‘Superman & Lois’ Recap: Season 3, Episode 9 “The Dress”
In this week’s episode of Superman & Lois, “The Dress,” Superman and John Henry clash over how to handle Bruno Mannheim, while Lois worries over upcoming treatments and confides in Lana about her early courtship with Clark.
John Henry Talks to Mannheim
Mannheim walks into the DoD with his lawyer in an attempt to see Peia. Superman offers to go in and talk to him but John Henry stops him because this is more his fight than Clark’s. Sam agrees and sends him in. Mannheim immediately asks to see his wife and John Henry says he can, if he returns what was taken from the DoD, including Superman’s blood. He puts up a fight and tells John he’ll see his wife “one way or another” before storming out with his lawyer in tow. Clark still thinks he should talk to him because he understands what he’s going through as a husband to a partner with Cancer. John Henry cuts him off, reminding him not to let his personal life cloud his judgement. After this, Mannheim’s henchmen attempt to attack John Henry in Smallville but John Henry gets the upper hand … at least this time.
Mannheim Gets Raided
In an attempt to get ahead of John Henry, Superman flies into Mannheim’s office saying he’s there to help. The only thing Bruno wants is to see his wife, so if he cooperates and turns the missing objects over, he has Supeman’s word that he will let him see Peia. Just as he’s about to agree, Superman hears the military approaching and tells him he didn’t do this as the doors fly open and men with gun swarm Mannheim’s office. As Superman turns around, he sees John Henry. The DoD search Mannheim’s home for evidence, and Superman and John Henry get into an argument. Sam realizes that putting John Henry at the center of this after what happened to him was a bad idea, so he sends him home.
After Mannheim is raided, he sends in Henry Miller to go after John. Without his suit, John is in the middle of a losing battle. He’s attempting to get War Hammer to come to him but until then, Superman swoops in to help. They start fighting as John gets his tech to work and calls in the hammer. Henry punches Superman and sends him outside of Smallville. When John gets his hammer, he hits Henry in the head, killing him. Superman and the entire community of Smallville are shocked.
Toward the end of the episode, Mannheim brings Matteo to his lair to answer some of his questions. There, he shows him Bizarro Superman and tells him that he’s the reason that they found a way to save Peia.
Nat & Matteo
After being forbid from seeing Matteo, it’s got Natalie really bummed. At first she wants to defy her dad because Matteo is not like his parents but Sarah, Jon, and Jordan don’t think it’s a good idea, Jon even tells her it’s dangerous. Nat bites back and throws him a low blow about Candice, obviously hurt by him saying this. Before John Henry gets attacked the first time, he sends Nat to Sarah’s with the boys. There, Nat is sulking by herself when Jon offers an apology. He was wrong for what he said and she’s right, Matteo is nothing like his parents. So there’s no reason he can’t come visit. When Matteo gets there, he and Nat talk about the situation and he tells her John Henry isn’t exactly a good guy either. She gets defensive for a second but he clarifies that he’s not letting them see Peia. She had no idea, and it makes her see her dad in a different light. Matteo tells Nat he’s never felt the way he does with Nat and says he loves her. It catches Nat off guard but she quickly recovers and tells him she loves him too.
Lois’ Upcoming Surgery
Lois is worried about her upcoming surgery but refuses to show it to her family. Lana put together a clothing drive so Lois goes through her clothes and donates a lot of her wardrobe. Inside the box, Clark uncovered the red dress he bought for Lois 17 years prior when she got nominated for an award in journalism and didn’t have anything to wear. He thought it was a mistake, so he asks he why it’s in the box, but she meant to put it there. She only wore it once and rather than waiting for another opportunity to wear it, she would rather someone get use out of it now. She becomes slightly more agitated with Clark, so Lana offers to talk to her. At first, Lois is standoffish because she doesn’t want to talk about the surgery or the dress, but Lana wants her to know that she’s there for her. After she gets her surgery and her last round of chemo, her body is going to change.
Lana wants Lois to feel good about herself because after that’s all over, she’s in the driver’s seat for how she chooses to move forward. This eases Lois a bit and they spend hours talking and trading stories. When Clark gets home later that night, he and Lois have a talk about the surgery and he apologizes to her. Clark knows that while he can be supportive, it’s her body, and as a man he will never be able to relate or understand. They go upstairs to cuddle but Lois gets the idea to do what they did all those years ago after coming home from the awards. They dress up, Lois in her red dress (which blows Clark away, aww!) and they fly together. Lois tells Clark she loves him more than ever and they share a kiss.
Superman & Lois airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.