This is an interesting article concerning Lois' cancer storyline if it does wonders for anyone long-term.
‘Superman & Lois’ Has a Fridging Problem
An interesting topic. But I’m a bit skeptical of the analysis. The implication of the essay is that Supes/CK is a deep and fully realized character — while Lois gets the short end of the stick and is relegated to the “fridging” trope. Except… Supes isn’t
that deep. Call it genre expectation (or genre limitation), but Supes’ main arc is balancing a soap opera-y family life with superheroism. IOW, this ain’t Shakespeare. So to suggest that Lois’s (often moving) cancer storyline pales in comparison is, IMO, a bit of a stretch.
Now (and as mentioned before), if Lois’s life is saved by a sci-fi
deus ex machina, I think it’ll come across as an easy cheat. But I’m reluctant to criticize the show for a sin it has not yet committed. (Burn that bridge when we come to it.
) Meanwhile, it’s still possible that Lois will have an overall arc that’s more true-to-life and celebrates her own strength and agency. But the essay suggests the following “fix”:
Lois is just as capable as Superman of being a symbol of hope and inspiration. So, what can Superman & Lois do to show this? Well, when Clark was weakened, he got thrown into the sun—let’s see Lois get an equally epic resolution to her cancer storyline.
Well, one resolution is that Lois survives (like many cancer patients) thanks to medical intervention and personal fortitude. But I’m not sure what an “epic resolution” would be — unless we fall back on the
deus ex machina. Moreover, I’m not sure how an “epic resolution” addresses the alleged “fridging” problem. Indeed, if Kryptonian or Mannheim tech ends up saving Lois, then she’s kinda back to being a damsel-in-distress plot device.