I Can't Believe DC Just Had Smallville Save Superman

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Superman & Lois season 4 episode 6.Superman & Lois season 4 just had Smallville save Superman from Lex Luthor's plans, and I can't believe how perfect the flipping of the conventional DC story is for the series. The live-action Superman show has done an admirable job of fleshing out the lore of one of the most famous superheroes of all time, taking care to focus on Clark's life as a Smallville resident as much as his high-flying superhero deeds. As such, the story has also tried to demonstrate the heroics possible by those without powers or capes to their name.

This pays off in a big way in Superman & Lois season 4, episode 6, which sees the people of Smallville band together to stop one of Lex Luthor's plans in a way that Superman alone simply wouldn't be able to. In an episode that also features a major brawl between Luthor and Clark, it's easy to lose sight of the actions of less central characters to the story - but it's a moment that really helps to underline the core themes and intent of the show, and uses a superhero story tradition that never fails to make me at least a little bit emotional.

Superman & Lois Just Had Smallville Protect Superman From Lex Luthor

Smallville Took A Stand Against Lex Luthor's Plans In Season 4

Lex Luthor looking annoyed in Superman & lois season 4 episode 6

Superman & Lois season 4, episode 6 revolves primarily around Lex Luthor attempting to buy a woman named Aidy Manning's land in Smallville in order to build a new LuthorCorp headquarters there. The move is evidently part of his grudge against Superman and Lois, as even the people who work for Lex express that it's a bizarre decision, born almost entirely out of his inability to let the past go. However, it's also something Superman himself can't impede with directly, as the deal doesn't involve him, even if Lex is carrying it out in order to be able to harass him and his family more effectively.

Interestingly, all it takes for the deal to initially be broken off is simply for Clark to talk to Aidy, who immediately says she'll back out of the sale - despite the huge sum of money being offered - after he says Luthor is bad news for Smallville. Manning mentions that Clark has sacrificed far more than a good sales deal for the town, which suggests she listens because she knows that he's Superman, and thus knows he had his heart ripped out by Doomsday during the Superman & Lois season 4, episode 1 battle that was in part to protect Smallville.

After this, more of Smallville steps up to the plate when Luthor attempts to pressure Aidy into the deal, encouraging Manning to avoid helping Lex's schemes, even though the villain offers every single person in the room when this conversation happens $10 million if Aidy agrees to sell her land. While it's not clear how many of the people in the bar where this takes place know Clark is Superman, this action saves Superman from Lex's plans either way - though it's worth noting a key figure in rejecting the offer is Chuck, who is confirmed to know Superman's identity.

Superman & Lois' Smallville Stories Continue One Of The Best Superhero Trends

Ordinary People Create Some Of The Strongest Moments In The Superhero Genre

Superman & Lois showing Smallville coming to the aid of the Man of Steel - semi-unknowingly or not - expands on one of the best trends in the superhero genre: namely, ordinary people looking out for an extraordinary figure. It's the same kind of idea that I think makes the scene where the people of New York protect Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 so emotional even a decade later, and regardless of how many rewatches or meme versions of the scene you may have experienced.

Showing that regular people can be heroes in their own way too - and that larger than life heroes can still need the help of folks without powers or fancy high-tech gadgets to help them - is one of those ideas that resonates so strongly because it underlines the shared human experience that brings all of us together. Even someone who can fly and shoot laser beams from their eyes needs a little assistance from someone who can't do those things sometimes, and even the most ordinary person has the capacity to make someone else's life better - be that Superman or not.

As such, seeing this example of how the people of Smallville can be as important as Superman when it comes to dealing with the plans of a major villain like Lex Luthor is a powerful story moment. This is doubly true when said regular people are actively putting themselves in harm's way to do so, which certainly appears to have been the case for those who prevented Lex from building his headquarters in Smallville.

Superman & Lois' Smallville Story May Have Put All Of The Town In Major Danger

Lex Luthor's Reaction To Smallville's Stand - And His Upcoming Upgrade - Places The Town In Real Danger

Lana Lang having almost been killed lying on the floor in Superman & Lois season 4

The aftereffects of the efforts to stop Lex buying Aidy Manning's land to build his new headquarters is almost immediately felt by Lex trying to have Lana Lang assassinated for her efforts to help convince Aidy to not sell her land to Luthor. While Lex may have specifically targeted Lana because she was a more active part of stopping his plans, because she's mayor, and because of her bond to Clark, if he's willing to threaten one of Clark's oldest friends despite knowing the danger of doing so, it appears that nobody is safe.

This underlines the heroism of those who stood against Lex despite having an idea of the danger this could create for them, especially as Superman & Lois season 4, episode 6 sets up Luthor's warsuit to be about to make an appearance. The high-tech battle suit puts the people of Smallville in yet greater peril - even if just from the possible collateral damage of his plans, and clear disregard for those he considers to be on Superman's side. As such, it's likely the Man of Steel will be repaying the favor the people of Smallville did him sometime very soon.