Superman & Lois has told its own version of the popular DC Universe story “The Death of Superman” in season 4 and, in several ways, it is a much better execution than the version from the DCEU timeline that was told with Henry Cavill. Superman has died onscreen several times, and each version of the story has done something interesting and unique with the material. However, this most recent version might be the best. As Superman & Lois inches toward its ending, “The Death of Superman” arc has been an excellent feature of the CW show.

While Superman is often considered to be a bright and hopeful character, Superman & Lois has told one of the darkest stories in its recent episodes. With the DCU set to be rebooted in the near future with James Gunn’s Superman, it is unlikely that audiences will see this story again for some time. Fortunately, the creative team behind Superman & Lois has worked hard to make Tyler Hoechlin’s final season as Clark Kent something memorable and special, crafting one of the best versions of this familiar story yet.

Superman & Lois Had Seasons To Build Emotional Weight For Superman’s Death

Tyler Hoechlin’s Years As Superman Have Made This Death More Impactful

Perhaps the biggest criticism for Henry Cavill’s “The Death of Superman” story is that it took place far too early in the DCEU. Everything known about Man of Steel 2, a movie that was never made, suggests that there was much more to tell with the character. Instead, DC rushed to compete with Marvel in creating a shared universe, leading to Superman’s death in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. This rushed production did not give audiences enough time to grow close to the character and what he represented.

Conversely, Superman & Lois has had a significant amount more time to build up the legacy of Tyler Hoechlin’s iteration of Superman. Beginning with an appearance in Supergirl and many ties with the Arrowverse, Hoechlin’s hero was established even before he received his own series. Having 3 full seasons of stories concerning Superman’s relationship with his family and his world gave audiences the opportunity to feel invested in the character, causing his death to be far more impactful.

Superman’s Family Make The Show’s Death Of Superman Adaptation Hit Home

Lois, Jordan, And Jonathan Are The Heart Of Superman & Lois

The DCEU attempted to build up familiar connections with their Superman. Man of Steel had some very impactful moments with Kevin Costner as Clark’s father, and Diane Lane’s Martha played significantly into the resolution of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. However, there were far fewer loved ones in the series who looked up to the hero, making his death feel much more isolated. While Lois loved Clark, and was confirmed to be pregnant in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, that familial connection is not nearly as explored and effective.

In Superman & Lois, the family is as important to the series as the celebrated hero. Lois is titular to the show, and many stories with Jonathan and Jordan have been shared over the years, highlighting the relationships within the family. With Clark being a core tenet of their everyday lives, the human impacts of his death become immediately apparent. While the DCEU made some excellent hero choices, their exploration of familial bonds was not nearly as intensive or effective.

Doomsday Ripping Out Superman’s Heart Makes His Death So Much More Intense

The Threat Of Doomsday Feels Much Darker In The CW Series

Superman’s death in the DCEU happened amidst a chaotic CGI fight scene that saw Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman teaming up to take down Doomsday. Viewers did not love this version of the classic villain, and it did not in any meaningful way represent the threat that Doomsday had posed in the comics. Simply, Superman’s death in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was too visually dark and overloaded with meaningless CGI to make much of an impact. The scene did not feel as shocking as it should have.

These criticisms are well addressed in some of the unhinged details Superman & Lois used to make their version of this battle so much more intense. With a much more brutal version of Lex Luthor on the side and the transformation of Bizarro to Doomsday executed well, the scene is a shocking and disturbing rendition of the story. Seeing Doomsday then rip out Superman’s heart to give to Lex makes this iteration of the story so much more horrifying, disturbing, and upsetting, in all the best ways.

Superman & Lois’ Revival Story Is Closer To The Original Comics

Some Source Material Is Worth Following Closely

The comics that told the stories of both the death and return of Superman have been far more accurately followed in the new series, although there have still been some departures. Still, the DCEU version of this story was more focused on telling Zack Snyder’s larger Justice League story than it was about following the comic book canon. This led to departures from the comic book story that avoided the “Reign of the Supermen!” arc, and led to Clark’s regenerating fully powered.

Superman & Lois, like the comic books, has had more time to tell these stories. As a result, the series is able to loosen its pace and focus on Clark’s regeneration in a similar way to what was done in the comics. This has led to Clark’s recent restoration in Superman & Lois episode 4, which seems to have him weakened, much like how the comics approached his initial return. With a larger cast of Superman characters, including Steel and Superboy, the show feels more similar to the celebrated comic book run, arguably resulting in a more satisfying story rendition.

Superman & Lois has done many things right over its 4 seasons, and many have lauded these recent episodes as some of the best in the entire series. While Henry Cavill’s role as Superman was effective enough, some of the DCEU story execution for his character did not feel entirely true to Superman’s long history. Fortunately, Superman & Lois has taken much of that criticism to heart and has provided one of the best versions of “The Death of Superman” that audiences have yet to see realized in any television series or movie.