Season 1, Episode 8: "Holding the Wrench" (SPOILERS)

The main thing this series is missing is Supergirl mentions. JHI talks about multiple Kryptonians being out there, Superman going evil, but we already have another major Kryptonian, one who is related to Superman out there saving the world. That should be addressed.

Its these type of things that make me wish this was its own Earth where they could bring in their own version of Kara. Adding a 3rd teen to the show, whose a girl with super powers and off saving the world with Clark...good way to add to more drama with the boys.

 

Wow, Tulloch is right up there with Benoist on the emoticon scale! Damn! Her scene with Jonathon had me tearing up. The whole thing with her miscarriage was really well done.

As for Jonothan, seeing his not-dad killing is not-mom must have been a horror to watch.

Also liked the scenes with Lana and Kyle, and him and Sarah. It's nice not seeing him as an irritating a-hole, and instead as a dad who is trying.

Real good episode. Though they could have done without the scene with Irons just blithely changing the AI's designation for him. I thought it thought of him as Luthor fort a reason..?

 

Holy crap Tulloch has come a loooong way as an actress since Grimm. She brought her A game in this one.

 

They should submit this episode for an Emmy!

 

I like how they have Superman power on through the green Kryptonite he encounters on this show instead of always being fully weakened and useless.

 

Superman could've said "save Martha" and Irons could've said

 

Or human minds in Kryptonian bodies. That would be an ironic take on the alien menace.

 

Should've had mentions of Kara. I do hope there is a crossover so she doesn't feel completely ignored from continuity.

But Izabela Vidovic would've made a good teen Kara if she had somehow become a teenager now.

They didn't say what was the outcome of Sarah's audition. I think that should've been saved for a different episode and they could've given us more of Iron's back story instead. Seems like the Sarah scenes were mostly to give Jordan something to do.

 

"Natasha" is a diminutive of "Natalia", and from that it's just a westernization to "Natalie". As an immigrant or a child of immigrants during the Cold War, if that's how the family history went, there was probably social pressure on Lois' grandmother to not use the original Russian form of her name. Natalie Irons might really be Natasha Irons after all, the way John Diggle is John Stewart.

 

Agreed.

There. I fixed it.

But in all seriousness, this was another great episode. This show is really firing on all cylinders.

 

I expected Lois in the psychiatrist's office to turn out to be the other Lois talking about how she'd ruined her relationship with Clark years before.

 

AV Club published an interesting analysis:

Narratively, “Holding The Wrench” is a John Henry Irons episode. It starts with Irons in military custody, threatening to kill Superman no matter what. And it ends with him newly freed, embracing his civilian identity, and setting off to forge a new life on Earth-Prime. He’s not quite onboard with the idea of working alongside Superman yet, but he’s accepted that this Earth’s version of the Man of Steel isn’t a threat either. It’s a great outline for a compelling redemption arc. The problem is that “Holding The Wrench” doesn’t really give him one. That’s because, emotionally, “Holding The Wrench” is a Lois Lane episode.​

I suppose the episode should get some credit for attempting two ambitious storylines. But it seems to be the consensus that only the “emotional”/Lois Lane arc stuck the landing.

Superman & Lois recap: Season 1, Episode 8, "Holding The Wrench" (avclub.com)

 

Does Lois know something we don't?

When she's talking to John in the caravan and they're discussing the multiverse, she pretty much confirms that the multiverse exists, when nobody should currently be thinking that it still does.

As far as any of our heroes are concerned at the moment, there's only one Earth left in existence.

 

It also mentioned that it could've been more of an Irons episode but they spent that time on Sarah auditioning instead which didn't really need to be in this episode. Had they filled it out with more Irons it could've made it more natural that he would seem more redeemed and would've come around to the idea that this Superman isn't a villain.

In previous episodes maybe they should've also had him develop a friendship with Clark Kent in addition to Lois Lane. He doesn't know Clark at all, but if he did, he might feel more a sense of trust if they eventually revealed to him that Clark was Superman.

