The End Is Near: Superman & Lois' Penultimate Episode Prepares Fans for Emotional Goodbye

Superman & Lois's writer/director would like to apologize — to his mother in particular.

"My mother is a big admirer of the program... But one thing about her is that she despises cliffhangers," Jai Jamison tells TV Line. "I know my mother is going to detest this. She's going to be very upset."

'Superman & Lois.'

CW

The show's penultimate episode concluded with the Man of Steel facing up against a supercharged, super-pissed Doomsday — and the odds are once again stacked against our hero. As downtown Smallville descended into turmoil, Superman paused to assure his anxious family how much they meant to him. He mouthed, "I love you," to Lois. "I always wi…" But before he could complete his statement, Doomsday delivered another devastating blow.

"I wanted it to be an emotional hit and end on an unresolved note," Jamison adds, alluding to Superman and Doomsday's initial encounter last season. Clark's family knows that the last time this mutant beast battled him, it killed him. "We're simply playing with the stakes of the situation. And it's a tribute to Tyler, Bitsie, Michael, and Alex. "They all brought it."

Meanwhile, another conflict erupted between Lex and Amanda, the latter of whom is now seeing him for what he is: a waste of time. "One of the things I love about Yvonne [Chapman] in that scene was when Lex turns on her and blows his lid, she doesn't back down," Jamison recalled. "Yes, maybe her feelings for Lex clouded certain aspects of her judgment, but she's also a formidable person in her own right."

So, where does this leave Clark and Co. as we approach next week's (gulp) season finale? Simply put, "Our characters are at their wits' end," Jamison explains. "They've reached their breaking point. Superman is doing his best to hold his own against Doomsday, but Lex still hasn't used his final card. Dealing with this monster will require everyone working together to get through."

Jamison adds that he also included "a little fun" in this episode, such as Clark playing with the boys, to "get a taste of what could be lost" if Doomsday is successful.

"Putting this episode together was daunting," he admits. "I knew I'd be writing and directing an episode this season, but I expected it to happen sooner. Then the assignment arrived, and I discovered it was the penultimate episode. After processing the shock, I said, "All right, let's dial in." "Let's do it correctly."