, not when he was under the influence of red kryptonite. But anyway... Maybe she was the only woman who approached him with the kind of boldness that suggested prior familiarity, which made him curious. I also wanted to mention how funny this part is: MARTHA: I saw this movie once. There was a parallel universe and...
CLARK: Mom, don't get sci-fi on me, please.Seriously, Clark? You're an alien who came in a spaceship that traveled who knows how many light-years through outer space while keeping you alive, you found a mysterious globe containing a hologram of your parents and you have superpowers. What does all that sound like? I liked Lois's attitude during the dinner (which never actually got served), questioning the supposed Superman about what was wrong. She didn't act like a groupie. But I wish that after everything that happened in this episode, and after realizing that Superman was ignoring her more than she'd thought, she'd given up on him for good. At the same time, I understand why she didn't. Needless to say, Clark once again pulled a well-meaning stalker and stationed himself outside Lois’s apartment building that night, eavesdropping on every word exchanged between Lois and Superman #2.
Indeed, it's something the viewer can tell he's going to do the moment he leaves the note, so we didn't even need a scene of him standing outside her apartment this time. Clark’s testosterone-poisoned state is even more obvious in that arm-wrestling match with Superman #2—the Kryptonian version of mating contest.
Yay, biology! Well, the conclusion any woman with a properly functioning brain would make here is “You must be in love with me,” because the guy could very well have gotten his arm yanked off by challenging a merciless god.
Hey, let's not be so certain Having a brave, purely platonic friend is everything in life. Yet the possibility that Lois could be caught in the crossfire and killed for good doesn’t seem to bother Luthor at all.
I think Luthor was sure Superman would protect her from any harm the clone might cause. Which, of course, is still absurd, and brings us back to that discussion about how real love can be when there's no purity in it. In any case, it's definitely not a kind of love I'd have the slightest interest in experiencing. Inevitably, Lois would have had to endure endless ridicule and teasing from her colleagues while waiting miserably for Superman’s invitation that never came.
This makes me think once again that I really wish we'd seen more of her interactions with other people at the Daily Planet. By the way, this scene made me laugh: CAT: Uh huh. She left a few minutes ago... with Superman.
CLARK: What!?
CAT: Yeah. They flew out that window... is something wrong... I hope?Under other circumstances, I would have praised Clark wildly for his huge improvement in intellect and tactics in the courtship arena.
I would have praised him if it weren't a little too late to try to sneak out unnoticed. Now that Superman and Lois had a whole history together because he hadn't managed to establish boundaries between them earlier, the ideal and smartest thing for Superman to do would have been to ask her to have an honest conversation to put an end to everything. And then Clark could step in, so to speak. That’s because it’s the same lunkhead operating behind those two personas, lady.
Well, that's a relief, huh? Better to be rejected by one man than two. The final scene of this episode is yet another Season 1 ending that appears lighthearted on the surface, but has a rather sad and ominous tone running underneath.
Definitely. It's especially sad for Clark and the clone himself. Lois suffers gracefully, not only because this is a minor matter compared to the family crisis we witnessed, but also because deep down, perhaps she'd expected this outcome from the beginning. It's interesting how she goes through moments of feeling like she has a claim on Superman or is someone special to him, only to end up feeling the exact opposite: like an absolute pathetic nobody for having even entertained the idea that something might happen between them. It makes me wish we'd seen what a relationship between Lois and Superman would have looked like in the series. It probably would have been very short and awkward, and she might very well have ended up realizing that she couldn't feel like she was on equal footing with him and that, as a result, things wouldn't work out between them. The clone's story is especially sad because shortly before dying, he realizes that his own father doesn't truly love him and sees him only as a tool. At least he helped Clark with the lock of hair, showing that he could have been a good brother under different circumstances. And then Clark gives him a dignified ending. I think this moment is important enough that it should have had a greater impact on the end of the episode (considering I can't expect what happens in one episode to affect the next, even though it naturally bothers me a little. For example, the consequences of Mayson's death were short-lived. I mean, I understand that the series couldn't turn into a drama. Still, I think there are ways to honor these characters in this kind of story. But anyway, I've completely gone off on a tangent). Instead, the script has Clark think more about what the clone could have been to him than about who he was and the life he could have had, which makes the character seem a little selfish. There's also an intentional reference to Bizarro, another character from other Superman media who also has a sad story: LOIS: I don't know. He's just... bizarro, that's all.Perry and Jimmy's subplot here is really good, and I love that scene at the end where they and L&C are sitting close together even though there's plenty of room to spread out on the bench. These four are just too adorable! The scene where L&C are left alone there afterward is cute too. And Clark laughing so openly at Lois's joke about being available to keep Superman company just proves that he knew how to handle her crush on or flirting with the hero. It's not as though he were some poor doormat who suffered because of superficial and evil Lois all the time. In fact, for most of season 1, he seems cheerful and hopeful, although he certainly went through some complicated and painful moments in this love triangle involving two people. Wow, I ended up writing much more than I expected. I've been writing so much lately that I'm afraid I'll run out of my monthly word count. At this rate, I won't be able to publish my special Halloween fic in time.