Is he going to disappear now for a few episodes or will they continue developing his story? It almost looked like he was taking off for a while. Is he listed as a regular or a guest star in the credits?

 

Notwithstanding the Earth-Prime “consolidation” that took place in Crisis, a Multiverse still exists. As summarized by Screen Rant: “…other Earths are occupied by other DC TV shows and movies. Of the DC Universe series, Stargirl is set on Earth-2, Titans is set on Earth-9, Swamp Thing is set on Earth-19 and Doom Patrol is set on Earth-21. […] Green Lantern is set on Earth-12 [and] Brandon Routh's Kingdom Come Superman from Superman Returns is set on Earth-96.”

But all this was revealed to the audience in a coda montage. And you’re asking how Lois knows. Er…

I’ll defer to those who were paying more attention to the plot details of Crisis. But as I recall… J’onn J’onzz restored memories/knowledge of the Multiverse to certain key (non-Paragon) allies. For example, Superman, Alex Danvers and.... Lois? I’m not sure if she was whammied by J’onn or was just told by Clark. But one way or another, she seems to know about the prior Multiverse. And via JHI, she now knows that there is (or was) at least one other Earth.

 

I know there was a multiverse, but my query is that Lois implied there was still a multiverse, which she doesn't know about.

Again, we know of the old multiverse, and we also know there's a new one.

Nobody on any of the shows currently does however. I'm sure it was simply worded incorrectly on Lois' part, but the way she spoke when talking to her son, she spoke about the multiverse in the present sense, rather than past tense.

It's possible that she simply hasn't been informed that the rest of the former multiverse doesn't exist, but more likely, one of the writers slipped up on the scene.

I'm unsure about Lois' memories, her first post crisis talk with Superman was about their sons, to which he had no recollection of. Such a detail (if she'd been introduced to previous memories) would've surely been best for a face to face.

 

They should think there is no more Multiverse but if you come into contact with a doppelganger you'll reference the Multiverse. Supergirl has a whole stupid bar filled with doppelgangers that "survived" COIE, same could be said for Jhi. He could be from pre COIE.

 

We know this. Lois knows this (that he somehow survived). This isn't what this is about though.

Our paragons know that the multiverse pre crisis no longer exists, and none of them have any reason to expect that a new multiverse has sprung up instead, and yet Lois says her line like she's talking about an existing multiverse.

She can't be talking about the old one cause it doesn't exist anymore. She can't be talking about the new one because nobody knows it exists.

This shouldn't require further explanation.

 

I think what @Primal Slayer means is that “multiverse” isn’t a registered trademark of Crisis on Infinite Earths. It’s a sci-fi conceit that’s often featured in superhero stories. And since Lois is actually married to a superhero, she's likely familiar with the concept and may be referring to “multiverse” in the more generic sense. Certainly, she (now) knows that JHI comes from an alternative Earth.

 

This episode showed that BitsieTulloch can give very dramatic and emotional performance in her portrayal as Lois Lane. The breakdown was powerful, the scene with Jonathan definitely hit a cord.

The Superman fight with synthetic Kryptonite and Edge's spy soldier was intense. Especially when John was about to stab him.

I felt bad for Jonathan feeling isolated in the family. I really believe he'll get his powers in the season finale

 

I think Jonathan got the best deal of anyone in that family. From his dad's side, he gets perfect health and a long lifespan, and from his mom's side he gets a normal social life with everyone around him. Just like humans, Kryptonians didn't evolve to live in a world of cardboard, and Jonathan doesn't have to endure the stress of being careful and isolated all the time the way his dad and brother have to be.

 

Another solid episode man. Great acting from Tulloch, I agree. The loss of her baby, I felt that. As I had to go through it recently with my wife. She did a great job portraying the emotions.

 

Another great episode. I will admit, this is the first episode where the acting in some places did seem off, especially with the day players. The hombre playing Trask or whatever needs a few more acting classes.

However, Tulloch did give a great performance. She really sold the pain of miscarriage and guilt. I continue to have high hopes for this show. They really nail so many family moments.