“Fail Safe” is episode thirteen of season one of Superman and Lois.
In the previous episode, “Through the Valley of Death”, Morgan Edge was captured. He’s now in a Kryptonite cell having memories of his father’s hologram essentially torturing him and saying he needs to prove that he will never shame House Rho again. Superman is asking what happened to the Eradicator; before Edge was blasted, energy from it went into him. And where’s Leslie Larr? It might not be too later for her. Edge says it is and his only concern is those souls that need to be resurrected. Superman has Edge’s sunstone and Edge assumes he’ll destroy it like Edge did Clark’s. Superman will just put it away and, when Leslie Larr is found, they will never see each other again.
Back home, Lois and Clark fill in the boys on the cover story about what happened and that the principal is going to hold an assembly today. Sam is staying around to remove the X-Kryptonite.
The mayor is telling Kyle and Lana that it’s advised he takes a leave of absence from the station for a couple of weeks. Kyle says he wasn’t the only one wanting Edge to come. The mayor agrees and he says he’s going to make sure the blame is put where it should be.
At school, Sarah bails from the assembly and Jordan follows her. Some boys speak to Jonathan, then Tegan suggests she and Jonathan find something better to do.
At the Gazette, Chrissy is saying she needs a story. Lois tells her they need more interviews to back up some of their assumptions. People are calling Chrissy desperate for answers and it would be a lot better if they had some kind of certification from the DoD. Lois calls her dad.
Clark brings John breakfast; the latter has a Kryptonian tracking system set up and he’s enhanced it to search for Leslie Larr. Clark says Sam could use John at the DoD. John appreciates it, but once Leslie is found, he’s going to move on. He’s now on this planet and needs to make it his home. Clark knows what he means. Then John’s scanner lights up and Clark hears something from the DoD. He heads out as John suits up.
Leslie Larr is heading to the DoD. Superman intercepts her in mid-air and tackles her to the ground, then John shows up and blasts her with a red sun weapon.
At the DoD, Sam tells them there are loose ends to clear up. The weapons in Project 7734 he had built for the wrong reasons. He’ll bury them in concrete and sink them in the ocean, keeping only enough around to guard certain people, not equip an army.
Jonathan is in Tegan’s car; they confirm they’re both single. Jordan and Sarah are heading into the country. Sarah talks about how they’re being treated as she’s concerned about her dad; things like this usually send him over a cliff. Kyle and Lana are talking in the diner when several other firemen come in. They are not happy to see Kyle.
Sam tells Lois the DoD isn’t releasing a statement. Just a pamphlet designed to alleviate people’s concerns and scare them into staying out of the mines. He wants Lois to keep the story to the bare minimum. The last thing they need for their family is for this story to get out of Smallville and any quote from Sam will grant the legitimacy to make that happen.
Edge is having more memories of Zeta-Rho telling him to leave and find the Eradicator and stay away until it arrives. Study them, learn to exploit their weaknesses and prepare for the resurrection. He won’t let Edge speak to his mother; her crystal was only brought so she could witness Zeta-Rho’s vision of Krypton restored before he extinguishes her for ever. Superman is still asking Edge about the Eradicator and says they got Leslie Larr. Edge knows Superman has to hold himself back as it’s the only way he can walk among them without killing them. He could have been a god, but Superman is all about control. Edge says it felt good to lose it for once and he’s just like Edge.
Chrissy is wondering if the DoD’s lack of statement means this story is different somehow. Lois lies and Chrissy realises it. She’s not happy. Tegan’s meeting with Jonathan seems to be just to pump him for information. Kyle is upset with how they, and especially Lana, who risked her life to save them, are being treated. And Clark did enjoy letting loose for once, which concerns him.