This article contains spoilers for the series finale of Superman & Lois.
Superman & Lois’ connection to the greater Arrowverse diminished and changed as the series went on, with the show taking place in a similar but separate timeline that contained some doppelgängers of Arrowverse characters. But now that the story of Clark (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois (Bitsie Tulloch), and friends has come to a conclusion, there’s no denying that this is still the end of an era for superhero television.
The CW has been a TV home for DC superheroes since Smallville premiered in 2001, before the channel was even known as The CW. Running for 10 seasons, Smallville paved the way for Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Legends of Tomorrow, and every other show connected by crossovers and multiverses for the last decade-plus. Say what you want about the quality of these series, but they were leagues ahead of the MCU when it comes to representation at least. Across all of these stories we had queer heroes, trans heroes, heroes of color, women heroes in leadership roles, and heroes from varying socioeconomic backgrounds. The Arrowverse made it clear that you don’t have to have superpowers or fancy gadgets to be a hero, you just have to have enough heart.
Superman & Lois may not have been part of the Arrowverse proper, but it still carried on this legacy in its final episode, even without any surprise cameos (aside from our canine friend Krypto). After Doomsday and Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) are defeated by the power of family, friendship, and teamwork, the series focuses on what Lois and Clark’s lives are like up until their final days. For the first time ever in live-action, we get to see Superman’s story come to a real end, and it’s as heartfelt as you would expect from this series.