A Superman Thanksgiving Catastrophe

For Superman, life couldn’t be better right now. He’s got a fantastic girlfriend, and he’s proven to most of Metropolis that he’s a true hero. The only issue left is the fanatics of Task Force X, who remained convinced he’s an alien invader, but they haven’t tried anything since Parasite’s attack. However, Superman’s happy life takes another turn on Thanksgiving. What should be a simple dinner with Lois and Jimmy becomes a catastrophe when they invite Lois’ dad over. AKA, the General.

The Daily Planet Trio’s Finally Getting a Windfall

In the aftermath of Parasite’s attack on Metropolis, life couldn’t be better for the Daily Planet trio. Having managed to prove their worth time and again (and because they’re bad at being interns), Perry White promotes them to full-fledged reporters. They even get their names on their article about how Superman saved Metropolis! 

Having seen them start the series at the bottom of the barrel, the fact that they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve is immensely satisfying. Even the Scoop Troop respects them! As for Vicki Vale, it’s likely her career will take a massive hit due to her libelous lies. In addition, Jimmy reveals at the end of the episode that he sold his Flamebird account to the Daily Planet, making him a millionaire. 

Life couldn’t be better for Superman and his friends, yet there’s still the spectre of Task Force X and what he learned hanging over about Zero Day hanging over his head. As a result, Lois and Jimmy opt to keep the sphere from the Legion of Lois’ a secret. It’s less because they don’t trust him, and more because they know the revelation would emotionally destroy him.

Alas, the universe works against them, as Thanksgiving proves to unravel everything.

The General Who Came to Dinner, and the Giant Spaceship

Clark invites Jimmy, Lois, and her dad to his parent’s house for Thanksgiving, wanting to help mend the rift between his girlfriend and her father. To his horror, though, he discovers what the audience already knew: Lois’ father is the General of Task Force X. 

This revelation was a whole season coming, and it works wonderfully. Everyone’s on edge when they realize who Mr. Lane is. Clark’s horrified and suffering from PTSD. His parents can’t understand how someone like Lois could have him for a father. It’s Lois’ reaction that is the most extreme, though. Not only does this explain why her Dad kept so many secrets growing up, but her own father tried to hurt and kill the man she loves. And things only get worse when Clark finds the sphere with the footage of his evil counterparts…and the rock inside.

Kryptonite has always been Superman’s greatest weakness, but the series cranks it up to eleven. Instead of severly weakening him here, merely being exposed to it comes close to killing him. Worse, it also activates his ship. Unlike most iterations, this ship isn’t a simple, single-person vessel. It’s a warship the size of a Star Destroyer, filled with machines of war. What follows is a repeat of Zero Day as they run amok and open a portal to allow another armada to come through.

Superman’s Toughest Battle is Yet to Come…

In the end, Superman only manages to stop the invasion by destroying the ship, an act that almost costs him his life. It’s only thanks to the AI of Jor-El that he survives at all. Worse, the event leads to General Lane likely burning his bridges with his daughter. When he has Superman in his sights and is prepared to kill him, Lois stands up to her father and chews him out for all the neglect and lies he’s had her deal with over the years. Ultimately, General Lane stands down, but he vanishes before the pair can speak any further. 

Things end with the remainder of the group enjoying Thanksgiving, but the episode doesn’t end there. It cuts to another world currently under attack by the same machines that tried to invade Earth, and their leader. Their face isn’t shown, but the fact that they say that the people of Earth “Will kneel,” says it all. It’s General Zod.

This opens up so many avenues for the next season. Was Krypton ever destroyed in this universe? Why was the first attack thwarted? These are genuine mysteries that most iterations of Superman rarely deals with, and it’s exciting, and terrifying. In other words, a great way to end the season.

I have no idea when the next season will come, but if manages to improve on what we got here, then I know I’m going to watch it. This was easily one of the better animated series to come out of 2023, and I wish it had only gotten more attention. Until then, though, we have the fanart.

I Give “Hearts of the Fathers” a 4.5/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.