Last edited by peixinho; 10/21/26 03:51 AM. Reason: so many -> so much
Stories are written by the victors.
(Hmm, come to think of it, that's not the exact quote...)
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Joined: Jul 2026
Posts: 54 Likes: 7
Freelance Reporter
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Freelance Reporter
Joined: Jul 2026
Posts: 54 Likes: 7 |
And unfortunately, we don't get to see a sweet moment.
Yep, starving the fans was a major hobby of those evil producers. They as much as admitted it in the DVD extras...  Why does everyone, including Jonathan and Martha, seem so impressed by Superman in Paris?
It's just one of those A-plot holes the writers didn't give a damn about and we viewers had to patch up for them. One explanation: disasters happening in other parts of the world were way outside Clark's telepathic radar, so he could only pick them up randomly off TVs and radios. We can imagine how slow news must have been in the '90s. So usually, by the time he heard about it, it was already too late. That's why Superman sightings outside of Metropolis had been rather scarce before "Vatman." Lex was in love with both Lois and Superman at the same time, which is why he caused so much trouble for them.
Yes, indeeed. I always sensed something rather sparky between Luthor and Superman. And I’m pretty sure there are fanfics dedicated to their love-hate relationship. I wonder why the clone was also attracted to Lois.
I think the default setting was that L&C’s mutual attraction was genetic. It was the same with Clois, and with Alt-Clark. CLARK: Mom, don't get sci-fi on me, please.
I like this line a lot. It shows how deeply ingrained Clark's farm-boy nature is in his personality. No matter how weird his life has become, he could never quite wrap his head around things as “far out” as sci-fi or voodoo, because such wild ideas went against his "ordinary" upbringing. After realizing that Superman was ignoring her more than she'd thought, she'd given up on him for good. At the same time, I understand why she didn't.
I think the reason she didn't give up on Superman the way she gave up on Clark is that she never had much hope for Superman in the first place. Superman is a celebrity who's expected to be out of reach—but Clark isn't. I bet when Lois first marked Clark as her prey, she probably thought for a while that he'd be a rather easy one to catch. Poor Lois. I think Luthor was sure Superman would protect her from any harm the clone might cause. Which, of course, is still absurd…it's definitely not a kind of love I'd have the slightest interest in experiencing.
Exactly. The fact that Luthor was willing to take such a huge risk is clear proof of how shallow his "love" for Lois really was, even by villains' standards. One reason I keep bringing this issue up is that controlling, manipulative men like Lex Luthor are in abundant supply in real life. And women with low self-esteem do tend to misread men’s strong, persistent desire for domination&possession as "love." Such misjudgment produces real victims and often leads to domestic abuse. That's why I feel we should always be careful not to encourage such harmful illusions when writing romantic stories. Bottom line: stay away from controlling men, ladies! No matter how charming or persistent they are. The ideal and smartest thing for Superman to do would have been to ask her to have an honest conversation to put an end to everything. And then Clark could step in, so to speak.
Well, even if Superman miraculously smartened up somehow, Clark still wouldn't take his place in "Vatman," because he wasn't yet ready to accept Lois as his life partner at that stage. Personally, I don't think he was ready even in "BATP." He only declared his love because his hand was forced by Luthor. And his not being ready was the real reason he chickened out on Lois at the end of "THOL." But he was definitely ready in "Metallo," a solid year after "Vatman." (You have to admire this guy's sluggishness.) And he did have an honest conversation with Lois in that episode to put an end to her Superman fantasy, just like you advised him to. By the way, the timeline in the first half of Season 2 was scrambled too. The events in "The Eyes Have It" actually took place before "Season's Greetings." In the corrected order, Lois no longer had any romantic entanglement with Superman after their late-night conversation in “Metallo”. Considering I can't expect what happens in one episode to affect the next…Still, I think there are ways to honor these characters in this kind of story.
You are absolutely right. I’ll see what I can do to honor the clone’s tragic death in the commentary on “Fly Hard”.
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