Superman & Lois, season three, episode nine, “The Dress”, takes us on a journey from past to present. This week we get a glimpse into the early days of Clark’s (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois’s (Elizabeth Tulloch) relationship.
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The episode begins with a flashback of Lois and Clark at the Daily Planet when she gets the news that she has a high chance of winning an award nomination. When we return to the present, the doctor gives Lois good news that she has one last round of chemo.
At home, Jordan (Alex Garfin) assures Jonathan (Michael Bishop) that he will take it easy on being a superhero and lay low. When asked about going to the firehouse, Jonathan gives his parents an evasive answer and Jordan pretends not to know why he won’t be there. Once the boys leave, Clark asks Lois if she will return upstairs after chemo, and she only gives a maybe.
While dropping off clothes for the town clothes drive, John Henry (Wolé Parks) and Lana (Emmanuelle Chriqui) talk about how he’s holding up after his showdown with Mannheim (Chad Coleman). Natalie also tells Sarah (Inde Navarrette) that her father is being extremely protective. Before Lana can give him more advice, Bruno (Coleman) requests to speak with John Henry. He, Sam, and Superman meet him and his lawyer at the D.O.D. where Bruno demands to see his dying wife. John Henry refuses unless Bruno gives them all the items stolen from the D.O.D. With a chilling promise that he will see Peia (Daya Vaidya) one way or another, he leaves.
When we return to the flashback, Lois is adamant about now going to the Metties, the award ceremony. Clark shows up with a beautiful, sequinned red dress, ultimately convincing Lois to go to the ceremony. In the present we see her throw the dress on the pile for the clothing drive. Back at the D.O.D. Superman (Hoechlin) and John Henry disagree on keeping Bruno from his wife.
At the diner, Natalie, Jordan, Jonathan and Sarah talk about everything that happened with Matteo (Spence Moore II). Jonathan tries to dissuade her from seeing him. The two disagree considering his own history with his girlfriend and her father. Back at the Kent house, Clark discovers Lois has packed the Metties dress for the clothing drive. When he asks her about it, she says it doesn’t feel right to save it for a maybe when someone else could use it. Although Clark seems resigned not to give it away, he agrees with her.
In Hob’s Bay, Matteo confronts his father, and he assures him he will be able to see his mother soon enough. While walking in town, a black SUV with unfamiliar men approaches Natalie and John Henry. Natalie gives him the club her father armed her with and he takes on the men, drawing attention from citizens on the street. As the men flee, he tells Natalie to go to Sarah’s.
Taking the clothes to the clothing drive, Clark and Lana discuss the dress Lois donated. She asks Clark if he’s spoken to Lois about her upcoming double mastectomy surgery. The two discuss the toll Lois losing her breasts can have, and Clark admits he didn’t feel it was his place to bring it up as he will never be able to know how she feels. Because of this, Lana offers to speak with Lois instead.
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At Sarah’s house, Jonathan apologizes to Natalie, and she’s resigned to never seeing Matteo again after all that has happened. Jonathan offers to help make it happen. In another needed heart-to-heart, Lana visits Lois to speak about the dress. When Lois refuses to talk about keeping the dress, Lana holds steadfast to offering to talk.
Superman visits Bruno, appealing to him and almost getting an agreement for a return of items in exchange for seeing Peia. Before he can officially agree, soldiers from the D.O.D and John Henry burst in just as Superman tells Bruno he had nothing to do with it. They raid his office forcibly as John Henry disagrees with Superman and Sam (Dylan Walsh). When Sam finds out John Henry knew Superman would attempt to appeal to Bruno, he sends John Henry home.
After finally getting Lois to talk, they bond and Lois reveals that she doesn’t know if she can do reconstruction after the surgery. It depends on post-surgery and radiation. This prompts a flashback to Lois being reluctant to leave the limo for the Metties, and it was Clark’s words that encouraged her to stay. Lois admits her worries about feeling feminine and what this surgery will do to her marriage. With these worries, Lana urges her to talk to Clark.
With the help and support of her friends, Natalie meets up with Matteo. He admits not knowing about his mother’s powers. The two disagree about their parents and he tells Natalie that John Henry is holding Peia and won’t allow them to see her. Matteo tells Natalie he loves her despite their parents, and she returns the sentiment.
Jonathan admits he was a hypocrite, which prompts Jordan to apologize for his words about Jonathan’s volunteer work. This causes Sarah to demand they hug it out. When Clark returns home, he and Lois finally talk about the dress. He tells her no surgery can ever change the way he sees her, and she tells him how he sees her isn’t the problem.
At John Henry’s home, Henry Miller (Paul Lazenby) attacks. He tries to escape only for a showdown in the street. Their fight interrupts Clark and Lois’s chat. Superman rushes onto the scene delivering one swift punch to defeat this foe before ensuring John Henry is safe. Once he’s out of harm’s way, a fight ensues. John calls for his War Hammer. While Superman recovers, John rejoins the fight, not only besting his foe but killing him. The two disagree on having a choice of ending the fight.
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Back home to assess the damage, Natalie confronts him about killing Henry Miller and on not allowing Matteo to see his mother. She reasoned with him wanting to have last words with her mother. When Matteo arrives home, he and his father get into a disagreement. Bruno assures Matteo his mother will be fine. He shows Matteo Bizarron (Hoechlin) and says he’s the cure to saving Peia.
Clark checks in with his boys before resuming his conversation with Lois. He tells her when he said she was beautiful in the dress, he wasn’t just talking about her body, but her as a person. He assures her even with her scars, he will love her body. Even if Lois doesn’t want to be intimate, they will figure it out together. The pair get dressed up, with Lois wearing the dress, and they fly together.
I absolutely adore this season of Superman and Lois! The way it’s infused with so much love and emotion. Clark’s unwavering love for Lois no matter what, even in the tough times is so heartwarming. Sometimes I forget the foes Superman has to face because Clark Kent alone has such an incredible superpower of loving his family and friends so fully and completely.
Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 8 pm on your CW affiliate, with next-day streaming on The CW app.
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