WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Superman & Lois Season 1, Episode 4, "Haywire," which aired Tuesday on The CW.
The CW's Superman & Lois has been differentiating itself from other entries in the Arrowverse by focusing more on the familial aspects. This doesn't mean it's all sunshine and roses, though, since in the latest episode "Haywire" General Lane tells the boys not to distract Clark from his role as Superman. The world needs him, after all, and Metropolis is suffering without him.
And he's got a point, what with Thaddeus R. Killgrave escaping because Clark couldn't be there and at his sons' game. And, in trying to track the villain down, he misses an important meeting that Lois asked him to speak at, putting some strain on their relationship.
However, when Superman finally does find and confront this villain, he has him on the ropes until Jordan and Jonathan call for help. Clark instantly wipes out his opponent with a super-clap so he can jet back to the boys and help them, proving that despite what General Lane thinks, Superman's greatest power is his family. This point is reinforced by Clark later in the episode when he's talking with Lois, telling her she's always on his mind from the time he wakes up till he goes to bed at night. Superman has always been the hero with a big heart, and it makes sense that familial love is what fuels him.
And it's not just Superman -- nearly every single superhero has someone they care for mightily, which keeps them grounded and helps them in difficult moments. In most cases, it's a family member or a significant other, such as Peter Parker's long-time love, Mary Jane Watson. These people are what ground the superheroes in normal life and give them perspective.
It’s also what makes General Lane's statement to the boys so concerning, as it reveals his own habit of keeping his loved ones at arm's length. When Lois and Clark call him out on this, Lois points out his actions are what drove her away and will be what makes him lose his privileges with the boys. Whether or not Sam heeds his daughter remains to be seen, but it'll surely provide some drama down the road.
Even if he doesn't, there’s still Lois and Clark to fill the need for good parenting, and boy do they deliver. It's heartwarming to see Superman waste a villain in seconds to get to his family -- no trying to talk him down or struggling against the device being used against him, just an immediate counter so he can get to his priorities. Superman & Lois continue to hit the right notes in giving the audience human characters -- and should it keep on this track, the future looks bright for the Kent family.
Superman & Lois stars Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Dylan Walsh, Alex Garfin, Jordan Elsass, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Inde Navarrette and Wolé Parks. The series airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.