REVIEW: ‘My Adventures With Superman’ Season 2 Episode 3 — “Fullmetal Scientist”

With tremendous humor and heart, My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3 demonstrates the series’ strong writing. As plotlines rapidly layer over one another, building to the crescendo of “Fullmetal Scientist,” the flow and pacing never waver. And we, the audience, never question the logistics of how certain players end up in the same scene. Instead, the writing beautifully constructs the plot so that, by the cumulative moments, we’re met with a thrilling realization of how these stories have moved in tandem the entire time.

There’s so much movement in My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3 that it’s easy to look past the fact that Superman experiences a power-up in the opening scene. The episode is a singular story while setting up larger pieces for the ensuing season. So much so that the powerup moment isn’t so much addressed as much as something we, along with Clark (Jack Quaid), are meant to take stock of. It happens; we’re not quite sure what it is, but there’s too much else going on to give it the time and attention it deserves. It comes up, but it’s hard to discern what it is besides an energy vacuum.

Because Superman is busy this week with the arrival of John Irons and AmazoTech. Irons is the developer of a new steel suit that will help keep Metropolis crime-free. But Livewire, through the aid of Amanda Waller and Lex Luthor, is working to overrun the company and take complete control. From physical threats to buyouts, everyone Irons works with is disappearing in some capacity, making his material and designs all the more susceptible to theft. He enlists Superman’s help to get to the bottom of it, but the journey makes it interesting.

Lois (Alice Lee), too, is working on the story as she and Vicky Vale try to outscoop one another. Meanwhile, Jimmy (Ishmel Sahid) is learning the headaches of being a boss and working with kids as he tries to steer Flip (Azuri Hardy-Jones) away from active engagement with potential crime scenes. All of this converges in Irons’ apartment—a beautifully dynamic exercise in plotting. Flip is Irons’s niece, and the group must work together to stop the suits now working as a bomb.

Unsurprisingly, Superman saves the day in My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3. It was inevitable. But how every character is given a moment to shine makes the episode more than a straightforward villain-of-the-week narrative. This story has legs, not just because of the introduced villains and supporting characters. While “Fullmetal Scientist” plays on the idealogy of heroics being the work of communities rather than one central figure, there’s also decent work on the threat of a conglomerate of evil. Yes, Superman has his allies, but Waller does too.

Superman stops the bomb, but an explosion goes off regardless. Because while the city isn’t leveled, Irons’s world is. Lex Luthor takes over AmazoTech and, with it, his projects. The way that Waller has managed to have her hands in the lives of Superman’s adversaries makes for a thrilling setup. How powerful will she end up with Luthor, Slade Wilson, AmazoTech, Livewire, and more in her arsenal? There’s an increasing amount of tension and intensity to the plot threads, making the series all the more engaging as we wait for the moment when Superman has the possibility of losing.

On the whole, the entire episode is a significant win. The anime references continue to be a shining element, with Irons being one helmet away from a full Alphonse Elric at the end. The animation impresses, especially with the near explosion at the end threatening total annihilation. The episode fully embodies the winsome spirit of the series. We don’t spend much time with the General, who lives with Clark and Jimmy, but the small moments leave a lasting impression. A particular highlight is the visual comedy of Clark peering through the window to get Jimmy to pass him his clothes.

It all works so well that it makes the one hangup all the more notable. One of the most frustrating elements of any series ever is when characters fail to communicate due to plot contrivances. Secrecy for the sake of drama. While we understand in Season 1, when Clark doesn’t tell those around him about her superpowered status, it makes less sense that Clark would hide his cousin or Lois’s interest in another job. It all feels trite and unnecessary. The human drama is just as engaging as the supernatural beings Superman faces. The series needs to trust in that and our attachment to the characters rather than twisting characters out of sorts to force certain dramatic moments and reveals.

Regardless, on the whole, My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3 hits all the right notes. From a pitch-perfect narrative that actively builds on expectations to gorgeous visuals, “Fullmetal Scientist” excels. As new pieces continue to add to the season’s overarching storyline, we worry more about Clark and friends and their ability to beat the odds.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 airs weekly on Toonami on Saturdays at midnight and arrives on Max the next day.