Superman & Lois season 4 has set up a major power divide between Clark Kent’s sons, creating a dynamic that the DC show will need to address in one way or another as it heads towards its ending. With the latest season also being the final season of the show, the Superman & Lois season 4 cast of characters are all getting their respective endings in this last leg of the story, leading to some unexpected twists. One such twist came with the reveal of Jonathan Kent getting his powers in Superman & Lois season 4, episode 3.
This has already had a major impact on the plot of the live-action Superman show, and looks set to have further significance in the narrative given how immediately and intensely Jonathan has taken to doing superhero work. However, this all raises questions about how the series will handle the comparisons between Jonathan and Jordan that this side-plot raises, especially since it risks undermining much of what came before regarding Jordan’s superhero story.
Superman & Lois Season 4 Has Built A Huge Divide Between The Powers Of Clark’s Sons
Jonathan’s Story After Gaining His Powers Looks Very Different To Jordan’s Early Power Lessons
Superman & Lois season 4 showing Jonathan Kent’s powers awakening was a rightfully much-anticipated moment for the series – and one that before this wasn’t seemingly set in stone in terms of happening, since so long had gone by without the character’s abilities coming to fruition, and season 2’s X-Kryptonite storyline suggested he may never be able to use any without taking the drug. Not only were these fears proved wrong, but Jonathan has also taken to his powers much quicker and easier than Jordan ever did.
However, the sheer ease with which Jonathan has been able to adapt to his powers presents some issues for the story when compared with Jordan’s own storyline regarding his powers, since there’s such a sharp difference in these narratives. While entire seasons were dedicated to Jordan adapting to his powers and learning how to use them – often painfully, in cases like his super senses coming in – the very same episode Jonathan obtains his powers, he’s seemingly able to use them with no obstacles.
While part of this is no doubt that Jonathan having to mirror Jordan’s power development would’ve been too slow for the show’s final season – and that Jordan’s jealousy over Jonathan picking up how to use his abilities has some useful story applications – this does serve to undermine the struggle Jordan went through for real-time years to effectively and responsibly use his powers. As such, hopefully Superman & Lois will take care to also show the ways in which Jordan also has the edge over Jonathan regarding their skillsets – and luckily, the series has a perfect way it can do so.
Superman & Lois Has An Easy Way To Balance Out Its Superboy Power Divide
The Show’s Previous Seasons Set Up An Advantage For Jordan That Jonathan Can’t Mirror
Jonathan has taken to his powers far more effectively than Jordan likely could have even dreamed of when his first came about in season 1, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Jonathan is better all around when it comes to using the brothers’ superhuman powers. Not only does Jordan have significantly more training than his sibling, he’s also got more practice using his powers in actual fights – including against other superhumans, like their Kryptonian uncle, Tal-Rho – which is likely to pay off as the show heads into its final episodes and any final battles within them.
Though Jonathan’s superhero adventures could have involved some off-screen scuffles, he lost the fight to Lex Luthor’s lackey Hacksaw Kronick in Superman & Lois season 4, episode 4, and other than that, it seems his main battle training has been in the Fortress of Solitude against hologram versions of Clark’s enemies. Though Jonathan could definitely still be of some help against any upcoming opponents for the show’s protagonists, this set up opens the opportunity for things to be balanced out by having Jordan be more useful in this specific kind of scenario.
Superman & Lois’ Dream Superboy Ending Makes Balancing Jonathan & Jordan’s Stories Even More Important
The Prospect Of Jordan & Jonathan Taking Over From Superman Makes The Story Of Their Powers All The More Integral
Though there’s a real chance Superman’s full powers could return before the end of the series – especially based on the theories that Clark could use Doomsday’s heart to replace Sam Lane’s transplanted human heart, which appears to be giving Superman trouble – the current set up of the show and its consistent focus on the family suggests the story could well end with Jonathan and Jordan taking over for their dad on the superhero side of things. Should this prove to be the case, ensuring Jordan’s powers and story aren’t totally overshadowed is even more key.
Having Jordan and Jonathan take on the Superman legacy in the Superman & Lois ending would put even more focus on the duo’s rise to superhero-dom, and means ideally both should be shown as equal successors. Though they don’t need to have identical skillsets, suggesting Jonathan is the better hero of the two would seem something of a waste of Jordan’s arc, and a move that doesn’t take into account the overall ethos of the show, which means hopefully the series continues to instead highlight the unique strengths of all of its lead characters as it comes to a close.
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