Superman & Lois has introduced a new use for Kryptonite to the DC Universe, resulting in one of the most uncomfortable and creepiest versions of the weapon yet. In an epic series conclusion filled with the closure of countless stories and themes, the ending of Superman & Lois tied up so much in its final episode. Among all of these memorable moments ideas, however, the twisted and sadistic use of Kryptonite in the episode stands out as one of the most disturbing and upsetting.

Superman & Lois broke several storytelling rules over its run. The stories, especially in the final season, made several unique choices that reinvented the comic lore, including the decision to reveal Superman’s identity to the world, and the transformation of Bizarro into Doomsday. While these and many other details were significant to the story of the show, one of their smaller unique choices regarding Kryptonite is one that leaves a twisted image in my mind after the show has concluded.

Superman & Lois’ Kryptonite Screws Are So Much Creepier Than They Sounded

The Screws Allowed The Kryptonite To Be Embedded In Clark’s Body

In Superman & Lois season 4, episode 9, Milton brings up the idea of Kryptonite screws, which are used in the series finale. While the concept of Kryptonite screws sounds disturbing, seeing them actually used is so much more upsetting. In the finale, these screws are used as a weapon against Superman, and audiences see as they embed themselves inside his body. This scene is upsetting, and the implications are even worse.

To embed themselves in Clark, these screws would have needed to twist through his flesh and bone to attach themselves. The power and the force behind these weapons was terrifying, and seeing Clark forced to watch as they drilled into his body was truly upsetting. Turning Superman’s material weakness into a twisted weapon that must have caused incredible physical pain was a genuinely disturbing part of the show, although it did lead into an excellent and effective moment.

Superman & Lois’ Kryptonite Screws Give Superman One Of His Coolest DC Show Moments

Superman’s Strength And Will Allow Him To Overcome

The ending of Superman & Lois saw many incredible decisions made concerning the characters, and a great deal of this was anchored in Superman’s ultimate resistance. Even faced with this horrible iteration of his greatest threat, in the form of Kryptonite screws, the hero was able to overcome through the power of will. This culminates in an exciting moment where, with great effort, Superman is able to pull a screw from his chest and crush it in his hand.

Superman’s weakness to Kryptonite is nearly insurmountable, making this last effort to destroy an object made of it through sheer willpower all the more Herculean. That said, it’s also possible that Superman’s physical changes, due to him now having a human heart received from Sam Lane, could have helped to temper his weakness to Kryptonite. In becoming more human, Superman was able to face his greatest extraterrestrial threat, and to come out of it alive – something that, regardless of the explanation, makes for a fitting part of his final fight in the show.

With an incredible final season, and a perfect finale episode, Superman & Lois has cemented itself as one of the greatest superhero television shows ever made. Featuring excellent performances, and complex iterations of many beloved characters, the show’s run was full of strong episodes that will lend themselves well to rewatches. With the series at an end, and the DC Universe set to move on, hopefully the legacy of the show – and its dark and unique ideas like that of the Kryptonite screw – will continue to be a part of Superman’s legacy.