REVIEW: ‘My Adventures with Superman’ Season 2 Episode 8 — “The Death of Clark Kent”

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8 further proves the series’ excellence with a devastating final reveal. Building on the mounting tensions of both Season 2 and the lingering doubts that have followed Clark (Jack Quaid) since Season 1, “The Death of Clark Kent” is a brutal blow to the character’s resolve. Mentally and physically tormented by Brainiac who looks to find the hero’s vulnerability, we watch as Clark is broken down through relentless onslaughts to his character and memories.

The series is a good reminder of the emotional potency animation can wield, regardless of the rating. A series doesn’t need bloodshed, excessive violence, and any level of gratuity to create engaging, internal conflict. My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8 is demonstrative of this, ruinous in its wielding of its emotional core. We’re not expecting the actual death of Clark Kent, and there’s the continued assumption that all will be well by the end of the season. But that doesn’t make the personal stress of the episode any less heavy in its impact.

Because Clark has spent two seasons now worried about his humanity. Othered by the media due to his alien status and recently being upset by both Lois (Alice Lee) and Jimmy (Ishmel Sahid) letting him down, Brainiac utilizes the fragility of his mental state. No, Brainiac can’t physically overpower Superman, he admits, but he stands a chance at breaking down mental barriers. Clark puts up a good fight, rightfully believing that his kindness and hope make him strong. But Braniac’s utilization of Black Mercy — a mind control device that alters Clark’s memories and dreams — is too strong.

Brainiac puts him through different rounds throughout using Black Mercy. First, by fighting enemies he’s squared off against in the past, such as Livewire and Parasyte. But the AI quickly hones in on the fact that it’s Jimmy and Lois and his love for them who are his significant vulnerabilities.

“The Death of Clark Kent” avoids obvious tropes because Brainiac doesn’t instantly target them or threaten their lives. Instead, he plays with the pieces of Clark’s memory to make him doubt their love for him in return. Any moment where they’ve spoken to his humanity is twisted. While he refuses to believe it at first, trusting in Lois and Jimmy, Brainiac interweaves real moments of disappointment and hurt to drive it home.

Lois, Jimmy, and Kara (Kiana Madeira) do their best throughout My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8 to get to Clark in time, but to no avail. Throughout, we’re reminded of the number that Brainiac has done on Kara, too, as she still believes until the end that he must be simply malfunctioning rather than an abusive warlord. Kara’s pleas, the kryptonite that Jimmy finally unleashes despite not wanting to use it initially, none of it works once Brainiac takes over Superman’s body.

The reveal is catastrophic, and the three only escape with the help of Mallah and the Brain. The effect of Superman’s transformation is striking; the suit is lithe and black, contrasting the vibrancy of his usual costume. It’s no secret that My Adventures with Superman draws influence from popular anime. From the magical girl transformations in Season 1 to easter eggs and direct references to series such as Berzerk!, Ouran Host Club, Dragon Ball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist, and more, it’s hard not to wonder if this specific design of the suit isn’t influenced by Sakuna in Jujutsu Kaisen. It’s the lines of the mask that make you wonder.

My Adventures with Superman Episode 8 operates on a bombastic, explosive scale that utilizes its most vital attributes. The voice acting has never been better as our central trio and Kara reach new desperation levels to get Clark back. The score by Dominic Lewis and Daniel Futcher adopts a more subdued, melancholic atmosphere that fits the galactic setting. As always, the Kryptonian ship designs loom large over the characters, imposing and sterile compared to the warmth of the Earth. Like Season 2 Episode 6, the background exteriors lean into warmer, harsher color pallets with reds and purples bleeding into the vast endlessness of space.

Ending on yet another shocking moment that speaks to Lois’s impulsiveness, the episode leaves us wondering just how this ragtag group will be able to get Clark back. My Adventures With Superman Season 2 Episode 8 is another stunner installment. The stakes have never been higher in the series, and the threat is boundless now in his power. “The Death of Clark Kent” earns its big moments because it’s teased them out now for 18 episodes. Clark Kent just wanted to be a normal man, and now he’s been taken over by a machine looking to strip him of the humanity he cherishes.

My Adventures With Superman Season 2 Episode 8 is out now on Max.