“Pilot” is episode one of season one of Superman and Lois.
This extended episode of the Arrowverse and Supergirl spin-off series begins with Clark recapping his earlier life; arriving on Earth, losing his father, becoming Superman, meeting Lois, marriage, having twins, Jonathan being easy and Jordan harder, having just been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and finally being here, trying to make the world safer for the people he loves.
A nuclear reactor is in the process of melting down when General Sam Lane arrives. He calls for Superman. Clark arrives, seals a leak and cools down the reactor. Afterwards, the speaks to Lane; this was the same as the other reactor. Both cracks were manmade. They then talk about Lois and the boys.
Clark arrives home as Lois is heading out. She wants him to apologise to Jordan for missing therapy. Clark first looks in on Jonathan and chats to him, though Jonathan is on Zoom with his girlfriend by the looks of it. Jordan is playing Injustice 2. As Raiden, beating up Superman because Superman is boring. It seems Clark’s kids don’t know who he is.
Clark has a missed call from his mother; she saw him on the news. She thinks he needs to be at home more. Yes, he has a responsibility to the world but a bigger responsibility to his family as a father. At the end of the call, she says she just needs to lie down.
In the morning, Lois tells Clark that Martha called whilst he was in the shower. The boys head out; Lois wants to tell them who Clark is. She thinks Jonathan might have powers, given his athletic skills. Clark doesn’t; a test at the Fortress said it was unlikely.
In the lift at the Daily Planet, Clark thinks it’s too dangerous for the boys to know. Say the wrong thing to the wrong person and the whole world will know. Sam agrees. They arrive to find someone else has been laid off thanks to Morgan Edge. Then Clark is too; Lois isn’t happy. Billionaires buying media outlets use moving to digital as an excuse to destroy journalism. And Clark will need a new excuse for being gone all the time. Then Martha calls. Except it’s her doctor. Clark returns home, but his mother has died of a stroke. The funeral is held in Smallville, which looks to be suffering; foreclosures and businesses closed down.
At the wake, someone Clark knows says it’s hard for farmers. Lana Long, now Lana Long Cushing, arrives with her family. Jonathan tells Jordan that Sarah Cushing has arrived. Sophie, the younger daughter, comments that her mother used to date Clark which is why her dad was mad about her being on Clark’s Facebook page. Jonathan, Jordan and Sarah are talking about the poor signal. The router is in the barn and Clark always told them it was dangerous there.
Inside, Kyle Cushing is saying that everyone else they knew has bailed. It used to be people got degrees then brought their skills back to the communities that raised them. That doesn’t happen anymore. But Morgan Edge’s proposal should help. Retrofitting the coal mines to produce alternative energies. Lois says Edge ruins everything, just like he’s destroying the Daily Planet. Kyle tells her people stopped reading that because reporters can’t keep their politics to themselves (a far bigger problem online). He thinks Morgan Edge sees the future. Not a future Lois wants to live in. Regarding the farm, Clark says they haven’t made any decisions yet. Kyle says Martha has. Lana tells Kyle to get the girls and for Lois and Clark to come by the bank tomorrow.
Clark is wondering if he should come back to Smallville more often. On the way over, he heard his mother telling him to come home. He doesn’t know why. At least one of the twins has definitely got powers; Lois and Clark are so convinced it must be Jonathan that it practically guarantees it isn’t. Whoever is sabotaging nuclear reactors knows who Superman is. Lois is suspicious of the bank’s behaviour.
Though it’s not really an origin episode, it’s probably longer because it’s a bit slow to get going. Despite it being part of the Arrowverse and Superman being familiar, some things do need putting into place before the plot can really get going.