Superman & Lois: Kent Brothers Could Break CW’s Warring Brother Trope

The Kent brothers of Superman & Lois could be another pair of CW brothers at odds, the latest entry in the network’s familiar warring brothers trope. Although two brothers in conflict is an easy way to build tension and drama, the Arrowverse’s latest family-centric show has a prime opportunity to break that trope. Superman & Lois could go in a brand-new direction by having both Superman’s sons inherit his powers, but in a way that requires the brothers’ collaboration for the powers to work.

At first glance, Jonathan and Jordan Kent seem destined to clash. The outgoing, athletic Jonathan and the sensitive, introspective Jordan were already having trouble communicating with each other and their father. Now their world is fractured by learning their father is Superman and that one of them has apparently inherited his powers; division after division has been highlighted to set up a road map for conflict between the brothers.

Warring brothers on CW dramas go as far back as the Winchesters of Supernatural at different points throughout their show’s run, and even further back to the CW’s predecessor WB network which highlighted many sibling rivalries.  Shows such as The Originals and The Vampire Diaries regularly featured near-catastrophic brotherly rifts. For Superman & Lois, though, giving the Kent brothers over to this aging trope would be a mistake, and their story may go in another direction. This has already been hinted by the initial red herring that Jonathan may have powers — only for the premiere to reveal it is actually Jordan with the abilities. Although the series so far hasn’t confirmed Jordan’s abilities, it’s possible the reason Jor-el couldn’t detect the Kryptonian abilities had to do with Jordan needing to be in proximity with Jonathan for their abilities to work.

The Superman & Lois characters can give the brother dynamic a fresh twist. The show could lean into the fact that the twins are half-Kryptonian and as such neither would inherit all their father’s powers to become the next Superman. A unique approach would be to have the boys discover that they are both manifesting powers inherited from their father and that they need each other for the abilities to work. They could learn to control them and work together as a team. If the boys chose to team up and perhaps respond to emergencies in the Smallville area to try to help their father, it might also give them greater perspective and insight into his struggles to balance being both a global hero and also family-man Clark Kent in Superman & Lois.

The Kent brothers’ relationship to their powers will shape their development in relation to each other. It would be interesting to explore the outcome if full use of their powers required contact with each other. Individualized powers for the brothers is another possibility. Given their distinct personalities, Jordan, the more sensitive twin would be strongest with the emotion-driven powers. His powers may have already been emerging without him realizing it, his instinct to cover his brother when the pipes fell in the barn or him saying he was hearing voices, what if that were the beginnings of super-hearing? Then, his powers were kick-started when he touched the Kryptonian crystal from his father’s ship. And again, in an emotionally charged moment to protect Jonathan, he unleashed heat vision. Jonathan, with his protective nature and seemingly enhanced athletic abilities and courage could have inherited his father’s strength and super speed.

Even if Superman & Lois chooses to remain on the path they are taking, there is still the opportunity to break the CW warring brother trope. They could follow the example of two other CW siblings, one with powers and one without abilities that enhance each other’s skills, Supergirl’s the Danvers Sisters, Kara and Alex ,who have been working effectively as a team unit for over five seasons. The legacy of the families and heroes from Krypton building unbreakable bonds by prioritizing their relationships with each other may shatter the warring siblings trope on the CW for good.  If, as a bonus, Superman & Lois let the brothers share powers and team up, the Arrowverse might even get its own version of DC’s Hawk and Dove.

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