Superman & Lois Season 3 has introduced a villain in Bruno Mannheim that has as many personal stakes for John Henry Irons and his daughter Natalie as he does for the Kent family. The differences in how Clark Kent and John Henry address the threat Mannheim presents come to a head in the season's ninth episode, titled "The Dress," kicking off the third season's final act. Bringing more action than the preceding episodes, the episode gives Steel a slightly questionable character arc that may put off viewers as some unnecessary or forced friction between the heroes.
Following Peia's reveal as the supervillain Onomatopoeia, she is placed in Department of Defense custody, with the heroes using this as leverage to reclaim materials stolen by Mannheim. General Sam Lane trusts John Henry to take point with Mannheim, though the villain's personal attacks make him act more aggressively than Clark and Natalie are comfortable with. Meanwhile, though Lois Lane is responding well to her chemotherapy treatment, she is growing anxious about an upcoming surgery to complete her recovery and the permanent physical changes it will leave on her body.
The cancer story arc that has made up much of Superman & Lois Season 3's emotional core comes to a head in this episode, with a frank discussion about the long-term implications of cancer recovery. This gives Bitsie Tulloch and Tyler Hoechlin more time to shine and allows Emmanuelle Chriqui's Lana Lang to speak with Lois in a way that Clark simply can't. Lois' initial standoffish stance levels off quickly here when the character finally allows herself to open up emotionally.
The less effective story arc is John Henry's, as the character blocks Mannheim at every possible turn now that he has the advantage, offering a closed fist rather than an open hand to the Metropolis crime lord. Similar moments across Season 3 proved uneven and melodramatic, and with the focus squarely on John Henry, it feels all the more glaring. This isn't to say that John Henry's actions aren't presented with a degree of rationality, nor that he should fall in line behind Superman, but it does stand as one of the noticeably weaker elements of this season so far.
"The Dress" is an action-packed episode with an appropriately rousing climactic bout, but an earlier skirmish suffers from some rough choreography. There is a sequence when John Henry is waving a stun baton at some of Mannheim's men. He doesn't appear to hit anyone with it, but the sound effects suggest otherwise. It's a brief moment, but once noticed, it's hard to ignore, spoiling an otherwise engaging scene that ends abruptly.
Though the show's future remains uncertain, Superman & Lois Season 3 has proved that its greatest strength lies not in its superhero action but rather in its character relationships and genuine emotions. This is especially true here, with the highlight being Lois' arc and its most glaring shortcoming being the John Henry plotline, making for an uneven episode. This episode showcases Superman & Lois's strengths and weaknesses.
Developed for television by Greg Berlanti and Todd Helbing, Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT, with episodes available to stream the following day on The CW App.