Superman & Lois: Does Doomsday Mean We're Getting The Man Of Steel's Death?

Contains spoilers for "Superman & Lois" Season 3, Episode 13 — "What Kills You Only Makes You Stronger"

Things aren't looking good for the Man of Steel on The CW. Not only did "Superman & Lois" get a shortened Season 4 — potentially the series' last season — but Season 3 also pitted Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) against his strongest enemy, Doomsday. Following Lex Luthor's (Michael Cudlitz) release from prison, the supervillain begins experimenting on Bizarro, transforming the Superman of another world into the invincible Doomsday, ending the season with Superman fighting the villain on the moon.

The cliffhanger ending was quite the surprise, but this is far from the first time Superman and Doomsday have had a destructive showdown. In "Superman" #75, the two faced off for the first time, ending with Doomsday and Superman's deaths. While both characters eventually returned to the pages of DC Comics, the "Death of Superman" arc proved the Man of Steel wasn't as invincible as once thought. 

A few on-screen versions of Superman have taken on Doomsday only to see similar results. Henry Cavill's Superman died fighting the creature in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," and we're sure you can guess how DC's animated movie "The Death of Superman" ended. With that in mind, it seems inevitable that "Superman & Lois" will soon lose its Man of Steel.

Given its focus on maintaining comic-book accuracy, "Superman & Lois" Season 4 seems likely to begin with Superman's death as the hero takes out Doomsday with him. While The CW could use the "Death of Superman" story to shift the focus onto the Kents — Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), Jonathan (Michael Bishop), and Jordan (Alex Garfin) — the show's infamous budgetary cuts could be the true villain behind Season 4's potential lack of Superman.

A shortened Season 4 isn't the only problem "Superman & Lois" has to deal with, as budgetary restraints have forced the production to cut a staggering number of series regulars. While the show's creators certainly didn't pit Superman against Doomsday with the intent of saving money, the Man of Steel's death could help the series reign in its budget. If Superman were to die in the Season 4 premiere — assuming no one takes his place — the show would require much less CGI, giving the production much more flexibility with its already smaller budget.

Another option could be that "Superman & Lois" saves the little budget it already has for the end of Season 4, adapting the "Return of Superman" arc. The triumphant revival of the Man of Steel could be the perfect ending to The CW's show, assuming that Season 4 is its last. Ending "Superman & Lois" on a high note, with Superman returning as the beacon of hope, would be the perfect ending to a criminally underrated superhero show.