Episode 7 Review
Clark and Lois are preparing for their first date but the universe, rather the Multiverse interrupts both and what results is a battle to find and stop an escaped prisoner from regaining his full power. Lois discovers some concerning things that could once again shake her trust but would it really happen on their Earth?
Clark brings Lois and Jimmy to Smallville to show him his ship. Jimmy declares it is the greatest day of his life. Lois and Clark agree to start over. And with no robots, no bad guys, and absolutely nothing to interrupt him, he asks Lois out on a date. Some time later, Jimmy discovers both Clark and Lois are obsessing over every little detail of their date with flow charts. Lois wants to help Clark figure out his past but realizes her dress is still at the dry cleaners and departs with Jimmy. Clark is visited by Mr. Mxyzptlk who claims to be an interdimensional peacekeeper on the trail of a gang who kidnapped Lois. Clark falls for it and suits up. Lois and Jimmy meet the League of Lois Lanes, an interdimensional peacekeeping force of Lois Lanes and a couple Jimmy Olsens from across the Multiverse. Mxyztplk takes Superman to the gang's lair but it quickly becomes apparent it's a heist in a museum. Lois is taken aback when she learns most Lois Lanes win their Pulitzer at age 21 as she is 23. Jimmy meets a counterpart named Jalana. They are briefed on Mxyztplk, a chaos god they managed to disarm and arrest but were disrupted by the sudden appearance of a portal to a previously unknown dimension opened by some gorilla and brain. To add insult to injury, all they needed from Lois was a strand of hair so they could analyze her dimension's tachyons and thus track Clark.
Lois gets leery when the leader Lois restricts them from a certain room. Mxyzptlk steals a recorder then admits to deceiving Superman because the museum was portal proof. Superman is adamant on stopping him then having his perfect, normal dinner with Lois. Mxyzptlk scoffs and tells him it is his fate to always be different, weird, and alone. Jimmy and Jalana are ecstatic that both have a Flamebird stream and swap stories. To the League's chagrin, Jalana shows him her post about Comet the telepathic horse. Lois sneaks into the restricted room and discovers a Superman file marked X is redacted and can only be accessed at headquarters. Clark and Mxyzptlk are traced to Earth-14. Lois learns the League plan to neutralize Superman to be on the safe side. She is locked up. They blast Superman and is weakened but Mxyztplk takes their ship in the chaos. He is amused with Lois's suspicions and agrees to take her to headquarters with him using a master key hidden in the recorder he stole, a recorder that belonged to the original Lois who founded the League. At headquarters, Lois gets File X but has no clue how to access it. Mxyztplk finds his hat and is restored to full power. The others arrive and a battle breaks out. Lois comes up with a simple plan to use Mxyztplk's portals against him and with Superman and Jimmy, separates him from his hat once again. They return to their Earth just in time for coffee. Back at her apartment, Lois accesses File X and learns some universes had an evil Superman. Mxyztplk appears and taunts her before he leaves how fun it will be watch her figure it all out. Insider the sphere, Lois finds a glowing green object.
Last week's "My Adventures with Mad Science" blew me away with the world building and character arcs but this episode cranked it up a notch and went to the Multiverse! Not only that but it was Brain and Mallah's wormhole that led to this episode's antics. And Mr. Mxyztplk! The new design took some getting used to as was the lack of his weakness with saying his name backwards but what a neat way to incorporate the tiny hat. And a League of Lois Lane. You'd think a League of Supermen but nope, so Silver Age for it to be Lois (and some Jimmys)! And of course. Of course, can't do a Superman Multiverse episode without paying homage to the classics: Fleischer, Filmation, and Superman: The Animated Series. Then throw in a crab Superman, Justice Lord Superman, and a Comet mention for good measure. But why stop at Superman, the Earth-Prime Space and Superhero Museum tipped its hat to the greater DC Universe with a what's what of famous objects, including a Mother Box, a Nth metal mace, Book of the Black, T-Sphere, Green Lantern battery, Helmet of Fate, Cosmic Rod, and Flight Ring. This show!
Now it could have stopped right there with just easter egg after easter egg but nah, this is the show that keeps on giving. We got the major move for Clark to show Lois and Jimmy his ship. But Mxyztplk let's it slip all Superman are from planet Krypton, a name our show's Superman hears for the first time. And Lois discovers she swiped something when she took the file but has yet to learn it is a sample of Kryptonite and very dangerous near Superman.
We know Lois revealed her issue with feeling inadequate because she is still an intern after being at the Daily Planet for a year. And it the League of Lois Lanes doesn't help the situation much. It is standard for a Lois Lane to win a Pulitzer Prize by age 21. Our show's Lois is 23. Ulp. And all the League needed was a strand of hair. Earth-52 Lois won multiple awards. Earth-24 Lois got the Key to the City at age 19. Way to humble a girl. But beyond that, once again, Lois gets itchy because she's got the feeling two things she hates have reared their ugly heads again: secrets and lies. And it's the other Lois Lanes to boot. And to learn the truth, Lois has the baddie of the week take her straight to the answers despite the fact he wants to go there to. To power up. No big deal. The episode ends on an almost eerie full circle moment. Lois learns about the existence of evil Supermen in certain universes and gets a hold of Kryptonite. All season long Task Force X has been adamant Superman is the enemy and needs to be put down. With just three episodes left this season, sounds about right they are sending Lois up a river of doubt only for her to see what no one else does, like this episode, and hopefully mend fences between Superman and Task Force X. Somehow.
"Kiss Kiss Fall in Portal" is a zany heist movie turned fugitive pursuit in the Multiverse filled with reverence and hat tips to the Superman mythos and the greater DC Universe but it's all leading to more shocking revelations for Lois. What she decides to do with her newfound knowledge and memento are yet to be seen. With the season closing in on its finale, a reckoning is definitely on the horizon.
DCAU Resource's rating: 9.6/10