In Review: Superman and Lois (S4 – EP10) It Went by So Fast

Synopsis: In It Went By So Fast, The Kents fight with everything they have as Luthor makes his final move on Smallville.

The Story

Picking up where last week left off, Lex Luthor has once again provoked Doomsday, sending the creature after Superman. As the battle ensues, Superman is being severely overpowered, prompting Jonathan and Jordan to use their superpowers to try and help. However, Superman insists they stay out of it, urging them to leave the fight to him.

Meanwhile, John Henry and Lana believe they’ve found a solution—a device that can temporarily neutralize Doomsday’s threat. With Superman’s life hanging in the balance, Lois orders Jonathan and Jordan to intervene, buying John Henry and Lana enough time to present their idea to Lois. Once they arrive, Superman has regained consciousness and directs his sons to lead Doomsday back to him so John Henry can deploy the device. The plan succeeds, and Doomsday is defeated within the first ten minutes.

But the danger isn’t over—Lex Luthor is still on the loose, now piloting an upgraded mech suit designed to kill Superman. In an effort to provoke Lex, Lois instructs Jonathan and Jordan to bring Amanda McCoy to expose Lex’s secrets on live TV. As expected, Lex cuts the stream before any damaging information can surface, but John Henry quickly tracks down Lex’s tech expert, Milton Fine, and manages to restore the broadcast. With the stream back on, Superman confronts Lex, ultimately defeating him and sending him to Stryker’s Prison.

The second half of the episode shifts a year into the future, showing happier times. John Henry and Lana are married, with Lois officiating the ceremony. Superman (Clark) provides a narration, revealing that he lived an additional 30 years thanks to the heart transplant from General Lane. During those years, he and Lois founded a charitable organization to help and connect with people. Unfortunately, Lois’s cancer returned, and she eventually passed away. The episode closes with a poignant moment—Superman succumbs to heart failure, and as he dies, he is reunited with Lois in the afterlife.

The Acting

Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch bow out as Superman and Lois with both grace and style. Hoechlin’s narration in the closing moments of the episode was particularly moving and truly captured the emotional weight of the finale—it even gave me chills. The moment where Lois officiates Lana and John Henry’s wedding was also handled beautifully, offering a perfect touch of warmth and closure to their journey.

Alex Garfin and Michael Bishop delivered standout performances as Jordan and Jonathan Kent, bringing strong support to the story. It was a joy to witness a true portrayal of brotherhood between the characters, and the scene where Jordan breaks down, believing Jonathan has died, was particularly powerful. It was brilliantly acted and a brave moment for such a young actor.

In short, the entire cast really brought their A-game to this finale, making it an emotionally resonant and satisfying conclusion to the series.

Overall

It Went By So Fast was a truly strong series finale, where the writers made some brave choices. Things didn’t wrap up too neatly with Superman surviving to outlive his family, which is what might have happened if his alien heart hadn’t been destroyed. Instead, in this series, Superman dies, but not before leaving the world in a better place than when he first arrived. The finale offers great closure for all the key characters.

A more cynical writer might call this ending a cliché, but I’m not one to adopt that viewpoint. This finale carried a power and emotional weight that none of the other CW superhero shows quite managed to achieve. Will it win any awards? Maybe, maybe not. But regardless of that, this episode stands strong on its own merits, offering emotional depth and a satisfying conclusion.