A Defining Moment From "The Eyes Have It"

Let me preface this by saying that I have now seen the movie "Man of Steel" and so I'm up to date on all versions of Superman. Believe me, I have hundreds of Superman comic books, both paper and digital. I have all of the animated versions of Superman, the Kirk Alyn serials, the radio show recordings, the George Reeves' Adventures of Superman, the Christopher Reeve movies, the orphaned "Superman Returns" and heaven knows I have watched and reviewed 200+ episodes of Smallville.

I'm not bragging, I'm just letting you know that when I give my opinion of Superman, it's based on a lifetime of love for that character. You can trust me when I say there is a scene from "The Eyes Have It" that demonstrates why Lois & Clark not only remains my favorite version of the longest lived superhero and his very human mate Lois Lane, but also why, at its heart and soul, this series had the clearest understanding of what Superman should always be about.

It wasn't the plot of this episode, or the sometimes questionable humor choices, and certainly not the forgettable villains, but one of those 'defining moments' that Lois & Clark did so well. When Clark was blinded, he didn't mope or think of himself. Instead he asked Lois if she would keep his blindness out of the newspaper. Not for an egotistical reason, but due to the very real fear that the "criminal element" would exploit the situation and take over Metropolis. Lois agreed without hesitation and that's why Lois's depiction rang true as well. She wasn't weak, or letting her feelings for Superman cloud her judgment. It was simply the right thing to do regardless of the situation's newsworthiness.

And though Clark admitted he felt helpless and clumsy, he also said what every Superman should say under the same circumstances.

"You have to play the hand you've been dealt. If this blindness turns out to be permanent, well, then I'm going to have to figure out how to be the best blind person I can, because I really do believe that we're put here on this Earth, or whatever planet we're put on, to do better than we think we can. To be kind, helpful, generous and forgiving."

Lois, clearly touched by what he had said, put her hand on his shoulder and told him she would always be there for him no matter what. At that moment Clark's parents arrived. As soon as Jonathan left with Lois on an errand, Martha hugged Clark. He told her it wasn't necessary for her and Jonathan to come to Metropolis, but Martha became tearful and replied, "Oh, Clark, honey, of course we're here. Your dad and I love you more than anything on this earth." It's very clear that everything Clark Kent was as a man and as Superman, was due to a lifetime of love from those parents.

While current movie makers try their hardest to create a "cool" Superman, the writers responsible for Lois & Clark understood that Superman wasn't really meant to be cool. They knew he was meant to be inspiring. They also knew Superman wasn't relatable. How can anyone honestly relate to someone who can fly, fry eggs with heat vision, or see through walls? However, unlike Batman, they knew Superman was approachable. Even children knew they could talk to him, give him a hug, or even argue with him if they disagreed with his calls as an impromptu umpire at their baseball game. Not many of us can live up to Superman's ideals and high standards, but that's the point. He's someone to look up to and aspire to be, but even when we fail, we become better people just from the attempt.