Spoilers for the latest episode of Superman & Lois, “Sharp Dressed Man” lie ahead, so read on accordingly.
Superman & Lois is soaring to the end of its run, as there are currently just two episodes left in the fourth and final season. Despite its time on the 2024 TV schedule winding down, the superhero series has still been delivering some excellent stories. And, this week, it finally ushered in the return of DC veteran Tom Cavanagh, who appeared in a brand-now role that was perfect. Yet, as cool as that was, I was a bit more concerned with a heartbreaking reveal involving Clark Kent.
Who Did Tom Cavanagh Play On Superman And Lois?
Those who’ve been plugged into the world of DCTV over the past several years surely know that Mr. Cavanagh is best known for his work on the Arrowverse show The Flash. It was there that he played the various iterations of Harrison Wells as well as Eobard Thawne a.k.a The Reverse Flash. When it was reported that Cavanagh would play a role during S&L Season 4, it was also confirmed that he wouldn’t be reprising his famous Big Bad. The producers later revealed, though, that he’d be playing an important and “fun” role.
Well, that definitely proved to be the case, as the Canadian actor took on the role of media pundit Gordon Godfrey. Comic book fans may recognize the character for historically being an ally of the Apokolips dictator Darkseid, who assumes the role of a human newscaster to besmirch superheroes. It’s unclear if this iteration of Godfrey has such ties, though he still proves to be antagonistic towards Lois Lane when moderating a debate between her and Lex Luthor. The character is also just as snarky and arrogant as you’d imagine.
It obviously makes sense that Tom Cavanagh – who’s also directed episodes of Superman & Lois – wouldn’t be playing Wells or Thawne here, especially since S&L was retconned out of the Arrowverse’s continuity back in Season 2. As delightful as he was in that role, Cavanagh really shines as Godfrey, who barely hides his biases when reporting. It’s a different kind of villainous role for Cavanagh, as it’s a bit more understated. Nevertheless, he shines and, hopefully, he still returns to the series finale as originally intended.
But, now that we’re done discussing this new journalistic opponent for the titular couple, it’s time to address something else. There’s the matter of that update regarding the Man of Steel’s mortality.
Clark Kent Received Some Bad News From John Henry Irons
Since Clark was revived with the help of late father-in-law Sam Lane’s heart, his body hasn’t been operating at 100%. He hasn’t been as strong, he’s not hearing as well and he’s even been developing gray hairs. John Henry Irons – who returned this week after being absent for the past few episodes – noticed that Clark seemed off after he slowly reacted when a brick was thrown through the window of the Smallville Gazette. So, he offered to run tests on Clark.
Irons ultimately discovered that Sam’s heart isn’t compatible with Clark’s extraterrestrial anatomy and that as a result, his powers are starting to fade. And, in time, the hero’s abilities will be gone for good, and his heart will stop working. It was sad to watch that reveal play out, especially considering that during the same episode, Lois learned that she was cancer free. Eventually, the two also told their sons, Jonathan and Jordan, about Clark’s medical issue, which resulted in an emotional scene involving the Kent family.
While I’ve been speculating that this might happen, it’s no less tragic to know that Clark received the official diagnosis. There’s a good chance that the show might end with the Kent patriarch’s powers going away completely, while Jonathan and Jordan take on the reigns as the super sons. (And, during this week’s episode, the two proved their merits as teammates when they joined forces to destroy Natalie Irons’ corrupted powersuit.) All in all, I’m very eager to see what lies ahead for Clark amid the final two episodes of the show. Of course, I’ll also be keeping an eye out for any further appearances from Tom Cavanagh’s appropriately smarmy Gordon Godfrey.
Superman & Lois airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW, and new episodes are also available to stream on the network’s website. Those who need to catch up on the series can stream the first three seasons using a Max subscription as well. Also, as the family drama series winds down, read up on upcoming DC shows.
